Well the town has been overrun with folks this past week. The Spit is getting crowded, restaurants have opened, and shops are busy. We originally just thought it was the tourist season kicking off early. We heard about the shorebird festival but frankly forgot about it. After registering for the event, all the hoopla now makes sense. There are over a hundred organized tours available throughout Homer and on the water. We aren’t even birders but can easily appreciate all the excitement. It costs to register but there are different levels offering something for everyone.
Per the Homer News:
Beginning in 1993, the annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, sponsored by the Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, provides educational opportunities in order to celebrate wildlife in Alaska. The festival is planned in accordance with the annual migration of shorebirds through Kachemak Bay each year. Kachemak Bay is one of the best stop-overs for shorebirds. (It is) a critical habitat for them to stop over and eat, get a little weight back on to head further north,” said Melanie Dafour, program director for the Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges and festival coordinator. “The festival recognizes how important the critical habitat of Kachemak Bay, the peninsula (and) our Earth is. For Alaska, for our Earth-to-be and what it is, we need to take care of it. That recognition is important.
The town did a great job opening up and getting ready for this event. All the expected amenities are available. It’s nice to see happy people roaming around town and the Spit like pre-Covid times.
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