What Rally Days Is
Rally Days is the required spring check-in for Mat-Su/Copper River 4-H members who plan to take livestock to the Alaska State Fair. Run by the UAF Cooperative Extension Service 4-H district, it is where large livestock are weighed, paperwork is turned in, and small livestock exhibitors sign up. For members who want to sell in the 4-H/FFA Junior Market Livestock Auction, attending is not optional: an animal whose owner skips Rally Days is ineligible to sell that year.
Sessions in 2026
| Date | Time | Place | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 5 (alternate) | 4 to 7 p.m. | Palmer High School Ag Building | Large livestock weigh-in and paperwork. Advance registration required. |
| Wednesday, June 10 | 3 to 8 p.m. | Alaska State Fairgrounds | Large livestock weigh-in, paperwork and small livestock sign-ups. |
| Thursday, June 11 | Time to be announced | Fairgrounds | Optional workshops day. |
Brochures and posters for approaching potential buyers are also available at Rally Days.
Where Rally Days Fits in the Season
- Informational meeting: one of four held January through March. A parent or guardian attends with the child; returning members 16 and older may attend alone.
- Intent to Auction registration: due April 14 at 11:59 p.m. Register every animal you might sell; unlisted animals cannot be sold that year.
- Rally Days: June 5 or June 10 as above.
- Paperwork due July 6 at 4:30 p.m.: large livestock fair pen requests and parking requests for all livestock exhibitors.
- Buyer contacts due July 10 at 11:59 p.m.: each participant must present in person to at least 3 potential buyers. Late contacts cost $50 per day, and none by July 10 means ineligible.
- Small livestock registration: opens July 13 and closes July 31 at 11:59 p.m. (includes pen request).
- Large livestock show registration: due August 10 at 11:59 p.m., one form per animal.
- Fair week: check-in September 1 and 2, shows September 2 to 4, auction September 5.
Who Can Take Part
- Youth ages 8 to 18 as of October 1, 2025 in the Mat-Su/Copper River or Mat-Su FFA district: Juniors 8-11, Intermediates 12-14, Seniors 15-18.
- Market beef, market heifers and alternative breed beef require the exhibitor to be 11 years old and in 6th grade.
- Members must be enrolled in 4-H with fees paid, or in FFA, before the informational meeting.
- Out-of-district youth need an exception each year.
What to Know Before You Go
- Market animals must meet possession dates, age limits and sale weights. For example, market swine and market lamb must be in the member's possession by May 15, 2026 and weigh 65 to 130 pounds at sale; market beef must be in possession by December 1, 2025 and weigh 850 to 1500 pounds.
- Males of large livestock must be castrated, and market beef must be dehorned well before check-in.
- Participants must care for their animal at least 75 percent of the time it is in their possession.
- Three approved in-person workshops must be completed by August 3, and YQCA certification ($12) is required every other year.
- A W-9 is required before the auction.
Costs and Penalties
The auction sales fee is 5 percent of funds received by the participant. Missing registration, the informational meeting or Rally Days makes a member ineligible for the current year. Record books and thank-you cards are due September 25 and cost $50 per day late.
Where
The main session is at the Alaska State Fairgrounds, 2075 Glenn Highway, Palmer. The alternate session is at the Palmer High School Ag Building.
Questions
What if I cannot make June 10?
Attend the alternate session on June 5, which requires registration in advance.
Who do I call?
Mat-Su/Copper River 4-H Coordinator Samantha Blumenkonig, 907-745-3679.
Official Links
- Mat-Su/Copper River 2026 Livestock Important Dates
- 2025-26 Junior Market Livestock Auction contract and rules
UAF Cooperative Extension in Alaska: The Essentials
The UAF Cooperative Extension Service has provided research-based, practical education to Alaskans since 1930 and serves about 50,000 Alaskans a year. Faculty and staff work in 11 locations: Anchorage, Bethel, Delta Junction, Dillingham, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kodiak, Nome, Palmer, Sitka and Soldotna, per the UAF catalog. Major issue areas include food safety and security, natural resources, and youth, families and communities.
4-H
Alaska 4-H runs in ten districts. Participation runs from age 5 through 19, with age figured on or before August 15. Cloverbuds cannot enroll in large animal projects, and fair participation is optional, per the procedure guidelines. Fee waivers are available through your district.
Livestock
Auction registration and meetings are set by district. The Mat-Su 2026 calendar had an April 14 auction registration deadline, and missing it meant no auction that year, per the district calendar.
Next steps
Call the state office in Fairbanks at 907-474-5211 (877-520-5211 toll-free in Alaska) to find your district.
Dates and fees change each year.
Read the full guide: UAF Cooperative Extension in Alaska: Offices, 4-H and Help for Producers
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Mat-Su 4-H Mandatory Livestock Information Meeting at Palmer High
Fourth of four required spring meetings where Mat-Su 4-H and FFA families learn market-livestock rules before the fair, held in the Palmer High School ag building. Held each year; the 2026 session was March 19.
Palmer, AK | Organizer: UAF Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Mat-Su Copper River District Official event details - Mat-Su 4-H Small Stock Camp
Two-day hands-on camp for young 4-H rabbit, poultry and other small-livestock exhibitors, held in the 4-H Building at the fairgrounds before the state fair. Held each year; most recent dates were July 23-24, 2026.
Palmer, AK | Organizer: UAF Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Mat-Su Copper River District Official event details - Alaska State Fair
The 90th Alaska State Fair ran Aug. 21 to Sept. 7, 2026 in Palmer, open Thursday through Monday, with about 70 food vendors, carnival rides, 15 concerts and the 4-H and FFA livestock barns. Held each year.
- Alaska State Fair 4-H Small Livestock Conformation Shows
All-day judging of 4-H small-livestock market and breeding animals in the fairgrounds barn, the day after check-in and weigh-in. Held each year; the most recent date was Sept. 2, 2026.
Palmer, AK | Organizer: UAF Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Mat-Su Copper River District Official event details - Alaska State Fair 4-H Small Livestock Showmanship
Required showmanship class for 4-H small-livestock exhibitors, judged in the show ring at the Alaska State Fair. Held each year; the most recent date was Sept. 3, 2026.
Palmer, AK | Organizer: UAF Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Mat-Su Copper River District Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.