Courtesy Photo A group of teen scientific divers called the SCUBAnauts will share about their time in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary at a free program at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the NOAA Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena.

Art in the Loft’s “SummerView” exhibit is on display now through Sept. 6 at 109 N. 2nd Ave. in Alpena. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Classes are offered, and scholarships are available. Visit artintheloft.org, or call 989-356-4877.

Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan presents the Northeast Michigan Artists’ Guild’s annual exhibit “Anything Goes,” now through July 30. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, closed Tuesday, and open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday at 491 Johnson St., Alpena. Call 989-356-2202, or visit bessermuseum.org.

Thunder Bay Arts Gallery, 127 W. Chisholm St., Alpena, is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, featuring the artwork of over 20 artists on display and for sale. Visit thunderbayarts.org or call 989-354-2586.

Brush Creek Mill is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday at 121 S. State St., Hillman. Brush Creek Mill is open year-round and features a gift shop, a variety of events and activities, a memorial garden on Brush Creek, and the Hillman Area Historical and Genealogy Society’s museum.

Today, July 1

ALL hosts Mexican Train Express Dominoes from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m. each Tuesday at M. Briggs Center 143.

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. For more information, call 989-255-4787.

Alpena County Library hosts Early Connections, a socialization program for children ages newborn to 5, and their caregivers, from 10 to 11 a.m. every Tuesday. No registration necessary.

Potential homeowners can find out the steps they need to take to get closer to homeownership. Stop by the Habitat for Humanity Northeast Michigan offices at 2630 U.S.-23 South in Alpena from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday.

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 welcome.

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

The Alpena Lions Club hosts their weekly meetings at noon on Tuesdays at First Presbyterian Church, Alpena. Visit alpenalionsclub.com or the Alpena Lions Club on Facebook, or call 989-464-5313.

Coping Through Loss With Christ, a grief/loss group, will meet from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Holy Cross Cemetery office. A job loss and other forms of loss group will meet at 6:30 p.m on Tuesdays at the Friendship Room in Alpena. For more information, contact Seth Peters at 989-354-3019. All are welcome.

Bay View Center hosts a diversity support meeting at 4 p.m. each Tuesday for those in the LGBTQ community, their families, and supporters, at 710 N. 2nd Ave. Call 989-340-0955.

A women’s cancer support group meets from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in the lobby of the Alpena Cancer Center. This safe, confidential, peer-to-peer support group welcomes women with a past or present cancer diagnosis.

Cub Scouts meet from 6 to 7 p.m., and BSA 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, July 2

The Alpena Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Mich-e-ke-wis Park, 1302 State Ave. in Alpena. Visit the Friends of the Alpena Farmers Market on Facebook.

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

Friends of the Library’s used book store is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Wednesday at Alpena County Library.

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

Guys Like Us, a Wednesday morning coffee crew of men coping with cancer, meets at 10 a.m. at Friends Together and via Zoom. Call 989-356-3231 for the link.

ALL pinochle is from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at M. Briggs Center with Julie Byrnes.

S.T.E.A.M. meets at 1 p.m. Wednesdays at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library. Homeschooled and alternatively schooled youth participate in a weekly S.T.E.A.M. activity.

Moon Market Wednesday is held from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Alpena Marina, 400 E. Chisholm St., Alpena.

Circle of Hope is a women’s only cancer support group from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. each Wednesday at Friends Together. This is a supportive, understanding group of women of all ages, all backgrounds, and all cancers. Call 989-356-3231, or drop in.

Alpena Sportsmen’s Club, at 4260 M-32 West in Alpena, is open to members and non-members. Skeet and sporting clay shooting are from 5:45 p.m. until dark on Wednesdays, and from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Text Joel Suszek at 989-255-4928 or Jeff Welch at 989-255-6068.

A group of teen scientific divers called the SCUBAnauts will share about their time in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary at a free program at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the NOAA Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena. The program, called Teenagers Scientific Diving from Reefs to Shipwrecks, is part of the Sanctuary Lecture Series. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. This group of Florida and Georgia teenagers are working with the Sanctuary to document shipwrecks and learn about this special ecosystem — very different from the warm coral reefs they are accustomed to. SCUBAnauts International’s mission is to educate teens in the marine sciences, enabling them to make a positive impact on the environment and empowering them to become tomorrow’s leaders.

Friends Together offers a cancer support group at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at Alcona Elementary School, 181 N. Barlow Road, Lincoln. This group is for anyone facing cancer, no matter where you are on your journey. You are welcome to bring a support person with you.

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

Thursday, July 3

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

Weekly Storytime will be held from 9:15 to 10:10 a.m. on Thursday at Alpena County Library, 211 N. 1st Ave. This free program is for ages newborn to 5. Two sessions are offered: 9:15 and 9:45 a.m. Participants read a story, sing a song and move, and finish with a craft.

Join the Alpena County Girlfriends 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. Call Betty at 734-693-2869 for weekly location.

Join ALL for Spitzer from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday at M. Briggs Center, led by Marilyn Klingshirn.

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

Join Harrisville Yoga instructor Liz McNicholas for Stretch and Strengthen, a free series of yoga classes, open to all, at 1 p.m. every Thursday at the Alcona County Library in Harrisville.

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

Alpena County Library will host Reading Buddies/Peer Buddies from 5 to 5:45 p.m. on Thursdays through Aug. 14, in two four-week sessions. Reading Buddies is an opportunity for youth going into kindergarten through third grade to read with their older peers. Peer Buddies will help participants navigate the collection, build literacy skills, and learn to love reading. Peer Buddies need to be in fourth grade or higher. Snacks will be provided. This program counts toward Summer Reading goals. Reading Volunteers/Peers register at https://bit.ly/3FbeVFh. Reading Buddies/Readers register at https://bit.ly/4jYLRA0. For more information, contact the youth department at 989-356-6188, ext. 23.

