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The Arts
This year’s theme, “Under the Burled Arch in Nome” brought us many fabulous Trail Mail Art Contest entries. Thanks to everyone who participated. Teagan R., age 12, of Omaha, Nebraska has been selected as the artist for the 2025 Trail Mail envelopes. Teagan’s design was selected by Jon and Jona Van Zyle to be printed …
Annual Iditarod Education Department Trail Mail Design Contest Attention 5th – 12th Grade Artists, Teachers, & Parents: It’s time again for our student art contest to create the 2025 Iditarod Trail Mail envelope design. What is the Educational Trail Mail Project? To honor the Historic Iditarod Trail’s use as a mail trail, the Educational …
What do you picture when you think about the Iditarod? If you have never seen this amazing event in person, you rely on photos and videos taken by others. Spectators who have experienced the Last Great Race might show you their snapshots of a dogsled traveling over sparkling snow, the fur on the dogs’ bodies …
Over 50 entries were submitted for the 2023 Trail Mail Art Design contest. There were many, many outstanding designs and choosing just one was difficult. The Education Department thanks our judges Jon and Jona Van Zyle as well as Wendy Brott for their continued support in this project. In the end they took into consideration …
The Iditarod Education Department is so very thankful for the continued support of Jon Van Zyle, official Iditarod artist. Each month, he sketches an original artwork to accompany an article in the EDU’s “Mush On!” newsletter. Jon has donated these sketches to the education department to be offered for sale to raise funds to support …
Over 40 pieces of art for the Trail Mail Art contest were received from across the US this year. We are grateful to Wendy Brott for her continued support of this program, and to Jon and Jona Van Zyle who served as judges and selected this year’s winners. The decision was very difficult for the …
Attention 5th – 12th Grade Artists, Teachers, & Parents: We have a special art contest just for you & your students! We are thrilled to announce our second annual student art contest to create the 2022 50th Anniversary Iditarod Trail Mail judged by official Iditarod artist Jon Van Zyle and artist Jona Van Zyle. What …
This winter looked a little different in downtown Anchorage than it normally does. With the Covid restrictions that were in place, sled dogs were not seen downtown taking off from Fourth Avenue for the start of the Fur Rendezvous or the Iditarod Ceremonial Start in March as they traditionally do. As a way to keep …
Can you imagine what it must feel like to reach the finish line of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race? Imagine coming up the hill that transitions between the Bering Coast and the city of Nome. Imagine running down Front Street, your eyes resting on the Burled Arch, knowing you and your team had accomplished what …
Sleds are an essential piece of equipment in the Iditarod. Typically, 50-80 sleds start the race and even more are shipped down the trail for use later in the race. Sleds have evolved since the first race in 1973, and mushers often build their sleds themselves. The sleds first used in Iditarod were long freight …