Volunteers for Cordova’s 2026 Iceworm Festival are busy preparing for this year’s “Ice and Dice” festivities, which will be held the week of Jan. 31-Feb. 7.
The focus will be on all the historical games that the festival has had over the years to combat winter blues, said Kelsey Hayden, vice president of the all-volunteer core committee. The festival has long been promoted as “the best cure for the winter blues since 1961.”
“The event attracts a lot of people from out of town,” Hayden said. “We work really hard to be sure it benefits the community. Every year it seems there are more people who come to visit a friend or who stay in local hotels.”
On of the favorites, the Miss Iceworm program for high achieving girls, is in full swing again this year.
Local teachers choose two girls from each 7th through 12th grade class for the Miss Iceworm competition. Candidates are required to show good character, hard work, involvement in their school and community, creativity, and motivation. The festival then offers each candidate various educational, professional and personal development opportunities, as well as a scholarship upon their high school graduation.
Similarly, Hayden noted the Iceworm Festival’s Citizen of the Year award, which is designated to a “local resident who has gone above and beyond for the community.” Anyone in the community is welcome to nominate a candidate for this award, she added.
In 2025, Citizen of the Year went to Gilbert Urata.
Along with the paper airplane contest, survival suit contest, Iceworm Parade, and fireworks – there are other events in the mix every year added by individuals and groups to get people out of the house and rid of winter blues, Hayden said.
The fireworks display is overseen by Cordova gillnet fisherman Mike Bowen, who works with professional firework officials to be sure the $11,000 display is done safely.
The paper airplane event at Cordova High School, a fundraiser, attracts dozens of people who purchase one or more pieces of paper from the festival to make their airplanes. Alaska Airlines donates one sheet of paper for every school child so they can compete for prizes large and small.
Another festival favorite, the annual Oyster Shuck and Suck, is back this year. During the competition teams have one person shucking oysters and the other one eating them. The winner of this event is the team that successfully shucks and eats one dozen oysters the fastest.
Also on the schedule are multiple athletic events, including the beer mile race, as well as basketball, volleyball, pickle ball and dodgeball games.
The schedule for this year’s festival is still shaping up, Hayden said, and volunteers and sponsors are still needed.
“We happily advertise events for free, so it really empowers people to host events as fundraisers and they get to keep their proceeds,” she said.
For more information about this year’s event, or to become a volunteer or sponsor, visit icewormfestival.com.
Correction: In the original version of this story Kelsey Hayden’s last name was misspelled.
