Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival

2011 Festival Entertainment

Arts, Crafts, Gifts & Education Fair Saturday May 7th, 10am-5pm at the High School Commons. Stroll the aisles and enjoy a wide variety of arts, hand crafted goods, and other gift items, optical equipment educational exhibits and food vendors. The Fair is the gateway to birding workshops and presentations, including Shorebird Identification, Tracking the Wind Birds, Be a Better Birder Panel moderated by Mr. Whitekeys, the live bird presentations by Bird Treatment & Learning Center Anchorage, kids' bird calling competition, family entertainment by Dan Pascucci, and the evening Keynote presentation. This Fair has a little something for everyone. Sponsored by Chevron.

"Babes in the Woods" Shorebird Reception Thursday, May 5th,
5pm-7pm at NOTE CHANGE OF LOCATION: Islands & Ocean Visitor Center. Enjoy this free Shorebird Festival kick-off reception which will feature a presentation by Jennifer Aist, Anchorage author of Babes in the Woods, Hiking, Camping and Backpacking with Babies and Young Children. Clam Chowder and other refreshments will be provided. Sponsored by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

Family Concert with Dan Pascucci Saturday, May 7th, 3:30pm-4:30pm at the Homer High School in the Choir Room. Alaskan musician Dan Pascucci has been entertaining and educating children and adults across the State for many years. Whether teaching in a classroom, performing in a Folk Festival or at open mike, Dan combines his passion for nature and music into a high energy show that will entertain the entire family of all ages. This is a free fun-for-the-entire-family event. Free, but tickets are required through the Festival registration.

Kids' Bird Calling Contest Saturday, May 7th, 3pm-3:30pm at the Homer High School in the Choir Room. Calling all parents and kids! Come out and share your best bird call to win fun prizes. Judges will be looking for accuracy of species call and behavior. An optional Jr. Birder Badge activity.

Migration Run Sunday, May 8th, 9am-10:30am. Start at the Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit. Celebrating its 14th year, the Migration Run is a certified 5k run, great for serious runners, casual runners, walkers and families. The Run migrates along a northbound 5-kilometer route from the paved Spit trail to the Lighthouse Village. Come out in your best shorebird costume for a chance to win special prizes. Refreshments, awards and prizes await participants at the finish area, and a free shuttle bus is available to return participants to the start. Pre-registration via the Festival registration form is strongly encouraged, but day-of registration at the Start will be allowed. $10 per person, $5 kids 10 & under, $20 families. Sponsored by Homer High Cross Country Team.

Mr. Whitekeys & Company Thursday & Friday, May 5th & 6th 9pm-10:30pm at Alice's Champagne Palace. Mr. Whitekeys brings The 4th Annual Shorebird Follies to the 2011 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, and this year's show will be bigger and better than ever. We say this every year, but this year it is really, really true. Really. Featuring cheesy songs, tacky costumes, a whiz-bank digital multi-media show, and oodles of shorebird fun. Joining Mr. Whitekeys on stage will be the always-fabulous chanteuse Miss Crissy Ditmore. According to Mr. Whitekeys, she's the ultimate shorebird entertainer: "She sings like a nightingale, she eats like a bird, and she has been known to lay an egg or two." Crissy has preformed at Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, and once saw a Fork-tailed Storm Petrel on the way to Valdez. Mr. Whitekeys has performed extensively throughout Alaska and does not look as good as Crissy does in a bikini, though he has been known to try his best. We promise you will not see him in (or out of) a bikini during this performance. Tickets available via the Festival registration form and at the Homer Chamber of Commerce and at the door. 21 & older only. $25 per person. Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund & Alice's Champagne Palace.

On the Wing - Concert Celebrating Birds and Spring with Poetry and Song Thursday, May 5th,
8pm-10pm at the Homer Theatre. This 8th Annual concert, featuring life-long Homer musician Sunrise Kilcher-Sjoberg and friends, will showcase readings of original poetry by contributing poets, along with a variety of culturally diverse music, other performance art pieces, and slides. Poets are invited to present their original bird-related work during the concert. If interested in being a part of this unique event, please contact Sunrise at 907-235-7326 by April 22. Tickets available through Festival registration and at the door. $10 per person. Theater concessions will be available for purchase. Proceeds benefit the Shorebird Education and Conservation Fund. Supported by the Homer Theatre.

Shorebirds Sing at the Salty Dawg Saloon Saturday, May 7th, 7pm-8pm at the Salty Dawg Saloon. Tune up your vocal cords with your favorite bird call or make up your own and come out to the Salty Dawg Saloon for the 5th Annual "what the heck kind of bird was that?" bird call competition. Categories for both serious and not-so-serious bird callers, with prizes for top competitors and all participants win. Registration starts at 6:30pm; competition begins at 7pm; awards and prizes given out at 8pm. Contact the Salty Dawg at
907-235-6718 with questions. Bar food available. Sponsored by the Salty Dawg Saloon.

Smokey Bay Music Festival Saturday, May 7th, 3pm-midnight at Alice's Champagne Palace.
Come on out for an afternoon and evening of 100% Alaskan music that is guaranteed to get your hands clapping and your boots scootin' and boogyin'. Featured music will include several local bands, leading up to the main event at 8pm when The Bluegrass Gentlemen take to the stage to bring it on home. Bid on items in the silent auction and get yourself a t-shirt while you are there. 3pm to 8pm is open to all ages, and then adults only 8pm to close. Get your tickets prior to the event for $10 per person, or $15 per person at the door. Tickets available at the following locations: Alice's Champagne Palace, 907-235-6909, the Homer Bookstore, 907-235-7496, the Independent Living Center at 907-235-7911. Proceeds benefit the Independent Living Center. Sponsored by a bunch of great people in a little place called Homer, Alaska.

Welcome Reception for Keynote Speaker Carl Safina Friday, May 6th, 3:30pm-5:30pm at the Pratt Museum. A great opportunity to meet this year's Keynote Speaker Carl Safina. A variety of Carl's books will be available for purchase and to be autographed by him. Take in this free event and enjoy catered refreshments, meet Carl and browse the Pratt Museum's current special exhibits Bristol Bay Sculptures and Photographs by Homer artists Maygen Jannetta and Scott Dickerson. Reception sponsored by World Wildlife Fund, Chevron and the Pratt Museum.