Special Days

Learn how energy fuels our economy. Join us in recognizing the people and projects who keep Alaska moving forward. To help those facing challenging circumstances, please bring a donation of shelf-stable food items to Fair gates to share with food-insecure Alaskans. Swing by the Farm Exhibits building for the Scarecrow Contest! Teams will use the supplies provided to build a scarecrow before the bell rings. Stroll over to Pioneer Plaza to help AOGA celebrate Energy Day, and get your photo taken in the free photo booth! The Pirates for Hire are back! This award-winning, interactive troupe delivers comedy, adventure, and audience participation in a wildly entertaining pirate-themed experience at the MTA Grandstand Lawn.

We are proud to acknowledge people in recovery. Join True North and their partners as they strive to see individuals healed, communities strengthened and systems transformed as they walk with those seeking help for addiction and mental health. With many Alaskans facing food insecurities, guests are encouraged to bring shelf-stable food items to the Fair gates. This year we invite everyone to enjoy the Ag Education Expo in Craig Taylor Farm Exhibits. Alaska FFA and 4-H students will teach you how to make rope, take care of livestock, keep bees, evaluate your soil and much more!

Trident Seafoods is back for 2026 Alaska State Fair, and this isn’t their first Salmon Rodeo. Stop by the Trident booth in Pioneer Plaza for an opportunity to ride the bucking salmon, win cool prizes, and show your love for all things Alaska Seafood.  It’ll be a boatload of fun – visit www.tridentseafoods.com to learn more about us! Grab a sample at the Seafood Throwdown Cooking Contest in the Event Hall where seasoned chefs try to reel in the big prize while you get to taste their delicious seafood recipes. Presented by Pacific Seafood Processors Association. Practice your best “Yo-ho!” and root for your favorite lumberjack at the ever-popular Scheer’s Lumberjack Show in the SBS Woodlot. Stop by Hoskins Building for the Hand Stiched Quilts: Sew-Along Demos presented by Two Hens One Chick.

Join AARP Alaska for Buddy Day! Everything is more fun with a friend, and what’s more fun than saving money?! Courtesy of Alaska State Fair, Golden Wheel Amusements and Coca-Cola Bottling of Alaska, pick-up your Buddy Days coupon starting 14 – 24 (locations TDB) for BOGO admission at the gates, and get your fill of thrills at the carnival (your buddy rides for free with your paid tickets!). Join AARP Alaska’s Mat-Su volunteer team in Pioneer Plaza! Bring a buddy and play Plinko for prizes, learn what local volunteers are doing for older Alaskans and test your knowledge with trivia, from Social Security to Fraud. Head over to the Event Hall for the Embracing AK Disabilities Expo where extraordinary people are turning disabilities into capabilities. Stop by Craig Taylor Farm Exhibits to learn skills from Alaska FFA and 4-H students.

Join us as Aurora Integrated Oncology Foundation (AIOF) hosts Cancer Screening Day at the Alaska State Fair on Aug 27, from 11am – 5pm. Held between Raven Hall and Craig Taylor Farm Exhibits, this event offers FREE prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, FREE HPV vaccinations, and mammograms (billed to insurance or supported by financial aid). Attendees can consult with medical professionals and engage with other nonprofits addressing cancer prevention and education. AIOF aims to promote early detection and offer screening to as many participants as possible in the Alaska State Fair’s vibrant atmosphere, in keeping with the foundation’s mission of improving the quality of and access to cancer prevention, treatment and supportive care for all Alaskans. Visit akscreeningday.com for more details!

Coca-Cola is helping us celebrate our youngest fairgoers! Enjoy free admission all day for kids 12 and under. We believe hunger knows no age, and neither does teaching kids the importance of giving back. Please bring a donation of two shelf-stable food items per child to the Fair gates. Stop by the Coca-Cola Trailer for an ice-cold experience you won’t forget! Snap a photo with the iconic Coca-Cola Polar Bear and grab one of 500 limited-edition beverage koozies while supplies last. While you’re there, try the all-new Coca-Cola Cherry Float and enter to win fun prizes throughout the day. The annual Diaper Derby and Toddler Trot presented by Combs Insurance is happening on the office lawn by Red Gate. Fun and frosting await at the Hoskins Exhibits building, unleash your creativity with a FREE cookie decorating event presented by Great Harvest Bakery, then stick around for the Cookie Contest at 7pm, presented by Vagabond Blues.

