The Shorebird Festival has arrived! Get out your scopes, binoculars and other birding paraphernalia and hit the trails, or check out the schedule of events on the festival website. For details on other happenings around town this week, check out these Best Bets.

BEST SHOREBIRD WEEKEND KICKOFF BET: Kick off your Shorebird Festival weekend at the award-winning Pratt Museum! On Friday, May 9 from 4-6 p.m., come explore the cultures, science and art of the Kachemak Bay region. Tour the museum exhibits, explore the botanical garden and walk the Pratt’s forest trails. Music and light hors d’oeuvres provided. Suggested donation of $5 per person; does not include admission to the Seabird Exhibit. Check out the Pratt Museum’s other festival events at kachemakshorebird.org/2025-virtual-program/. 3779 Bartlett Street.

BEST STAMP OUT HUNGER BET: The annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is happening this weekend! On Saturday, May 10, bring nonperishable goods to your local post office or leave a bag of nonperishable goods near your mailbox! This food drive, the largest one-day event in the nation, helps local food pantries such as the Anchor Point Food Pantry and Homer Community Food Pantry as they work hard to make sure our communities stay healthy, from senior, veterans and disabled persons on a fixed income to kids that are hungry on the weekends. Any nonperishable goods and donations are greatly appreciated!

BEST CHESS TOURNAMENT BET: There will be a rated chess tournament on Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Homer High School, with one section for all HHS students to play for free and a second section for adult members of the U.S. Chess Federation. A $10 entry fee is required for the adult section. Everyone must be able to notate their game and to use a 20-minute clock with a 5-second delay. To register, contact Andy Haas before May 10 at 907-299-7788. 600 E. Fairview Ave.

BEST MOTHER’S DAY FAIR BET: The fifth annual Motherbird Fair will be held May 10-11 in the Upper Quarter Deck at Land’s End Resort. Featuring 35 local vendors, live music, a free crafting booth and free drawings, this event offers a variety of Alaskan vendors and delights. If you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift or you’ve been enjoying the Shorebird Festival, stop by the fair starting at noon both days! For questions, call 907-299-4896. 4786 Homer Spit Road.

BEST CITIZEN SCIENCE BET: Mating has begun, nest sites located, and shortly the sandhill cranes will lay their eggs around the Kachemak Bay area. Nesting can start in late April, with some nests not starting until later in May or even the first of June. The pair is likely on the nest once only one crane starts showing up, which means the other is incubating the eggs. To help Kachemak Crane Watch get accurate information for its annual crane nesting study, let KCW know that you have a pair of nesting cranes. Please report nesting sandhill crane pairs to Kachemak Crane Watch at reports@cranewatch.org or by calling 907-235-6262. Leave your name, phone number, and the location and date when nesting started. KCW does not share nesting site locations with the public for the safety of the cranes and privacy of their human neighbors. For more information, contact Nina Faust at 907-235-6262 or reports@cranewatch.org.