Valley Hotel wins fair window contest

CASEY RESSLER

Frontiersman Valley Life editor

When it comes to getting the Alaska State Fair excitement going, nobody beats Valley Hotel.

Valley Hotel was awarded the grand prize in the sixth annual Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman/Alaska State Fair Window Display contest. The five judges were impressed with the creativity Valley Hotel employees showed in designing a miniature replica of the Midway.

"You could tell a lot of effort was put into this display," one judge wrote.

For winning the contest, Valley Hotel receives a $500 gift certificate toward advertising in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, as well as a "Business Party Pack" to the fair, which includes 10 admissions, five parking vouchers, a sheet of carnival ride coupons and five fair souvenir mugs. The business will also receive a grand prize ribbon.

Sixteen Valley businesses participated in the contest. Each business was scored in three equally-weighted categories - use of the fair's theme, which is "Brings Out The Kid In You," originality and creativity and use of space. Out of an overall 30 points, Valley Hotel scored an average of 27.6.

First runner-up went to the Palmer Senior Citizens Center Adult Day Services, which scored an average of 25.8 points. Judges were impressed by the number of small items that were contained in the window display.

"Painted rocks, live flowers, carousel horse - lots of great small details. Lots of handmade and recycled things make it very artistically inspiring," wrote one judge.

Second runner-up went to Blaine's Art on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, with an average score of 23.4 points.

"It was a nice way of incorporating wildlife into fair activities," one judge wrote.

Third runner-up was awarded to Geneva Woods Pharmacy, on Seward Meridian Road. The pharmacy scored an average of 23 points, and the painting caught the judges' eyes.

"Very well done. It looks professionally painted," one judge wrote. "