The traditional open house at the Alaska Governor’s Mansion will take place from 2-6 pm on Dec. 13 in Juneau. On hand to greet visitors in the fully decorated house will be Gov. Mike and First Lady Rose Dunleavy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom.
The first open house was held by Territorial Governor Walter Eli Clark and his family on New Year’s Day of 1913. The annual tradition has been held every year since, except for two years during World War II and in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The event features cookies from local bakers, and often has musical performances from Juneau youth ensembles. The line to get into the mansion will often stretch down Calhoun Ave., which will be closed to automobile traffic throughout the event for safety.
Those lining the sidewalk to enter the historic house are often served cookies and hot cider by commissioners and deputy commissioners while they wait to pass through the mansion.
What a beautiful building. Like Jessie Lee Children’s home was. Alaska’s recent history is valueless due to the utter crassness of contemporary recently arrived Alaskans who know everything and their values.
Never gone. Traffic around there is poor best of times. Plus it’s here, and it’s either raining/snowing/gusty winds.
I can enjoy the weather, lights, and Christmas at my own home.
Wish them the best, however.
Traffic??? Good Grief man this is Juneau!
If you think we have traffic, then you have never traveled at all.
Carpetbagger Christmas!!! ?
Love this governor! The BEST ever.
Well isn’t it nice for all the Juneauites to get cookies and cider and hob-knob with the governor and commissioners in this little exclusive perk, while the rest of the folks are again out in the cold!
Move the capital!
While it’s been decades since I attended an open house at the Mansion I can tell you that it is a worthwhile experience. A ticket to Juneau on Ak Air from Anchorage is about the same cost as passage to Nome for the Iditarod. Consider it one of those Real Alaskan things to do, at least once. Heavens, you might learn something and actually enjoy yourself too.
Cheers and Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you too!
I am sure it is a nice enjoyable event.
Thank you for making my point. The open house is about 4 hours and in order to participate most Alaskans have to take at least 2 days off work, get an airline ticket, make hotel reservations and find transportation to and from the venue.
If the capital and the governor’s mansion was let’s say in Talkeetna or somewhere on the road system, most Alaskans from the larger population centers could access this event much more easily and also enjoy meeting the governor.
Best of luck to the Governor, his first lady and their daughters, and Lt. Gov. Dahlstrom and her family. I hope this next four years will feature some truly landmark legislation and progress to make Alaska better for the future.
Does the Governor even live there? And the maintenance budget has to be over a million annually. But tradition, let’s celebrate the tradition of fleecing the taxpayer.
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