AK on the GO

See all sorts of wild life at the Alaska State Fair! AK Kid likes chickens, particularly this rooster named "Luke Skywalker"

Our state fair is a great state fair, don’t miss it, don’t even be late…..Unless you have to go to school, of course. Darn it. Yes, it’s Alaska State Fair  time up in the glorious Mat-Su Valley, and a wealth of fun family time awaits!

Today is Kid’s Day at the Fair, sponsored by MTA and featuring FREE admission for kids 12 and under. Martin Buser will be there with his latest pack of puppies, Kids’ Day games will be going on in Pioneer Plaza, and since it is slightly drizzly outside, there might not be too much of a crowd to contend with. My vote? Go; the earlier, the better, since concerts kick off tonight and you can be sure a crowd of music lovers will converge upon the parking lots after school and work. If you can’t make it today, try Sunday, when the Renewable Resources Coalition presents Wild Salmon Day, with cooking demonstrations featuring our favorite swimming food source, and samples from the same. Yum. Speaking of food, my kids always enjoyed wanderng the colored trails at the fair more than the actual fair exhibits themselves, but do stop by the 4-H barns and halls to give kids a close-up look at where their food comes from. It’s an education, for sure, and many community youth have spent hours on their 4-H fair projects. Corn, anybody? The Fair folks have promised AK Fam that there are many changes for the better to such things as parking and food vendors this year, and we’re anxious to see how much has come to fruition. 

If you don’t want to attend the actual Fair, feel free to join in the fun watching the Alaska State Fair Parade in downtown Palmer at 11 a.m. Bring a lawnchair, picnic, and perhaps the umbrella. Consider taking the Alaska Railroad’s Fair Train, leaving from Anchorage daily and offering two options for times. Visit their web site HERE for details. Just remember; there are NO services on the train, it is merely a  mode of transportation, so bring the snacks, toys, and/or DVD player. But you won’t have to worry about parking, and sometimes that makes all the difference!

Now that AK Kid is in Kindergarten, we can take advantage of Eagle River Nature Center’s Junior Naturalist program, this week (Sat) featuring the topic of Botany. Kids K-6 will learn how plants produce and distribute seeds in this hands-on program, followed by a walk on the Rodak Trail. 2 p.m., FREE, but $5 parking for non-members. 694-2108.

Saturday morning, join birder Diane Toebe for an easy walk along the Coastal  Trail to view the hundreds of birds now on their way South for winter. Yep, fall is here, and every day new birds show up at Westchester Lagoon. Meet at the Lagoon (U Street and W 15th Ave) at 10 a.m. This might be best for older, school-aged kids, since the walk will end around 1 p.m. Great learning opportunity! FREE.

On Sunday, the Port of Anchorage wraps up their FREE tours of the busy and always interesting Ship Creek area. Leaving every 30 minutes from the Alaska Railroad Corporate Office, motorcoaches will take visitors on a drive through the secure areas of the Port, and serve hot dogs and drinks after. Why not? Meet between 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the AKRR offices, 2000 Anchorage Port Road. 343-6230, www.muni.org.

Like firetrucks? Meet Anchorage firefighters and enjoy a barbecue at this resurrected event on Sunday between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The popular Air Force Band of the Pacific will provide tunes, and AFD will have their entire entourage of apparatus available for inspection, and parents will be able to have car seats fitted properly in their cars (did you know most are not?). It is gonna be fun; maybe I’ll even get to try the firehose this time. Stop by the AFD Training Center at 1140 Airport Heights Dr. 349-1264. This is way fun, folks, and is a great way to introduce kids to firefighters and rescue personnel before an emergency strikes.

AK Fam wishes you and your family a relaxing, early-fall fun weekend filled with family time. Stay tuned for interesting updates from Fairbanks, a post about autumn hiking, and some updates from the Alaska Travelgram Show, heard every Tuesday on KUDO AM 1080.

Sunshine, on my shoulders……Ah, now THAT’s gotta make a family happy. The sun is up and out and shining brightly upon AK Fam this week, so we’re going to make the most of it. There are festivals, hikes, tours, music and fun just right for relaxing after a busy week.

This afternoon from Noon-2 p.m., Music in the Park will finally get a weather break as Midnight Starlight performs for huge crowds who always manage, despite the rain, to have fun. All concerts are held at Peratrovich Park on 4th Avenue.

Tonight at 7 p.m., the Air Force Band of the Pacific brings their jazzy Top Cover band to the Alaska Zoo  for the next-to-last summer concert on zoo grounds. This band is one of our favs; their sounds are distinctive and their song choices guaranteed to rock the house, er, corral…The camel always loves to listen to music, so don’t be surprised if he’s hanging around the fence line enjoying the songfest.

Speaking of markets and festivals, don’t miss either the Greek Festival, held every year at the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church at 2800 O’Malley Road, or Alyeska Resort’s Blueberry Festival down in Girdwood. Both are free, and both offer the whole family a ton of unique Alaskan experiences.

The Greek Festival, a popular event for its food, music, and Opa! is usually so crowded that people park at nearby St. John’s Methodist church and take one of the free shuttles (I advise). From 11 a.m.-10 p.m. today through Sunday, the folks from Anchorage’s Greek community provide us with a look into the culture and goodness that is Greek. Visit the Holy Transfiguration web site HERE for more information.

The Blueberry Festival, held Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of Alyeska Resort from Noon-6 p.m., is a total-blueberry-bonanza. Music, crafts, guided hikes, and new this year, a disc golf tournament, will keep just about everybody happily engaged. Our family usually parks in the Daylodge parking lot and walks the paved trail to the resort, picking berries along the way. Visit the Resort’s web site HERE for a complete listing of events.

Welcome back Salmon at Eagle River Nature Center on Saturday at 2 p.m. when a naturalist will walk families to the nearby beaver pond to see what’s swimming around. Free, but $5 parking for non-members.