The Alaska State Fair took place from Aug. 27 through Sept. 7. It was studded with performances and events. Performances included David Archuleta, Bill Engvall, The Beach Boys, Bucky Covington, Doyle Lawson, Seether, Rodney Atkins and Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Performances at the Borealis Theatre were usually sold out in a matter of hours. This was a great year to see performances. Kylie Perry, a senior, stated, “One day was pretty much for Bill Engvall.” She was also glad that his material was fresh. Engvall’s act was more than just “fresh,” he took notice of some of the interesting food at the fair, such as salmon quesadillas, fresh oysters, turkey legs, and other interesting food. Food at the fair this year was delicious, which has come to be expected. However, there were several complaints that everything was a bit expensive. This didn’t stop people from eating reasonable quantities. Some of the more interesting food included garlic potato chips, cheesecake in a cone and many others. The usual treats made a return this year, such as corn on a stick, cream puffs, reindeer sausage, and elephant ears. Some people think that elephant ears and funnel cakes are the same thing. Perry disagrees. In fact she got into an argument with a friend from her job over that very subject. The barn was full of animals and oversized vegetables. Not everyone was willing to brave the smell. But those that did saw the new world record holding cabbage for most weight. The cabbage weighed in on the scale at an astounding 127 lbs. This year an interesting event, the Backhoe Rodeo, took place. Backhoe operators had to put their skills to the test by setting a bucket of water through a series of holes, rolling eggs into a bucket, and knocking tennis balls off cones with the correct tooth on their backhoe. Not far from the Backhoe Rodeo was the annual Lumberjack show. They had the same material as every year; however, it was still entertaining. Screams from people being launched in the ejector seat were heard throughout the fair grounds. People who were launched commented about the rush of terror that they experienced. Tyler Mallory, a senior, described the terrifying event. “I went on the slingshot with my buddy Timmy [Peters].” To add to the experience, the ride broke down right before Mallory had his turn. “It broke right before we went on, and they fixed it with duct tape,” Mallory said. Kyle Dodson, a senior, stated that it was “intensely scary.” When asked if he had been on any rides while at the fair, Carlo Pastena, senior, said, “I only went on one . . . the slingshot.” He described it as “the scariest moment in my life.” To add to the beautiful weather that lasted the entire duration of the fair, the traffic wasn’t as bad as it was in years past. However some people still experienced bad parking positions. When asked to describe his parking experience, Dodson stated, “I parked in Eureka.” Bernard Corpus, a former Dimond student, reported that he had spent over $500 at the fair this year. When asked what he would change about the fair, he said the ticket price. This year’s fair was expensive; however, the cost proved to be worth it for most people. This year set a high bar for next year.