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What you need to know:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Picnics and barbecues will surely be on the agenda for many this weekend as residents celebrate Junteenth, Father\u2019s Day and Solstice. But for those looking to leave the backyard, there\u2019s more than enough going on around the Valley to fill the longest weekend of the year.\u00a0<\/p>\n The action kicks off Friday with a Juneteenth celebration and continues through Sunday with music, museums, movement and even some muddy mayhem. From historic to heart-pounding, here are five things to check out this weekend in the Mat-Su.<\/p>\n The Palmer Museum will be the site of a free community Juneteenth celebration<\/strong> from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday. Juneteenth is a federal holiday that celebrates and commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in 1863. The Palmer event will feature a historical reenactment of the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, stories about Black history, an exhibit on the Alaska Highway Project and a car audio show \u2014 plus free food and kombucha while supplies last.\u00a0Visit the Mat-Su Sentinel calendar for more information.<\/a><\/p>\n The celebration will be held alongside Palmer\u2019s weekly Friday Fling event downtown, which features a variety of vendor booths and free entertainment throughout the summer.<\/p>\n Also Friday, the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer will celebrate Juneteenth with soul music by Soul Society of Alaska<\/strong> and singer Dawn McClain. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. show. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 5-17. Children 4 and younger are free. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged, and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. For more information, visit Mat-Su Sentinel calendar.<\/a><\/p>\n Get a hands-on lesson in preserving historical textiles<\/strong> Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. when conservator Sarah Owens visits the Wasilla Museum, 391 N. Main St., for a free public workshop. Owens recently worked with the museum to improve its historic textile collection. She\u2019ll share tips on preserving and extending the life of items such as linens, clothing and quilts. For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel calendar.<\/a><\/p>\n Saturday is race day in the Valley, with a pair of community events scheduled in Palmer and Wasilla.<\/p>\n Wasilla Seniors will hold its Miles for Meals on Wheels<\/strong><\/a> 5-kilometer fun run fundraiser beginning at 10 a.m. at 1301 S. Century Circle. Participants can register online at wasillaseniors.com or in person beginning at 9 a.m. Registration is $30, T-shirts are $15, and a barbecue afterward costs $10 or is free with race registration.<\/p>\n In Palmer, the HeartReach 5K for Life<\/strong> event \u2014 a walk, run, bike race and community gathering \u2014 begins at 9 a.m. at the Trunk Road Park & Ride, 7450 E. Blue Lupine Drive. <\/p>\n The bike race starts at 10 a.m., followed by a motorcycle sendoff and the run\/walk at 11 a.m. Free ice cream will be available starting at 11:20 a.m., followed by awards, door prizes and a toddler dash. For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel calendar<\/a>.<\/p>\n Treat Dad to a day in the mud at the Museum of Alaska, 3800 W. Museum Drive, in Wasilla, which is opening its mud bogging course for the annual Great Alaska 4×4 Meet and Greet<\/strong> from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. <\/p>\n There will be vendors, food trucks and an opportunity for drivers to test their off-road skills at the facility formerly known as the Alaska Museum of Transportation and Industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n The cost is $35 to run the course or $75 for a course run, family pass and camping. Spectator passes are $20 for adults, $10 for children and $50 for families of up to four. For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel calendar<\/a>.<\/p>\n Vendors, food trucks and live music return Saturday to Iditapark in downtown Wasilla from 3 to 9 p.m. for the latest installment of the City of Wasilla\u2019s free Music in the Park series. <\/p>\n Featured musical guests are Cold Fusion from 3 to 5 p.m. and Good Company<\/strong> from 6 to 9 p.m. Expect food, a beer garden, food trucks and plenty of opportunities for family fun. For more information, visit the Mat-Su Sentinel calendar.<\/a><\/p>\n — Matt Tunseth is a freelance writer from Southcentral Alaska. Email him at matthew.tunseth@gmail.com.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
Emancipation celebration<\/h3>\n
Wrapped in history<\/h3>\n
Off to the races<\/h3>\n
Down and dirty<\/h3>\n
Keep on rockin\u2019<\/h3>\n