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The Cabbage Fairies Cast Their Spell at the Alaska State Fair
The full Cabbage Fairy Cast of 2025. Photo courtesy of Kate Lawton AKA Chou Frou Frou.
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Guest Blog by Leah Allis Moss
It is not every day you see a grown woman dressed as a cabbage, but at the Alaska State Fair, it has become one of the most beloved sights of late summer. The giant cabbage weigh-off drew big crowds in Palmer this weekend, with the winning cabbage tipping the scales at 84 pounds. It was not a world record, but still a leafy beast. But the oversized veggies aren’t the only stars of the show; there are also the magnificent Cabbage Fairies, adding sparkle, humor, and a touch of magic to Alaska’s biggest vegetable showdown.
Small Beginnings and Big Inspiration
Ginny Lawton (cabbage fairy name Chouette) still laughs about the day it all began. “My husband was the entertainment director at the Alaska State Fair,” she recalled. “He had gone to a fair in Topsfield, Massachusetts, that had giant pumpkins, and he came back with the idea of having a giant cabbage competition. So he said to me, I want you to grow a cabbage for it.” Ginny dutifully planted one in her garden. “It might have been 20 pounds. I mean, it’s pretty big, but it was nothing compared to all of the other cabbages,” she admitted. Sitting through the weigh off, she grew more and more restless. “I thought, you know, I could be a cabbage. That would be a lot more fun than sitting here and feeling sorry for myself.”
With that flash of inspiration, she sketched out a costume, recruited five friends, and the first generation of Cabbage Fairies took to the fairgrounds. Palmer had never seen anything like it. “None of us ever dreamed of when we first walked across the fairgrounds. People were just stunned,” Ginny said. “We discovered we were magical, and we didn’t know it.”
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Cabbage, Character, and Community
The Fairies are known for their vibrant green costumes, many of which they sew themselves, and for the way they carry themselves during the cabbage weigh-off. Always poised and always playful, they stand alongside the massive vegetables, setting the stage for the contest. But the contest is not the only place they shine.
“The fun part is the walking around and interacting with people,” Ginny said. “We loved it. Everyone comes home with such a high. It was so much fun to talk to the various fair patrons. And we’ve had lots of little girls who wanted to be just like us. We had a groupie who was four, four or five when we first met her. And last year, one day, I went with Kate and some of the new Cabbage Fairies. And there was my little friend, except she’s about six feet tall now.”
Ginny’s daughter, Kate Lawton (cabbage fairy name Chou Frou Frou) now leads the second generation. “There is a performance aspect,” Kate explained. “People are going to look at you because you are dressed as a giant green cabbage. And you have to be comfortable with that. I see it as kind of like acting.”
Heritage in a Head of Cabbage
For the Cabbage Fairies, the giant cabbage is more than a costume prop. It is a living symbol of Palmer’s roots as one of Alaska’s only farming communities.
Palmer became home to the Matanuska Colony project in 1935 when families from the Midwest were relocated to Alaska during the Great Depression with the promise of fertile land and a better life. With rich soils and long summer daylight, the Valley became famous for vegetables of astonishing size.
“The whole reason that the Cabbage Fairies exist is because of the giant cabbage,” Kate said. “They belong together.”
Ginny agreed. “We added an element of whimsy and fun. A fair should be fun. We truly made people smile. And it was fun for them, and it was fun for us.”
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Farming, Fairies, and Fortitude
Farming in Alaska has never been easy, and today the challenges are growing. Cuts to federal food programs, climate change, and supply chain disruptions are making food access more fragile across the state. For farmers, uncertainty is an inherent part of the job, and the immense hard work required to grow here is a testament to their dedication.
That is why the Alaska State Fair is more than a contest. It is a moment to celebrate what Alaska can grow, even in difficult times. “The whole event ties us back to farming in this Valley,” Ginny said. “That connection is important.”
The Cabbage Fairies embody that joy. Their costumes and laughter honor not only the cabbages but the effort behind them.
Legislating a Leafy Legend
Now, lawmakers are considering making the giant cabbage Alaska’s official state vegetable. Representative Genevieve Mina says it is about more than fun. It is about raising awareness of Alaska’s food systems at a time when they are under pressure.
“As part of Alaska’s efforts to combat food insecurity, it’s critical that we support local farming,” Mina said. “Folks in the Lower 48 don’t realize the agricultural landscape up here, whether it’s giant vegetables or the fact that carrots are sweeter in Alaska. And it’s great for Alaskans to have a shared point of pride.”
For Mina, the cabbage is the perfect choice. “It is the largest vegetable in the largest state.” She also knows the Fairies themselves embody that pride. “Cabbages have been an inside joke with my college friends, and we love seeing the Cabbage Fairies at the Alaska State Fair,” she said.
Ginny beams at the thought of cabbage gaining official recognition. “I think it’s the perfect vegetable. I mean, what else could I say as a cabbage fairy?”
The Real Prize
While farmers compete for ribbons, the Cabbage Fairies measure their success in smiles. “Being a cabbage fairy, I always felt that I was the winner,” Ginny reflected. “It brought so much pleasure and joy interacting with people. It was a blessing.”
Kate sees that joy continuing with the new generation.
“I love how being in that role allows a community spirit that is really special,” she said. “People blossom. They bloom. It draws them out to interact with the community as well.”
This year, as the winning cabbage weighed in at 84 pounds, the Cabbage Fairies twirled in their green costumes, posed with children, and waved at delighted fairgoers. They might not grow the cabbages themselves anymore, but they make something just as important. They remind us that Alaska can thrive in challenging times, and that joy itself is worth cultivating. And maybe soon, thanks to the Cabbage Fairies and a little legislative magic, the giant cabbage will take its rightful place as Alaska’s state vegetable.
5th place winner Claire Dorn with the cabbage fairies at the 2025 Alaska State Fair.
