File Photo The annual V-J Day celebration in Hillman kicks off on Friday. Members of the Hillman VFW Post 2356 will host the parade at noon on Saturday.

ALPENA — The annual V-J Day celebration kicks off Friday in Hillman. Over the next several days, there will be a lot of fun things to do, great food to eat, and entertainment to enjoy.

Victory over Japan Day, also known as V-J Day, is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end on Aug. 15, 1945.

On Friday, a book sale runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hillman Library, and a yard sale will also be happening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hillman Senior Center. A white elephant and bake sale will be held at St. Augustine Church. Also on Friday, the annual fish fry will be held at several locations: Hillman VFW Post 2356, Chauncey’s Pub, VanPanel’s Diner, and the Thunder Bay Resort.

Friends Together is hosting a Dueling Pianos event on Friday evening, with doors opening at 6 p.m. and the show starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Hillman Community Center. Tickets are $25 and you must be 21 or older to enter. Tickets are available at Friends Together, 105 Prentiss St., Alpena.

The festival picks up on Saturday with a full slate of activities from morning until night.

At 8 a.m. Saturday, a 5K Run and Walk Golf Craze will be sponsored by Thunder Bay Community Health. Breakfast will be served from 8 to 11 a.m. at the VFW Hall. The book sale, white elephant and bake sales, and yard sale will continue Saturday.

At Brush Creek Mill, craft vendors and booths will be up from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as the Hometown Heroes Military Display.

The VFW Grand Parade starts at noon, with Grand Marshal James Paczkowski Sr. Floats will line up at the Catholic church on Veterans Memorial Drive.

Sparky the Fire Prevention Dog will be available to visit with children from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the Hillman Fire Hall, where brats, hot dogs, games, activities, face painting, a dunk tank, a bounce house, and Pop with a Cop will be after the parade until 3 p.m. Brats and hot dogs will also be offered at the VFW Hall after the parade. Horse carriage rides will be offered after the parade until 6 p.m. as well.

Burger Bash will be from noon to 3 p.m. at Emerick Park Pavilion, for $10 per plate.

The Saddle Tramps band will perform from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Hi-Way parking lot.

The VFW will hold a raffle drawing for a grill at 2 p.m. The Knights of Columbus will host a duck race at 3 p.m. on the west side of Brush Creek Mill. Wheels Car Club will host Car Cruise Night from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Thunder Bay Resort.

The Godfreys will perform a free concert from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Hillman Band Shell, where concessions will be available for purchase.

As Saturday winds down, the annual fireworks show will take place in Hillman. People are encouraged to bring their chairs and find a good place to sit at Emerick Park, as the fireworks will be launched over the Thunder Bay River.

Sunday events include a Wheels Car Club car show from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. downtown. The annual Tiger Golf Scramble will have a shotgun start at 9 a.m. at Thunder Bay Resort.

For more information about V-J Days and a complete list of events and times, visit the Hillman Chamber of Commerce website at hillmanchamber.org.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.