The Betster wishes everyone a safe and Happy Fourth of July! There’s plenty of celebration to take part in this weekend — check out the American Legion carnival out East End Road in Homer, or take a peek at the weekend schedule of events at the Anchor Point VFW. And of course, don’t forget to head on down to Pioneer Avenue in the afternoon for the annual Homer Fourth of July parade, where there will be floats and costumes and candy and fun for all! For other events coming up in the next weeks, take a look at these Best Bets!

BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY SLOUGH WALKS BET: Join Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve on their Family-Friendly Walks on the Beluga Slough on Wednesdays from 2-3 p.m. Learn about salt marsh plants, birds and animals, local currents and tides, local geology and soils, and the long-term monitoring programs that KBNERR has been leading for the past 10+ years. For more information, contact 907-299-4370 or ieharrald@alaska.edu. 95 Sterling Highway.

BEST ASK A GROWER BET: Every Thursday from 4:30-6 p.m., the Kachemak Bay Campus agriculture staff will be pruning tomatoes, trellising cucumbers, attacking weeds and working the land. Stop by the KBC high tunnel, located at the back of the campus parking lot, and learn about growing in Alaska from scratch. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call 907-235-1674. 533 E Pioneer Ave.

BEST INVASIVE SPECIES PREVENTION BET: The invasive European Green Crab is not here — yet!!! Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve staff are monitoring for this species at the Pier 1 Beach, off the Homer Spit on Tuesday, July 9 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet KBNERR at the pavilion for this free, family-friendly activity to learn about how they check traps and record data. Participants will tide pool, learn about invasive species, and count, measure and identify local crabs. Make sure to wear boots, warm layers and gloves. For more information, email lindsay.m@alaska.edu.

BEST SELL YOUR WARES BET: The Anchor Point Senior Center will be hosting several yard sales on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., beginning July 13 and running through Aug. 24. Four spaces will be available for community members to rent, $20 each. For more information or to rent a space on a certain Saturday, contact 907-235-7786. 72750 Milo Fritz Ave.

BEST KIDS’ SELF DEFENSE BET: The Homer Police Department will be holding a self-defense class for children ages 8-14 on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 1-3 p.m. The course will cover what kids can do if a stranger approaches, gets in their safety bubble or if someone grabs them. For questions or to register your child for the class, contact Lt. Ryan Browning at 907-235-3150 or rbrowning@ci.homer.ak.us. 625 Grubstake Ave.

BEST FOOD PANTRY HELP BET: If you’ve got too much fish and not enough room to store or ship it, the Homer Community Food Pantry will happily take it off your hands! Drop off your extra fish at Homer Fish Processing and walk away knowing you’ve done a good thing. 1302 Ocean Dr.

BEST GIVE YOUR LIBRARY FEEDBACK BET: The Homer Public Library has launched a Library Needs Survey, open until July 31, and they want your feedback! The Library Advisory Board is conducting a review of library services and activities. Your comments, both positive and negative, will inform the library’s plans and goals over the coming years. It only takes about 5-10 minutes to fill out; find the survey online at www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/library/library-needs-survey.