The NBC TODAY Show will broadcast live from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center early Thursday morning. Juneau residents are invited to attend.
TODAY’s Natalie Morales will host a portion of the show from the visitor center pavilion from 3 to 6 a.m. to air live on the East Coast.
Kayaking along Juneau's Mendenhall Glacier. Gorgeous! #TODAYTakesOff Thursday on @TODAYshow pic.twitter.com/YNejoNtwSW
— Natalie Morales (@NMoralesNBC) July 8, 2014
Juneau Convention and Visitors Bureau Elizabeth Arnett has no idea how many people will turn out for the live broadcast since it’s so early in the morning.
“But we think a lot of people are going to want to get in on this. I mean it is a big deal for Juneau to have this show going live from our glacier,” Arnett says.
Cars are allowed at the visitor center any time after 2 a.m. but can’t park in the lot closest to the glacier or along the rock wall.
Arnett recommends the public get there no later than 2:30 to get parked and find a place to stand. People can arrive and leave anytime during the 3-hour shoot.
“It’s going to be a fun time. We expect everybody to be in a good mood. It’ll probably be chilly. I was just looking at the weather forecast and it says showers,” Arnett says.
No food or flavored drinks are allowed at the glacier. The visitor center will be closed, but bathrooms will be open.
The TODAY Show episode won’t air in Alaska until 7 a.m. Thursday.
This is not the first time the TODAY Show has been in Alaska. The show has been taped in Denali National Park, but this is the first live broadcast from the state.
Lisa Phu is a reporter at KTOO in Juneau.
