In Downtown Alpena we have a full calendar of events year round. From shopping events to our Chili Chowder Cook-off to Friday Night Street Performers to Visits with Santa, there are numerous events each season to enjoy. Explore what might be going on downtown during your visit (no matter if you're coming from down the street or across the country!) by clicking the buttons below.
Fall Events
Chili Chowder Cook-offEvery fall, the DDA hosts its annual Chili Chowder cook off! An average of a dozen contestants from around the region compete in several categories from Best Chili or Chowder to Most Spirit Booth. The Chili Chowder Cook-Off is proudly a zero waste event with the help of our volunteers.
Due to staffing changes at the DDA, staffing challenges for our restaurants and rising COVID cases, the Chili Chowder Cook-off has been postponed for Fall 2021. You can read the full press release regarding the postponement here. |
Bard at the BarBard at the Bar is a Shakespearean-Themed Bar Crawl hosted by the Alpena DDA and Thunder Bay Theatre (TBT). Professional actors and actresses from TBT's core company perform various scenes from Shakespeare's works at downtown bars and restaurants.
Bard at the Bar is postponed as Thunder Bay Theatre seeks to renovate and repair their building following the 2020 fire at the neighboring John A. Lau. For more information about TBT, visit their website. |
Flannel Fun NightJoin us for a cozy night of shopping downtown at Flannel Fun Night on Friday, October 1 from 5-8 pm! Wear your favorite flannel and shop your favorite participating stores, restaurants, and businesses for deals, specials. or just to see what's new! Learn more at the Facebook event by clicking here.
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Downtown Trick-or-TreatingCome trick-or-treating in Downtown Alpena at participating stores and businesses on Friday, October 29 from 5-7 pm! View participating businesses and more information by clicking here.
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Winter Events
Bolenz Jewelry Holiday Parade + Downtown Tree LightingJoin us to kick off the holiday season on Friday, November 26 at 5:30 pm with the annual Bolenz Holiday Parade through Downtown Alpena! The tree lighting ceremony and arrival of Santa in Culligan Plaza follows the parade. Learn more at the Alpena Area Chamber's website here.
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Visit With Santa DowntownAfter conferring with Santa and his elves, we will not be hosting any in-person Visit with Santa events in his cottage in Culligan Plaza this year for the health and safety of everyone leading up the holidays. However! We do encourage you to drop off your letters in the mailbox in front of his cottage and we’ll make sure we get them to Santa in time for Christmas.
We appreciate your understanding, and we wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season! |
Splurge & Spree Thursdays
Come to Downtown Alpena on Thursday nights from 5-7pm through the month of December to shop at the local shops! Over fifteen stores will be open late December 2, 9, 16, and 23 for all your holiday shopping needs. Bundle up and have a cozy night downtown!
Participating businesses: |
Small Business SaturdaySmall Business Saturday is a national shopping holiday that is celebrated the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Small Business Saturday was created to encourage people to shop local and support small, family owned businesses during the holiday season. This holiday season we would like to encourage you to take advantage of Small Business Saturday and support our downtown businesses when you're shopping for gifts. Small Business Saturday is November 27th, 2021. Learn more at the Facebook event here. |
Alpena Ice FestivalAlpena Ice Fest is scheduled for 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, the Alpena DDA and Alpena Fire Department, an Alpena Ice Fest will hearken back to years past. It promises to be a great family fun day with ice and sculptures, fire and a variety of activities for kids, adults and the family. The event begins at Mich-e-ke-wis Park with ice sculptures on display by Ice Creations of Napolean, Ohio, a huge bonfire by Alpena Fire Department, demonstrations, food and fun, ice and snow related activities.
Ice sculptures will also be on display throughout Downtown Alpena on Saturday, including an ice throne in Culligan Plaza! Stores will be open late until 7 pm, and enjoy "Fire and Ice" themed cocktails and specials at downtown restaurants. |
Restaurant WeekThe Alpena DDA is excited to announce our first ever Downtown Alpena Restaurant Week from Saturday, February 19 through Saturday, February 26, 2022! Over the course of the week, downtown restaurants, cafes, and eateries will be offering lunch, dinner and drink specials. From cozy cafes to farm fresh dining, Restaurant Week is a celebration of the growing culinary scene here in Downtown Alpena. An official menu of specials will be shared here in early February! |
Spring Events
Spring Fever ShoptacularThe Spring Fever Shoptacular is our Spring shopping event that we host in collaboration with downtown merchants once the weather starts to shift towards spring in late March. Official participating businesses and details about the event will be available in 2022.
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Chalk It Up!Chalk It Up is a free-flowing, fun event for all ages where we invite the community to come downtown and add some color to our sidewalks with chalk!
In 2020, we started this event as way for people to come together in a socially distanced way outdoors to create a little art. In 2021 we are working on expanding the event and hosting it in the spring, rather than the fall. This year's Chalk It Up has been cancelled due to weather and will resume in 2022. Participants can create some chalk art in Culligan Plaza, Avery Park and on Water Street. Some chalk will be provided. |
Summer Events
Sidewalk SalesEach summer we work with our Downtown Merchants to collaborate and coordinate Sidewalk Sales during the Brown Trout Festival.
Annual Sidewalk Sales were held Thursday, July 15th through Saturday, July 17th, 2021. This year we introduced the Fishing for Downtown Dollars promotion! We do intend to continue the Fishing for Downtown Dollars Promotion in the summer 2022 and will have official dates for Downtown Sidewalk Sales in Spring 2022. |
Friday Night Street PerformersOn Friday nights throughout the summer, street performers are scattered all over Downtown Alpena offering live music from blues to jazz to country.
Downtown Street Performers kick off on Friday, May 28th, 2021 and run all summer long, weather permitting. You can tune in to Live Music from local musicians and bands in Avery Park, Culligan Plaza and Pocket Park from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. |
Coffee and CarsCoffee and Cars is a casual event for those who own classic cars and want to get out and enjoy Downtown Alpena on Saturday mornings with others that share their interests. To participate as a car collector, you just have to drive your classic or collectible car downtown and park anywhere within the district. Then grab a coffee from Cabin Creek or Biggby and hang out downtown, walk around to find the other cars, duck into a few stores to do some shopping, or just enjoy your coffee on a picnic table in Culligan Plaza or along Second Ave.
Stay tuned for an announcement on any 2022 events. 
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Alpena Blues FestivalAs part of a new collaboration between the Alpena Blues Coalition, The Fresh Palate and the Alpena DDA, the Alpena Blues Festival has moved to Downtown Alpena! In addition to live blues performances, the Fresh Palate hosts a Michigan Craft Spirits Tent.
The 17th Annual Alpena Blues Festival went forward this year in Downtown Alpena on June 19th, 2021! Stay up to date on the latest news about the Alpena Blues Fest and their 2022 show by following their Facebook Page.
Above Photos by Irving Entertainment
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Fresh Waves: The Downtown Mural Project
In 2019, the DDA launched a new arts initiative to bring vibrant murals and public art downtown. Over three years, the project has commissioned fifteen unique, inspiring pieces of artwork! Each year the location of the mural will change and be selected by the DDA's Marketing & Promotions Committee. We will be announcing 2022 details in Early 2022.
