You know summer is starting to wind down when the Alaska State Fair opens its gates. Somehow, we've already made it to that point.

This week brings giant vegetables, live theater, classic cinema, wearable salmon, a couple of new additions around town, and more.

In the Roundup this week:

Here’s what’s happening around town 👇

🎡 Alaska State Fair — Alaska State Fairgrounds (Aug. 21–Sept. 7)
Opening weekend is here for the Alaska State Fair, with carnival rides, live performances, giant vegetables, food vendors, competitive exhibits, and plenty of classic fair favorites. USA Today recently ranked it among the top 10 state fairs in the country. The fair is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

🎭 Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike — Cyrano’s Theatre (Fri–Sun)
Cyrano’s Theatre opens its 2026 season with a Tony Award-winning comedy about three middle-aged siblings, long-held resentments, and one chaotic visit from a movie-star sister and her much younger boyfriend. Expect family dysfunction, sharp humor, and plenty of absurdity.

🎬 Casablanca — Bear Tooth Theatrepub (Sun, 4 PM)
Join the Anchorage Cinema Club for a big-screen showing of the 1943 classic Casablanca. The film follows an American café owner in French Morocco who must choose whether to help his former lover and her husband escape the Nazis. After the screening, stick around for an informal discussion with fellow movie fans at the restaurant.

🐟 Wearable Art Workshop: Salmon Costumes — Anchorage Museum (Thu, 5:30 PM)
Join artist Jamie Hirano for a free workshop creating wearable salmon costumes for next week’s Fish Creek Indigenous Place Names Celebration and Parade. No sewing or costume-making experience is needed, and participants can help build or even wear one of the finished costumes in the procession.

🏚️ Big Timber Motel Comes Down After Years of Vacancy

Anchorage has demolished the long-vacant Big Timber Motel on 5th Avenue after years of code violations and safety concerns. City officials say removing the deteriorating building could make the property easier to redevelop, and they’re looking at dozens of other distressed properties for similar action.

🧋 Bear Bubble Tea — New Tikahtnu Location
Bear Bubble Tea has opened a new location at Tikahtnu, expanding the local, family-owned boba shop to another part of Anchorage. Expect the same lineup of teas and boba drinks, now with a new East Anchorage spot to grab them.
📍 1106 N. Muldoon Rd., Suite 145
🕒 Tue–Fri • 10 AM–7 PM
🕒 Sat–Sun • 10 AM–6 PM
📱 @bearbubble.tea
🌐 bearbubbletea.com

🧄 Sakana Poke & Soiree — New Garlic Crunch
Sakana Poke & Soiree is now carrying LaCust, a Malaysian garlic crunch brand that recently launched in the U.S. The handcrafted condiment comes in original and spicy varieties, with a crisp texture and bold umami flavor designed to work on everything from meat and fish to vegetables and noodles.
📍 570 E Benson Blvd #23
📱 @sakanasoiree
📱 @lacust_usa

💬 Know about a new business, product, or project? Submit it here.

Browse 50+ events happening over the next seven days, filter by category, and discover what’s happening around Anchorage. You'll still find my Top Picks in the newsletter, while the full calendar is available online.

👉 View the Events Calendar

Good luck out there this week!

If you found something useful, share it with someone who starts planning their State Fair food order weeks in advance.

— Klynt
Publisher, The Anchorage Local

P.S. Have something happening in Anchorage? Send it my way.

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