What's Happening

Best Bets

* Rockey's Cafe in the Kasilof Mercantile will present singer, songwriter, and storyteller Kate Baum from 5 to 9:30 p.m. today during dinner. Baum will play the acoustic guitar and a custom Appalachian dulcimer. Reservations are required. Call (907) 567-4809 or (907) 567-4472.

* Triumvirate Theatre will hold its third annual dinner theatre and auction Friday and Saturday at The Crossing Restaurant in Soldotna. The show will keep in the tradition of spoofing movies and the plot centers around fishing on the Kenai River. The cast will perform "Citizen King." The ensemble includes Carla and Chris Jenness, Joe Rizzo, Jamie and Angie Nelson, Judy Shields, Mario Bird, Dan Adair, Jayton Rizzo and Justin Smith. Cameo appearances will be made by Mayor Carey of Soldotna and Kenai businessman Randy Daly. The auction will include a wide variety items from autographed items by former President Jimmy Carter, Barbara Bush, Eva Marie Saint, Tommy Lee Jones and Dean Koontz to food, trips, cooking classes to signed collectors piece from the movie "Star Wars." Tickets are $45 and include a prime rib dinner (a vegetarian option is available.) For reservations, call The Crossing Restaurant at 262-1906.

* The Kenai River Folk Dancers will host a smoke- and alcohol-free contra dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Kalifornsky Beach Elementary School. Live music will be provided. Participants are asked to bring clean, non-marking shoes. The price of admission is $5 per person. Kids under 16 years old are admitted free with an adult. Snacks will be potluck. For more information, call 260-4171.

* Poets Anne Coray, a Kenai Central High School graduate, and Mike Burwell of Anchorage will give a reading at River City Books in Soldotna at 7 p.m. Saturday. Coray is the author of "Bone Strings", "Soon the Wind" and co-editor of "Crosscurrents North: Alaskans on the Environment." For more information, call 260-7722.

* The Wailin' Jennys, award winning musicians from Canada, will play at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Peninsula Grace Auditorium on Kalifornsky Beach Road. Tickets at the door are $23 for general admission, or $20 for students, seniors, veterans and KDLL members. Teen and family discounts are available. The show is sponsored by World Music for the Kenai, Kenai Peninsula College's Multicultural Consortium, the Anna Fossett Goodrich Foundation and KDLL. For more information, call 262-6548 or e-mail mjmorgan@gci.net.

Events and Exhibits

* Artists Without Borders will present a group show titled "In Arrears," featuring work from nine local artists in the 4D conference room on the corner of Marydale Avenue and the Spur Highway in Soldotna. For more information, call Susan at 262-3958.

* Kaladi Brothers in Soldotna has Kathryn Zerbe as its artist of the month.

* The Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center at 11471 Kenai Spur Highway will host two solo exhibits. One by photographer Ron Levy. Levy's exhibit "Relevance: The Search of Meaning in our Lives Connections through People, Animals, Earth, Spirt" is taken from more than 20 years of assignments and personal work throughout Alaska and the world; and the other by artist Chris Jenness. Jenness' exhibit will be of the illustrations created in his graphic art workshop. Both exhibits will be on display through the end of the month. On Feb. 21, photographer Greg Daniels will show a presentation of images from his trip to South Africa from 7 to 9 p.m. at the center. Attendees are asked to bring a high protein food donation for the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank. The center also displays animal mounts, historic items and Alaska Native artifacts. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call 283-1991.

* The Kasilof Historical Society's cabin museum is open from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays or by appointment. It has historical displays and area artists and crafters are invited to display their work on weekends. The cabin is at Mile 1.5 Kalifornsky Beach Road. For more information, call Dave at 262-5125.

* The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center on Ski Hill Road outside Soldotna shows films on wildlife, the refuge and the history of the area daily at noon, 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.

Entertainment

* AmVets Post No. 4 in the Red Diamond Center on Kalifornsky Beach Road has karaoke at 8 p.m. Saturday and blind darts at 2:30 p.m. Sundays.

* Bluegrass jam sessions at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays. The first Thursday of the month at Christ Lutheran Church in Soldotna and all others at the Kenai Senior Citizens Center.

* Hooligan's in Soldotna has music by the Free Beer Band on Monday nights, karaoke Wednesday nights, 150 Grit on Thursday nights and live music Friday and Saturday nights.

* Kaladi Brothers in Soldotna will host Tyler Schlung Friday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and Emily Grossman Saturday from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

* Mugz Coffee Lounge in the Blazy Mall has acoustic music from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday with local artist; and also hosts open mic night Mondays.

* The Crossing will host Mike Morgan with folk, blues, Hawaiian and classic acoustic songs at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

* The Duck Inn has karaoke at 9 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

* The Rainbow Bar has Monday night poker; pool leagues on Tuesday; and live music Thursday through Saturday. The Mabrey Brothers will play at 10:30 p.m. today and Friday; 9Spine at 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 21 through 23.

* The Riverside House lounge hosts After 10 party Fridays and Saturdays.

* Veronica's in Old Town Kenai will have open mic at 6:30 p.m. today; Sarah Superman, Katie Evans and Chris Pepper at 6:30 p.m. Friday; Jeni and Mark Davis at 6:30 p.m. Saturday; and a Sunday music jam at 2 p.m.

* 406 in Kenai has karaoke with Steve and Debbie at 9 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Films

* Call Orca Theaters at 262-7003 for weekly listings and show times.

* Call Kambe Cinemas at 283-4554 for weekly listings and show times.

Upcoming Events

* Kenai Performers will present "The King and I" by Rogers and Hammerstein (directed by Carol Ford) at 7 p.m. Feb. 22, 23, Feb. 29 and March 1 and at 3 p.m. Feb. 24 March 2 at the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium in Kenai. The cost is $15 for general admission and $12 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at: in Kenai at Charlotte's and Halcyon Salon; in Soldotna at River City Books and Sweeney's Clothing; in Kalifornsky Beach at Whitey's Music Shop; in Nikiski at M & M Market; or at the door.

* A family dinner, live music and auction fundraiser will be held to benefit Montessori Model United Nations Student Fund will be held Feb. 29 at the Soldotna Sports Center. Dinner will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Music will played from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Performers will include Charming Daughters, David Edward-Smith, Baked Alaskans and other guest artists. The price of admission is $5 per person or $20 per family. Tickets are available at River City Books or by calling Soldotna Montessori at 260-9221.

Anchorage and Beyond

* The Alaska State Fair begins its Cabin Fever Reliever Concert Series with Blackhawk on Saturday, Billy Dean on March 15 and Heartland on April 5. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and all concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Raven Hall on the fairgrounds in Palmer. Tickets are available through TicketMaster.com and at Fred Meyer.