What to do this weekend in Mat-Su (Oct. 2-4): Polls, Potatoes, and Pints
That October chill is in the air, but there's plenty of fall fun around the region.
What you need to know:
- Palmer and Wasilla face off in the Potato Bowl, while Frost Fest and local markets offer seasonal fun.
- The Musk Ox Farm and Palmer Alehouse host Oktoberfest celebrations, alongside live music in Palmer and Talkeetna.
- A Mat-Su candidate event invites public participation, while haunted attractions kick off the Halloween season in Palmer and Wasilla.
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Cool October air means it’s time to chill out a bit. Luckily, there are ample opportunities for that over the next few days, with Oktoberfest and Halloween events, crosstown rivalries, political races and live music highlighting a busy weekend ahead.
From fall favorites to football and fireworks, here are seven ideas for what to see and do this weekend in the Mat-Su:
Hot potato
There are going to be fireworks when rivals Palmer and Wasilla take the football field at Palmer High Friday at 7 p.m. for the 48th annual Potato Bowl. Crosstown bragging rights and the Mayor’s Trophy will be on the line at Machetanz Field, where admission is free thanks to a sponsorship by Edward Jones Financial. Fans are asked to bring canned goods or cash to support the Sandwich Project, an effort started by a PHS student in 2018 to help feed hungry students. Stick around afterward for a fireworks show courtesy of Gorilla Fireworks and the Houston Lions Club. For more information, visit the Palmer High Facebook page.
Public opinion
Bring your phone and opinions to the Glenn Massay Theater (8295 E. College Drive) in Palmer Sunday at 1:30 p.m. for the Mat-Su Sentinel’s Flip the Script: Mat-Su State House and Senate Election Connection event. Hosted by Sentinel editor Amy Bushatz and the Alaska Beacon’s James Brooks, the unique event will give audience members the chance to provide interactive feedback to the candidates. It’s not a traditional town hall — instead, participants share the issues that matter most to them. The event is free, nonpartisan and open to all, and food and drinks will be provided. It’s the first of two such events, with the second, focusing on Mat-Su Borough Assembly and school board topics and candidates, planned for Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Palmer Depot.
Saturday special
Expect everything from food and drinks to local crafts and artwork when the monthly First Saturday Vendor Market debuts for the season Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mat-Su Borough Gym (350 E. Dahlia) in Palmer. There will also be kids’ crafts from 1 to 3 p.m. at the market, which is scheduled monthly through May. For more information, visit the event page on Facebook.
Have you herd?
Enjoy Bavarian culture with an Alaskan twist Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. during “Oxtoberfest” at the Musk Ox Farm (12850 E. Archie Road) in Palmer. There will be beer, bratwurst, Alaska-grown potato salad, Alaska-grown sauerkraut, pretzels made in Palmer and even locally sourced potato chips. Plus, there will be mountain views, a herd of musk oxen and “oompah” music by the Alaska Blaskapelle band. Tickets cost $80 each. Find more information.
In concert
Join the Ken Peltier Band for one last outdoor hurrah Saturday at the Palmer Alehouse’s annual Oktoberfest celebration. Expect beer, brats, pretzels, plenty of live music and more at the alehouse’s final outdoor concert of the season. The fun starts at 6 p.m. with a beer stein lifting contest, with Peltier taking the stage at 7 p.m. It’s a free, all-ages event, though attendees under 21 need to be accompanied by a guardian.
Also this weekend:
- Violinist and storyteller Chris Murphy will visit the Fairview Inn (101 N. Main St.) in Talkeetna Friday from 8 to 11 p.m. Find more information.
- The Mat-Su Concert Band will perform Nature’s Grandeur, an “evening of music inspired by the beauty and majesty of the natural world,” Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Glenn Massay Theater. Tyler Martin will conduct. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for students and free for kids 5 and under. Find more information.
Chill out
Winter’s coming fast. Get set up for the snow Saturday at 11 a.m. at the third annual Frost Fest, a wintertime resource expo and canned food drive at the Train Depot building (610 S. Valley Way) in Palmer. Sponsored by the Mat-Su Health Foundation and the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation, the event will feature information on local wintertime clubs and activities, vendor booths, gear demonstrations and more. It’s free and open to the public.
Fright nights
Haunted houses and Halloween-themed events are starting up this weekend, including Nightmare at the Museum Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Museum of Alaska (3800 W. Museum Drive) in Wasilla and Hallow-Screams at the Palmer Elks (2600 N. Barry’s Resort Road) in Palmer. The museum’s event will feature a haunted house, haunted train, haunted hayride and “live” zombies for participants to shoot with paintballs; it’s $13 (or $20 if you want to shoot zombies). At the Elks, they’ll have a haunted trail geared toward older kids and teens; the cost is $10 per person. Both run each weekend through Halloween.
-- Contact Mat-Su Sentinel at contact@matsusentinel.com