Party With Recyclers in the Mountains, Sustainably of Course
Contributed by Lex Kerst
Your community recycling center is holding its annual low-waste music festival in the mountains to kick off summer! The 9th Recycle Revival is scheduled for 1 PM to 9 PM Sunday, June 7, 2026, at Skeetawk Ski Area in Hatcher Pass. This event serves as the nonprofit’s only fundraiser of the year and combines live music, local food vendors, sustainability, and community activities in a setting free of single-use plastics.
The festival will feature performances from local acts including Lulu Small & John Cook, The Robotz, Denali Cooks, and the Jerry Wessling Band. Attendees can also expect food trucks, including Flour.ish.ing Pizza, Divine Dips Ice Cream Bars, High Five Hand Pies, and AK Gourmet Dogs, a beer garden, a silent auction, chairlift rides up the mountain, family-friendly activities, and scenic views of Hatcher Pass. Admission is $20, while children 13 and under may attend for free.
Valley Community for Recycling Solutions, commonly known as Valley Recycling, has served the Mat-Su region for just over 28 years as a household recycling collection center and waste reduction nonprofit. Recycle Revival not only raises operational funding but also promotes sustainable practices and encourages community involvement. The event has grown steadily since its early years and has become a summer kickoff tradition for many Mat-Su residents.
Skeetawk Ski Area, located in Hatcher Pass near Palmer, will once again host the event. The mountain venue offers outdoor space for music performances and gatherings, a beautiful yurt that will hold the silent auction, and use of the chairlift to catch the sunset. The afternoon winds down into a summer festival atmosphere that immerses you in local entertainment and the environment.
In addition to ticket sales, proceeds from silent auction donations also support Valley Recycling’s year-round outreach programs to schools and community events. This year’s silent auction includes tickets on the Alaska Railroad, local goodie baskets, a bat house, and even an entire chicken coop.
Special thank you to our $1,000+ sponsors so far this year: ConocoPhillips, Holland America Princess, Mat-Su Health Foundation, The North Face, Aethereal Coffee, K2 Aviation, Enstar, MTA, Martha Grover Real Estate, and Sterling & DeArmond, PC.
VCRS will continue seeking additional sponsors and silent auction contributors until the last week of May. Community members interested in supporting the event can contact Valley Recycling directly through the organization’s website or by phone.