Solstice will have wizardy feel in Palmer

If you're not hosting or going to a summer solstice party this year, there are plenty of community events, both here in the Valley and around the state, that are planned around the longest day of the year.

Potter mania. Ask any person under the age of 16 what June 21 is, and summer solstice will come up second to the much-anticipated release of the fifth Harry Potter book on their lists.

The book is being released at midnight Friday night/Saturday morning, and Fireside Books in Palmer is kicking off the release with a huge scavenger hunt late Friday night.

There will be clues spread out around various downtown Palmer shops, and each clue will have a question to answer about the Harry Potter series, and a hint to find the next clue.

The scavenger hunt begins at 11 p.m. Friday, and continues the next morning. Only some of the clues are available Friday night. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" goes on sale at midnight.

Several Palmer shops are offering discounts to people costumed in Harry Potter garb, organizer David Cheezem said.

"What makes this area special is the sense of community. We've got something special here, a place where everything is to scale, where for a lot of people, everything you need is within walking distance. This just seems like the perfect place for a big event," Cheezem said.

Music, music, music. Local bands will be providing music throughout the Summer Solstice Festival, scheduled from noon to 9 p.m. at the Creekside Plaza. Matanuska Music is hosting bands throughout the day, with each providing an hour of music.

Matanuska Music is still looking for a few more bands for the festival.

For more information, call Henry Hartman at 376-4006 or stop by with a bio and a demo of your band.

Around Alaska

Baseball. While the Mat-Su Miners are the Valley's team, a trip to Fairbanks for the 98th annual Midnight Sun Game is time well spent. Every year, the Fairbanks Goldpanners play a midnight game without the use of artificial lights.

This year, the Panners host the California Dons on Friday, with the first pitch scheduled for 10:30 p.m. at Growden Field.

The Mat-Su Miners play at Hermon Brothers Field at 7 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday.

In Anchorage. The Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon is a highlight for runners and walkers. Each year, hundreds of people participate in the event. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Town Square Park, the Abused Women's Aid in Crisis (AWAIC) organization is hosting its Summer Solstice Festival. All children and adults are welcome to the family-oriented event.

In Seldovia. The Seldovia Summer Solstice Music Festival attracts lots of people to the small town each summer. Throughout the day, bands perform in Seldovia.

It's easy to combine a halibut fishing trip in Homer with the Seldovia Summer Solstice Music Festival for an extended weekend vacation.