Cheesy dips and tasty accompaniments to make any snack session a party

In October, the MLB post-season, NBA pre-season and season start and WNBA playoffs share the airways with NFL and college football, professional and college soccer and the NHL. Game days are a great excuse for a game-day spread of eats — not quite a meal but still hearty and delicious.

CHEESY DIP

It’s hard to go wrong with cheese, and that theory extends to dips.

At Firefly Bistro in Manchester the most popular dish has long been an appetizer that works on the melty cheese and dippable item principle. And it proves that even a funkier cheese can make a crowd-pleasing dip.

“The dish is called Gogo Bread,” said David Becker, the chef and owner of Firefly Bistro. The appetizer is a Gorgonzola fondue served with warm garlic bread.

“It’s been on the menu since we opened, and it’s been consistently the best-selling menu item we’ve had in the 17 years we’ve been open,” he said.

“It’s a warm and comforting dish,” Becker said. “The bread itself is a rustic loaf bread. It’s studded with whole cloves of roasted garlic. We slice that thin and we grill it up and we serve that to be dipped into the Gorgonzola fondue. The Gorgonzola fondue itself is basically a bechamel sauce with a whole bunch of Gorgonzola folded into it. It’s not just a pile of melted Gorgonzola. We make it with milk and butter and flour and other ingredients. So it sort of mellows it out a little bit and makes it a little more user-friendly. And I think it would be kind of like a bit of a kick in the face if it were just a ramekin full of just straight melted Gorgonzola.”

Parmesan Basil Dip

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cubed
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 ounces (225 g) shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper — regular fresh-ground black pepper will work just as well, but white pepper makes for a prettier color
• 2 teaspoons hot honey
• 1/2 cup (115 g) whole milk
• A large handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. When it gets foamy, whisk in the garlic, then the cream cheese. Keep whisking until it has all melted together.

Whisk in the Parmesan or Romano cheese, salt and pepper, then whisk that until they have melted and/or incorporated, and drizzle in the milk and hot honey. Reduce the heat to low, and continue whisking until the mixture is creamy and not quite simmering. Remove from the heat, and stir in the basil.

Serve warm.

CHEESE & BEER

Davis Smith is a chef and bartender with Bert’s Beer & Wine in Manchester.

“This is the time of year when we [make] warm dips of various types,” he said, adding that beer and cheese have a natural affinity.

“Beer and cheese go together perfectly for a lot of reasons,” Smith said “Most folks think that the best pairing out there is wine and cheese. Fun fact — actually not. Beer pairs better because it has more of those savory fermented notes than wine typically does. Both [beer and cheese] go through the same process, fermentation, when you produce them. So they have a lot of the same complementary notes, but they also mirror each other in certain ways that they just pair perfectly.”

Beer is thus a good accompaniment to cheese, both as a beverage and as an ingredient.

“Whenever you’re looking at just the cheese on its own,” Smith said, “you usually want to try and have something that will balance it out. So one of the best things out there, if you are trying to make a very sharp cheddar cheese-based thing, is a hoppy beer like an IPA. The hops balance out that sharpness and the sharpness of the cheddar cuts through the funk of the hops. So that’s why I recommend always a good IPA with a cheeseburger. It cuts through the fattiness and it works well with the cheese that’s on it. If you’re looking for something a bit lighter, something like a more traditional, like light-bodied beer cheese or queso, something like a light lager might be a better fit because there’s less going on there. The cheese is more forward. The beer lets the cheese do the talking. So it really depends on what you’re going for.”

“So,” he said, “I think for a classic tavern beer cheese, you cannot go wrong with a good quality mild cheddar. You don’t want to go all the way to sharp. You want to have it still be a little bit rounded. And a good, slightly hoppy IPA. because you’re looking to have something that is warm and inviting and tasty without being in-your-face, taking over the meal. You want to look out for something like a single-hopped IPA. If you really want to push the envelope a little bit, you can go to something like a double IPA that will have a richer depth of flavor.”

The sharper the cheese, the more hops and bitterness it can work with, he said.

Cheese and Beer Dip

Cheese and Beer Dip is a pub classic. This dip goes well, drinking-wise, with beer, of course, and, dipping-wise, with soft pretzels.

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 3/4 cup (170 g) whole milk
• 2/3 cup (150 g) beer — what kind of beer depends on how sharp the cheese is. If you use a mild cheddar, use a slightly hoppy IPA (if the label just says “IPA” or “single IPA”, that’s what you’re looking for). The sharper the cheddar, the hoppier the beer can be. Some beers label themselves as “double” or even “triple-IPA.” If you’re just using regular Pilsner, go with a mild cheddar.
• 2½ cups (10-11 ounces, 310 g) shredded (by you) cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire or steak sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard — this is what is called an “emulsifier”; it helps oily/fatty ingredients mix together with water-based ones, like in a salad dressing.
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Pinch of salt

Shred your cheddar.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and let it cook, stirring more or less constantly. You are making what is called a “roux..” This will thicken your dip. The darker you cook it, the less it will thicken the liquid, but the more flavor it will have. Let it darken at least a little. A good rule of thumb is that it should be the same shade you like your toast.

Whisk in the milk, and continue whisking until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer (not quite boiling). Whisk in the beer and the seasonings (everything but the cheese).

Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the shredded cheese. Keep stirring until it has all melted and been incorporated into the sauce. Which is now a dip.

CHEESE, MEET SPINACH

While you can always serve a cheesy dip with vegetables for dipping purposes, there is also tastiness to be had from introducing veggies to the dip itself.

Jon Carnevale is proud of his espinaca. He is the owner of the Shorty’s Mexican Roadhouse restaurants in Nashua and Manchester, and he said the Tex-Mex spinach dip is one of the most popular items on their menu.

“We have a lot of stuff on the Shorty’s menu that kind of caters to that [warm, creamy texture]” Carnevale said. “No. 1, we’ve got our espinaca that’s been kind of world famous for 40+ years now. It’s been kind of a staple. It’s really our signature item here at Shorty’s. People have tried to recreate it, but never quite exactly the same. We’ve got the patent on that. Some of it has to do with the fact that it’s been around for so long and it’s familiar; a lot of people like that — it brings back a lot of good memories for a lot of people, and, you know, they tend to come back over and over again just to kind of have that happen. And then, you know, it’s just delicious. It’s warm. It’s got a little bit of heat to it. It’s got a lot of different factors in the flavors that are really, really desirable this time of year.”

The secret to a good spinach dip, Carnevale said, is to use the spinach itself as a supporting ingredient.

“There’s not too much spinach in [our espinaca], but there’s enough to feel good about yourself when you’re eating it,” he said. “I think it just adds a little bit of focus to the dip, so it’s not too overpoweringly fatty or cheesy. It really kind of brings [the dish] into focus.”

Carnevale said fall is a good time to introduce new, warm dips at his restaurants.

“We have a specials menu coming out that’s going to have kind of a variant on [our espinaca],” he said. “We [make] a street corn dip as well. Just like everything else at Shorty’s, we roast our own street corn in-house. We roast it off with some garlic, some cotija cheese and some mayo. We add a little bit of espinaca to it and a little bit of cream cheese, just to give it that roundness. We serve it with chips, and it’s great. It’s warm. It’s filling and comforting. You get a little crunch from the chips. It’s just a good, a great fall dish.”

Espinaca

This is not the recipe for Shorty’s espinaca, but a DIY homage to it.

• 16 ounces (450 g) white American cheese or Velveeta, chopped or cubed
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (10 ounces, or 280 g) frozen, chopped spinach that has been thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 10-ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• 1/2 cup (115 g) whole or evaporated milk
• 1/2 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cubes of chicken bouillon
• 1/4 cup (2 Tablespoons) minced jalapeño chilis
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Cayenne pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, combine the cheese and milk over medium-low heat, and stir until it is completely melted, combined and smooth. Stir in the chopped onion, drained tomatoes, bullion cubes and minced chilies. Continue to stir, until the bullion cubes have dissolved completely.

Fold in the spinach, garlic powder and cayenne pepper, and bring to a serving temperature, not a boil. Serve immediately and hot, with tortilla chips.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This is possibly the queen of warm dips.

• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese
• 1/4 cup (57 g) mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Italian cheese — Parmesan, Romano, or a mixture
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder — this will give you a second type of garlic flavor
• 1 teaspoon of dried, aromatic herbs — basil, thyme, sage, etc.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts or bottoms, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup (100 g) frozen, chopped spinach that you have thawed and squeezed the liquid out of
• 1/2 cup (55 g) shredded (by you) mozzarella cheese

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Grease a small baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, grated cheese and seasonings. An electric mixer or a wooden spoon will work for this.

Gently mix in the spinach and chopped artichokes. This should be done by hand. Spoon. Whatever. An electric mixer would pulverize them. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is slightly browned.

THE DIPPABLES

Chips — corn and/or potato, depending on your preference and the flavors you’re working with — serve as a time-tested dip delivery method. Here are some more items that can stand up to a hearty dip.

Bagel Bites

Baking a really good homemade pretzel is a specialized skill. But a fried bagel piece is a solid alternative if you’re looking for something chewy to dip.

Savory bagels — This actually works with any variety of bagel, but since the goal here is to make something to dunk into cheese dip, you’re probably better off using onion or sesame bagels.

Some sort of spreadable fat — It could be margarine. If you’re feeling indulgent, butter is the classic choice. If you’re feeling adventurous, it could be mayonnaise. If you’re feeling indulgent and adventurous, bacon grease will be another revelation.

Cut each bagel into eight pieces. Cut it once horizontally across the middle, like a hamburger bun, and then vertically into quarters.

Spread the flat, cut surface of each piece with the fat of your choice (see above).

Heat a skillet to medium heat, then fry the bagel pieces, face-down, like you would a grilled-cheese sandwich. Do not crowd the pan, which will change its temperature unpredictably. Do not be impatient and use too high a heat; neither you nor your smoke detector want to deal with burned butter or, worse, bacon fat.

Use tongs to check each bagel piece. When it is golden-brown and super-tempting, set it aside and replace it with one of the others that you have waiting to fry.

Serve these warm from the pan.

Toasted Ravioli

This is fast and flavorful and will bring you a shocking amount of validation from your friends and unexpected guests.

• 1 package of frozen mini-ravioli — how big a package is a matter of personal judgment. These tend to get snapped up pretty quickly, so you might want to buy a larger package than you initially think prudent.
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• Smoked salt, optional — This is one of those ingredients that you might not have on hand, but if you ever run across some you should definitely pick some up. Unlike many spices, it will never go bad, and it makes a tomato sandwich sing.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the vegetable oil and butter.

Add “some” ravioli to the heated pan. This will work well with thawed ravioli, but surprisingly, frozen ravioli will work almost as well. Don’t crowd the pan, so you can keep the heat consistent. After a few minutes — four, to pick a number out of the air — check the bottom of each raviolo, and flip it when it is golden brown. As with the bagel bites, replace each raviolo with a raw one from the bullpen.

Season these with smoked salt, if you have it, then serve them warm and toasty, with any dip.

Kimchi Pancakes

• Pancake batter made from your favorite mix
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup of your favorite kimchee, chopped. This will vary, depending on your favorite type, brand and intensity of kimchee.
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• Gochujang, a Korean hot condiment, to taste — optional
• Vegetable oil for frying

Make a batch of pancake batter the way you normally would.

Add the chopped shallot, kimchee and gochujang, then stir thoroughly to combine.

Oil the pan and make pancakes, exactly as you would on a Sunday morning, just without the expectation of adding butter and maple syrup. Fry them a little more than you might normally, so they are a little darker than usual and crispy around the edges.

Before serving, cut the pancakes into cracker-sized pieces.

BALANCE

Those grocery store veggie trays are made for moments like these, when you need something crisp and not fried to balance melty cheese and fried or toasted dippable items. Round out your offerings with something that brings a little hit of sourness to your party.

Pickled apple slices

• 1 cup (225 g) water
• 1 cup (225 g) cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons pickling spice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
• 2 to 3 sweet, firm apples — I like Jazz or Fuji
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 stars of star anise

Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, pickling spice and salt in a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer. Stir it occasionally, to make certain that the sugar and salt have completely dissolved.

Meanwhile, peel and slice the apples the way you would for your kids’ lunch box or soccer game. Place the slices in a mixing bowl and set them aside.

At about this time, your pickling liquid should be ready. If it has come to a boil, set it aside to cook for a couple of minutes.

Pour the pickling liquid through a strainer onto the apples.

Stir the apple slices to make sure that they are all completely covered with very warm pickling liquid. Add the cinnamon sticks and star anise.

The apple slices will probably want to float. Weigh them down with something — perhaps a slightly smaller mixing bowl half-filled with water.

Let the apples soak for at least half an hour — ideally longer — then strain them and serve them with your other dippables.

Pick your own pumpkins and apples, find adventure in a corn maze and raise a glass to Oktoberfest

Bushel and a peck

Where to pick your own apples

“We raise over 100 varieties of apple this year,” said Tim Bassett of Gould Hill Farm in Contoocook, “though not all of them are for pick-your-own, of course. We started picking in late July for fruit for the store, and we’ll go right through the first or second week of November with fruit. … We open [to the public] the weekend before Labor Day with some earlier varieties like Colorado and Zestar.”

He said picking usually runs until around mid October. “[I]t also depends on if we get picked out or not, we can keep going later. So there’s been some years we’ve been allowing people to pick right up till Halloween time.”

Bassett said that this year there are 21 varities for picking. He said apple picking at his farm makes for a particularly good day out for a family. “It has to do with our location,” he said. “We’re [unusual] that we’re set up on a ridge, so we have an 80-mile view, right to the White Mountains. So on nice clear days you’re looking up toward Mt. Lafayette, over to Mt. Washington and Mt. Chocorua. It’s a really pretty spot that we have; we’re very lucky in that. We also — besides apple picking and cider doughnuts, and cider, and all our baked goods — we also have a hard cider tasting room and restaurant. We make all the hard ciders right here with our own apples. So people can go pick apples and eat their doughnuts and then head right down to our tasting room.”

“Our tasting room and restaurant are open year-round,” Bassett said, “but only on weekends. And we will close our farm at Christmas, and close the farm store, and we won’t open again until we get pick-your-own blueberries in July.”

PYO apples

Here are some farms offering pick your own apples, according to their websites and social media (many of which also idenitify the kinds of apples offered). Call ahead or go online before heading out to make sure that your favorite apple is being picked that day. Know of an orchard we left out? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com.

• Apple Hill Farm (580 Mountain Road, Concord, 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com) Hours: Open seven days 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The picking season ends the day before Thanksgiving. “We have Pick-Your-Own apples! We are currently picking Macs, Cortland, Gala, Jonagold, Fuji and Snow Sweet apples, with many other varieties at the farmstand,” the website said.

• Appleview Orchard (1266 Upper City Road, Pittsfield, 435-3553, applevieworchard.com) Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; PYO apples last picking is 5 p.m. Apple varieties typically available in October include Brock, Cortland, Crimson Crisp, Crimson Topaz, Empire, Fuji, Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Macoun, McIntosh, Mollie’s Delicious, and Red Delicious.

• Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com) Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; last entrance to the orchard is 30 minutes before closing. The website claims “30+ apple varieties throughout the fall!”Apple varieties typically available in October include McIntosh, Cortland, Ruby Mac, Jonamac, Gala, Mutsu, Rising Sun Fuji, Amarillo Soul and many others. (See this farm’s listing in Corn Mazes and Pumpkin Picking.)

• Carter Hill Orchard (73 Carter Hill Road, Concord, 225-2625, carterhillapples.com) Hours: Open seven days, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The farmstand sells farm-raise fruit and vegetables, baked goods, and hot cider doughnuts. Apple varieties usually available in October include Braeburn, Crispin, Gibson Golden, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp and Mutsu.

• Currier Orchards (9 Peaslee Road, Merrimack, 881-8864, currierorchards.com) Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a farm stand with seasonal baked goods, cider doughnuts and other farm products. Apple varieties at Currier include McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Macoun, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Empire, Cortland, Gala, Jonastar, and Liberty.

• DeMeritt Hill Farm (20 Orchard Way, Lee, 868-2111, demeritthillfarm.com) Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a farm bakery, a farm store, hay rides and recreational trails. Apple varieties grown at DeMerrit that are usually ready in October include Spencer, Jonathan, Honeycrisp, Red Cameo, Autumn Gala, Jonagold, Mutsu, Red Delicious, Shizuka, Ida Red and Pink Lady. (See this farm’s listing in Pumpkin Picking.)

• Gould Hill Farm (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, 746-3811, gouldhillfarm.com) Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gould Hill Farm grows more than 100 varieties of apples, though only a few are available to pick yourself. According to the Farm’s website, apples currently available to pick yourself are Cortland, Gala, Honeycrisp, Kearsarge and McIntosh.

• Hackleboro Orchard (61 Orchard Road, Canterbury, 783-4248) Hours: Open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook.

• Hazelton Orchards (280 Derry Road, Chester, 490-9921, hazeltonorchards.com) Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bagged apples are available during the week at the farm store. From the Orchards’ website: “Our family has been growing apples here in Chester since 1898. Some of our trees are over a century old and still producing! We have twelve varieties of apples available in our U-pick orchard or at our farm stand.”

