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in beautiful Alcona County
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Events coming soon

January 3 - 17, 2019
Northern Lights Photography
Farm to Fork Alcona Photo Contest
WHAT:  Farm to Fork Alcona is challenging YOU to submit your favorite winter photo!  
DEADLINE: 5pm EST Thursday, January 17
WHY:  What better way to promote the Alcona Small Farm Conference than by focusing on the beauty that surrounds us in northeast Michigan!
PRIZE:  One Grand Prize winner will be selected.  The winner will receive one free admission to this  Alcona Small Farm Conference on January 19, including full breakfast and lunch, and your photo featured on next year’s 2020 Alcona Small Farm Conference flyers, brochures, and displayed on the Inspiration Alcona website (with your name included). Prize can be transferred, but does not have a cash value.
ELIGIBILITY: Anyone except members of Inspiration Alcona board and Farm to Fork Alcona committee is eligible to participate.
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‍HOW TO ENTER: Send your original photo (in .jpeg format) to: Farm2ForkAlcona@gmail.com, along with the full name of the photographer and contact info.
Photos will be judged based on creativity, quality, originality, and how it resonates with the subject matter (Farm to Fork Alcona efforts).  Extra points will be given if the photo is 1) winter photo, 2) taken in Alcona County.
FINE PRINT: For a full list of rules, click anywhere on this box.
JUDGING: The Farm to Fork Alcona Committee will judge the submissions; winner announced on Thursday Jan 17 by 7pm
January 23, 2019
Thunder Bay International Film Festival
Alcona County Library and Inspiration Alcona once again host the opening event of the Thunder Bay International Film Festival, organized by the Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The show includes some of the most impressive ocean and Great Lakes films from around the world. This year the first "On the Road" showing comes to the auditorium of Alcona Community Schools at 5:30 Wednesday, January 23. Tickets will be available at all library branches.

The festival continues at the NOAA site in Alpena Friday through Sunday, January 25-27.
June-August, 2019
Summer Art for Youth
Inspiration Alcona's annual summer art lessons will begin two weeks after school ends and extend for approximately five weeks, with two sessions per week. All classes will be at the public room in the EMT station on M-72 just south of Lincoln.

Sign up for a visionary three-day retreat

SEPTEMber 5 - 8, 2019
Alcona Arts
Retreat
The seventh annual retreat has ended with a tasty farewell cookout. In April, look for details of the 2019 edition. The instructors will all be highly experienced teachers who also regularly sell and win awards for their own work across Michigan, the nation or the world.
October 4 - 7, 2018
Lost Lake
Writers Retreat
At the third annual retreat, students learned from six talented author-teachers including novelists Jacquelyn Mitchard and Michael Zadoorian; poets Cecilia Woloch, Kathleen McGookey and Jack Ridl, and songwriter-poet Emily Rose. In April, look for details of the 2019 edition. Another group of successful authors and teachers will instruct.

Ongoing series

Alternate Mondays
Free Guitar Lessons for Alcona Students
Inspiration Alcona sponsors after-school guitar lessons for students 13 to 18 at Alcona Middle and High Schools. The lessons, taught by Joel Choate Jr. of Joel's Guitar Shop in Alpena, meet on alternate Mondays (with exceptions based on the school calendar) throughout the school year, just after classes end for the day.
Third Friday of each month
Classic Movie Night
Great cinema shows at 5:45 p.m. every third Friday at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library. Free movie, free popcorn and free beverages.
First and Third Saturdays
Alcona Authors writers group
Enthusiastic and experienced leader MaryAnn Crawford, a former college English professor, hosts this program for adults who write or want to give writing a try. New participants are always welcome. $25 for six sessions; visit once free. Classes start at 10:30 Saturday morning at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library.

Local projects Inspiration Alcona is helping with

Ongoing
Donations for Cona, school therapy dog
Inspiration Alcona is acting as a fiduciary agent for the purchase and training of Cona, (above) a golden retriever puppy that will serve as a therapy dog at Alcona Elementary School starting in September 2018. You may donate any amount toward the total of approximately $8,000 needed through this website or directly to the school.

Click here for more details about the project as well as information on how to donate.
Ongoing
Harrisville Pocket Park: Buy a Brick
Inspiration Alcona is fiduciary agent for the Harrisville Pocket Park project, on East Main Street between the railroad tracks and the former Richards Pharmacy.

Commemorative bricks are now on sale to pay for landscaping the park.

Click here for more details about the project as well as information on how to buy a brick or donate any amount.

Past events

If you'd like to see more about the retreats or other events above, click here to see photo stories about the events we've held or sponsored since December 2015.

Stay in touch

Inspiration Alcona is grateful for its 2018 - 19 grants

While Inspiration Alcona appreciates donations from local businesses and individuals, and it raises more than half its budget from participation fees, it could not offer the breadth of programs it does without the generous support of thes agencies shown below.

Partners

Inspiration Alcona also works with several partners shown below and has earned recognition as noted.
Alcona Community Schools

Recognition