Palmer Alaska

…A Great State Fair!
Alaska State Fair 2012

“You’re gonna love it!”
August 23 – September 3

When I was a little kid, I looked forward to the fair every year. My sisters, brother and I love to ride the rides, enter baked goods in the fair and see the little piglets that were magically birthed on time every year. As I got older, my favorite ride evolved from the Spinning Apple to the Gravitron (I never get dizzy), my favorite sight from the baby animals to fascinating shows, and from cotton candy to delicious tacos from Taco Dan’s in Log Cabin #6.

Fair time always brings back memories of quality family time – Mom dragging us to the exhibits and Dad pointing out the fascinating log splitting machinery. My siblings and I squabbled over cotton candy colors and Dad taught us to walk “fair speed” through the crowds. My mom’s birthday is the 28th of August, and her one request for as long as I can remember, is to have a day alone at the fair.

With today’s economy and tighter budgets, some people may be wondering… how can I afford the fair?
Thankfully, there are number of ways to save money on admission and ride tickets. If you purchase a 6 pack of tickets online, you’ll save up to $18, $3 off every adult ticket (if used on a weekend). The opening day, Thursday August 23, is only $2 admission!
Coca Cola Buddy Days enables you to grab a coupon from a Holiday station and when you purchase a ticket at the gate, you receive a free one of equal or lesser value for your buddy.
On Alaska Grown Day, you can wear your Alaska Grown t-shirt to the fair and receive $2 off the ticket price.
For more info on the discounts, click here.

The Fair posts their daily schedule online, so you can plan out what you’re going to see before you even arrive! Click here for the daily schedules for the entire fair.

Are you interested in entering a contest with your friend, child, or own skills? The Alaska State Fair has 25 different contests throughout the fair! Click here to find out more about contests!

They are located next to Valley Harvest Church at:
10823 East Palmer-Wasilla Highway
Palmer, AK, 99645

Hours Of Operation
Mon through Fri: 10am – 5pm
Sat: 11am – 3pm

You can find a wide selection in clothes, shoes, toys, games, movies, books, small appliances and more. The decor is very nice with freshly painted walls and well maintained. This thrift store is very clean and tidy; I appreciated the fact that each section has its own area which is clearly marked.

Thrifters Rock accepts donations only during business hours. You may bring most unwanted items that carry some value and/or are in working order. Large appliances like refrigerators, mattresses or fueled appliances are also accepted.

Thrifters Rock also has an active facebook page where you can find the deals of the day!
Click Here for the Facebook Page!

Church on the Rock Palmer meets in Sherrod Elementary school at 11am on Sundays. The store is their community project to raise funds for a Palmer church building. Once the goal is met and building location secured, all future proceeds will go to community projects! This business really wants to give back to the community!

I spoke with Ann Riggs, the owner, and came to understand her passion for this gym and what it offers for the valley.

“I have always had a personal passion for resistance training and physical fitness so it was only natural for me to go in the direction of fitness industry. I have 6 children and they were all involved very heavily in competitive Valley sports. They all enjoy resistance training, as well as their favorite team sports. I have always enjoyed working with people and teaching them about fitness and a healthier life style.

After having 6 kids I was carrying a lot more weight than I wanted to, over the course of about year I managed to get rid of about 60 pounds and that is what started me on my way to a healthier life style. That was about 25 years ago. So I have been on both sides of the coin and have learned a lot through the years that is helpful for others in the same situation. Come get a tour from a staff member and receive a day pass to try us out and see if we fit.”
~ Ann Riggs
Peak Fitness offers a special for all new members: One Month Free with a 6 month or 1 year sign-up. It’s their way of saying thank you and showing members that they appreciate the business.  With your membership, you can take advantage of group classes ranging from Pilates to dancing and cycling CLASSES, racquetball, personal training, indoor tanning, massive selections of free weights and stationary machines, cardio equipment, child care, and so much more.

If you have more questions, visit the FAQ page.  When you’re ready, give them a call and get signed up today. In case you missed it, we recently showed you how to get fresh vegetables delivered weekly local weekly to help you start the new year off right CLICK HERE.

StarDust Designz
(907) 841-4149
[email protected]

I would like to introduce a local glass artist: Audra Reger. Audra was born and raised in Palmer and specializes in hand-painted glassware. Her love of art and a good glass of wine birthed the idea for her craft.

Audra Reger, the Artist

Custom designs are Audra’s specialty, but you can purchase gorgeous ready-made pieces at NonEssentials. “I enjoy designing and creating custom pieces,” says the artist. Every order can be completely customized with text, color, pattern, glass type, no extra charge. Just e-mail Audra with your custom order.

She does offer discounts on large quantity purchases. This would be a great custom gift for weddings, or bridal showers! We are excited to see art thriving locally and hope you enjoy it too!

For more information or photos, check out www.StarDustDesignz.com.

Family First Treasures
403 S. Alaska St, Palmer

(907) 746-6200

By Amber Grissom

It was brought to our attention that there is another great thrift store in Palmer! I went to Family First Treasures to see what they had to offer. Family First Treasures is a non-profit thriftstore; the proceeds go to help support the services provided by Alaska Family Services.  The proceeds are used primarily for the Dorthy Saxton Shelter, and ROSA House.  Pick up a brochure at the store to learn more and see other ways to help.

In addition to the great deals and their contributions, the store host different events throughout the year, ranging from free health screenings to family activities.  Some activities from 2010 included a cancer screening day, blood drive, domestic violence awareness events, nutrition awareness, substance abuse prevention and tobacco prevention events.  Stop by the store to see what this year holds!

I made my way through this large store to find many things other local thrift stores do not offer. They have adequte space to have large home furnishings, large appliances, and even a bathroom vanity! If you have large items in good condition, give them a call to see if they have room.

You will find a wide assortment of clothes, office supplies and furniture, exercise equipment, holiday items/decorative pieces, media and other accessories.  The store was clean and well-organized so I was able to navigate the treasures easily.  Hope you enjoy your visit and find something you will use, while helping our community!

Located at:
403 S Alaska St
Palmer, Ak

Hours: 9am -6pm, Monday – Saturday