Anchorage Daily News

Weekend admission to the Alaska State Fair in Palmer will cost more this year.

Daily tickets to the Fair, which opens Aug. 27 and runs through Sept. 7, remain at $10 for adults and $6 for seniors and kids age 6-12. Children younger than six are free. On weekends, however, admission is going up to $12 for adults and $7 for kids and seniors.

All children aged 12 and younger will receive free admission on Aug. 28, "Kids' Day." Kids under 6 are always free.

Parking will stay the same: $5 per car and $25 for "daily premiere on-grounds parking." But RV visitors will pay less, $15 compared to $18 per day last year.

There are bargains, if you plan ahead:

The best general admission deal this year is Two Buck Thursday, with entry to the Fair costing only $2 between noon and 2 p.m. on opening day.

Another way to save is to plan your trip for Sept. 1, 2 or 3 -- "Dr. Pepper and Holiday Buddy Days." Pick up a coupon at a local Holiday store and present it at the gate on those days; one person pays full price and their buddy gets in free.

You can also save 50 percent on carnival rides on those days. Buy your ride tickets and your friend rides for free, no coupon needed.

Buying online is another option. People who purchase tickets at alaskastatefair.org by Aug. 26 can get a three-day adult pass for $14. Single-weekend adult admission is $10 at the Web site, $9 for weekdays.

The most cost-efficient online option for people who want to go several days or have several friends who want to go is the adult 10-pack for $90, including "convenience fees." The 10 tickets are good for any day of the Fair and, says marketing director Dean Phipps, "You can purchase this and divide up the tickets," which you can't do with the three-day pass, which restricts users to one punch per day.

Starting today, you can buy advance tickets in person in Anchorage without paying the convenience fee. The Fair will have tables selling general admission tickets and tickets to the concerts and special events at two locations on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Aug. 23. Here are their hours:

5th Avenue Mall: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

Dimond Center: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.

Costco has four-packs of Fair tickets priced at $35.99 for adults and $21.99 for youth and seniors, good for all days.

The Alaska Railroad Fair Train will be making two runs on Saturdays and one run on Fridays and Sundays. The price for a round trip train ride from the Anchorage depot to the Palmer Fairgrounds, which includes admission to the fair, is $54 for adults, $47 for seniors, $27 for children age 6-12 and $22 for children younger than 6. Fair Train tickets must be purchased from the railroad. Call 265-2494.

Find Mike Dunham online at adn.com/contact/mdunham or call 257-4332.

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