Curling Open House - Sat, Sept 24, 10a-6p

Join us for our Curling Open House!  Saturday, September 24; 10a - 6p.  This event is for everyone who has every considered curling!  This is for all ages 5-95!  Yes, this is a family event.  Bring the kids, bring your parent!  Or bring your buddies or you can even come solo!  It's sure to be a good time either way!  Curl for free!  

Attire:  Bring clean sneakers, wear yoga/track pants, and layers on top.  Gloves and hats are good too.  It's about 32F on the ice, but when you get moving around, you start to warm up, so you might want to remove a layer.  

Beverage: The Upstairs Bar will be open 12p-6p.  

Food: Between the Buns will be serving Classic American Grub all day!  

Register for your free ticket here:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curling-open-house-free-tickets-27660615646

Watch our newest Open House TV Commercial here: Open House Commercial

Ice Crew: Our Heroes!!

A shout out to our volunteer ice crew who worked round-the-clock this weekend to get our ice ready for the season.  Big thank you to Lee Hazen, Ethan Birkholz, Paul Pranitis, Bert Mitman, Annie Burns, and Katie who all showed up to help out with the ice.  We also hired the top two ice makers for the USCA, Shawn Olesen and Dave Staveteig to make sure that we have top-notch ice for or season!  If you've always wondered what goes into making ice, check out our Facebook page where we posted a bunch of pics and videos.  In the meantime, here's a few pics of the excitement over the weekend. 

Learn to Curl

Want to try curling for the first time? Fairbanks Curling Club has public opportunities to get out on the ice for the first time, mini-leagues aimed at beginners, and an awesome Fall Rookie Spiel. We also offer private group events.

Try curling for the first time:  No experience or equipment required! 

• Open House Saturday, September 24, 2016: 10AM - 6 PM. FREE! 
• Learn to Curl, Monday September 26, 2016: 6-8 pm $20 Register here
• Learn to Curl, Wednesday, September 28, 2016:  6-8pm $20 Register here
• Learn to Curl, Thursday, September 29, 2016:  6-8 pm $20 Register here
• Learn to Curl, Monday, October 3, 2016: 6-8 pm. $20 Register here
   

Not ready to sign up for a full league? We have several 3-week new curler mini-leagues scheduled throughout the year.  The November, January, and February mini-leagues will have a brief skill introduction, but the focus will be primarily on gameplay.  The December mini-league will be more structured with integrating a specific skill focus each week into gameplay. The December mini-league would also be suitable for first year, rookie, novice and beginning curlers.

New Curler Mini-League Schedule ($60)

• November mini-league Wednesdays @ 8:00 PM, Nov 2, 9, 16  Register here
• December skill focused mini-league Wednesdays @ 8:00 PM, Dec 7, 14 & 21 Register here
• January mini-league Wednesdays @ 8:00 PM Dates and Registration coming soon!
• February mini-league Wednesdays @ 8:00 PM Dates and Registration coming soon!

Or join our Rookie Spiel, Thanksgiving Weekend, November 25, 26 & 27, 2017.  It's a great chance to experience the camaraderie of curling while being paired with more experienced curlers.  Instruction, food, prizes and an awesome t-shirt included! Check out our Rookie Spiel page for more information.

What to wear curling?

Participants should:

• Carry in a pair of shoes with clean, flat, rubber soles with no metal hooks etc. that may scratch the ice. (Clean tennis shoes are ideal).
• Wear comfortable loose fitting clothing. (It is difficult to curl in tight jeans)
• Dress in layers with a light jacket, sweater or sweatshirt (initially it will be chilly on the ice, but you can get quite warm once you start playing). The air temperature is usually between 34 and 40 degrees.
• Bring a ski hat and gloves if you chill easily.

Golden Days Parade & Street Fair Success!

The Fairbanks Curling Club's participation in the Golden Days Street Fair & Parade were a success!  Our new Board Member, Jeff Skaggs, created this rolling rock for the parade and we had a bunch of sweepers to keep the street cleaned in front of the rock.  The rolling rock might just be our new mascot!  Meanwhile, at the street fair, Lee Hazen fabricated this wonderful 16' sheet for our floor curl set!  It was a smashing success!  Our booth was well attended, and we hope to get some new faces that stopped in at the booth into the Club in the fall!  Thanks for your participation, everyone!  #curlfairbanks

Bocce, BBQ & Brains!

