Author: The Hippo Press

Kiddie Pool 26/10/22

Family fun for whenever

Halloween fun

• Charmingfare Farm in Candia continues its Children’s Trick or Treat Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25, during the daytime, according to visitthefarm.com. The event will feature horse-drawn wagon or tractor train rides along a Halloween-themed trail, candy gathering locations, visits with farm animals, a juggling show and more, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. On Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, Charmingfare will also operate Harvest of Haunts, an after-dark event aimed at ages 3 to 10 that starts at 6 p.m., with a glowing woodland trail and a Halloween night ride but no jump scares or scare actors, the website said. (Children’s Trick or Treat and Harvest of Haunts will also run on Saturday, Oct. 31, the website said.)

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, aviationmuseumofnh.org, will be giving Broomstick Pilots Licenses to kids ages 12 and under — along with free admission to the museum — on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The day will also feature “the ghosts of past aviation pioneers, who will describe their achievements and explain basic principles of flight,” and Halloween treats for licensees, according to a press release.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord will present the Family Fright Fest celebration on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to starhop.com, where you can purchase admission. The day will feature “Hands-On Spooky Activities for the whole family including … pumpkin painting, comMOONity art, a scavenger hunt, face painting, and more,” the website said. Activities are included with general admission, the release said.

• Hudson’s Best Trunk or Treat at the Hudson Mall, 77 Derry Road in Hudson, will take place Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon, according to an email from organizers. The event will take place “next to Autozone and will have the entire mall giving out treats, games and a haunted dojo,” the email said. See thehudsonmall.com.

• The Haunting of Wilton will take place Saturday, Oct. 24, with a parade down Main Street at 1 p.m. (leaving from the police station), trick-or-treat with downtown merchants following the parade, a performance by A Company of Witches in the Main Street Park at 2:30 p.m. and pumpkin carving/painting and display in the park at 4 p.m., according to an email from Wilton Main Street Association.

• The Town of Merrimack’s Halloween Spooktacular will take place Saturday, Oct. 24, from 4 to 8 p.m. in Abbie Griffin Park, with trunk-or-treat (start times by age) from 4 to 6 p.m. and a movie in the park (Minions & Monsters) starting at 6 p.m., according to merrimackparksandrec.org. Food will be for sale and food donations will be accepted by Laura’s World Fund to support Pay It Forward and the Merrimack Drive Through Food Pantry, the website said.

• Children’s performer Laurie Berkner’s Halloween Party Concert will take place Saturday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Swope Theater, 44 S. Main St. in Concord, according to ccanh.com, where you can purchase tickets. Find her music at youtube.com/user/TheLaurieBerknerBand.

• Tuscan Village in Salem will hold a Trick or Treat on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with participating stores handing out treats, according to a post on the Tuscan Village Facebook page.

View from the top

Witch of Weston Tower greets visitors with games and fun

By Chelsea Spear
listings@hippopress.com

The McIntyre Ski Area’s annual Witch of Weston Tower event, with its scenic chairlift ride, thrilling tractor trip and visit from the Witch herself, has something fun for the whole family.

“You get to McIntyre, you get to hop aboard the chairlift ride,” says Nicole Cunningham, the marketing director at McIntyre Ski Area. “You get a nice short trail ride to the top, taking in the views of Manchester. Then we have a wagon tractor ride that goes from the chairlift to Weston Tower. When you get to the tower, you get to meet the Witch herself, so the kids love that. We do candy and pictures and all sorts of stuff, and then you get to hike up to the top of Weston Tower and look over the city of Manchester.”

Visits to the Witch of Weston Tower are a new tradition for Manchester-area families. McIntyre Ski Area first held this event in the fall of 2021.

“Weston Tower has always been a cool part of McIntyre, and we were just looking for a way to engage people during the fall season,” Cunningham said.

While the Witch is the star of this event, two new attractions will join her at Weston Tower.

“We’ll have a fortune teller up top, so that’s going to be fun,” Cunningham says. “We also have Bubble Bailey at the top. She does neon glow bubbles that the kids usually love.”

This Saturday and Sunday, fun continues at the base of the mountain.

“We’re going to do a potato sack race for the kids,” Cunningham says. “We’ll do limbo. We do a witch’s ring toss where you have to toss a ring on the witch’s hat. We do a costume contest for all the younger kids and pumpkin painting.”

