Courtesy Photo This new inflatable Wibit will be available to the public at a free open house on Sunday at the Plaza Pool.

∫ Art in the Loft, on the third floor of the Center Building at 109 N. 2nd Ave. in Alpena, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The 2024 Young Artist Exhibit is on display through April 27, featuring student artwork from 17 Northeast Michigan schools, with over 600 pieces made by kindergarten through 12th graders. Visit artintheloft.org, email director@artintheloft.org, or call 989-356-4877 for more information.

∫ Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, closed Tuesday, and open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Beverly Benson Wolf’s photography is on display now through July 20 at the museum. The Northeast Michigan Artists’ Guild invites the community to their annual exhibit at the Besser Museum from April 15 through July 24. This year’s theme is “It Figures.” Each piece displayed will be an original work of art by a current NEMAG artist in their chosen medium and may present a literal or figurative interpretation of the theme. Artists will be in attendance from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at the museum to discuss their artwork. NEMAG promotes and supports art and artists through inspiration, information and education in our community. Artists of all skill levels are welcome and may choose to participate in NEMAG activities such as local exhibitions, workshops, meetings and other events throughout the year. The Besser Museum is located at 491 Johnson St., Alpena. Information about NEMAG can be found under the Art Section of the Museum website; email northeastmichiganartistsguild@gmail.com, or call Karen at 989-766-9945 or Ellen at 989-916- 5997. Call the museum at 989-356-2202, or visit bessermuseum.org.

∫ Thunder Bay Arts Council Gallery, 127 W. Chisholm St. in Alpena, features 25 local artists’ work on display and for sale. Kamara Marsh is the featured artist for April. Spring and summer hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Visit thunderbayarts.org or call 989-354-2586.

∫ Dragonfly Art Gallery, 116 E. Main St. in Harrisville, is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, call 989-820-9614.

Today, April 23

∫ The Association of Lifelong Learners hosts Mexican Train Express dominoes from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays.

∫ Great Start Collaborative Playgroup is held weekly at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays at Alpena County Library. No registration necessary.

∫ TOPS #1614 Alpena welcomes new members who are looking for support in their weight-loss journey. Meetings are held every Tuesday morning at the First Presbyterian Church at 1600 W. Chisholm St. in Alpena. Weigh-ins start at 9:45 a.m. and meetings start at 10:30 a.m. There is no obligation to join if you attend your first meeting. For more information, call 989-255-4787.

∫ Potential homeowners can find out the steps they need to take to get closer to homeownership from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Tuesday at the Habitat for Humanity offices at 2630 U.S.-23 South in Alpena.

∫ Every Tuesday in April, practice ukulele at 10 a.m. at the Harrisville branch of Alcona County Library, with ukuleles available for checkout, and players of all skill levels invited.

∫ Alpena Senior Citizens Center offers quilting at 10 a.m. and Spitzer at 12:30 p.m. each Tuesday.

∫ Good Grief is a grief support group at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, at Friends Together, 105 Prentiss St.. Call Friends Together at 989-356-3231 for more information.

∫ The FamilySearch Center is open from noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 411 Long Rapids Plaza in Alpena.

∫ The Alpena Lions Club hosts their weekly meetings at noon on Tuesdays at First Congregational Church, Alpena. For more information, visit alpenalionsclub.com or the Alpena Lions Club on Facebook.

∫ Alpena County Library hosts Tinker Tuesday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tinker Tuesday is about getting together and exploring projects ranging from Makey Makey, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, 3D Printing, Strawbees, littleBits, Snap Circuits, sewing and more. Let your curiosity take over and explore! Participants must be age 5 or older.

∫ Relay For Life of Northeast Michigan will hold an informational meeting from 6 to 7 p.m. today, April 23, at Alpena Senior Citizens Center, 501 River St., Alpena. Anyone in the community is welcome to attend the Relay For Life meeting, which will cover how to start or join a team, support the event, or get involved as a company, organization, or business. If you have any questions, call Bonnie at 989-590-3843 or Kathy at 989-916-7051. Visit www.relay.org/nemi for more information or to register for the event.

