January 2022
The BuyAlaska Buzz
Local First Focus for January:

Set a Promise for the New Year!

This New Year, name one thing that YOU can promise to do to support small businesses and grow Alaska’s economy.

Share your promise as a post or story and tag us with #PromisesForAlaska.
Ask others to do the same. We will reshare all of the submissions.

If 2020 and 2021 gave us anything, it is perspective on just how important it is to keep Alaska's small businesses open and thriving. They are the backbones of our communities, employers of our people, and drivers of our local economies. We are most successful when we come together as a community.

Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks for loving local with us.
Here are some New Year's promises we know you can keep:
  • Eat in-season and look for Alaska Grown ingredients wherever possible

  • Look for the Made in Alaska logo and prioritize buying those items

  • Write good reviews for small businesses

  • Attend craft fairs and local marketplaces whenever they pop up

  • Share small businesses' social media posts

  • Ask my friends and family to only buy gifts from Alaskan owned businesses

  • Slow down on the Amazon ordering and look for Alaska products instead

  • Take a trip to somewhere in Alaska

  • Make an effort to engage with small businesses' social media posts throughout the year
BuyAlaska's Promises for 2022

We have some New Year's Promises of our own that we wanted to share.

This year, we want to focus especially on:

  1. Making it even easier to find and buy products and services from Alaska businesses.
  2. Continuing to spread awareness about the impact of shopping locally.
  3. Partnering with more organizations across Alaska in order to bring the most benefit to Alaska businesses.

Thanks for following along with us as we work to amplify Alaska businesses and encourage local spending in Alaska. 
Stay tuned... exciting upgrades are coming to the BuyAlaska Business Directory!

The BuyAlaska Business Directory is growing! More and more Alaska businesses are listing their business on the Directory every day. We are making it even easier to find, browse, and buy the products and services that you need from Alaskan-owned businesses.

Stay tuned for the new and improved BuyAlaska Business Directory - all that you need to shop local first!
Spotlighting Alaska's Local First Champions
Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition Presents:

Alaska's Path to a Prosperous Future

This visionary panel of some of Alaska's most innovative economic leaders will share concrete examples of how they're building resilient, equitable, and sustainable economic initiatives across our state.

You're invited to join us to learn more about upcoming action opportunities and ways to get involved with a collaborative economic vision coalition currently hosted by the Alaska Climate Alliance Regenerative Economies Working Group.
Sealaska Heritage Institute Secures Funding to Launch Totem Pole Trail

Project part of vision to make Juneau the Northwest Coast capital of the world
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has secured a grant to commission ten totem poles that will comprise part of Kootéeyaa Deiyí (Totem Pole Trail) along the downtown Juneau waterfront.


T
he $2.9 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will allow SHI to hire Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian master artists in Juneau and villages across Southeast Alaska to carve the poles, which will be raised in 2023.

The project is part of SHI’s vision to make Juneau the Northwest Coast art capital of the world, said SHI President Rosita Worl.
What's Happening Around Alaska in January:
Anchorage:
January 10-16, 2022

January 19-22, 2022
The Wholesale Alaska Gift Show -The Alaska Wholesale LIVE Show is available to gift & souvenir industry buyers and makes it easy for you to discover new Alaskan products from leading suppliers in Alaska and across the country.

January 22, 2022
Anchorage Folk Festival - A toe-tapping good time featuring free public performances, workshops, jam sessions, and a banjo competition.

January 26, 2022
2022 Economic Forecast Luncheon - AEDC President & CEO Bill Popp will present the 1-Year Economic Forecast for Anchorage and share the results of the following updates and reports.

January 28-29, 2022
Alaska Craft Brew and Barley Wine - Sip local suds during Alaska Beer Week, an annual celebration of craft beer in Alaska involving a rotating schedule of samplings, pairings, tastings, and other hops-fueled fun.
Juneau: January 8, 2022

Sitka: January 2-5, 2022
Russian Christmas and Starring - Celebrate the Feast of the Nativity, or “Russian Christmas” with week-long festivities, including caroling, feasts, and sharing the holiday spirit.

Seward: January 14-16, 2022
Polar Bear Jump, Auction Night, & Festival - Individuals/Teams dress in costumes and jump into Resurrection Bay.

Cordova: January 29 - Feb 5, 2022

Fairbanks: November 26 - February 24
Dancing Lights Show - Annual family-friendly community event where you drive through spectacular brilliant Christmas light creations!

January 2 - January 8, 2022
Orthodox Christmas Celebration at Hoarfrost Distillery - Appreciate Hoarfrost vodka the most traditional way.

January 7, 2022
How You Can BuyAlaska
Connect with Alaskan-owned businesses in every industry
Get access to exclusive discounts from BuyAlaska businesses.

Shop from local Alaska businesses on this online marketplace.


We aim to elevate local businesses to better Alaska’s economy.
We do that with YOU.

Help us lift up local on our channels.
The BuyAlaska Program is a statewide program by the Alaska Small Business Development Center (Alaska SBDC) under the UAA Business Enterprise Institute (BEI) and partially funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA).