The Nenana Ice Classic has extended its ticket purchase deadline to this Friday, April 10. The quirky ice-melting guessing contest has been held since 1917. For $2.50, players guess the day, hour and minute the ice will break up on the Tanana River at Nenana.
Ice Classic Manager Cherrie Forness says the proceeds of the event fund charities in the city of Nenana.
Normally, tickets allowing buyers to guess a date and time the ice on the river will break up are sold in retail establishments around Alaska.
But the COVID-19 pandemic has cut into ticket sales.
With people not wanting to venture into stores & other establishments, the Nenana Ice Classic is offering to accept guesses through the mail, and to fill out tickets for anyone wanting to participate in the 2020 event.
“Well, we always let some of the villages mail us in their guesses. Because of the coronavirus, we decided that there’s a lot of people that don’t want to go out, so we thought we’ll just go ahead and open that up to everybody in the state.”
The Classic doesn’t take credit cards. But they will accept money orders, cashier’s checks and personal checks. Anyone wanting to send them a guess must have it postmarked by April 10.
Details of how to mail in a guess are on the Classic’s website at NenanaAKIceClassic.comhttp://NenanaAKIceClassic.com
Forness believes the lack of tickets will affect the jackpot prize.
“A lot of businesses closed that sell our tickets. They didn’t really have a chance to sell.I think our … probably have one of the lowest jackpots in years and years and years.”
She says it will take longer this year to compile the guesses people mail in. The crew who normally assembles to work on the Classic will be sitting far apart in the office, with as few people in the room as possible.
“Its probably going to take us quite awhile ‘cause we are getting a lot through the mail now. I hope people can be patient with us.”
Last year’s jackpot was $311,652. Due to a record-breaking warm spring, the tripod came toppling down at 12:21 a.m. on Sunday, April 14, the earliest-ever breakup in 102 years.
You can mail your guesses & money ($2.50 per guess) to the Ice Classic office.
Be sure to include:
Your name, mailing address & phone number.
Each guess must include:
The month, date, hour, minute & either AM or PM.
The mailing address is PO Box 272, Nenana Ak 99760.