Courtesy Photo Chris Crown and the Get Down Band will open the 20th Annual Alpena Blues Festival at noon on Saturday at the Alpena County Fairgrounds.

∫ Art in the Loft, on the third floor of the Center Building at 109 N. 2nd Ave. in Alpena, presents its “SummerView 2024” Exhibit, featuring the artwork of nearly 40 artists. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Classes are also offered, and can be viewed online. 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 now through July 24. This year’s theme is “It Figures.” The Besser Museum is located at 491 Johnson St., Alpena. 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. Dorothea Sandra is the featured artist for June. 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, June 11

∫ Rogers City Main Street DDA has brought a week-long mural festival with international, national and local artists to create five new public art installations to Downtown Rogers City through the success of a new crowdfunding campaign. The Murals on Main festival started on Monday and will continue through Sunday. They are $30,000 toward their $50,000 goal to receive a matching grant from The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), through the Michigan-based crowdfunding platform Patronicity. For project details and to donate, please visit: patronicity.com/MoM. Murals on Main is a mural festival spearheaded by the Rogers City Main Street program and includes professionals with backgrounds in art, design, law, marketing, events, finance, and entertainment. The group is raising funds to bring in national, international, and local artists to activate unused walls at five locations in the downtown. The artists selected for this year are: Irene Lopez from Barcelona, Spain, Anna Charney, from Denver, Colorado, Blaine Fontana from Portland, Oregon, Kevin Burdick from Flint, Mich., and local artist Rachel Klein from Rogers City. You can find more on each of the artists on Instagram.com/muralsonmainrc. One of our partners, The Stone House Studio, an arts and cultural center and artist residency in downtown Rogers City, will be hosting the artists and a Graffiti your Ride event for kids to paint, sticker, and personalize their bikes, skateboards, and scooters. Come do art that you will enjoy for years to come! Graffiti your Ride will take place from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. The Murals on Main Festival is a week-long celebration with events, opportunities to engage with the artists, do some artwork of your own, and watch the murals take shape. This model of public art generating economic development showcases how arts and festivals drive economic vitality and create a more vibrant and resilient downtown.

∫ 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 is necessary for this free interactive program.

∫ 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, 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 to join.

∫ 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.

∫ ALL presents How to Prepare for a Nursing Home Move at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday at M. Briggs Center. One of the more difficult moves to plan is one to a nursing home. It can be emotionally taxing, financially draining and overwhelming with its requirements. Participants will learn what is needed for admission to various levels of care facilities. Physician orders for medication, therapies and activity must be completed with a physical exam, a mental health screening must address the use of certain meds and payment arrangements need to be made. None of these are simple while still managing a loved one’s care during those preparations. The staff from MediLodge-Alpena will share their experience in assisting families plan for short and long-term care needs. This will include practical suggestions as to what clothes to pack to how to understand Medicare and Medicaid payment limitations.

∫ 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.

∫ Bay View Center hosts a diversity support meeting at 4 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.

∫ 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.

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

Wednesday, June 12

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

∫ 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.

∫ 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.

∫ The Besser Male Chorus will perform a concert at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12 at First United Methodist Church, 167 S. Ripley Blvd., Alpena. There is no charge to attend, but freewill donations are joyfully accepted.

∫ “Relentless” will be shown from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, 500 W. Fletcher St., Alpena. The movie premiere is free and open to the public.

Thursday, June 13

∫ Community Walking Club for Everyone meets at 9 a.m. every Thursday in the parking lot of the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library. Call 989-724-6796 for more information.

∫ 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 Citizens Center. For more information about book club, call the senior center at 989-356-3585.

∫ Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel (MARSP) will meet at noon on Thursday, June 13 at the First United Methodist Church on Ripley Boulevard in Alpena. A picnic luncheon has been planned for our last meeting until September. You may bring your own lunch if you choose. Come and enjoy a good time with fellow retirees. An election for president and treasurer will be held. The meal cost is $12.50 and reservations were due to Ruth LeBarre no later than Monday, June 10 by calling 989-506-8876.

∫ 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.

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

∫ Join ALL to Explore the Amazon River (and Devil’s Island) at 2 p.m. on Thursday via Zoom. For the link, email all@alpenacc.edu. Travel vicariously — learn about Devil’s Island (French Guyana), cruising the Amazon River (1,000 miles up the Amazon to the city of Manaus), and a few Caribbean islands thrown in for good measure. The French penal colony on Devil’s Island was notorious and made famous by the award-winning movie Papillon. The Amazon River is amazing in size and influences nearly half of South America. Explore both in this presentation inspired by a 28-day cruise up the Amazon River. Rocky Roland is an active ALL member and inveterate traveler. In the last 15 years, he has taken over 10 cruises, many to somewhat exotic locations with four or five cruises longer than 30 days each. In 2018 he ventured out on one of his most adventurous tours — a 39-day land tour (backpacking style) that hit most Balkan nations. To date, Rocky has visited 116 countries during his travels. Rocky often shares his travel experiences with the ALL group.

