Author: Casey Ressler

Casey Ressler is the Mat-Su CVB President & CEO. A perfect day for him involves his raft and his fly rod, ending with a campfire on the river with a view of Denali.

Alaska Day

October 15, 2025 by Casey Ressler
Happy Alaska Day! October 18 marks the 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. Alaska was originally a...

Alaska State Fair

August 14, 2025 by Casey Ressler
We're keeping this blog updated every week so you can see what's going on at the 2025 Alaska State Fair. Here are the concerts happening this weekend at the Alaska State Fair's Borealis Theatre. Sean Paul - Thursday, Aug. 28 Zedd - Friday Aug. 29 Foreigner - Saturday, Aug. 30 Dwight Yoakam -...
Summer is officially here, and everyone is looking to get out and enjoy the sun. The Mat-Su Valley has countless ways to enjoy the great outdoors, but here are seven of our all-time favorites. 1. Head to Hatcher Pass. There may not be a more beautiful - and accessible - spot in Alaska! Whether you...
Don't have a weekend to devote to hiking? That's not a problem in the Wasilla and Palmer area, as there are several great hiking opportunities just minutes from town. Here are our five favorites: 1. Hatcher Pass This is an easy choice! There are countless ways to explore Hatcher Pass, and there are...
Downtown Wasilla is the place to be this Fourth of July, as it promises to be a sea of red, white and blue as the annual parade floats wind their way through the town. It's one of the largest parades you'll see each year, and there's plenty of fun to be had. The parade begins at 11 a.m. sharp and...
This weekend, Colony Days takes over downtown Palmer, and with it, plenty of opportunities to get outside, have fun and celebrate. Colony Days kicks off Friday with several events, including the weekly Friday Flings open air market. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., family activities will be taking place in...

Memorial Day

May 23, 2025 by Casey Ressler
The first long holiday weekend of the summer is finally here, and it's time to get out and explore! While camping and barbecuing is high on the list of things to do for many, there are organized activities taking place around the Valley. For live music, there's plenty to pick from: Ukulele Russ...

Live at 5

May 19, 2025 by Casey Ressler
Every Friday throughout the summer, Talkeetna is the place to be for live music, as the Live at 5 Summer Concert Series takes center stage. Co-sponsored by Denali Arts Council and the Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce, Live at 5 runs through the end of August, with new bands playing every Friday at 5...

Friday Fling

May 8, 2025 by Casey Ressler
Palmer's popular outdoor market, Friday Fling, returns every spring and continues through August in the downtown area. Each Friday, the downtown area turns into a makeshift farmer's market, food court and music venue, as Friday Fling takes shape. The market typically runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m....
Despite having a lot of snow on the ground still, the first sign of spring is this weekend - the annual Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show at the Menard Center. You know that summer can't be too far away once the outdoor show season starts, and the Mat-Su show is the first one up on the calendar this year....