5 THINGS: Jan. 19, 2018

1) Learn to Modern Square Dance: first lesson free

“Get moving! Have fun! Make new friends!”

PALMER- Paws and Taws Square Dance Club is at it again! The 12 week session begins this Friday at 7 p.m. The first lesson is free of charge. After the first lesson, classes will cost $6 per dance or $45 for a 10 dance punch card. Couples, singles and families are all welcome to pick up a new skill and fancy free hobby. This and next Friday’s class are the free, introductory courses. Starting February 2nd, the paid classed begin, taking place every Friday until May. Lessons are held at the Salvation Army Building, located at 12271 East Palmer-Wasilla Highway, just outside downtown Palmer. For more information, call 907-232-5682 or 907-745-4914. You can also email pjoshafer@hotmail.com.

2) Wasilla’s 101st Birthday Party

“Hope to see you there!”

WASILLA — This Saturday, the city of Wasilla is celebrating its 101’st birthday party at the Curtis D. Menard Sports Center. There will be a free open skate and birthday cake from 1 to 4 p.m. The party gears up at 7 p.m. with live music, dancing, and savory food. Local band, Wild Cat Trio will be proving the evening’s musical entertainment. There will even be a hula hoop contest. Admission for the 7 o’clock party is $20. Tickets can be purchased at the door as well as the Wasilla Museum or the City of Wasilla finance department. The Menard Center is located at 1001 South Clapp Street. For more information, call 907-357-9100.

3) Basic Digital Photography Workshop

“Learn everything you need to know to love the images you create with your camera.”

WASILLA — Attention budding photographers, Rachelle Seiber will be leading a Basic Digital Photography Workshop this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. For $60, aspiring shutterbugs will get the chance dive into the craft. Seiber will cover the essential topics and rudimentary functions for DSLR cameras, including lenses, flash, light, shutter speed, ISO and so on. The workshop will focus on shooting with manual mode, “order to create the image you want.” Photographer and owner of Cherish the Moments and Learn to Shoot Alaska, Seiber will provide hands-on learning experience. Be sure to charge your camera battery before heading to class. Printed workbooks are included as well as additional resource material delivered online after the workshop. The workshop will be at the Boardwalk Shop, located at 701 East Parks Highway, Suite 100. For more information, call 907-841-1341 or visit www.cherishthemomentsak.com. To purchase tickets, go to www. squareup.com/store/cherish-the-moments.

4) Friday Night Dinner with No Wake

“Best Prime Rib or Ribeye in the Valley.”

PALMER — Friends of red meat, American Legion and the local folk/rock band, No Wake- rejoice! This Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. the American Legion Post 15 is hosting their reoccurring Friday Night Dinner event. For $18, you can stop in for prime rib or grill your own ribeye steak while listening to Mat-Su talent live on stage and catching up with friends, both old and new. Come alone or bring the whole family, the event is open to the public with special pricing for children 12 years and under. No Wake will start playing music at 7 p.m., “immediately after the 50/50 and Luck of the Legion Drawings.” This event is on a first come, first served basis. Grab your meat while you still have the chance! For more information, call 907-745-4440 or email aklegion15@gmail.com. To learn more about No Wake and hear their music, visit www.reverbnation.com/patsean.

5) The ODD Couple

“…because we need to lose track of the wind and the cold, even it’s just for a couple hours.”

WASILLA — Starting off the 42nd season for the Valley Performing Arts center is a female-led version of the classic Neil Simon play, ‘The Odd Couple.’The play runs from January 12th to the 28th — Fridays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There will also be special dinner theater performances Feb. 1-3. Tickets are $17 for seniors and students and $19 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at www.valleyperformingarts.org/home/the_odd_couple.

Riddled with snide remarks and subtle humor, the Odd Couple follows the story of Florence Unger and Olive Madison, played by Aubrey Thompson and Hillary Saffran and their friends, played by Nikki Hohnadel, Amanda Mayer, Elaine DeCleva, Sandi Magers, Matt Firmin, and Garrett Wixon. The script contains joke after joke, ceaselessly attacking the audience with dry wit. Genders have been flipped around from the traditional tellings, so the small cast of characters consists of six women and two men. Long-time VPA veteran and board member, Dave Nufer is directing the play. For more information, call 907-373-0195.