Some of the Queen City’s most popular food trucks will also be present for the event. Just the Sip, a coffee and breakfast truck, will be selling hot beverages and “more of that savory kind of food,” Cunningham says, and the bespoke ice cream truck Treat Trolley will be selling frozen desserts. Donut Shack is “going to do hot apple cider, hot coffee, different specialty drinks, things like that.”

The Witch of Weston Tower raises money for the Manchester Historical Association, the nonprofit that collects, preserves and shares objects related to the history of Manchester and operates the Millyard Museum.

Witch of Weston Tower
Where: McIntyre Ski Area, 50 Chalet Way, Manchester
When: Friday, Oct. 23, 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 24, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 25, noon-6 p.m.
More: Visit mcintyreskiarea.com/acitivities/witch-of-weston-tower for a detailed schedule and to purchase tickets.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Twice the tricks, twice the treats

Prizes for puppies and parties on Main Streets

Both Concord and Nashua will celebrate Halloween with downtown celebrations this weekend.

A large section of Main Street will be closed down on Friday, Oct. 23, from Hills Ave. to Loudon Road for Intown Concord’s Halloween Howl. Many downtown businesses will remain open, and children and their families are encouraged to visit them to trick-or-treat.

There will be other, larger activities going on at the same time, said Berit Brown of Intown Concord. She said this year’s Halloween Howl will lean heavily on treats.

“We have some awesome food trucks coming this year,” she said, “which will be a lot of fun. We have Wicked Tasty, Kona Ice, Teenie Wienies, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Nice Ice Baby. So there will be a really great variety of more dinner options and some sweet treats. We also will have trunk-or-treat back this year. It’s actually going to be the biggest trunk-or-treat we’ve ever had. It will be on South Main Street right by the [Concord Food] Co-op and we’ll have 20 different trunks [from] a combination of sponsors and downtown businesses. There will be some kind of get-zombified trunks. We have some that are handing out free little goodies. Some of them are teaching dances. I will say I think one of the funny ones this year is that Hood is doing the trick-or-treat and they’re handing out chocolate milk … It will be a really great interactive trunk-or-treat this year — we’ll have a people’s choice award for the best-decorated trunk. And so you’ll be able to vote on that online after Halloween Howl.”

Other activities will include live music in Bicentennial Square with Wandering Souls, Ghostly Games by the Concord Parks and Recreation Department, a costume contest with DJ Nazzy, a pumpkin carving contest and more.

“There’s a cheerleading group who’s going to come and they’ll lead some free activities and they’ll be in their cheerleading costumes, so that will be kind of fun,” Brown said.

On Saturday the Downtown Nashua Association will stage the second annual Main Street Monster Mash. Nashua, too, will close down a section of its Main Street for pedestrian traffic during the late morning and early afternoon, said Downtown Nashua’s director, Alyssa O’Mara. “There will be trick-or-treating up and down Main Street at a bunch of different restaurants and retail spaces,” she said. This will be the second year of Main Street Monster Mash, she said, and that last year’s event was very encouraging.

“It went better than we could have expected. We were hopeful because it was the first time in probably, I want to say almost 20 years, that they had done trick-or-treating downtown, like its own event. So we were hopeful maybe 100 families would show up, and we had at least 500 families show up. We actually, people were running out of candy, so myself and my volunteers were running up and down the street. … So we are pre-buying extra candy this year so that we won’t run out.”

“We partner with the Humane Society for Greater Nashua,” O’Mara said, “and we do what we call a Howl-o-ween parade, h-o-w-l. It is a puppy parade that goes up and down East and West Pearl Street with prizes for the best puppy costumes.”

“And then our other partner is the Actorsingers theater organization in Nashua,” O’Mara said. “They have a production coming up and this is the second year in a row that they are doing ‘Thriller’ flash mobs for us, so people can watch or join in … they have two performances at 11:30 and at 12:30 where they’ll be doing a flash mob of ‘Thriller.’”

O’Mara was impressed by last year’s costumes.

“I have seen some good costumes over the years,” she said, “but last year people really brought it. My favorite was a couple that dressed as chefs and they had their baby in a giant lobster pot dressed as a lobster. That pot was on wheels. They were wheeling their baby around in a lobster pot. It was great.”

