Find fun for everyone in the family at Concord’s annual Market Days
By Zachary Lewis
zlewis@hippopress.com
The 50th annual Market Days Festival in Concord, put on by the nonprofit group Intown Concord, runs from Thursday, June 20, to Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the city’s downtown with more than 160 vendors, live music, games, food, crafts, goodies and of course beer.
“We have a lot of really interesting, diverse vendors this year,” said Jessica Martin, Executive Director of Intown Concord.
There will be three beer gardens and they all accept cash and cards. The Main Street Beer Tent will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. all three days of the festival and they will have Bud Light, Market Haze, or 603 Summatime ale on tap as well as two varieties of seltzers from 603 and a non-alcoholic IPA from Athletic Brewing Co., with prices ranging from $5 to $9. One dollar from every purchase of Concord Craft Brewing Market Haze IPA will go to support Intown Concord — they made this beer specifically for the festival.
“It’s a delicious, very drinkable, ‘summer vibes’ beer,” Martin said.
Penuche’s Outdoor Beer Garden in Bicentennial Square will be open from noon to 10 p.m. all three days right next to the HomeGrown music stage. They will have five beers on tap, as well as cans. And the Capitol Center for the Arts Beer & Wine Garden will offer a wide selection of local, craft, and microbrewery beers; red and white wine; non-alcoholic beers, soft drinks, and bottled water, with alcoholic beverages ranging from $7 to $11, and water and soft drinks for $3, according to their website.
Music will be blasting all three days from the Main Stage, in front of the Concord Food Co-op; the Home Grown Stage, near Bicentennial Square, and the Eagle Square Stage. Notable performances include Mr. Aaron, Andrew North and the Rangers, Faith Ann Band, R&B Dignity, Mary Fagan and the Honeybees, Heist, Duo Del Inferno, Llava Llama, Superbug, Supernothing, Modern Fools, Donaher and Boomsoss.
“When I first started, the performers were not compensated,” Martin said. This will be the second year when the musicians will be paid for their work through grants and donations. “We’re very proud to be able to do that and support the artists in our community.”
The Eagle Stage will have the Tandy’s Idol Competition every night from 7:30 to 10 p.m., where Concordians will be able to belt out some tunes.
The movie Dazed and Confused will be screened at the Main Stage on Thursday night and there will be a ’70s theme costume parade on Friday at 3:15 p.m. starting at Capitol Street.
“Because this is our 50th anniversary, we’re leaning into the ’70s nostalgia,” Martin said.
Continuing on that theme, the headlining performance of the Festival, taking place on Friday on from 8 to 10 p.m. the Main Stage, is The Ultimate Queen Celebration, a tribute to Queen.
Besides music and beer, there will be plenty of other activities. The KidZone will feature twobounce houses, which require tickets. All other activities on the lawn, like cornhole, hula hoops, and more, are totally free.
There will also be ax throwing, and an arcade on recycling by The Casella Resource Rover. Concord Arts Market will have lots of local artists on Pleasant Street showcasing their wares.
“I’m excited about all the different types of vendors we’ve been able to bring in this year in addition to some of the ones that have been with us for a long time…,” Martin said.
Starting off the shindig on Thursday, June 20, at 10 a.m. will be a music and movement class held by Miss Heather and Miss Heidi from Concord Community Music School for children 5 months to 8 years old on the Statehouse lawn, underneath the tree closest to the capitol, according to the website. This will be followed by storytime in the same location offered by the Concord Public Library, and there will be some iteration of this until 4 p.m., when The Bee Skep Puppet Theatre presents “Marionette Melodies” for kids between ages 3 to 12.
Over by the City Plaza before the arches, The Flying Gravity Circus from Wilton will perform tricks and will also be hosting a circus workshop for novice jugglers and tight-rope walkers in training. They will perform in the street throughout the festival too. “What they are going to be teaching will be cool,” Martin said.
Friday, June 21, starts off in a similar vein with music, movement and story time for the little ones under the Statehouse lawn tree, and the puppet show too, with the addition of reptiles from Tanglewood Hollow, like Clemintine the Snake, around 1 p.m.
