A giant potato has been traveling around the country for 11 years, and is coming to Alaska for the first time this weekend, heading to Skagway in Southeast Alaska. The outsized tater may be a promotional scheme by the Idaho Potato Commission, but Skagway is embracing the weirdness and rolling out the red carpet.
There is a classic Idaho postcard. It has a tractor trailer on it.
“And on the back is a giant potato, and it’s all made up. And it’s like, ‘They grow them big in Idaho!'” said Sue Kennedy who has spent her career with the Idaho Potato Commission’s marketing department.
In 2012, for its 75th anniversary, the commission decided to bring the postcard to life. The group built a fiberglass potato the size of humpback whale, loaded it on a bright red semi truck, and sent it on a yearlong tour to promote the local crop.
“And people loved it,” said Kennedy. “It was only supposed to be on the road for one year, so now, we are 11 years. And we’ve been to every city so many times. So we thought, ‘Let’s go someplace new!'”
That place is Skagway.
“They should be here hopefully — barring no more trouble with the truck — they’ll be here on Friday,” said Skagway tourism director Jamie Bricker.
Bricker said when the Idaho Potato Commission called her earlier this year to inquire about visiting, she saw an opportunity to add color and weirdness to a local yearly event.
“We are doing a parade through town, and then the potato truck will go out to Dedman’s stage for Skagway Arts Council’s Blues, Brews and Barbecues,” she said.
The music festival has taken on a spud theme. Local bands are getting a makeover.
“The Ma Tater Delia band will make a showing, and Dick Tater and the Tots will be there,” said Bricker.
The mayor is expected to read a proclamation at the next borough assembly meeting, declaring July 22, 2023 as Idaho Potato Day in Skagway. Two locals with Idaho roots will be crowned Queen and King of Potatoes for the day. And local restaurants will serve a variety of potato dishes.
Under the whimsical outreach, potatoes are big business. Kennedy said about 13 billion pounds of the vegetable are grown every year in Idaho. That’s one of every three potatoes grown in the U.S. Kennedy said another giant potato was built before.
“Have you heard of the potato hotel?” she said. “Because we had another version of this but it just couldn’t travel anymore because it was made of steel and some concrete. So now we planted it in Idaho and it’s an AirBnB.”
Kennedy said her potato travels about 25,000 miles a year. When asked how much the operation costs, she said she can’t disclose the numbers, but her answer opens a small window into the world of traveling food effigies.
“I’ll tell you what,” she said, “our budget is small potatoes compared to some of the other traveling mobiles that are out there. Like the Oscar Meyer Wiener mobile. I think they’ve been up to Alaska. And the Planter’s peanut mobile, the Peanutters. Yeah, they’ve got bigger budgets.”
Kennedy said the giant potato will travel to Hawaii soon, too.