Join us for one of the most popular days of the Fair! Kids 12 and under receive a $2 discount on admission at the gates all day, with a suggested donation of two shelf-stable food items. Then take off for Pioneer Plaza to check in on the latest Club 49 deals from Alaska Airlines, our official airline. Make sure to enter to win two tickets anywhere Alaska Airlines flies in North/Central America and Hawaii! Keep up to date at the Club 49 Hub, #Club49 and club49hub.com. Don’t miss the King BMX Stunt Show presented by Alaska 529 on Purple Trail. Saddle up for the first day of Rodeo Alaska Champions Tour Tough Enough to Wear Pink Rodeo at the MTA Grandstands! Kids won’t want to miss the free Home Depot Kid’s Crafts event in Hoskins at 5pm.

Credit Union 1 is proud to help Alaskans live their Alaskan dream! Stop by our tent in Pioneer Plaza to learn more about CU1 and check out some exciting prize opportunities. Check out the talented Valley Quilters in the Hoskins Building. At the Alaska News Source Corral, don’t miss the famous Twiggy, the only water-skiing squirrel in the world! This one-of-a-kind, family-friendly show combines big laughs with an important water-safety message as Twiggy hits the water and steals the spotlight.

Back by popular demand, this day promises to be a ton of fun! Dress up like your favorite superhero, sci-fi, anime, video game or movie character and compete in the Cosplay Contest. No costume? No problem! Mingle with all the characters at the Cosplay Meet and Greet. Channel your inner Jedi and get photos with your favorite Star Wars-themed characters of 501st Legion Alaskan Outpost at the Event Hall located on Purple Trail!

As Alaska’s local fiber provider, MTA is excited to sponsor MTA Day at the Alaska State Fair! As part of our commitment to our community, we have donated our space to United Way Mat Su! United Way Mat Su is committed to creating a stronger, healthier community right here in the Mat-Su Valley. Be sure to stop by their booth for a visit! Trot over to the Alyeska Pipeline Colony Stage for delightful, toe-tapping sounds of the Fiddle Contest and Alaska’s Got Talent prelims, presented by Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. The MTA Grandstand is the place to be to witness the full-throttle All-Star Monster Truck Show presented by N C Machinery. Then come support the youth at the 4-H/FFA Jr. Livestock Auction inside the Craig Taylor Farm Exhibits Arena.

Chin’an Gaming Hall is proud to sponsor Military Appreciation Day as we honor and celebrate Alaska’s active military and veterans with special events and savings. All military personnel (active and retired) receive Fair admission at the gate for just $5! Each service member can bring up to three dependents at the discounted admission price by showing a valid military ID or proof of service at the Fair gate. Retiring Old Glory? Bring your flag to the Fair ticket booths and we’ll ensure it is disposed of with the proper respect. Don’t miss the final day of the N C Machinery All-Star Monster Truck shows at the MTA Grandstand. Try your luck at the Homesteader Games in the SBS Woodlot, hosted by Scheer’s Lumberjacks. You wont want to miss the 20 Quilts of Valor presentations in Hoskins!

On this and every day, Mat-Su Health Foundation is proud to recognize the extraordinary dedication and compassion shown by our Alaskan first responders. Today, we honor, celebrate, and say THANK YOU by offering our police, firefighters, and EMS personnel $5 admission at the gate with valid ID. Meet local first responders including firefighters, State Troopers, Palmer Police, and Anchorage Police in their booths on the Fairgrounds. Zoom into the future in the Event Hall with Robotics competitions and hands-on experiences. Then, let the fun begin with the Alaska’s Got Talent finals presented by Mat-Su Regional Medical Center on the Alyeska Pipeline Colony Stage! Create your own edible masterpiece with FREE cookie decorating in the Hoskins Exhibit Building, compliments of Great Harvest Bakery and Café Wasilla.