Fair has fun for mom, dad and all the kids

PALMER — To borrow a line from “Forrest Gump,” families and fairs are like peas and carrots.

Whether they’re taking in the popular lumberjack show, circus performers or other entertainment, the highlight of Saturday’s Family Day at the Alaska State Fair was hands-down the food and kid-friendly fun, in that order.

That was the sentiment of 7-year-old Evan Pitchford of Palmer, who was bouncing along the Purple Trail eating a jumbo hot dog. While he gave the dog a big thumbs up, there was no hesitation when asked his favorite thing at the fair.

“The rides are the best,” he said. “I like the one where I had to go on my belly and I had to hold on. It’ goes very high.”

Mom Katherine likes the variety of fun for families, especially on BP Family Day, when children ages 12 and younger were admitted free.

“We’ve been here before, but we came today because my company is paying for kids to get in for free,” Katherine said. “Also I entered some salsa, so we wanted to see how that did.”

So how’d that entry described as a very spicy blueberry salsa do?

“I lost,” she said. “But I think it’s really good.”

While Evan and 12-year-old daughter Caitlin, along with friend Hanah Kilbourne, 9, were excited about the carnival rides and games, Katherine enjoys another form of entertainment at the state fair.

“People watching,” she said. “I’ve seen some very interesting people today.”

There’s enough at the fair to overload the senses of most youngsters, which is what may have happened with Riley Ames of Wasilla. He said he’s “about 7-and-a-half” and went into fair fun overload when asked his favorite thing to do.

“BUMPER CARS!” he nearly shouted, while demonstrating how they work on his mother Becky’s left leg. “They go bump and I get to bump!”

Along with husband Adam and 3-year-old daughter Millie, the Ames family likes the kid-friendly atmosphere of the Alaska State Fair, including attractions like Kid Zone, which features free events and demonstrations for children.

“I think it’s all great,” Becky said. “The first few times when we came to the fair when we moved here, we’d come for the food. But the more we’ve come, the more things we’ve seen for kids. Obviously, the petting zoo and the Kid Zone and the rides.”

A lot has changed at state fairs over the years, observed Adam.

“We went to the Eastern Idaho State Fair as kids,” he said. “I remember the Gravitron, I think it was called, where you get stuck to the walls and you spin. I tried that again a while ago, though, and it didn’t go well. We have stronger stomachs as kids, I think.”

While the youngsters may be able to hold down lunch better on the rides, the food is still No. 1 for most.

“I gotta tell you, I do come for the food,” Adam said. “All the fried things.”

Which is what brings Matt Shaw of Wasilla, who took a break with his wife, Sherry, and 11-year-old son, Josey. Josey was busy doing some serious damage to a pork chop on a stick, but it was another food on a stick that had Matt’s attention.

“The corn dogs are the best, by far,” he said. “They’re hand-dipped over here. That’s the only reason I’m here. I just finished one. It’s all about dad, dad gets his first, right?”

Maybe, but that didn’t stop Josey from proclaiming his pork chop “great,” then falling in line with many other children in pegging the rides as his favorite.

“The 1,001 Days and Nights ride is the best, I think,” he said. “It spins all around.”

Mom Sherry said she likes that “this fair here is more family oriented than other fairs we’ve been to, more home-town.”

It also doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition for a family, she said. Along with free admission for kids on Saturday, many of the attractions are free. It’s also a place her teen daughter can hang out with her friends.

“Our teenage daughter will usually come to the fair three or four times,” Sherry said. “It’s a nice hang-out for her and her friends.”

Maybe nobody took advantage of Family Day more than the Bolands, who live in the Valley. Brad and Debbie Boland brought a small army with them.

“There’s our kids, and then their five kids and our friends and their five kids,” Brad said. “It’s our big event.”

The Frontiersman caught up with the group at the Kid Zone barn, where their 8-year-old twins Taylor and Tommy were allowed to play with remote-controlled Lego robots.

“Tommy’s addicted to video games anyway, so this is great for him,” Brad said. “They’re controlling different parts of the robot, she’s controlling the arms and he’s controlling the wheels. I played with Legos (as a kid), but they were nothing like this. Then, you just put them together and watched them sit there.”

Not much could take Taylor’s attention from the robots. “These are so cool.”

For Debbie, the state fair is not only an opportunity for the family to have fun together, it allows adults to relive some of their childhood memories as well.

“It’s just a great thing to get out and do as a family,” she said. “You get out of the house, do fun things, eat lots of good food. Later on, we’re going to ride the Tornado.”

Then maybe a few times on Tommy’s favorite.

“I think my favorite is the slide, the big slide,” he said. “It goes really fast.”

For the Laux family, the Alaska State Fair is a family tradition. Carol Laux has been attending the fair since 1969, many of those years with her granddaughter, Paula. On Saturday, they were at the fair with Paula’s twin 5-year-olds, Jack and Jade. It was a generational trip that brought back fond memories.

“They like the rides,” Paula said of the twins’ favorite attractions. “Then there’s some of the foods they eat, some of the foods I’d rather not eat anymore. But the bread bowls are the best. I must have a bread bowl every time I come to the fair. I dread the money that I’m spending, but they have fun.”

For her grandmother, it’s satisfying her sweet tooth.

“It’s the cream puffs (from Denali Cream Puffs),” she said. “I gotta have one a year.”

While Saturday was the only day kids got in free, every day can be family day at the Alaska State Fair, which runs through Sept. 5 at the Alaska State Fairgrounds in Palmer.

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