Best Palmer book fair ever

Saturday was the best book fair ever at the Palmer Moonstone Farm Railcar Tasting Room. Hundreds of book lovers and sun seekers joined together on a perfect summer day at the old Colony farm. Palmer’s wonderful Fireside Bookstore provided a huge variety of titles and Moonstone Farm provided the idyllic location and refreshments. It really was a perfect place; the peace and joy was palatable.

Solstice—Last week’s summer solstice celebrations involved drums, rituals, prayers, sun soup, umbrellas. fire pits, solar cake, and peach ice. Although it was neither sunny nor clear, Palmer fished, biked, weeded, danced, hiked, farmed, summited, hayed, hammocked and gardened from sunup to sundown—which pretty much translated into a full 22 hours of daylight and twilight. It was celebrated energetically. But the bulk of summer remains to be played. We’re gearing up for a nice long summer.

Flower Baskets, Farm Stands, Palmer Post Office garden and Community Gardens—Joy on main street is seen with all the bountiful flower baskets and parks, watered and cared for kindly by the city public works. Farm stands are crowded with young tasty greens. Palmer Post Office flowers are welcoming. And the Grow Palmer and Community Gardens are growing lush with foods. The Museum garden, as always, is just a knock out!

High Palmer Praise for Highlands Games—The 42nd Annual Highlands Games was celebrated at the State Fair grounds this past weekend. It was both excellent in its authenticity and exciting in its offerings. The Highland Games does not disappoint. There is so much to enjoy and share. Its strength is clearly the very deliberate efforts to keep and celebrate Highland culture and heritage. All the activities are oriented to this theme which makes the entire event one of rich experience. Consider this short list; Gathering O’ The Clans, Scottish Heavy Athletics events, Porridge Contest, Celtic market place, Highland Cow Jade and Baby Fergus, Blacksmith Demonstrations, Tea Tent, Irish Dance, Fiddlers, Alaskan Scottish Salmon Toss, Educational demonstrations, Rogues & Wenches, Alaska Strongman Event, Ak Fire Circus, Haggis Eating Contest; Bangers and Mash, Piping and Drumming, Scotch and Mead tastings. Please notice how all of these well organized activities have a central unifying theme. This profound distinction pushes this festival to the very top of the list of headliner things to do in an Alaskan Summer. The Alaskan Scottish Club deserves recognition for the development of a first class event and Palmer and Alaska State Fair is so proud to be their choice of location.

The profound Sunday winds did little to lessen the joy at the Highland Games. Most all the athletic contests involved very heavy objects which were not even slightly impacted by the winds. Jade and Baby Fergus the Highland cows seemed to enjoy the winds probably because wind is a norm in their world of origin. And all the folks in skirts seemed to take the winds in stride…it just wasn’t a problem.

Back to Back—Palmer’s continuous Weekend Summer Festivals will take a pause this coming weekend. We’ve been going strong since the last weekend in April and we have a lot remaining on the summer calendar. So take some time to mow, to relax and to reenergize. Of course there’s always the weekly Friday Flings, lovely Main-street shopping, ballgames, coffee houses, hikes, dog classes, golf games, weekend car races, markets, art classes, and live music in Palmer at the Palmer Ale House, Klondike’s, Fishhook Bar, and 203 Kombuchu.

This Week—If you’re looking for big festival events this week however, head to the Girdwood Forest Fair, Big Lake Boat Parade, Glacier View 4th of July Car Launch, or Wasilla or Anchorage Independence Day Parades

Next Week—July kicks into gear in the first full week with the Palmer Wine Walk on the 7th, the Midsummer Garden and Art Faire on the 8th.

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