Joe Purdy from his album, Who Will Be Next, and that was New Year's Eve?

Thanks for tuning in. This is K-E-U-L-F-M-889, Girdwood, serving turnigan arm.

Our phone number is Ski City. That's 754-2.

It's early January in Gurdwood, and I've just turned on to the Aliaska Highway,

a smooth paved road that makes a beeline for the heartbeat of this small

community, the Aliaska ski resort. The last few days have blanketed the Chugatch Mountains with

nearly three feet of new snow, and the resort is bustling with skiers, snowboarders, and people

looking to enjoy some of the many amenities of this cozy ski town.

Like many mornings in Gurdwood, it feels peaceful. Good vibes linger in the crisp mountain air.

As I continue up the highway, I pass a multitude of side roads with names like

Telemark Way, Glacier Creek Road, and Fly Fishing Lane, a constant reminder that I'm in a

classic Alaskan ski town. Soon, I pass the familiar Crow Creek Road, and then, just off to the

right, the grounds of the Forest Fair come into view. Today the grounds are

eerily quiet, but in early July every summer, they're packed with people, trading in the

hibernation of a long Alaskan winter for a weekend of dancing, socializing, and partying.

Now in its 45th season, and with the motto of no dogs, no politics, and no religious orders,

the forest fair is a uniquely Alaskan event, drawing thousands of visitors each year.

The grounds are nestled in a lush rainforest, speckled with bubbling creeks,

and dotted with quaint arts and crafts fenders, yummy food trucks, and of course, a fully stocked

beer garden.

But maybe the biggest attraction is the music.

With multiple stages and a steady stream of bands with names like the photons, loose gravel, and sport and woodies,

...