RootS of the Roost

Where It All Began

“I know Chicken… and you are DEFINITELY not from Chicken!”

That bold declaration (shouted mid-bluegrass jam) was all it took to hatch what we now lovingly call Chickenstock.

In 2007, festival coordinator Josea Busby was volunteering at the Iditarod finish line in Nome when her Chicken credibility was publicly challenged. Right then and there, the idea took flight. Because if remote Alaska does one thing well, it’s unexpected magic.

From One Truck to Top-of-the-World Tunes

What started on the bed of a WWII Power Wagon 6x6 - once used by the Busby family to haul fuel and supplies 30 miles into the bush - quickly grew legs… and feathers. The truck got a second life as a stage, the first band climbed aboard, and Chickenstock was born.

The fledgling festival soon outgrew one truck, then two, and kept evolving year after year. Chickenstock is very much its own animal - constantly morphing, improving, and surprising us all.

Every June, Chicken’s double-digit population swells past 1,000 adventurous, fun-loving music fans who flock in from Alaska, the Yukon, and beyond. The result? A raucous but family-friendly celebration of music, hula-hoops, midnight sun, and pure joy.

The Music (aka the Whole Point)

Each year, a dozen-plus bands - bluegrass, country-ish, bluesy, folksy, and gloriously hard-to-define - take the stage atop two vintage WWII trucks parked ass-to-ass (yes, really).

It all started right there on the back of a deuce-and-a-half, when the band Last Frontier finally caved to Josea’s relentless invitations and became the very first Chickenstock band - setting the tone for everything that followed.

We also tip our hats to Carl Hoffman, lovingly known as the Father of Alaskan Bluegrass, who played at least eight Chickenstocks (including year two) and even wrote the Chickenstock song - a true part of our musical DNA.

Add a candy-cane-colored helicopter dropping 10,078 marshmallow Peeps, a crowd attempting the Chicken Dance, and the sun refusing to set - and you’ve got peak Chickenstock.

Rooted in Gold

Chickenstock lives in a historic mining district, and that grit runs deep.

Chicken Gold Camp, founded by Mike and Lou Busby (Josea’s parents), was built after 20 years of mining in the area. They shifted gears to help others experience the gold-mining lifestyle the old-timer way. For 25 years, they’ve shared this oasis at the Top of the World - and each year, they graciously give up every nook and cranny so Chickenstock can take over.

Anthony Sandoval, our hardest-working rooster, brings even deeper roots as a 4th-generation Chicken miner, still working his great-grandfather’s claim. Life out here breeds self-sufficiency - and Anthony can fix just about anything Chickenstock throws at him.

Supporting a festival this far off the grid is no small feat. We generate our own power and water, haul in supplies, sort and burn or haul out trash, and plan everything in advance. Five trailer loads, five Fairbanks runs, and the Taylor Highway later… we throw the best party under the midnight sun.

Flock Life

Chickenstock is powered by a fiercely loyal, migratory crew known as the Event Flock - led by head hen Josea and Rooster Anthony.

From tie-dye and referee stripes to beer pouring and stage wrangling, this crew does it all. What began as five volunteers has grown into 60 incredible humans (and their fledglings). Some have been here all 20 years. Most have been around for 10+.

They arrive like a family reunion, work hard, play hard, and smile the whole way through. So much so that their kids have grown up into our Fledgling Flock - teenagers now working shifts of their own.

We love our flock. Chickenstock wouldn’t exist without them.

More Than a Festival

Chickenstock is less “event” and more annual family reunion - the kind where everyone shows up, jumps right back in, and picks up where they left off.

It’s a place to unplug, show up, and be present. A place where kids grow up, friendships deepen, and everyone is welcome at the table. No politics. No drama. Just music, laughter, and community - Chickenstock style.

A place to gather, laugh, dance, and remember what community feels like at the Top of the World, where fun is the goal. 🐔✨