Editing Cordova, Alaska (section)

==Arts and culture==
Various festivals and celebrations take place throughout the year. The Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival, hosted by the Cordova Chamber of Commerce, takes place each year in early May. Millions of [[bird migration|migrating]] shorebirds stop in the area to rest and feed before finishing their journey north. The most numerous species are the [[western sandpiper]], [[least sandpiper]], and [[dunlin]]. This is a popular time for avid and casual bird watchers to visit. Activities, workshops, and bird watching tours are held throughout the week.<ref name="Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival">{{cite web|url=http://www.copperriverdeltashorebirdfestival.com/|title=Copper River Delta Shorbird Festival|access-date=December 25, 2015}}</ref>

The Cordova [[Ice worm|Iceworm]] Festival takes place each February. Activities include a parade, talent show, royal crowning ceremony, and various competitions such as an [[Oyster#Opening oysters|oyster shucking]] contest, [[ping pong]] tournament, and a [[survival suit]] race.<ref name="CCoC">{{cite web|url=http://www.cordovachamber.com/|title=Cordova Chamber of Commerce|access-date=February 26, 2010}}</ref>

Copper River Wild Salmon Festival takes place in July at the [[Mt. Eyak]] ski area and includes various events.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cdvarts.org/|title=Cordova Arts|access-date=June 22, 2015}}</ref>  Salmon Jam Music Festival serves as one of the main events and a fund raiser for Cordova Arts, where local musicians perform followed by professional acts and takes place over the course of Friday and Saturday nights. Taste of Cordova, a wild food and Copper River salmon cook off, usually starts the events. Entries are made with a variety of wild, locally harvested foods and are judged by a panel of guest chefs and food writers. The Alaska Salmon Runs start Saturday morning and include a [[marathon]], half marathon, 10k, 5k, and a 1-mile race on the [[Copper River Highway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://copperriverwild.org/ak-salmon-runs/|title=Copper River Wild|access-date=June 22, 2015}}</ref> Small [[Fry (biology)|Fry]] activities are educational events for children and families that take place during the races.

The Cordova Historical Museum has exhibits on the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, the local fishing industry, and [[Alaska Natives]]. They also host a juried art show called "Fish Follies".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cordovamuseum.org/|title=Cordova Historical Museum|access-date=February 26, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021209184509/http://www.cordovamuseum.org/|archive-date=December 9, 2002|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The Ilanka Cultural Center museum features exhibits on Eyak, Alutiiq, Ahtna and Tlingit history and contemporary life – including artifacts, photographs, and oral histories. The 24-1/2-foot orca whale, Eyak, is one of only five fully rearticulated orca whale skeletons in the world.

The Cordova Ikumat Alutiiq group was formed in 1995, composed of youth and adults, and is open to anyone who wants to join; the group performs songs from the past as well as original pieces. The Ilanka Cultural Center offers traditional arts and skills still practiced including skin sewing, beadwork; mask, totem, and ivory carving; "putting up" fish and deer; berry-picking and jam-making; and subsistence and commercial fishing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nveyak.com/ilanka-cultural-center/|title=Ilanka Cultural Center - The Native Village of Eyak|website=nveyak.com|access-date=April 14, 2018|archive-date=April 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414234514/http://nveyak.com/ilanka-cultural-center/|url-status=dead}}</ref>[[File:Southeasterly sculpture Joan Bugbee Jackson Cordova Alaska harbor.jpg|thumb|Southeasterly sculpture Joan Bugbee Jackson Cordova Alaska harbor]]

===Cordova Center===
In late 2010, clearing the site and construction of a {{convert|33929|sqft|m2|adj=on}} community center, to be named the Cordova Center, began. The Cordova Center hosts a new library, museum, auditorium, conference and meeting space, plus city hall offices. It finally opened in the winter of 2015 for the residents of Cordova. Various events take place in the walls of this building such as community movie nights in the theater, winter bazaars, art shows, and many more.<ref>[http://www.cityofcordova.net/cordova-center/ Cordova Center at CityofCordova.net] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115084626/http://www.cityofcordova.net/cordova-center/ |date=November 15, 2010 }}</ref>