Alaska State Fair begins preparations for 2022

PALMER — The Alaska State Fair closed the gates on their three-weekend 2021 fair on Sunday at 10 p.m., having successfully completed a differently scheduled event that was not able to proceed last year.

Following the closure of the red, purple, yellow and green gates and the mass exodus of hundreds of vehicles from the fairgrounds, ASF General Manager Jerome Hertel reflected on the event that was. Despite steady rain showers over the final weekend that drenched fairgoers, Hertel is confident that just as many if not more visitors came to the fair in 2021 as did during the last event held in 2019.

“It was a big sense of relief I think for everybody to get the fair opened and going and everyone was so upbeat and excited about having the fair and you could kind of feel that sense of excitement and enthusiasm all the way throughout,” said Hertel.

Hertel said that ASF staff began preparing for next year’s Alaska State Fair in 2022 on Monday, but remained skeptical about the weekend-only fair schedule. The 2020 Alaska State Fair was canceled for the first time since 1942 due to COVID-19 concerns, and returned in August with updated health and safety protocols and a spread out schedule.

“I think we learned how to put on a safe event and deal with COVID. You know it was a huge team effort from staff and the vendors, the carnival, the exhibitors, just everybody and learning how to put on an event and kind of deal with the COVID situation and I think we learned a lot from that and if for some reason COVID is still here next year, we’ll we feel pretty good about being able to put on a fair again, so that’s good. It was definitely a team effort,” said Hertel. “I feel like we didn’t wait for the storm to pass, we learned how to dance in the rain.”

Hertel was proud to witness the junior livestock auction, which raised over $350,000 for youngsters who sold their animals.

“I feel like that’s what the fair is really about is a community supporting youth development like that,” said Hertel. “That always makes me feel good that the community steps up like that and supports that type of youth development.”

While the time honored traditions such as giant vegetables and livestock auctions in the barn returned after a year away, the Aftershock roller coaster made an impression on thrill-seekers right away. Hertel said that he witnessed a number of riders return to the back of the line once they finished one round and exited their cars.

“It just felt good I think to bring Alaskans together once again for people to reconnect with family and friends and take part in some of those traditional things that they have in the past and kind of try and bring back a little bit of a sense of normalcy for people and we’re looking forward to next year,” said Hertel.

With nearly an entire month without any major events planned at the Alaska State Fairgrounds, “Boo Fest” will return in October, quickly followed by “Bright up the night” in November. While decisions concerning the 2022 Alaska State Fair have nearly a year to be made, Hertel is certain that the 2021 fair was a successful event for all that took part.

“I feel really good about it. I think we did what we set out to accomplish,” said Hertel.