Early morning on March 2nd, the 40th annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race began. Hundreds of people, coming from all over the world, gathered along the streets of downtown Anchorage to celebrate the kick off to the world famous race.

A morning fog laid low, seeping over downtown Anchorage, while throngs of people, hailing from all over the world, crowded in, attempting to get good vantage of the fenced off main, downtown street of Anchorage.

Strangers huddle close, straining along the fence to witness each sled dog team mush along the snowy streets as if crowding to stay warm. The main show, the sled dogs, yipping, with long pink tongues frothing and lolling out the mouth, jump around in place. The dogs, straining their own self at the reins, nip at their fellow teammate’s legs in anticipation. They are impatient. The fervor of the dogs lend their excitment to the crowd. All they want to do is run. They will get their wish.

These dogs will run, pushing their sled dog captain, also known as musher, throughout the wilderness of Alaska following a historic trail from Anchorage all the way to Nome over 1,100 miles away. The 2013 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has officially begun.

“This is our first time witnessing the Iditarod,” Jennifer Watkins states while glancing down at her two daughters; one is four-years-old and the other is two-years-old. The little girls sit on the ground with their faces pressed against the fence and munching on the little chocolate cookies and other picnic snacks Watkins had packed for her daughters. “Its pretty cool. There is tons to look at.” It appears so. Her little girls cant stop grinning.

The Iditarod is an epic adventure for man and his best friend. Its a strenuous 1,100+-mile trek in which sled dog teams, usually each team involving 16 dogs and one musher, race in a chance to win $50,400, a new truck, and the honor of surviving such a long journey through the icy, unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. For the 2013 Iditarod, there is a total of 66 sled dog teams competing in the race.

“I enjoy watching the sledders get their dogs ready,” stated Dave Eakin who is a Kenai, AK resident who came to Anchorage to watch the Iditarod kick-off celebration. “I like how the storefront opens up for the crowd- its very accommodating.”

Eakin explains the atmosphere accurately. The Iditarod is considered The Last Great Race on Earth and fans the world over come to make a huge celebration of it. Anchorage caters to them. Starting with Fur Rondy, which is a festival of weeklong events, is formed to help build up the excitement for the upcoming Iditarod. On the day of the Iditarod its obvious that the festivities have escalated to their peak. For what appears to be an endless strip, local stores have their doors wide open in the freezing cold, welcoming in crowds of people to warm up and purchase souvenirs. Multiple food vendors,such as the famous Arctic Dog reindeer hot dog stand, set up at the edge of the sidewalks; the smell of various warm, festive foods fill the air. Along with the food vendors and major stores, several vendors sell Iditarod memorabiilia such as Iditarod balloons, books with detail of each of the sled dog teams, and more. Although the celebration is hustling and incredibly busy; one can still hear the howls of the excited sled dogs over everything else.

“I’m excited to just purchase my Fur Rondy pin!” stated Eakin. The Fur Rondy pins were created since 1939 to help raise money for the Iditarod and other celebratory activities. The pins are not only important as a fundraiser piece, but to also save the Iditarod visitors from going to “jail.” During the parade the Keystone Cops, or “Rondy Cops,” playfully put viewers in jail who are not bearing their Rondy pin for the world to see.

Although the Iditarod appears to be a warm celebration of Alaskan culture in the middle of winter, and a grueling competition, it actually holds an important significance in history. The race is a celebration of the “Great Race of Mercy,” or the 1925 serum run to Nome. The race to transport diphtheria antitoxin to Nome and the surrounding communities made heroes of the mushers and especially the head dog who lead his team on the final leg of the legendary journey, Balto.

Downtown Anchorage has a statue of Balto in honor of the dog’s heroic endurance. New York City has one as well.

The famous Iditarod Trail was used as early as the Alaskan Gold Rush time period where settlers used it to travel around Alaska in hopes of striking it rich. For much of the 20th century it was served as a primary alert for transporting mail, medicine, and other crucial supplies to rural villages in winter Alaska that didn’t have any other form of transportation.

The start off to the Iditarod was a hit; starting with the Fur Rondy festival on February 22nd to the start of the race, March 1st. From here on out, Iditarod fans will track the mushers and await who will cross the finish line first in Nome. Throngs of people will be at the end of the race as well to welcome the competitors after the challenging race to Northern Alaska.

“The Iditarod really brings Anchorage together,” said Anchorage local Jaquline Boryles. “It brings a sense of community.”