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Food Bank of Alaska's 'CANstruction' Event Returns for 17th Year
Nine teams will build dragon-themed structures out of donated cans to help feed Alaskans in need.
Apr. 10, 2026 at 5:49am
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The vibrant, artistic structures built from donated cans at the Food Bank of Alaska's annual 'CANstruction' event will help feed thousands of Alaskans in need.Anchorage TodayThe Food Bank of Alaska's annual 'CANstruction' event is back for its 17th year, with nine teams from across the state set to build free-standing structures out of canned food donations. This year's theme is dragons, and the public can vote for their favorite design. The donated cans will then be distributed to provide around 15,000 meals to people in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley.
Why it matters
The CANstruction event is a creative way to collect a large amount of food donations for the Food Bank of Alaska at a critical time when supplies start to dwindle after the holiday season. The competition also engages the community and raises awareness about food insecurity in the state.
The details
Each structure is built within a 10-foot square and judged on design, structural ingenuity, and use of labels. This year, the Food Bank of Alaska has collected nearly 24,000 cans of food, which equates to around 20,000 pounds of food and 15,000 meals. The public can participate by voting for their favorite structure via a QR code.
- The CANstruction event begins on Friday, April 11, 2026.
- The structures will be on display until April 24, 2026.
- The People's Choice Award will be announced at the end of the event on April 11.
The players
Food Bank of Alaska
A non-profit organization that collects and distributes food to those in need across Alaska.
Leo Altola
Food Donations Manager with the Food Bank of Alaska.
What they’re saying
“CANstruction' is an international design-build competition that blends creativity and compassion, turning canned food into large-scale art that helps stock shelves across Alaska.”
— Food Bank of Alaska
“We get teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to design and build can-structures out of canned food. Each year, the committee comes up with a list of ideas that we kind of shoot around a little bit and workshop to find the best one, and by far, the best idea this year was dragons.”
— Leo Altola, Food Donations Manager, Food Bank of Alaska
What’s next
The public can view the completed dragon-themed structures at the Food Bank of Alaska until April 24, 2026, and vote for their favorite design. After the event, the cans will be deconstructed and distributed to various agencies to help feed those in need.
The takeaway
The CANstruction event demonstrates how a creative and community-driven initiative can make a meaningful impact on addressing food insecurity in Alaska. By engaging local teams to build structures out of donated cans, the Food Bank of Alaska is able to collect a significant amount of food while also raising awareness and fostering a sense of shared purpose.
