Alaska Vintage Spring Market and Food Truck Festival returning to the fairgrounds

The Alaska Vintage Spring Market and Food Truck Festival will be celebrating it’s 11th annual event at the Alaska State Fairgrounds May 9-11.

With over 100 vendors from all across the state of Alaska and over 30 food trucks, seminars, line dancing and live music, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this upcoming Mother’s Day Weekend.

“It’s the launch of the spring food trucks and summer festivals,” Alaska Vintage Markets Community Outreach Manager Ella Embree said. “Everybody’s excited because they’ve been stuck inside all winter long with our lack of snow. And now we can be outside and see our friends and families and enjoy the long, summer evenings.”

The market is open into the evenings to enjoy the longer, warmer days of springtime. New to this year includes seminars and demonstrations hosted by vendors at the event. Pink Cadillac will be hosting line dancing and alcoholic beverages for those 21 and older. Joker’s Wild, a local rock band, will be playing live music every evening of the event.

Vendors include a variety of local artists, Wanderflower Body Company, Sirens and Sailors, Geo by Design, Vintage Poppy, King Mountain Treasures, Aethereal Coffee and flowers from Mountain Field Farm, just to name a few.

“You just never know what you're going to find,” Embree said.

Food trucks at this year’s festival include Russian Eats, Pink Cadillac, Yukon John's Pork Rinds, Berries and Cream, C&D Perfect Pudding Parfaits, The Pizza Box AK, Bear Booch and Talkeetna Spinach Bread, among others.

“Those are just a few,” Embree said. “So come hungry.”

Admission is $5 per person on Friday and Saturday and is free on Sunday. Children 12 and under are free. There is a VIP Early Bird Pass for $10 that allows admission throughout the entire weekend and the first 100 VIP Early Bird Pass holders every day of the event will receive gifts from local vendors. Parking is free the entire weekend and over 10,000 people are anticipated to attend.

Entry fees offset the costs of vendors to encourage new businesses to attend, Embree explained. Alaska Vintage Markets started when Alaska Chicks Owner Charity Folcik wanted to use her platform to support new, local businesses get a hold in the market. The festival quickly outgrew its small space and has grown to include one spring market, two holiday markets in November, dozens of vendors, multiple food trucks and live music at the Alaska State Fairgrounds. But the passion for promoting and assisting small businesses are still the focus of the markets.

“Alaska has a special gift of having high quality beautiful items,” Embree said. “I’ve gone to markets up and down the west coast and the east coast, and I think we have the best items. We have the most unique jewelry, we have paintings that are just so spot on, things for your house, gifts for people… we’re just a very surprisingly creative group of people.”

The Alaska Vintage Spring Market and Food Truck Festival marks the beginning of the spring and summer season. The event provides an opportunity for family and friends to reconnect, purchase gifts for loved ones and consume tasty treats the whole family to enjoy, all while enjoying the spring weather. And most importantly, this event connects people with their friends and neighbors that operate small businesses within their communities.

“In this uncertain time, it’s always good to support local people,” Embree said. “These are all small businesses and they all would love for the community just to rally and come out and show them some love right at the beginning of the summer.”