Indie Alaska

Alaskan Blooms is a family-run cannabis business in Fairbanks, Alaska. While there are many challenges to owning a retail and grow operation, Karen and Kelsi Lowry find it rewarding to be a part of the marijuana industry in the 49th State.

Alaskans all have their own taste when it comes to fashion, but one style, in particular, has grown in popularity throughout the years.

Sheila Ezelle absolutely loves making custom kuspuks (Qaspeks) for the summer and parkys for the winter. Every parky that she makes she excitedly thinks to herself, “My - this is the best parky I have ever made!”

Elissa Brown always loved tinkering around in the kitchen, but she never thought it would evolve into her own business making ice cream with authentically Alaskan ingredients.

Since 2015, Wild Scoops ice cream has not only created a huge following and tourist attraction around Anchorage, Alaska, but has also showed how small businesses can collaborate and make a better community.

Bearded men and women from around the country gather in Anchorage every winter during the Fur Rendezvous to compete in the Mr. Fur Face competition. Adam Bruck is one competitor who hopes to take home the crown this year.

Ever wonder what it takes to capture skiers on video as they perform their most epic tricks?

Over the years, Luke Bredar, also known by his Instagram handle as Luka Bees has been shooting and editing videos for social media of professional skiers all over Alaska, from the lesser known slopes of Hatcher Pass, to the primary ski and snowboard resort, Alyeska Resort.

Al Laudert's shrimp photography was first featured on Indie Alaska in 2016, and has been one of the most-asked-about episodes in the series among Alaskans. We decided to catch up with Al and see what the shrimp whisperer is up to these days in Valdez.

Tim Meyers and his wife Lisa run Meyers Farm in Bethel, Alaska. What started as a small produce stand for local residents has now turned into a large-scale commercial farm, which allows Tim to ship organic produce boxes to more than 50 villages in Alaska’s YK Delta. Historically, these villages have had very little access to fresh and affordable fruits and vegetables.

Josh Qagmuk Ahsoak, of JQA Designs, is an Iñupiaq artist living in Anchorage, Alaska creating earrings and other fine art with traditional Iñupiat materials. Josh uses whale baleen, polar bear fur, dried flowers, walrus ivory, and other traditional materials in his modern designs.

Ten years have gone by since Aerialist, Stephany Jeffers fell in love with Aerial Acrobatics at a workshop at the University of Alaska Anchorage. After a few years studying Aerial in the lower 48, she returned to Alaska, but she found that there was no place to practice her silk.
What do you do when there is nowhere to fly? You make a bridge your Aerial rig and the Alaskan wilderness your stage.

At the Alaska State Fair, not only will you find giant cabbages, but you will also find Ginny Lawton and five of her closest friends bringing some magic to the Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off as the Cabbage Fairies. What started as a fun way to participate in the weigh-off, has now become a tradition that many fairgoers look forward to.

The only permanent settlement of the Alaska Native Nunamiut, Anaktuvuk Pass relies on air shipments for produce, making it difficult to get fresh fruits and vegetables. Nasugraq Rainy Hopson founded Gardens in the Arctic, a gardening program that focuses on providing food for the community.

Holly Nordlum and Sarah Whalen-Lunn are Traditional Inuit Handpoke and Skin Stitch Artists. They are working to revive the Inuit tradition and create a space for connection and healing within their Inuit community.