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Alaska State Fair Adds Element of Whimsy to an Alaska Tour

Added Monday, Jan. 23, 2012

The Alaska State Fair has been held every year since 1936, and while the event has grown in size and complexity since it first began, the spirit of the fair has remained the same. There are carnival rides, games, exhibits of local and traditional art, loads of food vendors and even a giant vegetable competition. Those planning summer Alaska vacations should include a stop in the Matanuska-Sustina town of Palmer so they can check out the fair in all its glory.

Alaska's very first state fair was orchestrated by the first colonists of the Matanuska Valley. The same year, the Knik River Bridge was opened, connecting the Valley to Anchorage, which allowed people from all over the state to visit the four-day fair. There were boxing matches, a rodeo, the crowning of the Fair Queen and many farmers exhibiting their crops, including giant cabbages.

A few years later in 1941, the manager of the Alaskan Railroad offered a cash prize for whoever presented the largest cabbage, marking the first year of the giant vegetable competition. Max Sherrod, a Valley resident, claimed the prize that year with a 23-pound cabbage. Last year, at the 75th anniversary of the fair, the prize for the largest vegetable was awarded to J.D. Megchelsen, who entered a world record-breaking 1,278-pound pumpkin into the competition.

The fair has been held almost every year since it first began, except for a five year period during World War II. After the war ended, the event resumed in 1947 and a few years later, carnival rides were added to the festival's lineup. The following year, 1951, saw the addition of an air show. By 1956, the event was drawing a large enough crowd for the state to officially designate it as the Alaska State Fair. However, another fair in Tanana Valley also requested the same honor that year. So the legislature was created to incorporate both and they take turns hosting the official fair. Palmer's fair is the official state fair on odd-numbered years.

Matanaska Valley's Alaska State Fair grows bigger each year, with more vendors and festivities for guests to enjoy, but tradition is not forgotten. Giant vegetable contests are just some of the events that have been held since the fair's early years. The festival is a great destination for travelers who want to get a taste of local culture and see some impressive produce.

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