What's Happening

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Kenai Peninsula College will host a comedy showcase at 8 p.m. Saturday featuring Eric Nieves, a sought-after Latino comic who had a guest-starring role on "NYPD Blue" and appearances on "Showtime at the Apollo" and the BET channel's "Comic View," and Daniel Tosh, who has participated in international comedy festivals and appeared on "Late Night With David Letterman," "Comedy Central Presents" and Comedy Central's "Premium Blend."

The 15th annual Visual Celebration of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and Student Art Competition will be displayed at the Kenai Fine Arts Center on Cook Street in Old Town Kenai with an opening reception from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today. The center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Events and Exhibits

The Soldotna Animal Hospital has acrylic paintings by Dawn Nixon on display upstairs through April.

Art Works in Soldotna has an "Artist as Jester" self-portraits exhibit on display.

The United Methodist Church of the New Covenant on Frontage Road in Kenai has a religious art show on display in honor of its 50th anniversary.

The Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center has a digital art show called "Kenai Digital Funk" on display through Saturday. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Gary L. Freeburg Art Gallery at Kenai Peninsula College has a KPC student art exhibit on display until May 3. The gallery's hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.

Kaladi Brothers in Soldotna has Sears Elementary School students as its featured artists of the month and hosts a chess club every Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and a cribbage club every Sunday at noon.

Artwork by Kenai Peninsula artists can be viewed and purchased at the following area businesses: Art Works, Birch Tree Gallery, Claudette's Folk Art and Collectibles, Donna's Country and Victorian Gifts, Frames and Things, Malfunction Junction Gifts, Northcountry Fair and Tammy's Flowers and Gifts in Soldotna; Alaskan Gift and Gallery, Fireweed Herb Garden and Gifts, Kenai Fine Arts Center and Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center in Kenai; and Peninsula Furs Inc. in Sterling.

The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Information Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The center is on Ski Hill Road near the intersection of the Sterling Highway and Funny River Road in Soldotna. For more information, call 262-7021.

Entertainment

Sackett's Kenai Grill in Cooper Landing presents acoustic music by Nancy Anderson at 7 p.m. Friday.

Kenai Joe's presents music by Ten Cent Zen on Friday and Saturday.

George's Casino in Kenai presents a "Hugh Hefner Playboy Pajama Party" with drawings and prizes at 10 p.m. Friday and live music by Tuff-e-Nuff at 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The Rainbow Bar in Kenai presents music by The Mabrey Brothers at 10:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The VFW post in Soldotna has karaoke at 8 p.m. Fridays and bluegrass jam sessions at 7 p.m. Wednesdays.

The Vagabond on Kalifornsky Beach Road has karaoke at 9 p.m. Fridays.

The Riverside House in Soldotna presents "After 10," a dance party, Friday and Saturday nights. A DJ plays favorite Top 40 dance music until 5 a.m.

The King's Inn Lounge in Kenai has karaoke Thursdays, western dance lessons at 7 p.m. Saturdays and music by the Danglin' Wrangler at 9 p.m. Saturdays.

The AMVETS Post No. 4 in the Red Diamond Center on Kalifornsky Beach Road has karaoke at 8 p.m. Saturdays.

The Maverick Saloon in Soldotna has karaoke at 9 p.m. Mondays.

Films

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

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

Upcoming Events

The Soldotna High School drama department will present the comedy "The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild" at 7:30 p.m. April 15, 16 and 17.

The Homer High School Concert Choir, Kenai Peninsula Community Chorus and Kenai Peninsula Orchestra will perform Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" at 4 p.m. April 25 in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at Kenai Central High School. Conductor Mark Robinson will give a preconcert lecture at 3:15 p.m.

Down the Road

The Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival will be held May 6 through 9 in Homer. It will include a keynote address from renowned birder, author and storyteller Pete Dunne, an arts and crafts fair, music, auctions, exhibits, workshops, field trips and boat and kayak tours. To view the complete program, visit www.homeralaska.org.

The Pratt Museum in Homer presents "Bears, Beetles and Darkened Waters," a stewardship exhibit, and WHIZ Kids learning activity programs Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in the museum's lower level. Fish feedings are at 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.

Anchorage Events

The Anchorage Symphony presents its Season Finale Concert at 8 p.m. April 24 in the Atwood Concert Hall at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. The Anchorage Concert Chorus will join the symphony for a tribute to freedom featuring works by American composers, including Copland, Bernstein and John Adams. Tickets are $19 to $40 and available by calling (800) 478-7328, at CarrsTix locations, at the center's box office and online at www.tickets.com. Preceding the concert at 7 p.m. there will be a Words on Music presentation by Susan Wingrove, ASO education consultant. On April 23 at noon in the Z.J. Loussac L:library public conference room, there will be a Lunch and Learn informal discussion of the concert with the Anchorage Symphony Maestro Randall Craig Fleisher. The Words on Music and Lunch and Learn programs are free.

The Anchorage Museum of History and Art has "Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition" on display through May 16. Museum winter hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

If you have an event to include in our Thursday InSide section, send the information, in writing, to "What's Happening," c/o the Peninsula Clarion, Box 3009, Kenai, AK 99611, fax the information to 283-3299 or send it by e-mail to clarion@alaska.net.

The deadline for information is Monday at 5 p.m. For more information, call 283-7551.