This weekend: First Friday, Girdwood Fungus Fair plus the Alaska State Fair's final stretch
Sep. 2—Alaska State Fair, Trudeau family
We've entered September, which indicates fall is likely here to stay in Anchorage. And that means that most of the summer fun will be ushered out in favor of autumn activities. Cue the final weekend of the Alaska State Fair, which includes a number of major concerts as well as Military Appreciation Day and First Responder Day on Sunday and Monday, respectively. There will also be a number of First Friday events around Anchorage on Friday.
I Like Robots '80s Dance Party: 8 p.m. Saturday, Williwaw Social, 609 F St.
Alaska's all-'80s band should have the crowd up and dancing playing the hits during this throwback party.
Girdwood Fungus Fair: 9:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Girdwood Community Room
The 15th annual edition of this event promises to put the fun in fungi. There are a number of different workshops and demonstrations as well as some planned forays. Check the schedule for availability as space is limited.
Fungus Fair, Gabriel Wingard, Girdwood, Girdwood Fungus Fair, fungi, mushroom, mushrooms
Alaska State Fair concerts
Shaggy & Common Kings: 7 p.m. Friday
Combine the most prolific dance-hall entertainer in history with a band that dabbles in rock, reggae and island vibes and you've got the recipe for Friday's concert. Shaggy has sold over 40 million records and produced a number of hits. Tickets are $49/$59 and gates open at 5:30 p.m.
Brothers Osborne: 7 p.m. Saturday
Composed of John and TJ Osborne, this group manages to blend country and rock into its own unique sound. The band has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and has five CMA awards, including Best Duo. Tickets for the show are $45/$55 and gates open at 5:30 p.m.
Barenaked Ladies: 6 p.m. Sunday
This band is one of the most successful to come out of Canada, with over 15 million albums sold. Known for its catchy hits like "One Week" and "If I Had $1,000,000," the group should have fans dancing in the crowd. Tickets are $49/$59 and gates open at 4:30 p.m.
Lauren Daigle: 3 p.m. Monday
This two-time Grammy winner has become a mainstay in the contemporary Christian genre. For the final major concert of the fair, Daigle will entertain the crowd with her No. 1 singles "First," "O'Lord" and "Trust in You." Tickets are $69/$89 and gates open at 2:30 p.m.
First Friday
—Anchorage Museum, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., 625 C St.: Current exhibitions include Jovell Rennie: The Place I Call Home, Borealis: Life in the Woods, and Counter Cartographies: Living the Land. Free music with Ed Washington.
—Tundra Herb Company, 9 a.m.-11:55 p.m., 520 W. Sixth Ave.: Acrylic stencils drop art.
—International Gallery of Contemporary Art, 5-8 p.m., 427 D St.: "Loose Ends" by featured artist Linda Lucky.
—Tiny Gallery, 4-8 p.m., 706 W. Fourth Ave.: Carol Jones of FireBear Designs is the featured artist.
—Stephan Fine Arts, 6-8:30 p.m., 939 W. Fifth Ave.: Sonia Pullins, Jan Stitt, Whitney Anderson and Dan Coe are featured artists.
—The Cubby at Hotel Captain Cook, 6:30-8:30 p.m., 939 W. Fifth Ave.: Sonya Pullen and Jan Raven Stitt are featured artists.
—Romney Designs, 5-8 p.m., 420 G St.: Joe Eckdahl of JAE Woodshop is the featured artist.
—Sevigny Studio, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., 312 G St.: Katie Sevigny is the featured artist.
—Sara's Gift Cache, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., 408 W. Fourth Ave.: Various artists featured, this month's charity is Battle Dawgs.
—Middle Way Cafe, 5-7 p.m., 1200 W. Northern Lights Blvd.: "Occupied Time" works in encaustic and cold wax by AlaskaWax.