It's time for a summer gathering with our friends at the Curling Club!  We'll play some Bocce at 2pm, BBQ at 5pm, Trivia at 7pm.  Cost is $10 for Bocce & $10 for Trivia to cover costs & prizes.  Champions' BBQ is a potluck, so bring some meat to grill or a dish to pass.  We'll be celebrating all the big wins for competitive curlers this year! 

 Click here to get your tickets!  Please do get your tickets in advance so we have an idea of how many people are coming, how many prizes to provide, and how many bocce sets we will need.  

Oh, and if you have a bocce set, please bring it!  

See you at the Club! 

Doubles Spiel - April 9-10

Sign up for our last spiel of the season: The Spring Doubles Spiel on April 9 and 10!  

Teams: Doubles is two people per team, and it doesn't have to be mixed.  It can be two men or two women.  

Sign up deadline is Wednesday, April 6 by 11:59 pm so the draw can be put together on Thursday.

Guaranteed Games: Depending on number of teams there will be a 3-4 game guarantee plus 1 semi-final round and 1 final round.

Entry Fee:  $60 per team or $30 per individual.  Both ticket types are available here.  If you sign up as an individual, and we wind up with an odd number and can't pair you, we will refund your individual ticket price. 

Prize:  Top teams get a cash prize! 

Meals Included: likely just lunch and snacks included. Dinner will be provided in the case we have to schedule games into Sat evening.

Bar: The bar will be open, Saturday 11:30 am to 7:30; Sunday 1 pm to 6 pm. Team entry fee is $60. 

Tentative Hours:  Saturday: 10am - 6pm, and Sunday 12pm-4pm.  Hours are subject to change dependent on number of teams that sign up and the overall draw. 

Link to sign up:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spring-doubles-spiel-tickets-24243495949

The goal is to have late morning game starts, and be done before dinner hour so people can have evenings to themselves. Doubles games typically last 1.5 hrs.

81st International Bonspiel - SUCCESS!

The 81st International Bonspiel was a complete success!  Thanks so much for everyone for your participation!  This event was a team effort!  To the curlers, to the winners, to the out-of-towners, to the food vendor, to the bartenders, to the volunteers, to the participants, WE THANK YOU!  It's been a wonderful year, and this event was a tip-of-the hat to our strong history (81 years!), and to today's curlers.  We are grateful for you and delighted to have another success in the books.  Thank you! 

Fairbanks International Bonspiel - March 31-April 3

Battle of the Bands is this year's theme for the 81st Fairbanks International Bonspiel!  

Curlers: Deadline for signing up for a curling team is Monday night, March 28 @ 11:59pm.  Call some friends, create your teams, and collect your costumes for this epic annual event!  Team tickets are $320 USD or $80 USD for an individual.  It's a traditional bonspiel, meaning that the teams are gender-specific.  Men's & Women's teams only - no mixed teams.  Awesome prizes, delicious food, lots of bands, and tons of fun are all just bonuses added to the round-the-clock curling!  

Not curling?  Just coming for the epic party?  We will be open to the public the entire duration of the event.  Come on down and hang out in our warm spectator viewing area, have a drink at the bar and enjoy some food by Alaskana Kitchen!  

 Event Schedule: 

Thursday night (March 31):  Opening Ceremonies @ 6:00p.  Curling starts at 7:00p. Band: The 9th Army Jazz Band Combo plays ~7:00p-8:00p. Bar will be open 5:00p - late close (exact closing depends on how busy it is all night).  Food: Alaskana Kitchen will be open 5:00p-8:30p.  

Friday (April 1): Curling starts at 8:00a and will be round-the-clock for the rest of the weekend.  Bands: The Dilemma plays 7:30p-9:30p, Barcelona Boys Choir plays 10p-2a.  Cover charge for bands: $10.  Yes, it is 21+ only for the bands. Bar will be open 4:00 pm-very late close. Food: Hand-made Danishes by donation for the early morning draws.  Alaskana Kitchen will be open 12:00p-2:00a (Yes! Lunch through dinner & also late night food!)

Saturday (April 2): Curling: Starts at 8:00 am  Group Picture: 3:30 pm.  Bands: The Thneeds play 7:30p-9:30p.  Shagg plays 10:00p-2:00a.  Cover charge for bands: $10. Yes, it is 21+ only for the bands. Bar will be open 10:00a (Bloody Mary bar!) -very late close.  Food: Hand-made Danishes by donation for the early morning draws. Ladies Luncheon (Potluck) 1:00p-3:00p. Alaskana Kitchen will be open 12:00p-2:00a. (Yes! Lunch through dinner & also late night food!)

