Fair Highlights for Friday, August 27

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Today’s Highlight: Kids’ Day at the Fair, presented by MTA

Imagine if Kids had a day like mothers, fathers and groundhogs do…Well today MTA is making that possible! Children 12 and under are getting into the fair free and can participate in a range of activities.

☺ Kids’ Day Activities- Presented by Mat-Su valley Frontiersman from 2:00- 6:00 pm
The AlaskaDispatch.com Borealis Plaza
Tent will be filled with activities for
children. Join in on the monster mural
coloring, play dough fun, and visit with
Safety Bear!

☺ Diaper Derby and Toddler Trot
Presented by Combs Insurance Agency, Inc.
From 1:00 pm- 2:30 pm expect to see the
Pebble Corral filled with infants in
diapers racing on all fours and toddlers
trotting to the finish line. Have fun with
the parents and other adults cheering on
the little ones!

☺ Kids’ Day Games- Presented by MTA
will be held from 3:00 pm -5:30 pm
Children 12 and under will join in on
this fun in the Providence Corral.
Watch as they have a blast in the
3-legged race, straw scramble,
egg-in-a-spoon, frog jump, pie-eating
contest, potato sack race, and
wheelbarrow race.

☺ Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!
Decorate a cookie in the Hoskins Exhibits
from 2:30 pm- 4:00 pm
Also stick around for the C&H Sugar “Just for Kids” Cookie contest from 4:00 pm – 6:45 pm with judging at 7:00 pm.

Birdman of Las Vegas- Presented by Horizon Lines of Alaska
Pebble Coral, Daily 12:30, 2:30, 5:30 and 7:00 pm
Martin Buser and his puppies
Pioneer Plaza at the MTA booth, 3-6:00 pm
Demolition Derby- Presented by Anchorage Press, Kendall Toyota Grandstand, 6:00pm
Kendall Toyota Grandstand, 6:00 pm
Collective Soul- Presented by Mix 103.1
AT&T Borealis Theatre 7:00 pm
Fireworks
In the sky, 10:00 pm

Looking Ahead!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Alaska State Fair Parade
Downtown Palmer, 11:00 am

Roller Derby- Rage City Roller Girls vs., Fairbanks Roller Girls
Kendall Toyota Grandstand, 4:00 pm

Greatland Chili Fiesta
AlaskaDispatch.com Borealis
Plaza Tent, 10- 4:00 pm

Parent Child Look-Alike Contest
Heineken Woodlot Stage, 4:00-6:00 pm

Lonestar- Presented by 107.5 KASH
AT&T Borealis Theatre, 6:30pm

Denali Cooks- Rockin’ Alaska for 20 years
(& counting!)
Sluicebox, 9:00 pm

Rodeo Dance- Featuring the Ken Peltier band
AlaskaDispatch.com Borealis
Plaza Tent, 9:00 pm – Midnight

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The 2010 Fair…Once You’re Here!

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The wait is over! The 2010 Alaska State Fair is finally here! Earlier this week, we blogged about what you need to know before you go.

Today, we’ll fill you in on last-minute tips for making the most of your Fair experience once you get here!

• Fair hours. Gates open today at noon and the fun continues until 10 p.m.! See our Web site for hours throughout the rest of the Fair.
• Get in for $2 today! It’s $2 Buck Thursday, which means you can get in for just $2 between noon and 2 p.m. – today only!
• Drop off, pick up, will call. Our easy Green Gate serves as a fairgoer drop-off and pick-up zone, and is also where you can pick up your will-call tickets. Best of all – there’s no parking fee! Access is from Inner Springer Road at the north end of the fairgrounds.
• Pick up a daily schedule. Our new and improved daily schedules feature a larger, more detailed map…more helpful information…and full color! Pick one up at the kiosks just inside the fairground gates or download a daily schedule from our Web site.
• Visit our new box office. Need tickets to a concert or event? Stop by our on-site box office, now located directly in front of the Borealis Theatre and open daily from noon – 8 p.m. See our map for details. Not only is the box office convenient – you’ll also save money, as there are no convenience fees! Get tickets for one show…or for all of them!
• Get some grub. There is no shortage of delicious food to keep your energy up during your day at the Fair. Check out our food guide to plan your mouth-watering meal! You can also find out about this year’s new food vendors in our previous blog article, “New Food at the 2010 Fair!”
• Need some cash? Stop by one of our eight ATMs, including four new machines this year! There are now two adjacent to the Pebble Corral, one at the security office, one inside Raven Hall, and one at each of the four walk-in gates. See our map for details.
• Security and more. Lost child? First aid? Missing item? Safety/security issue? Come by our security office, located on the green trail, in between the carnival midway and the AlaskaDispatch.com Borealis Plaza Tent. See our map for details.
• Take a rest. Got little ones who need a break? The Family Rest Stop, provided by Alaska Family Services, offers a quiet place to breastfeed, change diapers, or simply let the kids rest away from the activity of the Fair. It’s located in the south end of Raven Hall, and is open during Fair hours.
• Get your souvenir. Remember the Fair with one of our 2010 souvenirs, including zip hoodies, cool t-shirts, mugs, buttons, pins, posters, magnets and more. Stop by one of our on-site souvenir booths, located at Pioneer Plaza and next to the Irwin Building, or order from our online store!

Imagine if…you were giving advice to a first-time fairgoer. What tips and tricks would you share for a perfect day at the Fair? Comment here or share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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The 2010 Fair…Know Before You Go!

