Best Bets

Last weekend proved the truth in the Norwegian saying: Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær,” which means, “there is no such thing as poor weather, just inappropriate clothes.” Yes, we had sunshine, and yes, we had long days, but all weekend the chop tossed anyone daring enough to go out on Kachemak Bay like a rubber duck in a washing machine.

Birders from all over just slapped on another layer of polar fleece, like that poor guy from Texas who looked like he had just mushed into Nome. They hunkered down below the Homer Spit Road breakwall, which worked out well because the shorebirds also got in the lee of the Spit. You might think some graying peeper would be afraid of rough weather. Nope. These are nature lovers who don’t balk at standing for hours in screaming weather as they debate if that’s a least sandpiper among the hordes of Westerns.

So be like the birders, put on the appropriate gear and don’t shirk from challenging weather, and get out and enjoy the town, maybe with these best bets:

BEST BY ANY OTHER NAME BET: You can make all sorts of puns about Bed of Roses, but they don’t care. The quintet is here to blow you aay with their rockin’, jazzy and groovin’ jams. They play at 6 p.m. Friday, May 13, for the Homer Council on the Arts’ Second Friday concerts. Admission is by donation; facemasks are required.

BEST HIT THE ROAD BET: What better way to see Homer’s eclectic neighborhoods and meet some of our finest ceramic artists with the annual Homer Pottery Tour. From seasoned artists to newer creators, you’ll see a wide variety of work right where it’s made — and the people who like to get their hands muddy with clay. For a full list, see the arts page on B1, or get a map at www. homerpotters.com. The self-guided tour runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

BEST BY THE BLUFF BET: Hang out with the eagles and sample the Kenai Peninsula’s finest food trucks with the Homer Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center’s second annual Homer Food Festival. The event happens from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Homer Baycrest KOA Campground at 3425 Sterling Highway at the top of Baycrest Hill. At least a dozen food food vendors will attend from Homer and Soldotna. Enjoy an out-door dining experience while overlooking Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet, including the breath-taking scenery of the mountains, glaciers, icefields, and volcanoes.

BEST AX AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE BET: Hone your Viking skills in the hottest new sport: Ax throwing. Just like the cool kids in other chic American cities, ax throwing has come to town. The Homer Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center holds a ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of Homer Axe House, located at 1130 Ocean Drive, Suite C. It will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Axe House is an indoor sport, open to ages 13 and older. Be sure to wear closed toed shoes. Participants are given a special lane where you stand and throw axes at a target to your heart’s content. Bring a group, book a party or throw axes solo. Refreshments will be served. When the ribbon cutting is over around 3 p.m., they will be offering half-off on admission. Active military, veterans and first responders receive a 10% discount. Summer hours are from noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. on weekends. Visit HomerAxeHouse.com or call 907-215-2776 for more information.

Dressed in bird costumes and walking on stilts, Brittany Briley, left, and Mallory Primm, right, make an appearance for the Homer Brewing Company’s bird calling contest during the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival on Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)