Cabbage Classic tickets on sale Wednesday

PALMER — Will last year’s world record cabbage help sweeten the pot for this year’s Cabbage Classic lottery and the scholarships that will benefit from it?

The Cabbage Classic gives participants the opportunity to guess the weight of the winning cabbage in the Alaska State Fair’s Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off. Developed by the Palmer chapter of Rotary International as a fundraiser for the service organization and the state fair scholarship program, the lottery is fresh off a successful inaugural run last year.

The lottery winner receives half of the net proceeds, and the remainder is split between the Rotary and Fair. In addition to the $950 pocketed by last year’s winner, money raised helped fund $6,500 in scholarships to seven students from around the state.

Palmer Rotary President Mike Chmielewski said the group hopes last year’s record-setting cabbage will increase interest in this year’s lottery.

“Our goal for this year is to build on the excitement that was generated by the world record cabbage,” he said. “I personally expect to see a four-figure prize awarded this year.”

An expanded advertising budget and the addition of new outlets at which lottery players can enter their guesses should heighten both awareness of, and participation in, this year’s Cabbage Classic, Chmielewski said.

Tickets for the lottery, which are $5 each, go on sale beginning Wednesday through Aug. 21 at the Palmer Visitors Center, Fireside Books and the UPS Store in Palmer. Tickets will also be available on the fairgrounds starting Aug. 22 until 3 p.m. on Aug. 30.

This year’s Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off will be held at 7 p.m., Aug. 30 at the Farm Exhibits, near Raven Hall, on the fairgrounds. The Cabbage Classic winner will be announced following the weigh-off. Winners need not be in attendance.