Fair to mark 75th year with big-name acts

PALMER — The Alaska State Fair will celebrate its diamond anniversary this year with the theme “75 years and Growin’.”

That was one of the announcements at this week’s Alaska State Fair annual meeting, along with some of the big-name acts expected to perform at the end-of-summer event. Those include the Charlie Daniels Band, Foghat, Queensrÿche and the Rat Pack Revue. The full and official list of performers will not be announced until March 4, according to Dean Phipps, director of marketing and communications. Non-members can order tickets after that time.

The fair is Aug. 25 to Sept. 5.

Venerable country fiddler Charlie Daniels and his band are on the Borealis stage on Aug. 30. Foghat, a Brit band with roots in American rock and blues, is tentatively set for Aug. 29. American progressive heavy metal band Queensrÿche is scheduled for the opening day of the fair. Rat Pack Revue — a tribute to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. — is on stage Aug. 31.

Chicago-based alternative metal trio Chevelle has the Aug. 26 date penciled in. Aug. 27, it’s Craig Morgan, a country music singer who saved a family from a burning home on Sunday in his Tennessee hometown, according to his website.

Uncle Kracker, a rock-country-rap rock musician, has the stage on Sept. 1. Three Days Grace, a Canadian rock band, is Sept. 2’s expected featured band. Pop singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat closes out the season on the Borealis stage on Sept. 5.

At the Feb. 10 meeting, fair general manager Ray Ritari also announced two new carnival rides, a new location for flower exhibits and a list of other performers: Shanghai Acrobats, Kenai Racing Pigs, Cirque Magnifique, magician Steve Trash, and the Original Synners stunt show. There was also a preview of another attraction, Pirates for Hire, featuring cast members from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie series. A Captain Jack Sparrow look-alike and renegade pirate Shanghai staged a sword fight during the vote tallying.

Fair members re-elected two members and a newcomer to the fair’s board of directors. Returning to the board are Carol Kenley and John Erickson, both of Palmer. New to the board is Danny Consenstein of Anchorage, who replaced Bonnie Quill. Each will serve a three-year term.

People may follow the fair’s blog at alaskastatefair.org/blog.