REAL SHOW-OFFS

WASILLA — This weekend’s Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center promises something for everyone as more than 100 vendors and special visitors help ring in the spring for the event’s sixth year.

Local sheep hunter and author Tony Russ of his own Chinook Shows told a joint luncheon of the Wasilla and Palmer chambers of commerce Tuesday he expected an even better spread of goodies this year.

“This event gets bigger and better every year because the Valley embraces it,” Russ said. “We had about 6,000 people come last year to check out 105 vendors and this year we’ll have about 15 fishing charters ready to book cut-rate trips, airboats from Texas, organic vegetables, 29 seminars and lots of other attractions and it’s only $5 for adults and kids and military are free. It’s going to be great and we appreciate all your support.”

Russ said this year’s show will include dog sled rides on Saturday by a secret musher as Mat-Su Animal Control displays dogs ready for adoption. He said all of the musher’s proceeds will be donated to the animal shelter.

Also among the 25 to 30 new vendors this year are buffalo wool wares from Texas, Becky’s Kettle Corn, House of Bread food, smoothies, Seldovia Bay Ferry deals, a mustard vendor from Fairbanks called “Moosetard,” and fresh-baked desserts.

Laser Ranger for the kids, a beer and wine garden, and Girl Scouts selling cotton candy while 100.9 FM radio broadcasts live are just a few of the features Russ hopes draw in a variety of folks, beginning at noon today.

“This is my fifth year to do the show and I believe I’ve been successful because I am a local outdoorsman and was a guide for years and it’s my passion,” Russ said. “The money isn’t my main incentive. I just enjoy being around other outdoorsman and helping educate folks on various aspects of the outdoors.”

In addition to visits from Mark Braaten of Expedition Log Homes as “The Alaska Bushman,” Russ is excited that Alaska Fish and Game will be holding a variety of informational seminars on all three days of the show.

“There will be several hunting and fishing seminars and there’s one about Mexican billfish that includes a drawing for a free charter trip,” he said. “The most popular is always the one on how to call a moose.”

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