• Lull Farm (615 Route 13, Milford, 673-3119, livefreeandfarm.com) Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Apple varieties include McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Spencer, Mutzu, Yellow Delicious, and Red Delicious. (See this farm’s listing in Pumpkin Picking.)

• Mack’s Apples (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 434-7619, macksapples.com) Hours: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Call the Apple Hotline for picking conditions and varieties at 432-3456. (See this farm’s listing in Corn Mazes and Pumpkin Picking.)

• Maple Gate Farm and Vineyard (183 Amherst Road, Merrimack, 759-9174, maplegatefarmandvineyard.com) Hours: Open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to the Farm’s website, you should expect “crisp apples [of] many varieties].”

• McLeod Orchards (735 N. River Road, Milford, mcleodorchards.com) Hours: Open weekdays, 1 to 5:30 p.m., weekends and holidays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Apple varieties usually available in October include Mutsu, Jonagold and Roxbury Russets. Check the Orchards’ Facebook page for updates throughout the season at facebook.com/McLeodOrchards.

• McQuesten Farm (330 Charles Bancroft Hwy, Litchfield, 424-9268, facebook.com/McQuesten.Farm) Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (See this farm’s listing in Pumpkin Picking.)

• Meadow Ledge Farm (612 Route 219, Loudon, 789-5860, meadowledgefarm.com) Hours: Open every day, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pick-Your-Own varieties of apples typically available in October include Jonathan, Ozark Gold, Empire, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Northern Spy, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Hampshire, Ida Red, Jonagold, Mutsu, Smokehouse, Wolf River, and Baldwin. Other varieties are available bagged in the farm store.

• Stone Mountain Farm (522 Laconia Road, Belmont, 731-2493, stonemtnfarm.com) Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The farm stand sells apples, pumpkins, winter squash, gourds, corn stalks and maple syrup. The website says, “Our PYO orchard has more than 45 varieties of apples” and varieties that are typically ready at this time of year include Macoun, Empire, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Golden Russet and others.

• Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com) Hours: Open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Apple varieties include Cortland, MacIntosh, Honeycrisp and Mutsu. “Be sure to call the hotline to see what we are picking fresh today!,” the website says. That hotline is 432-9652. (See this farm’s listing in Corn Mazes and Pumpkin Picking.)

• Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard (66 Mason Road, Greenville, 878-2101, washburnswindyhillorchard.com) Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Apple varieties include Cortland, Macoun, Red Delicious and others. (See this farm’s listing in Corn Mazes and Pumpkin Picking.)

Be kind to the apples
Some orchards have a no-pets policy, and some allow pets but only in certain areas or not in the orchard itself. “Please clean up after your dog” is a common sentiment. Check an orchard’s website or socials for their policies.
Pretty much all the orchards have a “Please do not climb the trees” policy and would appreciate it if visitors make sure not to litter. PYO visitors should only pick in designated areas, no matter how enticing the apples on the other side of the fence appear. Generally, children should be accompanied by adults, no one should throw fruit, and no drones are allowed.
As the Mack’s Apples website puts it, “Thank you for being respectful of our hard work!”

Puzzle in corn

Corn mazes offer added fun during a visit to the farm

According to Alicia Trombly, for most New England farms it’s not enough to just grow stuff. Look at almost any area farm during the fall, she said.

“We have a corn maze. We have a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. On the weekends in October we have hay rides and a cow train going — it’s barrels we turn into cows, and they’re pulled by a lawn mower. Some of the kids have to go on it; it’s wicked cute.”

Trombly and her family own Trombly Gardens in Milford, a small family farm that, like most family farms in the Northeast, wouldn’t be sustainable without bringing in visitors. Entertaining visitors is a way to make a go of it, she said. “It’s something that [my husband] Sean and I do together that we love. and we love the new ideas, and we love the feedback from our customers and the new people that find us and you know every kind of little new idea. We go to an agritainment convention every year, and we usually come back with some idea to add.”

One of the most popular of these new farm activities is the corn maze. Farmers will grow densely planted plots of feed corn, then mow paths and mazes through the giant corn plants. Visitors pay enthusiastically for the opportunity to compete against each other, finding their way through the mazes.

“We have one corn maze,” Trombly said, “which is open from when [the farm] opens in the morning until dusk. Starting at the end of September, every weekend, we have what’s called the Dark Woods, which is a haunted trail on the other side of the farm, and when that’s going we offer our corn maze to go through at night.” It is very popular with teenagers, Trombly said. “The cost is $9 a person, but we encourage people to bring one unexpired canned good, and we will take $1 off. At the end of October we donate all that to our local food bank.”

Where to corn maze

Here are some of the area corn mazes. Call before you go to make sure the maze is open that day as availability can change based on weather and other factors. Know of a maze not mentioned here? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com.

• Applecrest Farm Orchards (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com) Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $10 per person and free for ages 5 and under. This 8-acre corn field features a maze of twists and turns that typically remains open through Halloween or early November depending on weather conditions. Applecrest, which features pick your own apples, also hosts a fall festival every weekend through October with live music, tractor rides and food for sale, according to the website.

• Beans & Greens Farm (245 Intervale Road, Gilford, 293-2853, beansandgreensfarm.com) Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $9. On its website, Beans & Greens announced that it has partnered this year with Mayhem Productions (facebook.com/mayhemNH) “for a haunting experience that will bring thrills and chills every Friday and Saturday night throughout October, plus a special night on Halloween.” Guests can still enjoy the corn maze during daylight hours.

• Beech Hill Farm & Ice Cream Barn (107 Beech Hill Road, Hopkinton, 223-0828, beechhillfarm.com) Hours: Daily, noon to half an hour before dusk. Cost: $7 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under. Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn has two 4-acre corn mazes, and $7 gives you access to both. This year’s themes are “Yellowstone – A National Park Scavenger Hunt” and “Where in the World? – a unique corn maze trivia challenge.” Maze-goers search for signs with clues in a scavenger hunt style. Complete the puzzles to navigate through. The mazes are open daily through Oct. 31. In addition to the ice cream and homemade waffle cones, Beech Hill offers pumpkins, mums and more in its Gardener’s Barn.

• Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com) Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $5 per person, which includes a hayride. The corn maze is among several family-friendly activities that will be available at Brookdale Fruit Farm this fall, along with hayrides and apple picking. The farm also features an ice cream stand and a wide variety of local products in its farm stand, including the farm’s own honey, canned vegetables and jellies and more, according to the website.

• Brookford Farm (250 West Road, Canterbury, brookfordfarm.com, 742- 4084) Corn maze hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission costs $5 for everyone 3 and over through September, $8 beginning Oct. 3, according to the website. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or on the farm’s website. The weekend of Oct. 3 and Oct. 4, and Oct. 10 through Oct. 12, is Pumpkins and Piggies, where visitors are encouraged to pick pumpkins, meet piggies, and try Pumpkin Chuck-a-Chunk — feed the pigs while they help mow down the sunflower fields. Build your own scarecrow, watch the daily cow parade, and ride around the farm on a tractor shuttle.

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia, visitthefarm.com) has a children’s corn maze “[p]erfectly sized for little explorers,” according to the website. The farm will hold its annual Pumpkin Festival Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 10, through Monday, Oct. 12, followed by Children’s Trick or Treat Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25 as well as Halloween, Oct. 31, according to the website where you can pick an entry time and purchase tickets.

• Coppal House Farm (118 N. River Road, Lee, 659-3572, nhcornmaze.com) Hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entrance is at 4:30 p.m.). Columbus Day hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $10 for adults, $8 for kids ages 5 to 12 and for students, seniors and active military service members, and free for kids ages 4 and under. This year’s theme is chipmunks. The corn maze is open until 5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, as well as two evenings, Oct. 10 and Oct. 24, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Visit nhcornmaze.com.

• J&F Farms (124 Chester Road, Derry, 437-0535, jandffarmsnh.com) The theme of the 4-acre corn maze in October will be Halloween. The cost is $10 per person. “Our corn maze is grown using field corn. Field corn is not edible to humans. However, it makes excellent cow feed. When the maze closes on Halloween, the entire cornstalk is harvested for feed!” the website said. Visit jandffarmsnh.com/corn-maze.

• Mack’s Apples (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 432- 3456, macksapples.com) Corn maze is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays Mack’s also has weekend Bee Train rides from noon to 5 p.m. and hayrides around the orchard from 1 to 5 p.m.

• Moulton Farm (18 Quarry Road, Meredith, 279-3915, moultonfarm.com) According to the Farm’s website, “In addition to our 4-acre corn maze, enjoy our sunflower field, PYO pumpkin patch, and, on select weekends, free wagon rides and live music. Our maze opens at 8 a.m. The last admission is one hour before our farm closes. Admission costs are $12 per person, with a special rate of $6 for each child age 3 to 6. Children under 3 are free.”

• Riverview Farm (141 River Road, Plainfield, 298-8519, riverviewnh.com) Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. through 5:30 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday. Riverview Farm has a new maze designer this year, according to its website, “and he is hard at work getting new characters designed and painted as well as a new story all focused around cryptids of New England. The maze is $8/person, ages 4 and under are free. For a spooky experience, visit our maze the weekend of Halloween from 7 to 9 p.m., when it becomes haunted! The haunted maze is a fundraiser for the Lebanon High School and Middle School Nordic Ski Teams and all proceeds go to them. Come with a flashlight but please leave your costumes at home.” The Farm Store is open through October, offering doughnuts, cider, jams, honey and more; visitors can bring a packed lunch to eat at the picnic tables on the lawn.

• Sunfox Farm (Gully Hill Road, Concord, 244-9888, sunfoxfarm.org) Hours: Open Thursday through Sunday throughout October, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. General admission to the farm is free. Corn maze wristbands, pumpkins, food and drinks are purchased separately. There will be two fall festival weekends, featuring live local music, artisan vendors, food trucks, games, and even more seasonal fun: Columbus Day weekend, Oct. 10 and Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Spooky Season Weekend, Oct. 24 and Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be two special 21+ evening events: Cocktails and Cornstalks, Friday, Oct. 9, 6:30 to 9 p.m., and Boos and Brews, Saturday, Oct. 24, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Cocktails & Cornstalks and Boos & Brews are separately ticketed 21+ events.

• Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com) Hours: The 5-acre corn maze is open through Oct. 31, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A farm store is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, with fresh apples, peaches, nectarines and plums, as well as local produce, milk, honey, jams, syrup, pies and ice cream. Colbie’s Cones is open daily from noon to 8 p.m. selling homemade ice cream and soft serve.

• Trombly Gardens (150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.com) Hours: Daily, from 9 a.m. to dusk. Cost: $9 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under. Bringing in a canned good will result in $1 off entry (one can per person) and the item will be donated to a local food bank. Visitors can also “grab an ice cream and visit the animals while you are here,” according to a recent Facebook post from the Gardens. Starting in October on Friday and Saturday there will be a night maze whose times vary based on the schedule of The Dark Woods (thedarkwoodsnh.com), which is a haunted trail on the other side of the farm, through Halloween.

• Washburn’s Windy Hill (orchard 66 Mason Road, Greenville, 878-2101, washburnswindyhillorchard.com) Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under. The 5-acre corn maze at Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard is open daily, rain or shine, through October. Visitors can visit farm animals and browse the gift shop; there are picnic tables and a play area for children. Much of the maze is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

A maze! A maze! A maze!
Corn mazes have rules. For instance, at Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard, “Rule #1 is Have Fun!,” says the website, but also no running, no smoking or open flames, no breaking the cornstalks, and children age 12 and under must be attended by a guardian.
Check the rules at the corn maze you’re going to before you head out.
Corn mazes may be wheelchair-accessible or not, to varying degrees, depending on the landscape.

Oktoberfest!

Celebrating fall brews

Oktoberfest is a state of mind, says Anthony Caruso, general manager at Henniker Brewing Co.

“The idea of Oktoberfest is about getting together, having a bunch of fun, drinking some great beers and being with people and partying,” he said. He said Henniker Brewing’s Oktoberfest, Oct. 2 through Oct. 4, is about finding that state of mind. “We could get an oompah band and try to be German, but we’re not [German]. The music is heavily influenced by everyone getting together in a beer garden outside, listening to music. It just happens to be music from around here — our favorite local bands. It’s not like we’re pretending like we’re in Germany. It’s kind of like our New Hampshire version of Oktoberfest.”

That isn’t to say that there won’t be anything German at this Oktoberfest.

“We have different food trucks every day,” Caruso said. “So Friday’s Stacy’s Grill. Saturday’s Blue Nose Pitmasters, which is a barbecue truck, and then Teenie Wienies is here on Sunday. They usually do an Oktoberfest menu as well. And on top of that, on Saturday we typically do some stein-hoisting and we also have a traditional clothing contest because there are people who like to dress up.”

And of course there will be German-style beers, he said. “Obviously, we’re serving our Oktoberfest, which is a Marzen. And we have a couple other German beers too, like the Kolsch, that’s Northern German.”

There is another beer tradition from Munich’s Oktoberfest that Henniker Brewing has adopted, Caruso said. In some of the locations, “they drink out of a barrel of beer in a beer garden, which is pretty cool. When I went to Munich I did that at Hofbrauhaus. So our version of that is where we have a cask and we tap that as a kind of ceremonial tapping on Saturday. This is the third year we’ve held our Oktoberfest, and the first year, we had our owner Dave do it. Last year, our newest member did it. I think this year, the head brewer wants to do it. We open the tap, and everyone has cups, and they’re in a line. We never let [the beer] stop flowing, and everybody holds up their cups.”

“It’s like the sort of stuff that they do in Germany,” Caruso said, “but kind of our own version of it.”

Oktoberfests & fall brew fests

Here are some area brew and Oktoberfests. Did we miss your favorite marzen and festbier? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com.

• The Henniker Brewing Co. (129 Centervale Road, Henniker, 428-3579, hennikerbrewing.com) will celebrate Oktoberfest Friday, Oct. 2, through Sunday, Oct 4, with food from Stacy’s Grill, Bluenose Pitmasters, and Teenie Wienies, and live music from Rubik’s Muse, Hammy Sagar, Speedtrap, The Bullzeye Band, Northern Lites, and Beechwood. An online poster for the event implies that “Bier!” will have a strong presence. Visit hennikerbrewing.com/elementor-2375/taproom-events.

• Barley House Restaurant and Tavern (132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com) will celebrate Oktoberfest Friday, Oct. 2, through Sunday, Oct. 11. From the Barley House website: “… enjoy the festive atmosphere of our indoor Barley Haus Biergarten, Bavarian beer, and a special menu of homemade German-inspired favorites, including Schnitzel, NH-made Bratwurst Sausage Farmer’s Plate, the Über Burger, and Kaiser Dog.” Visit thebarleyhouse.com/events/go-to-munich-without-the-flight.

• 603 Brewery and Beer Hall (42 Main St., Londonderry, 404-6123, 603brewery.com) will host Fall Fest 2026 Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon to 8 p.m. According to the 603 website, this is “Southern New Hampshire’s biggest Fall Fest.” There will be live music, DJs, food and vendors in attendance. Visit 603brewery.com/event-details/fall-fest-2026.

• The 14th annual Powder Keg Beer & Chili Festival arrives in downtown Exeter on Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon to 4 p.m. at Swasey Parkway. VIP admission is at noon; general admission starts at 1 p.m. All tickets include beer and chili samples and live entertainment. Visit powderkegbeerfest.com.

• Post & Beam Brewing (40 Grove St., Peterborough, 784-5361, postandbeambrewery.com) will hold an Oktoberfest celebration Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon to 9 p.m. From the Post & Beam website: “We’ll be pouring our festbier, Cardigan on one Lukr faucet, and a new release lager on the other. And just like last year, we’ll be pulling our other eight beers and giving those lines to lagers brewed across the state by some of our favorite breweries. When they kick, they kick, so come early! And of course, Blackfire will be making special Oktoberfest-themed food for the occasion.” Visit postandbeambrewery.com/events-1/2026/10/3/oktoberfest-2026.

• According to posts on social media, KC’s Rib Shack (837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net) will hold its annual Oktoberfest Sunday, Oct. 4, from noon to 6 p.m. Activities and raffles of gift baskets from local businesses will raise money for the Manchester Animal Shelter. There will be traditional beer-hoisting, a Bavarian-themed costume contest, festive german foods, brats, and cold beers on tap served on the patio

• Feathered Friend Brewing (231 S. Main St., Concord, 715-2347, featheredfriendbrewing.com) will put on its annual Rocktoberfest Saturday, Oct. 10, from noon to 10 p.m. According to Feathered Friend’s website, the festivities will include beer steins, stein-holding competition, hammerschlagen, sausage swinging games, awards for best dressed, food specials, and live rock music from four bands. Visit featheredfriendbrewing.com/monthly-events.

• Sunstone Brewing, 298 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, will hold its Oktoberfest Renaissance Faire Weekend Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11, according to a post on its Facebook page. “Our Oktoberfest Renaissance Faire Weekend is bringing local artisans & vendors, full-armor medieval knight duels, Oktoberfest food specials, live music, ridiculously fun competitions, games, and plenty more shenanigans all weekend long to Londonderry,” according to the post, which also mentioned Oktoberfest and Pumpking of the North beer. See sunstonebrewing.com.

