Alaska State Fair officials report strong season

PALMER — The rain didn’t stop people from enjoying the 2022 Alaska State Fair season which ran from Aug. 19 to Sept. 5.

“When the weather is warm and sunny, there is no better place to be than the Alaska State Fair. When the weather is wet and cold, there is still no better place to be than the Alaska State Fair. Thank you all for showing up at the Fair this year. We look forward to seeing you again next year,” Alaska State Fair CEO Jerome Hertel stated in a recent press release.

Fair officials are still finalizing this year’s statistics, but the press release indicated that the overall attendance was strong this season and could even be higher than last year.

According to the press release, ASF sold 4,100 more concert tickets in 2022 than they did in 2021. Acts such as Rise Against, Brothers Osborne and Barenaked Ladies, Shaggy, and Lauren Daigle took the stage this season.

The Demolition Derby and All Star Monster Trucks shows proved to be pretty popular and sold out tickets.

Rodeo Alaska drew over 300 participants in the annual Champions Tour Rodeo.

2022 was a record-setting year at the Alaska State Fair.

The 4-H Junior Market Livestock Auction set a record with $419,957 raised from 91 animals. According to the press release, this is triple the total amount raised a decade ago, greatly helping the 4-H youth dedicating their time to raising animals for the annual auction.

Anchorage grower Dale Marshall set a new state record with his 2,147-pound entry in the 16th Alaska’s Midnight Sun Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off.

Other Alaskan agriculturalists set state records for beet (root length), bunching (green) onion, bunching onion, fennel, ginger root, strawberry, tomato (plant length), and garlic.

According to the press release, recycling volunteers diverted 46.8 tons of aluminum, plastic, paper, steel, and cardboard from the landfill during the 2022 Fair, far surpassing last year’s total of 28.7 tons.

2022 fairgoers donated a total of 5,600 pounds of food and $2,540 in cash donations to support the Mat-Su Food Bank in exchange for admission.

The Alaska 2022 Farm Family of the Year was recognized at the director’s reception held on the opening day of the Fair as a nod to the Fair’s agricultural roots. This year’s title was awarded to Martha Merry, Amy Seitz, and Jane Conway who own and operate Lancashire Farm in Soldotna.

The 2023 Alaska State Fair season is scheduled from Aug. 18 to Sept. 4. For more information, visit alaskastatefair.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com