Alaskabuttonboxgang

About Us

The Alaska Button Box Gang is a social and recreational group dedicated to promoting the history and enjoyment of button box accordion music. We play music for pleasure, for recreation and for many events in the greater Anchorage community. The band plays traditional Slovenian, German and Polish accordion music as well as songs written by members of the group. Our repertoire includes polkas, waltzes, schottisches, two-steps, swing and Latin. Our recordings are available at Alaska Button Box Gang Recordings.

Some members have been playing together for about 40 years, others are newcomers to accordion music. All play because they enjoy playing the button box accordion and playing together. Members of the group hail from Oklahoma, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, New Jersey and Colorado as well as Alaska.

The Alaska Button Box Gang performs regularly in the Anchorage area for non-profits and schools, as well as at the Anchorage Saturday Market, the library and other organizations.

Our 2025 season began playing local retirement communities, doing Polka Buzz and Alaska Main Squeeze at the Fur Rondy Oktovberrrrfest in March. Some of us are traveling to Sharon Pennsylvania for the National Button Accordion Festival on Memorial Day weekend. We will be playing in early May for for the Reading Rendezvous on the Loussac Library lawn and on June 8th we will play for the Run for Women. Check out our events page to find out what is coming up next.

In addition, the group occasionally travels to other parts of Alaska and to events outside Alaska. A sampling of some events are Ironworld Polka Festival in Chisholm, Minnesota in June 2008; the Far West Button Box Jamboree in Fontana, California in 2003 and 2004 and its successor the National Button Accordion Festival in Yukon, Oklahoma in 2007, Bessemer, PA in 2009 through 2016, and in Sharon, PA in 2017; the Tok, Alaska Fourth of July Celebration in 2006; the Southwest Polka Party in Las Vegas in 2001 and 2002; and the Big Joe Polka Show in 2007. Members also participated in the 2016 All Accordion Festival at the Slovene Hall in Fontana, California Labor Day Weekend.

Email us at alaskapolka@gmail.com

Other Band News

Mike Pajot, 11.10.35-11.15.25

Our longtime friend and fellow band member, Mike Pajot, passed away on November 15th. He played a mean polka cello that he made himself. He was multi-talented helping with sound and fixing our instruments as needed. He taught sociology at Anchorage Community College and University of Alaska Anchorage. He was also very involved with the Bird Treatment and Leaning Center and spent many hours volunteering for them.

He was devoted to his family, wife Theresa, daughters Lisa (Shawn) and Shiela (Jonathan) and five grandchildren.

We will miss Mike and his contributions to our band.

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Mike Pajot, 11.10.35-11.15.25

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