• Loon Mountain Resort (60 Loon Mountain Road, Lincoln, 745-8111, loonmtn.com) will play host to the White Mountain Oktoberfest Saturday, Oct. 10, through Monday, Oct. 12. Sponsored by Sam Adams Brewing, this three-day event will feature beer, beer workshops, axe-throwing, face painting, live music, live chainsaw wood carving, and animal exhibits. Visit loonmtn.com/events/oktoberfest.

• Mactoberfest will take place Saturday, Oct. 17, from noon to 8:30 p.m. at McIntyre Ski Area, 50 Chalet Way, Manchester, 622-6159, according to mcintyreskiarea.com. The event is hosted by Miller Lite and Sam Adams Oktoberfest, according to McIntyre’s Facebook page. “Hosted in partnership with the Manchester Fire Department, Mactoberfest is a fundraising event benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA),” the website said. The event includes food trucks, games, live music, keg toss and more, the Facebook page said.

• Mountain Base Brewery (553 Mast Road, No. 111, Goffstown, 935-7132, mountainbasebrewery.com) and The Worker Bee Fund (workerbeefund.org) will host the 5th Annual Mount Uncanoonuc Brewfest on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Shaw’s Plaza at 533 Mast Road, Goffstown. All ticketed attendees receive a 5-ounce branded taster for unlimited tastings (designated drivers excluded), and there will be food vendors and live music as well as a stein-hoisting competition, cornhole and axe throwing. This event is 21+. Visit events.beerfests.com/e/mount-uncanoonuc-brewfest.

• The Oktoberfest + Ski & Snowboard Sale will take place Sunday, Nov. 1, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pats Peak in Henniker, according to patspeak.com. The Oktoberfest will feature German food offerings available for purchase, a Sam Adams German beer garden, live music by the Bavarian Brothers Band, kids activities, axe throwing and more, the website said.

O’zapft is!
According to Wikipedia, the official start to Munich’s Oktoberfest happens when the Mayor of Munich taps the first wooden beer barrel at noon on the opening day. As soon the tap is pounded in with a wooden mallet, the mayor traditionally shouts, “O’zapft is!” [“It is tapped!”], then 12 gunshots are fired outside, and the crowd traditionally cries out, “Oans, zwoa, drei, g’suffa!” [“One, two, three, drink!”], at which point Oktoberfest officially starts.

Pick your own pumpkins

Where to find a patch

Visiting a farm, especially with young children, and searching through a field for just the right pumpkin is a way for families to feel connected with the land, with the soil, said Greg Pollock.

Pollock and his wife, Amber, own Sunfox Farm in Concord.

“We’ve gone to numerous pick-your-own pumpkin patches,” he said, “and what we’re trying to do is to keep a sense of adventure as part of it. We’ve gone to some [other farms] in the past where you show up and it’s just an open mowed field with a bunch of pumpkins spread out. You can tell they weren’t really grown right there. So we’re trying to keep that actual pick-your-own-right-out-of-the-pumpkin-patch aspect and adventure alive.”

The Pollocks like to offer visitors a choice of pumpkins. “[Visitors] can grab a wagon and head out into the pumpkin patch and choose the ones they like, and bring them back, and we’ll weigh them up for them. We have multiple varieties [of pumpkins], some small, some white, some medium-sized and large carving pumpkins as well. Some of them are even warty — unusual varieties that you can get really creative with.”

Pollock’s advice for picking the best pumpkins is to make use of the natural shape of a pumpkin. “What I always do,” he said, “is sort of have a design in mind and then I kind of find the pumpkin that will fit that design so that I can use the characteristics of the pumpkin for that design.” He said he’s seen people get really creative with non-standard pumpkins. “The warts on the warty varieties are good for that, too.”

Pollock said they’ll be open Thursday through Sunday for all of October. “And then we do have two bigger weekends on Columbus Day weekend and then the weekend before Halloween, where we have live music all day and vendors and food trucks and all that sort of thing. So that’ll be on those weekends. This is our first year doing [pumpkins and a corn maze]. We’re excited and hope for the best. We’re planning a number of interactive puzzles to go into the corn maze to point you in the right direction. We have kind of a scavenger hunt where you need to find all the hidden scarecrows that we’re going to have in there. If you do and take a selfie with those, you’ll be able to get entered into a drawing that we’ll be having every Monday.”

PYO pumpkins

Here are some area farms that let you pick your own pumpkin from the patch, according to their websites and social media. Did we miss your favorite? Let us know at adiaz

• Applecrest Farm Orchards (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com) Hours: Open daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. According to the Farm’s website, you can expect “acres and acres of big orange fun. Minis (kids love ’em), Sugar Pumpkins (great for pies) and traditional old jack-o’-lanterns. Sold by-the-pound.” There are fruits and vegetables available in season, as well as cider, “made-from-scratch confectioneries (including our famous hot cider donuts) and an array of other locally produced farm goods.”

• Brookford Farm (250 West Road, Canterbury, 742-4084, brookfordfarm.com) Hours: daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Join a mailing list on the Farm’s website to be notified of what is in season. (See this farm’s listing in Corn Mazes.)

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia, visitthefarm.com) will hold its annual Pumpkin Festival Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 10, through Monday, Oct. 12, where “[y]our kids will love searching for the perfect pumpkin in our expansive pumpkin patch,” according to the website where you can pick an entry time and purchase tickets.

• DeMeritt Hill Farm (20 Orchard Way, Lee, 868-2111, demeritthillfarm.com) Hours: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Farm’s website advises pumpkin pickers to expect “Orange, White, Big, Little and every size in between, we grow them here. Each fall, our 3 pumpkin patches start to overflow with a sea of orange. We offer pumpkins for PYO or they can be picked out at the farm store. Have you seen the ‘Pumpkin Alley’ within Haunted Overload yet? Each October, we host a pumpkin carving contest and the winners get to display their jack-o’-lanterns in ‘Pumpkin Alley’ during Haunted Overload. Dates will be posted for the carving contest when they become available.”

• Devriendt Farm Products (47 Story Road, Goffstown, 497-2793, devriendtfarm.com) Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends only. Tractor rides are available to the pumpkin field. Last entry is at 4:30 p.m. The last day for picking pumpkins will be Sunday, Oct. 25.

• Lavoies Farm (172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.wordpress.com) Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pumpkin varieties include sugar pumpkins, jack-o’-lantern pumpkins, white pumpkins, princess pumpkins and small decorative pumpkins.

• Lull Farm (615 Route 13, Milford, 673-3119, livefreeandfarm.com) Hours: Open daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit livefreeandfarm.com/pick-your-own.html for information about what is available to pick on a given day. Fresh-baked bread, pastries, farm-raised beef, pork and chicken are also available at the Farm’s seasonal farm store.

• Mack’s Apples (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 434-7619, macksapples.com) Hours: Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. According to the orchard’s website, “Mack’s Apples is the largest Pick-Your-Own destination in New Hampshire, with many different U-Pick stations. You’ll want to drive between each one and the main farm stand. Watch for the signs and maps at each one to know which are open for picking and how to get there.” PYO pumpkins will continue until November.

• McQuesten Farm (330 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield, 424-9268, facebook.com/McQuesten.Farm) Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tractor rides are available to the pumpkin patch at this ninth-generation farm.

• Sunfox Farm (Gully Hill Road, Concord, 244-9888, sunfoxfarm.org) Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (See this farm’s listing in Corn Mazes.)

• Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com) Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October. (See this farm’s listing in Corn Mazes.)

• Trombly Gardens (150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.com) Hours: Open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (See this farm’s listing in Corn Mazes.)

• Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard (66 Mason Road, Greenville, 878-2101, washburnswindyhillorchard.com) Hours: Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. From the Orchard’s website: “Thousands of pumpkins to choose over several acres in our mud-free hayfield! We provide wagons for transporting your perfect pumpkins. Carving pumpkins must be weighed in at our farm stand and are sold by weight. A large variety of carving pumpkins, sugar pumpkins, and ornamentals.” (See this farm’s listing in Corn Mazes.)

Pretty, pretty pumpkins
These pumpkin patches are on private property, not public parks. Picking pumpkins is one thing, but procuring pictures is another, and some proprietors explicitly prohibit portrait photography without permission and possibly payment. Mack’s Apples, on its Visitor Guidelines page, says, “Do not move crates, bins, pumpkins, equipment, and other farm stuff around to stage a photo.” Your chosen patch’s policies are probably posted online; call or check the website if you’re curious.

Find Shakespeare at a brewery, spooky tales, murder mysteries, updated classics and more theater this season

By Michael Witthaus
mwitthaus@hippopress.com

From Fiddler on the Roof to Blithe Spirit, Sister Act and Seussical, the fall theater season has lots of familiar notes. Look closer, though, and there’s a twist. Horror movie musicals, gourmet dining with Poe as a palate cleanser, murder mystery meals, an international tragedy recast for its basic humanity — all are there.

Moreover, these shows are happening in unexpected places, like Tupelo Music Hall, best known for classic rockers and standup comics, but also a hub for the nomadic Lend Me A Theatre company. A musical version of Stephen King’s high school bloodbath Carrie will be performed in an actual gymnasium, a nice touch.

That’s not to say opera houses, glittering theaters, arts centers and playhouses aren’t in on the action. They are, but they’re balanced by offbeat, inventive venues like a historic house in Portsmouth and a former pop-up lemonade stand that’s now a brick and mortar dry bar, not to mention a winery. Here’s a rundown of upcoming performances, grouped thematically.

‘Immersive experiences’

Theatre Kapow is well known for blurring the line between cast and audience in its provocative productions, and an upcoming evening of dinner theater is no different. Attendees should dress up and perhaps wear a mask, but most of all come hungry.

On Oct. 23 the Concord company takes over Gnomies, the dry bar that now occupies the former home of Area 23, for an evening built around four Edgar Allan Poe poems and three of his stories, woven through a menu designed by master chef Susan Reidel.

It’s the first time Theatre Kapow has collaborated on an experience like this, which began with a conversation between Reidel and the company’s artistic director, Carrie Cahoon, a few months ago. “My dream is to have these immersive experiences with food and performance,” Reidel told her.

Recalled Cahoon, “One of us said, ‘Oh, what about Edgar Allan Poe?’ I realized that’s perfect.”

The roughly two-and-a-half-hour evening will have actors performing from all four corners of the room as the meal unfolds in courses. Cahoon, who is directing but not performing, has spent weeks living inside Poe’s language before rehearsals even start.

“It’s just such a wonderful physical experience to say it,” she said. “It’s so expressive and so powerful, and really does set this macabre, creepy, dark tone.” The stories, she’s quick to note, aren’t relentlessly grim — Poe’s social satire gets room to breathe, even as, true to form, almost nobody survives to the final course.

The masquerade element was Reidel’s idea, and Cahoon quickly embraced it.

“That brings you into it in a whole other way and really helps create the mood,” she said. It’s not a haunted-house jump-scare kind of dark, she’s careful to add, but something more elegant — a “dark night” with “a storm coming.”

The language is more American than most people assume; Poe, despite his gothic reputation, was born in Boston. It’s a great way to pull audiences out of their seats and into the room and, timed to Halloween, it’s a one-night experiment that could easily become a tradition.

Here are more shows in this vein:

• As Time Goes By

The Players’ Ring ( Players’ Ring Theatre, 105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) Tickets: $33 at playersring.org. When: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., through Sunday, Oct. 11. A blend of retro nostalgia, mad-science time travel, and comic chaos that mashes up Leave It to Beaver, Back to the Future and Groundhog Day through looping timelines, baffled lovers, cosmic frustration and surrendering to the inevitable. Written by G. Matthew Gaskell, directed by Jamie Bradley.

• Majestic in Wonderland

Majestic Theatre (Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester) Tickets: $25 per person, $45 per couple, at majestictheatre.net. When: Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26, at 6:30 p.m. 21st Annual Auction & Performance Fundraiser, with the company’s Adult, Teen, & Youth actors performing along with the Ted Herbert Music School Faculty & Students and special guests. Silent auction prizes include tickets and passes to art and cultural venues, electronics, gift baskets, dining gift certificates, art and more. Special themed raffles, and refreshments each evening.

• Soap Opera (Episode 5)

New Hampshire Theatre Project (West End Studio Theatre, 959 Islington St., Portsmouth)When: Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. Tickets: $20 at portsmouthnhtickets.com. A monthly episodic improv series centers on the Beaver family dynasty and their maple syrup matriarchy. Identical twin sisters are inheriting the business from their grandmother and aunt, who are also identical twins. Questions entertained in the free-wheeling show include whether to modernize or stick with tradition, i.e., should they “boldly go beyond just breakfast,” plus the mystery of the Great Pancake Social of 1987.

• A Victorian Frightful

New Hampshire Theatre Project (Langdon House, 959 Islington St., No. 3, Portsmouth) When: Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. and Friday, Oct. 16, at 4 p.m. Tickets: $35 and up at nhtheatreproject.com. Eerie songs and stories inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu are performed in a historic mansion by storyteller Diane Edgecomb, Genevieve Aichele, Kathleen Somssich and musical storyteller Tom Megan. An interactive presentation explores the Victorians’ deep interest in death along with their fascination with tarot, fortune-telling and spiritualism, with seasonal historical refreshments served, such as soul cakes and mulled cider. Guests are encouraged to dress in Gothic Victorian attire.

• Masque & Macabre: Edgar Allan Poe

Theatre Kapow (Gnomies, 254 N State St., Unit H, Concord) When: Friday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m. Tickets: $135 (includes dinner) at tkapow.com. An intimate evening of candlelight, live theater, beautiful food and a touch of the macabre. Over the course of approximately three hours, Poe’s stories and poetry will unfold around diners experiencing an elegant five-course dinner inspired by his dark and unforgettable works.

• The Edgar Allan Poe Afterlife Radio Show

Winni Players Community Theatre (Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith) When: Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m.Tickets: $18 at winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org. A live, old-time-radio-style show conjuring the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe for a Halloween-week broadcast built from his stories and poems. Writers: Patrick Greene & Jason Pizzarello.

Murder most delicious

Sometime during a sumptuous meal, someone is going to die, and it’s up to a well-fed audience to find the killer. That’s the pitch behind an interactive murder mystery dinner theater staged by Lend Me A Theater, a fun-loving troupe marking its 11th production season this fall with Occupation: Murder!

The game-show-themed whodunit by Billy St. Jean, in which a TV quiz show sponsor turns up dead and nine lucky audience members get pulled onstage as contestants, happens at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry on Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, with a dessert-only version the following two weekends at YWCA New Hampshire in Manchester.

Kat Abdelwahid plays Broadway diva Julia Warren in the production and more than inhabits her role.

“You are in character that whole time and you do not break it; that’s who you are,” the company’s co-founder said in a recent Zoom interview. Actors mingle table to table during dinner and again at intermission, scouting for volunteers who are up for a turn in the spotlight.

The company grew out of a shared production of Lend Me a Tenor, when a few theater friends realized their traditional fixed-seating home venue couldn’t support the kind of roaming, audience-in-the-room show they wanted to build. Three months later they were a registered nonprofit.

Eleven years on, Lend Me A Theater has never operated in the red, has hauled its own set trailer as far as Maine’s Cliff House and Cape Cod, and recently found a semi-permanent home base at the Manchester YWCA after a decade as a fully nomadic troupe.

Dinner, death and deduction is a formula other companies are running with their own twists this fall, like the seasonal offerings at LaBelle Winery and Majestic Theatre. But for a group that started with a folding table and a borrowed hall, Occupation: Murder! is proof the schtick still has lots of life, and suspects, left in it.

More murderous merriment:

• Occupation: Murder!

Lend Me A Theater (Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry) When: Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, Tickets: $25 show only, $60 with dinner, at tupelohall.com.

Occupation: Murder! – Dessert only: Lend Me A Theater (YWCA New Hampshire, 72 Concord St., Manchester)When: Saturdays, Oct. 10 and Oct. 17, and Sundays, Oct. 11 and Oct. 18. Tickets: $25 at lendmeatheater.org.

Interactive murder mystery dinner theater set in a television studio; audience members help solve the crime. Presented by Lend Me a Theater. Director: Ben Mahon. Two ticket options, with or without an autumn-themed buffet meal.

• Monster Mash Murder Mystery Dinner Party LaBelle Winery (LaBelle Winery, 345 Route 101, Amherst). When: Sunday, Oct. 18, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets: $84 per person including dinner at labellewinery.com. The evening’s premise has famed director Alfred Z Hitchdick filming scenes for a horror blockbuster where Wednesday Addams meets the Universal classic monsters Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein and Invisible Man, with the real monster potentially a hidden murderer amongst them. Professional actors help diners enjoying a three-course menu unravel clues and challenge their detective skills.

• Much Ado About Murder

Majestic Theatre (Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester) When: Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $15-$20 at majestictheatre.net. Interactive murder mystery comedy with the audience voting on a killer’s identity at intermission via secret ballot. The victim is Carlton Larraby, whose life was filled with macabre little surprises for his family. His final joke is a Shakespeare-themed Halloween costume party that he sadly won’t live to enjoy, with the audience learning about the murder before the play’s characters. Writer: Pat Cook. Director: Becky Rush.

Halloween spirit

Manchester Community Theatre Players is already leaning into the season with a run of The Addams Family. But its second Halloween-timed offering this fall is a different animal entirely, and it comes with a promise, courtesy of co-director Amanda Morgan: “There will be blood.”

