What to do this weekend in Mat-Su (March 20-22): Music, jamboree and health fair
There's plenty to do around Mat-Su this weekend from Meadow Lakes to Palmer and beyond.
What you need to know:
- Mat-Su residents have a wide range of weekend activities to choose from, including live music.
- Highlights include a cappella group Ball in the House performing Friday and Blackwater Railroad playing two shows in Palmer.
- Family-friendly and community-focused events round out the weekend, including a scouting jamboree, free health screenings, and a salon on artificial intelligence and literature.
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If variety is the spice of life, then this weekend’s Mat-Su entertainment offerings are a five-course meal, with everything from foot-stomping music to a relaxed literary discussion on the menu.
From the cerebral to the celebratory, here are five things to do this weekend in Mat-Su:
Awesome a cappella
Boston-based Ball in the House will bring its a cappella R&B/soul/pop sound to the Colony High Theater (9550 E. Bogard Road) Friday at 7 p.m. With influences ranging from the Beach Boys and the Temptations to the Jonas Brothers, the 2018 China International Chorus Festival headliners bring “a fresh take on classic sounds and a passion for connecting with audiences.” The show is presented by the Palmer Arts Council and Alaska Junior Theater. Tickets are $25 general admission or $20 for Palmer Arts Council members. For more information, visit palmerarts.org.
Back in Black(water)
Seward band Blackwater Railroad has built such a large following in Palmer that it will play a pair of shows this weekend at the Palmer Alehouse (320 E. Dahlia Ave.), with performances scheduled for 7 p.m. both nights at the downtown Palmer brewery. The band will unveil 15 new songs at these family-friendly shows (minors must be accompanied by an adult). Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel community calendar.
Scouting for fun
Plan on fun for the entire family Saturday at Scouting America’s Mat-Su Community Jamboree, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Borough Gym in the Borough Administration Building (350 E. Dahlia Ave.) in Palmer. Activities will include archery, a rain gutter regatta, arts and crafts stations, food trucks and a campfire program. Tickets are $5 each or $15 for the whole family. For more information, visit the event page on Facebook.
To your health!
Nonprofit Alaska Health Fair Inc. will host a free Meadow Lakes Community Health Fair Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at Meadow Lakes Elementary (1741 N. Pittman Road). The event will include low-cost blood screenings and free PSA tests, and will provide information on a variety of health and wellness resources. For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel calendar.
Salon Sunday
Folks will have a chance to apply their thoughts to issues surrounding AI during a literary salon on artificial intelligence and literature Sunday at 3 p.m. at Palmer Brewing Company (650 E. Steel Loop). Writer Michele Harmeling will kick off this free community discussion presented by the Palmer Arts Council. For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel calendar.
-- Matt Tunseth is a freelance writer from Southcentral Alaska. Email him at matthew.tunseth@gmail.com.