Everyone Is Irish On St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted on March 14th, 2023

On March 17th, everyone is Irish! This week we will celebrate the annual tradition of St. Patrick’s Day and our Irish heritage by wearing green, drinking green beer, and eating corned beef and cabbage. But where did this all come from? The traditional Irish St. Patrick’s day feast consisted of pork a…

A Peek Inside the Posen Potato Festival

Posted on September 7th, 2022

Local Experience Writer Lara King gives readers an inside look at a familiar favorite in Northeast Michigan. Alpena’s neighbor to the Northwest, Posen, has been celebrating the local potato harvest in Northeast Michigan for 68 years. Generations of families have grown up learning how to dance th…

Preparing for the Perseids: Alpena’s Dark Skies

Posted on August 12th, 2022

Astrotourism is a growing trend, and with three state dark sky parks nearby, the Alpena area is an ideal destination for enjoying the cosmos. Rockport State Recreation Area, Thompson’s Harbor State Park, and Negwegon State Park all have sufficiently low enough levels of light pollution to be desi…

A Complete Guide to Alpena’s Ice Festival at Mich-e-ke-wis Park

Posted on January 13th, 2022

Join us at the Alpena Ice Festival on Saturday, February 12, 2022! With the leadership of Thunder Bay Arts, the Comstock Fund of First Congregational UCC, Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, SOME-CPA, Shaun Michael Osborne, City of Alpena DDA and Alpena Fire Department, an Alpena Ice Fest will hear…

Alpena’s Bucket List: The New Year’s Resolution Edition

Posted on December 29th, 2021

The new year is coming and it’s time to leave 2021 in the past along with 2020! Whether you are a local or a tourist, a bucket list is a great way to explore your own backyard and Michigan treasures. As the official Sanctuary of the Great Lakes, Alpena is particularly full of treasures; you just ne…

Get in the Spirit with “Spirit of the Blues” at Alpena Blues Fest!

Posted on June 10th, 2021

Picture it…Alpena 2021. The soothing tunes of the blues dances in your ears, a Michigan craft cocktail in hand on a warm, sunny day in June. You’re in Downtown Alpena at the Blues Fest! Since taking the 2020 season off (the year we do not speak of) The 17th Annual Alpena Blues Festival is b…

Be Mine, Alpena: 5 Ideas to Make Your Valentine’s Day Special

Posted on February 11th, 2020

For some of you, Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love and happiness while eating a romantic dinner and bestowing special gifts upon your significant other. For others, it is just another commercialized holiday that spins the wheels of a society controlled by consumerism. Which one sou…

Get Out of the Elements and Into Your Element at These Alpena Art Workshops

Posted on February 6th, 2020

Does the winter season have you feeling the full effects of cabin fever? Do you want to get out of the house but not into the cold? No need to brave the elements, get into your element by painting, sculpting, crafting, and meditating your way into spring! We have the cure for your cabin fever blues with th…

Winter Forest Bathing. Photo by Paul Gerow.

10 Ideas For Winter Adventure in Alpena

Posted on January 31st, 2020

The hustle and bustle of the holidays are long over. This is the time when the full effects of a true northern Michigan winter start to wash over us, bringing feelings of cabin fever, seasonal depression, and anxiousness for spring. Try out these ideas to kick those feelings to the curb and make your…

The Fletcher Street Depot ready for a wedding reception.

Holiday Events are Merry & Bright at The Fletcher Street Depot

Posted on November 6th, 2019

It may seem a little early, but now is the time to start booking those reservations for holiday parties at The Fletcher Street Depot! The Fletcher Street Depot in Alpena has all the perfect accommodations for you, but you’ll have to act fast as this venue is a popular choice for holiday parties,…