Animals, bands, fair food and a surprising number of a cappella groups will come to Ninilchik this weekend for the 71st Annual Kenai Peninsula Fair. The event runs Friday through Sunday with a packed schedule of performances and attractions across stages and rodeo grounds.
Longtime Fair Coordinator Lara McGinnis spoke about the range of events on offer, including the Whiffenpoofs, an a cappella group composed of students from Yale University; Bethany, an 11-year-old singer performing a tribute to Hobo Jim; The Fearless Flores, a daredevil couple and their daredevil daughter featured on America’s Got Talent; and a marquee performance given by Home Free.
Home Free is another a cappella group, with a country focus. They first performed at the Kenai Peninsula Fair in 2014. “They fell in love with Alaska, and we fell in love with them,” McGinnis said. “They have a beatboxer. They don’t just do a cappella vocals, they have full percussion, and it’s unlike anything you’ve ever heard. It’s phenomenal.” The group will hold a concert Saturday night at 7 p.m. requiring tickets currently available online, separate from fair admission.
The presence of two a cappella groups was a funny coincidence according to McGinnis. Negotiations to bring Home Free back began over a year ago, while the Whiffenpoofs were added to the roster only a week before the start of the event because they just happened to be in the area.
Another major attraction of the fair is Rodeo Alaska, who are putting on a show Friday night at 6:30 p.m. This will include a bull and barrel riding event called “Beauty and the Beast,” which McGinnis said will feature more than 20 bull riders. There will also be pig races and a petting zoo throughout the weekend.
Food trucks and other options will be available at the fair, including Hot Dogs a-la-carte, Wok n’ Roll, Taco Love, the Honey Bee Cafe and Wisconsin Cheese Curds. McGinnis said there would be kettle corn, ice cream and cotton candy “because it wouldn’t be a fair without that.”
McGinnis said the goal of the fair is “to connect generations.” The fair is staffed by volunteering teens from 4-H, a local basketball team, and others from the community. McGinnis said she’s been producing the fair for 15 years, and has had the opportunity to watch the volunteers grow up and support the fair as adults.
The fair targets families and children, looking to provide “the happiest place you can be.” Tickets to the fair are $10 for adults and $5 for youth, with discounted $3 admission for kids and seniors on Friday. The fair will be open Friday from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
The Kenai Peninsula Fair is its own entity, a private nonprofit run by a board of directors. McGinnis is an independent consultant, formerly a contracted employee, brought in each year to organize the event. Proceeds are primarily used to maintain the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds and to pay property taxes on the space, according to McGinnis.
To view a schedule of events or to purchase tickets, visit kenaipeninsulafair.com.
