The cold season does approacheth, but the Homer community is still hopping with plenty of events and opportunities! Get in touch with nature before she goes into hibernation with a wormwood workshop on herbal first aid, or take part in cleaning up and monitoring our coastal environments. For you civic-minded folks, there’s plenty to participate in with upcoming election forums and public input on the harbor expansion. For all that and more, just check out these Best Bets.

BEST PHOTO SUBMISSION BET: Homer News wants your photos! If you are a local business hosting or a local participating in events and activities around town, we’d love to feature your photos in Homer’s Best Bets! High quality images can be sent to towncrier@homernews.com. Please include a brief description of what is happening in the photo, names of individuals pictured, and the date and location the photo was taken.

BEST LEARNING WITH PLANTS BET: Join SVT for a presentation by Mel Mutterspaugh on artemisia on Thursday, Sept. 21 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Wellness Wing. Wormwood grows abundantly right in our own backyards — come learn about the healing properties of this plant and how to make medicine for your home herbal first aid kit. Supplies will be provided by SVT. Participate in person or via Zoom. For more information, visit svt.org/events/thrive. 880 East End Rd.

BEST COASTAL CLEANUP BET: Join Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies for a CoastWalk Clean-up in the Anchor River State Recreation Area on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet CACS for this community clean-up and environmental monitoring event in the Anchor River State Recreation parking lot and be sure to bring warm, waterproof clothes and your best mud boots. To sign-up in advance, contact Henry at 907-235-6746 or henry@akcoastalstudies.org. 74272 Anchor Point Rd.

BEST BIRDING PRESENTATION BET: Join the Kachemak Bay Birders on Monday, Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at Islands and Oceans for a presentation by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife biologist Kristine Sowl on birding in Chile. Sowl has spent over 25 years working as a field biologist on public lands in Alaska. She traveled and birded in Chile from the Atacama desert to Tierra del Fuego and from the sea to the Andes and will share her photos and stories. This free event is cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. For questions, call Lani Raymond at 907-399-9477. 95 Sterling Hwy.

BEST CANDIDATE FORUM BET: Educate yourself before the upcoming election! Join the Homer Chamber of Commerce for the Homer City Council Candidate Forum on Wednesday, Sept. 27 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Kachemak Bay Campus. Moderated by HCOC executive director Brad Anderson, this event will feature incumbents Rachel Lord and Caroline Venuti, as well as new candidate Daniel Hasche. Attend in person, listen live on KBBI AM890, or watch via Zoom at us06web.zoom.us/j/83733068293. For more information, call 907-235-7740. 533 E Pioneer Ave.

BEST PUBLIC FEEDBACK BET: Homer Harbor Expansion project staff want your ideas and feedback! The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed the design alternatives milestone as part of the harbor expansion study, and five designs will move into the design alternative formulation and analysis phase. You’re invited to a public meeting, facilitated by project staff from the City of Homer, USACE and HDR Engineering, on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Kachemak Bay Campus to hear an update on the study and share your ideas. For more information, visit www.homerharborexpansion.com. 533 E Pioneer Ave.

BEST JAZZ CONCERT BET: Join Homer Council on the Arts for a one-night-only intimate jazz concert on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. The John Damberg Jazz Quartet, featuring John Damberg on vibes, Mark Manners on guitar, Dirk Westfall on bass and Eddie Wood as percussionist, will present a collection of musical stylings including originals, contemporary jazz, funk, Latin-style songs, and Broadway show tunes and jazz standards. A $20 donation is suggested for this event. For more information or to RSVP, visit homerart.org/event/john-damberg-jazz-quartet/. 355 W Pioneer Ave.

BEST CALL FOR ART BET: Homer Council on the Arts has opened a call for art for their annual 5×7 show! Open to all ages and abilities, community members may submit work online through Saturday, Oct. 21. This small works show is about experimenting, trying something new, and comradery among the South Peninsula arts community and challenges artists to think inside the box. Artists may submit up to three entries, all mediums included, and all submitted works must be for sale. For more information, visit homerart.org or call 907-235-4288. 355 W Pioneer Ave.

Community members enjoy refreshments and sign up for a raffle at Aleutian Airways’ first flight reception at the Homer Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)

A mother moose and her calf trot away from Homer City Hall on Sunday, Sep. 17, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Finn Heimbold/Homer News)

The ‘Lil Taco Bus serves customers on its last day of the season on the Homer Spit on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)

Spectators at the Homer varsity football game versus the Houston Hawks came prepared with raingear, tents and umbrellas on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)