You can check out Fairbanks's sunrise and sunset at http://www.wunderground.com/US/AK/Fairbanks.html

For October 27
Sunset 16:50 (4:50 p.m.)
Sunrise 8:20 a.m.
8 hours and 30 minutes of daylight.

We are losing five to seven minutes a day, approximately a half an hour per week.  So take today's daylight and subtract to get the amount of daylight for a future day.  On December 23, we start gaining five to seven minutes per day.

I have lived in Alaska for over thirty years, and I've never owned a pair of mukluks.  I bought patterns to make them for my sons, but their feet grew so fast that I didn't get them finished before the mukluks were too small. I don't have any personal recommendations, but here's what a web search revealed:

• Steger Moosehide Mukluks and Moccasins at mukluks.com have an online catalog with photos.  I've never ordered from this company, and I don't know anyone who has had first-hand experience with them.
• Beads and Things is located in Fairbanks.  At least I've been in this store.  Native crafts and hand-sewn garments and mukluks are sold on consignment.  You can also purchase porcupine quill earrings, birch-bark baskets, ivory, and soapstone carvings.  This store doesn't have a website that I know of, but you can call them at

  (907) 456 2323
  or write to them at
  537 2nd Avenue
  Fairbanks, Alaska 99701

  When you visit Fairbanks, I do recommend that you visit this store because the items for sale are genuine Alaska-made.
• Mukluk Shop

  (907) 457-5515
  59 College Rd Ste 208
  Fairbanks, AK 99701

• Alaska Guide General Store has authentic, native, handcraft Alaskan mukluks and moccasins.  The site has photos, prices, online ordering forms, and a mukluk FAQ.  You can buy a one-of-a-kind pair of polar bear mukluks for $899.95.
• Alaska Trading Store has a directory of craft and sewing businesses.
• Judy Kavanagh's Moccasins and Mukluks has photos and ordering information for mukluks in a variety of styles and materials.
• Or you can make your own.  The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service also has patterns.

Banks and government offices are closed on October 18 to commemorate the transfer of Alaska to the U.S. from the Russians.  A three-day celebration is held at the original ceremony site located in Sitka, Alaska.  As far as I've noticed, Fairbanks doesn't do anything special.

Official state holidays are listed on the Alaska Symbols page.