Downtown celebrations
Intown Concord’s Halloween Howl will take place Friday, Oct. 23, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. along Main Street in downtown Concord. Visit intownconcord.org/halloween-howl-2026.
The Downtown Nashua Association’s Main Street Monster Mash will take place Saturday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. along Main Street in downtown Nashua. Visit downtownnashua.org/main-street-monster-mash.
Both events are free and open to the public.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

This Week 26/10/22

Thursday, Oct. 22

Greater Manchester Restaurant Week starts today, according to palacetheatre.org/restaurant-week and our story in the Oct. 15 issue of the Hippo, where you can find details about this year’s event, which corresponds to the Friday, Oct. 23, opening of the show Fiddler on the Roof at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St. in Manchester. Restaurant week runs through Nov. 1. The show runs through Sunday, Nov. 15; see palacetheatre.org for tickets.

Friday, Oct. 23

The curtain rises on Carrie The Musical, the stage adaption of the Stephen King novel, presented by Manchester Community Theatre Players at MCTP Theatre at North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St., Manchester, tonight at 7:30 p.m. The show runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, according to manchestercommuniththeatre.com, where you can find a link to purchase tickets. Shows take place at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays, the website said. Described as “a dark pop-rock stage adaptation” of the story “about a bullied teen with telekinetic powers,” Carrie the Musical is recommended for ages 13+, the website said.

Find more spooky and fantastical theatrical events this season, as well as haunted attractions, downtown Halloween events, kid-friendly fare and more in the Halloween guide in the Oct. 15 issue of the Hippo, which is available in the digital library at hippopress.com.

Friday, Oct. 23

Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main St. in Concord, kicks off its annual screenings of Rocky HorrorPicture Showwith a screening tonight at 10 p.m., according to redrivertheatres.org, where you can purchase tickets and see the rules. Costumes are encouraged and ticket-holders will get a bag of props (no outside props allowed) for this 18+ event, the website said. The movie will also screen, with all the fixings, on Saturday, Oct. 24, and Friday, Oct. 30, at 10 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 23

The Laconia Pumpkin Festival is slated for tonight from 4 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., featuring local vendors, a pumpkin tower, food and drink, a costume parade, a 10K and 5K walk and run, a duck derby and more, according to laconiapumpkinfestival.com, where you can find a schedule.

Friday, Oct. 23

It’s the Tupelo Music Hall’s monthly Tupelo Night of Comedy tonight at 8 p.m. featuring comedians Kenny Rogerson, JJ Jones and Bill Douglas, according to tupelomusichall.com, where you can purchase tickets. The Tupelo Music Hall is at 10 A St. in Derry.

Saturday, Oct. 24

Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St. in Rochester, rochesteroperahouse.org, will present Arrested Development tonight at 8 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

Sunday, Oct. 25

Celebrate Samhain will take place today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hilton Nashua, 2 Somerset Parkway in Nashua, according to facebook.com/NHSamhain. The event will feature vendors, psychics, music, workshops and more, the post said. See celebratesamhain.com for more.

Save the Date! Friday, Nov. 20
The pre-Thanksgiving weekend schedule is packed. One of the options is Come From Away, the musical about Gander, Newfoundland, on Sept. 11, 2001, presented by Community Players of Concord (communityplayersofconcord.org) Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 22, 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, according to communityplayersofconcord.org, where you can purchase tickets.

Quality of Life 26/10/22

It’s already flu season

According to an Oct. 16 online article by New Hampshire Public Radio, “Flu season has started early this year, with reports of flu cases, particularly Influenza A, beginning in September rather than the usual onset in October or November.” Dr. Gabriela Andujar Vasquez, of Dartmouth Health was quoted as said that the rate of infection is “still low but trending in the direction in which we start thinking that the season will be starting and picking up quickly and soon.”

QOL score: -1

Comment: “For people who can get the flu vaccine,” the NHPR report read, “health experts recommend getting the vaccine now as it takes two weeks to develop optimal protection.” It also noted, “Good handwashing practices, wearing masks and staying home when sick are also recommended to reduce spread of the flu.” Visit the Centers for Disease and Prevention’s flu page at cdc.gov/flu.

More hate graffiti

According to an Oct. 17 press release by Manchester Police Department, “Manchester Police are investigating a series of criminal mischief incidents involving hateful messages found in several areas of the city. So far, police have identified 15 incidents in three areas. The incidents occurred overnight and involved antisemitic, racist, and homophobic content. At this point in the investigation, the acts appear to be random, with no indication that specific individuals or properties were intentionally targeted.”

