It’s time to frame photos and artwork and gather up school projects to exhibit at the 46th annual Southeast Alaska State Fair.
Exhibit entries in non-perishable categories will be accepted at Harriett Hall 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, July 25, or 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 26.
Perishable entries in categories for crops and vegetables, flowers, and baked goods are due between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 30.
The Southeast Alaska State Fair is set for July 31-Aug. 3.
“Exhibits have begun arriving from other communities, and we always look forward to the local exhibit intake weekend,” said fair director Jessica Edwards. “It’s so fun to have a large collection of unique, hand-made objects in Harriett Hall.”
A special prize will be given this year to the winner in the Pioneer Arts and Recycling category, part of an effort to recognize achievements in a different department each year.
Edwards said she hopes a recent promotional trip to Ketchikan and Sitka will result in an uptick in out-of-town exhibit entries. The trip is part of a fair outreach program in Southeast Alaska, new this year.
“People in Southeast are very aware of the Southeast Alaska State Fair, but it is commonly referred to as the Haines Fair. It has been several years since fair representatives have traveled out to visit communities around Southeast that our organization serves.”
Edwards said she and staff member Julie Leonard talked with Ketchikan and Sitka residents about making a trip to Haines for the fair, submitting creative exhibits or wearable art entries, coordinating exhibit shipping in their community and other topics.
“Our goal is to visit at least two communities each year into the future. People were really interested and grateful that the fair was reaching out to them. We returned with lots of new connections,” Edwards said.
Other upcoming deadlines include July 18 for entries for the Wearable Art Review; entrants should contact the fair office for information. Wearable Art designs also may be entered as exhibits in categories ranging from sewing to recycling to fine crafts, depending on the nature of the artwork.
Information about the fair is at seakfair.org. Anyone interested in volunteering during the fair should contact the fair office, 766-2476 or send an email to [email protected].