2025 Kids Guide to Summer — 06/12/2025

On the cover

10 School is — or will shortly be — out for summer! How are you going to keep kids entertained for all of those weeks? In this week’s Hippo we have some ideas, from events with family and kid friendly elements to local attractions and events going on in area libraries and parks.

Also on the cover: Henry Homeyer offers advice for difficult gardening seasons (page 21). John Fladd talks to a baker who has gone from farmers markets to a brick and mortar shop (while still visiting markets) — see page 22. And check out all the live music options this weekend — music at area breweries and restaurants is listed in our Music This Week (starting on page 31). And find ticketed shows in the Concert listings on page 34.

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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.
Hurricane season The Atlantic hurricane season started June 1 and runs through Nov. 30, and the Red Cross is urging ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story – Red Sox Update: The 2025 ship appeared to be sunk after Friday night’s 9-6 loss to ...
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.
Maybe the pollen was preferable? On June 8, the National Weather Service announced an Air Quality Alert for the state ...
The PHISH band logo
Thursday, June 12 The second annual United Through Color art event takes place at Positive Street Art (48 Bridge St., ...
A group of kids run and smile in a field as they chase bubbles
Festivals, performances and other events offering big fun for the school-free season Compiled by Amy Diazadiaz@hippopress.com Looking for excitement and ...
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A Chorus Line closes out Palace season — a review By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com When A Chorus Line opened in 1975, ...
An antique painted pot with a white body and glass lid
Dear Donna, I was ready to put this in a yard sale this summer. My sister said “no, it could ...
A pebble path in a small garden with large flat walking stones.
Gardening in difficult conditions By Henry Homeyerlistings@hippopress.com The very last day of May this year surprised me: We got three ...
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News from the local food scene By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com • Noodles at Nash: The Lucky Lantern Noodle Restaurant has opened ...
For loaves of raditional European style bread made by Woodman’s Artisan Bakery.
Woodman’s Artisan Bakery takes its farmers market success to its own shop By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com Bill Woodman makes bread — ...
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By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com ½ cup (1 cube) butter, melted 1¼ cup (250 g) sugar 4 eggs, separated zest of 3 ...
Lüt, “Opp Ned” (Indie Recordings) & Noah Haidu, Standards III (Infinite Distances Records)
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Madeline Hill wasn’t looking to expand her family when a stranger in a PT Cruiser pulled up to her farm ...
Local music news & events By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com • Enduring: A band that grew out of jazz’s rising popularity in ...
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Country singer Annie Brobst stays positive By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com There’s a timeless adage both revered and reviled among songwriters. Essentially, ...

This Week 25/06/12

Thursday, June 12

The second annual United Through Color art event takes place at Positive Street Art (48 Bridge St., Nashua, 589-9003, positivestreetart.org) this evening from 6 to 8 p.m. Members of Positive Street Art and Opportunity Networks have collaborated to learn and experience art, science, professional skills and studying the human form. Visit to see paintings and sculptures, performance, art and photography, and enjoy signature food and dancing. There will be allergy-friendly foods and live DJ-ing from some of the group members. Visit positivestreetart.org/exhibitions.

Saturday, June 14

The New Hampshire Master Chorale will perform the Brahms Requiem, one of the most beloved choral works in the classical music repertoire, as the centerpiece of its 2025 spring concert series, tonight at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 21 Center St. in downtown Concord. Tickets for adults are $33 through nhmasterchorale.org. The Requiem will be performed in English.

Saturday, June 14

Balin Books (Somerset Plaza, 375 Amherst St., Nashua, 417-7981, balinbooks.com) hosts a book signingevent today at 2 p.m. with Paul August, the author of Ripples in the Nile. This adventure/thriller is set in modern Egypt and is full of shocks, surprises and betrayal.

Saturday, June 14

Check out Woofstock 2025 at Lake Park at Tuscan Village, 72 Rockingham Park Blvd., Salem, today beginning at noon. This event brings together local eight animal rescue organizations and shelters for a day of adoptions, Visit tuscanvillagesalem.com/events/eventdetails/woofstock.

Saturday, June 14

Comedian Tim McKeever will perform at 8 p.m. tonight at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com). Tickets are $20 through the Chunky’s website.

Wednesday, June 18

Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing (R, 1989) will screen as part of the Pints! Camera! Action! Series — “A sociable, big-screen brouhaha with no tickets, no ushers, and definitely no shushing” — at the Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth tonight at 7 p.m. See themusichall.org.

Wednesday, June 18

It’s poetry Wednesday! Poetry Conversations, a monthly gathering on the third Wednesdays from 3 to 4 p.m., runs today at Pembroke Town Library (313 Pembroke St., Pembroke). This is an opportunity to share favorite poets and poems. And Poetry Society of New Hampshire will feature poets Holley Daschback and Patrice Pinette at today’s monthly poetry readings at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com), 4:30 to 6 p.m. with reading followed by an open mic.

Save the Date! Friday, June 20

Legendary band Phish will play the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com) Friday, June 20, through Sunday, June 22, as part of its 2025 Summer Tour. Visit the SNHU Arena website. Tickets start at $94 through ticketmaster.com.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 25/06/12

Maybe the pollen was preferable?

