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Our downtown holds a unique space in the community as both our front porch where we welcome our guests and as our living room where we reflect on our time together, celebrate and sometimes commiserate.
Looking back, 2021 has been a roller coaster filled with terrifying highs and dizzy lows: I remember the excitement of the vaccine being readily available to Alaskans this spring, an incredible summer filled with independent travelers in our downtown community, challenges with the delta variant as we saw the health care system stressed in Alaska and nationwide, celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends for the first time in two years, and now the omicron variant and the anxiety of the unknown.
At Anchorage Downtown Partnership, we recognize that mental health is a part of public health, so we have worked to activate downtown’s public spaces and provide an opportunity for our community to connect. This summer, we went big and had programming seven days a week in our downtown parks and public spaces. We held live concerts, Zumba classes, yoga classes, storytime, hip hop dance classes, movies in the park, an outdoor market and so much more.
One day in August, more than 500 members of our community joined us in Town Square Park to paint 70 4-foot by 4-foot panels of the Hope Wall Mural Project. The completed piece now lives on the Hafling Building on the corner of 7th Avenue and D Street.
We asked our community what their hopes for our community were, and these are included as part of the final project. As we transition into 2022, it’s important to reflect on those aspirations of peace, love, considerate, grace, welcome, hope, kindness, respect, joy, creativity, safety, generosity, and earth-friendliness.
Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd. remains committed to downtown Anchorage, and this community continues to bear the brunt of the pandemic, but the beauty of downtown is that it is resilient and continues to adapt and pivot.
With New Year’s Eve upon us, it’s time to come together and celebrate our community as a community. It’s time to celebrate everything we’ve accomplished together over this past year, and look forward to everything to come.
The New Year’s Eve Celebration has always been downtown’s gift to all of Anchorage. This year, we invite you to join us on Dec. 31 from 7-9 p.m. in the Chinook Lot on 3rd Avenue between C Street and E Street to ring in the New Year with us!
This year’s event will feature music by Those Guys AK, Joe Brady, performances by Underground Dance Studio, Sankofa, Alaskanettes Baton Corps, and a meet-and-greet with Miss America, Anchorage’s own Emma Broyles. Additionally, there will be a beer garden by Humpy’s and food trucks!
Last year we held a drive-in and virtual show. We are thrilled to be back in person, as we know “outside is best,” but we continue to offer the drive-in component recognizing we all have a different level of comfort and consideration during these uncertain times. For those interested in celebrating through the drive-in component, you can park in any downtown garage that has views to the north and turn your radio on to KONR 106.1 and enjoy the live music and fireworks from the comfort of your vehicle. If you grab take-out from your favorite downtown restaurant, it is essentially dinner and a show!
As we welcome you to our house this New Year’s Eve, let’s remember connecting on the Hope Mural Wall and greet each other with grace, respect and love as we continue to navigate through these uncertain times. There truly is more that connects us and brings us together than divides us.
Happy new year from your downtown.
Amanda K. Moser is the executive director of Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd.
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