Mat-Su Valley Blog

You know the holidays are right around the corner when craft fairs and bazaars highlight the calendar, and this weekend, one of the most popular is back for its second weekend. The annual Alaska State Fair Holiday Bazaar began last weekend and continues through this weekend, with more than 100 local...

Happy Alaska Day! October 18 marks the anniversary of when formal transfer of the Territory of Alaska from Russia to the United States. And it was a pretty good deal, too - just $7.2 million. The sale price was approximately 2 cents an acre and enlarged the United States by 586,000 square miles....

With the end of summer comes a new season - aurora watching. in the last week, some eager aurora seekers have been able to find them dancing in the sky in the Mat-Su Valley. As the nights get darker and colder, the chances of seeing them will only continue to get better. The northern lights are a...

The road over Hatcher Pass is officially closed for the winter after an early season snowfall blanketed the area with snow. The road is one of the most popular and scenic day drives in Alaska. It connects Willow with Hatcher Pass, and is a prime spot for hiking, berry picking and hunting in the...

For the first time ever, the THIRD weekend of the Alaska State Fair kicks off Thursday. After being cancelled last year, the 2021 Alaska State Fair is bigger than ever before, with a third weekend of fun added to the traditional 12-day fair. The fair runs through Labor Day, giving you one last shot...

Even during the summer, you can still have a dog mushing experience during a visit to the Mat-Su Valley. From visiting with Iditarod champions to petting newborn huskies, Iditarod and dog mushing is a year-round event in Alaska. Dog mushing is Alaska's official state sport, but more than that, it's...

Half a world away, U.S. Olympians are chasing the gold in Tokyo. But here in the Mat-Su Valley, it's silver that is the top prize for anglers. The first two weeks of August brings the peak of the silver salmon season in the Mat-Su Valley, a great time to have some fun on the water and have some...

Pink salmon are far from the most desired salmon in Alaska's streams, but they also provide a great opportunity to get out and test your hand fly fishing in Susitna Valley streams. Last week, I was joined by a college friend from 25 years ago who wanted to do some Alaska salmon fishing. We loaded up...

The Palmer Midsummer Garden & Arts Faire truly celebrates all things Alaska this weekend in downtown Palmer. The faire is one of Palmer's best annual events, with activities taking place throughout the downtown area, including live music, demonstrations, food trucks, activities and more. This year...

This weekend, celebrate all things summer at Pyrah's Pioneer Peak Farm (2350 S. Bodenburg Loop) as two days of activities take place to keep the entire family entertained. The festival, previously known as the Strawberry Festival, is a chance for the farm to celebrate summer with the community that...