Dillingham Alaska Beaver Round Up Festival

Each February, Dillingham throws a five-day festival rooted in the region’s trapping history. The Beaver Round Up began as a gathering for trappers bringing their furs to town to sell, and it has grown into one of Bristol Bay’s biggest celebrations.

A parade kicks things off, followed by days of chili cook-offs, traditional arts and crafts shows, games, dances, snow machine races, skijoring, and arm wrestling.

Beaver Round Up: Quick Facts

Location	Dillingham, Alaska
Typical timing	Five days in late February
Admission	Free to attend; some activities charge a fee
Setting	Venues across Dillingham
Features	Parade, chili cook-off, snow machine races, dances
History	Rooted in the fur trade era

From the Fur Trade to a Community Festival

The Beaver Round Up traces its origins to the days when trappers brought their furs to town to sell, and the gathering that grew around that trade became a festival. It has been held for decades, now approaching its seventieth year.

What began as a practical tradition became a celebration of the community, with the games and competitions reflecting the skills and pastimes of the region.

For another look at how a community turns its own traditions into a gathering, see the Bristol Bay Alaska WinterFest Festival for a useful comparison.

Parades, Races, and Games

The festival opens with a parade and runs five days of events, from a chili cook-off and traditional arts and crafts shows to games, dances, and a fireworks display. Snow machine races and skijoring competitions bring the winter outdoors into the fun.

Arm wrestling contests and other games give the festival its lively, participatory character. There is something happening almost around the clock.

Chili and Community Meals

The chili cook-off is a favorite, and community meals and vendors keep the crowds fed through the five days. Food is a central part of the gathering, as it is across the region.

The festival’s length means there is time to try more than one event and more than one dish.

Dances and Entertainment

Dances and live entertainment run through the festival, giving residents of all ages a reason to gather. The schedule reflects the rhythms of a remote Alaska community in winter.

The mix of sport, food, and music makes the Beaver Round Up a true community celebration.

Community and Causes

Many of the events at Beaver Round Up raise money for local charities in Dillingham, so a day of fun doubles as a benefit for the Dillingham area for Beaver Round Up.

The groups that run booths at venues across Dillingham often represent schools, churches, and nonprofits from across Bristol Bay for Beaver Round Up.

Supporting Beaver Round Up means supporting the network of organizations that hold Dillingham together for Beaver Round Up.

A purchase or a donation at Beaver Round Up can ripple through the Dillingham area long after the day is over for Beaver Round Up.

Accommodation Notes

Because Beaver Round Up draws visitors from across Bristol Bay, booking a room in Dillingham ahead of time is the safe move for Beaver Round Up.

Choose lodging near venues across Dillingham if you want to walk to Beaver Round Up, or a little farther out in the Dillingham area for a quieter stay for Beaver Round Up.

A little research on Dillingham goes a long way toward a smooth visit to Beaver Round Up for Beaver Round Up.

Booking a refundable room for Beaver Round Up in the Dillingham area keeps your plans flexible for Beaver Round Up.

What to Take Home

A souvenir from Beaver Round Up is a way to carry a piece of the Dillingham area home for Beaver Round Up. Look for locally made crafts and foods around venues across Dillingham at Beaver Round Up.

The best finds at Beaver Round Up are often at the smaller booths, so give yourself time to browse in Dillingham for Beaver Round Up.

Shopping at Beaver Round Up supports the makers of Bristol Bay and keeps the festival’s money close to home for Beaver Round Up.

The craft selection at Beaver Round Up changes yearly, so each visit to the Dillingham area offers something new for Beaver Round Up.

Beyond the Festival

There is more to Dillingham than Beaver Round Up itself, and the surrounding Bristol Bay countryside is worth a detour for Beaver Round Up. A morning at the event and an afternoon exploring makes a rounded trip at Beaver Round Up.

Local restaurants, historic buildings, and small shops near venues across Dillingham give you reasons to linger after the crowds at Beaver Round Up thin for Beaver Round Up.

Build in time beyond Beaver Round Up to wander the Dillingham area, and the day feels complete for Beaver Round Up.

Leave a couple of hours after Beaver Round Up to wander Dillingham, and the trip feels complete for Beaver Round Up.

For Families and Kids

There is plenty to keep younger visitors engaged at Beaver Round Up, from hands-on activities to the food and the music around venues across Dillingham for Beaver Round Up. The atmosphere in Dillingham is relaxed and welcoming at Beaver Round Up.

Bring a stroller or wagon to Beaver Round Up if you have little ones, and pack water and snacks to smooth the day for Beaver Round Up.

Many activities at Beaver Round Up are aimed at children, which makes the Dillingham area an easy choice for a family outing for Beaver Round Up.

A small bag of snacks and a water bottle prevent most meltdowns at Beaver Round Up in the Dillingham area for Beaver Round Up.

Fuel for the Day

A full day at Beaver Round Up calls for real meals, not just snacks, and the vendors around venues across Dillingham deliver for Beaver Round Up. Local favorites in Dillingham round out the options at Beaver Round Up.

Eat early or late to avoid the longest lines at Beaver Round Up, and keep water on hand through the afternoon in the Dillingham area for Beaver Round Up.

Good food keeps the day going at Beaver Round Up, so treat the meals as part of the plan for Beaver Round Up.

Try something new at Beaver Round Up; the vendors around venues across Dillingham reward the adventurous for Beaver Round Up.

Staying Comfortable

venues across Dillingham hosts a walkable festival in Dillingham, and comfort at Beaver Round Up comes down to preparation for Beaver Round Up. Sensible shoes and water are the essentials at Beaver Round Up.

