Special Days

Learn how energy fuels our economy. Join us in recognizing the people and projects who keep Alaska moving forward. To help those facing challenging circumstances, please bring a donation of shelf-stable food items to Fair gates to share with food-insecure Alaskans. Come by the Global Credit Union Bluebonnet Stage for the comedic relief of Paul Isaak, with electrifying stunts that include flaming torches and a flying machete shave. Dip into the Hoskins Building for featured demonstrations making peanut butter balls, beaded bracelets and repurposing recycled clothing. Stroll over to Pioneer Plaza to help AOGA celebrate Energy Day, and get your photo taken in the free photo booth! You won’t want to miss the newest extravaganza, Cirque Ma’Ceo a contemporary blend of acrobatics, aerial dance and equestrian arts located in the MTA Grandstand Lawn area and proudly presented by Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union.

Explore fun activities and cool discoveries during Mining Day! Test your mining knowledge at the Alaska Metal Mines exhibit in Pioneer Plaza or pan for gold and visit mining booths under the eaves of the Craig Taylor Equipment Farm Exhibits bulding. Don’t miss this annual event that celebrates all the reasons why mining is better in AK! But first, start by cheering on the Fair Parade in downtown Palmer before it retires, then head over to the Fairgrounds for a day of Fair fun! With many Alaskans facing food insecurities, we encourage guests to bring shelfstable food items to the Fair gates. Witness the strength and agility of athletes competing in the Wrestling Tournament then dance the night away at the DJ Dance party in the Events Tent, now located at the Purple Gate. FFA students showcase their knowledge of agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources in the Craig Taylor Farm Exhibits Building.

Today, we celebrate health and wellness for all Alaskans! Drop by Southcentral Foundation’s booth in Pioneer Plaza throughout the day to learn about the benefits of preventative care, celebrate culture, and discover fun ways you can stay healthy. Practice your best “Yo-ho!” and root for your favorite lumberjack at the ever-popular Scheer’s Lumberjack Show in the SBS Woodlot, presented by Spenard Builders Supply. Be on the lookout for Classic Toys sponsored entertainer Washboard Willy, providing a special combination of rhythm, sound effects and comedy strolling the grounds daily. Create a masterpiece at the Duct Tape Contest in the SBS Woodlot or enter a premade creation from home. Celebrate the dog days of summer throughout the day at the Channel 2 and CBS 5 Corral with a variety of canine-focused demonstrations and activities.

Everything is more fun with a friend, and what’s more fun thansaving money?! Courtesy of Golden Wheel Amusements and Coca-Cola Bottling of Alaska, pick-up your Buddy Days coupon at any participating Holiday Station store (while supplies last!) for BOGO admission at the gates and get your fill of thrills at the carnival (your buddy rides for free with your paid tickets!). Head over to the Events Tent for the Embracing AK Disabilities Expo. Cheer on the Staff Goat Milking Competition at the Channel 2 and CBS 5 Corral, then and be sure not to miss the Tanzanite African Acrobats on the Alyeska Pipeline Colony Stage, presented by Aurora Integrated Oncology Foundation.

AARP volunteers from the Mat-Su Community Action Team will be focusing on caregivers! Come share your caregiving story, find caregiving information and resources, and maybe even grab one of our special caregiver gifts. We will also have AARP voter education resources so Alaskans 50+ can cast their ballots with confidence. Admission to the Fair is only $3 between the hours of 11am and 2pm (you must be through the gate by 2 p.m.). A donation of two shelf-stable food items is encouraged. Compete against present and future farmers for bragging rights and prizes in the Ag Games at Craig Taylor Equipment Farm Exhibits. Don’t miss the WonderPax Senior Joke and Story Telling Contest. Like wellness and whimsey? Pop over to the Channel 2 and CBS 5 Corral for an unforgettable session of Baby Goat Yoga, featuring the adorable goats from Cottonwood Creek Farm. It’s a delightful blend of fitness and cuteness that you won’t want to miss! Then gallop over to the Events Tent for the Cowboy Olympics and try your hand at ropin’ and other cowboy games proudly presented by Arctic Chiropractic.

Brought to you by the University of Alaska Anchorage, we  celebrate our youngest fairgoers on this very special day of the Fair! Enjoy free admission all day for kids 12 and under! We believe hunger knows no age, and neither does teaching kids the importance of giving to others. Please bring a donation of two shelf-stable food items per child to the Fair gates. Today’s schedule features kid-friendly and parent-approved events at the Channel 2 and CBS 5 Corral, including the Kids’ Day Games presented by Dairy Queen and the Diaper Derby and Toddler Trot presented by Combs Insurance. Check out the Youth 360 & Thrive Mat-Su activities with family fun games and activities in the Events Tent! Fun and frosting await at the Hoskins Exhibits  building. Unleash your creativity with a FREE cookie decorating  event, presented by Palmer Carrs. Visit representatives from UAA in Pioneer Plaza to collect exclusive promotional items, explore over 100 academic programs and career pathways, learn about student life, Seawolf Athletics and more! With campuses across Southcentral Alaska, UAA offers degree and certificate programs that prepare students to make an impact in some of our communities’ most high-demand industries. Visit us to learn more about how UAA can be a part of your journey.

Join us for one of the most popular days of the Fair! Kids 12 and under receive a $2 discount on admission at the gates all day, with a suggested donation of two shelf-stable food items. Then, takeoff for Pioneer Plaza to check in on the latest Club 49 deals from Alaska Airlines, our official airline. Also, swing by to create your one-of-a-kind ornament to be hung on this year’s Capitol Christmas Tree in Washington D.C.! Keep up to date at the Club 49 Hub, #Club49 and club49hub.com. Other destinations to put on today’s itinerary include Alaska 529 Parent-Child Look-Alike contest and the first day of Rodeo Alaska Champions Tour Tough Enough to Wear Pink Rodeo. Close the evening with a mesmerizing display of talent performers twirling fire batons under the night sky at Alyeska Pipeline Colony Stage.

