County Fair Guide

The Oldest Fairs in Alaska

Alaska's oldest fair is the Tanana Valley State Fair in Fairbanks, running since 1924 — twelve years before the Alaska State Fair launched in Palmer in 1936, and thirty-five years before Alaska became a state in 1959. The Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines (1969) rounds out the state's oldest fairs. Here are Alaska's fairs with the longest documented histories.

  1. 1
    Tanana Valley State FairFairbanks, Alaska
    Est. 1924August

    The Tanana Valley State Fair, based in Fairbanks, is a five-day early-August celebration on the Tanana River, the Interior Alaska fair showcasing the extraordinary produce grown under the midnight sun and the hardy spirit of Alaska's second-largest city. Launched in 1924, the fair has held its place in Alaska agricultural life for generations.

  2. 2
    Alaska State FairPalmer, Alaska
    Est. 1936August

    Palmer is home to the Alaska State Fair, which is an 18-day late-August and Labor Day celebration in the Matanuska Valley, Alaska's premier annual fair drawing over 300,000 visitors to the fertile farmland of the Mat-Su Valley for giant vegetables, world-class entertainment, and the spirit of the Last Frontier. Since 1936, it's brought Alaska neighbors together year after year.

  3. 3
    Kenai Peninsula FairNinilchik, Alaska
    Est. 1951July

    The Kenai Peninsula Fair in Ninilchik, running since 1951, bills itself as "The Biggest Little Fair in Alaska." Held each August, it features agricultural exhibits, a carnival midway, and community events serving the Kenai Peninsula Borough.

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