On June 8, the National Weather Service announced an Air Quality Alert for the state for particle pollution until 10 a.m. on June 9. “The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is predicting unhealthy air quality in the above-mentioned counties. Sensitive individuals include children and older adults; anyone with lung disease such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis; and people who are active outdoors. Even healthy individuals may experience mild health effects and should consider limiting strenuous or prolonged outdoor activities,” the alert said. In reports last week, WMUR attributed haziness to smoke from Canadian wildfires.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Find up to date air quality information at the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Prediction website www4.des.state.nh.us/airdata.

At least it’s a dry heat, though, right?

Unexpectedly heavy rains over the past two weeks led to flash flood warnings in Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack and Belknap counties. In a June 7 online weather update, WMUR warned readers, “Drivers who encounter flooded roadways need to turn around. Never drive through a flooded roadway as it is hard to tell how deep the water is in flash flooding situations.” This followed reports the previous week of roads being washed out and eroded from another storm system. On May 31, WMUR reported that Route 47 in Francestown was closed due to flooding, and quoted Francestown Fire Chief Larry Kullren, who said that due to the rain damage, parts of Second New Hampshire Turnpike North had started to erode. “We were anticipating some heavy rains this afternoon, but we were not anticipating flooded roads and washouts,” he said.

QOL score: -1

Comment: According to U.S. Climate Data (usclimatedata.com), the state normally receives an average of 4.11 inches of precipitation in June. In a June 9 online article, WMUR reported that between Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7, “more than 5 inches of rainfall fell in Bradford. Rainfall totals between 1.5 and 3 inches were observed in Hopkinton, Weare, Hanover and Roxbury.”

At least things will dry out by the weekend, right?

As reported by New Hampshire Public Radio, the weather across the state has been rainy for the last 13 weekends in a row. In a June 6 online article, NHPR reported that “after an unusually wet May — in fact, this May was the third wettest in New Hampshire’s history, according to AccuWeather — this weekend marks an equally wet start to summer.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: On the plus side, NHPR reported, “All that rain will help keep temperatures down, especially in comparison to last year’s intense heat. In 2024, New Hampshire — and the entire country — registered its hottest summer on record. This year’s increased precipitation, combined with predicted cold fronts, means heat waves will most likely not last long or hit record breaking numbers, [Paul Pastelok, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather] said.”

QOL score: 65

Net change: -3

QOL this week: 62

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 25/06/12

Hurricane season

The Atlantic hurricane season started June 1 and runs through Nov. 30, and the Red Cross is urging people to be prepared for the season predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to see 13 to 19 named storms, according to a Red Cross press release from its Northern New England Region office in Manchester. The release says even people living inland are at risk for wind, thunderstorms, flooding and power outages. The Red Cross Emergency app, which is free, offers weather alerts, open shelter locations and advice in English and Spanish, the release said. Find more on the app at redcross.org.

Forest lands

The Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire acquired a 99-acre parcel of the Robert Rix Family Forest in Deerfield on May 14, an addition to the 4.5 acres donated last year and a 70.5-acre parcel across the street donated in 2022, according to a SELT press release. The Robert Rix Family Forest, consisting of the three parcels, is owned and managed by SELT in honor of Robert Rix Sr., father of Robert and Brill Rix, who donated the land, the release said. See seltnh.org for a look at SELT’s lands and trails as well as more on the organization.

NH Humanities

Tickets are on sale now for the New Hampshire Humanities 2005 Annual Celebration for the Humanities on Thursday, Oct. 9, featuring keynote speaker Akhil Reed Amar, an author and constitutional scholar, in conversation to Laura Knoy, according to an email from NH Humanities. “The Remaking of the American Constitution” is the subject of the talk, the email said. The evening begins at 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m., at the Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St. in Concord. Tickets cost $44 general admission, $166 for a VIP ticket; add $40 for a copy of Amar’s 2025 book Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution 1840-1920,according to ccanh.com, where you can purchase tickets.

Design contest

The New Hampshire Secretary of State David M. Scanlan announced the launch of a contest to “find an original heirloom marriage certificate design,” according to a press release from the Secretary of State’s office. “The winning design, which should combine the joy of marriage with the beauty of New Hampshire, will be the official heirloom marriage certificate issued by the state. The contest is being executed by State Registrar and Vital Records Director Kristin Martino. Ms. Martino drew inspiration for the contest from an 1886 decorative marriage certificate she found while searching for antiques,” the release said. The contest is open through Sept. 5 to New Hampshire residents 18+ and designs “must be [non-religious] with a focus on New Hampshire and cannot be inappropriate or offensive,” the release said. See sos.nh.gov.

Members of either the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord, starhop.com) or the North East Motorsports Museum (922 Route 106N in Loudon; nemsmuseum.com) can enjoy free admission to the other museum during June, according to a press release from North East Motorsports Museum, which is open Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the summer, the Discovery Center is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Pierce Manse, 14 Horseshoe Pond Lane in Concord, piercemanse.org, the onetime home of President Franklin Pierce and his family, will host Ed Brouder to discuss his book Manchester’s Airport: Flying Through Time on Wednesday, June 18, at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival Movie Club will present the 2024 documentary Sabbath Queen on Sunday, June 22, at 3 p.m. at Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 707 Huse Road in Manchester. Tickets cost $10; see jewishnh.org/community-calendar/movie-club-sabbath-queen.

Science Cafe NH will feature a panel discussing “The Impacts of Technology on Child Development” on Tuesday, June 17, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Soel Sistas, 30 Temple St. in Nashua, according to an email. The event is free. See facebook.com/sciencecafenh.

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).

Read the e-edition

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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.

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