The Malemute Saloon show 'Service with a Smile' features stories, comic sketches,
songs and dance from the gold rush days and poetry written by Robert W. Service,
'the bard of the North'. His famous poem "The shooting of Dan McGrew" starts with these lines:

"A bunch of the boys were whooping it up in the Malamute Saloon;
The kid that handles the music-box was hitting a jag-time tune;
Back in the bar, in a solo game, sat Dangerous Dan McGrew,
And watching his luck was his light-o'-love, the lady that's known as Lou."

Ester, 7 miles southwest of Fairbanks on the Parks Highway, is a colorful community of artists,
writers, Bohemians and people working in Fairbanks (population about 200). It also features Ester
Gold Camp, a summer visitor attraction with a saloon, a song and dance show and a gift shop or two.
A shuttle bus provides round trip evening transportation from the major hotels in Fairbanks.
In winter everything is closed. Ester Gold Camp is officially listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.