For first time in 28 seasons, Antiques Roadshow will visit Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - For the first time in its 28-season history, Antiques Roadshow will be visiting Alaska as part of its 2023 tour, set to film in the Last Frontier for one leg of a five-stop summer stretch.

Known for being “part adventure, part history lesson and part treasure hunt,” Antiques Roadshow is the most-watched series on PBS, according to the roadshow’s website. The hour-long episodes feature leading appraisers’ reviews of antiques and collectibles from all corners of the country.

Each city, including Anchorage, will have three dedicated episodes of Antiques Roadshow airing in 2024.

“We are turning ourselves upside-down here,” Antiques Roadshow Executive Producer Marsha Bemko said. “Because we are so excited to be able to go to Anchorage. Every city we go to, we really plan it out: we want to get all over the country, we want to spread ourselves out in every tour, so in all regions of the country.

“We get to see some of the most rare and precious and not just valuable, just teaching items, even. We get to see that wherever we go, and every city shows us different things, and we learn from it. I watch those appraisals over and over again. We will find the kinds of items in Alaska ... that will be different. Every city sort of has its personality, and I don’t think most of us down here in the Lower 48 have had the privilege of visiting Alaska.”

Bemko said Alaska has long been on her list of places for the roadshow to visit; she came up here years ago, she said, to scout out Anchorage as a potential stop.

“We’ve been wanting to go to Alaska forever,” Bemko said. “We’re pinching ourselves that we’re coming to Alaska, and we can’t wait. It’s our first time to the state, and we can’t say that all the time.”

The tour will go to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on May 2; Raleigh, North Carolina, on May 16; Akron, Ohio, on June 6; and Sturbridge, Massachusetts, on June 13, before making the long haul to Anchorage for a stop on July 11.

“I think we’re going to find good stuff,” Bemko said. “Everybody who wins a spot to come to the show gets two tickets, and they’re going to get to bring two of their most precious things that they want to learn about, that they don’t know about. And we’ll have the answers for you.”

Bemko, who also highlighted the efforts of many volunteers and Alaska Public Media for contributing greatly to getting the show up to Anchorage, said she’s especially looking forward to seeing some of the Indigenous pieces people might bring in.

“And, as our appraisers say, good stuff has feet,” she laughed. “So some stuff that’s made its way to Alaska.

“The best part about producing the show is that the people who will end up coming to our show have a better idea of what they’re bringing than I know what you’re bringing,” she said. “It’s a treat to come to the show.”

The agreed-upon filming location is still under wraps, but producers said “historic venues” will be revealed closer to event dates.

To avoid same-day crowds and lines, and the issues that often come with them, Antiques Roadshow has a system set up for people to prepare to potentially attend. Admission to the roadshow is free, but tickets — and getting them in advance — is required.

Interested parties can enter for a pair of tickets on the show’s website. From there, names will be drawn randomly. The deadline to enter is March 13 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Complete rules and other information are also available on the website.

“The number of applicants we normally get is very driven by the number of people who live in that area,” Bemko said, explaining that one of last year’s shows had 15,000 more applicants than tickets available. “So your chances of coming if you apply are good.”

She said anyone from anywhere in the country can try to go to a stop in any city, though they must be a U.S. resident to participate.

“Make this a vacation and apply for the show,” she said. “They have a better chance of getting in. So, we will have people who don’t live up there, who will travel. It happens everywhere, people like us and they want to get in. People vie to get in. I have met guests who have told me they’ve tried for tickets for ten years.”

The ticket site also features a second-chance application, in which an item and a story can be submitted for review. That, Bemko said, is an opportunity to convince producers to bring a contestant and their item on the show. Ten or 15 people will also be chosen from that pool for early entry and guaranteed appraisals.

Those interested can also call (888) 762-3749 for more information. For access to a frequently asked questions sheet, full episodes, a searchable archive, in-depth articles and more web extras, head to the Antiques Roadshow website.

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