Carrie: The Musical is based on the Stephen King novel and Brian De Palma movie. Its first iteration is famous as one of Broadway’s most legendary flops, but it found new life in a darker, more psychologically grounded 2012 revision, though it’s still a deep cut for most theater fans.

MCTP’s production of it runs Oct. 23 through Nov. 1 at North End Montessori School, the same weekend a second area production of the show opens in Newmarket — but that one doesn’t have a real school gym. Morgan, who is both directing and music-directing, has wanted to tackle the show since she discovered it in college.

“I was always just a super fan of Halloween and all the fall-type activities, and I thought it was really cool that someone had made a horror movie into a musical,” she said in a Zoom interview, while describing having the chance to direct it as a dream project.

The musical stars a tight 18-and-up cast of 16, chosen over two days of auditions and including an intimacy coordinator, Jen Stearns, to safely stage the show’s more sensitive scenes. MCTP Artistic Director Margaret Tello co-directs the show with Morgan.

Morgan is aiming for a blend of tragedy, horror and dark comedy that honors both the campy 1988 flop and the leaner, bullying-focused 2012 rewrite, with enough fidelity to satisfy die-hard fans of the movie, along with enough new material to surprise them. “We’re trying our best to marry the two together,” she said.

The technical flourishes will be impressive, as lighting designer Josh Benham and a live pit will work in tight sync with sound design to simulate the show’s violence safely, an approach Morgan credits partly to the recent immersive stage production of Paranormal Activity as inspiration.

“It’s going to be a really acutely technically orchestrated experience,” Morgan said. With a run that stretches through Halloween weekend, Carrie: The Musical arrives at a moment when the work is enjoying a broader pop-culture resurgence, with an eight-episode streaming adaptation premiering Oct. 7 on Amazon Prime.

Rest assured as well that the infamous bucket of pig’s blood is very much part of the plan. So come for the nostalgia, stay for the gore. And enjoy a few more seasonally appropriate shows:

• Ride the Cyclone

Cue Zero Theatre Company (Arts Academy of New Hampshire, 19 Keewaydin Drive #4, Salem)When: Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $20 at cztheatre.com. In this cult-favorite, dark-comedy musical, a group of teenagers killed in a roller-coaster accident compete in the afterlife for a chance at reincarnation, with music, book and lyrics written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. Directed by Darren Bernard, with Music Director Nate Faro.

• Evil Dead The Musical

Seacoast Repertory Theatre (Seacoast Repertory Theatre, 125 Bow St., Portsmouth) When: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., through Nov. 8. Tickets: $47 and up at seacoastrep.org. Campy, gory musical comedy adaptation of the Evil Dead film franchise, following five college students whose cabin weekend unleashes demonic forces. Book & Lyrics: George Reinblatt. Music: Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris & George Reinblatt. Director: Kate Sheridan.

• Carrie: The Musical

Manchester Community Theatre Players (North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St., Manchester) When: Friday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 1. Tickets: $15-$20 at manchestercommunitytheatre.com. Musical adaptation of Stephen King’s novel about a bullied telekinetic teenager whose prom-night humiliation triggers a bloody reckoning. Music: Michael Gore. Lyrics: Dean Pitchford. Book: Lawrence D. Cohen. Director & Music Director: Amanda Morgan. Co-directed by Margaret W. Tello.

• Carrie: The Musical

Millspace Mainstage & Jonesing for Theatre (Newmarket Millspace, 55 Main St., Newmarket) When: Friday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 1 (including Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m.). Tickets: $25 at portsmouthnhtickets.com. Another adaptation of the King novel, directed by Kat Mail.

Many musicals

On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, it’s worth remembering that the day produced more than tragedy.

It also put a Newfoundland town of 9,000 in the spotlight, as it opened its homes to thousands of stranded strangers when 38 planes were diverted there. That’s the story of Come From Away, the Tony-nominated musical directed by Betsey Cox-Buteau that Community Players of Concord is bringing to the stage.

It’s an unusual show to direct, Cox-Buteau noted in a recent phone interview.

“It’s an ensemble piece, where everyone’s part is essentially equal,” she said. “There’s no particular star, but everybody is on stage for pretty much the entire show.”

An hour and 45 minutes long, it opens with the attacks and never lets the audience look away, but also never lets them forget what came next.

“It brings you into a space during that time, or in the days afterwards … where things were remarkably humane and good,” she continued. “It’s a marvelous story of community, and kindness.”

Before the first table read, Cox-Buteau gathered the cast, a dozen actors each tasked with multiple roles, around a table. She availed everyone, herself included, to describe where they were that fateful morning. The answers ranged widely.

“Some were just gleams in their mother’s eyes, and some of us were older,” she said. A Navy member who was serving in Southern California at the time “got to work and there was war, [while] I was a principal of an elementary school, K-8, and my reaction was to shut the school down.”

The exercise provided a shared foundation to tackle a script based on real people from the town of Gander. Some characters are straight portrayals, from the town’s mayor to the first female American Airlines pilot, grounded mid-flight. Others, like a couple who met on a diverted plane and later married, are composites.

With a Celtic score anchored by a pulsing bodhran drum, Come From Away has its cast singing and moving in near-constant rhythm. What it leaves audiences with, Cox-Buteau said, isn’t despair. “People will come away from this crying, for the most part, but full of happiness and their gratefulness for the kindness of strangers.”

Come From Away is one of many musicals on tap this season.

• The Addams Family

Manchester Community Theatre Players (North End Montessori School, Manchester) When: Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $15-$20 at manchestercommunitytheatre.com. Clash of offbeat family and conventional in-laws to be, as daughter Wednesday brings home the “normal” boy she wants to marry to her parents Gomez and Morticia, based on Charles Addams’ New Yorker cartoons. Director: Margaret Tello. Music Director: Christie Conticchio. Choreographer: Kayla Williams.

• Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Dine In Productions (Newmarket Millspace, 55 Main St., Newmarket) When: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Friday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Oct. 4. Tickets: $25 at portsmouthnhtickets.com. Genre-stretching musical tells a story of love, identity and survival through storytelling and powerful music, “a celebration of self-expression and resilience; loud, vulnerable and deeply human.” An intimate production brings the show up close, as Hedwig navigates fame, heartbreak and her search for wholeness.

• Sister Act

Palace Theatre (Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester) When: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., through Oct. 4. Tickets: $45-$54 at palacetheatre.org. Based on the movie starring Whoopi Goldberg. A disco diva (Cathy McKay) witnesses a mob murder. Hiding in a convent, she transforms the ragged choir of nuns into a sensation. Music: Alan Menken. Lyrics: Glenn Slater. Book: Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner (additional book material: Douglas Carter Beane).

• Green Day’s American Idiot

Seacoast Repertory Theatre (Seacoast Repertory Theatre, 125 Bow St., Portsmouth) When: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sept. 27. Tickets: $47 and up at seacoastrep.org. With the Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum album as a starting point, this musical is both political rage and straight-up punk rock. This high-octane show includes every song from Green Day’s American Idiot as well as several songs from its follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown.

• Seussical the Musical

ROH Presents (Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester) When: Friday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Nov. 8, Wednesday through Sunday, various times. Tickets: $32-$36 at rochesteroperahouse.org. A mashup of Dr. Seuss stories centered on Horton the Elephant, working to protect the minions of Whoville despite a skeptical jungle. Music: Stephen Flaherty. Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, book by Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, co-conceived with Barry Moss.

• The Commedia Pinocchio

Winnipesaukee Playhouse (Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith) When: Saturdays, Oct. 17 and Oct. 24, at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 25, at 1 p.m. Tickets: $16-$22 at winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org. Professional Theatre for Young Audiences presents a commedia dell’arte-style, entirely a cappella musical retelling of Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio, published by Pioneer Drama Service. By Lane Riosley with music by Aven Stephenson.

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Windham Actors Guild (Windham High School Theater, 64 London Bridge Road, Windham) When: Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $22 at windhamactorsguild.com. Musical based on Roald Dahl’s story of Charlie Bucket, who wins a golden ticket to tour Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory. Book: David Greig. Music & Lyrics: Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman. Director: Paul Conway (Music Director: Michael Shaw; Choreographer: Caleb Anderson.

• Fiddler on the Roof

Palace Theatre (Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester) When: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m., through Oct. 4. Tickets: $45-$54 at palacetheatre.org. Tony winner about a poor milkman and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, he tries to protect his daughters and instill in them traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Written by Jerome Robbins and Harold Prince.

• The Wedding Singer

Actorsingers (Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm St., Nashua). When: Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $25 at actorsingers.org. Musical based on the Adam Sandler film about an ’80s wedding-band singer who falls for a waitress engaged to the wrong guy. Book: Chad Beguelin & Tim Herlihy. Music: Matthew Sklar. Lyrics: Chad Beguelin. Director: MaryEllen Stevenson. Music Director: Jessica Love. Choreographer: Valerie Psoinos Nelson.

• Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

Winni Players Community Theatre (Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith) When: Thursday, Nov. 19, through Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov 21, and Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $17-$25 at winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org. Stage musical based on the 1954 film built around Irving Berlin standards: Two WWII Army buddies turned song-and-dance men help save a struggling Vermont inn. Music & Lyrics: Irving Berlin. Book: David Ives & Paul Blake.

• Come From Away

Community Players of Concord (Concord Civic Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord) When: Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $22 adults, $20 students and seniors at communityplayersofconcord.org. True story of Gander, Newfoundland, whose residents welcomed thousands of air travelers diverted there on Sept. 11, 2001. Book, Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff & David Hein. Director: Betsey Cox-Buteau.

Character driven

Finally, there are shows that are all about the actors, like Kate Hammill’s Emma, which Nashua Theatre Guild will stage Oct. 2 through Oct. 4 at the Janice B. Streeter Theatre. NTG’s Alyson Galipeau described the play, directed by Vicky Sandlin, as a period comedy that will strike a chord with fans of Bridgerton.

It’s centered around the antics of lead character Emma Woodhouse, who decides to make matchmaking her pet project and arranges a series of events to that end.

“However, her plot backfires, resulting in outcomes that will make the audience laugh,” Galipeau wrote in an email. “While she is busy trying to set other people up, she fails to notice that her own match has been in front of her the entire time.”

Here are more stage productions to enjoy:

• Night Watch

Garrison Players Arts Center (Garrison Players Arts Center, 449 Roberts Road, Rollinsford) When: Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m., Oct. 2 through Oct. 17. Tickets: $18 and up at garrisonplayers.org. A woman (Sarah Kuhn) in her Manhattan apartment is haunted by the horrific memory of her first husband’s affair and death, both of which she discovered at the same time in this psychological thriller. She glimpses what appears to be a murdered body in the building across the way, but no one believes her. Writer: Lucille Fletcher. Director: Judi Currie

• Emma

Nashua Theatre Guild (Janice B. Streeter Theatre, 14 Court St., Nashua) When: Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 4, at 4:30 p.m. Tickets: $20 at nashuatheatreguild.org. Stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s comedy of manners about a well-meaning matchmaker whose meddling in her friends’ love lives keeps backfiring. A fresh feminist take on a treasured classic, this Emma breaks down convention, expectation, and even the fourth wall with vibrant comic flair. Director: Vicky Sandin.

• Looking Glass Land – Misadventures of a Girl Named Alice

Community Players of Concord (Concord Civic Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord) When: Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $15 at communityplayersofconcord.org. James DeVita’s take on Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, this adaptation highlights and improvises on the pure, unadulterated fun of the story while retaining some of Carroll’s deeper meaning, but mostly it’s pure silliness. All the familiar characters are there, and some new ones, like a baseball team, a rap group, a train conductor and star-struck tourists. Director: Karen Braz.

• Queens

Pinkerton Players (Stockbridge Theatre, 44 N. Main St. (Pinkerton Academy), Derry) When: Friday, Oct. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $5-$15 at pinkertonacademy.org. King Henry VIII is trapped in purgatory, bound to his throne by a Fool and the ghostly Women in White, forced to relive his transgressions against his six queens, his mistresses and the people of the court for eternity as punishment. Writer: Kristen Doherty.

• The Sound Inside

New Hampshire Theatre Project (West End Studio Theatre, 959 Islington St., Portsmouth) When: Friday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Nov. 1, Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets: $30-$33 at portsmouthnhtickets.com. A solitary creative-writing professor’s carefully guarded routine is upended when a student reveals a devastating secret, in this Tony-nominated two-hander. Writer: Adam Rapp. Director: Constance Witman.

• And Then There Were None

The Players’ Ring ( Players’ Ring Theatre, 105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) When: Oct. 23 through Nov. 15, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. (Oct. 31, 2 p.m. only; Nov. 1, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.)Tickets: $33 at playersring.org. “A masterfully constructed thriller packed with shocking twists, mounting suspense, and one of the most famous endings in theater history,” as 10 strangers lured to an isolated island are murdered one by one in Agatha Christie’s best-selling mystery. Director: Jamie Bradley.

• An Empty Sky

The Players’ Ring (Players’ Ring Theatre, 105 Marcy St., Portsmouth, playersring.org/) When: Tuesday, Oct 27, at 6:30 p.m. Staged reading of a play depicting a love relationship “struggling to blossom in a time of political strangeness nearly devoid of hope” centered in a small New England church, as a disgraced clergywoman and a Jewish piano tuner build a fragile haven. Written by Joshua Faigen. Directed by Leslie Pasternack.

• Crimes of the Heart

Bedford Off Broadway (Bedford Old Town Hall, 3 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford) When: Friday, Nov. 6, through Sunday, Nov. 15. Tickets: $12-$15 at bedfordoffbroadway.com. Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy about three estranged sisters who reunite in Mississippi after the youngest shoots her abusive husband. Writer: Beth Henley. Directed by Deb Lund and stage managed by Pat Napolitano.

• A Wrinkle in Time

Winnipesaukee Playhouse Education Dept. (Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith) When: Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $16-$22 at winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org. Stage adaptation performed by students ages 8-18 of Madeleine L’Engle’s Newbery-winning novel, in which Meg Murry, her brother and their friend travel through time and space to rescue her scientist father from an evil force.

• Blithe Spirit

Cue Zero Theatre Company (Arts Academy of New Hampshire, 19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem) When: Friday, Nov. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. Tickets: $10 at cztheatre.com. Noel Coward comedy about a novelist’s dead first wife who’s accidentally conjured up by an eccentric medium and proceeds to haunt his second marriage, presented by Arts Academy of New Hampshire.

Lend me your beers

Bar Shakespeare in Manchester

At Stark Brewing Co. on Monday, Oct. 19, it will be possible to order a pint and enjoy a Shakespeare play. That’s the idea behind Shakesbeer, a bar-reading series from Stage of Fools Theatre Company. It began with a back room staging of Much Ado About Nothing on Sept. 21 and continues with Julius Caesar.

Stage of Fools founder and artistic director Glenn Provost describes the format as loose by design, with actors carrying scripts as they weave among the tables and let the play spill into the crowd.

“It’s a little bit improvisational because we only have two rehearsals, one of which is going to be over Zoom and then the other one is in person,” Provost said. The big beats are blocked, but everything else is looser, as actors feel out the room in real time.

The concept wasn’t invented from scratch. Provost points to Seven Stages Shakespeare Company, which ran the similar ShakesBEERience in Portsmouth for many years, as a direct inspiration. He got the blessing from its former executive director Christine Penny, now at the Dance Hall in Kittery, to carry the idea forward.

He’s also performed twice with VanGuard Shakespeare, a comparable series in Salem, Mass. Provost has run companies before like Strangers at Home Theatre Company and Bolt Cutter Productions, but he said those were built as vehicles for two-person dramatic shows.

Stage of Fools is the opposite instinct: an ensemble built to grow. Nine actors make up the Much Ado cast, with nine or 10 expected for each of the next two shows; Provost estimates the company will work with more than 50 actors by the end of its first season.

That season runs monthly through fall and into spring, with Julius Caesar on Oct. 19, Henry IV on Nov. 16, then a winter break before Romeo & Juliet returns Feb. 8 with a “gender-crossed” Valentine’s Day spin, The Winter’s Tale on March 8 and The Comedy of Errors closing things out April 12.

Every (free) show is one night only, at Stark Brewing Co., 500 N. Commercial St., Manchester, 6 p.m. — Michael Witthaus

Featured photo: Quinn Spiewak at Bar Shakespeare. Courtesy photo.

An alphabetical look at the tasty fall foods of nh

Fall is a great time for food in New Hampshire. With so many tasty things to eat this season, we decided to take an A to Z tour of some of autumn’s delights, both traditional and unexpected.

A is for Apples

“It seems like anything with a ‘crisp’ in it is hot right now,” Cameron Hardy said. Hardy is the owner of Brookdale Fruit Farms in Hollis. He said apple enthusiasts are constantly on the lookout for new varieties of apples, and this is the best time of the year to search them out. “People like to try different ones,” he said. “Evercrisp, for example, is a cross between a Honeycrisp and a Fuji. You get some of the strengths from both apples. But just being able to get out with the family and actually pick from the tree is a great experience. We’re always trying to stay ahead of the time. You can’t pivot overnight into new varieties, so a lot of it takes a couple years of planning until [our trees] are fruit bearing, and then we can open them to the public. [We have] Cosmic Crisp, Crimson Crisp, Evercrisp, and that Ludacrisp actually has a juicy fruit-style, like the gum flavor to it. It’s got really cool pineapple, red grape, strawberry tones in it. It’s a cool tasting apple.”

Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com)

B is for Beaujolais Nouveau

“The French label their wines by the region [where they are made] as opposed to the variety of grape,” said Emma Stetson, the owner of Wine on Main in Concord. “Beaujolais is a region famous for red gamay wines.” She noted that every year Beaujolais fans eagerly wait for something called “Beaujolais Nouveau,” which has not been aged. “It’s completely fresh and untouched,” she said. “They harvest the grapes, bottle it right away and send it out so it’s very fruit-forward and fresh and it’s meant to be the debut of the vintage. It’s a big deal; everybody waits for it to come out the third week of November.”

Wine on Main (9 N. Main St., Concord, 897-5828, wineonmainnh.com)

Each year the Franco-American Centre holds a formal gala to celebrate the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. John Tousignant, the Centre’s executive director, said Beaujolais is a good way to celebrate New Hampshire’s French heritage. “France has a long history with wine as an integral part of the culture,” he said, “and this provides an opportunity to celebrate the culture through a gala evening of wine and fine food.”

The 2026 Beaujolais Nouveau Gala will take place on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., at the Stonebridge Country Club in Goffstown. Visit facnh.com/event-details/2026-beaujolais-nouveau-benefit-gala.

C is for Conchas

Sept. 16 is Mexican Independence Day, and according to Socorro Gonzalez, the owner of the Tex Mex Bakery in Nashua, there is probably no food more Mexican than conchas, a sweet, round bread served at breakfast throughout Mexico. “It has to be on the table every morning,” she said. “Everyone expects it. I made some conchas two weeks ago for a wedding. So instead of cake they made the centerpieces with conchas.” It made everybody think of home, she said.

Tex Mex Bakery (92 W. Pearl St., Nashua, 417-6857, facebook.com/texmexbakerynh)

D is for cider Doughnuts

Cider doughnuts are as much a part of apple season as apples themselves. Samantha Pitarys from Sunnycrest Farm in Londonderry said most customers see them as an essential part of visiting the orchard each fall. “It’s actually a popular item for us all year long,” she said. “We run them hot, especially during apple picking season, Saturday and Sunday, if we have enough staff. We offer them warm in the morning and then we also bake enough off to let them cool and wrap … to have in the store.” She said the farm’s fresh cider makes their doughnuts a step above traditional cake doughnuts. “We use apple cider for a nice batter with cinnamon and different sugars…”

Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com)

E is for Espresso

There is a particular breed of coffee enthusiasts who wait impatiently all year for pumpkin spice season. According to Rachel Ormond, the owner of The Cure Cafe in New Boston, pumpkin spice is the tip of the fall coffee drink iceberg. “Right now we have a sea salt maple latte, which is espresso brewed over sea salt, and then we have a maple cold-foam made with pure maple syrup, and then we have a pumpkin cream cold brew, which is a cold brew with a cold foam that has pumpkin, vanilla, and cinnamon on top. Our core flavors are pumpkin spice, pumpkin pie, brown butter toffee, and caramel apple butter, but we will be playing with those flavors and doing different variations. People get the most excited about the fall flavors, because it’s kind of like a new chapter is coming, which I think makes people really happy.”

The Cure Cafe (8 Mill St., New Boston, 741-5016, curellc.toast.site)

F is for Fried Fair Food

Matt Reed is one of the brothers who run Brothers Concessions. They sell the fair-food-iest of fair foods at county and state fairs in the area. Reed said fried Oreos might be nature’s most perfect food. “I’ve been frying Oreos for almost 25 years now,” he said, “and I think that if you’re going to the Fair you’re not going to get kale or salad. And fried Oreos are so delicious. We [fry] double stuffed Oreos — we figure it’s cheating if you’re not going to go all the way.” But fried Oreos are just the beginning, Reed said. “We specialize in fried novelties. So we do fried Oreos, but we do Twinkies, which is my personal favorite, fried ice cream, funnel cakes for the faint at heart, and fried PBJ sandwiches.” That’s before he and his brother even start in on frying candy bars.

Brothers Concessions will be at this year’s Deerfield Fair at the Deerfield Fair Grounds, 34 Stage Road, Deerfield, Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 4, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., except on Sunday, when the Fair will close at 7 p.m.

G is for Grilled steak tips

We think of grilling as a summer activity, but according to Taylor Iantile from The Steak Out Butcher Shop this is the time of the year when serious backyard grillers start playing with adventurous flavors. “Our peach-bourbon steak tips started as a kind of an experiment,” he said. “We used that originally on our chicken, and now it’s one of our main originals. It really just takes off this time of year. We blend up the peaches fresh and then we use mixtures of our barbecue sauces. It’s definitely a good early fall way to cook steak; it caramelizes really well on the grill.”

The Steak Out (118 Daniel Plummer Road, Goffstown, 518-8965, facebook.com/TheSteakOut2)

H is for Hard cider

From colonial times until Prohibition in the 1930s, hard cider was the drink of the people in New England. It has seen a huge resurgence over the past 20 years. Gould Hill Farm in Contoocook is one of the new wave of cideries in New Hampshire. Tim Basset, the owner of Gould Hill Farm, wrote in an email that using the farm’s own apples allows him to customize each batch. “Our cider is made in small batches so we can get great flavors. We have some single varietals made from just one type of apple and some great heirloom ciders, which have unique tastes.”

Gould Hill Farm (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, 746-3811, gouldhillfarm.com)

I is for pumpkin Ice Cream

“We’ve already started serving our fall flavors,” said Keely Gallagher of Richardson Farm Ice Cream in Boscawen. This year we have Apple Crisp, Cranberry Harvest, Pumpkin, and Pumkin-Oreo. We’ll keep those until as close to Thanksgiving as possible.”

Richardson Farm (170 Water St., Boscawen, 796-2788)

J is for Jalapeño cheddar grilled cheese sandwiches

Peter Kress, the owner of and head cheese-maker at Swallow Ridge Farm in New Boston, said a really good cheddar cheese with jalapeños is ideally suited to a grilled cheese sandwich. “It adds a major flavor to the grilled cheese,” he said. “Our cheddar cheese melts very nicely and then the peppers add a nice little spice to it when you’re eating it. Most cheddars made with jalapeños are a jack-type cheese. We like doing it with cheddar because we feel that the cheddar mellows out the spiciness of the jalapeño. A lot of people like our jalapeño cheddar because it’s not biting; there’s no big spice surprise there. Both flavors mellow each other out, which makes for a really nice, smooth, nice melting cheese.”

Swallow Ridge Farm (170 South Hill Road, New Boston, 325-0477, swallowridgefarm.com)

K is for Kimbap and Kimchee

Susan Chung owns 603 Meal Prep and does the hard part of cooking Korean dishes for her customers. “Kimbap and kimchi are available,” she said. “Every Wednesday afternoon. I actually have a Kimbap VIP list that I keep. Every Tuesday or Wednesday morning I send out a group text of everyone included on the list, and they can pick up their kimbap every Wednesday afternoon. We also source a cucumber kimchi that is available.”

603 Meal Prep (603mealprep.com)

L is for Loukoumades

One of the most popular foods at any Greek food festival is loukoumades. “They are little fried dough balls that everybody waits in line for,” George Skaperdas, the organizer of the Glendi Food Festival. They are a dish that Greek families don’t usually make at home, so everybody looks forward to them at festivals, he said. “They are a lot of hard work, but so fun! They are similar to a fried dough ball with different toppings — honey, syrup, cinnamon, powdered sugar. They’re probably an inch in diameter, 2 inches in diameter. They are served warm, of course. Everybody loves their warm apple cider doughnuts, but you haven’t lived until you’ve had warm loukoumades. You could call them the nectar of the gods, and I won’t disagree with you.”

Glendi, the annual celebration of Greek food and culture at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St., Manchester, stgeorgenh.org/activities/glendi, 622-9113), will run Friday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Sept. 20, and will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

M is for Mongolian

Sophia Ruiz is a bartender at 815 Cocktails & Provisions in Manchester, where the bar staff is encouraged to add new drinks to its menu, if they have been carefully thought out. She began by filling a cocktail shaker with ice. “This is a housemade rhubarb vodka,” she said, measuring and pouring a bright red spirit into the shaker. “We probably won’t make it again this year,” she said, “so I wanted to make the most of it…. Now, this also gets our homemade coconut milk cream, which gives this a slight play on a White Russian. So it has the rhubarb vodka, vanilla, a little bit of Baileys, the cream of coconut, and a float of chai tea.” She briefly shook the mixture in her cocktail shaker, then strained it into a rocks glass with one very large ice cube, and drizzled the chai over the back of a spoon, to float in a layer at the top of the cocktail. She garnished it with a cinnamon stick and a slice of lemon peel. “Originally, my first few versions of this had lemon juice,” she said, “which tasted delicious but made the coconut cream clump up, which is why the Baileys is here.”

“Anyway,” Ruiz said, presenting her fall cocktail with a flourish, “I call this The Mongolian.”

815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, 782-8086, 815nh.com)

N is for NH Pink Boots

On its website, Concord Craft Brewing describes NH Pink Boots as a “Hoppy golden ale” that is “5.2% ABV [Alcohol by Volume], 8 IBU [International Bitterness Units]” and says, “This edition of our rotating hop series is about celebrating women in the craft beer industry. Each year members of the Pink Boots Society work … to put together a special blend of hops.” $3 per pound of hops sold is donated to the Pink Boots Society, the website said. The Pink Boots Society works to “assist, inspire and encourage women and non-binary individuals” in the brewing industry, according to pinkbootssociety.org.

Concord Craft Brewing (117 Storrs St., Concord, 856-7625, concordcraftbrewing.com)

O is for Oktoberfest

Other than coming out in the fall, what makes an Oktoberfest beer different from other beers?

According to Aaron Share, co-owner and head brewer at To Share Brewing in Manchester, “typically, an Oktoberfest beer is either a marzen or a ‘fest’ beer style. It’s just a particular style that is made typically in Munich. They usually brew the beer in the spring and let it lager all year round. [Lagering is the process of storing beer at near-freezing temperatures for several weeks or months after fermentation, to clarify and smooth out its flavor.] And so Oktoberfest is the celebration where they tap that beer. Oktoberfest actually runs through September, not usually in October. When we first opened we weren’t [making] strict lagers. So we did an altbier for our Oktoberfest, and it was so popular that we can’t change that anymore. It’s like a hybrid lager ale. So you use an ale yeast instead of a lager yeast, but you will ferment it like a lager, [at] colder temperatures, and then you let it sit for a lot longer than you would an ale before you package it and release it.”

To Share Brewing (720 Union St., Manchester, 836-6947, tosharebrewing.com) will host its seventh annual Oktoberfest on Saturday, Sept. 26, starting at 1 p.m.

P is for Pot pie

Caroline Arend, the owner of Caroline’s Fine Food and The Pot Pie Bar in Manchester, contends that a pot pie is the perfect fall food. “It’s one dish all composed together,” she said, “and people are back at school, there are activities, people have sports, and a lot of families want to sit down and have a nice meal together. They don’t want to get fast food or takeout, and it’s just like a good family-style hearty homemade comfort food.”

Not surprisingly, Arend recommended serving one of her own pot pies.

“It’s homemade and it’s warm and it’s comforting,” she said. “You just take it from the freezer and put it into the oven. And it’s like having some, you know, your grandma in your kitchen, but she’s not there making your pie.” Everything under the crust is homemade and all natural, she said.

Caroline’s Fine Food (649 Mast Road, Goffstown, 404-6500, carolinesfood.com)

The Pot Pie Bar (649 Mast Road, Manchester, 432-1927, thepotpiebar.com)

Q is for Quinoa, where you least expect it

Caleb Kippin, from Loon Chocolate, described Loon’s Maple Crunch Bar: “It’s a 50 percent milk chocolate, with maple sugar, cinnamon sugar, and puffed quinoa on the back. Most crunch bars will have puffed rice, but we went with the puffed quinoa to avoid some compounds in rice that people might be sensitive to.”

Loon Chocolate (195 McGregor St., No. 121, Manchester, 932-8887, loonchocolate.com)

R is for Ramen

Fall is the start of soup season, and according to Jason Paige, the owner of Go! Go! 88, a ramen food truck, there is no soup more appropriate for fall than ramen. “I would say the fall is the best time just because it’s cooled off and it’s perfect for a blazing hot ramen that’s coming at you. I think most people are just used to having something heartier and something hot as things cool down. I’m totally good with ramen in the summertime too, but especially curries and some of the hotter ramen really fit with the fall vibe and the fall flavors. Right now we’ve got five different ramen, mostly [based] on either miso bases or shoyu. The plan is to have a few core ramen and then test out different [recipes] and rotate them in.”

Go! Go! 88 Ramen (thegogo88.com)

S is for Sweater Weather Pie

According to Lauren Klein, owner of Slightly Crooked Pies in Manchester, her Sweater Weather is the first seasonal pie to make an appearance this year. “It’s actually the first award-winning pie that Slightly Crooked Pies made,” she said. “It is an apple pie with pear in it. And for the spices we keep it really simple with a little bit of cinnamon and just a touch of cardamom. That cardamom gives it a very warm, comforting feeling like you’re being hugged by your piece of pie, but it also, because of its floral notes, brings out the fruitiest fruit quality of the apple and the pears. We also braid the crust top so that it mimics a cable-knit sweater.”

Slightly Crooked Pies (1209 Elm St., Manchester, 661-4575, slightlycrookedpies.com)

T is for chicken Tenders

One of Manchester’s cultural icons is the chicken tender. Residents are so passionately fond of them that in July 2023 Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig officially declared the city the “Chicken Tender Capital of the World.” The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, which wrapped up their season last weekend, fielded teams on Tuesdays throughout baseball season as The Manchester Chicken Tenders, with tender-themed uniforms and even an occasional appearance by a tender-costumed mascot. Chris Jarrod, the broadcast and media manager for the Fisher Cats, said this was a very good year for The Tenders. “This year we added our third different [chicken tender] identity,” he said, “the Manchester Chicken Tenders, the original identity, with the Buffalo Tenders and the Coconut Tenders in our back pocket. The team always loves the Manchester Chicken Tenders jerseys. We wear them every Tuesday for Tender Tuesdays.”

Manchester’s most famous chicken tenders come from the Puritan Backroom Restaurant (245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com), where they were reputedly invented in 1974. Some passionate chicken tender enthusiasts champion the ones from Goldenrod Restaurant (1681 Candia Road, Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com).

U is for tropical drinks with

little paper Umbrellas in them, for when you need a return to summer vibes

Mary Beth Carcellino is the owner of CodeX, a speakeasy in Nashua. She has had a rough summer. She said that more than anything she needs a series of tropical cocktails with little paper umbrellas. “Fortunately that’s something we do very well,” she said. “I’d say, for me, an umbrella drink is like vacation or beachside mode. If I see an umbrella, I feel like I am on a tropical vacation. After the summer I’ve had, I need that. If someone tries to talk to me, I can just be like, ‘Hey! I’m on vacation!’”

CodeX B.A.R. (29 Main St., Nashua) specializes in craft cocktails, with or without umbrellas.

V is for Vegan chili on a baked potato

According to Lauren LeFevvre, co-owner of The Potato Concept in Manchester, you’d have to search very carefully to find a better fall food than one of their chili-topped potatoes. “Potatoes are the perfect food year-round,” Lauren said, “but fall is comfort food time and so something hot and something hearty like a baked potato and chili, chock-full of beans and fresh vegetables, made fresh on the daily, is fantastic.We make it in small batches in-house, each morning ” She said they are relatively conservative when it comes to the spiciness of their chili. “We keep it moderately spicy,” she said. “We like it to be palatable for everybody. You can always add spice to your plate, but you can’t necessarily take it away. So it’s like a medium.”

The Potato Concept (119A Hanover St., Manchester, 667-0714, thepotatoconcept.com)

W is for Wienie Weekend

According to Jimmy Purcell of the Candia Road Brewing Co. in Manchester, the staff’s favorite time of the year is Wienie Weekend. “It is a kind of celebration of the release of our Vienna lager,” he said. “We take our food menu away and replace it with 20 to 24 different styles of hot dogs. It’s all kinds of wacky combinations and fun things that you wouldn’t really expect to see on a hot dog. We try to keep it entertaining, interesting, tasty, of course, and it’s always a blast every single year. As of right now, when it will happen is kind of up in the air. We have to wait for the beer to be ready, which takes about eight weeks from starting point.” He said to expect it sometime at the end of October. “We can maybe do like a Halloweenie Weekend if the timing is right, so that gives us another month to brainstorm new hot dogs.”

Candia Road Brewing Co. (840 Candia Road, Manchester, 935-8123, candiaroadbrewingco.com)

X is for eXtra eXtra large

At Sal’s Pizza in Manchester the philosophy is that if you’re going to have a large pizza you should probably go all in. Ed is a shift-leader at Sal’s. “It’s 19 inches [in diameter],” he said. “That can probably feed five or six people, but it depends on how hungry they are. It’s really good; you should try it.”

