Festival promises something for everyone

PALMER — If you ever wanted to dunk your school principal, mayor or banker, now’s your chance.

For only $5 for three throws Saturday in the Palmer Library parking lot, you could see Mat-Su Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss, Palmer High Principal Wolfgang Winter and Paula Nance of Alaska USA Federal Credit Union take a cool dip at the Colony Days Celebrity Dunk Tank from 1 to 5 p.m.

DeVilbiss is so excited about it he even made an official Mat-Su Borough Proclamation May 25, inviting Rep. Carl Gatto to share the eye-opening experience with him.

“Whereas, the Honorable Mayor of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough has agreed to risk life, limb and sacred honor to participate in this event,” DeVilbiss’ proclamation states, “and whereas the Honorable Representative of Palmer, Mr. Carl Gatto, has shared many experiences in the past with the Mayor such as years together on the school board and whereas the Honorable Mr. Gatto is boundless in generosity and goodness to his district; Now, therefore be it resolved, that the Mayor of Matanuska-Susitna Borough hereby invites the Honorable Representative Gatto to join him at the dunk tank … to serve our community and the Chamber and demonstrate the ultimate spirit of service.”

Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jillyan Hendrickson said that although Rep. Gatto will be out of town during the event, she’s expecting the dunk tank and a myriad of about 50 other activities for all ages to bring hundreds of folks to the annual three-day Summer Blooms Colony Days festival in downtown Palmer this weekend.

“It’s always a fun, fun time for everyone, but we’ve got some great new events this year that we’re really excited about,” Hendrickson said Monday.

In addition to the ever-popular Friday Fling open-air market and entertainment, Quilt Walkabout and free petting zoo happening all three days beginning Friday, this year’s festival also features a Head Honcho Executive Bed Race Challenge, a Ladybug Release Party at the Palmer Agricultural Gardens, free pictures with Santa and reindeer petting during their summer vacation, and hay rides around the courthouse.

“The Head Honcho bed races with Greg Berberich from MTA, Larry Bell from IBEW Local 1547, Joe Griffith from MEA and John Lee of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center are sure to be great,” Hendrickson said. “They’re going to have to do special obstacle courses that have to do with stuff a CEO might do in his office, like play putt-putt golf. I’m sure to get some good YouTube footage.”

The CEO bed races start at 5:30 p.m., Friday, followed by the regular bed races at 6:30.

Children can visit Santa and his reindeer while they’re on vacation, and snag a photo of Santa in his Hawaiian shirt from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday in the Wells Fargo parking lot, thanks to Usibelli Coal Mine Co.

“Usibelli paid for Santa’s vacation,” Hendrickson said. “All of our sponsors have been amazing this year. We wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without them. We’ve gotten over $18,000 from the sponsors this year and we put every penny back into helping the event grow more every year. It’s just phenomenal.”

Hendrickson took some pride in coming up with the Ladybug Release Party, although she admits she saw a YouTube video of a school in the states doing the same thing as a class project.

She said the ladybugs are coming from Far North Garden Supply in Wasilla, compliments of BP, and children will have a chance to let loose a total of about 50 into the agricultural gardens to help control pests like aphids. Or, they can take them home to their own gardens.

“Who doesn’t like ladybugs?” she said, adding the Saturday party from 1 to 4 p.m. also includes a coloring contest.

A featured musical artist will be longtime local singer and songwriter Lulu Small, who is making her first public appearance since her second hip surgery, 2 to 5 p.m., Saturday at the Palmer Pavilion.

Returning for a second year is the egg toss immediately following Saturday’s parade and the antique tractor pull at 1 p.m., Saturday.

There will be plenty of food, including the Salmon Gone Wild Smoked Salmon contest from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Palmer Depot Saturday, and the Valley BBQ Bash Contest from 10 a.m. to close each day at Heritage Park near the Palmer Library.

“This is the fun part of my job,” Hendrickson said.

Contact K.T. McKee at kate.mckee@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.

