The Ester Community Park is beautiful and unique in many ways beyond its fantastic playground, large stage and lush grassy field. The privately-owned park is completely separate from the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks & Recreation department and is maintained, paid for and operated entirely by volunteers with the non-profit Ester Community Association, using private donations, income from facility reservations and annual fundraisers.
The fourth annual Ester Fest, coming up on Saturday, Aug. 14, is a family-friendly fundraiser to help raise revenue for the purchase, maintenance and continuous improvement of the Ester Community Park. Concessions from local food trucks, and adult beverages from Goldies, as well as Ester Fest t-shirt sales also benefit the community park. Admission is $20 adults, $10 youth/seniors and children under 10 are free.
This year’s festival boasts a diverse line-up of some of Fairbanks’ top musicians as well as featured acts from artists as far south as Seattle and Austin. Music starts at 2 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m. Several local food trucks will be on site and Goldies will be serving up their signature cocktails to festival attendees over 21. For a complete line-up of music and food vendors please visit https://estercommunityassociation.org/ester-fest/
“We wanted to create a festival for everyone, breaking beyond the typical folk/bluegrass acts to include jazz, blues, punk, rock and R&B,” said organizer Monique Musick. “Each hour features a different music style and includes a diverse mix of artists.”
Parking at the park is limited so people are encouraged to carpool if they are able. The spacious lawn has lots of room to spread out – bring a chair or blanket and enjoy live music on the biggest outdoor stage and best grass in Fairbanks.
Since the venue is outdoors with lots of room for distancing, masking is not required, and no questions will be asked about vaccination status. Anyone who has COVID symptoms needs to stay home, and anyone who feels more comfortable is encouraged to wear a mask if desired. Vaccinations will be available onsite for those interested.