Sal’s Pizza (296 S. Willow St., Manchester, 623-6565, and 2 Lenox Road, Derry, 425-2626, sals.com)

Y is for Yankee pot roast

At this time of the year, one of the most satisfying memory-laden dishes is an old-fashioned yankee pot roast. On its menu, The Circle Restaurant in Epsom describes its pot roast as “tender, slow-cooked, braised beef.” According to Morgan, from The Circle, “It’s a tender pot roast topped with gravy, and it comes with two sides. It’s really popular.”

Country Cook’n At The Circle Restaurant (935 Suncook Valley Highway South, Epsom, 736-8169, countrycooknrestaurants.com)

Z is for Zinfandel

According to Al Fulchino, owner of Fulchino Vineyard in Hollis, as the weather gets cooler and the food people eat gets heartier, the light white and rosé wines of the summer give way to more full-bodied reds, like zinfandel. “We make three of them, actually,” he said. “Zinfandels are a family tradition. Zinfandel was my grandfather’s favorite wine, so we started with that back in around 1981 or ’82. We make a dry, a semi-dry, and then we do another one that goes through a special aging process and we run it through four different wine barrels to get different characteristics. That one is called Fulcinius, which is just a Latin name from literally 2,000 years ago.” (According to Google Translate, it’s from the Latin term for “forked,” presumably describing particular grapevines.) Fulchino said it is hearty enough to stand up to the flavors of the fall. “It’s perfect for cold weather,” he said, “[with] pasta dishes or veal Parmesan. You know what? You can have it with a pizza. We age most of ours on French oak.”

Fulchino Vineyard (187 Pine Hill Road, Hollis, 438-5984, fulchinovineyard.com).

It’s fall!

Or, you know, it’s “fall” — as in, calendar aside, we have pumpkin spice flavored everything and kids are back at school.

And the arts and entertainment events schedule is packed.

Here are some fairs, foodie events, art openings, Old Home Days, concerts, theatrical productions, special film screenings, book events and more to keep you out and enjoying the season through Wednesday, Nov. 25. Did we miss your favorite bit of fall fun? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com.

FAIRS & FESTIVALS

• Hillsborough County Agricultural Fair, held at the New Boston 4-H Youth Center at 17 Hilldale Lane in New Boston, will run Friday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 13, opening at noon on Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The fair features 4-H exhibits and shows as well as demos, a giant pumpkin weigh-off and more, according to the fair schedule on the fair’s website. Children’s activities run throughout the fair, as does a midway with rides and games. See hcafair.org.

• Auburn Day and Annual Duck Race will take place Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Auburn Village on Hooksett Road. The day will feature local artisans, local authors, food vendors, cookie and apple pie contests, a duck race ($5 gets you a rubber ducky-style duck to enter in the race) and more, according to the website. See auburnhistorical.org.

• The family-friendly, dog-friendly Wags to Whiskers Festival held by the Humane Society for Greater Nashua will take place Saturday, Sept. 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Holman Stadium in Nashua. The day will feature K9 demonstrations, adoptable puppies, entertainment, kids’ games and more, according to hsfn.org, where you can purchase tickets.

• The annual Family Fun Day hosted by the Friends of Benson Park will take place Saturday, Sept. 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road in Hudson, and will celebrate the park’s 100th anniversary, according to friendsofbensonpark.org.

• Granite State Fair will run Thursday, Sept. 17, through Sunday, Sept. 20, and Thursday, Sept. 24, through Sunday, Sept. 27, at 72 Lafayette St. in Rochester. The midway of rides and games will run each day of the fair and there is a line-up of grandstand and livestock events, Circus Hollywood, a cornhole tournament and more. See granitestatefair.com for tickets and a schedule.

• The annual New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival will take place Friday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Sept. 20, at Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln, featuring a celebration of Scottish culture with Scottish music, dance, food, heavy athletics, sheep dog trials and more, according to nhscot.org, where you can purchase tickets to the festival or to special musical performances or food events.

• Hollis Old Home Days will run Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19, with events including the town parade (10:30 a.m on Saturday), a chicken pageant (4 p.m. on Saturday), an artisan market, a heritage and demonstration tent, fireworks Saturday evening and more, according to hollisoldhomedays.org.

• Granite State Comic Con, granitecon.com, will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 20, at Double Tree By Hilton and SNHU Arena, both on Elm Street nearly across the street from each other, in downtown Manchester. There is also a Friday night preview on Sept 18, from 3 to 8 p.m. Find tickets to specific days or all three days or VIP packages on the website, where you will also be able to find a schedule and updates on participating artists.

• Derryfest will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in MacGregor Park in Derry, according to derryfest.org, where you can find a line-up of entertainment. The day will also feature a craft fair, food and vendors, according to a post on the event’s Facebook page.

• Hooksett Old Home Day will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, and will feature a parade (10 a.m.), an authors alley, craft & retail vendors, a Heritage Trolley Tour, a line-up of live performances and more, according to hooksettoldhomeday.org, where you can find a schedule.

• Nashua Airport’s Wheels & Wings “A Touch a Truck Event” will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Boire Field with cars, trucks and planes to see and explore, according to the city’s SummerFun brochure at nashuanh.gov. The event will feature a horns-free hour from 1 to 2 p.m. and will collect nonperishable food for End 68 Hours of Hunger, the brochure said

• The annual AerospaceFest at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature STEM and aerospace organizations from across New England, the debut of the new planetarium show “Encounters in the Milky Way” and more, according to starhop.com.

• Pelham Old Home Day will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, featuring vendors, an auction, kids’ activities, a quilt raffle, food trucks, a parade and more, according to pelhamoldhomeday.org, where you can find the full schedule.

• The Hampton Falls Craft Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hampton Falls Town Common featuring more than “75 juried artisans and specialty food makers,” according to castleberryfairs.com, where you can find the vendor list.

• The New Hampshire Pagans Faire will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a Night Market on Saturday from 7 to 9:30 p.m., according to newhampshirepagansfaire.org, where you can purchase tickets. The event takes place at the Belknap County Fairgrounds, 174 Mile Hill Road in Belmont, and will feature vendors, workshops, artists and makers, food vendors and more, according to the website, where you can find a map of the fairground.

• The Concord Multicultural Festival will run Sunday, Sept. 20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Keach Park in Concord Heights, according to concordnhmulticulturalfestival.org, where you can sign up to receive updates. The day will feature food, artists and makers, entertainment, vendors and more, the website said.

• Toddlerfest, the annual celebration of younger kids at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover, will run Tuesday, Sept. 22, through Sunday, Oct. 4, according to childrens-museum.org, where you can purchase admission for the Toddlerfest days. The museum will feature special events and activities geared toward younger kids, the website said.

• Manchester has two more Final Friday events on the schedule this season — Friday, Sept. 25, and Friday, Oct. 30, according to the event’s Instagram page. On these days Hanover Street between Elm and Chestnut is closed to vehicle traffic between 4 and 8 p.m. for a block party-style event featuring vendors, food, live music and more, posts said.

• Beaver Brook Association’s Fall Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Beaver Brook Association, 117 Ridge Road in Hollis, and feature live demonstrations, food, kids’ activities and an apple cider press, according to Beaver Brook’s Facebook page. See beaverbrook.org.

• Local Comic Shop Day will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Double Midnight Comics, 252 Willow St. in Manchester, according to Double Midnight’s Facebook page. “On Local Comic Shop Day we celebrate our community with a variety of special offerings, sales, free comics and more,” the post said.

• The Harvest Moon Festival at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to indianmuseum.org. Tickets will be for sale at the gate, the website said. “The day will include the opportunity to make dolls from corn husks, sweet grass braids and also beading. There is also a special scavenger hunt activity…. Enjoy watching the art of basketmaking, and learn the process of how acorn flour is made. There will be sensory-friendly activities and games. The entire family will savor the taste of Native foods, including the ever-popular Hidatsa bison stew,” the website said.

• Nashua Multicultural Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, from noon to 5 p.m. at Le Parc De Notre Renaissance Française on Water Street in Nashua, and feature food, art, dance and more, according to nashuanh.gov/1237/Nashua-Multicultural-Festival.

• Henniker Brewing Co. in Henniker will host Dysfunction Junction 2, a day of music, food trucks, vendors and more on Saturday, Sept. 26, with doors opening at noon. The event, which is all ages (no pets), will feature music on two stages (one inside, one outside), according to hennikerbrewing.com, where you can find a link to purchase tickets.

• The Concord Municipal Airport will host Wings & Wheels on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., an all-ages event focused on aviation and STEM, featuring vehicles and aircraft, Academy of Model Aeronautics demos, food trucks and more, according to concordnh.gov/1713/ Wings-Wheels-Event.

• Concorso Italiano, a celebration of Italian cars and food as well as live music and family entertainment, will take place Sunday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tuscan Village in Salem, according to tuscanvillagesalem.com.

• The Deerfield Fair runs Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 4, at the fairgrounds, 34 Stage Road in Deerfield. The event features rides, live music, the Flying Wallendas high wire act, horse shows and agriculture events, magic shows, dog demonstrations and more, according to deerfieldfair.com, where you can purchase tickets.

• Downtown Concord has two more First Friday events on the schedule this year — Friday, Oct. 2, and Friday, Nov. 6, from 4 to 8 p.m., according to firstfridayconcord.com. The theme on Oct. 2 is Oktoberfest. On Nov. 6 the theme is Concord Art Walk, according to the website, where you can find the lineup of musicians slated to perform and food trucks scheduled to attend for each day.

• The Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains will hold The Expo on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the NH Sportsplex, 68 Technology Drive in Bedford, according to a press release. The day will feature performances, workshops, exhibitors with hands-on activities and more, many with a focus on STEM, the arts or the outdoors. Admission costs $10. Seegirlscoutsgwm.org.

• Charmingfare Farm in Candia will hold its annual Pumpkin Festival Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 10, through Monday, Oct. 12. Pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, take a tractor- or horse-drawn wagon ride, meet costumed characters, enjoy a children’s corn maze, watch a juggling and comedy show and listen to live music, according to visitthefarm.com, where you can purchase tickets to a specific time during the two weekends.

• The Autumn Craft Festival on the Lake will take place Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Mill Falls Marketplace in Meredith featuring specialty foods and more than 70 juried artisans, according to castleberryfairs.com.

• The Warner Fall Foliage Festival will take place at locations in Warner from Friday, Oct. 9, through Sunday, Oct. 11, with food trucks and vendors, craft vendors, rides and midway, oxen pulls and woodsman competitions, a 5K, a book and bake sale, parades and more, according to wfff.org, where you can see this year’s schedule and get updates.

• The Milford Pumpkin Festival will run Friday, Oct. 9, from 5 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at locations in downtown Milford and featuring three days of live music, a Friday lighting of the town hall pumpkin, the Haunted Trail on Friday and Saturday, a 5K, a pumpkin carving demo, a pumpkin catapult, a pumpkin mural, a rubber duck race, food vendors and more, according to milfordpumpkinfestival.org.

• A Fall Fair at Joppa Hill Educational Farm in Bedford will take place Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will feature hayrides, farm animal meet and greets, vendors, live entertainment, food trucks, apple cider doughnuts and more, according to jhef.org, where you can purchase tickets.

• The New Hampshire Wool Arts Tour will run Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at five farms in Deering, Antrim, Bennington, Greenfield and Lyndeborough and will feature demonstrations (creating yarn, weaving, knitting, felting and more), live music, live animals, food vendors, fiber vendors, artists and crafters set up at the farms and more, according to woolartstournh.com, where you can find locations and descriptions of participating farms.

• The Not Afraid To Fail Fest, held by Queerlective (queerlective.com), will take place Sunday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. at BNH Stage in Concord, according to the website. “This benefit and variety show brings together first-time performers, emerging artists, and community members willing to step outside their comfort zones and try something big. Expect comedy, music, poetry, storytelling, drag, performance art, creative experiments, and ideas we may not have imagined yet,” according to the website, where you can purchase tickets and apply to perform.

• Indigenous People’s Day at Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner on Monday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will feature free admission and hands-on activities, according to indianmuseum.org.

• Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Road in Canterbury, will hold an Antique and Vintage Car Show on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to shakers.org, where you can purchase tickets. The Shaker Village also has several workshops and other events on the schedule this fall.

• Windham will hold its annual Harvest Fest on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. in Griffin Park featuring a “Horribles parade,” trick-or-treating and more, according to windham.recdesk.com.

• Nashua Recreation will hold its Halloween Boo Bash on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 3 to 6 p.m. in Greeley Park featuring a trunk-or-treat, pumpkin decorating, a haunted house, hayrides and more, according to nashuanh.gov/546/SummerFun.

• Goffstown’s annual Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and Regatta will be held Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, featuring vendors and events in downtown Goffstown leading up to a regatta of pumpkin water craft. See goffstownmainstreet.org/pumpkin-regatta. Goffstown Main Street will also host Trick or Treat Downtown on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m., the website said.

• Charmingfare Farm in Candia will hold its annual Children’s Trick or Treat Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25 and Oct. 31, 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.

• The Laconia Pumpkin Festival is slated for Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, 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.

• Henniker Brewing Co., 129 Centervale Road in Henniker, hennikerbrewing.com, will host The Haunting of Henniker on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. featuring costume contests and music from Lungbuster, Hobo Wizard, When the Deadbolt Breaks, Long Pig and Phantasm, the website said.

FOOD FESTIVALS

• The Egyptian Food Festival at St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church (29 Chandler St., Nashua, stmarycoptsnh.org) will take place Friday, Sept. 11, from 4 to 9 p.m; Saturday, Sept. 12, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 13, from noon to 6 p.m., according to the church’s Facebook page. The festival will include authentic Egyptian food, music, kids’ activities and more, the post said.

• The Hampton Beach Seafood Festival will take place Friday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 13, with a lineup of live music each day and a wide variety of seafood for purchase, according to seafoodfestivalnh.com, where you can buy tickets for a specific day or for all days of the festival and see this year’s program.

• The Auburn Pitts Annual Pig Roast will take place Saturday, Sept. 12, starting at noon, at Auburn Pitts, 167 Rockingham Road in Auburn, according to a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page. “Join us for our 3rd annual Pig Roast! Backyard Buffet, live music with multiple bands, bonfire, great time with friends & family,” according to the post. Purchase tickets at Auburn Pitts on the day or in advance, the post said.

• Glendi, the annual celebration of Greek food and culture at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St., Manchester, stgeorgenh.org/activities/glendi, 622-9113), will run Friday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Sept. 20, and will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Enjoy food, dancing, live music (Friday and Saturday, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.), vendors selling Greek items, raffles and more, according to the Cathedral’s website.

• The Manchester Brewfest will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, with general admission from 1 to 4 p.m. and a VIP admission starting at noon at Arms Park in Manchester, according to manchesterbrewfest.com, where you can purchase tickets (including a designated driver ticket) and see the lineup of brewers and food and vendors. The event, which benefits The Moore Center, will also feature live music from Nefarious Motives, the website said.

• The Great New Hampshire Pie Festival will take place at the New Hampshire Farm Museum in Milton on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; you can enter a pie for competition or just attend to eat pie from area bakers, according to nhfarmmuseum.org.

• To Share Brewing Co., 720 Union St. in Manchester, tosharebrewing.com, will hold its seventh annual Oktoberfest on Saturday, Sept. 26, starting at 1 p.m. to celebrate the release of its Oktoberfest Altbier, according to the brewery’s Facebook page. The day will feature drink specials, beer bratwurst and Oktoberfest eats, games and challenges, and more, the post said.

• Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 68 N. State St. in Concord, will hold its annual Greek Food Festival on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to an email from the church. See holytrinitynh.org.

• Henniker Brewing Co., 129 Centervale Road in Henniker, hennikerbrewing.com, will host an Oktoberfest Friday, Oct. 2, through Sunday, Oct. 4, featuring food and beer as well as music from Beechwood, Northern Lites, Rubik’s Muse, The Bullseye Band and more, according to the website.

• 603 Brewery in Londonderry will hold a family- and dog-friendly Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 3, noon to 8 p.m. featuring live music and a DJ, special eats, vendors and more, according to 603brewery.com.

• The annual Powder Keg Beer & Chili Festival will take place in Swasey Parkway in downtown Exeter on Saturday, Oct. 3, with general admission at 1 p.m., noon for VIP ticket holders, according to powderkegbeerfest.com, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Chocolate Expo will take place Sunday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree Expo Center in downtown Manchester featuring tastings and sales of chocolates and other specialty foods as well as craft beverages, according to thechocolateexpo.com, where you can purchase tickets.

• The 2026 Mount Uncanoonuc Brewfest will take place Saturday, Oct. 17, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Mountain Base Brewery, 553 Mast Road in Goffstown, which cohosts the 21+ event along with the Worker Bee Fund. The day will feature breweries and other beverage purveyors, food vendors, live music and more, according to Mountain Base Brewery’s Facebook page, where you can find a link to purchase tickets.

• The annual Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits will take place Thursday, Nov. 5, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, according to distillersshowcase.com, where you can check back for updates on new Distiller’s Week events and purchase tickets.

• The 14th Annual Fulchino Vineyards Wine and Cheese Festival will take place Saturday, Nov. 14, and Sunday, Nov. 15, at the vineyard in Hollis with tickets available for time slots on each day, according to fulchinovineyard.com. Taste wines, artisan meats, cheeses, oils, vinegars and desserts, the website said.

