Dillingham’s 66th Annual Beaver Round-Up starts this week. Beaver Round-Up’s coordinator Charlene Lopez says the event's team focused on cultural activities this year and that Alaska Native artists will teach classes. The community can also participate in new events like the Beaver Ice Dip, skate events and a Fear Factor challenge. KDLG’s Christina McDermott sat down with Lopez to learn more about this year’s Beaver Round-Up.
Christina McDermott: What can people expect from Beaver Round-Up this year?
Charlene Lopez: A lot of fun! We wanted to bring cultural activities back into Beaver Round-Up. The last couple years there wasn't a whole lot. We feel it's very important to showcase our culture [and] teach our younger generation what our culture is all about. So, we were able to build some things that will help with that, meaning we're bringing in Alaska Native artists to teach qaspeq making, fur sewing, drum making and beaded earring making.
McDermott: [That] sounds really cool.
Lopez: Yes. We're also having Elder Tea and Games. As everybody knows, we learn so much from our elders and their stories. So that's going to be one of the new events that is going to be phenomenal for everybody to attend.
Then at our closing ceremonies, we're also bringing our culture into it by allowing our Alaska Native artists to sell their items. Tish Olson will be leading the dancing and a yo-yo contest. We're excited for all that.
McDermott: That sounds great. Are there any changes to events that happen every year?
Lopez: We brought some new events in this year like the Beaver Ice Dip. Some are asking what that's about and that's kind of like the penguin dip or the polar plunge. We just wanted to refer back to our theme which is the Beaver Round-Up.
We're also going to have Fear Factor this year, which we've talked about for many years. This year it's going happen and we're very excited about this new event.
Note: Lopez says that Fear Factor is an event based on the TV show with the same name (2001 – 2006). The event will have challenges and prizes including 50,000 Alaska Airlines miles for the winning team.
With our temperatures early in January being so cold, we thought we would do an ice sculpture contest instead of the snowman contest because we didn't have much snow. However, that’s changed. So, in the last week, we now are having an ice sculpture contest and a snowman-making contest.
Also new this year: different entities, or organizations in the community, have added skate events. Our volunteer fire department has done an excellent job on our skating rink, getting it all ready and safe for everybody. So, we have a couple events on the skating rink.
We have added Coffee with Cops. And then we wanted to add all of our service members – so the EMS volunteers, State Troopers, VPSOs, everybody – to come and have a cup of coffee and talk about what's going on in our community and also meet all of the new faces.
[The] UAF Bristol Bay Campus has added [a] trivia night and yoga, which is super awesome.
One thing I want to highlight is the School of Fish screening. It is an amazing video that's going to be shown at the school. Robin Samuelson and his family have done this video and it's just an amazing video on our community and around fishing. I hope everybody goes to the school – I believe it's on Friday at 3:00 – and watches that.
Then the biggest change would be – since the pandemic our closing ceremonies have been virtual. We have run them on our Facebook page. This year is the first year since then that we're going to do them in person. We're very excited for this because that gives everybody more contact to see who has participated in different events through the week, who has come in first, second or third. It also gives us a chance for our Alaska Native artists to sell their items. They'll have an option to also have a table at the closing ceremonies. We're going to have the dancers [and] the Eskimo yo-yo contest. We’ll be selling buttons and raffle tickets during it.
We're bringing out our emcee that we've always had in the past. Rex Spofford will be back out here to announce everything. It’s just going to be a great night. BBAHC and NMS are bringing free hamburgers to the parking lot at 6:30 [on] Sunday evening. You can grab a bite to eat, come in and do the closing ceremonies and then we'll head down to the harbor for the fireworks extravaganza to close up Beaver Round-Up 2024 which is our 66th year.
Lopez says the team is still looking for volunteers for events this week as well as community members to help with planning going forward.
Find more information on Beaver Round-up here.
Beaver Round-Up Schedule
February 18-26:
Kids Coloring Contest — Pick up at NUSHWAC
Snowman Building & Ice Sculpture Contest - Post on Beaver Round Up Facebook Page
Tuesday, February 27: Community Spirit Week: Beaver Faces
6PM 8 Ball Tournament — Willow Tree Sign up at 5:30PM
Wednesday, February 28: Community Spirit Week: Celebrating Decades Day
All Day — Mystery Beaver
Clues will be announced on KDLG at 8:27 am and 12:06 pm. If the Beaver hasn't been found by 12 Noon, the clue will be posted on our website. Find the Beaver and win the prize! When found, please contact 843-3016.
9:00AM Qaspeq Making with Dora — UAF Bristol Bay Campus
10:00AM - 4:30PM Scavenger Hunt — Pick up your list at Choggiung's office. Turn in your "finds" to Maria Hiratsuka. 1-4 people per team. Sponsored by Choggiung.
1:00PM - 5:00PM Community BBQ — NUSHWAC
2:00PM Elder Tea & Games — Curyung Tribal Hall
4:00PM Parade — Main Street
4:30PM Dillingham Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue Squad Open House — Downtown Fire Station
5:00PM Fur Sewing with Dora — UAF Bristol Bay Campus
5:30PM Kids Bingo and Can Food Drive — Head Start
6:00PM Skate Night — Seventh Day Adventist Gym
6:00PM RIZE Youth Night — Come and join us for RIZE Youth Night during BRU! Bristol Bay Church
6:00PM 9 Ball Tournament Sign up at 5:30 — Willow Tree
6:00PM - 8:00PM Skate Dance and Free Moose Soup Night —Dillingham Ice Rink
Thursday, February 29: Community Spirit Week: Throwback Thursday
All Day — Mystery Beaver
Clues will be announced on KDLG at 8:27 am and 12:06 pm. If the Beaver hasn't been found by 12 Noon, the clue will be posted on our website. Find the Beaver and win the prize! When found, please contact 843-3016.
8:30AM - 10:00AM Coffee with EMS Volunteers — EMS Harbor Office
9:00AM Beading with Klarissa — Curyung Tribe
10:00AM - 1:00PM Bristol Bay Job Center Job Fair — UAF Bristol Bay Campus
1:30PM Elders Bingo — Senior Center
3:15PM - 4:30PM Kids Scavenger Hunt — Pick up your list from NUSHWAC and when completed drop back off at NUSHWAC. Teams of up to 4. Ages 1-17. All team members need to be present to participate.
4:00PM - 10:00PM Beaver Round Up Basketball Tournament — High School Gym. Hosted by Dillingham Lady Wolverines and Wolverine Basketball.
5:00PM That 90's Trivia — UAF Bristol Bay Campus. Encouraged to dress up. Bring snacks to share!
5:30PM Kids Bingo and Can Food Drive — Head Start
6:00PM - 8:00PM UTBB Annual BRU Traditional Foods Feast Potluck — Middle School Gym
7:00PM Texas Hold Em' Poker — Willow Tree
Friday, March 1: Community Spirit Week: All about sports, show us your favorite team!
All Day — Mystery Beaver
Clues will be announced on KDLG at 8:27 am and 12:06 pm. If the Beaver hasn't been found by 12 Noon, the clue will be posted on our website. Find the Beaver and win the prize! When found, please contact 843-3016.
9:00AM Breakfast Burritos — NUSHWAC
10:00AM - 1:00PM Bristol Bay Job Center Open House —Bristol Bay Job Center
11:00AM Drum Making with Danielle — UAF Bristol Bay Campus
11:00AM - 4:00PM Open House — BBNC Offices. Hosted by BBNC Shareholder Development & Shareholder Services.
12:00PM - 2:00PM Bristol Bay Tuffest Fishermen's Contest —UAF Parking Lot
3:00PM Beaver Round Up Basketball Tournament — High School Gym. Hosted by Dillingham Lady Wolverines and Wolverine Basketball.
3:00PM School of Fish Screening — Middle School Gym
4:00PM Easter Egg Hunt — Elementary Playground. Bring your bucket or basket!
5:00PM Yoga — UAF Bristol Bay Campus
5:30PM Community Potluck — Bristol Bay Church
6:00PM Singspiration — Bristol Bay Church
6:00PM - 8:00PM Fear Factor — Middle School Gym
8:00PM - 10:00PM Dilly Capers — Elementary Gym. Hosted by Student Council.
Saturday, March 2: Community Spirit Week: Trapper's Dress Up
10:00AM - 3:00PM Beaver Round Up Community Arts Bazaar — Middle School Gym
10:00AM - 12:00PM Dr. Suess Brunch/Party — Blue Room Elementary School. Hosted by The Friends of the Library and the Dillingham Education Association.
10:00AM Beaver Round Up Basketball Tournament — High School Gym. Hosted by Dillingham Lady Wolverines and Wolverine Basketball.
12:00PM .22 Rimfire Lollipop Shoot (Kids ages 5-12) — Landfill Shooting Range. $2.00 fee for each competitor.
12:00PM - 3:00PM Bristol Bay Church Free Food Venue — Aleknagik Building Parking Lot (across from AC). Hot dogs, Soup, Chili, Coffee, Hot Chocolate and Lemonade.
12:00PM - 3:00PM Young Children's Crafts — BBNA Yellow Room. Hosted by CCDF/Head Start.
12:00PM - 6:00PM Necropsy Training — UAF Garage
1:00PM - 5:00PM Community BBQ — School Parking Lot
1:30PM Turkey Shoot — Landfill Shooting Range. (All ages welcome) $5.00 entry fee for each competitor.
2:30PM - 3:00PM Bake Off Entries Accepted — Home Ec Room. Hosted by Dilly Sweets. Bake Off Categories: All Ages - Show us your favorite recipe!
3:00PM - 5:00PM Wolverine Carnival — Elementary Gym
3:30PM Bake Off Judges Tasting — Home Ec Room. Hosted by Dilly Sweets.
5:00PM Beaver Ice Dip — Dillingham Ice Rink
5:00PM Family Skate Night — Dillingham Ice Rink. Hosted by Dillingham Fire Deparment.
5:00PM - 7:00PM Paint Night with Danielle Larsgaard — Willow Tree
5:00PM Bake off Public Tasting/Voting — Home Ec Room Hosted by Dilly Sweets.
6:00PM - 8:00PM Family Dance — Middle School Gym
6:30PM & 8:00PM Beaver Round Up Basketball Championship Games — High School Gym. Hosted by Dillingham Lady Wolverines and Wolverine Basketball.
9:00PM Lip Sync Contest — Willow Tree
Sunday, March 3: Community Spirit Week: Cultural Regalia - Show us your Cultural Wear
11:00AM Elder Tea & Storytelling — Curyung Tribal Hall
1:00PM Tug of War — Aleknagik Building Parking Lot
2:00PM Kid's Coffee Can Race — NUSHWAC
2:00PM Chopped — Home Ec Room
2:30PM Adult Coffee Can Race — NUSHWAC
2:30PM Children's Bible Hour — High School Band Room. Hosted by Bristol Bay Village Outreach.
3:00PM Dodgeball — Middle School Gym
6:00PM Singspiration — Seventh Day Adventist Church
6:30 Hamburger Feed (No Charge) — School Parking Lot
7:00PM Closing Ceremonies — High School Gym. Native Arts & Crafts Tables and & Native Dancing.
9:00PM Fireworks Extravaganza — Boat Harbor
Get in touch with the author at christina@kdlg.org or 907-842-2200.