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.

True North Radio Network’s Summer Concert Series continues from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday at the Alpena Bandshell at Bay View Park, featuring Persuasion Band. Upcoming concerts will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays: Whiskey 6 on July 12, Risque Band on Aug. 9, Jedi Mind Trip on Aug. 16, and Strings Attached on Aug. 23.

A fireworks show will take place right after the concert at Bay View Park. Fireworks will be launched from a pontoon boat over Thunder Bay near Bay View Park. The show will be viewable from various parks around the area.

Friday, July 4

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

The Alpena News Sandcastle Contest registration is free and starts at 8 a.m. at Starlite Beach. Look for the yellow tent. Prizes are bigger and better this year, so get your team ready to come out for this friendly competition. The contest has an adult division for ages 12 and older, and a children’s division for ages 11 and younger. Prizes for the adult division include $500 for first place (donated by Sytek Ortho), $200 for second place (donated by Star Staffing and HPC Credit Union), and $125 for third place (donated by Young’s Appliance). For the kids division, prizes include a Hungry Howie’s one large, one topping pizza per week for a year ($780 value) for first place; $50 and a KFC gift certificate ($37 value) for second place; and a KFC gift certificate ($37 value) for third place. Sandcastle contest judging starts at 3 p.m. and judges will announce the winners at 4 p.m. at the yellow tent at Starlite Beach.

Nicknamed “The Greatest 4th in the North,” festivities in Onaway will kick off at 8 a.m. on Friday with a 5K run/walk starting at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Participants should be registered by 7:45 a.m. the morning of the race.

The Dork Brothers Racing Team is hosting their annual Fourth of July 5K and one-mile Kids Fun Run starting at 9 a.m. Friday. The race begins at the APlex and continues along the bike path adjacent to the Thunder Bay River, then back to the APlex for the finish.

The Dancing Hippo Arts and Craft show will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday on the Onaway City Hall lawn. An ice cream social will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Onaway Methodist Church. Onaway’s Grand Parade will begin at noon on Friday, followed by a host of community events. Friday festivities will conclude with music by Brett Harfert from 7 to 10 p.m. at the beer tent.

Fourth of July festivities will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday in Atlanta behind the Montmorency Courthouse, where parade participants will gather. The Fourth of July parade will begin at 11 a.m, continue through town, and end at the post office.

The HPC Credit Union Fourth of July Parade starts at 11 a.m. Friday from the Alpena County Fairgrounds on 11th Avenue. This year’s parade theme is “Stars, Stripes and Summer Nights.” The parade route will go down 11th Avenue to Chisholm Street to 2nd Avenue downtown, and will end in the parking lot of the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center on Fletcher Street in Alpena.

Immediately following the parade, the 36th Annual Optimist Club of Alpena Rubber Duckie Race will begin, with 1,000 rubber duckies released from the 9th Avenue Bridge to “swim” down the Thunder Bay River to see which one gets to the Mill Creek Bridge first. Optimist members will be selling tickets for $5 apiece along the parade route starting at 9 a.m. on Friday. The winner will receive $500, and you do not need to be present to win. The winner will be notified by phone after the race.

The annual Fourth of July Craft Fair will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at The Craftmakers’ Cabin on the corner of M-72 and U.S.-23 in Harrisville.

ALL hosts contract bridge from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Fridays at M. Briggs Center.

The Alpena Plaza Pool presents Operation WIBITSTORM for the months of July and August. Open swim times are 4 to 6 p.m. Fridays, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sundays. A slide is up for the little ones to enjoy at these family-friendly events, which also include use of the Wibit climb-on obstacle course in the pool. Admission is free for Alpena Plaza Pool members, and $5 per person or $10 per family for non-members. Family monthly memberships are available for $70.

The Hillman VFW Post 2356 hosts its Friday Night Fish Fry from 4 to 7 p.m. every Friday, with your choice of fish or shrimp, potato, coleslaw, roll, and drink. The fish fry is open to the public, and the cost is $13 for the fish dinner or $15 for the shrimp dinner.

On Friday, Melissa and Jake will perform a mix of classic country and blues from 7 to 10 p.m. at Lakeside Park in Rogers City, followed by a fireworks show.

The Alpena City Band will host their annual Patriotic Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at the Alpena Bandshell at Bay View Park. In the summer, the band normally plays at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday through Aug. 7. Other themed concerts will be the Children’s Concert on July 24, and the Polka Concert on Aug. 7. Bring a lawn chair for an hour of relaxing band music.

Saturday, July 5

The Alpena Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays at Mich-e-ke-wis Park, 1302 State Ave. in Alpena. Visit the Friends of the Alpena Farmers Market on Facebook.

The Dancing Hippo Craft Show continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on the Onaway City Hall lawn. The American Legion’s horseshoe tournament will kick off at 10 a.m. Onaway’s Rubber Duck Race on the Ocqueoc River will begin at noon and the festivities will wrap up at dusk with fireworks launched from Onaway Speedway.

The Sunrise Side Co-op Market is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday, with 40 vendors represented weekly for your bakery, farm products, wellness items and high-end gift needs, at the Alpena Marina at 400 E. Chisholm St., Alpena.

Thunder-Con will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Art in the Loft, on the third floor of the Center Building in downtown Alpena.

The Harrisville fireworks will occur at dusk on Saturday at the Harrisville Harbor.