This document provides a summary of various events happening in August and September 2015, including: - An exhibit on the Gold Rush in British Columbia running through November 1st. - The USA Pro Challenge, an elite cycling race through Colorado from August 17th-23rd. - The World Bodysurfing Championships in Oceanside, California on August 22nd-23rd. - The Hoops for Hope basketball event in Seattle, Washington on August 29th-30th benefiting charity. - The National Book Festival in Washington D.C. on September 5th. - The Seattle Mini Maker Faire on September 19th-20th celebrating invention and creativity.

1. august 2015 Alaska beyond Magazine 25
Through Nov. 1 “Gold
Rush! El Dorado in BC,”
interactive displays and
artifacts tell of a pivotal
historical era; Royal BC
Museum, Victoria, BC;
250-356-7226; royalbcmu-
seum.bc.ca/goldrush
Aug. 17–23 USA Pro
Challenge, elite cyclists
race in the Rockies;
multiple locations, CO;
888-223-3351; usaprocy-
clingchallenge.com
Aug. 22–23 World
Bodysurfing Champion-
ships, top international
competitors; Oceanside
Pier, Oceanside, CA;
worldbodysurfing.org
Aug. 29–30 Hoops for
Hope: The Jim Marsh
Classic, an all-ages
three-on-three basketball
event benefiting mentoring
and Parkinson’s disease
initiatives; Georgetown
neighborhood, Seattle,
WA; 425-416-2033;
jimmarshclassic.org
Sept. 5 National Book
Festival, talks, panels and
more; Walter E. Washing-
ton Convention Center,
Washington, DC; 888-
714-4696; loc.gov/bookfest
Sept. 19–20 Seattle Mini
Maker Faire, celebrating
invention, creativity and
resourcefulness; EMP
Museum, Seattle, WA;
makerfaireseattle.com
Calendar
top,Courtesy:MuseumofFineArts,Boston;middle,juliusfekete/istockphoto.com;bottom,ClarkJamesMishler
San Diego Mainstays
Tall ships sail gracefully into
San Diego Bay every Labor Day
weekend to kick off the San Diego
Festival of Sail, a proud West Coast
tradition. The bay will be trans-
formed September 5–7 into a nautical theme park, complete
with tall-ship cannon battles, sunset cruises, onstage
entertainments, beer gardens, historical re-enactors telling
nautical history, local art vendors and numerous food
options. The Maritime Museum of San Diego, the host of
the festival, operates some of the world’s finest tall ships,
and boasts the oldest active sailing ship in existence, the
Star of India (1863), shown above. Call 619-234-9153 or visit
sdmaritime.org/publicevents to learn more. —Alexa Voss
Philadelphia, PA
Leaving an Impression
Paul Durand-Ruel, a Parisian art dealer, was an early
champion of artists with names such as Manet, Monet,
Degas and Renoir. Durand-Ruel’s story frames a ground-
breaking exhibition that explores Impressionism in a fresh
light, through the eyes of the collector. Reuniting master-
pieces bought, shown and sold by Durand-Ruel, the
exhibition “Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-
Ruel and the New Painting” is making its only U.S. stop at
the Philadelphia Museum of Art, through September 13.
Paintings in this show were originally in Durand-Ruel’s
gallery stock and personal collection; these include six of
Monet’s “Poplars” series and Renoir’s three large-scale
“Dances.” The exhibition is produced in collaboration with
the National Gallery, London and the Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
Call 215-763-8100 or visit philamuseum.org. —Alexa Voss
Journal
Palmer, AK
A Taste of Alaska
The cabbages in the
produce contest at the
Alaska State Fair are so
large, they are often
trucked in. These
voluminous veggies
are among the many
attractions you will find
at the Alaska State Fair,
August 27–September 7,
at the state fairgrounds
about 40 miles north of
Anchorage.
Wide-ranging onstage
entertainment is another
fair highlight. This
year’s lineup includes
funnyman Jim Gaffigan
and country star Lee
Brice. Also included: a
performance by local act
Pierre-Auguste Renoir,
Dance at Bougival (1883),
oil on canvas.
“Portugal. The Man.”
Overall, the fair will
feature shows by
performers from all
over Alaska.
The food at the fair
is always enticing.
Halibut tacos, salmon
quesadillas and fresh
oysters are among the
culinary offerings.
The fair also
features cooking
competitions, and arts
and crafts vendors.
Alaska Airlines is a
sponsor of the Alaska
State Fair. To learn
more, call 907-745-
4827 or visit
alaskastatefair.org.
—Aliza Vaccher
This 1,283.5-lb gourd placed
first at the 2014 Alaska State
Fair’s Pumpkin Weigh-off.