Typically for Starvation Gulch, different clubs and university organizations compete in assembling massive piles of wood with the hopes that the judges will declare their pile as the winner. The winning club/group would go on to be the main bonfire attraction, and would be set ablaze the night of Starvation Gulch as a symbolic representation for the university's passing of the torch of knowledge down to the newest academic class.

Despite the inability to celebrate this tradition the same way as it has been done in the past, the Traditions Board is pleased to announce that there will be a door decorating contest for the 2020 Starvation Gulch! This contest is designed to allow everyone to ignite their creativity to the fullest and to give the UAF community an opportunity to prove whose flames of artistry will burn the brightest! Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Participants for Starvation Gulch 2020 may register as either a group or as an individual. We recommend door decorating theme follow along and convey the main themes of Starvation Gulch, those themes being:

The passing of the torch of knowledge.

The living history of the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus.

Group entries require all members of the group to decorate their own door, but all of the members' doors within a group will be considered as a collection for the purposes of the group prize. One group entry will be selected to win the group prize as well as earn a spot on the Starvation Gulch "Big Ass Trophy." The group that wins will be selected by the Traditions Board members on the last day of Starvation Gulch. This decision will be based upon the creativity of the doors, as well as how well they convey the themes of the tradition.

Individual entries require the individual to decorate their own door. The Traditions Board will select a total of 10 individual doors to be posted onto the @nanookengage Instagram account based upon the creativity of the doors, and how well they convey the themes of the Starvation Gulch tradition. All decorated doors that were under group entries will also be considered for individual prizes as well. On the last day of Starvation Gulch, the top 3 individual doors that receive the highest votes via comments from their post on the @nanookengage Instagram account will receive the first, second, and third place individual prizes based on the number of votes each entry had.

The Traditions Board wishes you all good luck! We can not wait to see you all to ignite your flames of creativity!