After about a six-year hiatus, the smell of barbecue and the sound of political chatter returned to Kincaid Park on Wednesday, as the Alaska Republican Party revived its long-dormant summer picnic tradition.

With picture-perfect Anchorage skies — bright blue with puffs of white clouds — the GOP’s comeback event drew a lively crowd of around 300 party faithful to the Kincaid Chalet. Under the leadership of Alaska Republican Party Chairwoman Carmela Warfield, the party brought back what used to be a marquee summer social event for conservatives across the state — a social gathering that lost its steam during the Covid years starting in 2020, and was not revived under the former chairmanship of Ann Brown, who was noticeably absent on Wednesday.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy headlined the evening, delivering rousing remarks to supporters who enjoyed grilled fare, camaraderie, and a fresh sense of energy heading into the next political cycle. Dunleavy mingled freely with attendees, posing for photos and chatting about everything from the state budget to the summer fishing runs.

“Our Summer Picnic was more than just a gathering, it was a celebration of the incredible teamwork and volunteer spirit that powers our movement, said Party Chairwoman Warfield. “The Alaska Republican Party is built on the dedication of grassroots conservatives who give their time, energy, treasure, and heart to defend our values. This picnic was our chance to say thank you, reconnect, and strengthen the bonds that will carry us to victory in 2026. Thank you to Governor Dunleavy for co-hosting with me, and giving our keynote. Thank you to Congressman Nick Begich and Senator Dan Sullivan for the generous sponsorships and support, and thank you to all of our table sponsors, and volunteers that worked the grills, served food, decorated and in so many ways, made it an amazing event. It was a beautiful day and wonderful to be together.”

Warfield said the event reminded her of a quote from Ronald Reagan: “So many challenges ahead of us, but together we can change the world. And I hope we remember this time together, remember the good feeling and the shared commitment in this room….We’ll have our battles ahead of us, but they’re good battles and they’re worth fighting for.”

“This is what a healthy party looks like,” said Rick Green, who served as the emcee for the festivities, keeping the program moving with enthusiasm and humor. A face-painting booth for kids and a bouncy house provided something for the next generation; they were sponsored by Sen. Dan Sullivan and Congressman Nick Begich, both of whom were at work and unable to attend.

Booths lined the chalet, where grassroots groups shared petitions, campaign signs, and stickers. The Repeal Now campaign, aiming to gather enough signatures to put ranked-choice voting repeal on the 2026 ballot, was among the most popular tables, with volunteers collecting signatures to give voters another chance at returning to normal voting in Alaska.

Gubernatorial candidates Bernadette Wilson, Edna DeVries, and Matthew Heilala mingled with the crowd.

Not present at the event were Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (who was out of state due to a death in the family) and Click Bishop, who are both announced candidates for governor. Also not attending was presumed gubernatorial candidate Adam Crum, who is the commissioner of Revenue for the Dunleavy Administration. Attorney General Treg Taylor, who is expected to announce for governor, did attend later in the evening.

The picnic attracted a broad swath of Republican district leaders from Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley signaling a renewed sense of party unity.

Gov. Dunleavy, in his remarks, noted that after the primary in 2026, Republicans need to rally behind the top vote getter — and he was emphatic about that.

The picnic used to be such a well-known event that it was even covered by two reporters from the Anchorage Daily News back in 2016. Here’s the spin that they wrote:

More photos from this year’s ARP Summer Picnic: