15^th Annual Farthest North Forest Sports Festival
When: Saturday, Oct. 6 at 11 a.m.
Where: Fairbanks Experiment Farm at University of Alaska Fairbanks

This annual family-friendly event showcases teams competing in a variety of exciting athletic challenges, including ax throwing, log rolling, bow saw, crosscut sawing, fire building and more. Professors and students at UAF’s Department of Forest Sciences first developed the competition to celebrate and revive the old-fashioned forest festivals. For more information on the 15th annual Farthest North Forest Sports Festival, contact David Valentine. Admission is free.

International Sled Dog Symposium
When: Friday, Oct. 12 to Sunday, Oct. 14
Where: Pioneer Park Civic Center, Fairbanks

In addition to browsing the trade fair, visitors can sign up for workshops and watch presentations on a range of sled dog, mushing and skijoring topics, such as History of the Traditional Use of Dogs in Native Alaskan Culture; Mushing 101; the Beringia Race and Mushing on Kamchatka in the Russian Far East; and a Vet Panel Q&A. Hosted annually by the Alaska Dog Mushers Association, this event is suited for all ages and won’t be canceled due to weather – after all, it is a celebration of one of Alaska’s most renowned outdoor sporting events. Highlights of this year’s symposium include the Yukon Quest’s 30th birthday celebration; Best Invention Contest; and keynote speaker Dr. Donna Gigliotti, an animal chiropractor. For event specifics, check out the website for the Alaska Dog Mushers Association.

2nd Annual Sleepless Night Halloween event
When: Monday, Oct. 29 to Wednesday, Oct. 31
Where: Shakespeare Theater, Fairbanks

Presented by the Shakespeare Theatre, the 2nd annual Sleepless Night Halloween event features Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, performed by Bruce Rogers and accompanied by original Halloween-themed work by local musicians as well as spoken word and poetry performance artists. For more information contact the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre.