On the Grill — 06/05/2025

Grilling is a particularly summery way to cook. In this week’s cover story, John Fladd gets advice from local experts on how to pick extra tasty meat to prepare on the grill.

Also on the cover Saturday is the annual NH Bacon & Beer Festival (page 16). In the Nite section, Michael Witthaus talks to Jordan Quinn about her upcoming “A Celebration of Iconic Women in Music” show (page 22).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Help for students Granite Edvance, a nonprofit that supports New Hampshire students and their families through free career and higher ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story – Another Top Prospect Makes it to Fenway: Another of the Red Sox jewel prospects made it ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Animal news, part 1 The state’s moose population is under siege by winter ticks, according to a New Hampshire Bulletin ...
A community gardening event.
Thursday, June 5 Dogma,the 1999 movie from director Kevin Smith that features Jay and Silent Bob, Ben Affleck and Matt ...
three long containers of three different flavors of steak tips, filled with marinade, in refrigerated case at marketplace
Advice on what to cook tonight There are significant differences between the terms “grilling” and “barbecuing.” It has to do ...
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Grant winner showcases new works As a child growing up in Houston, Texas, Aris Moore was fascinated by creatures. “I ...
a tarnished silver spoon on a red checked table cloth
Hello, Donna. The photo of the spoon I sent you is from my family. My mom had it and used ...
Family fun for whenever Kick off to summer fun • Nashua will hold the opening day of its SummerFun programming ...
trophy with flat cut out image of pig wearing chef's heat and sunglasses hanging out with piece of bacon, also wearing sunglasses, both behind counter with stripped awning
Bacon and Beer Festival highlights two tasty eats This weekend marks the ninth annual Bacon and Beer Festival, a major ...
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By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com I really wanted a serious blender. Not one of the relatively inexpensive ones from a big-box store ...
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Kurt Deimer, And So It Begins (Bald Man Records) From the fringes of arena-metal stardom comes this Cincinnati, Ohio-based actor ...
Run for the Hills, by Kevin Wilson
Madeline Hill wasn’t looking to expand her family when a stranger in a PT Cruiser pulled up to her farm ...
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Four of the absolute worst (and richest) men in America have a poker weekend at a mountaintop rich-dude compound in ...
Local music news & events • Jersey night: A Bon Jovi tribute act with a following in the rocker’s home ...
three women posing on read sparkly background wearing red sparkling mini dresses
Crowned28 tribute show honors icons In 2023, when Jordan Quinn did her tribute to generations of great female singers, called ...

Kiddie Pool 25/06/05

Family fun for whenever

Kick off to summer fun

• Nashua will hold the opening day of its SummerFun programming on Saturday, June 7, at Greeley Park (100 Concert St. in Nashua) with Department of Public Works Day featuring a DPW Touch a Truck, entertainment, games, community vendors with activities and more, according to city flyers and websites. The day will also feature live performances and a superhero meet and greet, the website said. See nashuanh.gov.

• New Boston Recreation is celebrating its 50-year anniversary. On Saturday, June 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. New Boston is holding a Block Party at the Town Hall Ball Field featuring music, karaoke, a dunk tank, a bounce house, games and more. Whipple Free Library is hosting a touch a truck along with the block party from 1 to 3 p.m., according to newbostonnh.gov. Start the day with a little shopping: A town yard sale will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the website said.

Competition weekend

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester continue a stretch of games against the Altoona Curve with games during the week through Friday, June 6, at 6:35 p.m.; at 4:05 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, and at 1:35 p.m. on Sunday, June 8. See milb.com/new-hampshire.

• The Nashua Silver Knights, members of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, will play the Norwich Sea Unicorns on Friday, June 6, at 6:03 p.m. at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St., Nashua) and then they take on the New Britain Bees on Saturday, June 7, at 6:03 p.m. Friday’s game will feature post-game fireworks. See nashuasilverknights.com.

• It’s a battle of local roller derby teams when the Granite State Roller Derby has a home bout scheduled against the New Hampshire Roller Derby on Saturday, June 7, at 6 p.m. at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Admission is $12; kids under 10 get in for free. See granitestaterollerderby.org.