∫ 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.

∫ A euchre tournament to raise funds for the American Cancer Society will be held on Thursday at Shin-ga-ba Shores Pavilion in Ossineke, organized by the Relay for Life Team The Dragonflies. Registration will be from 5 to 5:45 p.m. First games start at 6 p.m. You must be 21 to play. The entry fee is $25 per person, plus $1 per euchre ($5 per entry goes directly to the cause). Cash prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Fifty percent of the entry fee goes to the prize, and 50% goes to the cause. A light meal and water will be provided. Bring your own drinks. If you have questions, call Diane or Michelle at 989-657-0616 or Hilary at 989-255-5012.

∫ 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.

∫ The Alpena City Band will perform its Looking Back Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 13 at the Alpena bandshell located at Bay View Park. Concerts will be held there each Thursday evening through Aug. 13. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and enjoy an hour of music performed by local musicians. There will be no evening concert on July 4, as the band will be participating in the parade earlier that day. Special themed concerts include the June 13 Looking Back Concert, July 11 Patriotic Concert, July 25 Children’s Concert, and the Aug. 13 Polka Concert (last concert of the season). A special Veterans Concert will be performed on July 24 inside the tent at the Brown Trout Festival.

Friday, June 14

∫ ALL pickleball plays from 9 to 11 a.m. Call 989-358-7207 for details.

∫ The 31st Annual Presque Isle Harbor Wooden Boat Show will be held Friday and Saturday at 5462 E. Grand Lake Road, Presque Isle. Music is sponsored by Lakeshore Realty. There will be boat, car, and craft shows from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit presqueisleharborwoodenboatshow.com.

∫ 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, 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!

∫ 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.

Saturday, June 15

∫ 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. For more information, visit Friends of the Alpena Farmers Market on Facebook.

∫ The Harrisville Farmers Market, located in the upper parking lot of the Harrisville Harbor at the corner of N. Lake Street and E. Harbor Lane, is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays from June through October. Market items are locally produced, grown, harvested, baked, and gathered. For more information, visit The Real Harrisville Harbor Facebook page.

∫ The 31st Annual Presque Isle Harbor Wooden Boat Show will be held Friday and Saturday at 5462 E. Grand Lake Road, Presque Isle. Music is sponsored by Lakeshore Realty. There will be boat, car, and craft shows from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit presqueisleharborwoodenboatshow.com.

∫ The 20th Annual Alpena Blues Festival will take place from noon to midnight on Saturday at the Alpena County Fairgrounds. All-day passes are $30 per person, at the gate. The lineup includes Chris Crown and the Get Down Band from noon to 2 p.m., Charlie Millard from 2 to 4 p.m., Motor City Josh and the Big 3 from 4 to 6 p.m., Erich Goebel and the Flying Crowbars from 6 to 8 p.m., Tosha Owens with Broken Arrow Blues Band featuring Robyn Crongeyer from 8 to 10 p.m., and The Jimmys from 10 p.m. to midnight. Pictured is Chris Crown and the Get Down Band.

∫ The Homestead Artisan Market and Gallery is in the Kauffman Homestead 8015 E. Grand Lake Road in Grand Lake. The Kauffman Homestead is owned by the Grand Lake Association and is a historical site. They have allowed local crafters and artists to sell their items since the 1970s. An artisan market is like a farmers market, a place giving you an opportunity to meet the creators and learn how and by whom your unique product was made. The Homestead Artisan Market and Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, now through Labor Day, and some special activity days. For more information, check out the Homestead Artisan Market and Gallery on Facebook.

∫ The Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Northeast Michigan is offering a workshop on Allyship on Saturday, June 15 to recognize Juneteenth this year. Allyship: Lessons from the Past to Apply to Our Present will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 119 W. Dunbar St., Alpena. The 2024 Juneteenth Program will offer an interactive shared learning experience focused on allyship. The individual and collective actions that can result in supporting a beloved community philosophy will be shared. The skills and techniques used by allies to support change for social and racial justice during divided political times will be discussed, and considered. Debi Cain will be a workshop presenter, and Sandra Pilgrim-Lewis will be workshop facilitator. Light lunch is included in the day as time for further conversation. Register by Thursday, June 13 by emailing abelovedcommunity.alpena@gmail.com or calling 989-354-2640.

∫ On Saturdays, 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.

∫ Charles Madison will perform live music from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday at PIF Cider, 205 W. Chisholm St., Alpena.

Sunday, June 16

∫ HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

∫ 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.

Submit Community Calendar items to lifestyles@thealpenanews.com.