A gigantic potato has been circling the United States for over 11 years and will be arriving in Alaska in the very first time on this particular weekend. The potato will be heading toward Skagway within Southeast Alaska. The huge tater might be a marketing scheme run by the Idaho Potato Commission, but Skagway is accepting the strangeness and laying out a red carpet.
There’s an iconic Idaho postcard. It features an old tractor trailer.
“And at the back of it is an enormous potato. And it’s entirely created. And they cultivate them hugely here in Idaho!'” said Sue Kennedy who has worked in the Idaho Potato Commission’s marketing department.
In 2012, in celebration of it’s 75th year anniversary, the Commission opted that it was time to take the post card back to life. The group constructed an inflatable fiberglass potato with the size of the whale’s humpback and loaded it onto a red semi truck, and then took it out on a journey of a whole year to promote the local food crop.
“And people loved it,”” Kennedy said. Kennedy. “It was supposed to travel for a year, but now, we’re at eleven years old. We’ve visited every city many times. We thought, ‘Let’s take a trip to a new city!”
This is Skagway.
“They will be here, hopefully — assuming no issues with the truckThey’ll be here on Thursday,” stated Skagway tourist director Jamie Bricker.
Bricker stated that she was surprised when she received a call from the Idaho Potato Commission called her earlier in the year to inquire about coming her, she saw a chance to bring color and fun to an annual event in the area.
“We will be having parades through town, and the truck carrying potatoes will go into Dedman’s Stage for the Skagway Arts Council’s Blues, Brews and Barbecues,” she said.
It’s a musical festival is now an spud-themed theme. Local bands are being redesigned.
“The Ma Tater Delia band will perform and Dick Tater and the Tots will be in attendance,” said Bricker.
It is anticipated that the mayor will deliver the announcement at the borough’s next assembly meeting, announcing the 22nd of July 2023 as Idaho Potato Day in Skagway. Two Skagway residents who have Idaho origins will get named King and Queen of Potatoes during the day. Local restaurants will also serve a variety dishes.
In spite of the zany marketing, potatoes are a big business. Kennedy stated that around 13 billion pounds potatoes are grown each season in Idaho. It’s about one in three potatoes that are grown across the U.S. Kennedy said another huge potato was cultivated prior to the potato’s creation.
“Have you heard about the hotel with potatoes?” she said. “Because we had a different version, but it was unable to travel for long because it was built from concrete and steel. We have now planted this within Idaho and it’s now an AirBnB.”
Kennedy stated that her potato covers about 250 miles a year. When asked about how much the expense is her, she declined to reveal the exact figures, however her response opens a tiny glimpse to the realm of travel food images.
“I’ll say this,” she said, “our budget isn’t that big in comparison to other mobiles with travel capabilities available. For instance, that Oscar Meyer Wiener mobile. I’m guessing they’ve gone all the way to Alaska. Also, the Planter’s peanut mobile is the Peanutters. They’ve had bigger budgets.”
Kennedy has said that the giant potato is expected to be heading to Hawaii very soon, too.
