Alaska State Fair
| Alaska State Fair | |
|---|---|
| Genre | state fair |
| Dates | Usually about 12 days in Aug/Sept |
| Location(s) | Palmer, Alaska |
| Years active | 1936 - present, officially Alaska State Fair since 1959 |
| Attendance | 308,572 in 2011 |
| Website | |
| Alaska State Fair | |
The Alaska State Fair is an annual state fair held in Palmer, Alaska, United States. The fairgrounds are located approximately one hour north of Anchorage and draw visitors from the entire Municipality of Anchorage and beyond for the popular 1 and ½ week event beginning at the end of August. The Alaska state fair is famous for its record setting giant vegetables and picturesque location at the foot of the Chugach Mountains in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. The event features amusement rides, food concessions, competitive exhibits, carnival games, live performances and more.
The first Alaska State Fair was held September 4–7, 1936. It was organized by the families who moved to Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Valley in 1935, when the U.S. government established a farming colony there with the intent of opening up Alaska, providing food to the military in case of war, and giving families on relief a new start.
That first year’s Fair included the crowning of the Fair queen, a baby show, boxing matches, horse races, dances, a rodeo and baseball games. There were also agricultural entries, including giant cabbages, grain, carrots, onions, celery, peas and other vegetables.
During World War II, the Fair took a five-year hiatus from 1942 to 1946. But the Fair was back in operation in 1947. 1950 saw the first carnival rides at the Fair. In 1956, the Fair Board petitioned the Alaska Legislature for official designation as the Alaska State Fair. In 1960, the Fair celebrated its 25th anniversary and was paid a visit by President John F. Kennedy.
1967 was the Fair’s first year in its present 300-acre location at 2075 Glenn Highway in Palmer. The total attendance that year reached 72,000. Over the years, Fair attendance has continued its upward trend. During the 18-day Fair in 1998, a record 361,804 people participated in the event. That same year, the Fair accepted 10,890 exhibit entries – the highest on record. The Fair set another record in 2003, with 312,419 visitors attending the Fair over a 12-day period.
Fairground facilities have also continued to grow. In 1975, the Fair became home to Colony Village, which preserves some of the historic buildings from the Valley’s early days. In 1997, the construction of Pioneer Plaza and Raven Hall was completed. In 2004, the Fair opened its new Green Gate and Railroad Depot.
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Wikipedia