Sitka, Southeast Alaska, celebrates the end of the cruise ship season with costumed fun run. Sitka residents have created something of a ritual to mark the season’s end. “The Running of the Boots” and everyone wears Xtra Tuf rubber boots.
This fundraising event started back in 1995 with residents gathering at the harbor and, wearing their rubber boots, run the length of downtown and back.
The idea behind this event was presented by Sheila Finkenbinder who was listening to radio show talking about running of the boots in Pamplona, Spain. The radio host said ‘You know, we should have a running of the boots here in Sitka, and we should all gather at Sheldon Jackson College and strip down to nothing but our boots and run through the street saying goodbye to the tourists,”

Sheila thought this was a great idea but instead of running naked they made crazy costumes. Some of the bravest residents run in bikini and flags but nobody had a courage to run naked says Sheila.

This year Alaska cruise ship season ended earlier, with the last two ships canceling the port of Sitka due to a bad weather