Courtesy Photo Alliance, one of the two tall ships that will be part of Sail Into Your Sanctuary Aug. 14 to 17, is seen sailing on the water.

~ 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 Juried Art Exhibit and Chuck Schroeder’s solo art exhibit, both on display now through Oct. 29 at 491 Johnson St., Alpena.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. 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 Museum.

Today, Aug. 12

~ 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.

~ The Alpena County Fair continues through Sunday. Today is Senior Day, with free gate admission for those 60 and older. The carnival is slated to start up today, and a free Casalino Circus will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. daily today through Friday, then it will be held at 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. on Saturday. Hog Diggity Dogs and More is another free event at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. tonight, and throughout the week. The Twisted P Rodeo will be held at 7 p.m. tonight and Wednesday, for $15 per adult, and $10 per child ages 10 and younger. For a full schedule and updates, visit alpenafair.org or see the Alpena County Fair Facebook page.

~ 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.

~ ALL will host an Alpena County Library presentation from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at M. Briggs Center. Library Director Christina Markowski will lead the presentation about library programs and services.

~ 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. Then, 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.

~ Alpena County Library hosts Tinker Tuesday from 4 to 5:30 p.m., for ages 5 and older.

~ 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.

~ Friends Together will host Learn with Friends — Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, and More at 4:30 p.m. today with Attorney Dylan Wallace. Call 989-356-3231 to register.

~ 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, Aug. 13

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

~ The Alpena County Fair continues, with the carnival opening at 2 p.m., and a free Casalino Circus from 5 to 7 p.m. Hog Diggity Dogs and More is another free event at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. throughout the week. The Twisted P Rodeo will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, for $15 per adult, and $10 per child ages 10 and younger. For a full schedule and updates, visit alpenafair.org or see the Alpena County Fair Facebook page.

~ 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.

~ The Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency, Inc. (NEMCSA) invites the public to join in celebrating the organization’s birthday during a special community event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the NEMCSA main office, 2569 U.S.-23 South in Alpena. This free, family-friendly event will feature ice cream, fun activities, giveaways, and the opportunity to learn more about the impactful programs and services NEMCSA provides across the region. For more information, contact Frances Ommani at ommanif@nemcsa.org or 989-358-4690.

~ Alpena County Library Tech Help is from noon to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

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

~ ALL will host How I Found Myself on Stage and You Can Too! Larry Johns will lead the program from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at M. Briggs Center. He will give a first-person account of his experience of acting in community theatre despite his fear of being onstage in front of a live audience. Johns recently played Frankenstein in an Alpena Civic Theatre production.

~ 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.

~ 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, Aug. 14

~ The Friends of the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library Used Book Sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, which will be $5 per bag day. The members-only opening sale will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday. More than just books, the sale includes DVDs, puzzles, games, and more, with proceeds supporting library programs. If you are interested in volunteering, or to learn more about becoming a Friends of the Library member, email friends@alpenalibrary.org.

~ Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary will host Sail Into Your Sanctuary, featuring historic tall ships, Thursday through Sunday. The four-day event begins at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center and along the Thunder Bay River, where the ships will be docked. Sails are available at 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Sails are also offered at noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Sailing costs $55 per person for a 90-minute excursion out into the sanctuary. Free deck tours of the Alliance will be from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Dork Brothers Battle of the Paddles will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday, followed by awards. Family events will be held from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday inside the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center.

~ ALL will learn about the History of the Alpena Sports Hall of Fame from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday at M. Briggs Center. The Alpena Sports Hall of Fame began in 1982. Alpena native Liz Klemens will lead the presentation. Her involvement with the Alpena Sports Hall of Fame began in 2018 with being appointed to the Board of Directors by then president, Gary Mischley. When Mischley stepped down in 2021, she became president.

~ The Alpena County Fair continues, with the carnival opening at 2 p.m., and a free Casalino Circus from 5 to 7 p.m. Hog Diggity Dogs and More is another free event at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. throughout the week. Gizmo D Robot will be on hand from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, and 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. A Demolition Derby and Car Soccer will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday.

~ 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 Thursday. 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. For more information, contact the youth department at 989-356-6188, ext. 23.

~ ALL will learn about Fort Fisher — the Last Stronghold from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at M. Briggs Center. In the final months of the Civil War, a joint Army-Navy force attacked Fort Fisher on the Cape Fear River, to close the last Confederate port still open to blockade runners. Triumph and tragedy was the result. Presenter Richard Wolff is a retired Rockford Illinois lawyer who has spent summer vacations on Lake Avalon for more than 70 years. A hobby of his is research on the Union and Confederate Navy in the Civil War.

