Photos: Fairgoers and their favorite things about the State Fair

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Dahmir Bell and Faith Davis, Anchorage, Alaska. Favorite thing about the Alaska State Fair: M.A.'s Hot Dogs. August 29, 2013

Corn dogs. Cotton candy. Turkey legs. Cookies. Ice cream. Funnel cake. Kettle Corn. Salmon quesadillas. Bread bowls stuffed with chili and melted cheese.

Hungry yet?

The Alaska State Fair each year draws thousands of visitors from around the Last Frontier to the fairgrounds in Palmer for two weekends of fun, rides, shows and competitions. The people watching at the fair can be unparalleled -- folks from all walks of life, pushing strollers, getting their hair dyed in crazy colors and spiked in even crazier ways, playing carnival games and hoping to get their hands on one of those musty, giant teddy bears.

But when Alaska Dispatch photographer Loren Holmes made his way to the fairgrounds recently and asked a multitude of fair-goers what their favorite thing about the fair was, it was often the food that stood out. When you've spent the last of your ride tickets, or you've seen the concert that brought you to the Matanuska-Susitna Valley in the first place, where else do you turn but to the food? And everyone has their favorite. Or maybe favorites. Just walking around the fair in search of the next snack can make you hungry enough to forget what you're looking for and settle for something else that looks good -- or maybe just happens to be close by.

And when the day is drawing to a close, and you file out to your car, you remember what it was you wanted in the first place, and think to yourself "oh well, maybe next year."