The Hippo Press – Page 25

Fall Hikes — 10/23/2025

on the cover

10 In this week’s cover, we look at the top 8 hikes Hippo readers voted as their favorites in our Best of 2025 and talk to local experts about what makes them particularly fun in the fall. Crisp weather, smaller crowds — fall hiking has its perks.

Also on the cover, Get ready for New Hampshire’s Distiller’s Week, with events the first week of November (see page 20). Performers get in front of a crowd at the Not Afraid to Fail Fest (page 14). Looking for some family friendly spooky season fun? Check out this week’s Kiddle Pool (page 18) and last week’s guide to Halloween events, which included events for all ages (find it at hippopress.com).

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News & Notes 25/10/23

251023 Featured Content News

Lead info In its October Early Childhood newsletter, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services discussed National Lead ...

Round ball is back

251023 News Sports

The Big Story – NBA Season Begins: It begins with a lot less enthusiasm than we’ve had in these parts ...

Quality of Life 25/10/23

251023 News Quality Of Life

Leaves of brown If you’re noticing a little less fall color this year, it’s not just you, as “weeks of ...

This Week 25/10/23

251023 Featured Content News This Week

Thursday, Oct. 23 New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan and State Archivist Ashley Miller host an open house and ...

Fall Hikes

A beautiful view of a clear sky from the top of Mount Monadnock.

251023 Cover Stories Featured Content

8 hikes for autumn adventures By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com Mark Swasey does a lot of hiking. According to his Ascent ...

Brave stage

A bunch of colorful characters celebrate under a red banner that says, "NOT AFRAID TO FAIL FEST".

251023 Art & Theater Featured Content

First-timers gather for Not Afraid to Fail Fest By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com Stepping out of one’s comfort zone to try something ...

Treasure Hunt 25/10/23

251023 Family Fun Treasure Hunt

Dear Donna, I am hoping you can provide me with some advice. I am looking to purchase a three-strand pearl ...

Getting ready for winter

A long oval hole is filled with Daffodil bulbs, with a measuring stick in frame to show the size of the hole.

251023 Outdoors The Gardening Guy

Fall leaves make good mulch By Henry Homeyerlistings@hippopress.com After a hot, dry summer — there was a drought in most ...

Kiddie Pool 25/10/23

251023 Family Fun Outdoors

Family fun for whenever Spooky season fun In the Oct. 16 issue of the Hippo, we presented a guide to ...

The Weekly Dish 25/10/23

251023 Food

By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com • This wine costs how much? Wine-themed online travel agency intothevineyard.com reported in an Oct. 13 press ...

Spirited celebration

A happy man holds up a bottle of whiskey at a distillery celebration.

251023 Featured Content Food

New Hampshire celebrates Distiller’s Week By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com The week of Oct. 30 through Nov. 6 is New HamDipshire Distiller’s ...

Prohibition sneakiness

A bright red cocktail and a bright white one in a hummingbird glass stand next to each other.

251023 Drink Food

The Home Bartender’s Guide and Song Book was published at the height of Prohibition. I dream of owning an actual ...

Album Reviews 25/10/23

251023 Albums Pop

Tortoise, “Layered Presence” (Nonesuch Records) This is the lead single from this all-instrumental Chicago band’s new album, Touch; there was ...

Future Boy, by Michael J. Fox

251023 Books Pop

(Flatiron, 159 pages) It’s impossible to imagine the Back to the Future franchise without Michael J. Fox, whose portrayal of ...

The Music Roundup 25/10/23

251023 Music This Week

By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com • Folk room: A female-forward evening has sets from Maia Sharp and Catie Curtis in a venerable ...

Rebirth

The Iron Gate members pose together in a black & white photo.

251023 Featured Content Nightlife

Six years later, Bungalow returns with live music By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com Manchester’s independent music scene lost an important resource when ...

Kiddie Pool 25/10/23

Family fun for whenever

Spooky season fun

In the Oct. 16 issue of the Hippo, we presented a guide to Halloween happenings for all ages, from the extra-scary haunted houses for the 18+ crowd to kid-friendly not-so-scary events. Find the issue in the digital library at hippopress.com. Here are some of the family fun happenings this weekend:

• Downtown Trick or Treat in downtown Manchester will run Friday, Oct. 24, from 3 to 6 p.m. with businesses along Elm Street and in Stanton Plaza handing out candy to trick-or-treaters as well as other activities, according to the Manchester Economic Development Office’s Facebook page and manchesterproud.org.

