News File Photo The Rotary Club of Alpena will host Brew on the Bay from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday at the APlex.

∫ Art in the Loft, on the third floor of the Center Building at 109 N. 2nd Ave. in Alpena, is currently closed to prepare for the upcoming Young Artist exhibit, which opens April 3 and will be on display through April 26. The gallery is normally open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Classes are still offered, and can be viewed online. Visit artintheloft.org, email director@artintheloft.org, or call 989-356-4877.

∫ Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan presents its new “Discover Northeast Michigan History” exhibit. Two local artist exhibits are currently on display: Pam O’Neil and Joe Donna. 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., features more than 20 local artists’ work on display and for sale. The Gallery has been closed temporarily for interior updates, and will reopen Wednesday, March 5. TBA Gallery winter hours through March are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Visit thunderbayarts.org or call 989-354-2586.

Today, March 4

∫ 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. There is no obligation to join if you attend your first meeting. For more information, call 989-255-4787.

∫ Alpena County Library will host Early Connections, a free recurring play and socialization program for children ages 0-5, and their caregivers. This group meets 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 for more information.

∫ 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 invited to join.

∫ 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. For detailed membership information, call 989-464-5313.

∫ Michigan State Police Trooper Jason Kunath will speak on how to avoid scams at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Alpena. The meeting will be held in the multi-purpose room at the church. Coffee and cookies will be served.

∫ Knitting Klub and Crochet is held at 1:15 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of the month at the Alcona County Library in Harrisville, for all practitioners of the fiber arts, beginner to advanced.

∫ Sewing Club meets from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday at the Alpena County Library’s Makerspace. This club is open to all skill levels — newbie to expert, ages 10 and up. Bring your sewing machine, supplies (scissors, straight pins), and a project to work on. Space and guidance will be provided. For those without a sewing machine, there are three machines on site for use. Registration is required by calling Barb Brege at 989-255-8969.

∫ ALL will host a program called Get Ready for Visitors, led by Wendy Payne, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday at M. Briggs Center. The program will provide information about area activities and events by location and specific seasonal availability. It will help you show off Alpena and some of the surrounding area to family and friends who visit. Payne retired from the military and recently settled in Alpena.

∫ Alpena County Library hosts Tinker Tuesday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Participants must be age 5 or older.

∫ Bay View Center hosts a diversity support meeting at 4 p.m. each Tuesday. This weekly meeting 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.

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

∫ 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.

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

Wednesday, March 5

∫ AARP TAX-AIDE offers free tax prep to senior citizens and also to low-income persons of any age. Membership is not required. Services are provided in Alpena by appointment only on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. No walk-ins. AARP TAX-AIDE Volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year. To make an appointment or if you have questions, please call 989-278-8104.

∫ 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 will have a used book store open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Wednesday on the third floor of the Alpena County Library. The public is welcome.

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

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

∫ Join the Alpena County Library from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays for Open MakerLab. Makers of all ages can tinker, collaborate, and create a project of their choice in ACL’s lab. Staff help is available if needed. Participants ages 5 to 15 will need parental supervision at all times. If you have questions, call 989-356-6188, ext. 20.

∫ ALL will host a Writing Workshop from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday at M. Briggs Center, led by Mary Ann Krajnik Crawford. This series focuses on writing, sharing, and feedback. Crawford has been a personal journal writer and teacher of writing for many years. She retired from Central Michigan University as emeritus professor of English and director of the Writing Center and continues to write for the fun of it.

∫ Alpena County Library offers Tech Help from noon to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Get help with your computer, phone, or tablet from ACL’s knowledgeable and patient staff.

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

∫ S.T.E.A.M., formerly called Homeschoolers at the Library, will meet at 1 p.m. each Wednesday at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library.

∫ Circle of Hope is a women’s only cancer support group that meets 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. For more info, call 989-356-3231, or drop in. No pre-registration is required.

∫ Paws to Read offers the opportunity for participants to read to squirrels from 5 to 6 p.m. every other Wednesday at Alpena County Library. This month’s sessions will be held on March 5 and 19. Animal rehabilitator Melisa Smith is back with her special squirrel friends, Speech and Daisy. This program is for children up to age 18. Register at bit.ly/4g1qDyL. If you have questions, contact Tina at cstjohn@alpenalibrary.org.

∫ Alpena Sportsmen’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 info, 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., downtown Alpena.

Thursday, March 6

∫ 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 Library Youth Services Department at 9:15 a.m. each Thursday for Weekly Storytime. Come for a few stories, then stay for an activity or craft! All ages are welcome.

∫ 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. Please contact 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.

∫ Zoom Book Club is 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Thursday, with the Alpena Senior Citizens Center. Call 989-356-3585.

∫ Pinochle and bridge are held 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.

∫ ALL will host Starting Seeds Indoors from 1 to 2 p.m. at M. Briggs Center. Are you anxious for spring? Thinking about growing things? Gerald Ciarkowski will help get you started. He will lead attendees through the process of starting seeds indoors with this list: 1) reading a seed package, 2) type of planting container, 3) type of media, 4) timing, 5) thinning, 6) fertilizing, 7) hardening off, and 8) things to watch for.