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It’s almost here! The 2010 Alaska State Fair is just two days away! To help you get ready for the big day,

we’ve put together some tips. Here’s what you need to know before you go:

• Getting to the Fair. Trains…buses…cars…trucks…motorcycles. There are tons of ways to get to the 2010 Fair! The Alaska Railroad will be running trains from Anchorage on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Valley Mover is offering daily rides from Anchorage; round-trip tickets are $10 – and kids under 10 ride FREE with a paying adult. And, of course, you can take your own vehicle or motorcycle! Check out our Web site for all the details.
• Drop ‘em off. Just need to drop off the kids (or other fairgoers)? Use our easy Green Gate – it’s a drop-off and pick-up zone, and there’s no parking fee! Access is from Inner Springer Road at the north end of the fairgrounds.
• Stay longer than a day. A day at the Fair not long enough? Bring your RV or your tent and set up camp at the Fair! Our Web site has all the need-to-know info on directions, fees, regulations and more.
• Enter your exhibits. Livestock and perishable entry begins today! It kicks off with honey and beekeeping entries from noon – 8 p.m., followed by poultry and rabbits from 4 – 8:30 p.m. See the exhibits page on our Web site for details.
• Got tickets? From hot music and comedy in the 2010 AT&T Borealis Concert Series to all the exciting action at the Kendall Toyota Grandstand, there’s no shortage of entertainment at the 2010 Fair. Do you have tickets to your favorite shows? If not, order tickets online today through our Web site! (A friendly reminder…Fair admission is not included in the ticket price. This lets you to take advantage of money-saving offers, like the ones mentioned below. It also allows volunteers, vendors or others already on the grounds to attend a concert without paying for Fair admission they don’t need. Want to know more? Check out our earlier blog article, “Big Name Concerts Without Breaking the Bank.”)
• Save big on Fair admission. There are tons of ways to save at the 2010 Fair! Order online by tomorrow, August 25 to save $1 on each Fair admission or to get your good-any-day six-pack of Fair admissions. Or stop by Costco to pick up your Fair admission two-pack – available through tomorrow, August 25 only! Our previous blog article, “Big Fun, Big Savings at the Fair,” has info on these and other money-saving opportunities, like $2 Buck Thursday (get in for $2 between noon and 2 p.m. on opening day!), Dr. Pepper Holiday Buddy Days, and military discounts.
• Plan your day. Our daily schedules are perfect for planning out your perfect day at the Fair. The new and improved layout features a larger, more detailed map…more helpful information…and full color! Download a daily schedule from our Web site, or pick one up at the kiosks just inside the fairground gates.

Imagine if…you are planning your perfect day at the 2010 Fair. When are you planning to go and what are you going to do when you get here? Comment here or share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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Remember the Fair with 2010 Souvenirs

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How will you remember the 2010 Alaska State Fair? How about with a 2010 Fair souvenir? From clothing to collectibles,

we have lots of fun souvenirs to commemorate your time at this year’s Fair. Plus, there are two easy ways to buy this year – at our online store or at our souvenir booths on the fairgrounds!

We’re excited to offer some fun, new things this year, like:

• Zip hoodies for adults and kids.
• Cool MY FAIR t-shirt, with the 907 area code and an outline of the state of Alaska.
• Short-sleeve tee featuring the official Fair poster artwork, designed by Palmer’s own Sharon Allen.
• Official Fair beer t-shirt, featuring the label design for this year’s official Fair beer – Cream of the Coop from Kassik’s Kenai Brew Stop.

And, of course, we have all the souvenir must-haves, like mugs, buttons, pins, posters, magnets and more.

There are two easy ways to get your hands on the 2010 Fair souvenirs:

• Stop by the on-site souvenir booths during the Fair. There are two booths open throughout the Fair – one at Pioneer Plaza and another next to the Irwin Building. See our interactive fairgoer map for details.
• Visit our online store, where you can view photos and descriptions and place your order online. We’ll ship your order directly to you – and we’ll even throw in FREE SHIPPING if you order $150 or more!

Imagine if…you could have absolutely anything as a Fair souvenir. What is the one thing you would take home to remember the 2010 Fair? Comment here or share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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Take Your Best Shot (in Fair Photo/Video Contest)

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Heading to the Alaska State Fair this year? Grab your camera, phone or video camera and take your best shot at winning the Fair’s photo/video contest!

What’s the contest all about? It’s easy – just take lots of photos or video during your day at the Fair, and then upload the BEST OF THE BEST to our Facebook page between August 26 –September 7. Our staff will pick their favorites on September 1 and again on September 7 (and maybe even more often if we can find time during the busy Fair!).

What can you win? Nothing less than the exclusive, much-sought-after 2010 AT&T Borealis Concert Series t-shirt! As we like to say, “You can’t buy love … and you can’t buy this t-shirt!” Depending on how awesome your photos and videos are, we may even award some other cool prizes, too, so keep those entries coming!

So what kinds of things are photo/video-worthy? We’ll leave that up to your imagination! Think funny animal interactions … messiest Fair foods … craziest carnival rides … the sky is the limit!

Thinking of entering? Here’s some important stuff you need to know:

• Videos may be no longer than two minutes.
• No photos or videos may be taken during the concerts.
• Be selective in what you enter – only post your absolute favorites (and the ones you think others will enjoy, too!).
• Please – keep it family-friendly. This is the Fair, you know!

After you enter, sit back and watch our Facebook Wall for a flurry of amazing photos and videos by you, your fellow fairgoers and our fun street team!

Imagine if…you were entering the Fair photo/video contest. Where would you head first for the best footage? Comment here or share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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