Alaska: Independence Day

One of my central motivations for driving past Denali National Park and over to Fairbanks was to spend Independence Day in a city, with people. Instead of a park, with bears, who probably don't care. I don't know what I was expecting. Gun toting, loud proclamations of a love for freedom and incessant calls of "'MURRRRRRRICAAAAAH!" certainly crossed my mind but was ruled out as unlikely; being in the company of some very left leaning and hippie couchsurfing hosts, I couldn't imagine that this was the company that they would be seeking out.

My assumptions were fair. In Ester, there is a parade and town fair for the fourth and that was to be our day's entertainment. It turns out that Cassie, Liz and Sarah - my hosts - seemed to know the whole town. The fair is also a giant picnic, there's a pig on a spit and just generally a stack of food on offer right around the grounds. I load up, like a student at a buffet. After the food is mostly gone the fair starts up proper with rounds of sack races, tug-o-war, egg & spoon races... and egg catching contests which is most definitely a spectator sport.

Photo finish unnecessary, the ginger wins it after the guy on the right crashes out spectacularly.

After some time just flinging a frisbee around (and one of the girls hitting a toddler in the face) we decamp to a pub for a few beers. Again, it feels like the girls know everyone here. Admittedly, there are a few familiar faces from the fair, but there are plenty of strangers too. Before too long what feels like most of the bar has traveled with us to a lake for paddling and frolicking. It's fucking cold but we're loaded up with beer and tequila coats, among all sorts of other things and it would be well past dark in a normal part of the world before we get back to our cabin in the woods.... for more drink and merriment, until everyone just sort of winds down. There was precious little nationalism on show. No xenophobia.

It was pretty great.