• The 2025 New Hampshire Soap Box Derby Local Championship will be held on Sunday, June 8, at 120 Broadway in Dover with side-by-side competitions starting at 10 a.m. Spectators can cheer on the races for free. See nh.soapboxderby.org.

This Week 25/06/05

Thursday, June 5

Dogma,the 1999 movie from director Kevin Smith that features Jay and Silent Bob, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as angels, Alan Rickman as an angel, religious controversy, excellent George Carlin and Alanis Morrisette cameos and so much more is getting a theatrical rerelease. Catch it today and Sunday, June 8, at the Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem at 6:50 and 10:20 p.m. and on those days at the Regal Fox Run in Newington. See dogmamovie.com.

Friday, June 6

The theme of downtown Concord’s First Friday for June is “Beach Party,” starting at 4 p.m.. Many downtown businesses will be open until 8 p.m. tonight. There will be food trucks, free yoga, storytelling, live music from The Wandering Souls Band, and DJ Nazzy. Visit firstfridayconcord.com/june.

Friday, June 6

Evergreen, a one-acre woodland garden featuring more than 400 mature rhododendrons, will be open to the public today through Sunday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, according to a press release. The garden’s 220 Catawba rhododendrons are at peak bloom in early June, the release said. Because the plans along paths are easily damaged, no pets or children younger than 12 will be admitted, the release said. See evergreenfoundation.org.

Saturday, June 7

The Goffstown Rotary Club’s Car Show is returning for its 11th year today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Parsons Drive in Goffstown. Check out the classic vehicles along with the food trucks and vendors. See goffstownrotary.org.

Saturday, June 7

The Griffin Free Library (22 Hooksett Road in Auburn; griffinfree.org) will host a World War II Encampment Reenactment today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to commemorate D-Day (June 6, 1944). See historically accurate clothes and equipment, talk to volunteers in period clothing and listen to music of the era. The event is free.

Saturday, June 7

The NH Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) will hold its annual Native Plant Sale & Spring Craft Fair today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. NH Audubon staff and volunteers will be available to answer questions.

Saturday, June 7

This is a big day for treasure hunters. Many local towns are staging town-wide yard sales today, including Allenstown, Candia, Epsom, Goffstown, Lee, New Boston and Weare. Visit individual towns’ websites for details.

Saturday, June 7

Singer Aimee Mann takes the stage at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $66.

Sunday, June 8

The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus wraps up its concert series “Celebrations!” today at Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30.75.

Save the Date: Thursday, June 12
Legendary jazz band Spyro Gyra will perform at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) Thursday, June 12, at 8 p.m. as part of its 50th Anniversary Tour. Tickets cost $57.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 25/06/05

Animal news, part 1

The state’s moose population is under siege by winter ticks, according to a New Hampshire Bulletin article from May 29. The story by William Skipworth reported that a warming climate has nurtured an increased population of winter ticks, which have been having “a huge impact on the area’s moose,” the story read. The article quoted Eric Orff, a New Hampshire-based wildlife biologist: “They [the moose] basically become zombies and die.” Unlike other varieties of ticks, the story explained, winter ticks find a moose, deer or other animals around November and extract their blood for the entirety of winter, with hundreds or thousands of ticks often latching onto a host.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The New Hampshire Bulletin article said New Hampshire Fish and Game estimates indicate that the state’s moose population peaked in the late 1990s around 7,000 to 8,000 moose and has declined to “roughly 3,000 to 4,000.”

Animal news, part 2

The Loon Preservation Committee’s (183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, 476-5666, loon.org) Loon Cams are up and running for the season. In a May 26 statement, the Committee announced that two cameras are broadcasting from loon nesting sites somewhere in the Lakes Region. There is no nest visible on Loon Cam 1 yet, but a mated pair has been spotted visiting the nesting raft regularly and been seen mating several times over the past two weeks. Another pair has laid two eggs on Loon Cam 2 and is brooding them. Visit loon.org/looncam.

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the Loon Preservation Committee, “The male and female loons take turns incubating, and nest exchanges happen several times each day and can last minutes or much longer.”

Feeling shaky

As reported by WMUR in a May 25 online article, Greenland was not exactly slammed, but gently nudged, by a 1.6 magnitude earthquake. “The earthquake epicenter was 1.9 miles south-southeast of Greenland and happened around 1:45 p.m. The earthquake was about 4 miles deep, according to the USGS,” WMUR reported.