If accessibility is a concern at Beaver Round Up, reach out to the organizers ahead of time for Beaver Round Up. They can describe entrances, parking, and the terrain in the Dillingham area at Beaver Round Up.

With the right preparation, Beaver Round Up is a comfortable outing for visitors of all ages for Beaver Round Up.

Shade is at a premium at Beaver Round Up, so a hat and periodic breaks keep the day comfortable in the Dillingham area for Beaver Round Up.

Planning Your Route

Beaver Round Up centers on venues across Dillingham, and the surrounding streets in Dillingham handle the traffic for Beaver Round Up. Coming in from Bristol Bay, you will find the venue well signed on the day at Beaver Round Up.

Give yourself extra time if you are traveling far to reach Dillingham, and treat the drive through the Dillingham area as part of the outing for Beaver Round Up. The reward is a full day at one of the area’s signature gatherings at Beaver Round Up.

A simple plan works best for Beaver Round Up: arrive early at venues across Dillingham, park once, and let the day unfold from there for Beaver Round Up.

However you arrive, the goal is the same: reach venues across Dillingham early, park once, and settle into Beaver Round Up in Dillingham for Beaver Round Up.

Insider Tips

Regulars at Beaver Round Up know to arrive early in Dillingham, park once, and work the grounds at venues across Dillingham in a loop rather than doubling back for Beaver Round Up.

The quietest stretch of Beaver Round Up is usually the first hour, and the liveliest is late afternoon in Dillingham for Beaver Round Up. Decide which you prefer and time your visit accordingly at Beaver Round Up.

Keep some cash handy at Beaver Round Up and a free hand for the things you will inevitably want to buy around venues across Dillingham for Beaver Round Up.

The best photographs at Beaver Round Up come early, before venues across Dillingham fills with the day’s crowd for Beaver Round Up.

Live Acts and Atmosphere

The entertainment at Beaver Round Up gives venues across Dillingham its energy, from opening acts to the evening headliners in Dillingham for Beaver Round Up. The variety keeps the day moving at Beaver Round Up.

Wander between stages at Beaver Round Up and you will hear something new each time in the Dillingham area for Beaver Round Up.

Music ties the whole of Beaver Round Up together, connecting the food, the vendors, and the crowd for Beaver Round Up.

A schedule in hand lets you catch every act you want at Beaver Round Up without rushing around venues across Dillingham for Beaver Round Up.

Price and Planning

Beaver Round Up admission: Free to attend for Beaver Round Up. That keeps the barrier low and the crowd broad at Beaver Round Up, from families with strollers to longtime regulars in Dillingham at Beaver Round Up.

Plan a little spending money for food and shopping at Beaver Round Up, and look for any add-on events around venues across Dillingham that charge separately for Beaver Round Up.

Knowing the cost in advance makes Beaver Round Up easy to budget for, whether you come for an hour or the whole day in the Dillingham area for Beaver Round Up.

Free admission at Beaver Round Up means the money you spend around venues across Dillingham is your choice entirely for Beaver Round Up.

Background on the Area

Dillingham has a history that predates Beaver Round Up, and the festival fits naturally into it for Beaver Round Up. The town sits in the Dillingham area, where Bristol Bay traditions run deep at Beaver Round Up.

The story of Dillingham and the surrounding the Dillingham area helps explain why Beaver Round Up feels so rooted for Beaver Round Up. Local families have shaped the area for generations at Beaver Round Up.

Knowing a little about the Dillingham area before you reach venues across Dillingham adds context to everything you see at Beaver Round Up for Beaver Round Up.

The landscape of Bristol Bay shaped Dillingham, and that setting gives Beaver Round Up its distinctive character for Beaver Round Up.

Weather Tips

Beaver Round Up is held in late February, so check the forecast for Dillingham before you leave for Beaver Round Up. the Dillingham area weather can change quickly, and a prepared visitor enjoys the day more at Beaver Round Up.

Pack light but smart for Beaver Round Up: water, sun protection, and a layer for the evening for Beaver Round Up. The festival at venues across Dillingham is mostly outdoors at Beaver Round Up.

Comfort is worth the small effort at Beaver Round Up, especially in Bristol Bay in late February for Beaver Round Up.

Sunglasses and a hat make the sunny stretches of Beaver Round Up easier to enjoy around venues across Dillingham for Beaver Round Up.

Festival Area Map

The map below places the festival across Dillingham, with the routes through the Bristol Bay region marked for planning. Dillingham is reached primarily by air.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Beaver Round Up held?

It runs for five days in late February.

Where does it take place?

At venues across Dillingham, Alaska.

Is there an admission fee?

Most events are free, with a few activities charging a small fee.

What is there to do?

A parade, chili cook-off, traditional arts and crafts, games, dances, snow machine races, and skijoring.

What is the festival’s origin?

It began as a gathering for trappers bringing their furs to town to sell.

Is it family-friendly?

Yes. The festival includes events for all ages.

What to Expect From the Next Beaver Round Up

Is Beaver Round Up held every year for Beaver Round Up?

Yes, the Beaver Round Up is an annual February event in Dillingham for Beaver Round Up.

When is the next edition?

It is expected in late February for Beaver Round Up. Check the organizers for the confirmed dates at Beaver Round Up.

Does the schedule change?

The event lineup changes from year to year for Beaver Round Up.

Last updated: October 2026

The Beaver Round Up keeps a trapping-era tradition alive as a five-day winter festival in Dillingham. Come for the parade, the races, and the chili, and join a community that knows how to celebrate the season.