DON’T MISS THIS

Frontiersman

PALMER — The wait is nearly over.

Come Thursday, Alaska State Fair fanatics will rush to the Palmer fairgrounds to placate year-long cravings for Husky Burgers, concerts, freakishly huge turkey legs, giant vegetables, Aunt Linda’s Funnel Cakes, farm animals and … did we mention the food?

For many of the thousands who will flock to this year’s fair, which begins Thursday and runs through Sept. 5, hours spent walking around the fairgrounds is perfect exercise to burn off those extra calories that come only at fair time. Whether it’s taking in the popular Fred Scheer’s Lumberjack Show, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band or trying to hold down lunch on the carnival rides, the state fair has something to entertain all tastes.

As the Valley’s source for local news, we spend countless hours each year covering and experiencing the fair. So, whether you’re a state fair veteran or will be attending your first this year, here’s a Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman primer for what not to miss.

Giant veggies

Classified Call Center Manager Lynn Pursley said she loves the fair for “all the food you don’t normally eat,” but was truly impressed with her first introduction to the gargantuan vegetables that grow in the Last Frontier.

“What I really like is all the vegetables, the contests with all those big, huge vegetables,” she said. “It’s awesome to see all those gigantic cabbages.”

The Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off is the highlight of the fair, and for the past several years has been the Steve Hubacek show. A retired Wasilla dentist, Hubacek has perfected the art of growing giant cabbage, setting a world record in 2009 when he weighed in with a 127-pound head at the weigh-off.

“When I first saw those cabbages, I didn’t believe it,” Pursley said. “I thought they were fake. I had to sneak up and touch one.”

This year’s Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off begins at 6 p.m., Sept. 2 at the Farm Exhibits complex.

Rodeo and people watching

Baseball hall-of-famer Yogi Berra famously said, “You can observe a lot just by watching,” a sentiment shared by Photo Editor Robert DeBerry. One of his don’t-miss tips is to just look around.

“People watching at the fair,” he said. “Take the time to sit down and just watch people for awhile. You’ll see some amazing things. That, and the free shows in the center there, those are always good.”

But if he had some advice on where to best spend your entertainment dollars, it would be the rodeo.

“One thing to go see is the rodeo,” he said. “I mean, if somebody wants to go see something fun, pay and go see that. We don’t get rodeos up here and it’s really cool. Those guys work hard and put on a good show.”

Rodeo events start at 2 p.m., Friday at the France Equestrian Center.

Gardens

Some of the most beautiful horticultural work on display at the Alaska State Fair is the fair’s own grounds and the various gardens that run throughout, said Managing Editor Heather A. Resz.

While there are many distractions around the grounds, don’t forget to take some time to smell the roses, she said.

“I think these garden tours they have going on look really fascinating,” she said. “The head gardener is doing tours twice a day and he’ll walk you through. There’s a whole other garden I didn’t even know about behind the Woodcutter’s Lot. It’s a memorial garden, and I think there might be gardens at the fair I never stopped to appreciate.”

She’s referring to the Virgil Eckert Memorial Garden, which was planted in memory of the avid gardener and Palmer Colonist. There’s also Millie’s Garden near the Red Gate and a perennial garden on the north side of the Sheldon Events Center. Tours are free and run daily during the fair from the Wineck Barn at 1:30 and 2 p.m.

Get wild

As one of the Frontiersman’s main state fair writers over the past four years, this reporter can think of a dozen don’t-miss exhibits and events. But a favorite has been the reptile house and show. Getting up close and personal with the reptiles and birds has been a highlight, and getting wild at the fair continues this year.

Although the reptile exhibit isn’t returning, a new presentation called Outback in Alaska features wild birds and animals from Australia. The exhibit is free with fair admission and open daily until 9 p.m.

Memorable munchies

Yes, back to the food, and for good reason. There are 65 unique food booths at the state fair this year, including Husky Burger, which was featured in Sunday’s Frontiersman and will be working its 50th fair when the gates open.

Apparently, Frontiersman readers agree. A recent online poll that asked readers what their favorite part of the fair is, the food you only eat once a year was a runaway winner. Of the 847 responses, 56 percent picked the food, more than the other choices combined, including carnival rides and games, concerts, perusing exhibits, shopping and visiting with friends,

For Sales and Marketing Manager Robin Minard, there’s only one item she considers a must-have at the fair.

“It’s the dipped ice cream bars,” she said. “I live for it all year long. It’s vanilla ice cream, then they dip it in chocolate and roll it in nuts. I love them. That’s my favorite thing at the fair.”

What’s yours?

We’ve given you some of the Frontiersman’s don’t-miss picks, but what are yours? Visit the Frontiersman on Facebook and tell us your favorite part of the Alaska State Fair.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.