∫ Cub Scouts meet from 6 to 7 p.m., and Boy Scouts meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. each Tuesday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 727 S. 2nd Ave., Alpena.

∫ The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. today, April 23, at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, 500 W. Fletcher Street, Alpena. The public is invited to attend. NOAA will provide updates on Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary programs, upcoming events, and research. Public comment will take place at approximately 7:50 p.m. If you cannot participate in the meeting, you may send comments to jean.prevo@noaa.gov. For council updates, please visit thunderbay.noaa.gov/involved/council.

∫ Bay View Center hosts a diversity support meeting at 6 p.m. each Tuesday. This weekly potluck is for those in the LGBTQ community, their families, and supporters, at Bay View Center, 710 N. 2nd Ave. If you have questions, call 989-340-0955. The time will be changed to 4 p.m. starting on May 7.

∫ Karaoke Night is from 7 to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Black Sheep Pub in downtown Alpena.

Wednesday, April 24

∫ ALL pickleball plays from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the APlex. Call the ALL office at 989-358-7207 for details.

∫ Join the Alpena County Library Wednesday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon for Open MakerLab. Makers of all ages can tinker, collaborate, and create a project of their choice in our lab. Staff help is available if needed. Participants ages 5 to 15 will need parental supervision at all times. A signed waiver is required prior to using the MakerLab. MakerLab rules apply in the lab at all times because participant safety is ACL’s top priority. If you have questions about lab rules call 989-356-6188, ext. 20.

∫ Alpena Senior Citizens Center exercise is from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

∫ Guys Like Us is a Wednesday morning coffee crew of men who are coping with cancer, meeting at 10 a.m., in-person at Friends Together and via Zoom. Call Friends Together at 989-356-3231 for the link.

∫ Alpena County Library offers Tech Help from noon to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

∫ Sewing Club is held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Alpena County Library. No sewing experience? No problem! This club is open to all skill levels — newbie to expert, ages 10 and up. Bring your sewing machine, supplies, (scissors, straight pins) and a project to work on. We will supply the space and guidance. For those without a sewing machine, there are three machines on site for use. Registration is required for this class. To register, call Barb Brege at 989-255-8969.

∫ ALL offers a Second Square Dancing Class from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays at M. Briggs Center. Come work on your square dance calls. This is an ad hoc event for the purpose of improving your Mainstream and Plus calls. There will be no caller, but experienced dancers will be there to help and fill in a square or half square. The intent is to repeat calls, so the muscle memory is there when you attend a dance.

∫ Women on Wednesday is a support group for women with cancer meeting in-person and via Zoom at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at Friends Together. Come for a dash of hope, some laughter, and real talk.

∫ Alpena Sportsmen’s Club is a nonprofit located at 4260 M-32 West in Alpena, open to members and non-members — everyone with an interest in shooting sports. Skeet and sporting clay shooting are offered from 5:45 p.m. until dark on Wednesdays, and from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, text Joel Suszek at 989-255-4928 or Jeff Welch at 989-255-6068.

∫ Open Mic Night is from 6 to 9 p.m. each Wednesday at Patchwood Plaza in Hillman. For more information, call the Hillman Area Chamber of Commerce at 989-742-3739.

∫ Alpena High School teacher Andrew Wolfgang will lead the next lecture in the Sanctuary Lecture Series, titled Birds of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The free lecture will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24 at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, 500 W. Fletcher Street, Alpena. Join Wolfgang as he shares stories of Lake Huron’s birds. He will talk about the many opportunities to find unique birds in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. He will describe how understanding the ecology and behavior of certain species is key to their conservation. Along with weather patterns and geography, he will talk about predicting the best times and places to see certain wildlife in the sanctuary. Wolfgang will share information on over 300 species and 20+ families of birds that are likely to show up along the shoreline or flying above Lake Huron. He will also briefly discuss some of the most controversial ecological issues surrounding colonial waterbirds nesting on northern Lake Huron’s islands. Visit thunderbay.noaa.gov, or call 989-884-6200.

