Add on a Boozy Book Fair!

Moonstone Farm in Palmer—Just imagine for a moment…a spectacular Alaska summer day with bluebird skys, fluffy clouds and joyous mountains. And our valley it is filled with green, verdant vegetation, lilac and rose aroma. Everywhere you look is beauty. And there is a festival on an original Palmer colony farm (which has continued to be farmed by the original colony Church family.) It’s a place where chickens wander, peonies bloom and fresh lettuces sprout. This weekend is the annual Palmer Moonstone Farm Railcar Tasting Room and Fireside Books joint event.

Palmer’s favorite bookstore, Fireside, is bringing a large inventory of wonderful books to this farm event. Now, on top of all the above mentioned loveliness, is the fun of a fine book fair for everyone, providing so many great new titles. In addition to the variety of drinks and food offerings will be some author signings and readings. And on top of all of this is your opportunity to visit and wander on one of the most beautiful original farms in the region. Say hello to the carrots! This boozy book-fair is from 2-8pm on Saturday, June 29th at Moonstone Farms in Palmer.

Add some Food Trucks, Music and Tarot!—Sea Garden Food Truck, Flourishing Pizza, Lekker Coffee and Baking Company will all be at the Moonstone Farm Market! Live Music and a tarot card reader will be at the fair.

Top off with Tap Room Railcar!—The Moonstone Farm Tasting Room is in an old, renovated Alaska Railroad train car and features Alaska beers, ciders, distilled spirits, and non alcoholic options. There is an authentic railcar licensed pub “tasting room” on the farm. Represented are: Lazy Mountain Brewing, Midnight Sun Brewing, Black Spruce Brewing, Alaska Cider-works, 203 Kombucha, Bear Paw River Brewing (root-beer), Ursa Major Distilling, Port Chillkoot Distilling, Beers, ciders, available. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by their legal guardians at all time and no pets are welcome on this working farm. There is a huge 20 feet by 40 feet sunny deck plus grassy picnic areas looking out over the farm and peony and hayfields. Go enjoy the live music and expanded beer garden!

Alaska Scottish Highland Games is also this weekend at the Alaska State Fairgrounds. This festival just keeps getting better and better each year. Palmer is so fortunate to have this terrific festival in our back yard. It’s both Saturday and Sunday and well worth your while. It definitely feels like a smaller and more curated, thematic state fair. Authenticity reigns with carefully chosen vendors and events, musicians, dancers, sports events and activities. Here are just a handful of the many cool events: shortbread competition, athletic games; Scotch tastings; Harp Twins; Haggis Eating Contest; Beard, Braids and Mustache Contest; Bagpipes and Kilts; Caber Toss; Tug of War; Scottish foods; Celtic dancing; Midnight Sun Spurtle Challenge; Mead Tasting; The Gathering of the Clans; genealogy workshops, piping, drumming, sport contests, races, rugby, kites, tea and shortbread, rogues, wenches and birds of prey. There are far too many details to include in this column so you should check out the official event guide (available on line) or printed copy. Put on your Palmer kilt and enjoy this excellent event.

Annual Pancake Breakfast with the baseball Mat Su Miners at the Palmer Train Depot on Saturday.

Palmer Joy—There is no shortage of fun things to do in Palmer this weekend! Check out the gardens by the Museum and Visitors Center. Friday fling, live music in Palmer, bike riding, and midnight gardening. Be careful along the river beds because the rivers are running so high because of snow melt.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff on the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222.