Alaska State Fair 2007

Last weekend turned the tide on one of our last hurrahs of the summer with a trip to the Alaska State Fair. It was a perfect day for the outdoor gathering of 20 to 30 thousand people looking for a great time and sharing that time in the sun . . . soaking up the rays and warmth while having fun with the family or friends. In the shadow of Pioneer Peak . . .









State fairs in America have always been a fascinating glimpse into a rural part of life for me and that so few of us ever actually see anymore. They do not have that same feel that they did when I was 11 or 12 years old but I do enjoy that time if for no other reason than to ‘people watch’.

Each state fair is unique in its own special way but one that stands out from all the others that I have seen is the Alaska State Fair and its fantastic giant vegetable contest.









Sure, every state fair has similar contests where local farmers wheel in giant pumpkins and other items they've either grown or raised on their land. The difference with Alaska’s vegetables however, are those very long, extended summer hours when the sun stays out much longer than it does in the lower 49 states. Produce is exposed to the nurturing sunlight exponentially longer and as a result, can grow exponentially larger.









It was neat walking through the hall seeing the items laid out for display and listening to the laughter and chatter of those walking past the variety of vegetables.









For example, here is a list of state vegetable records set at the Alaska State Fair:

23-foot, 3 1/2-inch corn stalk
4.702-pound parsnip
17.195-pound yellow zucchini
67 1/8-inch long gourd
55.15-pound blue hubbard squash
21.530-pound bushel gourd
18.985 pound Carrot
64.8 pound Cantaloupe













1,019-pound pumpkin










Cucumber anyone?




In addition, there is a separate category focused entirely on cabbage. Last year’s winner of the Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off was a 73.4-pound cabbage.










And a Guinness Book World Record Kale . . .
105.9 pounds by Scott Robb . . .








Something very exciting that I just found out about the Alaska State Fair:
. . . . . . . . . .THERE IS A PIG RACING CONTEST!!!


Photo:

Erik Hill

Anchorage Daily News



I don't know exactly what that means, but it sounds fantastic and with the odd people here it could mean almost anything.

Well at least they didn’t have the salmon jockeys riding them this year as it must have been nixed this year.


It was a great day and the drive home provided another beautiful sunset over the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet . . .









And by the time we arrived home a large full moon had risen over the Chugach Mountains. My pictures did not turn out well enough to post.

It has been a record breaking year at the Alaska State Fair this year and it continues through this weekend over the Labor Day Holiday . . . go out an enjoy this late summer we are having right now as the snow will be falling shortly.

Ice

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