This year’s Kenai Peninsula Fair was “one of the best well-attended” fairs in recent years, according to organizers on Monday. Held last weekend, Aug. 8-10, at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik, the fair featured returning favorite events like the car show and rodeo and new activities including interactive dinosaur rides on “Frozen Fossils” animatronics brought down by vendor Fairbanks Dinosaurs.
Kenai Peninsula Fair board member Katie Matthews said Monday that the fair was “a fun little down-home event” with plenty of activities for attending youth and a “well-attended” rodeo. One of her personal favorite exhibits was the educational farm where kids were able to get hands-on experience with animals.
“Kids can come and learn about where eggs and milk come from and begin to associate local foods and agriculture with things they see in their homes,” she said.
New this year was the children’s art barn, for which a group of local artists put together several classes per day including rock painting, making beaded earrings and printing photos on mugs. Youth were able to participate for free and take their projects home with them.
Fair organizer Jack Money spoke to this year’s competitive agricultural and craft exhibits, which saw plenty of vegetable and floral entries, as well as art and photography.
“One of the highlights this year was that we had 17 quilts entered — a huge uptick from last year,” he said Monday, adding that this year’s entries were “incredible.”
Particularly impressive, he noted, was that a 2-year-old won division champion for photography.
Additionally, a dunk tank fundraiser for the Ninilchik School pool raised nearly $2,000, said Money, who took part in the fundraiser as the dunkee.
The pig races, an annual fair feature, were “packed” and saw “some of the highest participation in recent years,” he said.
This year’s fair also featured performances by Homer musician Silas Luke Jones, who recently made his television debut on “America’s Got Talent,” and Cousin Curtiss, returning to the fairgrounds after his recent showing at Salmonfest. Rodeo events were also showcased over the weekend.
Longtime fair organizer Lara McGinnis said she had to take a step back this year due to health reasons but she was happy to see the results of the fair.
“So many people I’ve seen grow up over the last 20 years showed up to work at the fair and make things happen in so many ways,” she said. “It made my heart happy to watch from afar.”
Learn more about the annual Kenai Peninsula Fair at www.kenaipeninsulafair.com/.
2025 Kenai Peninsula Fair Jr. Rodeo Results
Lead Line Barrels
1. Perry Lou Chilla
0-12 Barrels
1. Shylee Strausbaugh; 2. Leila Gibson; 3. Brody Butchart.
13-18 Barrels
1. Jade Christy; 2. Myla Stohl; 3. Kaylee White; 4. Willow Langerbruger.
Lead Line Poles
1. Perry Lou Chilla
0-12 Poles
1. Shylee Strausbaugh; 2. Brody Butchart; 3. Leila Gibson.
13-18 Poles
1. Jade Christy; 2. Willow Langenbruger; 3. Lily Kerr; 4. Isabella Arno.
0-12 Keyhole
1. Leila Gibson; 2. Isla Brown.
13-18 Keyhole
1. Lily Kerr; 2. Laramie Gibson; 3. Kilee Barnes.
Steer Daubing
1. Laramie Gibson; 2. Etolin Mil.
Kids attending the Kenai Peninsula Fair on Aug 8-10, 2025, take part in free crafting classes at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Jack Money)
Fair organizer Jack Money sits in a dunk tank as part of Ninilchik’s “Save the Pool” fundraiser during the Kenai Peninsula Fair, Aug. 8-10, 2025, in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Jack Money)
