What’s Happening

Best Bets

· BJ’s in Soldotna has music by Hobo Jim at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

· The Crossing in Soldotna has live folk, blues, Hawaiian and classic acoustic music by Mike Morgan at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Bob Ramponi’s Alaska Swing Company with special guest artists Michael T., a professional chromatic harmonica player, and Evgeny Chernonog, a Russian jazz pianist, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Events and Exhibits

· Already Read Books in Kenai has river art by Mrs. Carter’s Montessori School students on display through today.

· The Dragon Fly Gallery in Soldotna has painter and mosaic artist Tracy Kemp as its artist of the month for May.

· Kaladi Brothers in Soldotna has Melinda Hershberger as its artist of the month for May.

· The Kenai Fine Arts Center in Old Town Kenai has “Small Shots” on display in May. Starting Friday there will be a dual show on display with clay sculpture, pottery and paintings by Laura Faeo and traditionally worked birch bark vessels by Regina McAbee. The show will be up until June 30 with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. June 7.

· The Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center at 11471 Kenai Spur Highway has “The Journals of Captain Cook” and the summer show, “Sticks and Stones, Alaska Structure.” 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 at the cabin on weekends. The cabin is at Mile .5 of Kalifornsky Beach Road. For more information or to set an appointment, call Dave at 262-5125.

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.

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

· The 406 Bar at the Kenai Spur Lodge in Kenai has karaoke with Steve Holloway and Debbie at 9 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

· Hooligan’s in Soldotna has music by 150 Grit at 5 p.m. Sunday and Thursdays and live music by Tuff-e-Nuff Friday and Saturday nights. Hooligans also has music by the Free Beer Band on Tuesdays and karaoke Wednesdays.

· The Hunger Hut in Nikiski has karaoke with Steve Holloway at 9 p.m. Saturdays.

· Kaladi Brothers in Soldotna has music by Loretta Sparding from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

· The Maverick Saloon in Soldotna has karaoke at 9 p.m. Mondays and live music by the Free Beer Band on Sunday nights.

· Moosequitos in Sterling has a Texas hold ’em poker tournament every Wednesday night, open mic night with Pete Jackson today and karaoke with Jason on Friday night.

· The Rainbow Bar in Kenai has the Mabrey Brothers from 10:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and a poker challenge at 6:30 p.m. Mondays.

· The Riverside House in Soldotna has “After 10” with Top 40 dance music Friday and Saturday nights.

· Veronica’s in Old Town Kenai has a folk music jam on the deck at 6 p.m. Tuesdays; open mic night at 6:30 p.m. Thursday; Sarah Superman on acoustic vocals at 6:30 p.m. Friday; and Vicki Tinker and Katie Evans on acoustic vocals at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Upcoming Events

· The Kenai River Festival will be held June 9 and 10 at Soldotna Creek Park in downtown Soldotna. Activities include a five-kilometer and 10-mile Run for the River, vendor booths, food and entertainment.

· Quilting on the Kenai’s 13th annual Quilt Extravaganza and Viewers Choice Quilt Show will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 21 and June 22, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 23 at 46719 Kalifornsky Beach Road in Soldotna. Classes, vendors, demonstrations and more than 100 quilts are some of the planned events and displays. An Art to Wear fashion show will be held at 7:30 p.m. June 23 at the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska in Kenai. The grand door prize will be a Pfaff sewing machine.

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.

Down the Road

· “The Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler, directed by Carolyn Norton and Miriam Elizondo, will be performed at Pier One Theatre on the Homer Spit at 8:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

· The Pratt Museum and Kachemak Heritage Land Trust are hosting a “History of the Head of Kachemak Bay” program and campfire barbecue Saturday. Meet at Mossy Kilcher’s Swift Creek cabin at the bottom of the switchback trail at the end of East End Road. Bring a sack lunch with barbecue ingredients. Dessert will be provided. Reservations are required by Wednesday. Call (907) 235-5273 for reservations and more information. The cost is $10 per person.

· The Kachemak Bay Sea Festival is going on through Sunday in Homer with various arts, music and outdoors activities. For information and a schedule, visit www.kbayseafest.com.

· The Fireweed Gallery in Homer has the Kachemak Bay Watercolor Society’s annual spring show of members’ work on display through today.

· The Pratt Museum in Homer is open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Currently on display is “Kachemak Bay: An Exploration of People and Place,” and “Beauty and the Bug” through Sunday. The museum has fish feedings at 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays and holds historic harbor walking tours at 3 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays for $5 starting at the Pratt Museum wheelhouse booth on the Homer Spit. Summer hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Anchorage events

· The Anchorage Museum of History and Art has on display the children’s exhibit, “Zoom! Planes, Trains and Automobiles” through May; “Points of View VII: Con-Census” through Sept. 2; “Inuniunniq aqvunniagun — A Way of Life through Whaling” through Sept. 16; and “Gift of the Whale: Photographs by Bill Hess” through Sept. 16. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.