ART EXHIBITS

• “Montages: Peter Cordova & Kyoko Idetsu” runs through Saturday, Sept. 19, at Outer Space Arts, 35 Pleasant St., Concord, which is open Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. or by appointment, according to outerspacearts.xyz. An exhibition featuring Dana DeGiulio and Michelle Grabner will take place in October, the website said.

• “Pure Form: Abstract Expression” an exhibit featuring the works of 24 regional artists, is on display at the Center for the Arts Member Gallery, 428 Main St. in New London through Oct. 24, according to centerfortheartsnh.org, where you can also find information on a Microgalleries series of exhibits at New London locations (Alison Vernon at Grounds, 374 Main St.; Karen Haskell + Sara Rae at Blue Loon Bakery, 12 Lovering Lane, and Peter Jacoby at Tatewell Gallery, 277 Newport Road), also on display through Oct. 24.

• The NH Audubon’s Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way in Auburn, nhaudubon.org, presents the exhibit “Jyl Draws Every Day: A Creature Double Feature Exhibit by Jyl Dittbenner” through Oct. 30. The NH Audubon’s McLane Center, 84 Silk Farm Road in Concord, nhaudubon.org, presents a “Chromatic Nature Exhibit” featuring acrylic paintings by Tracy Levesque through Oct. 24. Both centers are open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org, will exhibit “Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection” Thursday, Sept. 10, through April 11, according to currier.org. The exhibit “is your passport to 17th and 18th century Florence, Italy, this fall at the Currier. Nearly 40 paintings and sculptures evoke a world in transition, as the rise of opera and theater opened up new ways of capturing the human experience. See Florentine masterpieces imbued with the spirit of the stage and displayed in gorgeous frames from the period,” the website said. “Pepe Mar: Dream House” will be on display at the Currier Museum of Art Thursday, Oct. 1, through Feb. 21, the website said. The exhibit “is the first New England presentation of the Mexico-born, Miami-based artist whose exuberant works synthesize thrift store aesthetics, queer culture, science fiction, and fashion,” the website said.

Also on display at the Currier is “Radical Quiet: Contemporary Drawings of Nature by Victoria Elbroch, Nancy Friese, and Margot Glass” through Sunday, Jan. 10, the website said. The Currier is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• The Eleventh Letter The Writing Gallery, 146 N. Main St. in Concord, theeleventhletter.com, will present “Ice, Wind & Fire: Images and Poems of Climate Change,” opening Sept. 10, with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. and an artist talk from Roger Wells at 6:30 p.m., according to the website. The exhibition “Eleven:11” featuring“eleven writer-artists’ works” will open Friday, Nov. 6, with a reception from 4 to 8 p.m., according to the website (the opening will correspond with Intown Concord’s annual Art Walk). The Writing Gallery will also host “Cursed II: Haunted Objects and Storytelling!” in collaboration with N.A.V. Arts on Oct. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m., a “free, fun, spooky spoken word night where seasoned storytellers spin a yarn based on various “cursed” objects created by local artists,” the website said.

• Mosaic Art Collective, 410 Chestnut St. in Manchester, is now exhibiting “Full Circle — New Beginnings 2026,” featuring work “in all media that speaks to renewal, growth, connection, and the ongoing nature of change,” through Monday, Sept. 28, with an opening reception on Sept. 12 from 5 to 7 p.m., according to mosaicartcollective.com.

Mosaic Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester will also display “Reflections: 180 Years of Manchester NH,” featuring works that explore Manchester’s history, identity and evolution over the past 180 years, Saturday, Sept. 12, through Monday, Oct. 26, with an opening reception on Sept. 12 from 5 to 7 p.m., according to mosaicartcollective.com.

• “Continuing the Tradition” will be on display at the Exhibition Gallery at the League of NH Craftsmen’s headquarters, 49 S. Main St., Concord, Thursday, Sept. 10, through Thursday, Oct 22, according to nhcrafts.org. “Continuing the Tradition celebrates the craftsmen who have become juried members of the League — or have added a new media to their existing membership — within the past three years (Spring 2023-Spring 2026). This exhibition will showcase an exciting range of media and the diverse perspectives of nearly one hundred artists, reflecting the evolving story of our historic organization,” the website said. The “Craft Apprentice Program Capstone Exhibition” will be on display at the gallery Thursday, Nov. 5, through Friday, Dec. 4, the website said. “The League of NH Craftsmen, in partnership with the Maine Crafts Association (MCA), is excited to announce the Capstone Exhibition marking the end of our fourth year of participation in the Craft Apprentice Program (CAP). CAP is an in-studio educational opportunity for apprentices who demonstrate a commitment to further their abilities as craft artists. They accomplish this through a significant relationship with a mentor artist,” the website said. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 5 to 7 p.m.

• Kimball Jenkins, 266 N. Main St. in Concord, kimballjenkins.com, will open the exhibition “Artisan Ensemble: A Visual Showcase” on Friday, Sept. 11, to run through Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Mansion featuring artists Christine Ryan, Diane Siglin, Gail Smuda and Marsha Zavez, according to the website. The reception will be on Sunday, Sept. 13, from 1 to 3 p.m. The exhibition “Musings, Memory and Magic” featuring the works of Wen Redmond will run Friday, Sept. 18, through Saturday, Oct., 17, at the Carriage House with an opening reception on Sept. 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. and an artist talk on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m., according to the website. The exhibition “Harvest Hues” will run Friday, Oct. 16, through Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Kimball Jenkins Mansion, with a reception on Oct. 18 from 1 to 3 p.m., the website said.

• See Saw Art, 408 Chestnut St. in Manchester, seesaw.art, will feature the exhibition “Codex Insolitus” featuring the works of Karl Fleck and Todd Pattison, Saturday, Sept. 12, through Sunday, Sept. 27, with an opening reception Sept. 12 from 5 to 7 p.m., according to seesaw.art.

• Two Villages Art Society 846 Main St. in Contoocook, twovillagesart.org, has several upcoming exhibits. “Crossing Thresholds,” featuring painting and photography by Jon Hoglund, Ann Saunderson and Sher Kamman, will run from Saturday, Sept. 12, through Saturday, Oct. 10, with an opening reception from noon to 2 p.m., according to the website. “Home Sweet Home,” featuring fiber art, glass, and pottery from Lisa Almeida, Laura Morrison, Anne Boedecker, Verne Orlosk, Sarah Burns and Cheryl Miller, will run Saturday, Oct. 17, through Saturday, Nov. 14, the website said. The “2026 TVAS Winter Members Show & Sale” will run Saturday, Nov. 28, through Sunday, Dec. 27, the website said. The gallery is open during exhibitions from Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

• The Millspace, 55 Main St. in Newmarket, millspace.org, will feature “The Scale of Things” exhibit featuring works that explore “large spaces, close-up observations, big ideas, or anything that shifts our sense of proportion and perspective,” according to the website. The exhibit runs Saturday, Sept. 12, through Saturday, Dec. 5, with an opening reception on Sept. 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m, the website said.

• “Wind & Waves” will open at the Lakes Region Art Gallery at Tanger Outlets, 120 Laconia Road, Suite 300, in Tilton, on Saturday, Sept. 19, with an opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m., according to a press release. The show is described as “a themed exhibit of works by member artists at the Lakes Region Art Gallery,” the release said. The gallery is open Thursdays through Sundays, beginning at 10 a.m., the press release said.

• Proctor Academy, 204 Main St. in Andover, will exhibit a collection of portraits and stories by photographer Becky Field “documenting New Hampshire’s cultural diversity” in the Brown Dining Commons from September through December with an opening reception, open to the public, on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 6 to 7 p.m., according to an email from campus art curator Molly Leith.

• Creative Ventures Gallery, 411 Nashua St. in Milford, creativeventuresfineart.com, will display “the work of current and past students” in October with an opening on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 2 to 4 p.m., the website said.

• Oct. 9 through Nov. 9 Show at Glimpse Gallery, 4 Park St., Concord, will have an opening reception on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 5 to 7 p.m., according to theglimpsegallery.com. Dec. 9 through Jan. 9 Show at Glimpse Gallery will have an opening reception on Saturday, Dec. 12, 5-7 p.m., the website said.

• The Factory on Willow, 252 Willow St. in Manchester, factoryonwillow.com, will hold an exhibition featuring artists in residence Darby Dawid and Tamar Manuel on Tuesday, Nov. 3, according to the website, where you can find links to profiles for both artists.

• Art 3 Gallery, 44 W. Brook St. in Manchester, art3gallery.com., will open its fall exhibit “A Sense of Place” on Monday, Nov. 9, according to an email from the gallery, which is open Monday through Friday, 12:30 to 4 p.m. or by appointment. “This new exhibit invites viewers to consider how artists react to their surroundings whether in a realistic interpretation of their space or an abstracted version based on emotion and imagination,” the email said.

ART EVENTS

• The annual Bridges and Connections International Sculpture Symposium at the Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13, Brookline, andresinstitute.org, 673-7441) starts Saturday, Sept. 12, with an opening reception at 1 p.m. and a ticketed concert that night, according to the website, where you can check for updates on other events during the symposium and find information on providing meals for the artists working on new pieces for the Institute’s trails. This year’s artists are Fermin Castro from Cuba and Massachusetts, Dankha Zomaya from Syria and Illinois, and Marin Murakoshi from Japan and Massachusetts, and this year’s theme is “Curiosity,” the website said. The closing ceremony will be Sunday, Oct. 4, according to andresinstitute.org, where you can find past years’ artists’ works as well as trail maps.

• The Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St. in Manchester, currier.org, will hold Community Day on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with art-making from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) featuring free admission; tours of the galleries with artists from the exhibit “Radical Quiet” at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.; the New Hampshire Forest Society; hands-on activities and more, the website said.

Other upcoming Currier events include the “Pepe Mar: Dream House” exhibition opening ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring music, art and conversation “as Pepe Mar makes his New England debut,” the website said, and Masquerade Night at the Museum on Friday, Oct. 30, from 6 to 9 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets for events.

• The Concord Arts Market will return to Rollins Park in Concord for another season of Arts in the Park dates running one Saturday a month through October, according to concordartsmarket.org. Upcoming dates include Saturday, Sept. 12, and Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Concord Arts Market will also be at the remaining First Friday events on Fridays, Oct. 2 and Nov. 6 in downtown Concord, the website said.

• The 39th Fall Artisan Craft Fair will take place Saturday, Sept. 12, from 9:30 to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 3 Peabody Row in Londonderry, featuring more than 70 booths, food, a tag sale and more, according to a press release. See stpeterslondonderry.org.

• The Craftworkers’ Guild Harvest Shop will run Thursday, Sept. 17, through Monday, Oct. 12, open Thursdays through Sundays (and the final Monday) at 3 Meetinghouse Road in Bedford, according to thecraftworkersguild.org. “The Craftworkers’ Guild is a non-profit, community based organization that brings together people interested in handcrafts or fine arts. We are the oldest organization of crafters in New Hampshire and currently enjoy the participation of over 60 members from Bedford and area communities,” the website said.

• There will be a Shaker Village Barn Dance at the Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Road in Canterbury, on Friday, Sept. 18, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. featuring music by Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki and Sue Hunt with caller David Millstone, according to shakers.org, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Manchester Citywide Arts & Kids Festival takes place Monday, Sept. 14, through Saturday, Sept. 19, with a street fair on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to facebook.com/MHTArtsFest, where you can check for updates on the events.

• Center for the Arts in New London holds its next First Friday Oct. 2 when the Northern Stage Theater will present a season preview, according to centerfortheartsnh.org. On Nov. 6, the gallery stroll will feature new exhibitions, the website said.

• Center for the Arts in New London will host an Open Studio 2026 on Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to centerfortheartsnh.org. The event “features live demonstrations, local art, and studio tours. Located at 428 Main St. [in New London] and various locations, these events provide a behind-the-scenes look at artists’ work spaces and foster community interaction, often including painting workshops,” the website said.

• Monadnock Art Open Studio Tour runs Saturday, Oct. 10, through Monday, Oct. 12, from10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with at least 84 artists in 65 studios in Peterborough, Dublin, Jaffrey, Sharon, Harrisville, Hancock and Marlborough, according to an email from Modnadnock Art and monadnockart.org, where you can find a map of participating locations and see works from the artists. The Gallery Exhibition featuring work by artists on the tour will be on display in Bass Hall at the Monadnock Center for History and Culture, 19 Grove St. in Peterborough, Saturday, Oct. 3, through Saturday, Oct. 31, the email said. An opening reception will take place at the Monadnock Center on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 4 to 7 p.m., the website said.

• Deerfield Arts Tour takes place Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features artists at 10 locations according to deerfieldarts.com, where you can find a map of the studios.

• Fly Me To the Moon Arts Ball to benefit Nashua Community Arts will take place at the Nashua Center for the Arts, nashuacenterforthearts.com, on Saturday, Oct. 17, starting at 6 p.m., an “evening inspired by Frank Sinatra and the golden age of swing” featuring live music and dancing, cocktails, fine dining and more, according to a post on the Nashua Center for the Arts’ Facebook page, where you can find a link for tickets.

• The Millspace, 55 Main St. in Newmarket, millspace.org, will host Paper Jam, a zine and print fest, on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., “bringing together artists, writers, printmakers, and indie publishers from across the Seacoast and greater New England,” according to the website.

• The Bedford Handmade Fair will take place Sunday, Nov. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bedford High School, 47 Nashua Road in Bedford, featuring local artists, crafters and artisans, according to a press release. See sites.google.com/bedfordnhk12.net/bedfordhandmade/home.

THEATER

• The Seacoast Reporatory Theatre (125 Bow St. in Portsmouth, seacoastrep.org) continues its production of Green Day’s American Idiot through Sept. 27, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. Its main stage season continues with Evil Dead The MusicalThursday, Oct. 8, through Sunday, Nov. 8, and A Christmas Carol Thursday, Nov. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 20, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays (no show on Thanksgiving), the website said.

Other events at The Rep include the Rep Academy presentation of RENT: School Edition at 7:30 p.m. on Sundays, Sept. 13 and Sept. 20, and Wednesdays, Sept. 16 and Sept. 23; a Season 2027 Reveal on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m.; The Rep Underground presentation of A Tempting Murder(“A unique evening of music blending the song catalogues of Sheryl Crow, The Black Crowes, Counting Crows, and more, this tempting murder of crows is sure to leave you with an appetite for more,” the website said) on Wednesday, Oct. 21, and Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m., and RepStock on Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 7:30 p.m (“Take a trip back to 1969 with us as we deliver a groovy selection of music from the historic music festival that started it all, Woodstock. Featuring music from The Who, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Joe Cocker, and more,” the website said). The Rep also offers classes for adults, teens and youth as well as audition opportunities for teens and youth, the website said.

• The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester) kicks off the St. Mary’s Bank 2026-2027 Performing Arts Series with Sister Act, which runs Sept. 11 through Oct. 4 with shows Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. as well as Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m., according to palacetheatre.org, where you can purchase tickets. Fiddler on the Roof will run through Oct. 23 through Nov. 15, with shows Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. as well as Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m., the website said. Before Thanksgiving, the Southern New Hampshire Dance Theatre will present The NutcrackerThursday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 21, at 11 a.m., 4 p.m and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 22, at noon and 4:30 p.m. Other theatrical productions slated for the Palace include School of Rock The Musical on Tuesdays, Sept. 15 & 22, and Wednesdays, Sept. 16 & 23, at 7 p.m.; Matilda Jr. onTuesday, Oct. 27, and Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m., and Witch Perfect, described as an “all live-singing, comedy parody” of Hocus Pocus,on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 8 p.m.

At the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester), catch Broadway to the Big Screen with Jenene Caramelo on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. and Edge of Reality: The Magic Man of Manchester and Matt the Mystic on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m., according to palacetheatre.org, where you can purchase tickets.

• Actorsingers (actorsingers.org) will present Flustercluck! The Real Henhousewives of New Jersey, described as “an absurdist comedy following the antics and exploits of the hens of Villa Roosta, a humble yet successful diversified hobby farm on the outskirts of bucolic Shamong, New Jersey,” as its entry in the NCTA Festival, on Saturday, Sept. 12. Actorsingers will also present The Wedding Singeras a mainstage production at the Keefe Center for the Arts, 113 Elm St. in Nashua, Friday, Nov. 6, through Sunday, Nov. 8, the website said.

• The Community Players of Concord host the NH Community Theatre Association’s One-Act Performance Festival on Saturday, Sept. 12, at noon featuring four regional theater groups, at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord, theaudi.org, according to the website. Tickets cost $20 at the door, the website said. The performing companies will be the Community Players of Concord with The Forgiving Time, Nashua Theatre Guild with House on the Hill off the Boulevard at the End of the Sidewalk, Bedford Off Broadway with Sammy’s Game and Actorsingers from Nashua with Flustercluck! The Real Henhousewives of New Jersey, according to an email from the Audi.

