September may be halfway over- but the next few weeks are packed with festivals & events in downtown Alpena! Here’s ten of them.
This week:
1. 6th Annual Alpenopoly Grub Crawl, Thursday 9/15 from 5:30 pm-10 pm. Yes you read that right. Grub Crawl, Alpena edition. Stops include Black Sheep, As You Wish, Latitudes, Dry Dock, and more. What better way to spend a Thursday? Tickets $25. For more information & to buy tickets, contact the Alpena Chamber or stop by 235 West Chisholm.
2. Fall Mum Fundraiser at the Farmer’s Market, Saturday 9/17 from 8:30 am- 1 pm. Welcome the arrival of fall with a beautiful mum- and fresh fall produce, warm baked goods, and more. Proceeds of mums will go towards kids’ day & expansion of the market. Located behind City Hall.
3. 4th Annual Harvest Festival at Thunder Bay Winery, Saturday 9/17 from 3-8 pm. Live music, food vendors, outdoor games, and their famous grape stomping competition. Oh, and did I mention wine? Bring a chair and enjoy the fall festivities in downtown Alpena. Tickets: $8/advance, $10/door. Includes glass and a drink. For more info & tickets, contact Thunder Bay Winery.
Next week:
4. Alpena’s Future: A Conversation, Wednesday 9/21 from 7-8 pm at Alpena County Library. Interested in Alpena’s future plans? Panelists from the City of Alpena and Alpena DDA will discuss Mich-e-kewis, downtown parking, South Corridor nature center, and more. Free & open to the public. Hosted by the League of Women Voters of Alpena County.
5. Sip and Shop at The Marketplace, Wednesday 9/21 7-8:30 pm. Browse, sip some wine, and mingle after hours. Bring a friend & see what new products The Marketplace has for this fall. For Facebook event, click here.
6. A Conversation with Author Jerry Dennis, Thursday 9/22 from 7-9 pm at Alpena Public Library. A northern Michigan native, Dennis is an acclaimed author who writes both fiction & non-fiction about the outdoors, nature, and human culture. His award-winning novel, The Living Great Lakes, is a must-read reflection on our lakes, mixing history, science, and personal narrative. Join him for an evening of readings, Q&A’s, and book signing. Free and open to the public.
7. 2nd Annual Alpena Book Festival, Saturday 9/24 from 10 am- 6 pm. Panel discussions, author talks, meet & greets, and workshops in poetry, young adult, literary fiction, science fiction, Michigan-based writing and more. Come celebrate literature and mingle with fellow bookworms. Events take place throughout downtown. Events are free, but a festival tote bag may be purchased to support the festival. For complete schedule, click here.
8. Tunnel to Towers 5k Run & Walk, Saturday 9/24 from 10 am- 12 pm, starting at the Band Shell. Honor those who protect our country in the military & as first responders, and honor those who fell on 9/11/01. Participants may run or walk the 5k route. For complete event info, visit here.
9. 10th Annual Kid’s Day at the Farmer’s Market, Saturday 9/24 from 10 am- 2 pm. Live music, hay rides, petting zoo, cider-making demonstrations, pumpkin painting, kids’ activities and more. Fun for *kids* of all ages, and the rest of the family too. Free. Located behind City Hall. Hosted by Friends of the Alpena Farmer’s Market.
And last but not least:
10. The Marvelous Wonderettes, running from 9/30- 10/16 at Thunder Bay Theatre. Northern Michigan’s only year-round professional theater opens their fall season with this off-Broadway hit featuring over 30 classic hits from the 1950’s & 1960’s, such as “Dream Lover” and “Lollipop.” Click here for full schedule & ticket information.
We hope to see you soon in downtown Alpena!
… but that’s not all! Unfortunately the blog can’t feature every event going on in the area. Other cool events happening this September include: the Thunder Bay Folk Festival, Presque Isle Farm’s 2nd Annual Harvest Party, and an array of events at Alpena County Public Library, to name a few. Check out a full calendar of Alpena events here.
Anne Gentry write Blog Downtown Alpena in conjunction with the Alpena DDA. Make sure to tag your photos from all the events with #downtownalpena for the chance to be featured. Or share them on Facebook here.
