What to do this weekend in Mat-Su (Aug 7-9): Exotic animals, hot rides and tunes
From reptiles to hot rods, there's plenty to keep you entertained this weekend across Mat-Su.
What you need to know:
- There’s a variety of exotic attractions in Mat-Su this weekend, including an annual reptile expo in Wasilla and a run on the musk ox farm in Palmer.
- Visitors can also join a guided hike up Bodenburg Butte, attend the Show and Shine in Wasilla or check out the 49th State Street Rodders’ Hot Summer Nights car show in downtown Palmer.
- Outdoor concerts continue this weekend with performances in Wasilla, Palmer, Talkeetna and at the Musk Ox Farm, featuring artists including Blackwater Railroad, the Jerry Wessling Band, the Ken Peltier Band, Super Saturated Sugar Strings and Nervis Rex.
- Want your event included in an upcoming edition of "What to do this weekend in Mat-Su?" Email contact@matsusentinel.com
A musk ox march in Palmer and a reptile rodeo in Wasilla will highlight a wild start to August in the Mat-Su this weekend. There’s also one of the hottest car shows of the summer, a scenic hike and loads of live music, with outdoor venues entering the home stretch of the summer concert season.
Whether you’re slithering, showboating or stampeding, here are the details on where to go and what to see this weekend in the Mat-Su.
Visit an exotic location
Expect plenty of snakes, lizards and other exotic pets when the All Alaska Reptile and Exotics Expo visits the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The event will feature local breeders, animal rescues, vendors, veterinarians, arts and crafts, and more. Kids 6 and younger get in free. General admission is $7. For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel community calendar.
Run with the bulls
It’s not as precarious as Pamplona’s, but Palmer’s spin on Running With the Bulls might be more picturesque.
The 26th annual 5K and 10K cross-country races at the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer begin at 11 a.m. Saturday with a 1-mile kids race, followed by the longer races at 11:30 a.m. Take in views of the nearby mountains and the resident musk ox — who won’t actually be on the course — while running through the farm’s 75-acre pastures. Entry fees for the 5K and 10K are $20 for ages 17 and younger or $40 for adults. The kids race costs $15. For more information or to register, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel community calendar.
Take in the views
With 360-degree views of the Matanuska Valley, Bodenburg Butte is the most popular hike in the Mat-Su, according to borough parking pass sales.
But still, many people have never made the trek to the top of the 874-foot landmark south of Palmer. Hikers have a chance to change that Sunday at 1 p.m., when Revel Tours hosts a guided hike up the Butte as part of its Weekend Ramble hiking series. Registration is required, but it’s free for first-timers. Otherwise, the fee is $15. Expect a moderate climb with more than 700 feet of elevation gain before reaching the summit. For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel community calendar.
Catch a show
Hot rods will be in the spotlight Saturday with a pair of car shows in Palmer and Wasilla. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., check out OCDetailing’s second annual Show and Shine at Everett’s Restaurant in Wasilla. Admission is free. After that, head to downtown Palmer for the 49th State Street Rodders’ Hot Summer Nights car show from 5-9 p.m. Expect hundreds of cars, prizes for the top entries, food, vendors and more. Admission is free. For more information on either event, check the event pages on Facebook.
Listen up
The great outdoors continues to provide great music venues across the area, with a half-dozen shows scheduled this weekend:
- Last year’s Music on the Farm benefit concert was such a success that Kids Kupboard made it an annual event. This year’s free concert at the farm, 4800 N. Tanis Road in Wasilla, will feature Seward’s Blackwater Railroad. Gates open at 3 p.m., with music beginning at 5:30 p.m. Parking is available at Shaw Elementary. Donations will be accepted. For more information, visit the event page on Facebook.
- The Palmer Alehouse Summer Concert Series returns Friday with the Jerry Wessling Band and continues Saturday with the Ken Peltier Band at the alehouse’s downtown Palmer stage. Both shows begin at 7 p.m. For more information, visit palmeralehouse.com.
- Will Johnson will perform from noon to 3 p.m. during the penultimate edition of this year’s Friday Fling music series in Palmer. The farmers market and free live music series in downtown Palmer concludes Aug. 14. For more information, visit palmerchamber.org.
- The Musk Ox Farm in Palmer concludes its outdoor summer concert series Friday night with the Super Saturated Sugar Strings. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with music beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 5-17. For more information, visit muskoxfarm.org.
- Talkeetna’s Live at Five outdoor concert series welcomes Nervis Rex on Friday at 5 p.m. at Talkeetna Village Park. For more information on the free outdoor concert series, visit denaliartscouncil.org.
-- Matt Tunseth is a freelance writer from Southcentral Alaska. Email him at matthew.tunseth@gmail.com.