Bring out the kid in you

CASEY RESSLER

Frontiersman Valley Life Editor

From world-record vegetables and top recording artists to the thrill of the midway and tasty food, the Alaska State Fair has something for everyone starting Thursday, when the gates open for the first time this year.

The fair "Brings Out The Kid In You," according to its slogan, and this year's daily lineup is packed with plenty of fun-filled activities.

At the heart of the Alaska State Fair is the giant vegetables, which garner international exposure each year. From visits to the studio of David Letterman's show to blogs on the Internet, the international growing community knows to keep an eye on what comes out of the soil of the Valley, as the veggies are huge. This year is proving to shape up just as nicely for potential world records.

"There is some big stuff coming in this year," said Kathy Liska, who oversees the crops exhibit at the Alaska State Fair. "I think we may see some records."

The signature event of the vegetables competition is the 10th annual Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off, which is slated for Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. in the Farm Exhibits Building.

If you could care less about humongous vegetables but would rather listen to some rock-and-roll or country, this year's Alaska State Fair has plenty of acts to choose from. Old-timers will do the Twist to Chubby Checker on Thursday night. Rock fans can enjoy Young Dubliners (Aug. 26), The Donnas (Aug. 27), Joey Fender (Aug. 31) and superstar Uncle Kracker (Sept. 2).

For those who prefer twang to bang, country superstars Tracy Byrd (Aug. 30) and Tanya Tucker (Sept. 3) are scheduled to appear.

Local artists Nothing Less (Sept. 4) and Indigenous and Pamyua (Sept. 5) are also taking the stage, giving fans a chance to see those three groups, all of which have garnered national attention.

"We're looking forward to coming home and rocking the state fair," said Nothing Less's Tim Waters.

On Aug. 28, Los Lobos is appearing, and while they are famous for "La Bamba," they are far from one-hit wonders.

While the big-name artists are in town, they don't make the entire fair - part of the fair's draw is that you can go and just have fun, without a set schedule. From riding the Midway monsters to dining on everything conceivable, from halibut to Hawaiian shaved ice, everyone in the family can find something special. Fireworks are always a favorite at the Alaska State Fair, and people don't have to wait long - they close the first day of the fair on Thursday. There are three fireworks nights this year, with the other two being Aug. 29 and Sept. 2. The fair is open from noon to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.

For complete daily schedules, interested people can log on to the Web site www.alaskastatefair.org.