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Coming Up: Alaska State Fair

The end of summer is near and that means it’s carnival season!

Coming Up: Alaska State Fair

The Alaska State Fair will be in nearby Palmer from August 22nd to September 2nd, and it’s so much fun that you’ll definitely want to attend while you’re in town!

Food

All sorts of food is available at the fair, from typical carny food like elephant ears and corn dogs to food from local restaurants – barbecue from Bear Naked BBQ, polish dogs from Indian Valley Meats, and gumbo from Lionel’s Seafood.  Try deep-fried everything and indulge in all the foods you haven’t eaten since you were a kid – people forget how good cotton candy is!  There will also be beer and wine vendors – enjoy their beverages, because everything is Alaska-grown, Alaska-made, and we have some great breweries.

Entertainment

The state fair always has some interesting displays, like giant vegetables, livestock, locally crafted ceramics, and jewelry.  In addition, there’s plenty to buy, like local honey, birch syrup (delicious!), clothes, and woodwork.  You can even catch some interesting shows, like the reptile show in the Kid Zone or the Northern Lights native dancers.

Some big names will also be playing the fair this year.  Acapella band Home Free, winners of season 4 of The Sing-Off, will be performing on August 22, and you definitely don’t want to miss them.  They have a skill for adapting songs to their unique country sound (“The Butts Remix” is a great example of this) and their shows are always funny as well.

On the 24th, country singer Dustin Lynch (“Cowboys and Angels” and “Good Girl”) will be performing, as will Cole Swindell on August 31st.  And closing out the fair is Jeff Foxworthy bringing his comedic talent to the stage on September 1st, and Elle King, bringing her smoky voice on the 2nd!

Don’t miss the Alaska State Fair while you’re in town and enjoy exploring Anchorage!