What is in season in Anchorage. and what to order when the market changes.

Spring

  • Copper River king salmon (mid-May to June): The Copper River District commercial salmon drift gillnet fishery opened May 22 in 2026 for a 12-hour fishing period. King salmon, the prized first-of-season fish, sells fast across Anchorage at high prices.
  • Spruce tip pickles (April-May): Foraged spruce tips appear on Anchorage spring menus, often pickled into a sour-citrus garnish. The Backcountry Eats and Foraging Treats day trip teaches identification and preparation.
  • Fiddlehead ferns and fireweed shoots (May): Wild fiddleheads and tender fireweed shoots forage briefly through May in the Chugach foothills; you will find them at higher-end Anchorage kitchens and the Spenard Farmers Market.

Summer

  • Copper River sockeye (May-July): Sockeye run May to July with a 2026 commercial harvest forecast of 728,000 fish on Copper River. Anchorage kitchens feature sockeye fillets on menus throughout summer at peak prices.
  • Pacific halibut (May-September): Halibut season runs May through September for Alaska commercial fleets out of Homer and Seward. Glacier BrewHouse and Simon and Seafort's run halibut steady through summer.
  • Wild blueberries and salmonberries (July-August): Wild blueberries, salmonberries and cloudberries appear at the Anchorage Market and Spenard Farmers Market through July and August, also foraged through the Chugach foothills.
  • Reindeer sausage carts (May-September): Tia's Gourmet Sausage, Fio's and Red Umbrella Reindeer set up on 4th Avenue downtown for the cruise season from May through mid-September, then pack up for winter.

Autumn

  • Matanuska Valley produce at Alaska State Fair (August-September): Late August through early September runs the Alaska State Fair in Palmer, with the famous Matanuska Valley giant vegetables, including cabbage and pumpkin grown under the midnight sun.
  • Coho silver salmon (July-September): Silver coho salmon runs July through September, the last of the Alaska summer salmon, with strong year-class returns to Cook Inlet and Bristol Bay tributaries.
  • Lingonberries and cloudberries (August-September): Wild lingonberries and cloudberries are foraged in late August through September across the Mat-Su Valley and Chugach foothills, ending up in Anchorage bakery jams and pie shop fillings.

Winter

  • Red king crab from Bristol Bay (October-January): Bristol Bay red king crab opens for commercial harvest in October and runs through January when stocks allow. Whale's Tail and Crow's Nest list it as a winter speciality.
  • Reindeer and moose game meats (December-March): Alaska winter game meat tradition centres on reindeer (commercially farmed) and moose (subsistence-licensed). Fur Rondy in late February showcases reindeer dishes across downtown.
  • Smoked salmon candy (year-round, gift season): Smoked salmon candy, sweetened with brown sugar and slow-smoked, is the iconic Alaska gift-shop and bar snack, available year-round at Alaska Sausage and Seafood Co and most Anchorage seafood counters.

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