∫ Rich Rider hosts Open Mic Night from 7 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Black Sheep Pub, 113 S. 2nd Ave., downtown Alpena.

Thursday, April 25

∫ Community Walking Club meets at 9 a.m. every Thursday in the parking lot of the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library.

∫ Join the Alpena County Girlfriends at JJ’s Steak and Pizza House at 10 a.m. on Thursdays for coffee and conversation. This is a women-only group whose purpose is to make friends and socialize with women from Alpena County and the surrounding areas.

∫ Join ALL for Spitzer from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday at M. Briggs Center, led by Marilyn Klingshirn.

∫ Zoom Book Club is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Thursday, with the Alpena Senior Center.

∫ Friends Together presents Journaling with Friends, from noon to 1 p.m. every Thursday. Explore creative ways to organize your thoughts. Registration is required by calling 989-356-3231.

∫ Pinochle and bridge are held at 12:30 p.m. on Thursdays at Alpena Senior Citizens Center.

∫ Join ALL to learn about The Case(s) of the Retired Detective at 1:30 p.m. at ACC’s M. Briggs Center. Detective Larry Thomson will share some of the cases he worked on as a detective and some of the procedures that helped make him a success. He may also talk about his experience being on TV as a detective. Thomson grew up on a farm in Long Rapids with his parents and four siblings. He graduated from Alpena High School, and Alpena Community College, then received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Ferris State University in 1976. He spent 18 years with the DeWitt Township Police Department and Alpena Police Department as a patrol officer. Thomson was promoted to Detective in 1994, retiring as Detective Lieutenant in 2011. He was employed as a firefighter/EMT with Alpena Township Fire Department for 22 years. He was Director of Criminal Justice Programs at Alpena Community College for five years and continues as an instructor at the ACC Corrections Academy. He has been married for 50 years to Mary Jane and has three very successful children and four beautiful grandchildren.

∫ Zoom meditation is at 2 p.m. on Thursdays, led by the Alpena Senior Citizens Center.

∫ ALL will host a Technology Help Workshop from 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday at ACC’s M. Briggs Center. The Business Professionals of America (BPA) Club of Alpena High will answer technology questions on devices and applications. Bring your devices and/or questions. This workshop is free, but goodwill donations are appreciated.

∫ Needles and Threads group is held from 2:30 to 4:30 pm every Thursday at the Grand Lake branch of Presque Isle District Library. Bring your latest knitting, crocheting, sewing, needlepoint, or other crafts. Call 989-734-2477, ext. 2 with questions. The library is located at 18132 Lake Esau Highway, Presque Isle.

∫ Thursday Eve Serenity Group meets from 7 to 8 p.m. every Thursday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 351 Wilson St., Alpena. If a problem drinker has or is affecting your life, Al-Anon can help you. Meetings are anonymous and confidential. Call 989-354-5476.

Friday, April 26

∫ MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena Volunteers will host a used book sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday in the hospital lobby. The public is welcome.

∫ ALL pickleball plays from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the APlex.

∫ Exercise is at 10 a.m. at Alpena Senior Citizens Center. Then at noon, Mahjong is played, and pinochle starts at 12:30 p.m.

∫ Presque Isle District Library’s Posen branch offers knitting and crocheting from 10 a.m. to noon on Fridays. All levels are welcome. If you have questions, call 989-734-2477.

∫ On Fridays in April, get ready for a world of giggles, wonders, and creativity at 10:30 a.m. at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library. Storytime and Craft for Kids is not just about learning; it’s about unleashing the joy of discovery!

∫ The Northeast MI Genealogical Society will present Exploring Your Roots at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26 at the Alpena County Library, in the Judy Stillion Conference room upstairs. A tour of the Special Collections and Archives will be included in this presentation. Admission is free, and this event is open to the public.

