The Alaska State Fair!

We figured for part of our Alaska finale, we'd pay a visit to the Alaska State Fair. Every local we'd met said it was a must do.

So, we took the short drive from Anchorage to Palmer to spend the day. There was row after row of local arts, crafts, food and businesses.

We watched native dancers, bands from the area and from beyond....

watched a humorous lumberjack show with lumberjacks from Wisconson no less.....

watched some extreme canines show us their stuff..........

Then there was the more traditional fair fare.

The prize winning cookies and cakes and.........wines..........

the prize winning flowers....

the prize winning quilts...........

artistic work such as these beautifully carved vegetables....

or this artistically prepared hair..........

Last but not least is what we really wanted to see. Alaska is known for the size of the vegetables it grows because of the all night sun during the summer. This year was not a good year for gardening because of the colder, wetter weather than usual. We don't have a picture of the prize pumpking (907 pounds!) but here is the prize winning cabbage and turnip.