Sunday (April 3): Curling: round-the-clock curling!  Final Games will start around ~1:00p.  Bar will be open 10:00a (Bloody Mary bar!) -~9:00p.  Food: Sourdough Pancake Breakfast by Ron Birklid ~9:00a-10:30a.  Alaskana Kitchen open 12:00p-2:00p.  Awards Banquet: ~6:00p.  

This event is open to the public! 

This event is brought to you by Kendall Subaru of Fairbanks.  

Pacific International Cup: April 13-17

Representing the Fairbanks Curling Club at the Pacific International Cup in Richmond, BC, Canada, this year will be winners of the playdowns: Team Snider (F) and Team Spaleta (M).  Good Curling to all of you! 

Scholarship

This scholarship was established by the Fairbanks Curling Club Foundation to aid students who are attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks and who act as ambassadors by actively promoting and participating in the sport of curling.

Eligibility

High school GPA of 3.0 or higher and/or University of Alaska with GPA of 2.0 or higher (4.0 scale).
Meet and maintain eligibility standards for UAF.
Previous and current curling participation mandatory.

Amount

$500 per semester for full-time student.
Renewal for seven concurrent semesters as long as eligibility standards are maintained for each school semester.

Read more: Scholarship

What to do in Fairbanks

The Fairbanks Curling Club is thrilled to invite curlers to Alaska for 2017 Club Nationals!  Twenty lucky teams will make their way up to Fairbanks for a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will include world-class curling! 

What is it like in Fairbanks in March?  For starters, yes, it will still be cold.  It will likely be in the 20s for highs and around 0 for the lows.  Of course, that’s if it’s a warm year!  Daylight will be what most people are used to in the Lower 48, with sunrise in the 7 am hour and sunset in the 6 pm hour.  While in Fairbanks, what is there to do?  The folks in Fairbanks are planning some side excursions for you to soak in the healing waters of the Chena Hot Springs, view the Aurora Borealis, and to go dog mushing!  All this and curling?  Fairbanks is practically heaven. 

Club Nationals 2017 is March 4-11, with practice scheduled on Friday, March 3.  Come on up a day early, and participate in these Fairbanks excursions before curling in the USA’s northernmost Curling Club.  Hurry hard to earn your spot!

2017 Club Nationals to be Hosted in Fairbanks!

The Fairbanks Curling Club is thrilled to announce that we have been selected as the host city for 2017 Club Nationals!  We will be welcoming the 20 best amateur curling teams in the U.S. to Fairbanks, AK, March 3-11, 2017.  

The week long tournament features 10 men's & 10 women's teams.  Club Nationals was created in 2005 as an avenue for regional-based teams to compete at a high level in the U.S.  

The 2016 Club National Championships were held at the Capital Curling Club in Bismarck, ND, and the reigning champions are the Sydney Schmus (Wisconsin) rink for women, and the Martin Sather (New York, but formerly of Fairbanks!) rink for men.  

Deadlines for 2017 Club Nationals:  

• Playdown registration opens on Nov. 30. 
• An early registration discount will be in place until Dec. 14
• Playdown Registration closes on Dec. 28, 2016.
  
• The Club Nationals draw schedule will be posted by Feb. 3 to assist competitors in booking flights.
  
• Regional playdown dates will be added as we receive information.
  
• Championship dates are March 4-11 with practice most likely on Friday, March 3. 

Playdown dates:

• Alaska playdowns: January 14-15, 2017,  Fairbanks Curling Club

Travel information (more information to come!)

• Alaska Airlines offers a credit card with an annual companion fare discount code. This discount code entitles the cardholder to purchase one round-trip coach companion fare on Alaska Airlines from $121 (USD) when traveling with another passenger on a paid published coach airfare on the same itinerary, booked at the same time.
• Fairbanks is amazing place to visit, especially in the winter.  The World Ice Art Championships will be occurring in Fairbanks at the same time as Club Nationals; hot springs, dog mushing, museums and the northern lights are just some of things you can experience in Fairbanks.  For more information check out Explore Fairbanks.
• What to do in Fairbanks?