Annual Palmer summer festival

Palmer Colony Days celebration is this weekend in downtown Palmer. It is always the second weekend in June and it is always a big and happy production. Friday, Saturday and Sunday have dozens and dozens of events lined up, many of them sponsored by volunteers. This weekend’s activities are organized by the Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce, which produces a substantial schedule of events.

Big Weekend—There are many Palmer area people who have ties to the old, legacy “colony families,” who were transported to Alaska to build a new and experimental farming community. This federally funded project was in the 1930’s and it was considered a fascinating agriculture experiment. The stories are both curious and impressive because of the hard work, perseverance and dedication of the imported newcomers to this part of Alaska. The Annual “Colony Days” celebration offers a glimpse of history, through the colonizers’ eyes. You will typically see tractor pulls, music jams, piano playing, tent city market, dunk tanks, sidewalk chalk drawing, historic walking tours, bed races, corn hole tournaments, antique farm equipment displays, craft fairs, kite demonstrations, community picnics, bike safety exhibits and races, rock and birdhouse painting, flower planting, rhubarb recipes, car shows, safety and community outreach, kids games, and of course a really big parade.

The Colony House Museum is located in the downtown historic district of Palmer at 316 Elmwood Ave. It is a unique and lovely restoration of one of the Colony Houses, which displayed rural life in the Matanuska Valley in the 1930s and 1940s.

More History—It is important to realize that the 1930 Colonization project was obviously NOT the beginning of history in our valley. It is a very, significant and documented threshold in our community’s history, at which time the “Farming Experiment” was fully funded by the federal government and Palmer became a national location reflecting a mission and change. Much money was committed to the visible project over the years and the initial Colony became a major source of financial investment, discussion and development by the government.

However, prior to the 1930’s Colony Creation were there other brave and hardy homesteaders, naturalists, geologists, wanderers, anthropologists, miners, traders, trappers, military and adventurers which preceded the establishment of the actual Palmer Colony. But even more important is the recognition that the Dena’ina and Ahtna Athabaskan Native peoples lived on this land prior to any settlement, expansion, ownership (and in some cases exploitation) of our Matanuska Valley. Bringing up this subject sometimes results in uncomfortable discussions, but it shouldn’t: we are all a product of all of our history and knowing our community’s full and complete history is valuable. Let’s celebrate and honor all of the achievements. And let’s learn critical lessons from our mistakes.

Great Weekends—June, July and August are all jam packed with Palmer activities and lots of people and visitors. Be a good person and watch out for all of the pedestrians, children, dogs, baby strollers and bikes. If you see a problem, reach out and help. Hold the door open for others and pick up after your dog. Be nice to the bikers and the rainbow coalition and everyone in-between. Say hi to the tourists! We are all owners of our American flag, regardless of politics. Palmer is a really nice place to live because of these kind community courtesies. Let’s share this graciousness with visitors and maybe they will take it home with them.

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