What's Happening

Best Bets

There will be a reception for the Kenai Peninsula Boys and Girls Club art exhibition from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. today at the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center. The show itself will be on display today, Friday and Saturday. Viewing the show is subject to room availability; call 283-1991 for more information. Center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Members of the Kenai Photographer's Guild will present a slide show of some of their excellent work at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center. There is no admission charge.

Events and Exhibits

The Soldotna Sports Center will hold a skating recital from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today with participatns of the Learn To Skate program. Admission is free with a donation of a can of food for the food bank. There will be door prizes.

The Kenai Peninsula College Art Gallery has a KPC faculty show on display through Friday. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.

The community Christmas musical program in Ninilchik presents a potluck and the musical "Have You Heard The News?" at 5:45 p.m. Sunday at the Carol Bock Hall at the Ninilchik Fairgrounds. Admission is free, and participants are asked to bring their favorite dish.

The Kenai Fine Arts Center, at 816 Cook Ave. in Kenai, is hosting a holiday art and clay gift gallery through the end of December. For more information, call 283-7040.

The Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center has Robert Glenn Ketchum's "Arctic" photography exhibition on display through Jan. 25. The exhibit consists of 51 images of the Alaska and Canadian arctic. Also on display is a photography exhibit of Cook Inlet scenes with poems by Pat Dixon of Seattle. It will be on display in the KVCC meeting room through Jan. 17. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Kaladi Brothers in Soldotna has Chelline Larson as its artist of the month.

Mykel's Restaurant in Soldotna has Marty Hapeman as its artist of the month.

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 Collectables, 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 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. There are many scenic hiking trails, including the Kenai River trail, which begin near the center. 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

Buster's Coffee House in Kenai presents music by Mike Morgan and Friends from 7 to 10 p.m. today and Midlife Crisis from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday.

Moosequito's in Sterling presents music by Frozen Chosen at 9 p.m. Friday.

Kaladi Brothers presents music by Mike Morgan from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Kenai Joe's presents music by Ten-Cent Zen from 10 p.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

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

The Katmai in Kenai presents karaoke with Sherri at 9 p.m. Fridays, The Danglin' Wrangler performs country music at 9 p.m. Saturdays and ladies' night karaoke is Tuesdays.

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

Upcoming Events

Jennifer Stinson, author of "The Inappropriate Baby Book" will be signing copies of the book at River City Books in Soldotna from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 29.

The Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center will host the Kenai Quilt Exhibition from Feb. 1 to March 8.

Films

Call Orca 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 Fireweed Gallery presents "In Living Color," a display of stoneware by Elizabeth West and monoprints and collages by Leslie Klaar, through Jan. 2. The gallery's featured artist of the month is watercolor painter Mary Bee Kaufman.

The Pratt Museum will host the All Alaska Juried Art Exhibition through Dec. 30. The Festival of Gingerbread will be on display in the lower level of the museum through Friday. Public viewing of fish feedings are Tuesdays and Fridays at 4 p.m. at the museum.

Anchorage Events

The Anchorage Concert Association presents the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning musical "Rent," written by Jonathan Larson and directed by Michael Greif, Jan. 7-13 at the Atwood Concert Hall. Ticket prices range from $41 to $61 and are on sale now. On Jan. 19, the Anchorage Concert Association will present the Emerson String Quarter in the Discovery Theatre. Tickets for these events are available at all CarrsTix locations, the box office at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, online at www.anchorageconcerts.org, or by calling 1-800-478-SEAT. Information on discounts for students and groups of 10 or more is available by calling (907) 272-1471.

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 via e-mail to clarion@alaska.net.

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