∫ The annual Season of Light display is up through Jan. 6 at Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan, 491 Johnson St. in Alpena. For more information, 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. Kelly Belew is the featured artist for December. The gallery is open from 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, Dec. 19

News Photo by Darby Hinkley A Christmas tree stands at the entrance of the Center Building between the Fresh Palate and Thunder Bay Winery in downtown Alpena.

∫ Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library and the Alpena Downtown Development Authority present a micro-exhibit called “Lost Buildings of Downtown Alpena,” which opened Monday and will be viewable through March 1 on the library’s first floor at 211 N. 1st Ave., Alpena. The exhibit sheds light on the mid-20th century’s impact of the urban renewal movement in Downtown Alpena, which continues to influence our perception of the downtown area to this day. Learn about the buildings we have lost, the parks we gained, and the change in how Alpena viewed its central business district. For most of Alpena’s history, the city’s layout remained fairly consistent: a centralized commercial and social hub, an industrial waterfront, and residential areas surrounding it. That all changed after World War II when local and national governments sought to “improve” their communities in hopes of combating suburban sprawl and decentralization of stores and community centers. Such an attitude was in response to this new sense of pride that American communities felt as they ended WWII as a political and economic superpower. To usher America into a new, modern era, community leaders, local governments, and architects — with the support of federal funding programs that sought to “modernize” urban and rural centers alike — looked to their traditional city centers to lead the charge. For more information, contact the George R. Cook and Edith Angell Cook Special Collections Department at 989-356-6188, ext 17.

∫ ALL 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.

∫ 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. 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.

∫ Practice ukulele at 10 a.m. at the Harrisville branch of Alcona County Library, with ukuleles available for checkout. 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, in-person at Friends Together, 105 Prentiss St. and via Zoom. Call Friends Together at 989-356-3231 for the link.

∫ Alpena County Library will host History Hounds: Trailblazers and Icons: The Great Women of Mackinac, 1800-1950 at noon on Tuesday. The great women of Mackinac were trailblazers who established the community on Mackinac Island. They were leaders in the island’s fur trade, healthcare, literature, horse culture, and education, and their lives ran the gamut from scandal to tragedy. The personal stories of those women — including Madeline Laframboise, Agatha Biddle, Margaret Fuller, and Daisy Blodgett — reveal inventiveness and perseverance in a time when women had few rights. History Hounds is a bi-weekly lecture series presented by the Historical Society of Michigan. Contact the George R. and Edith Angell Cook Special Collections Department at 989-356-6188, ext. 17.

∫ On Tuesday, Dec. 19, the Alcona Book Club will meet from noon to 1 p.m. to discuss this month’s book, “Mr. Dickens and His Carol: A Novel of Christmas Past,” by Samantha Silva. This book offers a take on how Charles Dickens came to write his famous holiday story, “A Christmas Carol.” Join the club for coffee and light refreshments while discussing the novel.

∫ 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.

∫ Mindful Movement, a healing, gentle, unique yoga program designed to nourish, inspire and empower each woman healing and dealing with cancer, is at noon on Tuesdays, in-person and via Zoom. For more information and the Zoom link, call Friends Together at 989-356-3231.

∫ 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.

∫ Bay View Center hosts a diversity support meeting at 6:30 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.

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

Wednesday, Dec. 20

∫ Participate in the Salvation Army’s 2023 Red Kettle collection by driving your car up to Banner Realty, and they will bring out the Red Kettle and ring the bell for you. ​​Banner Realty is celebrating its 12th annual collection of hats, gloves, mittens, and scarves for a warm winter for children and adults for the Salvation Army. Drop off items from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at Banner Realty, 259 S. Ripley Blvd.

∫ 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.

∫ Alpena Senior Citizens Center exercise is from 10 to 11 a.m.

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

∫ Join the Alpena County Library for the fall session of Sewing Club, meeting from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. This club is open to all skill levels, from newbie to expert, ages 10 and up. Bring your sewing machine, supplies, and project to work on. For those without a sewing machine, there are three machines on site for use. Registration is required. 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.

∫ Overeaters Anonymous, a 12-step program of recovery for those with compulsive eating behaviors, meets at 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday at 3100 Piper Rd. Alpena, in the back room. For more information, contact Diane R. at 989-821-9601.

∫ Alpena Sportsman’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.

Thursday, Dec. 21

∫ 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 Citizens Center. For more information, call 989-356-3585.

∫ 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.

∫ 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.

∫ PIF Cider invites you to Game Knight with Joel Choate of Collective Effort Gaming for a variety of board games on Thursday evening. Prizes will be awarded. The event will be held from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at PIF Cider, 205 W. Chisholm St., Alpena.

∫ 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.

∫ Thunder Bay Theatre presents “A Cheeky Wee Christmas Carol” at 7:30 p.m. at Latitudes Tavern, 307 W. Chisholm St., Alpena. Join TBT for their irreverent and hopefully hilarious take on the classic “A Christmas Carol.” Fan favorite Lucas will be reprising his role as the cantankerous Ebenezer Scrooge and we will be welcoming some new faces as Jacob Marley and other very important characters. This event is free of charge, but goodwill donations toward Thunder Bay Theatre are appreciated, as well as purchasing a cocktail or fries from our dear friends at Latitudes.

Friday, Dec. 22

∫ 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.

∫ 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.

∫ ALL hosts contract bridge from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Fridays at M. Briggs Center. This ongoing group of card players welcome any players at any time.

∫ 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.

∫ Stop by Santa’s house in Culligan Plaza to meet Santa, get your photo taken, and tell him your wishes for this Christmas. Santa will be in his house, located in the plaza next to the city’s Christmas tree, from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, and from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 23. The events are free and open to people of all ages. Santa also has a mailbox in front of his house where families can drop off their letters to Santa at any point leading up to Christmas. For more information on the Visit with Santa events, visit downtownalpenami.com/events or call 989-356-6422.

∫ 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.

∫ The Alpena Street Performers will be wandering throughout downtown spreading musical Christmas cheer! Join the Wandering Carolers from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, and Saturday, Dec. 23. They will be visiting Downtown Alpena eating establishments and open businesses between 6 and 8 p.m. Just remember, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” See you downtown!

Saturday, Dec. 23

∫ 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.

∫ From Saturday, Dec. 23 through Monday, Dec. 25, all branches of the Alcona County Library (Harrisville, Caledonia, Lincoln, Mikado, and the Curtis Township Library in Glennie) will be closed for the Christmas holiday.

∫ Join the Wandering Carolers from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 23. They will be visiting Downtown Alpena restaurants and businesses between 6 and 8 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 24

∫ 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.

Monday, Dec. 25

∫ MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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