There are 10 levels of ‘Alaska State Fairness’

If you are in Level 1-4, the Alaska State Fair 2020 cancelation will probably not be a big deal to you. If you are in Level 5-10 the cancelation will set you back emotionally and financially:

Level 1: “I never go to the fair. It’s a pain in the neck. It’s crowded, expensive and it makes traffic jams.”

Level 2: “I will go if I have to…. if I get free tickets.”

Level 3: “It’s an annual destination for my family—one day only.”

Level 4: “I go to it exactly two times each year. Once with my kids. Once with my friends.”

Level 5: “I go daily because I work there. I am a vendor. It’s my income.”

Level 6: “I volunteer at the fair because it is fun.”

Level 7: “I go to the concerts. I ride the rides.”

Level 8: “I am an exhibiter and/or I show my animals at the fair.”

Level 9: “I go for lunch all the time.”

Level 10: “I look forward to it all year. I go every day. I live for the fair. It’s part of my DNA.”

I happen to be in the tenth group level—the fair lover extraordinaire. I love every little thing about the fair. Sadness doesn’t begin to explain how I feel right now.

“NO FAIR” ANNOUNCEMENT

The reaction to the “No Fair Announcement,” was immediate. There was shock, disbelief, denial, questioning, bargaining, conspiracy theories, guilt, and anger. These are clinical first stages of grief. And the higher you are on “the spectrum of Alaska State Fairness,” the harder the hit on your reaction.

VIRAL PLAYGROUND

The first, difficult thing to realize is that our Alaska State Fair had no choice about this. Over 90 million worldwide major events have been canceled—Pope blessings, music festivals, cultural festivals, Broadway, hockey, baseball, world series, Olympics, Jazz festivals, and even the 33rd Annual Sheep Shearing Festival.

IT’S NOT FAIRThe cancelation of the Fair in Palmer wasn’t because anyone deliberately wanted to wreck people’s lives or expectations. It wasn’t because the Alaska State Fair board are a bunch of weenies. The decision was a sacrifice to ultimately save both peoples’ lives and livelihoods—in the long game. Pandemics aren’t personal or political. They are a like a “germ mosh pit”— gone wild. All the virus needs is careless human hosts. And with the happy sea of people at the fairgrounds, playing and relaxed, this could be a perfect environment and a viral playground for the Covid Corona Cooties to germinate, attack and spread.

457 DAYS UNTIL THE ALASKA STATE FAIR IN 2021Yes, I have my timer reset for this date next year. There will be some unbelievable quilts, which take OVER a year to build. There will be some unfathomably intricate woodwork. There will be extraordinary talent lined up to see Alaska and the State Fair. There will be new and revised vendors who have had a full season to perfect their wares. There will be the old favorites, ready to reminisce about the year that wasn’t. There will be celebrated cheer teams, dance shows, and handsome horses. There will be well-groomed livestock and a petting zoo. There will be some extraordinary T Shirts, recalling the year 2020 when the Show Did Not Go On.

HOW WILL WE MANAGE WITHOUT OUR FAIR?This is a fair question for everyone. First of all we can assume that we have two extra weeks of summer, not consumed by the fair. This isn’t the optimal choice, believe me. But, maybe we will collect more blueberries or do more fishing! Perhaps schools will have started by then so the conflict between class days and fair days won’t be a problem. Maybe we will all celebrate a Labor Day in a different manner than ever before. Maybe there will be a lot of socially distanced activities to fill in the gaps. I suggest long lengthy Palmer parades where people don’t have to bunch up and many can participate or observe.

“I SHOULD HAVE HAD THAT HOT FUDGE CREAM PUFF WITH WHIPPED CREAM, LAST YEAR”This is a big regret, frankly. And I have already decided that I am going to poke little sticks in my favorite foods this year, to resemble fair food on a stick. I might go over to the fair parking lot and cry once in a while. I might wear my weird Fair clothes all year and add a mask and paint my face. It’s going to be an odd and sad year. But our Palmer community will make it through—all of us—and that is really the whole point.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Her “Palmer Buzz Community Calendar” is available at Palmer shops and the Palmer museum. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222