QOL score: -2

Comment: In the same statement, Manchester Police Chief Peter Marr wrote,”Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected, and we take incidents like these seriously. We are actively investigating this matter and will work to hold those responsible accountable.” Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity or has surveillance footage from these areas to contact the Manchester Police Department at 603-­668-­8711.

Paw-ranormal activity at the Howl-O-Ween 5K

On Saturday, Oct. 17, more than 500 human and canine runners and walkers raised more than $50,000 for the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire at the 9th Annual Howl-O-Ween 5K. “This year’s event was the biggest in the race’s history,” Jacob Harper of the ARLNH wrote in an Oct. 19 press release.“ Dog and human runners and walkers completed the 5K race in costumes that included humans dressed as pumpkins, bananas, and cows, and dogs in costumes that ranged from tacos, to hot dogs, to pink western gear.

QOL score: +1, because life is better with dogs dressed as tacos.

Comment:“The need for animal welfare services across New Hampshire continues to grow, and as we receive no state or federal funding, our team needs to raise $1.8 million this year to sustain our programs. Many of these programs provide critical support to low-income families,” wrote Marianne Jones, CEO of ARLNH, in the press release. The 10th Annual Howl-O-Week 5K is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16, 2027.

QOL score: 64

Net change: -2

QOL this week: 62

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 26/10/22

Learn CPR

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month and the American Red Cross is urging people to learn CPR and how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator), according to a release from the American Red Cross Northern New England Region. “Cardiac arrest doesn’t wait for emergency responders to arrive,” said Stephanie Couturier, regional executive for the Red Cross of Northern New England, said in the statement. “The actions of a bystander in the first few minutes can make all the difference. CPR and AED training empowers people to respond with confidence and potentially save the life of a loved one, coworker, neighbor or stranger when every second counts.” Find local in person as well as online classes in adult and pediatric first aid and CPR or hand-only CPR at redcross.org/take-a-class, the website said.

Lung cancer

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and other health care organizations in the state are working to “increase awareness of lung cancer screening and help eligible residents learn whether they could benefit from this potentially life saving test,” according to a press release from Concord Hospital Medical Group, one of the participating organizations. According to the state’s Lung Cancer Screening page, dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/disease-prevention/cancer/nh-cancer-partnership/lung-cancer-screening, screening is recommended for ages 50 to 80 years old, people who currently smoke or quit in the last 15 years and have smoked at least one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years, according to the website, where you can find screening sites across the state.

“Too many people who could benefit from lung cancer screening either don’t realize they qualify or haven’t had a conversation about it,” Kamen Rangelov, MD, Concord Hospital Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine – Laconia, said in the release. “By raising awareness across New Hampshire, we can help more people understand who should be screened and make an informed decision with their health care team. Increasing screening means more opportunities to identify lung cancer when it may be easier to treat.”

Game summit

Tickets for the Granite Game Summit, an event focused on “social, open board gaming in the Granite State” which will take place March 11-14 at the Sheraton Nashua, will go on sale on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m., according to a press release and granitegamesummit.com, where you will be able to find the link to purchase tickets. “Attendees are encouraged to bring games from their collection to play. We will provide tables on which to share your games with other attendees or to store underneath,” the website said.

The Civil Air Patrol Manchester Composite Squadron will hold an open house Thursday, Oct 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the North Elementary School, 19 Sanborn Road in Londonderry, according to an emailed flyer. The official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, this nonprofit organization participates in search and rescue as well as offering aerospace education and youth development, the flyer said. Email dvoigt@nhwg.cap.gov.

The Derry Public Library, 64 E Broadway in Derry, will hold a cookbook swap on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Bring cookbooks to swap for new-to-you cookbooks, according to a library email. See derry.org.

The Nashua Historical Society presents “Mary Estey: Her Life, Execution & Her Historic Legacy” on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. at the Speare Memorial Museum, 5 Abbott St. in Nashua, according to a press release. “Nashua native Mary Louise Bigham is the 9x great-granddaughter of Mary and Isaac Estey, sister of Rebecca Nurse, who was wrongfully convicted and executed for the capital crime of witchcraft in September 1692 during the Salem witch-hunt. … Discovering Mary Estey as a wife, mother, sister, neighbor, and ultimately a victim of the Salem witch-hunt has profoundly shaped Mary Louise’s life and the passions she pursues today,” the release said. The event is open to the public.

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