Our favorite photos from the Iditarod ceremonial start in Anchorage
Under bluebird skies, the mushers competing in the 2023 Iditarod waved to spectators and were cheered on by fans during their 11-mile tour through Anchorage.
Mille Porsild, from Denmark, makes the Cordova Corner during the ceremonial start of the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Bob Hallinen Photo)
Dogs in KattiJo Deeter’s team howl before the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on March 4, 2023. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Fairbanks musher Bridgett Watkins hugs her son, River Watkins, as she jokingly sticks her tongue out to a reporter before the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Michael Williams, Jr. and his team mush through the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
People line W. Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage to watch mushers and their dog teams during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Richard Bailey holds his phone as his wife, Faye, video chats with musher Jessie Holmes before the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Musher Richie Diehl mushes past the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
A sled dog rests in the trailer of Iditarod mushers Gregg Vitello and Bailey Vitello during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on March 4, 2023. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Fans dance at the Trailgate Party on the Chester Creek Trail during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on March 4, 2023. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Iditarod rookie Jed Stephensen passes through the “Trailgate party” on the Chester Creek Trail during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on March 4, 2023. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Sun catches the breath of dogs in Mille Porsild during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on March 4, 2023. (Marc Lester / ADN)
Hunter Keefe, of Knik, AK, crosses W. Fifth Avenue as he mushes along Cordova Street during the ceremonial start of the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Bob Hallinen Photo)
Mille Porsild takes her team through the Trail Gate party along the Chester Creek Trail during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ceremonial start Saturday morning, March 4, 2023. (Anne Raup / ADN)
A handler pets dogs on musher Jessie Holmes’ team as the dogs rest in a trailer before the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Musher Jason Mackey photographed before the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
7-year-old fan Julianna Ballou reaches out for hand slaps with musher Richie Diehl during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ceremonial start Saturday morning, March 4, 2023. (Anne Raup / ADN)
Jessie Holmes waves to the crowd after crossing the ceremonial starting line of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Jennifer LaBar, of Healy, AK, makes the Cordova Corner during the ceremonial start of the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Bob Hallinen Photo)
Jr. Iditarod winner Emily Robinson represents honorary musher the late Lance Mackey during the ceremonial start of the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Bob Hallinen Photo)
Kelly Maixner, of Big Lake, AK high fives fans on Cordova Street during the ceremonial start of the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Bob Hallinen Photo)
Musher Jessie Royer follows Joanna Jagow as they travel through Bootie Alley on Cordova Street during the ceremonial start of the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Bob Hallinen Photo)
Jessie Holmes, of Brushkana, AK calls out for his team to make the turn onto Cordova Street during the ceremonial start of the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Bob Hallinen Photo)
Eddie Burke Jr., of Anchorage, AK, high fives fans on Cordova Street during the ceremonial start of the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Bob Hallinen Photo)
Gregg Vitello helps handlers put a collar back on his son’s lead dog as the team gets staged for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. Gregg and Bailey Vitello are both running teams in this year’s Iditarod. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Musher Anna Berington reaches out with both hands to high-five spectators as she makes her way through the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
A musher reaches out to high-five spectators as they go through the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Brynn Hammes, 6, watches former champion Peter Kaiser as he mushes through the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Musher Gregg Vitello reaches out to high-five a spectator as he makes his way through the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Dogs in Wade Marrs's team mush through the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Musher Kristy Berington reaches out to high-five a spectator as she makes her way through the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Jaslynn Begay, right, takes a selfie with Ciarra Greene as musher Christian Turner passes by at the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. Begay, who is with Tsé Bíghanílíní Tours and is in Anchorage for the Go West tourism summit, is wearing a Laura Wright parka with a fox fur ruff that she bought at the Alaska Native Art Market. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Musher Bailey Vitello waves to the crowd as he makes his way through the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Dogs in musher Ryan Redington's team make their way through the Alaska Native Medical Center campus during the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Musher Mille Porsild, of Denmark, smiles to the crowd shortly after crossing the ceremonial starting line of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Handlers guide Jessie Holmes’ dog team down W. Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage as they get staged for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Dwayne Carson, visiting Alaska for the first time from Washington, D.C., gets his photo taken in front of Bailey Vitello and Vitello’s dogs before the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Handlers work to contain Bailey Vitello’s dog team as the dogs attempt to pull while the team is staged for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Jed Magby hangs out near Jason Mackey’s dog team as they get ready for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in downtown Anchorage on Saturday, March 4, 2023. Magby, who is a fan and friend of the Mackeys, is wearing handler bands from Lance Mackey’s team from previous race years. (Emily Mesner / ADN)
Musher Kelly Maixner sits in his sled as another person drives the team during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog ceremonial start Saturday morning, March 4, 2023. (Anne Raup / ADN)
Signs lead the way to the TrailGate party on the Chester Creek Trail during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ceremonial start Saturday morning, March 4, 2023. (Anne Raup / ADN)
Iditarod champion Brent Sass slaps hands with fans during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ceremonial start along the Chester Creek Trail Saturday morning, March 4, 2023. (Anne Raup / ADN)
Under bluebird skies Saturday, the 33 mushers competing in the 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race drove their dog teams along city streets and wooded trails for the race’s ceremonial start, waving to spectators and receiving cheers and high-fives from fans during their 11-mile tour through Anchorage.
Emily Mesner is a former multimedia journalist for the Anchorage Daily News. She previously worked for the National Park Service at Denali National Park and Preserve and the Western Arctic National Parklands in Kotzebue, at the Cordova Times and at the Jackson Citizen Patriot in Jackson, Michigan.
Bob Hallinen has been a photojournalist in Alaska since the 1980s and has traveled extensively all over the state. He retired from the ADN in November 2018 after 33 years at the newspaper.