Cordova Iceworm Festival

The Cordova Iceworm Festival has been community fun since 1961, billed as one of Alaska's best-known winter festivals and Cordova's oldest community festival. A week of events mixes board-hosted highlights with gatherings put on by neighbors and small businesses. On the last day, teams of four race in survival suits across the harbor to a raft, judged by Miss Iceworm and her court on speed and style, with practice at the Bob Korn Memorial Pool. The parade follows, led by the Citizen of the Year as grand marshal, with Miss Iceworm's court on the fire truck, and the Treasure Chest winner is announced along the route. A fireworks show closes the festival that night, the only fireworks show Cordova stages.

Our take: If you want to race, sign a team of four and practice at the Bob Korn Memorial Pool, then stay for the parade and the fireworks that close the festival.