News Photo by Darby Hinkley The Alpena High School Masquers Club presents "The Internet is Distract — Oh Look A Kitten!" on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Stanley C. Beck Auditorium at AHS.

∫ 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 for more information.

∫ 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. The Besser Museum is located at 491 Johnson St., Alpena. Call 989-356-2202, or visit bessermuseum.org.

∫ Wendy Werth is the March and April Featured Artist at Thunder Bay Arts Gallery in downtown Alpena. Werth’s colorful artwork includes many painted gourds, such as giraffes and birds, as well as ornaments and paintings to hang on the wall. Thunder Bay Arts Gallery, 127 W. Chisholm St., features more than 20 local artists’ work on display and for sale. TBA Gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Visit thunderbayarts.org or call 989-354-2586.

Today, March 25

∫ ALL hosts Mexican Train Express Dominoes from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m. each Tuesday at M. Briggs Center.

∫ 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. on Tuesdays. Caregivers must remain with their child for the duration of the program. 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.

∫ 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, ages 10 and up. Bring your sewing machine, supplies (scissors, straight pins), and project to work on. Space and guidance will be provided. There are three machines on site for use. Registration is required by calling Barb Brege at 989-255-8969.

∫ Alpena County Library hosts Tinker Tuesday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tinker Tuesday is about getting together and exploring projects. Participants must be age 5 or 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 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.

∫ ALL will host Photography Club from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday at M. Briggs Center and via Zoom.

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

Wednesday, March 26

∫ 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 Wednesday mornings for Open MakerLab. Participants ages 5 to 15 will need parental supervision at all times. If you have questions, call 989-356-6188, ext. 20.

∫ Alpena County Library offers Tech Help from noon to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

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

∫ Bingo is at 12:45 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of the month at Alpena Senior Citizens Center.

∫ 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. Homeschooled and alternatively schooled youth are invited to participate in a weekly S.T.E.A.M. activity, intended for school-aged youth who are able to read.

∫ 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. Unite with others, no matter where you are on your cancer journey. You are not alone. For more information, call 989-356-3231, or drop in. No pre-registration is required.

∫ 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 information, 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 27

∫ Community Walking Club meets at 9 a.m. every Thursday in the parking lot of the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library. Call 989-724-6796 for more information.

∫ 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 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.

∫ 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.

∫ 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.

∫ 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 28

∫ MyMichigan Medical Center Volunteers will host a used book sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, March 28 in the hospital lobby. MyMichigan Medical Center is now accepting hard and soft cover novels, and children’s books for their monthly used book sale. Textbooks, religious, or magazines are not accepted. Books can be dropped off in the lobby behind the registration desk.

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

∫ A free event called Solve the Murder at the Dive Bar will be held in four time slots on Friday at Alpena County Library. The times are 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., noon to 2 p.m., 2:45 to 4:45 p.m., and 5 to 7 p.m. Can you figure out who did it? Study the crime scene evidence, case map, suspect profiles, interviews with witnesses, autopsy report, investigation notes, and much more. You must have a group of two to six players set before you register a time. The library will not assign groups. Those ages 12 to 17 are allowed with a guardian’s discretion as long as the group does not exceed six people. To register, call 989-356-6188, ext. 11.

∫ 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. This is an ongoing group of card players who welcome any players at any time. This group is a teaching class but experienced players are also welcome.

∫ Start and finish a shorter Dungeons and Dragons campaign through one-shot, a program open to first-time DnD players and those with campaign experience. This program, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. on Friday at Alpena County Library, is for ages 12 to 18, and there are only six slots available. Register at bit.ly/3BrZir3.

∫ 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. Come brush up on your mainstream and plus dancing.

∫ Grace Episcopal Church will host its monthly dinner from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday at the church, 13488 Long Rapids Road, Lachine. There will be homemade soups and sandwiches, grilled cheese, homemade pies and desserts. The cost is by donation, and the public is welcome.

∫ Alpena Eagles will host a Friday Fish Fry from 5 to 7 p.m. on Fridays during Lent: March 28, April 4, 11, and 18. The public is welcome, and the cost is $15 per person. The Eagles hall is located at 1960 M-32, Alpena.

∫ Enjoy an evening in Art in the Loft’s culinary classroom as Jess Krawczak of Fresh Focus Nutrition and Wellness guides you through an evening of Seafood Infusion, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday. The theme is high protein, low calorie. Lent doesn’t have to be boring! Create Mediterranean bowls with grilled sesame-encrusted tuna, fresh cucumber salad, and toasted chickpeas over quinoa with avocado tzatziki and chimichurri sauce, and rainbow array of fresh vegetables stir fried together with an Asian-inspired flavor palate, choice of protein and served over cauliflower rice or zoodles. In addition to tips, tricks and delicious dinner plans, you will gain knowledge on how to buy sustainable wild-caught fish locally, frozen vs. fresh here in Northern Michigan, why seafood is so good for you (high protein is the building block of life), how to easily change flavor profiles, and more. The cost is $40 per person, ages 18 and up.

∫ Alpena High School Masquers Club presents “The Internet is Distract — Oh Look A Kitten!” this weekend only at the Stanley C. Beck Auditorium at AHS. The comedy, by Ian McWethy, takes audiences down the all-too-familiar rabbit hole we’ve all fallen into while browsing the internet. The play opens at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and continues at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available at the door for $10 per adult, $5 per person ages 4 to 17, and free for ages 3 and younger.

∫ Experience a fun Friday evening in a creative atmosphere as you sip on a drink and let your creative juices flow in this step-by-step painting class from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at Art in the Loft. Get lost in the pages as you create your very own painted masterpiece while enjoying a glass of good wine, your favorite microbrew or N/A beverage. Artist Mariah Brancheau will guide you by brushstroke through a whimsical stack of your favorite books. All skill levels are welcome and supplies are included. The cost is $40 per student, ages 21 and up. A cash bar will be available with proper ID.

∫ Alpena County Animal Control has a monthly shot clinic scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday inside The Alpena County Fairgrounds Merchants Building. All are welcome to attend. Rabies shots will be $20 per dog, and core vaccines will be $25 per dog. Cash or checks only. More details can be found on the Friends of Alpena County Animal Control Facebook page.

∫ Ossineke United Methodist Church will host a free family game night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 28. The event will feature games, puzzles, and finger food snacks. The public is welcome to attend. The church is located at 13095 U.S.-23 South, Ossineke.

Saturday, March 29

∫ 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. On Saturday, J.B. Cook from The Alpena Farmers Market will be hosting a fruit tree prunning and planting workshop for the backyard gardener. Participants will learn how to care for their backyard and deer food plot apple trees. This workshop will be hands-on inside the warming shelter at Mich-e-ke-wis Park, 1302 S. State Ave. The cost will be $5 with a market membership button or $15 without. Space is limited. Please call 989-255-9362 to register.

∫ 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 League of Women Voters of Northeast Michigan invites the public to a community dialogue and reception celebrating women in government at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the Stillion Room at Alpena County Library. March is Women’s History Month, and the program is celebrating six women who have served in various roles in the Alpena community over the years. The six panelists are Alpena Mayor Cindy Johnson, former State Representative Beverly Bodem, former Alpena Mayor Carol Shafto, District Court Judge Lora Greene, Alpena City Council member Karol Walchak, and Alpena Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Anne Gentry. In addition to the panelists, the League of Women Voters will honor Vernie Nethercut with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Desserts and refreshments will be provided at this free program. Seating is limited, so attendees are asked to RSVP on the League of Women Voters of Northeast Michigan website at lwvnemi.org.

∫ Alpena High School Masquers Club presents “The Internet is Distract — Oh Look A Kitten!” this weekend only at the Stanley C. Beck Auditorium at AHS. The comedy, by Ian McWethy, takes audiences down the all-too-familiar rabbit hole we’ve all fallen into while browsing the internet. The play shows at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available at the door for $10 per adult, $5 per person ages 4 to 17, and free for ages 3 and younger.

∫ Strings Attached will perform at the APlex on Saturday night. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and admission is $16 per person. The band will perform favorites from the 70s and 80s. For more information and tickets, visit aplex.org.

∫ PIF Cider presents Vinyl Night with The Gary. Bring your records to share. The event starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday at the taproom, 205 W. Chisholm St., Alpena.

∫ The 19th Annual Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) returns to Alpena on Saturday at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. Tickets are $25 each. Doors open at 6 p.m. for food, refreshments, and social hour. Films will be shown from 7 to 9 p.m. Door prizes will be announced at the conclusion of the films. All proceeds from this event will go to the Trout Unlimited Headwaters Chapter to support local projects that help improve and protect our waterways. The event will feature a curated selection of the best fly fishing films from around the world. Anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, and adventure seekers are invited to join the tour as it visits cities nationwide, showcasing stunning cinematography, unforgettable stories, and the heart-pounding excitement of fly fishing. This year’s event promises to be the biggest yet, with a diverse lineup of films that highlight remote locations, unique challenges, and the passionate anglers who pursue them.

Sunday, March 30

∫ Alpena High School Masquers Club presents “The Internet is Distract — Oh Look A Kitten!” this weekend only at the Stanley C. Beck Auditorium at AHS. The play shows at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available at the door for $10 per adult, $5 per person ages 4 to 17, and free for ages 3 and younger.