Friday Fling is back in bloom

PALMER — For many, the first Friday Fling of the season marks the transition from spring to summer. A large crowd cycled through the coveted corner of South Valley Way and East Elmwood Avenue May 21.

“It’s a sure sign summer is coming,” Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ailis Vann said.

Friday Fling is an annual marketplace in downtown Palmer that pulls people from across the Valley and even beyond each year. Vendors’ wares vary from handmade jewelry and hand-carved toys made from wood to freshly jarred jellies from a family farm and freshly dipped corndogs out of a family food truck.

“It’s kind of hometown kind of thing. It kind of brings everyone together,” Little Cabin Crafts co-owner and Friday Fling vendor Rebecca Eslinger said.

According to Vann, the overall feedback has been really positive so far. She said the outdoor market with colorful goods, people, and activities seem to be just what everyone needed after a long and socially distant year.

“It’s been really good today. People are happy that there’s some to do outside,” Vann said.

The 2020 Friday Fling was postponed and ultimately extended due to the pandemic. This season starts and ends in line with the traditional schedule.

“It’s wonderful it’s great. We’ve had a ton of interest. It feels better. It feels normal…‘Normalish,’” Vann said.

Vann said there will be something new everything new every week at Friday Fling, including live music from local bands like Blues Core and Roland Roberts Band who opened this year’s season.

Vann said they successfully navigated the 2020 season with a lot of attendance and positive feedback from attendees and vendors alike. She noted that also helped the local business across the business district with walkers making their way to and from the market to brick and motors.

“We appreciate people’s support,” Vann said. “I think the vendors were really happy. Patrons felt very safe.”

Whether it’s vending or attending, Friday Fling is a family tradition for many households, especially those in the core Palmer area, or rural reaches just outside town.

Sasha Ringgenberg and her daughter, Julianna Grabarek both missed Friday Fling and were happy to see it up and running.

“I rode the biggest horse, Sunshine,” Grabarek said.

Ringgenberg said they’ve lived in Palmer since 2018. She said they enjoy the town’s walkability, and the Friday Fling is an ideal example of that. She was happy to be able to purchase pink champagne currants from Greatland Family Nursery for her garden.

“We love it here,” Ringgenberg said. “It’s wonderful. It’s nice to see everybody’s smiles. I think that’s the thing I missed the most.”

Vann noted that there are more gardeners and farmers participating this year, with a lot of up-and-coming growers which is encouraging to see unfold. She said the silver lining of COVID-19 seems to be a surge in overall interest in homegrown agriculture

“It’s part of our history,” Vann said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com