Free event: One Health Festival returns to Palmer to celebrate local food producers

Obstacle courses. Alaska seafood. Live music. Farmers. Fishermen. Yoga. Art. Birds. Rock climbing. Kids covered in dust racing through downtown Palmer.

The One Health Festival returns to the Palmer Train Depot on May 16, bringing together music, movement, local food, and community celebration in the heart of the Mat-Su Valley.

A health and wellness festival; community gathering, and outdoor celebration, the annual event organized by Onward & Upward has become one of Palmer’s energetic spring traditions.

This year, the festival shines a spotlight on the people who help feed the Valley: farmers, bakers, fishermen, and local food producers whose work quietly sustains the community year-round.

“It is a way for our organization to show the concept of One Health to the community,” said Louisa Branchflower. “To give people a taste of who we are, who our partners are, and the ways we can connect through the concept of One Health.”

The festival is free to attend, thanks largely to continued support from the Mat-Su Health Foundation, which has supported the event for the past four years. “We appreciate their support,” Branchflower said. “It makes this possible.”

A Festival Built Around Community

The day begins with a 5K fun run winding through downtown Palmer, followed by one of the festival’s most anticipated attractions: an obstacle course designed by Nick Hanson, known by many as the “Eskimo Ninja Warrior.”

Hanson, who has helped organize the obstacle course for years, builds challenges around the idea of “challenge by choice,” encouraging participants to push themselves while honoring personal limits.

“There are at least five pretty big obstacles,” Branchflower said.

The race and obstacle course begin at 10:30 a.m. and are open to all ages. Children 12 and under participate free, while registration for others is $25.

At 11 a.m., live music takes over the depot grounds. This year’s lineup includes The Robotz, Aspen Yarrow and Triple Black Diamonds.

Festival-goers can also expect local food vendors, including Fish On Camp Grill, known to many from the Alaska State Fair cultural food section. The business recently opened a new restaurant and specializes in Alaska-sourced seafood.

“Last year they had salmon brats, fish and chips, and other tasty Alaska foods,” Branchflower said. “They source all their food from the fisheries.”

Honoring Those Who Feed the Valley

This year’s focus turned naturally toward agriculture and food production.

“We decided we wanted to do something for the farmers and food producers,” Branchflower said. “They’re underappreciated.”

Farmers, commercial fishermen, subsistence harvesters feeding more than their immediate families, bakers, shrimpers, crabbers, and local market vendors are all invited to attend as honored guests. Organizers will provide gift bags, free food, and small tokens of appreciation to those helping sustain local food systems across the greater Mat-Su region.

Each year, the festival centers around a different group within the community. The event first began after the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to honor frontline health workers and first responders.

“There was a need to give them some extra care, love, and support for all they had just come through,” Branchflower said.

What “One Health” Means

“One Health is the idea that the health of everything around us impacts the health of us and everything around us...,” Branchflower explained. “It’s all interrelated.”

For Branchflower, the festival is ultimately about creating an approachable way for people to experience those ideas together.

“It’s just a fun, lighthearted way to connect with the community,” Branchflower says, “Come learn how you can become involved with us!”

The One Health Festival is May 16, at the Palmer Train Depot in downtown Palmer. Admission is free.