Updated: August 19, 2021 Published: August 19, 2021
An aerial view of the Alaska State Fair, photographed on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 in Palmer. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Vendors and construction workers are busy getting ready for the Alaska State Fair, which was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year the fair has been expanded to 14 days in order to spread out fair crowds, according to marketing manager Melissa Keefe.
“We are anticipating just as many fairgoers as normal,” said Keefe. “We all missed out on the 2020 fair, so everyone’s excited to be back.”
Amber Lopez, left, gets help moving an epoxy river table to her booth on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
More than 400 vendors will be at the fair this year, including five new food vendors. In addition, the 2021 fair will debut a new permanent roller coaster, the Aftershock, which Keefe says is Alaska’s largest roller coaster.
The fair opens Friday, Aug. 20 and runs through Sept. 6. The fair will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to allow for additional cleaning. For more information visit alaskastatefair.org.
Nick Lehr works on fitting new windows into Porkey’s, a food vendor known for their pork chops and cheese curds, on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Justin Hansen, left, and Jacob Starr erect a sign at the Old Time Photo Parlor on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
The Aftershock, a new permanent roller coaster, is seen on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. The Aftershock is the largest roller coaster in Alaska, according to fair officials. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Richard Barnes, carrying a ladder, sets up his booth World Textiles on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Vendors set up their booths on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
Portable toilets are set up at a concert venue on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. (Loren Holmes / ADN)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/7ODPAI33ZBALBE725RNVNOTYOQ.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/CAZT5RAV35EPZJIWRBAV5S2MJA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/ZGTTX6BLH5FOVGCVTXUYKNU7CQ.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/WO6W5S7B2VH4ZKOYK2QQHEIEDE.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/JILGK5SJUVDWTELTOOB4U37QLM.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/PVICVA3JQJFO5PZDHRIBYXWOTI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/IE4HRMXEFFB2BKPRDGAE6EH5YY.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/JWMKMAY7YRBBRFDWD5REATJWCQ.jpg)