2011 COLONY DAYS SCHEDULE

Thursday

• 7 p.m., Mat-Su Miners vs. Glacier Pilots at Hermon Brothers Field

Friday

• Shop hours, Quilt walkabout, various downtown merchants

• 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Palmer Visitor Center and Museum

• 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday Fling, downtown pavilion area

• 11 a.m.- 5 p.m., Colony Days information booth and shirt sales, Friday Fling area

• 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Kids games, library parking lot and festival area

• 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Face painting and balloon animals in the library parking lot and festival area

• 11 a.m.-close, Outdoor Food Court, Friday Fling area

• 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Free Petting Zoo, library parking lot

• 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Live music at Friday Flings, library parking lot

• Noon-6 p.m., Face painting and balloon animals, library parking lot

• Noon-6 p.m., Sidewalk chalk art contest, Palmer Depot

• 5:30 p.m., Head honcho bed race, S. Valley Way and Elmwood Street.

• 6 p.m., Juried art show and auction, 250 E. Fireweed Ave. Tickets $25 available at Fireside Books and the UPS Store

• 6-8:30 p.m., DJ music from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, Main Street

• 6-8:30 p.m., Colony Days classic car rally and DJ, Main Street

• 6:30 p.m., Colony Days bed races, S. Valley Way and Elmwood St.

Saturday

• Shop hours, Quilt walkabout, various downtown merchants

• 9-11 a.m., Lions Club pancake breakfast, Salvation Army, 209 W. Evergreen Ave.

• 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Palmer Visitor’s Center and Museum open

• 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday Fling open air market and entertainment, downtown pavilion area

• 10 a.m.-close, Outdoor food court, Festival Area

• 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Colony House Museum open house

• 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Model train display, Palmer Depot

• 10 p.m. - 5 p.m., Dunk tank, Palmer pavilion area

• 10:30 a.m., Colony Days bed races finals, in front of the depot, on Alaska Street

• 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Colony Days information booth and shirt sales, Friday Fling area

• 11 a.m., Colony Days parade, downtown Palmer

• Noon-6 p.m., Kids games, face painting and balloon animals, library parking lot and festival area

• Noon-3 p.m., Mannequin head bowling, library parking lot

• Noon-6 p.m., Kids games, library parking lot

• Noon-6 p.m., Antique Power Club of Alaska display, Palmer Depot parking lot

• 1-2:30 p.m., Salmon Gone “Wild” Smoked Salmon Contest, Palmer Depot

• 12:30-1:30 p.m., Mat-Su Concert Band, Palmer Depot

• 12:30 p.m. Egg toss, Alaska St., front of Palmer Depot

• 12:30 p.m., Mooseberry Stampede Mountain Bike Race, Crevasse-Moraine Trailhead

• 1 to 3 p.m., Kids activities, library parking lot

• 12:30-1:30 p.m., Mat-Su Concert Band at the Palmer pavilion

• 1 p.m., Tractor pull by Antique Power Club of Alaska, S. Colony Way behind Just Sew

• 1-6 p.m., Free petting zoo, library parking lot

• 1-4 p.m., Free pictures with Santa and reindeer petting, Wells Fargo parking lot

• 1-5 p.m., Hay rides, Palmer Depot parking lot

• 2-4 p.m., Lady Bug release party and coloring contest, Palmer Agriculture and showcase gardens next to the Palmer Museum

• 2-5 p.m., Music by Lulu Small, Palmer pavilion

• 2 p.m., Kiwanis Moose Poop Paloosa drop, St. John’s Lutheran Church

• 2:45 p.m., Salmon Gone” Wild Smoked Salmon winners announced, Palmer Depot

• 6 p.m., Singsperation, Raven Hall, Alaska State Fairgrounds

Sunday

• Shop hours, Quilt walkabout, various downtown merchants

• 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Palmer Visitor Center and Museum open, Palmer Visitor Center

• 10 a.m.-close, Alaska Barbecue Association, Valley Barbecue Bash Contest, the quad area near library

• 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., Friday Fling open air market, downtown pavilion area

• 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., Kids games, library parking lot

• 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., Free petting zoo, library parking lot

• 11 a.m., Bill Mitchell Fun Run, Mat-Su Borough parking lot

• 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., Outdoor food court, Friday Fling area

• Noon-2 p.m., Air Force Band of the Pacific –The Greatlanders, the pavilion area

• Noon - 4 p.m., Colony Days blood drive, Friday Fling area

• 1 p.m., 76th Annual Colony Dinner, Palmer Elks Lodge, N. Barry Resort Dr.

• 4 p.m., Mat-Su Miners vs. Lake Erie at Hermon Brothers Field