∫ ALL hosts contract bridge from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Fridays at M. Briggs Center. This is an ongoing group of card players who welcome any players at any time. This group is a teaching class but experienced players are also welcome.

∫ The Hillman VFW Post 2356 hosts its Friday Night Fish Fry from 4 to 7 p.m. every Friday night, with your choice of fish or shrimp, potato, coleslaw, roll, and drink. The fish fry is open to the public, and the cost is $12 for the fish dinner or $14 for the shrimp dinner.

∫ ALL hosts square dancing from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information, call the ALL office at 989-358-7207 or email all@alpenacc.edu. Come brush up on your mainstream and plus dancing.

∫ Small Wonders Academy, a daycare center that is focused on helping children meet milestones while having fun, will host a spring open house from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 6891 Nicholson Hill Road, Hubbard Lake. Join Small Wonders Academy for a tour of the center and to meet the teachers. Call 989-350-2024.

∫ Hear ye, hear ye! You are hereby invited to attend Rogers City Community Theatre’s spring production of the Tony-award-winning musical, “Something Rotten!” which continues this weekend at the Rogers Theater, 257 N. Third St. in beautiful downtown Rogers City. Show dates are April 26-28. The curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $14 for adults and $6 for students. The box office opens one hour before show time.

Saturday, April 27

∫ The Alpena Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mich-e-ke-wis Park, 1302 State Ave. in Alpena.

∫ The APlex presents the Home Expo from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, sponsored by Home Depot, Builders FirstSource, and Nicolet Bank.

∫ On Saturdays in April, forge new friendships, strategize with your party, and let your creativity soar in the teen-exclusive Dungeons and Dragons Club, now meeting upstairs at the Hollyhock Emporium in Harrisville from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

∫ Hillman Senior Center will host a euchre tournament on Saturday, April 27. The cost is $20, which includes a meal to be served at 5 p.m., and play starting at 6 p.m., and prizes. For more information, call 989-464-4463 or 989-742-4080.

∫ Hear ye, hear ye! You are hereby invited to attend Rogers City Community Theatre’s spring production of the Tony-award-winning musical, “Something Rotten!” which continues this weekend at the Rogers Theater, 257 N. Third St. in downtown Rogers City. Show dates are April 26-28. The curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $14 for adults and $6 for students. The box office opens one hour before showtime.

∫ Alpena Plaza Pool will host a free Wibit Open House to introduce the new inflatable Wibit, which is basically a fun floating obstacle course for children age 4 and up, and families, including adults. The open house, sponsored by Assured Partners, has two time slots: noon to 2 p.m. or 3 to 5 p.m. Each time slot has a limited number of participants, so please sign up in advance at www.alpenaplazapool.com/wibit.

∫ The VFW Posen Post 7804 will host a breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday. The menu includes pancakes, sausage, eggs to order, biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns, and desserts to order. The cost is $10 per adult, $5 per child ages 5 to 12, and free for children younger than 5. Takeouts are available, and the hall is handicap accessible. The public is welcome.

∫ If a problem drinker is affecting your life, Al-Anon can help. Confidential and anonymous meetings are held from 2 to 3 p.m. every Sunday at St. Raphael Church in Mikado.

∫ Hear ye, hear ye! You are hereby invited to attend Rogers City Community Theatre’s spring production of the Tony-award-winning musical, “Something Rotten!” which continues Sunday at the Rogers Theater, 257 N. Third St. in beautiful downtown Rogers City. The curtain rises at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $14 for adults and $6 for students. The box office opens one hour before show time.

Monday, April 29

∫ Exercise is at 10 a.m. each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at Alpena Senior Citizens Center. Euchre starts at 12:30 p.m.

∫ Experienced bridge partners looking for some challenging competition can join the Alpena Duplicate Bridge Club that meets from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Mondays. For more information, call 989-354-2306 or 989-595-5119.