Creative fun
Up North
Visit a haven for artistic people
in beautiful Alcona County
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Sign up for a visionary multi-day retreat

October 10 -13, 2019
Fourth Annual Lost Lake
Writers Retreat
The fourth annual retreat will feature poets Kelly Fordon (replacing Dorianne Laux, whose doctor told her she could not fly to get here) and Robert Fanning, novelists Michael Zadoorian and Irina Reyn and singer-songwriter-storyteller Allison Downey, with John D. Lamb of Springfed Arts as facilitator. Click on this box to learn more.
February 28 - 29, 2020
Third Annual Alcona Small Farm Conference
Amy Eberling, managing partner of Zingerman's Bakehouse and coauthor of the Zingerman's Bakehouse cookbook, will highlight the Saturday conference with her workshop on creating a vision of success for your farm, business and life.
On Friday night, she will talk about milling and baking with a variety of Michigan grains. Details to come.
SEPTEMber 10 - 13, 2020
Ninth Annual Alcona Arts
Retreat
We'll have four or five great Michigan artists teaching at the 2020 retreat. Come back to this page in March for the lineup.

Events coming soon

First and Third Saturdays, 2019
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, 312 W. Main, Harrisville. This series begins again Sept. 21, 2019, after taking the summer off.
Alternate Mondays, 2019
Free After-School Guitar Lessons
Alternate Mondays, right after school, Joel Choate of Joel’s Guitars in Alpena gives free guitar lessons to Alcona Community Schools students ages 14 and up. Sign up at the high school office for the fall semester. Bring your guitar if you have one, or you’ll be able to borrow one from Joel if you do not. This class begins again with the new school year on Sept. 30.
Alternate Mondays, 2019
Free After-School
Ukelele Lessons
Alternate Mondays, right after school, Joe Thomas (Mr. Tech Tuesday at the Alcona County Library) gives free ukelele lessons to Alcona Community Schools students in the fourth and fifth grades. Sign up at the elementary school office for the fall semester. Bring your ukelele if you have one, or you’ll be able to borrow one from Joe if you do not. This class begins again with the new school year on Sept. 30.
Most Fridays, 2019 - 2020
Free After-School
Grand Art
On most Fridays right after school, Alcona Community Schools buses students in the fourth and fifth grades to the Lincoln Senior Center for two hours of art plus dinner. Sign up at the elementary school office for the fall semester. All materials are supplied. This class begins again with the new school year on Sept. 27.
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 serves as a therapy dog at Alcona Elementary School. You may donate any amount to keep Cona fed and trained, either 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.

Earlier this year

September 27 and 28, 2019
Child of the Holocaust
Irene Miller, who survived the Nazi attempt to exterminate European Jews during World War II, years in a Soviet labor camp and more years in orphanages, spoke at the Alcona County Library and at sessions with middle school and high school students at Alcona Community Schools.
September 5 -8, 2019
Eighth Annual Alcona Arts Retreat
Thirty-four students took classes from instructors Cindy Evans (experimental watercolor), Ted Fines (digital landscape photography), Autumn Bildson (quick sculpture) and Richard Jordan (plein air painting). Opening and closing parties completed the retreat.
TUESdaYS all sUMMER, 2019
Dockside Jams at the Harbor
It was open mic at the pavilion above Harrisville Harbor every Tuesday from June 25 through September 10.
August 20, 2019
Ukulele Double Workshop with Ben Hassenger
Sunrise Side Strummers and Inspiration Alcona bring the organizer of the Interlochen Uketoberfest to Lincoln for back-to-back lessons, "Become One with the Strum" and "Playing Well with Others." Classes run 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the community room of the Alcona EMS Building, 2600 E. M-72, just south of Lincoln. $25 covers both lessons, which are suitable for confident beginners. Click here to sign up.
July 13, 2019
Brunch at the Harbor
Inspiration Alcona's Farm to Fork Alcona committee sponsored its second annual brunch under the big tent above Harrisville Harbor, serving breakfast burritos in several combos.
June 11 - July 10, 2019
Summer Art for Youth
Inspiration Alcona's annual summer art lessons are under way on Tuesdays for first- through third-graders, Wednesdays for fourth- to sixth-graders. Classes run 10 to noon at the EMT station on M-72 just south of Lincoln. Alcona Elementary art teacher Brooke Green leads all sessions. No classes July 2 or July 3 because of the holiday.
After-school Fridays, 2018 - 2019
Grand Art
Fourth- and fifth-graders from Alcona Elementary School joined in art projects with a grandparent or other senior citizen at the Alcona Senior Center each Friday, with exceptions based on the school calendar. Sculptor Autumn Bildson (not shown) was the principal instructor for this 10-session series. This program, cosponsored by the Harrisville Arts Council, Alcona Community Schools and the Alcona County Commission on Aging, will return Sept. 27.
May 5, 2019
'Creation' by  Northeast Academy of Dance
This original ballet featured the students of Northeast Academy of Dance in Oscoda, which draws enrollment from all over the nation.
April 26, 2019
Classic Movie Night
The classic movie moved back a week to avoid too close an encounter with Good Friday celebrations. Richard Dreyfuss stars in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." 5:45 p.m. at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library, 312 W. Main St., Harrisville. The movie, pop and popcorn are free.
April 15, 2019
Tax Day Boogie-Woogie Blues
Matthew Ball played to lift the spirits of taxpayers at 5:30 p.m. at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library, 312 W. Main St., Harrisville.
MARCH 16, 2019
Alcona FFA's Maple Syrup Celebration Day
More than 800 people enjoyed pancakes and sausage, and maple syrup created by Alcona High School's FFA students. The meal was certified as 85% local food by Taste the Local Difference. The syrup, sausage, everything except the pancake mix came from northeast Michigan. Inspiration Alcona's Farm to Fork Alcona committee gave away seed packets and information.
March 15, 2019
Classic Movie Night
When a whole Irish village has a chance to claim an enormous lottery win, its citizens will go to almost any extreme to make sure they collect, in "Waking Ned Devine." 5:45 p.m. at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library, 312 W. Main St., Harrisville. The movie, pop and popcorn are free.
February 15, 2019
Classic Movie Night
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan star in"You've Got Mail," set in the time when AOL was the dominant Internet connection. All classic movies are shown at 5:45 p.m. the third Friday of the month at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library, 312 W. Main St., Harrisville. The movie, pop and popcorn are free.
February 9, 2019
Valentine's Dance
Kim Casey and the Skylark band provided the music for an evening  at Harrisville United Methodist Church's fellowship hall. Tickets, $10, supported the Alcona Food Pantry and other local missions.
February 6, 2019
Joni Mitchell tribute show
The Skylark band, featuring Kim Casey, performed a selection of folk-jazz-pop music from one of Canada's best songwriters, Joni Mitchell, at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona County Library, 312 W. Main St., Harrisville.
January 18-19, 2019
Alcona Small Farm Conference
Eighty-three people attended the conference this year, with 50 more at the reception the night before. Doug Paulus, shown above, was the morning keynote speaker. To see more photos from the conference, click anywhere on this box.
January 17-18, 2019
Guy Louis at Alcona Elementary
Singer-entertainer Guy Louis visited Alcona County. On Thursday night, he did a public show that was just for fun. On Friday, he did two events emphasizing good citizenship for elementary students. To see more photos, click anywhere on this box.
January 15, 2019
Farm to Fork Alcona Winter Photo Contest
Shelly Hoffmeyer, a paraprofessional worker at Alcona High School, won the 2019 Farm to Fork Alcona photo contest with this image of a barn enduring a wintry day in Alcona County.

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 from September 2012 through December 2018.

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