Bethel residents celebrated the breakup of Kuskokwim River ice with music, dancing and hot dogs during the Breakup Bash, which returned this week after a two-year hiatus.
People gather for the annual Breakup Bash in Bethel on Friday, May 6, 2022. The celebration occurs after the clock is tripped on the Kuskokwim Ice Classic tripod and signals the end of winter as river ice diminishes. This year the clock stopped at 6:05 p.m. on May 5.
Bethel’s annual Breakup Bash is held each year after river ice goes out in front of town, tripping the Kuskokwim Ice Classic tripod –– which stopped this year at 6:05 p.m. May 5. This signals the end of winter and is celebrated at the riverfront with hot dogs, music and dancing. Ardyce Turner said on Friday that she saw her first robin and is looking forward to the return of the cranes and smelts, a fish she described as being similar to hooligan.