Top Nine Anchorage Summer Events
The kids are out of school and Alaska’s summer is officially in full swing. We at Calling Alaska Home are keeping busy showing houses and enjoying this beautiful weather! Just relocating to Anchorage? Our neighborhood and regional attractions make sure we stay connected and entertained all summer long. Check out events at farmer’s markets and nearby trails and parks. This list of local events is sure to have a bit of fun for everyone.
Click on the names of neighborhoods such as Stuckagain, Eagle River, and Palmer for more information on what it might be like to buy a home there.
Anchorage Area
Downtown Anchorage
1. Music in the Park
Grab your lunch and come hear Tyson Davis from Blackwater Railroad Company perform in Peratrovich Park. He will play new music and introduce touring acts from around the state and country. June 7th – August 9th.
2. Live After 5
This free event takes place in Town Square Park. It includes a beer & wine garden, prizes, and live music. Check it out Every Thursday from 5:30-7:30! Family-friendly, bring the kids, too! June 8th – Aug. 10th
3. Farmers Market
Come to 15th Avenue/Cordova Street Saturdays 9-2pm to check out the only non-profit, farmer-directed market in Anchorage. May 6- mid-October
Kempton Hills & Goldenview
4. Farmers Market
The South Anchorage Farmers Market is one of the largest farmers markets in Alaska. Come meet your food growers, make new friends and enjoy live music. Great south side location with plenty of parking. Get your veggies and then grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants within walking distance to this market! July 5 – September 27
StuckAgain Heights
5. Alaska Botanical Garden
Right at the base of Stuckagain Heights, this beautiful garden boasts a 110 acre spruce and birch woodland with northern horticulture and native plants. Come in summertime to see all the flowering plants and shrubs. Trails are great for day hikes. You may even catch a view of some wildlife!
East Anchorage
6. Farmers Market
Right at Begich Middle School. Come to the “the market by the mountains” close to the military bases. Saturdays from 9:30-2:30pm for your Alaska grown or caught, locally baked or cooked food and locally made arts and crafts. June 24 – September 23
Turnagain
7. Spenard Food Trucks
These food trucks give our local restaurants a run for their money! Find them in Chilkoot Charlie's parking lot. Enjoy outside seating with entertainment every Thursday from 11-2pm. June 8-August 17th.
8. Spenard Farmers Market
Saturdays from 9-2pm, right under the windmill. Come here to find locally grown plants, fresh Alaska grown and caught food, and handmade arts and crafts. May 13-September
Eagle River
9. Bear Paw Festival
This huge five-day event hosts a variety of attractions including a grand parade, the Slippery Salmon Olympics, a picnic, a car show, carnival rides, and the Ididaduck Rubber Ducky Race. The parade on Saturday is one of the best, local parades around! A lot of local pride goes into this parade! July 12th-16th
Four Bonus Getaways
Looking to break away from the city? Check out nearby hiking trails or get further out of town by heading north to Palmer, down to the ski resort area of Girdwood or down towards Ninilchik! Great summer events are happening in all these areas.
Palmer
Alaska State Fair
You don't have to be from Palmer to love this fair. It features big name entertainers, carnival rides, agriculture, produce, food, flowers, friends and family. It was the first fair in the U.S. to go entirely smoke-free in 2016! The land of the midnight sun produces some monster sized pumpkins and cabbages! Have your cameras ready. August 24-September 4
Girdwood
Girdwood Forest Fair
Features Alaskan artists, handcrafted items, food & entertainers from all over the state. The fair kicks off with the Forest Fair Parade. To get there, take the shuttle from the Alyeska Resort. No admission fee charged but permits required for campers. July 7th – 9th
Blueberry Festival
Enjoy free live music, berry picking, local arts and crafts, cooking demos, and a pie-eating contest! Join a 1K or 5K Fun Run. Learn safety tips in a bear awareness presentation and take a chairlift up to the berry stashes. No dogs allowed. August 19th - 20th
Ninilchik
Salmonfest
Less than a four-hour drive from Anchorage, this festival boasts “Three days of fish, love, and music” -worth the trek! August 4th - 6th
