The Southeast Alaska State Fair: Haines’ Biggest Summer Event

There is nothing more Alaskan than getting to attend the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines. This annual July event truly showcases the culture and community of Alaskans. It’s fun, it’s entertaining, there’s great food and you really can be immersed in some of the coolest people you’ll meet on an Alaska trip. This four day event is really unique and will make you want to move to AK just to be able to befriend everyone. Seriously, everyone needs to know a highly skilled lady log roller with a personality to match the skill.

We’ve got the full scoop on the Southeast Alaska State Fair in Haines and how you can plan your time traveling the Inside Passage to be able to be a part of this wonderful community gathering. It’s quintessential Alaska. If you have any questions about the SE Alaska State Fair or visiting Haines, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great Alaska trip.

Highlights of the Southeast Alaska State Fair

There are a few things that make the Southeast Alaska State Fair so fun to visit, but I think my favorite is the log rolling competition. There are several different lumbering events and other activities going on, but log rolling is just so cool. It starts off with simple competition to see who can stay on and then it turns into a bracket system with people challenging to stay in the competition.

There are men and women competing against each other, and every weight class trying to beat out others not even suited to them. It’s great fun and is so much EXACTLY what you want to experience in Alaska. The camaraderie is awesome and everyone enjoys cheering on the rolling. And yes, a lot of people end up in the water.

Another great highlight of the Southeast Alaska State Fair is the carnival aspect. A vintage Ferris wheel, belayed rock climbing, slides, crazy inflatable games, midway style fun and more make it feel wonderfully nostalgic. Our kids ended up getting competitive with the local Haines kids when it came to the rock wall, and then they all became buddies, having the best fair time together. Really, this is the sort of community I love being a part of.

And how can we talk about the Southeast Alaska State Fair without getting into the food?! Yes, there is the standard fair food of hamburgers and funnel cakes (I’ve worked many a fair burger stand), but since we’re talking about SE AK, you have to know that you’ll have some great local things too. Blackberry and huckleberry goods, salmon, fry bread, kelp, fish and chips… You’ll find everything you want to eat in Alaska here at the SE AK State Fair. It’s very informal (hello, it’s a fair in Alaska) so you can grab your food and find a spot to chill, listen to music and enjoy the whole experience.

Tips for Doing the Southeast Alaska State Fair

When you decide to visit the Southeast Alaska State Fair, you’ll have a few options for tickets. If you only have one day, a one day pass will be fine but if you know that you can visit for two days, get the multiday ticket. This doesn’t cover the cost of the ferris wheel, rock wall, inflatable craziness or the midway games, but it grants you access to the events, the showcase (arts and crafts), the live music and whole fair space. Also, the White Fang set from the movie is a part of the fairgrounds, so that’s a bonus to visiting the Southeast Alaska State Fair.

To have the best time enjoy the log rolling competition, make sure that you arrive for the beginning of the event. It lasts for hours, but I’ll tell ya, there is some drama with how the rounds progress. It’s so much fun to watch and it’s a great event to make friends at while you watch. Also, the vibe of the fair changes throughout the day, so roll with the locals and plan to just enjoy hanging out, eating and chatting.

If you’re looking forward to visiting Haines for the Southeast Alaska State Fair and didn’t plan properly, you’ll find that there is very limited lodging in town and that hundreds of people end up camping at the city campground and such. If you have the gear, join the crew and have a very salt-of-the-earth experience, but if you can plan far enough in advance, you should be able to get a hotel. A lot of people come into town on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry from Juneau for the fair, so also if you’re not here in Haines already, be prepared for a busy ferry boat and even sold out sailings. Planning, y’all; that’s the key to a great visit and getting the full Southeast Alaska State Fair experience.

