Garden Hearty windows

Valley Life editor

Several local businesses and organizations got into the fair spirit early, participating in the Frontiersman Alaska State Fair Window Display contest.

Some displays included full-sized grills, while other businesses preferred to use tiny, almost microscopic, plastic animals to spice up their windows. None were judged to be better than Flowers by Louise in Palmer, however, whose display actually spilled out from the window into the adjacent lawn. They earned the grand prize.

The flower store's display used the theme of "Garden Hearty Party" to the fullest extent, as an entire garden of blooming hearts was on display. For their efforts, the crew at Flowers by Louise won five mugs, five seed packets, one poster, four lanyards, four carabiners, four 2004 pins, 12 daily admission passes, four parking passes and one zip strip coupon for their rides.

Allen and Petersen's display, which included a full-sized carrot grilling for other vegetables who were seated at a table, took first place. The workers there received four mugs, four seed packets, a poster, two lanyards, two carabiners, one pin, eight daily passes and three parking passes.

Odland Family Clinic's display included photographs from the past, as well as the entertainment lineup of this year's fair. They took home the same prize package as Allen and Petersen, except they received six passes instead of eight.

The third-place winner was the Palmer Senior Center Adult Day Care Services.

For their efforts, they received four mugs, four seed packets, a lanyard and a carabiner, one pin, four daily passes and two parking passes.