Tanana Valley State Fair

Tanana Valley State Fair
Tanana Valley State Fair
Genre	State fair
Dates	9-10 days in early August
Location(s)	Fairbanks, Alaska
Years active	1924–1941; 1946–2019; 2021–
Attendance	92,500 in 2014
Website	Tanana Valley State Fair

64°51′52.23″N 147°45′42.43″W / 64.8645083°N 147.7617861°W / 64.8645083; -147.7617861

The Tanana Valley State Fair is an annual state fair held in College, Alaska, United States. The event commences on the first Friday in August, and is a major annual event in Interior Alaska. The fair is held on a hundred-acre plot of land just outside the city limits of Fairbanks, in the approximate center of College Road. The fairgrounds, along with portions of the Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge and surrounding businesses on the north side of College Road, comprise the eastern reaches of the College census-designated place adjacent to Fairbanks.

It features amusement rides, food concessions, competitive exhibits, contests and live performances. As of the 85th Annual Fair in 2012, an adult day pass cost $10 and season pass cost $35. ^[3] ^[4]

History

The Tanana Valley Fair was founded in 1924, making it the oldest state fair in Alaska. Experimental agronomist George William Gasser ^[5] and local real estate businessman and homesteading farmer Harry Markley Badger were instrumental in forming the not-for-profit Tanana Valley Fair Association. From 1924 to 1951, the fair was held in various locations in downtown Fairbanks. All fairs since 1952 have been held at the current location, on land which the association originally leased from the University of Alaska. ^[6]

In 1936, the Matanuska Valley Fair formed in Palmer. It saw a name change in 1959 to the "Alaska State Fair" when Alaska was upgraded from a territory to a state in the United States of America. That same year, both fairs requested to be the "Official Alaska State Fair." Subsequently, the governor of Alaska determined the fairs would alternate the title with the Tanana Valley State Fair in Fairbanks using the title in even-numbered years and the Alaska State Fair in Palmer using the title in odd-numbered years. ^[7] ^[8] "Tanana Valley State Fair" was adopted as the permanent name of the fair in Fairbanks in 1985. The Alaska State Fair in Palmer is held annually for about two weeks around the beginning of August.

The Southeast Alaska Fair is held in Haines for four days over the last weekend in July. There are also fairs in Ninilchik and Kodiak in late August and early September, with smaller fairs held in Delta Junction, Kenny Lake and Salcha.^[9]

There was no fair in 1942-45 nor 2020.

Years Themes & Color Schemes

1980 - Parades of People
1982 - Fun for You in '82
1983 - Tanana Valley Showcase
1984 - Silver Salute
1985 - Alaska: Tomorrow's Adventure
1986 - "Weather or Not"
1987 - We the People
1988 - Fun! Fair! Fairbanks!
1989 - Here Come the Clowns!
1990 - Lettuce Entertain Ewe
1991 - Days of Swine and Roses
1992 - And the Beet Goes On!
1993 - 93 Cheers for Volunteers
1994 - A Ticket to Ride
1995 - "Education - It's Only Fair"
1996 - Shake Rattle & Roll
1997 - Attack of the Killer Cabbages! They're big, they're green, and they're here!
1998 - Strawberry Fields for Heifer
1999 - Poultry in Motion
2000 - Give Peas a Chance
2001 - 2001: A Fair Oddity
2002 - There's No Place Like Home
2003 - Bright Lights Pig City
2004 - Corn to be Wild (Colors: yellow.)
2005 - Feast or Salmon
2006 - Diamonds are Fair-Ever
2007 - Faster Than a Speeding Pullet
2008 - Pirates of the Carrots & Beans
2009 - Tradition is Our Mission
2010 - Barn in the USA
2011 - Northern Nights & Midway Lights (80th anniversary!)
2012 - The Age of Asparagus
2013 - Salmon Enchanted Evening (Colors: midnight blue, copper, and silver.)
2014 - Peonies From Heaven
2015 - Blue Jeans & Country Dreams
2016 - Family, Fun, and the Fair
2017 - Raven About the Fair
2018 - May The Fair Be with You
2019 - Love Is A Cattle Field
2021 – Don't Stop Be-leafing (no 2020 fair)
2022 - Sheep Herder in Paradise
2023 - Don't go Bacon my Heart
2024 - Thank You For Bee-ing a Friend

Farmer's Market

The associated Tanana Valley Farmer's Market was founded in 1978 as a means for fair exhibitors to sell their produce and goods. It is currently open from May to September three days a week. ^[10] The market was formerly located on the fairgrounds property, very near to the intersection of College Road and Aurora Drive and the main entrance to the fairgrounds. The market, including the building housing it, was moved to a site approximately a half-mile (800 m) to the west in 2005.