Women successful costume guidelines down a elephantine pumpkin. The Cabbage Fairies deterioration their pumpkin flair pinch nan winning pumpkin astatine nan 2024 Alaska State Fair. (Amy Bushatz/Alaska Public Media)

The Alaska State Fair successful Palmer draws thousands of group each twelvemonth to nan Matanuska-Susitna Valley for food, rides, trade booths and – of people – nan workplace exhibits. It’s besides a apical spot for organization connection. But tin nan State Fair besides beryllium a spot for Alaskans to link pinch outdoor recreation?

In this section perceive big Amy Bushatz research that mobility while connected location astatine nan adjacent arsenic she attends events ranging from nan yearly directors’ reception to nan awesome pumpkin weigh-off, pinch typical impermanent appearances by adjacent historians, outdoor enthusiasts, pumpkin growers and cabbage fairies. 

HOST: Amy Bushatz

GUESTS:
Jeff Curtis, Alaska State Fair CEO
Talis Colberg, erstwhile Alaska Attorney General
Burl Dickman, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Ken Baylock, elephantine pumpkin maestro of ceremonies
Silas and Seth Dinkel, elephantine pumpkin competitors
Kierre Childers, cabbage fairy
Ailis Vann, cabbage fairy
Nick Hanson, Alaska Ninja Warrior
Megan Justus, Skee tawk manager
Jessi Morse, Alaska Division of Forestry

LINKS:
Alaska State Fair
Talis Colberg’s activity connected Alaska State Fair history
Alaska State Fair pumpkin weigh-off

Amy Bushatz

Amy Bushatz is an knowledgeable journalist based successful Palmer, Alaska. Originally from Santa Cruz, California, she and her family moved to Palmer sight-unseen from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to prosecute a consistent, outdoor-focused manner aft her hubby near progressive work Army service.

Since moving to Palmer, Amy has built a manner and expertise astir spending clip outdoors arsenic she connects pinch outdoor-minded Alaskans while penning and podcasting astir section news and outdoor issues. An ultrarunner and ridge moving enthusiast, Amy tin often beryllium recovered exploring nationalist lands astir nan Valley, roadworthy moving connected section motorcycle paths, snowboarding astatine Skeetawk, cross-country skiing successful Hatcher Pass, crystal skating (poorly) connected Mat-Su lakes, paddleboarding aliases kayaking pinch her family, and camping retired of her disfigured van.

You tin hear Humans Outside, her podcast astir building an outdoor-centric manner wherever you get your podcasts, publication her reporting astatine the Anchorage Daily News, aliases travel her valley-based nonprofit news task Mat-Su Sentinel at MatSuSentinel.com.