The Alaska State Fair is back

PALMER — The 2023 Alaska State Fair season starts Friday, August 18, and runs through Monday, September 4 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day of operation.

The Fair will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the 14-day run.

Located just outside downtown Palmer, the Alaska State Fair is the largest annual gathering in the state. A pop-up community springs to life across the Palmer Fairgrounds every August, featuring a wide variety of vendors, food, rides, free and paid activities, contest, exhibits, and live entertainment offered by locals and visitors alike.

According to the Alaska State Fair CEO Jeff Curtis, there will be over 500 vendors featured this season. Each year, there’s still many Alaskan businesses left on the waiting list for what’s regarded by many as the mecca of local opportunities with thousands of visitors making their wai through the Fairgrounds daily.

“Most fairs can't even come close to that,” Curtis said. “They are greeted with variety. They get to experience, see, shop, and taste. They can do it in one location.”

The 2023 season is offering a highly anticipated perk: free parking. The $5 general parking fee will be waived during the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to Glenn Highway improvements that are scheduled for the next two years. Since construction could interfere with visitor traffic, ASF opted to offer free parking.

According to a press release from ASF, this is the first time that general parking has been free to fairgoers in years. Fair officials indicated that they're optimistic this course of action will ease the flow of vehicles that won't have to stop to pay the parking fee or scan parking tickets.

Parking will be available in the purple, red, yellow, and brown parking lots on a first-come, first-served basis. Premier parking and camping will still be available for a fee.

For many Alaskans, the Fair is the prime time to catch some of their favorite musical acts from the Lower 48.

The 2023 ASF concert lineup features a wide variety of top names in the music industry, including Killswitch Engage, Turnpike Troubadours, Noah Kahan, FOR KING + COUNTRY, Blues Traveler, Flogging Molly, Nate Bargatze, Home Free, Yung Gravy, J Boog, The String Cheese Incident, Little River Band, and Noah Cyrus.

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