Credit Union 1 is dedicated to helping Alaskans live their Alaskan dream. Come by and see us at our Mobile Branch. Whether you need some extra cash or have questions about financing your next RV, four-wheeler, or hot tub, our local team is ready to help. We look forward to seeing you there! Get ready for an exhilarating day of fun and flavor! Be sure to leave room in your festivities for “Let’s Make Soda Pop”, a fizzy adventure in the Hoskins Building. Prepare to be amazed by the Canine Stars, a spectacular showcase of our furry friends’ agility and intelligence. But the excitement doesn’t stop there! Grab a sample at the Seafood Throwdown Cooking Contest where seasoned chef’s try to reel in the big prize and you get to taste their delicious seafood recipes.

One of this year’s unprecedented highlights is the Princess Diana Exhibition, a walk through the life an extraordinary mother and humanitarian, at the Sheldon Events Center presented by TOTE Maritime and Lynden Transport. It’s the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Don’t miss the astonishing Great Alaskan Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off in the Farm Exhibits Arena presented by Alaska Division of Agriculture and Alaska Grown, and be on the lookout for mystifying feats of fascination with Magic by Robbie and Antwan Towner presented by Classic Toys. Be sure to feast your eyes on the stunning array of quilts and quilting demonstrations inside the Hoskins Building, and for the reptile enthusiasts, Brad’s World Reptile’s hosts a variety of educational presentations throughout the day in Kid Zone courtesy of Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union.

Visit the Coca-Cola booth for an opportunity to take a photo with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear! First 200 people will receive a commemorative Coca-Cola/Alaska State Fair freebie. For this year’s fair, we will hand out some cool one-off Coca-Cola sunglasses, while supplies last. Guests can also take photos with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear and enjoy free samples of the NEW Coca-Cola Spice and Spice Zero! Beverages and swag are provided by our friends at Coca-Cola Bottling of Alaska and The Odom Corporation, refreshing Alaskans since 1934! Back by popular demand, this day promises to be a ton of fun! Dress up like your favorite superhero, sci-fi, anime, video game or movie  character and compete in the Cosplay Contest. No costume? No problem! Mingle with all the characters at the Cosplay Meet and Greet. Channel your inner Jedi up and get photos with your favorite Star Wars-themed characters of 501st Legion Alaskan Outpost at the Events Tent now located on Purple Trail!

It’s all about cabbage today! Will they break a world or state record? Witness the spectacle of the Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off presented by Alaska Division of Agriculture and Alaska Grown in the Craig Taylor Farm Exhibit building, where the heaviest cabbage takes home the prize and maybe a world record. Further your love of all things cabbage by unleashing your creativity making Chocolate Cabbage Leaf Bowls, a unique and delicious treat in the Hoskins Building. Explore the future at the Career and Technical Education Showcase in the Events Tent. Feel the adrenaline rush at the Demo Derby in the MTA Grandstands, where powerful machines clash in a thrilling display of force presented by the Frontiersman. And don’t miss Nick Hanson, the Eskimo Ninja Warrior, showcasing his incredible skills at The Gathering Place Stage.

MTA is excited to sponsor another thrilling day at the Alaska State Fair! Start your adventure at the MTA booth for giveaways and free swag. Then, enjoy the world’s best state fair with family and friends, including diverse vendors, delicious food, exciting rides, adorable animals, and so much more! Bee vigilant inside the Hoskins Building for demonstrations on Beeswax Wraps and Beekeeping in Alaska. Trot over to the Alyeska Pipeline Colony Stage for delightful, toe-tapping sounds of the Alaska State Fair Fiddle Contest and Alaska’s Got Talent prelims presented by Mat-Regional Medical Center. The MTA Grandstand is the place to be to witness the ever-thrilling, ground pounding All-Star Monster Truck Show presented by N C Machinery, and support the 4-H Junior Livestock Auction inside the Farm Exhibits Arena.

Today honors and celebrates Alaska’s active military, retired military, and veterans with special events and savings. Eligible veterans and active-duty military personnel can request free tickets through Veteran Tickets Foundation at www.vettix.org or First Tickets Foundation at www.1sttix.org (limited number available) or save at the gates. All military personnel (active and retired) receive Fair admission at the gate for just $5! Each service member can bring up to three dependents at the discounted admission price by showing a valid military ID or proof of service at the Fair gate. Retiring Old Glory? Bring your flag to the Fair ticket booths and we’ll dispose of it properly. Don’t miss the final day of the N C Machinery All-Star Monster Truck shows at the MTA Grandstand. Try your luck at Homesteader Games and delight in delicious samples at the Alaska Beef Showdown cooking contest presented by Carrs/Safeway.

On this last day of the Fair, we honor, celebrate, and say THANK YOU to our police, firefighters, and EMS personnel by offering $5 admission at the gate with valid ID. Meet local first responders, from firefighters, State Troopers, Palmer Police Dept., Anchorage Polics Dept. in their booths on the Fairgrounds. Zoom into the future in the Events Tent with Robotics competitions and hands-on experiences. Then, let the fun begin with the Alaska’s Got Talent finals presented by Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and the high-energy Rock-On Cloggers on the Alyeska Pipeline Colony Stage! Create your own edible masterpiece with FREE cookie decorating in the Hoskins Exhibit Building compliments of Palmer Carrs.