The race, an 800-mile trek from Fairbanks to Galena and back again, doesn't draw the number of entrants that it used to. But a diehard contingent of fans still exists in Galena. Many race participants are from the village or are related to someone there. After the boats land, the focus shifts from a sporting event to a social occasion. Everyone in town is down by the river.
Old town is the original settlement of the village near the river.
People began a separate enclave 2 miles down the road to escape the constant flooding. Now, the town is squarely divided. Click on any of the smaller images to see the larger image and caption. On Yukon 800 day, KIYU hosts its annual picnic in the building's parking lot. Bob Sommer, director of the station and vice president of the Alaska Broadcasters Association, came to Galena from Albuquerque, N.M., in 1989.