Being Prepared for a Day at the SE AK Fair

Now it may seem weird to bring a big camera to the fair, but if you’re doing the Inside Passage in summer or you just want to enjoy a short summer adventure to Haines, you’ll likely have a good camera with you. Bring it to the fair! I say this because the lumberjack competitions can be crowded and you may not have the best seat in the house, but you’ll still want to get pictures. Have your big lens ready and you’ll be fine watching and enjoying the Alaskan events.

And while I would love to say that it’s for sure going to beautiful for fair weekend every year that’s not the case. Be ready with your umbrella and rain gear and then hope you can leave it in the car. Covered areas are limited and there are none in the competition area, so it’s best to be ready.

I’ve talked a lot about community and the friendly nature of getting to experience the Southeast Alaska State Fair, and that includes the dining options. There are lots of food choices, but not lots of seating. There is a large picnic table courtyard that is very communal, so when it’s time to enjoy your fair food, whether that be salmon or donuts, buddy up and get ready to be friendly with the other fair-goers. Really, these are cool people and hanging out together just adds to the experience.

Contests at the SE AK State Fair

The contests at the Southeast Alaska State Fair are the best part, and that includes the different logging competitions. Here’s everything you may get to experience when you come to the fair:

• Logging (log rolling, axe throwing, saw bucking…)
• Fiddle contest
• Horseshoe contest
• Singer/Songwriter competition
• Fisherman’s Rodeo
• Most Lovable Dog contest
• Quilting, art and veggie contests…

There’s so much going on when you come to the fair you will likely want to plan for two days to get to enjoy as much as you can.

Haines Great Alaskan Craft Beer Festival

While it’s not necessarily the Southeast Alaska State Fair, in May each year you can visit the fairgrounds and enjoy the Great Alaskan Craft Beer Festival. This goes for two days and brings brewers from all around Southeast Alaska to share tastings and pints with any and all. It happens on the fairgrounds and has fair vibes even if it’s all about craft beer. The Craft Beer Festival in Haines happens on the second to the last weekend of May each year, filling up the Klondike area and more.

Parking for the Southeast Alaska State Fair

There is a large parking lot at the Southeast Alaska State Fair, but it’s not boundless. Be patient if you’re trying to park at the fair grounds, and know that it’s not paved, but can be muddy. There is some parking along the road as you approach the fairgrounds, but pay attention to signage, both permanent and temporary, so that you’re parking safely. A shuttle is offered from a block off downtown and from the ferry terminal, so that’s nice if you are walking onto the boat and don’t mind hanging with the locals from sun-up to sundown. If you’re staying locally in a hotel like the Captains Choice Motel, the Hotel Halsingland or the Aspen Suites you can walk to the fairgrounds. It’s a bit of a walk, but it’s doable and everyone else is doing it too.

When is the Southeast Alaska State Fair

While the Southeast Alaska State Fair is always the last weekend of July, sometimes this means that it flows over into the first few days of August. In 2025 it was July 31 – August 3, and for 2026 July 23-26, and then 2027 July 29 – August 1. Ultimately, the best time of the year to be in Haines is also when the Southeast Alaska State Fair is, so plan appropriately.

Note: Beerfest is another great event that happens in Haines at the Fairgrounds. This takes place in May and is almost as popular for folks to travel to.

More Things to do in Haines

I feel like Haines is kind of this sort of secret spot on the Inside Passage. Most of the cruise ships go to Skagway or Icy Strait Point and completely miss Haines, which makes it wonderful and quiet. I love this town because there is lots to do and it’s beautiful. There are a few museums, you’ve got two state parks, lots of options for fishing, boat charters, LOTS of Chilkat Tlingit totem poles, art and more. Haines is the version of Alaska that I wish still existed all through the Inside Passage and up into South Central AK.

When you’re planning your visit to Haines and your activities, I think spending 3-4 nights is perfect. This gives you plenty of time to hike and enjoy the wildlife and rivers, but then also you can have time in town and up along the Haines Highway. Everyone has a different style of travel and activities they look for, and I think that’s what makes Haines such a good destination to visit.

Here are some of our recommendations for things to do in Haines: