The Tanana Valley Fair

The Midway

While local community participation in events such as the Midnight Sun Run, Golden Days, and The Fairbanks Open sled dog race are probably the highest per capita of any city in the US, nothing rivals the throngs of Fairbanksans and members of the greater Tanana.Valley Community that annually turn out for the Tanana Fair.

 

 

Having been there several times I would estimate that somewhere between 12,000 - 18,000 people show up daily for this week long event. And I might add here that every year they have some kind of "Corny" themes such as 2000 -- Give Peas a Chance, 1999 -- Poultry in Motion, and 1998 -- Strawberry Fields For Heifer.

The Tanana Valley Fair Grounds contains quite a number of structures including Tanana Valley Agricultural Museum and is adjoined as well by the Tanana Valley Campgrounds.

 

Regrettably in the last few years the Tanana Fair's board of supervisors has seen fit to annually change the dates of the fair moving it back and forth between its original time in early September (which coincided nicely with the local harvest and first frost) to mid-August which means that local fruits and vegetables have to be uprooted early if they are to be entered into any of their fruit and vegetable judging contests.

Because of this peculiar policy I am unable to give you a firm date on the opening of the Tanana Valley Fair, for more information and some actual date if they've made up their minds yet for this coming season you can call the Tanana Fair's office at the following number: (907) 452-3750

 

 

Like most county fair's the Tanana Valley Fair has its roots as an agricultural event with it's typical fare of local gardening, farm produce, livestock judging contests and live stock auctions.

 

 

It also features a pie, baking contest, a chili cook off, an action packed fun filled rodeo featuring Alaskan cowboys, concerts, stand up comedians and other live entertainment.

 

 

There are also literally hundreds of concessions containing anything from miracle cleaners to fortune tellers to almost every kind of cuisine imaginable. And of course their a seemingly endless supply of rides and games of chance in the midway.

 

The Double Seated Slingshot

 

Now I don't really know this for a fact but, having visited this event for several years, I strongly suspect that is some serious competition between locals concessionaires as to the design and scope of their booths. The reason I say that is every year these booths return they have either received new paint job or some type of serious upgrade.

You can also visit the Tanana Valley's official website at the following link:

http://www.tananavalleyfair.org/