QOL score: -1 (-1.6)

Comment: “Earthquakes in the Granite State are typically minor, though there have been other memorable ones,” the WMUR article reported. “

Communicating better at the airport

According to a May 29 Nashua InkLink story, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) has announced an “expanded partnership with Aira, a video remote interpreting app, to now offer free access to Aira ASL (American Sign Language) for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The airport already offers Aira Explorer for the blind and low-vision community.” Deaf and hard-of-hearing passengers can download a free smartphone app that will connect with a professional sign language interpreter, using the phone’s camera and speaker, the story said.

QOL score: +1

Comment: According to the InkLink story, MHT is the fourth airport in the country to make the Aira ASL service available to passengers.

QOL score last week: 65

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 65

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 25/06/05

Help for students

Granite Edvance, a nonprofit that supports New Hampshire students and their families through free career and higher education counseling and resources as well as scholarships and private student loans, has donated $100,000 to a fund at the Foundation for New Hampshire Community College students to help with short-term non-academic expenses such as food, housing, child care and transportation, according to a press release. The new donation comes in addition to an initial $80,000 donation to the Foundation’s Student Emergency Aid Fund, which has helped more than 100 students at the state’s seven community colleges, the release said. See givenhcc.org.

Get kids outside

New Hampshire Environmental Educators is offering grants of $200 to $2,000 to help with outdoor learning experiences for New Hampshire students in grades K through 12, according to nhee.org/about-us/we-nheed-to-get-outside-grant. Grants can be used for transportation costs, student fees or equipment for outdoor exploration for experiences where “students observe, explore and interact in outdoor settings,” the website said. Grants for the 2026 cycle will be accepted Sept. 15 through Nov. 20, with funds slated to be distributed in January 2026, the website said.

National Trails Day

Celebrate National Trails Day on Saturday, June 7, with a guided sculpture hike at the Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13 in Brookline; andresinstitute.org) at 10 a.m. The hike will be approximately 2 miles, meet at the welcome center, no registration necessary, according to an Andres newsletter. Find more on National Trails Day at americanhiking.org/national-trails-day.

Stars for CMC

HCA New England Healthcare’s Catholic Medical Center in Manchester and Portsmouth Regional Hospital “have earned the top rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for patient care and outcomes in bypass surgery and in a new multi-procedure category,” according to a press release from HCA New England Healthcare. Both locations were awarded a three-star rating, the release said.

Help pets

During June, the New Hampshire Department of Safety’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will be recognizing National Pet Preparedness month with information on ways to keep pets safe posted on the division’s socials, according to a press release. Steps to keep pets safe include stocking at least three days worth of food, water and medicine for pets, finding pet-friendly places to stay in an emergency and having a friend or neighbor who can care for a pet if needed, the press release said. See ReadyNH.gov.

NAV Arts will host George Wallace, Writer in Residence at the Walt Whitman Birthplace, followed by an open mic at Bookery Manchester (844 Elm St.; bookerymht.com) on Wednesday, June 11, 5 to 7 p.m.

Tailgait Transport and Rescue will hold a plant sale on Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Burger King, 737 DW Highway in Manchester, with all proceeds going to Tailgait. See tailgaitrescue.org.

The Derry Parks & Recreation summer concert series kicks off Tuesday, June 10, at 7 p.m. at MacGregor Park (12 Boyd St. in Derry) with Pizzastock presents The Hand Me Downs. See derrynh.gov.

Spend some time with Couch, the band playing the Concerts on the Common at the Londonderry Town Common (265 Mammoth Road in Londonderry) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11. See concertsonthecommon.org.

Sunny Sips — 05/29/2025

On the cover

10 Eventually, it will be sunny long enough to enjoy a drink in the warmth of the new season. What to drink this summer? John Fladd talks to experts to get some answers. Cover image courtesy Local Street Eats in Nashua.

Also on the cover Windham holds its annual Strawberry Festival Saturday, May 21 (page 16). In Nashua, they’re celebrating crafters and tinkerers of all kinds at the MakeIt Fest (page 12). In Derry, a baker is turning bread into art (page 16).

Read the e-edition

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