Worthy Mind and Movement will be presenting a ’90s music themed yoga class at noon at the Statehouse lawn, and 2 Home Fitness will lead participants through agility and strengths drills by City Plaza before the arches.
Friday also has jazzercise from Thrive Fitness as well as their POP Pilates/UBEAT Barre, which they describe as a powerful fusion of music strength, and choreography fun for all ages. Attendees can also enjoy a Zumba Class with Sindy Chown from Barranquilla Flavor.
On Saturday, June 22, similar events will be held but there will also be new additions to the festivities. From 10 a.m to 5 p.m. local scouts from Scouting America Pack & Troop 90 & Pack 270 will be on the Statehouse lawn for fun activities and classes and the Boys & Girls Club will have kids’ activities on a different area of the lawn from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mr. Matt from Concord Community Music School will lead a drum circle and Miss Audrey will head a folk jam session; those will take place from noon to 2 p.m. at the Statehouse.
At 2 p.m. the 501st and Rebel Legions – The Star Wars Fan Costuming Group arrives at the Statehouse lawn next to the bounce houses from a galaxy far, far away; they will be there until they get their hyperdrive fixed around 6 p.m. There is also a roller derby presentation, balloon animals, and a traditional Newari dance and from 7 to 11 p.m., and the Capitol Center for the Arts will be hosting a silent disco.
Concord is excited for the upcoming Market Days Festival. “They look forward to it. It’s a staple of Concord at this point…,” Martin said. “It’s definitely a beloved community event for sure.”
Market Days
Where: Downtown Concord, Main Street
When: Thursday, June 20, through Saturday, June 22, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day
Info: marketdaysfestival.com
KidZone Bounce House Tickets
$3 for 1 ticket/ 1 bounce
$5 for 3 tickets/ 3 bounces (all proceeds support Intown Concord)
Market Days Eats
According to the event’s website, marketdaysfestival.com, here are some of the scheduled food vendors with the site’s descriptions:
Artisan Hill Treats: Small batch marshmallows, chocolates and sweets
Batulo’s Kitchen: Somali-inspired cuisine
Brother’s Cortado: Coffee and beverages
Buba Kitchen: authentic Asian noodle dishes
Bubble Bee Milk Tea: Bubble tea and dumplings
Bueno Burrito: burritos, tacos, quesadillas and salads
Cali Arepa NH: authentic Colombian street food
Canterbury Kettle Corn
Carolyn’s Creamee: Ice cream
Chubba Wubba’s Sweets, Snacks & Refreshments: bubble tea, slushies organic smoothies, and smoothie bowls.
Curry Leaf: the flavors of India’s many regions
Deadproof Pizza Co.
Dudley’s Concessions: ice cream, fried dough, funnel cake and fried Oreos
Gina Foods: pasta, pizza, paninis, salads, desserts
Holly Fried Dough
Kona Ice
Let the Dough Roll: donut ice cream cones
Live Juice
Maddy’s Food Hub: authentic African flavors, jollof rice, plantains
Phily’s Good Eats: poutine fries, Italian sausage, steak & cheese & gluten-free arepas
Pours & Petals: beverages and desserts
Puppy Love Hot Dogs
Revelstoke: coffee and tea
Roadside Diner
Rubins Hot Sauce
Sandi’s Concessions: cotton candy, candy and caramel apples & more
Sillie Puffs: Gourmet Cotton Candy
Simply Cannoli: cannolis and espresso
Tea Garden Restaurant: traditional Chinese cuisine
Teatotaller: bubble tea and food
Tommy’s Pizzeria
Wicked Tasty: lobster rolls, ice cream sandwich, desserts, sandwiches, burgers and poutine loaded fries
Yankee Farmer’s Market: Buffalo-Buffalo burgers, Buffalo cheesesteaks, Buffalo sausage & more
Featured Photo: Market Days Festival in Concord. Courtesy photo.
