fairbanks just rebooted downtown

The City of Fairbanks, under Mayor Mindy O'Neall, is launching a summer activation package for its downtown core, anchored by six chalets going into the lot where the old Polaris Building once stood. Festival Fairbanks will run a live music stage and family programming in the same lot, while rotating vendors sell retail out of the chalets. The whole setup is free and open to the public for the summer.

On Lacey Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue, the city is building a new skate park a short walk from the chalet lot. At Golden Heart Plaza, a new dock is going into the Chena River, giving kayakers and paddleboarders a way to pull up directly to downtown Fairbanks, a project that had been requested for years.

The city is adding overnight security to the chalet area and a foot officer working downtown during the day. A volunteer ambassador program will have locals helping tourists, picking up litter, and watching over the area. The city is also adding a peer outreach team to connect unhoused residents with resources.

For families in Fairbanks, North Pole, and the broader Interior, the package gives downtown a new cluster of free summer activities, from live music and shopping to a new skate park and river access.