Just as the bears are chowing down on salmon at Anan Creek this week, food is a big part of Wrangell’s annual Bearfest, which opens Thursday.

The first edible event will be the “beary pie” contest at noon Thursday at the Nolan Center, when judges will select the best entries made from local berries. Bakers must get their pies to the Nolan Center by 11:30 a.m.

Next up on the schedule for food fans is the Friday dinner and fundraising auction at the Stikine Inn, with Lauren Thompson, head chef at Seattle’s Cafe Lago restaurant. “The dinner will be a classic Tuscan menu, with a touch of the Pacific Northwest,” said Bearfest organizer Sylvia Ettefagh

Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner is at 6 p.m. Only four tickets, at $120 each, were available as of Friday. Call Alaska Vistas at 907-874-3006.

The community market from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Nolan Center will feature baked goods and other homemade foods from Wrangell residents.

Also on Saturday, Thompson will demonstrate and instruct how to make ricotta cavatelli at 11:30 a.m. at the Nolan Center.

“This is a hands-on session for a maximum of 10 people, at $50 per person,” according to the Bearfest schedule. And it comes with a bonus: “Take home your creation for dinner, complete with some Cafe Lago marinara or pesto sauce.” Call 907-874-3006 to sign up.

A contest to judge Wrangell’s best seafood dishes is planned for 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon, also at the Nolan Center. 

The last food event of the four-day weekend will be a pasta feed at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Nolan Center for walkers and runners in Sunday morning’s marathon, half-marathon and 5K races to load up on carbohydrates.

More information on the Sunday runs is available at alaskabearfest.org/marathon-.html.

The dinner is free for all runners, walkers and volunteers.

Registration for the runs starts at 7 a.m. Sunday at the Nolan Center, with runners taking the starting line at 8 a.m. for the marathon and half-marathon, and 8:30 a.m. for the 5K runners, walkers and runners.

The four days of Bearfest include educational workshops, including photography, a chainsaw wooden bear-carving demonstration, kids games and more. The full schedule is at alaskabearfest.org/schedule.html, with a separate online listing of workshops at alaskabearfest.org/workshops.html.