Fair offers mix of old, new

PALMER -- Giant rutabagas, deep fried zucchini, wool sweaters and spray-painted hair -- year after year the Alaska State Fair offers an old, familiar mix. Those who go every year know where to find their way to the midway rides, their favorite food booths and their friends' award-winning contest entries. The fair, it seems, has become dependable, reliable, maybe even predictable.

Is anyone getting tired of it yet? Not according to the hundreds of fans who showed up last week.

"It's largely the same, but we keep coming back because we can't imagine missing it," said Nancy Larsen, as she and her family finished their meal at the Slippery Gulch, one of the oldest food booths at the fair. The Larsens aren't certain but they think the first year they came to the fair was in 1978, and almost every year they make their way to Slippery Gulch.

The Alaska State Fair roots go back to 1936, when the Matanuska Colonists gathered to celebrate a fall harvest. In the early days, it was held in the community hall. It grew from one year to the next, and soon there was popcorn, homemade root beer, hot dogs, booths and, or course, giant vegetables.

But while the core attractions have remained the same for nearly 70 years, the Alaska State Fair has changed, slowly but steadily, according to its dedicated fans.

"When we first came, all that was here were the vegetables, the Ferris wheel … a few rides," said Maria Benson. "Now there are lots of rides, lots of food." She and her family have been coming to the fair for nearly 30 years, and last week she was touring the booths while pushing her young granddaughter in a stroller.

Others who have been coming to the fair for years have also noticed the changes. Some can recall the days when mud puddles would turn the grounds into a soupy, muddy mess. Others remember the fairs before the high-tech additions of the Ejection Seat and the Creation Station.

"It's gotten a lot bigger," said 18-year-old Esther Stewart, a homegrown Palmer resident who was working one of the Alaska State Fair booths last week. As far back as she can remember she has been coming to the fair, and she said while some aspects have stayed the same, overall it has improved significantly.

"There's a lot more fun stuff," she said, listing additions such as the acrobats and the Creation Station, where youngsters and their families can explore science.

Locals who have come for years may be somewhat biased, however. So how does the fair look through a fresh pair of eyes?

"It's really pretty cool," said Suzanne Dorr, a 15-year-old California resident who was making her first visit to the Alaska State Fair last week. She and her friend said the homegrown Palmer event actually gives the Orange County Fair a run for its money.

"This fair has more shops," they said. "The Orange County one has more rides, but this one has more shops."

And what did they like the most about the Alaska State Fair? The giant vegetables, of course. Some things never change.

While the agriculture displays remain one of the fair's primary attractions, event organizers have made some advances to keep up with the times. Over the years the paths have been paved, volunteers operate a recycling program and, as of last year, the Sluicebox has gone smoke free.

Each year, too, the fair adds a few attractions. New, different entertainment acts come to the stage, and this year events such as the Blue Monkey Side Show and the Taira African Acrobats add some spice to the familiar blend of fun.

The truly devoted fans notice more subtle changes as well from one season to the next -- the different flower arrangements along the walkways, the changing faces of some of the booths, the new winners in the contests.

"The flowers are always gorgeous, and it seems cleaner each year," Marilyn Wright said as she watched her grandchildren on the rides.

Such improvements are a benefit, but most fairgoers seem to agree that what also makes the fair is its familiarity. When you show up at the gates, you can rest assured that once again you will be able to find corn dogs and funnel cakes, baby piglets and nearly 100-pound cabbages, spikey-haired teen-agers and balloon-toting children.

"I like a few new things, but I also like to come and kind of know what I'm coming to see," Traci Johnson said.

The Alaska State Fair is open through Sept. 1, noon to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends and Labor Day.