~ 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.

Friday, Aug. 15

~ The Alpena County Fair continues, with the carnival opening at 2 p.m., and a free Casalino Circus from 5 to 7 p.m. Hog Diggity Dogs and More is at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. throughout the week. Gizmo D Robot will be on hand from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, and 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. A Bump and Run will be at 7 p.m. Friday.

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

~ 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, Storytime and Craft for Kids meets at 10:30 a.m. at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library.

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

~ Representative Cam Cavitt will host a coffee hour from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday at Alcona Coffee Co., 110 E. Main St. in Harrisville.

~ 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.

~ 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.

~ The Dork Brothers Battle of the Paddles race will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, followed by awards and a reception from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Eventgoers can view the race from the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center rooftop deck with beer, wine, and cider available for purchase. Participants will begin at the Rotary Bridge and complete the course with a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard. Those interested in competing in the race should register at thunderbayfriends.org.

Saturday, Aug. 16

~ 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 Bay to Beacon Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and kids 1-mile run will take place on Saturday morning in Harrisville. The half marathon starts at Negwegon State Park and finishes at the historic Sturgeon Point Lighthouse. The 10K, 5K, and 1-mile runs will begin and end at the Sturgeon Point Lighthouse. Funds raised from B2B are donated to three local nonprofit groups: Friends of Negwegon State Park, The Alcona Historical Society, and The Sunset Project. To register or for more information, visit runsignup.com/Race/MI/Harrisville/NEMIHalfMarathon.

~ Alpena Institute of Massage students will host a Bigfoot-themed “fun run” 5K at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center where they will give massages and profits will go to Great Lakes Great Responsibility. Register at eventbrite.com by searching Big Foot Big Responsibility 5K Fun Run/Walk.

~ The Alpena County Fair continues, with the carnival opening at 2 p.m., and a free Casalino Circus from 5 to 7 p.m. Hog Diggity Dogs and More is at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. throughout the week. Gizmo D Robot will be on hand from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Saturday is Military Appreciation Day, with free gate admission for those with military ID. The 126th Michigan Army National Guard Band will perform a concert from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday will also be Kids Day, with bike giveaways at 5 p.m. and fun for children of all ages throughout the day. Thumb Tractor Pulls will be held at 2 p.m. for local tractors and 6 p.m. on Saturday.

~ The fourth annual Art in the Park will be held on Saturday at McRae Park in Alpena, with over 40 vendors, live music, concessions, raffles, games, and a whole lot of family-friendly fun, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A wide variety of items will be available from vendors at the show. Proceeds from the event will go to Second Chance Animal Shelter.

~ 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.

~ The annual Downtown Drive-In and Dine Car Show will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. in Downtown Alpena. All car enthusiasts are welcome — whether you have a classic, or a unique modern vehicle, we invite you to showcase your wheels. No pre-registration is required. People can vote on their favorite vehicle, with the Voter’s Choice Award winner announced at 7 p.m. This event is organized by Sam Rumbles State Farm.

~ Jedi Mind Trip will perform classic rock from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Alpena Bandshell at Bay View Park, as part of True North Radio Network’s Summer Concert Series.

Sunday, Aug. 17

~ Scouting America Troop 92 will be holding a freewill offering breakfast, open to the public, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 727 S 2nd Ave., Alpena.

~ Community Church in the Park will be held at 8:30 a.m. every Sunday during August at the Alpena Bandshell at Bay View Park. First United Methodist Church invites you to come and enjoy coffee, juice and snacks as you worship in this beautiful lakeshore setting.

~ Sunday is the last day of the Alpena County Fair. A Fair Appreciation Breakfast will be held at 10 a.m. for all sponsors, volunteers, and exhibitors. The carnival will run from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, and another Bump and Run will cap the events off at 2 p.m.

~ History and stories from one-room schools will be just a part of a special event on Sunday at Leer Lutheran Church, 10430 S. Leer Road, Posen. The museum will be open from noon to 5 p.m. A silent auction will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. The history and stories program will take place from 2 to 3 p.m., and a hobo dinner will start at 4:30 p.m., by donation. The silent auction will feature a wide variety of handmade gift items. There will be visiting and question time, as well as an opportunity to donate to the Leer Heritage Foundation, who is responsible for this program and the museum. If you have questions, call 989-464-3197.

~ 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.