• The 2025 Halloween Howl in downtown Concord will take place Friday, Oct. 24, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and feature trick-or-treating, a trunk-or-treat, a costume contest, games and more, according to intownconcord.org. Main Street will be closed to traffic from Centre Street and Loudon Road to Hills Avenue for the event, the website said.

• Kids can trick-or-treat the Concord Farmers Market on Capitol Street next to the Statehouse in downtown Concord during its final market of the season on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. See concordfarmersmarket.com.

• The Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St. in Nashua, nashualibrary.org, will hold a Costume Parade on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to noon. Kids can parade through the library in costumes, collecting surprises at each department, according to the library website.

• Children’s Trick or Treat will take place at Charmingfare Farm, 774 High St. in Candia, visitthefarm.com, on Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26, with entry times starting at 10 a.m. Take a horse-drawn wagon or tractor ride throughout the farm along a Halloween-themed trail to meet with characters, visit farm animals and receive candy, according to the website. Admission costs $29 per person, with add-ons for pumpkin art and pony rides. The Halloween Juggling Spectacular show featuring Jason Tardy will take place throughout the day; see the website for times.

• Main Street Monster Mash Howl-o-Ween will take place Saturday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Nashua. Kids can trick-or-treat at downtown businesses and take part in costume contests — as can pets, according to a post on the Great American Downtown Facebook page. There will be a Pearl Streets Howl-o-ween Puppy Parade at 11:30 a.m. and a performance by the ActorSingers at noon, the post said.

• The Town of Merrimack Halloween Party will take place Saturday, Oct. 25, from noon to 2 p.m. in Wasserman Park. The day will feature games, crafts, face painting, food vendors, a costume contest, community organizations and more, according to merrimackparksandrec.org.

• Pumpkinpalooza will take place Saturday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Kimball Jenkins, 266 N. Main St. in Concord, kimballjenkins.com. This family-friendly all-ages celebration invites you to bring your own pumpkin to decorate before taking part in a candy scavenger hunt and a costume parade and listening to “‘A Spooky Serenade,’ a live performance by Melissa Elsman, Contralto,” according to the website, where you can register to attend (advance registration required).

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, starhop.com, will present the Family Fright Fest celebration on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will feature hands-on Halloween science, live demonstrations, a special Halloween-themed planetarium show, a trick-or-treat scavenger hunt and more, according to a press release. The event is described as all-ages and costume-friendly, the release said. Activities are included with general admission, the release said.

This Week 25/10/23

Thursday, Oct. 23

New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan and State Archivist Ashley Miller host an open house and lecture at the New Hampshire State Archives (9 Ratification Way, Concord) today to celebrate American Archives Month. The open house begins at 1 p.m. with documents and artifacts showcasing significant periods in New Hampshire history, including records on the state’s witchcraft cases. Dr. Tricia Peone will deliver a lecture on the history of witchcraft in New Hampshire at 2 p.m. The lecture will be available both in person and virtually.

Friday, Oct. 24

The internationally acclaimed chamber group Spanish Brass performs at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, 228-2793, theaudi.org) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 (cash or checks) at the door, $24 at ccca-audi.org, youth admission is free.

Saturday, Oct. 25

The Stockbridge Theatre (22-98 Bypass 28, Derry, 437-5210, pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre) presents Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock and Roll, Part 2 tonight at 7 p.m. Relive the best moments of music history from Motown and funk to Elton John and Aerosmith. Tickets start at $33.

Saturday, Oct. 25

The Phil Vassar Acoustic Duo 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. The duo features Vassar on piano and vocals, accompanied by a second musician. Tickets start at $43.25.

Sunday, Oct. 26

Virtuoso guitarist Tommy Emmanuel will perform at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) tonight at 7 p.m., as part of his Living In The Light Tour. His style fuses pop, jazz, classical, and roots influences. Tickets start at $60 through the Tupelo website.

