Salmonfest announces full lineup

Salmonfest has announced its full musical acts lineup. To be held Aug. 5-7 at the Kenai Peninsula Fair grounds in Ninilchik, the festival features a weekend of music, food and fish. The four-stage extravaganza includes more than 50 acts. During the festival, many of Alaska’s top food, crafts, art and brews are available throughout the grounds in a family friendly atmosphere, including a daily children’s program.

Salmonfest is supported by and benefits The Kachemak Bay Conservation Society with support from Cook Inletkeeper. For more information, visit www.salmonfestalaska.org.

 

Pre-production starts on film

Brian George Smith Media announces the beginning of pre-production on it new feature project, “Riptide.” The thriller features local talent Peter Norton, Dick Sanders and Jessi Hahn, and will film in and around Homer and Kachemak Bay in the summer of 2017. The project seeks crew, locations, props and financial resources. For more information or a script, contact Brian Smith at sojourn53@gmail.com.

 

Friends of the Homer Public Library gets Big Read grant

The Friends of the Homer Public Library announced last week that it has received its third Big Read Grant. The NEA Big Read broadens understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. The Homer Big Read will focus on “The Bridge of San Luis Rey” and “Our Town.” Events will be scheduled for January and February 2017.

Highlights of The Homer Big Read 2017 include the Big Read Kick-Off in January 2017, community conversations and book discussions throughout the community in January and February of 2017, a high school staging of Our Town on Feb. 10 and 11, a Top Drawer playwriting contest and a keynote presentation by Pulitzer-prize winner book critic Michael Dirda of the Washington Post on Thorton Wilder and making a life of books.

For more information and to be involved in book discussions, call 435-3195.

 

Peonies to sprout on Pioneer Avenue

Local Peony pioneer Rita Jo Shoultz is sourcing hundreds of peony tubers with support of Kenai Peninsula Farm Bureau and Melissa Salzman with the Alaska Peony Growers Association to plant along Pioneer Avenue. Peonies, a perennial flower and major export crop of Homer, will save the City maintenance money and provide a cohesive look to Pioneer Avenue, according to Bunnell Street Arts Center executive and artistic director Asia Freeman. Moose do not like peonies and humans adore them, especially for weddings. The main areas that the City owns and will plant peonies are the large cleared area across from Captain’s Coffee, along the sidewalk at the Bartlett/Pioneer restroom, in front of City Hall, at WKFL Park, at the corner of Pioneer and Heath Street, and in front of Nomar. The rest of the other cleared areas may be planted by business or property owners.