News Photo by Christie Werda The Alpena News Sandcastle Contest banner is seen on Friday at Starlite Beach in Alpena in preparation for the annual Fourth of July contest. Registration begins at 8 a.m. on Friday at Starlite Beach.

ALPENA — Community members and visitors can celebrate the Fourth of July in a variety of fun ways in Northeast Michigan. Here’s a look at what’s happening in local communities leading up to and on the holiday, which is this Friday.

ALPENA

Alpena’s Fourth of July celebrations kick off Thursday night with a True North Radio Network concert, followed by fireworks.

The Persuasion Band will play from 7 to 10 p.m. on Thursday night at the Alpena Bandshell at Bay View Park leading up to the firework show. According to The City of Alpena, fireworks will be launched over the water near Bay View Park. Community members can view the show from various parks around the area.

Fourth of July proper begins Friday at Starlite Beach with The Alpena News Sandcastle Contest. Registration is free and starts at 8 a.m. 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.

Christie Werda, general manager and advertising director of The News, explained that The Alpena News Sandcastle Contest has been a tradition at the paper since 2014.

“It’s a great way to get your family and friends together and have fun on the Fourth,” Werda said, adding that there are “absolutely great prizes this year.”

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 HPC Credit Union Fourth of July Parade starts at 11 a.m. 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.

“All of the money that we raise for anything goes toward youth projects in the community,” said Beckie Thomson, president of the Optimist Club of Alpena.

The Optimist Club sponsors many youth projects throughout the year, including the youth park at the Alpena County Fairgrounds, supporting children diagnosed with cancer being treated at MyMichigan Medical Center, Salvation Army projects, the Free Family Fun Kids Fishing Day at the Michigan Brown Trout Festival, the annual Spring Break Free Family Fun Day, and wrapping gifts for the Toys for Kids holiday program led by the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 583 in Alpena.

HARRISVILLE

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.

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

ROGERS CITY

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.

ONAWAY

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.

Then, the Dancing Hippo Arts and Craft show will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 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.

On Saturday, Fourth of July events will pick back up with the Dancing Hippo Craft Show continuing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Meanwhile, 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.

ATLANTA

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.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.