2024 Alaska State Fair season starts Friday

The 2024 Alaska State Fair season officially opens August 16.

Alaska State Fair CEO Jeff Curtis said that overall preparations are going well and all their staff and volunteers are looking forward to kicking things off.

“We're feeling great. We're really excited about it," Curtis said.

Whether it's viewing giant vegetables, enjoying carnival rides, listening to live music, or shopping for unique finds, there are plenty of things to do at the largest annual gathering held in the Last Frontier.

Curtis said there is an effective balance between preserving popular and long held traditions and incorporating new elements to the overall Fair experience. He said it's a place visitors can spend the whole day enjoying themselves.

“I think we've built something the public can look forward to," Curtis said.

Each day of the Fair features a wide variety of free activities across the grounds, giving visitors additional options beyond the things that have a cost.

“We're really proud of that," Curtis said.

The 2024 Fair season will feature a new event called Cirque Ma’Ceo, which is described as a mix of “acrobatics, aerial, dance, and equestrian arts.”

Another new activity featured this year is the Princess Diana Exhibition which includes photographs, custom art installations, and “exclusive, never-heard-before stories” told by Diana’s official royal photographer Anwar Hussein and his sons Sam and Zak.

Each Fair season draws a variety of big names in the music industry. This year's lineup features notable musical acts such as Ludacris, Natasha Bedingfield, Justin Moore, and Theory of a Deadman. Curtis said the Fair has built a reputation as a unique and scenic destination that draws talent across the spectrum.

“It's met with interest,” Curtis said. “Alaskans love them and these artists feel that when they're on stage.”

Curtis noted that there will be a few layout changes this year such as the Events Tent moving from the Yellow Gate to the Purple Gate.

Fairgoers will receive free parking once again this year. According to Curtis, the inclusion of free parking has been a successful effort with notable benefits such as helping reduce the overall Fair traffic.

The 2024 season will be particularly special this year with the return of the Fair Train. This will be the first time fairgoers have the option to take a scenic train ride to the Palmer Fairgrounds since 2019.

Curtis said that bringing back the Fair Train has drawn widespread appreciation and enthusiasm from the public. He said they have a great partnership with the Alaska Railroad and they're hopefully optimistic about offering more Fair Train rides as time goes on.

“The response has been great,” Curtis said. “It takes a few cars off the road and provides an experience.”

The 2024 Alaska State Fair season runs from through August 16 to September 2, and it's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Curtis highly encourages fairgoers to purchase admission by Aug. 15 for discounted rates.

According to Curtis, about 350,000 people visited the Fairgrounds during the 2023 season and they're pleased with the overall attendance.

“We're excited about maintaining that enthusiasm,” Curtis said.

Curtis said it takes a lot of time and energy to prepare for the Fair with year round efforts leading up to opening day. He credited their team for making the Fair a success every year.

“They're great people. There are employees and volunteers that make this possible and I feel grateful for this team,” Curtis said.

For more information, visit alaskastatefair.org.