What to do this weekend in Mat-Su (May 29-31): Music in parks, flings, libraries and disasters

What you need to know:

• The Mat-Su Valley is packed with weekend events, including Wasilla’s free Music in the Park concert series kickoff Saturday at Iditapark and Palmer’s weekly Friday Fling market downtown.
• Families can also attend the free Su Valley Emergency Preparedness Fair on Saturday at the Willow Community Center, featuring safety demonstrations, local vendors, door prizes and emergency readiness activities.
• Other highlights include Saturday’s groundbreaking celebration for the new Palmer Public Library and the three-day Spring Market at Mountain Field Farm with vendors, food trucks, live music and local artisans.
• Want your event included in an upcoming edition of "What to do this weekend in Mat-Su?" Email contact@matsusentinel.com.

Summertime happenings are sprouting left and right these days, with staples of the local outdoor entertainment calendar taking center stage across the Mat-Su this weekend.

Palmer’s Friday Flings are underway, and Wasilla’s weekly music series kicks off Saturday. There’s also an emergency preparedness fair, a large farmers market, and an official Palmer Library groundbreaking ceremony Saturday. From literature to live music, here are five fun things to do this weekend in the valley:

Music series rocks Wasilla

Ready to groove? Wasilla’s summer Music in the Park concert series will kick off Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m. at Iditapark, 594 W. Nelson Ave. in Wasilla.

The opening show will feature Raised by Elephants from 3 to 5 p.m. and i Like Robots from 6 to 9 p.m., along with food trucks, local vendors and a beer garden. These free, all-ages events are presented by the city of Wasilla and run weekly through July 4.

This year’s scheduled artists include Pepper Kit, Hope Cassity, and Black Barrel & the Bad Men on June 6; Masahiko Kawajo, Harp Twins+Wolfgang Twins, and Nervis Rex on June 13; Cold Fusion and Good Company on June 20; Natalie Gelman, Madeline & the Brother Smith, and H3 on June 30; and Schaeffer Mueller & the Neon Highway and the Mat-Su Concert Band on July 4.

For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel community calendar.

Fling into Friday

Kick off the weekend with a variety of local vendors, fresh produce and handmade goods — plus live music and entertainment — at the Palmer Chamber of Commerce’s weekly Friday Fling event from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the downtown pavilion in Palmer. These weekly all-ages events are free and run through Aug. 14 at the pavilion, located at 723 S. Valley Way. For more information, visit Mat-Su Sentinel's community calendar.

Get ready for disaster

It pays to be prepared—and it’s free, too. This year’s fifth annual Su Valley Emergency Preparedness Fair on Saturday is a free community event designed to heighten awareness of emergency preparedness and give people the skills they need to be ready for all-season safety and disaster preparedness.

“Being Prepared Counts!” is the theme of this year’s fair at the Willow Community Center, Mile 69.5 Parks Highway. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature an interactive earthquake room, live safety demonstrations, local vendors, door prizes, and free safety bags for the first 100 adults who attend. Patriot BBQ also will be on-site. For more information, visit Mat-Su Sentinel's calendar.

Can you dig it?

Book it to downtown Palmer on Saturday for a groundbreaking celebration for the new Palmer Public Library from 3 to 5 p.m.

The event begins at 3 p.m. with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new library, which will be located at 655 S. Valley Way. It will continue with a public reception and celebration at the Palmer Depot building across the street.

Palmer’s library has been temporarily located in a building on Arctic Avenue since its roof partially collapsed during the winter of 2023. The new 20,000-square-foot building is expected to be completed in 2027. For more information, visit palmerak.org.

Spring is in the air

Mountain Field Farm, 13100 E. Scott Road in Palmer, will host local vendors, food trucks and live music during its free Spring Market from Friday through Sunday.

Visitors can expect local artisans offering everything from handmade goods and vintage finds to jewelry, art and baked goods. Friday’s event includes live music and a night market that runs until 8 p.m.

Hours are 3-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit Mat-Su Sentinel's community calendar.

-- Contact Amy Bushatz at contact@matsusentinel.com