Hundreds of children and their adults flocked to the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum Friday.
The Father Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building was the site of a free Family Fair, and just before 3 p.m., organizers put the headcount at about 110 kids and 90 adults with more filing in. The event began at 1 p.m.
“I thought what a nice thing to do on a holiday vacation,” said Lolita Edgar, who was in attendance with her grandchildren. “We were here when it first opened, and I thought it was about time we came back. “
Organizers said attendance seemed to be up slightly from last year’s fair.
The Family Fair utilized all parts of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum, not just the attention-grabbing museum exhibits.
Children such as 9-year-old Troy Edgar were able to pose in projections of Division of Tourism photos from the Alaska State Archives.
Edgar opted to slide his face into a photo of a mountain climber. Other options included a fisher, dancers, skiers and more.
Other children such as 2-year-old Raymond Howard tried their hand at writing using quill pens in the library, which was also the site of story time.
The nearby research center offered the chance for children to make origami resembling Alaska animals such as puffins, rabbits, foxes, swans and frogs.
Downstairs, there were a number of arts and crafts projects for kids.
They twisted pipe-cleaner-esque materials to make humanoid Alaska action figures, which were then adorned with parkas and snowshoes made at subsequent stations and Alaska yo-yos, which were two pom-poms attached to yarn that children twirled.
“It just seemed like fun,” said Heather Paige as her 3-year-old son Benny toddled quickly toward his recently made yo-yo.
• Contact arts and culture reporter Ben Hohenstatt at (907)523-2243 or bhohenstatt@juneauempire.com.
Wren Mesdag, 4, finishes up an origami whale during the Family Fair Friday, Jan.4, 2019. One of the stations at the event allowed children to fold paper into shapes resembling Alaskan animals. (Ben Hohenstatt | Capital City Weekly)
Benny Burke, 3, watches his Alaskan yo-yo get made after selecting a bead during the Family Fair Friday at the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum, Jan.4, 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt | Capital City Weekly)
Lolita Edgar snaps a photo of her grandson, Troy Edgar, 9, during the Family Fair Friday, Jan.4, 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt | Capital City Weekly)
Raymond Howard, 2, tries writing with a quill during the Family Fair Friday, Jan.4, 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt | Capital City Weekly)
Families mingle on the first floor of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum during the Family Fair Friday, Jan.4, 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt | Capital City Weekly)
