By THE ALASKA STORY
July 11, 2026 – For many Alaskans, summer isn’t complete without a trip to a county fair, community festival, or regional celebration. From giant vegetables in Palmer to blueberry pie in Ketchikan, rodeos in Ninilchik and Delta Junction, and the logging show in Haines, Alaska’s fair season offers something for nearly every community.
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or looking for a reason to hit the road, here’s a roundup of the state’s major fairs and festivals still ahead this summer.
Eagle River Bear Paw Festival – ends July 12
One more day for the Bear Paw: The 41st Annual Bear Paw Festival brings Eagle River together for a vibrant community celebration, featuring local vendors, town events, and a lively carnival with rides.
Website: Bear Paw Festival
Southeast Alaska State Fair
Haines
July 23–26
The second major fair of the season kicks off in Haines, where the Southeast Alaska State Fair has been bringing together residents from across Southeast Alaska and the Yukon for more than 50 years.
Visitors can enjoy four days of live music, exhibits, amusement rides, food vendors, the popular logging show, Fishermen’s Rodeo, wearable art competition, parade, contests, livestock, arts and crafts, and plenty of family activities. The fairgrounds sit against the backdrop of the Chilkat Mountains, making it one of Alaska’s most scenic fair settings.
Website: Southeast Alaska State Fair
Ketchikan Blueberry Arts Festival
Ketchikan
July 31–August 2
Although not a traditional carnival-style fair, the Blueberry Arts Festival has become one of Southeast Alaska’s signature summer celebrations.
The three-day festival features more than 180 artists and vendors, live music, the famous Pet and Doll Parade, Best Blueberry Dish Contest, pie-eating contest, blueberry boat race, art exhibits, poetry slam, and plenty of quirky hometown traditions that have made the event a favorite for both locals and visitors.
Website: Blueberry Arts Festival
Tanana Valley State Fair
Fairbanks
July 31–August 9
The northernmost state fair in America returns for ten days in Fairbanks with this year’s theme, “All is Fair in Love & Spore!”
The Tanana Valley State Fair features carnival rides, giant vegetable competitions, livestock exhibits, rodeo events, concerts, talent shows, agricultural displays, food vendors, and family entertainment. It has long served as Interior Alaska’s biggest annual community gathering.
Website: Tanana Valley State Fair
Kenai Peninsula Fair
Ninilchik
August 14–16
Known as the “Biggest Little Fair in Alaska,” the Kenai Peninsula Fair combines agriculture with hometown entertainment.
The fair typically includes exhibits, local vendors, rodeo events, Battle of the Bands, livestock, crafts, family activities, and live music. One of its traditions is offering admission by donation, making it an affordable stop for families.
Website: Kenai Peninsula Fair
Deltana Fair and Music Festival
Delta Junction
August 14–16
Held the same weekend as the Kenai Peninsula Fair, the Deltana Fair celebrates Interior Alaska agriculture with a distinctly rural flavor.
Expect mud bogs, rodeo competitions, carnival rides, agricultural exhibits, vendors, live music, and family activities that reflect the farming heritage of the Delta Junction area.
Alaska State Fair
Palmer
August 21–September 7
The grand finale of Alaska’s fair season is the Alaska State Fair in Palmer.
The state’s largest fair annually draws hundreds of thousands of visitors with nationally known concert acts, giant cabbage and pumpkin competitions, livestock shows, flower displays, carnival rides, commercial vendors, local artisans, agricultural exhibits, food booths, and entertainment spread across more than two weeks.
This year’s concert lineup includes AJR, Megadeth, Ziggy Marley, Amy Grant, and several other national touring acts, making it one of Alaska’s largest entertainment events of the year.
Website: Alaska State Fair