Tuesday, Oct. 28

Balin Books in Somerset Plaza, 375 Amherst St. in Nashua, will hold a “Horrorfest” with authors Christopher Golden (editor of and contributor to the newly released The End of the World As We Know It, “an original short story anthology based on Stephen King’s” The Stand, and author of books including 2023’s All Hallows), Paul Tremblay (also a contributor to The End of the World As We Know It and author of 2024’s Horror Movie), Bracken MacLeod (author of Stranded, released in May), Christa Carmen (author of the blog Horror Homesteading and the recent release Something Borrowed, Something Blood-Soaked) and Tanya Pell (author of Her Wicked Roots) on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 6:30 p.m., according to a press release. The evening will feature a discussion, question-and-answer period and book signing, the release said. The event is free. See balinbooks.com.

Save the Date! Nov. 7

Tickets are on sale now for Tailgate Rescue’s (785-7662, tailgaitrescue.org) biggest event of the year, the Fourth Annual Wine and Whiskers Fundraiser. An evening of fine wine tastings, hors d’oeuvres and chocolate will be accompanied by silent auctions, not-so-silent auctions, and raffles, with a grand prize of a 52-bottle tower of wine. The event will take place Friday, Nov. 7, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Manchester Country Club (180 S. River Road, Bedford, 624-4096, manchestercountryclub.com). Tickets are $40 through zeffy.com.

Quality of Life 25/10/23

Leaves of brown

If you’re noticing a little less fall color this year, it’s not just you, as “weeks of drought have muted this year’s autumn colors” and made leaves drop earlier than usual, as reported by the Concord Monitor on Monday, Oct. 20. The article noted “more than 40% of the country was considered to be in a drought in early October, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor,” and the Northeast is particularly dry.

QOL score: -1

Comment: Less fall color doesn’t mean none; New England’s trees are resilient, the story said, and “tourism business built around leaf peeping has also proven resilient.” The story said Chris Proulx of the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce noted that the region has a reputation for fall beauty and people book travel plans in advance.

Speaking of Mount Washington…

In an Oct. 17 online weather update, WMUR announced that Mt. Washington has received its first measurable snow of the season. “The Mount Washington Observatory said that the accumulations were very light and rime ice produced from freezing fog added to the appearance of snow dust on Mount Washington,” the report read. “According to the observatory, there was 0.4 inches of snow. Temperatures on the summit were in the teens and 20s.”

QOL Score: 0 (+ 1 because “yay, snow season has begun in New Hampshire!” for some and -1 because “gah, snow has begun in New Hampshire!” for others)

Comment: The Old Farmer’s Almanac (almanac.com/weather/longrange/NH/Manchester) predicts that our first significant non-mountain snowstorm will happen sometime around Nov. 9. For extremely detailed reports of weather conditions at Mount Washington Observatory, visit mountwashington.org.

The mystery continues

As reported by WMUR’s Chronicle on Oct. 13, two pumpkins have appeared skewered on the spires of Rounds Hall at Plymouth State University. According to the Chronicle story this is a yearly occurrence. “The pumpkins pop up there under the cover of darkness,” the article read, “and in all these years, the secret of how they get up there remains a mystery, … this year, one was painted ‘1975’ and the other ‘2025’ to mark the 50th year of the tradition.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: WMUR reported that every year the feed to its live weather cam, which has a view of Round Hall, mysteriously cuts out for an hour or so, only to reveal the pumpkins when the feed comes back online.

QOL score last week: 71

Net change: 0

QOL this week: 71

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 25/10/23

Lead info

In its October Early Childhood newsletter, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services discussed National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, which runs through Oct. 25. The newsletter includes links to information on Lead in Drinking Water Remediation Funding, a program that provides funds for licensed child care facilities to remove lead from its drinking water (applications for the program are paused as of Oct. 16; see dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/environmental-health-and-you/lead-drinking-water-remediation-funding-licensed), and to “Childhood Lead Poisoning in NH: How to Keep Children Lead-Safe,” a free class for early childhood education professionals (prosolutionstraining.com/store/product/?tProductVersion_id=2310). For more of the state’s lead poisoning resources and information, see dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/environmental-health-and-you/lead-poisoning-prevention-program.

Walk-ins

Concord Hospital Medical Group has opened the new Concord Hospital Walk-In Primary Care at Merchants Way, according to an Oct. 20 press release. The new facility offers care for minor injuries and sudden illnesses, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily; “each visit is billed as a routine office visit” and open to patients who do not have existing care with the Concord Hospital Health System, the release said. The facility has on-site lab and x-ray services, the release said. See concordhospital.org.

Fraud prevention

The AARP NH Speaker Bureau will host a presentation on “The Scam Landscape: Staying Safe” on Wednesday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to noon at the NH Hospital Association, 125 Airport Road in Concord, according to an AARP NH release. The event will explore fraud trends, prevention and resources and will include a report from the Concord Police Department about current scams in the greater Concord area, the release said. The event is free but registration is required at events.aarp.org/FraudTourConcord25. Find more resources via the AARP’s Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork, the release said.

Everyone’s Trash

Duncan Watson, author of the book Everyone’s Trash and assistant director of public works for Keene, will discuss his experiences and his “vision for the future of waste management” on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 6 p.m. at the Concord Public Library, 45 Green St. in Concord, according to concordnh.gov. Register for the talk at concordpubliclibrary.net/librarycalendar. Watson has worked for Keene’s solid waste program for more than 33 years and “Watson’s journey from childhood recycling attendant to a leader in the field reflects his lifelong commitment to community and sustainability,” the website said.

Celebrate the work of Robert Redford with a screening of The Sting on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. at Sweeney Hall at NHTI in Concord. Admission costs $10.

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness will hold Fall New Hampshire Day on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with $8 trail admission for New Hampshire residents, according to a press release. Purchase tickets in advance at nature.org and bring proof of residency, the release said. The day will feature Up Close to Animals presentations at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The Rhythm of New Hampshire Show Chorus, an all-female barbershop chorus in Derry, is kicking off its “Sing in the Holidays” series of rehearsals and membership drive on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 W. Broadway in Derry, according to rnhchorus.org. The group meets Thursdays; email info@rnhchorus.org for details.

Halloween 2025 — 10/16/2025

on the cover

Local arts organizations of all stripes suffered funding cuts this year. You can keep the scene afloat — and bring more color, music and live performance into your life — by helping to support your favorite arts organizations. Michael Witthaus talks to folks in the arts scene to find out how to pitch in. Above and on the cover, “Sassy Sarah Vaughan” by Darren Taylor, on display now at the Glimpse Gallery in Concord.

Also on the cover Nashua turns its downtown sidewalks into a life-sized coloring book (page 14). Milford celebrates the pumpkin — and the spooky season (page 18). And if you’re lucky, this may be a long weekend. So check out some live music. For ticketed events, see the Concert listings on page 30. For shows with local faves at area breweries and restaurants, see the Music This Week listing starting on page 27.

Read the e-edition

News & Notes 25/10/16

251016 Featured Content News

Arts awards Gov. Kelly Ayotte handed out the 2025 New Hampshire Governor’s Arts Awards at the Executive Council chambers, according ...

Three straight wins for Pats

251016 News Sports

The Big Story – Pats Are Back: The clearest sign they’re headed in the right direction is that the sense ...

Quality of Life 25/10/16

251016 News Quality Of Life

More bad news about water As reported by WMUR in an Oct. 9 online article, New Hampshire’s drought has reached ...

This Week 25/10/16

people in the string section of orchestra sitting on stage, wearing black, playing cellos, in front of audience

251016 Featured Content News This Week

Thursday, Oct. 16 Catch a guided tour of the exhibit of serigraph prints “Passion for Progress: Corita Kent and The ...

Halloween 2025

small, old fashioned cemetery surrounded by short stone wall with metal gate

251016 Cover Stories Featured Content

Your guide to haunted attractions, downtown celebrations, scary movies, kid-friendly events and more spooky season fun Halloween is more than ...

Singing Bard

two young actors dressed in renaissance costumes posing back to back with arms crossed over their chests, girl looking annoyed and boy smiling

251016 Art & Theater Featured Content

Children’s Theatre Project’s Something Rotten spoofs Shakespeare When the cast of Something Rotten! Jr. steps on stage at Concord Auditorium ...

Treasure Hunt 25/10/16

close up of leather ball with leather lacing

251016 Family Fun Treasure Hunt

Hi, Donna. I have a full-size antique brass bed that I would like to sell. I was hoping you would ...

The Weekly Dish 25/10/16

251016 Food

News from the local food scene • Cupcakes! Popular bakery food truck Clyde’s Cupcakes (583-4850, facebook.com/clydescupcakes) has opened a storefront ...

Pumpkins to eat, pumpkins to float in