∫ The Rotary Club of Alpena will host Brew on the Bay from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday at the APlex. Proceeds from the craft beverage tasting and auctions will help fund future Rotary Club endeavors. The event will feature about 30 vendors serving beer, wine, cider, and cocktails. There will be more than 100 items up for auction. Hungry Hippie and Nowicki’s Sausage Shoppe will be selling food at the event. Tickets for Brew on the Bay are $25 each and ticket holders will receive a souvenir glass and six drink tickets. Additional drink tickets will be available for purchase. Brew on the Bay tickets are available at Barrigar – Farm Bureau Insurance, the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, Perch’s IGA, Star Staffing, all Wolverine State Credit Union branches, and from Rotarians. Tickets will only be sold at the door if they fail to sell out before the event.

∫ 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, 18132 Lake Esau Highway. Bring your latest knitting, crocheting, sewing, needlepoint, or other crafts. Call 989-734-2477, ext. 2 with questions.

∫ The Alpena County Republican Party will hold a meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Alpena Community College Center Building, Room 106.

∫ The new Northeast Michigan Amputee Support Group will be meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month, starting on March 6, at McWilliams Funeral Home, 504 W. Washington Ave., Alpena. Each month will feature a new topic, with guest speakers on occasion. All who are affected by limb loss are welcome. Each meeting will be helpful for the whole family (the amputee, their support person, and children). Child care will be provided. Please call ahead to register your child. If you have questions, call Dave at 989-916-9529, or Andrea at 989-916-9528, or email nemilimbloss@outlook.com.

∫ 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, March 7

∫ AARP TAX-AIDE offers free tax prep to senior citizens and also to low-income persons of any age. Membership is not required. Services are provided in Alpena by appointment only on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. No walk-ins. AARP TAX-AIDE Volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year. To make an appointment or if you have questions, please call 989-278-8104.

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

∫ It’s Free Popcorn Friday at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library. Stop in and help yourself to a bag of theater-style popcorn, while supplies last.

∫ In honor of International Women’s Day, the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library invites women to stop by between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Friday to pick up a free plant as a token of appreciation. International Women’s Day is Saturday, March 8. This year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” encourages progress and empowerment. Call the library at 989-724-6796 for more information.

∫ 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.

∫ The Grand Lake branch of Presque Isle District Library will host a card-making class at 10:15 a.m. on Friday. The cost is $7.50 to make three Stampin’ Up cards. All materials are included. This class is limited to nine participants, and sign up is required by calling 989-734-2477, ext. 2. The library is located at 18132 Lake Esau Hwy, Presque Isle.

∫ 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.

∫ A free comedy show and suicide prevention program called “1 Degree of Separation” will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Friday in the Granum Theatre at Alpena Community College, 665 Johnson St., Alpena. This show is recommended for ages 18 and older. It is open to everyone, including veterans, first responders, guidance counselors, mental health professionals, and community members. “Depression has one degree of separation: if you don’t suffer, then someone you know does,” the 1 Degree website states. “We aim to bring dialogue, awareness, and acceptance for those suffering from depression through laughter and vulnerability. We laugh at the dark stuff, because laughter releases the pain. We talk about depression because no one should feel shame.” For more information, visit 1degreeofseparation.life. The group has performed over 80 suicide prevention shows for people from all walks of life, traveling to Kentucky, South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, and all over California. This event is presented by UP Together With Veterans. Partners in Prevention will also have suicide prevention and mental health resources available. If you have questions, call 906-458-6403 or 906-360-3890.

∫ 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.

∫ 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 APlex will host a Special Needs St. Patrick’s Day Dance from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Admission is $5 per person. The APlex is located at 701 Woodward Ave., Alpena.

Saturday, March 8

∫ AARP TAX-AIDE offers free tax prep to senior citizens and also to low-income persons of any age. Membership is not required. Services are provided in Alpena by appointment only on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. No walk-ins. AARP TAX-AIDE Volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year. To make an appointment or if you have questions, please call 989-278-8104.

∫ 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 the Friends of the Alpena Farmers Market on Facebook.

∫ Alpena County Library will host the Scrapbook Society’s Scrapbooking Crop from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday at 211 N. 1st Ave., Alpena. Do you enjoy scrapbooking and are looking for a community of people who enjoy it, too? Pack up your supplies and join ACL for some memory keeping and paper crafting fun. Registration is required, and space is limited. Attendees will have a six-foot table and access to Cricuts. Lunch of hot soup and rolls will be provided, and attendees are asked to bring a dish to pass. Register online at alpenalibrary.org. For more information, contact Aimee Arbour at scrapbooksocietyapn@gmail.com.

∫ The Sunrise Side Co-op Market (indoor farmers 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, located in the blue marina building at 401 E. Chisholm St., Alpena.

∫ The APlex presents Fire Lake, a Bob Seger Tribute, on Saturday at 701 Woodward Ave., Alpena. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and admission is $16 per person. For tickets, visit aplex.org. If you have questions, call the APlex at 989-354-6164.

Sunday, March 9

∫ Teen Angels will perform hits by The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Sly and the Family Stone, Motown, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and more, on Sunday at the APlex, 701 Woodward Ave., Alpena. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Admission is $20 per person, with hors d’oeuvres included. For Teen Angels tickets, visit the APlex website at aplex.org. If you have questions about this concert, call the APlex at 989-354-6164.

∫ 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.