Homer’s Best Bets

If a sudden influx of visitors shows up this month, credit yet another article in a big national paper proclaiming our virtues. This time, a New York Times journalist writes about how fall can just be fabulous on the Kenai Peninsula and oh there’s this cute little town at the end of the road.

Well, sheesh, we knew that, and it’s not as if we’re trying to keep Homer a big secret. OK, there is that group, Folks Against Rampant Tourism, who’d rather not that many people visit, or if they do, to be polite and not descend in overwhelming groups. That’s not that big a problem anyway. We’ve always been a place best appreciated in small groups by totally cool people not afraid to get their feet wet.

So, if you see such about, be sure to tell them about these best bets:

BEST HOMER ROCKS BET: Homer Rocks! is hosting a Halloween scavenger hunt from 1-2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, at the Islands and Ocean Center! Everyone is welcome to come out for painted rocks, costumes and candy.

BEST AWARD-WINNING WRITING BET: Join Homer Council on the Arts tonight as three of the winners of last year’s Kenai Peninsula Writers’ Contest present their winning contest entries. The event is free, but the audience is limited to 20 attendees. Mask are required. The winners from last year presenting are Vivian Finlay, Janna Wagner and Oceana Wills. Interested in submitting an entry for this year’s contest? Send in your best poems, fiction and nonfiction pieces by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10 for a chance to win cash prizes. Each category and division will award first, second and third place prizes. The categories include poetry, fiction and nonfiction in age divisions for adults or open, grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. Each submission has an entry fee of $10 for the adult/open category and $3 for grades K-12. Find out more about the contest at homerart.org/writers-contest.

BEST ALASKA ART BET: Check out The Pratt Museum & Park this Friday night for the opening reception of “Ron Senungetuk: A Retrospective.” The special exhibit features work from the late iconic Alaska artist Ron Senungetuk. Senungetuk was a world-renowned sculptor, silversmith and woodcarver who blended ancestral Inupiaq forms with modern concepts and materials. This exhibition presents works created over his career, which have been featured in exhibitions and public art installations throughout Alaska and the U.S. The exhibit opened Friday, Oct. 15 and the opening reception will be held Friday, Oct. 22 from 4-6 p.m. free of admission.

BEST FALL CANDLE BET: Fall is here, which means the Betster has pulled out all of their warm-scented candles to brighten the air of their home. If you love candles like the Betster does, then you should check out the candle-making class with Jana Kralick next Thursday and Friday, Oct. 28-29 at Homer Council on the Arts! Spend two hours learning the history of candles and chandlery around the world while making your own 14-ounce plant-based, vegan wax candle to take home. Participants will design their own custom fragrance. Registration costs $45 for general or $40 for HCOA members per candle, and all supplies will be provided. Register at homerart.org.

BEST SHOREBIRD ARTIST BET: The Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival is seeking applicants for its 30th annual festival featured artist who will commission a piece of artwork that will be featured on all festival advertisements. The artwork will also be auctioned off during the week-long event. If that isn’t incentive enough, the featured artist will receive compensation for their work and involvement as a VIP member of the festival. They will also have an opportunity to display their work in Homer and host art workshops.To apply for the featured artist position, submit four to six samples of previous work to kachemakshorebird@gmail.com by Nov. 2, 2021. The chosen artist will be notified by Nov. 15 and will need to complete the commissioned piece by Dec. 29. The 30th annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival is scheduled for May 4-8, 2022.

Signs in honor of Duffy Murnane were available for people to hold while retracing her last known steps during the memorial walk on Saturday, Oct. 17. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)

Signs in honor of Duffy Murnane were available for people to hold while retracing her last known steps during the memorial walk on Saturday, Oct. 17. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)

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