Best Bets
■ ARTSpace and the Rotary Club of Soldotna will have their annual exhibit and sale from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Soldotna Library. Free admission and refreshments are sponsored by Sweeney’s Clothing of Soldotna, and the public is invited. There’s no commission and no middleman, so artists can sell directly to buyers at a price that’s beneficial to all concerned. ARTSpace will also be selling a limited-edition book of photo-reproduced lithographs by local artist and homesteader Jim Evenson. The books, printed in a run of 50, contain Evenson’s 50 favorite lithographs and will be signed by the artist. Proceeds will endow a permanent scholarship in Jim and Nedra Evenson’s name.
Events and Exhibitions
■ The Kenai Potters Guild will be offering pottery classes beginning today at the Kenai Fine Arts Center. Classes will be held on Thursday evenings from 6-9 p.m. and will last 8 weeks. The cost is $200. Contact Laura Faeo at 776-4008 for more information.
■ “Travelogue: A Photographic Journey along the Ancient Silk Road” will be presented Friday at 12:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the Soldotna Public Library. Sammy Crawford recently returned from a trip along the ancient Silk Road including the countries of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. Light refreshments will be served. Co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Central Kenai Peninsula.
■ Brian Erwin, of Frames & Things in Soldotna, will be the featured speaker at the Kenai Totem Tracers Genealogical Society meeting on Saturday from 1-3 p.m. in the large meeting room at the Kenai Public Library. Mr. Erwin will be speaking on conservation framing, storage and handling of family photographs and heirlooms. He will cover shadow boxes and materials used in framing along with proper mounting techniques.
■ The 13th annual Homer Burning Basket: Basket of Remembrance and Unburdening, a community interactive impermanent art experience, will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mariner Park at the base of Homer Spit. All are invited to interact with the big basket by decorating the outside; personal notes can be tucked inside. At sundown the basket will be ignited and burned in the theme of remembering departed loved ones, releasing burdens of the heart, and as a celebration of changing seasons, creativity and imagination. The labyrinth will remain until the storms wash it away. There will be a drumming, and fire spinning performance. Building for the basket will take place from noon to 8 p.m. daily Sept. 4-10. All are invited to join in the creating of a large sculpture of an intricately woven basket, and a walking labyrinth using locally gathered natural materials. This is a free event. No alcohol or dogs are allowed. Fro more information, contact lead artist Mavis Muller at 907-299-1478 or visit the event’s Facebook page at facebook.com/BurningBasketProject.
■ “Keen on the Kenai,” an exhibition of artwork exploring the concept of what it means to live, work and play on the Kenai Peninsula, is on display at the Kenai Cultural and Visitors Center, on the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai.
■ The Peninsula Art Guild’s Harvest Art Exhibit and Auction is on display at the Kenai Fine Art Center, 816 Cook Ave. in Old Town Kenai. Silent auction bidding is open and will continue through the Oct. 1 auction event. The Kenai Fine Art Center is open from noon-5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Call 283-7040 for details.
■ ARTspace Drawer is on display at the Soldotna Library, the first annual collection of locally created 2D art. The first of its kind in Alaska, this display is made possible by a partnership between Soldotna Rotary, ARTspace Inc., and the Soldotna Public Library.
■ “Inspired By Books” is an exhibit comprised of 17 art quilts by 5 artists based on three books and will be on display the month of September at the Homer Council on the Arts building, 355 W. Pioneer in Homer. Business hours are Monday-Friday, 1-5 p.m. and on second Saturday of each month.
■ Scrapbook or make your own cards from 7-10 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Sterling Community Center. Bring scrapbooking supplies and/or card making supplies and relax and do some creative work. This is a non-instructional time to work on projects and is open to high school students and up. No children. Sterling Community Center members get in free, and there is a $6 fee for non-members. Call 907-262-7224 or email the office at scc@acsalaska.net for more information.
Entertainment
■ Veronica’s in Old Town Kenai has Open Mic on Thursday at 6 p.m. live music at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Call 283-2725.
■ The Alaska Roadhouse hosts a Blind Draw Horseshoe Tournament every Thursday at 6:30 p.m.; Double Elimination and Blind Draw means anyone can win! All are welcome, call 262-9887 for more information.
■ A bluegrass jam takes place on the first Sunday of the month at from 1-4 p.m. at the Mount Redoubt Baptist Church on South Lovers Loop in Nikiski.
■ The Flats Bistro on Kalifornsky Beach Road has live music with Garrett Mayer on Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and Raymond Machen-Gray on Mondays from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
■ An all acoustic jam takes place every Thursday. The jam is at Christ Lutheran Church in Soldotna on the first Thursday of the month, and at the Kenai Senior Center during the rest of the month. Jam starts at 6:30 p.m.
■ AmVets Post 4 has reopened in its brand new building on K-Beach across from Jumpin Junction. Eligible veterans and their families are invited to stop by to find out more about AmVets and their involvement in the Veteran community. For members and invited guests, Friday night dance to DJ Roy, and Saturday Burn your own steak and karaoke with Frank.
■ Odie’s Deli in Soldotna has live music Friday from 6-8 p.m. and Pub Quiz night every Wednesday from 6-8 p.m.
■ The Bow bar in Kenai has karaoke at 9 p.m. Thursdays and live music Fridays, Saturdays at 10 p.m.
■ Hooligans Saloon in Soldotna has poker Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 5:30 p.m. and live music Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
■ The Duck Inn on Kalifornsky Beach Road has karaoke at 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and DJ Arisen on Saturdays.
■ Mykel’s in Soldotna has live music Fridays and Saturdays from 6:30-9:30 p.m. with Bob Ramponi and Dave Unruh.
Markets, fairs and bazaars
■ Farmers Fresh Market is open for the season. Find the market at the Kenai Peninsula Food bank every Tuesday from 3-6 p.m. until September. Local plant starts, flowers and produce and special events all summer long. A benefit for the Food Bank.
■ The Kenai Saturday Market is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays at the Kenai Visitors Center. Local vendors include: food, produce, clothing, gifts and much more. For more information, visit www.kenaichamber.org.
■ The Nikiski Senior Center at 55025 Lake Marie Ave. is hosting the Nikiski Friday Farmers/Flea Market on Aug. 26. Market is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with vendors, a variety of items for sale and hamburgers and hotdogs hot off the grill. On Aug. 26 there will be a bake sale. Space is still available call 776-7654 for information.
■ Annual Sterling Community Center Fall Craft and Vendor Fair sign up will begin on Sept. 12 for Sterling, Soldotna and Kenai and is open to all others on Sept. 26. $30 per 8×8 booth. Tables can be rented for $10 each. Forms are available at the Sterling Community Center. Fair is Oct. 15 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Call the office at 907-262-7224 or email at scc@acsalaska.net.
Films
■ Call Orca Theaters at 262-7003 for listings and times.
■ Call Kambe Cinemas at 283-4554 for listings and times.
Down the Road
■ The Pratt Museum in Homer is open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.prattmuseum.org.
Submissions may be emailed to news@peninsulaclarion.com. The deadline is 5 p.m. Mondays.