• The Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, powerhousenh.org, will present Big Bad: The Trials and Tribulations of a Fairy Tale Wolf with shows throughout the day on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 to 4 p.m. at Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, 928 White Oaks Road in Laconia, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. Powerhouse will also present Peter and the Starcatcher on Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 11, at 2 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St. in Laconia, the website said. Hook’s Tale will run Saturday, Oct. 17, at 1 p.m. at Laconia Public Library and Sunday, Oct. 18, at 3 p.m. at Taylor Community Woodside Building, the website said. The Power Chords will present their Power Chords Holiday Concert, “a concert that celebrates Broadway and the holiday season,” on Friday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Taylor Community Woodside Building in Laconia and Congregational Church in Laconia, Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m., the website said.

• New Hampshire Theatre Project, 959 Islington St., No. 3, in Portsmouth, nhtheatreproject.org, will present the NHTP Guest Artist Production Just Breathe: The Quest for a Little Peace of Mind .. and Chocolate Thursday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 18, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 19, at 4 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 20, at 2:30 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets to this one-woman show featuring Lesley Ann Smith. The MainStage premieres its 2026-2027 season with the drama The Sound Inside by Anthony Rapp Friday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Nov. 1, with shows on Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. The NHTP goes to Langdon House in Portsmouth for Langdon House Parlor Entertainments: A Victorian Frightful on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 17, at 4 p.m., described as “an evening of eerie songs and stories inspired by Edgard Allan Poe and Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, performed in costume …” on the website. As part of the Play Readings for Grown-ups series, the theater will present Crimes of the Heart(described as “[w]armhearted, irreverent, zany and brilliantly imaginative”) on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2:30 p.m., and Miracle on 34th Street on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 4 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 13, at 2:30 p.m., the website said. The theater also offers “Theatre For Life Professional Development Workshops at NHTP” starting Sept. 24 and “Yes/And” a six-week improvisation course Oct. 20 through Nov. 24; see the website for details.

• Theatre Kapow (tkapow.com) will present Iphigenia in Aulis, a play by Euripides transadapted by Anne Washburn, on Friday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 19, at 2 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 20, at 2 p.m. at BNH Stage in Concord, according to the website. See ccanh.com for tickets. Fans of this summer’s The Odyssey will remember the tale told here of Clytemnestra and her daughter Iphigenia arriving in Aulis as General Agamemnon, Clytemnestra’s husband and Iphigenia’s father, prepares to set sail with his army, according to the website.

• The Manchester Community Theatre Players (MCTP Theatre, at North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St. in Manchester, manchestercommuniththeatre.com) will present The Addams Family Friday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Sept. 27 (shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. on Sundays), according to the website, where tickets will be for sale. In October, look for Carrie The MusicalFriday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 1, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays, the website said.

• Dive in Productions, diveinproductions.com, will present Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the the Millspace, 55 Main St. in Newmarket, millspace.org, Friday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Oct. 4, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, according to the Millspace website, where you can purchase tickets.The company will also present Tipsmas on Nov. 28 and will run a Stage Combat class on Saturday, Oct. 24, the website said.

• The Players’ Ring, 105 Marcy St. in Portsmouth, playersring.org, presents As Time Goes By (which has the tagline “Time Travel. Comedy. Heart.”) Friday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Oct. 11, with shows at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. The Agatha Christie story of “Murder. Suspense. 1930s” And Then There Were Nonewill run Thursday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 15, with shows at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays (2 p.m. only on Oct. 31 and 2 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 1), the website said. A staged reading of An Empty Sky, part of the New Play Lab, will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 6:30 p.m.

• The Amato Center, 56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford, amatocenter.org, presents productions for its own Riverbend Youth Company, RYC Alumni and Friends of Amato (open to children and adults), according to the website. Featuring 8th- through 12th-grade performers, its Riverband Youth Company performs Holy Mother of Bingo — “The audience will love playing five actual rounds of bingo while this outrageous murder mystery unfolds around them!” — on Friday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 26, at 1 and 4 p.m., according to the website, where you will be able to purchase tickets.

In October, catch Friends of Amato’s Sam Shovel, Private Eye, featuring grade 11 through adult, on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1 and 4 p.m., the website said. The show is described as “A Radio Theater production recorded with a live studio audience, the website said. “It’s a hot and sultry day in the gritty city, and Sam Shovel has a dead man sprawled in her office, stabbed in the back with a yardstick. Ends up this is just the first of a string of murders happening in the fashion industry.”

• The Majestic Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester) will hold Majestic in Wonderland Auction & Performance Fundraiser on Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26, at 6:30 p.m., according to majestictheatre.net, where you can purchase tickets for the event and the raffle. The event will feature Majestic’s adult, teen and youth actors, Ted Herbert Music School faculty and students, and special guests, the website said, as well as a silent auction of items including passes to cultural venues, electronics, restaurant gift certificates and more. There will be “theme raffles, and refreshments each evening,” according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. Scrooge! The Musical will hold all-ages auditions Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 for the show that runs Friday, Dec. 11, through Sunday, Dec. 13, at the Derry Opera House, according to an email from the theater. The Majestic will also hold “Theatre Workshop Days” for ages 8 through adult on Oct. 3 and Nov. 7. Catch the Rockin Daddios on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the theater, the email said. Other fall productions include Much Ado About Murder, a murder mystery, Oct. 23-25, and Dashing Through the Snow, a comedy, Nov. 20-22, the email said. See the website for updates and tickets.

• LaBelle Winery features theatrical events at both its Amherst (345 Route 101) and Derry (14 Route 111) locations, according to labellewinery.com, where you can purchase tickets for these events. Shows scheduled in Amherst include Roaring ’20s Dinner Party with Cirque De Light Aerialists on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 6:30 p.m., and Monster Mash Murder Mystery Dinner Party on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 6:30 p.m., the website said.

• The Capitol Center for the Arts has shows at both its Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord) and BNH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord) locations, according to ccanh.com.

At the Chubb, upcoming shows include Cat Kid Comic Club The Musicalon Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m.; Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m.; Wild Kratts Live 2.0: Active Creature Power! on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.; Cirque Kalabante on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m.; The Vampire Circus on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m., and Menopause The Musicalon Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m., according to the website.

At the BNH Stage, shows include a “The MET Live in HD” production of Cosi Fan Tutte on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 1 p.m.; The MET Live in HD: MacBeth on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 1 p.m.; Twenty Years of the MET in Cinemas Saturday, Oct. 18, at 1 p.m., and Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare presents MacBethon Saturday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m., the website said.

• The Music Hall (Historic Theater at 28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth; Lounge at 131 Congress St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org) will present Sesame Street Live: Elmo’s Got The Moves at the Historic Theater on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. On Thursday, Oct. 8, catch Golden Girls: The Laughs Continueat the Historic Theater on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. “Relive the heartfelt hilarity of four ladies who never stopped being your friends — starring male actors as the iconic TV characters. Recommended for ages 18+ due to adult themed comedy,” the website said. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: The Musical will be at the Historic Theater on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m., the website said.

• The Abbey Players at Saint Anselm College (tickets.anselm.edu) will present True Colors: An Abbey Players Cabaret on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Dana Center on Saint Anselm College campus in Manchester, according to the website. The Dana Center will also feature Ailey II Dance on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m. and Leland Faulkner: Dreamcatcher on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 4 p.m., the website said. “Dreamcatcher celebrates the magical adventures and wondrous tales of Native America, the website said.

• Nashua Theatre Guild (nasthuatheatreguild.org) will present Emma on Friday, Oct. 2, through Sunday, Oct. 4, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the Janice B. Streeter Theatre/Court Street Theatre, 14 Court St. in Nashua, according to the website, where you will be able to purchase tickets. “A fresh feminist take on a treasured classic, this Emma breaks down convention, expectation and even the fourth wall with vibrant comic flair,” the website said of the show.

• Cue Zero Theatre (cztheatre.com) will present Ride the Cyclone, described as “[d]arkly funny, deeply heartfelt and full of unforgettable music,” on Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m. at Arts Academy of New Hampshire, 19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, in Salem, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Ovation Theatre Company, 61 Harvey Road, Londonderry, ovationtc.com, will present The Big One-Oh! Jr. on Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway in Derry, with a cast of performers ages 8 to 18, according to the website. The company will also present Frozen on Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, featuring a cast of mostly age 12 through adult, the website said.

• Garrison Players Arts Center 449 Roberts Road in Rollinsford, garrisonplayers.org, will present Night Watch Friday, Oct. 2, through Saturday, Oct. 17, with shows Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. “This ingeniously devised thriller builds steadily in menace and suspense until its breath-stopping twist ending,” the website said.

• Safe Haven Ballet, safehavenballet.org, will offer a “Fall Mixed Repertoire in studio performance,” Illuminate on Friday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. at its studio, 200 Chase Drive in Portsmouth, the website said.

• Lend Me a Theater (lendmeatheater.org) will present Occupation: Murder!, an interactive murder mystery, on the evenings of Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry (tupelomusichall.com) with dinner and a show or show-only ticket options and on Oct. 10-11 and Oct. 17-18 at the YWCA in Manchester, according to the website.

• At the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com), theatrical productions include Chazz Palminteri’s A Bronx Tale Live, a one-man play, on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m.;Napoleon Dynamite Live featuring a screening of the 2006 film and a “Lively, freewheeling, interactive experience” with Jon Heder, Jon Gries and Efren Ramirez on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m.; Michael Jackson History Show, a “music tribute and full-scale stage production” on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.; Andy Grammer Greater Than Pt. II: A One Man Show, described as a blend of “acoustic performance, spoken word, storytelling and real-time audience connection,” on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 p.m., and Jessica Lynn’s A Very Merry Classic Christmas, featuring “Jessica and her family band alongside high-energy dancers, marching bands, choirs, breathtaking special effects and the timeless Christmas classics,” on Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Theatrical offerings at the Stockbridge Theatre (5 Pinkerton St., Derry, pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre) include Cat Kid: The Musical on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m.; Queens, a play by the Pinkerton Players about King Henry VIII in purgatory, Friday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 18 (7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. on Sunday), and Cirque Us: Stories on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2 p.m., the website said.

• The Peacock Players (peacockplayers.org) has two fall productions scheduled for Janice B. Streeter Theatre (14 Court St. in Nashua). Catch Between the Lines Jr., a Fall Youth MainStage production, Friday, Oct. 9, through Sunday, Oct. 18, with shows at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays (as well as a 10 a.m. performance on Thursday, Oct. 15). The Fall Teen Mainstage production is Once Upon a One More Timeon Friday, Nov. 13, through Sunday, Nov. 22, shows at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays (as well as a 10 a.m. performance on Thursday, Nov. 19).

• Millspace, 55 Main St. in Newmarket, millspace.org, will host “Mill After Dark: A Night of Drag” on Friday, Oct. 9, from 7 to 9 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. The space will also host a Youth Theatre Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for ages 9 to 14, ending in an improv showcase at 2:30 p.m., the website said. The Millspace Mainstage Cabaret Series will present Millspeakeasy on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m., which the website described as an “intimate cabaret night filled with swingin’ Broadway hits, vintage flair, and old-school elegance.”

• Franklin Opera House, franklinoperahouse.org, will present Quixotic! a one-man show with storyteller Andy Davis, on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. at the Franklin Public Library, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. The opera house also will present Murder in Black and Whilte, a mystery dessert theater fundraiser, on Friday, Nov.. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Franklin Elks Lodge. 125 S. Main St. in Franklin, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St. in Laconia, coloniallaconia.com, has theatrical productions on its schedule including the Michael Jackson History Show on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m. and Girls Night The Musical on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Community Players of Concord (communityplayersofconcord.org) has two productions on its fall schedule. The company’s Children’s Theatre Project will present Looking Glass Landon Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord, according to the website, where tickets will be available for purchase. In November the Players will present the musical Come From Away Friday, Nov. 20, through Sunday, Nov. 22, also at the Concord City Auditorium, the website said.

• Epping Community Theater (38 Ladds Lane, Epping, eppingtheater.org) will present The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a “Halloween Old Time Radio production,” on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. Frozen the Broadway Musical will run Friday, Nov. 6, through Sunday, Nov. 15, (7 p.m. on Fridays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays), according to the website, where you can check back for tickets.

• Jonesing for Theater, jonesingfortheater.wixsite.com, will present Carrie The Musical at Millspace, 55 Main St. in Newmarket, millspace.org, Friday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Nov. 1, according to the venue’s website, where you can purchase tickets. Described as “a chilling, blood-red theatrical experience based on Stephen King’s legendary horror story,” the show runs at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and dSaturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, the website said.

• Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St. in Rochester, rochesteroperahouse.org, will present SeussicalFriday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Nov. 8, according to the website, where you can see the line-up of days and times and purchase tickets.

• Winnipesaukee Playhouse Professional Theatre for young audiences will present The Commedia Pinocchio at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith, Saturdays, Oct. 17 and Oct. 24, at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m., according to winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org, where you can purchase tickets. The Edgar Allan Poe Afterlife Radio Showwill be presented by the Winni Players Community Theatre at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith, on Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m., according to winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org, where you can purchase tickets. The Winni Players will also present Irving Berlin’s White Christmas on Thursday, Nov. 19, through Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 21, and Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m., the website said.

• Windham Actors Guild (windhamactorsguild.com) will present Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Windham High School on Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m., according to the website, where you will be able to purchase tickets.

• The Village Players 51 Glendon St. in Wolfeboro, village-players.com, will present the musicalMan of La Mancha Friday, Oct. 30, through Sunday, Nov. 1, and Friday, Nov. 6, through Sunday, Nov. 8, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. The Players will also hold auditions on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon, for A Charlie Brown Christmas, which will be presented Friday, Dec. 4, through Sunday, Dec. 6, the website said.

• Bedford Off Broadway, which holds its performances at Bedford Town Hall, 3 Meetinghouse Road in Bedford, will present Crimes of the Heart Friday, Nov. 6, through Sunday, Nov. 8, and Friday, Nov. 13, through Sunday, Nov. 15, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays, according to the Facebook page and bedfordoffbroadway.com.

• Kids Coop Theatre will presentThe Little Mermaid Jr. Nov. 20-22 at the Derry Opera House. See kctnh.org for details.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

• Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra, portsmouthsymphony.org, kicks off its slate of fall shows with PSO Chamber Players: Palette of Voices on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 3 p.m. at New Castle Congregational Church, 65 Main St. in New Castle, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. On Sunday, Sept. 20, violinist Joshua Bell plays Lalo’s Symphonieespagnole with the symphony at a 3 p.m. show at The Music Hall in Portsmouth. On Sunday, Oct. 4, at 3 p.m. the PSO Chamber Players present a program of Pulitzer Prize Winners at Christ Church, 43 Pine St. in Exeter. On Sunday, Nov. 1, the symphony presents a program called “The Universe” at 3 p.m. at the Music Hall in Portsmouth. On Sunday, Dec. 20, the symphony brings its Family Holiday Pops! Concert, including a sing-along, at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Portsmouth High School. For all shows, see the website for tickets.

• Evenings at Avaloch are held in the concert barn space at Avaloch Farm Music Institute with visiting artists and ensembles of different genres from around the world who are in residence at the Institute (16 Hardy Lane, Boscawen, avalochfarmmusic.org). Upcoming Evenings at Avaloch concerts take place at 5 p.m. on Saturdays, Sept. 12, Sept. 19 and Sept. 26, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets and see the line-ups. On Saturday, Oct. 10, at 5 p.m., catch Moanin’ Frogs, according to the website, where you can also find information on the evening’s barbecue. On Saturday, Oct. 31, at 4 p.m. it’s the annual Fall Gala, also featuring live performances; a Bach and Brunch event takes place Sunday, Nov. 1, at 9 a.m. See the website for tickets for either.

• Symphony New Hampshire will enter the new season with a new music director — Adam Kerry Boyles, according to symphonynh.org. On Sunday, Sept. 13, at 3 p.m., the Symphony will present the season opening concert Love, Tragedy & Triumph featuring Mozart’s Cosi Fan tutte, the English folk song “O Waly Waly,” music from Romeo and Juliet and El amor brujo by Manuel de Falla, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. The show takes place at the Stockbridge Theatre, 44 N. Main St. in Derry, the website said.

• The Manchester Choral Society will hold an open sing on Monday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church, 106 Lowell St. in Manchester, according to a press release. “Prospective members are invited to experience a rehearsal, meet current singers, and sing through selections from the choir’s inspiring fall concert repertoire: Francis Poulenc’s exuberant Gloria and Camille Saint-Saëns’ beloved Christmas Oratorio. Following the Open Sing, interested singers may schedule an audition to join the ensemble for its 66th concert season,” the release said. “The Manchester Choral Society welcomes singers with prior choral experience who are interested in performing challenging and rewarding repertoire in a supportive musical community.” See mcsnh.org.

• The Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in Manchester, palacetheatres.org, will feature Candlelight: Featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & More on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m., according to palactheatre.org, where you can purchase tickets. Candlelight returns on Thursday, Nov. 19, for Candlelight: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons at 6 p.m. and Candlelight: Tribute to Queen and the Beatles at 8:30 p.m., the website said.

• Strafford Wind Symphony, straffordwindsymphony.org, will have a concert at the Rochester Opera House on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra will open its season with the show “From Beethoven to the Beyond” on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 p.m., according to nhphil.org, where you can purchase tickets. The Phil’s other 2026 concert is the Holiday Pops on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 20, at 2 p.m., the website said. Phil concerts take place at the Seifert Performing Arts Center at Salem High School, 44 Geremonty Drive in Salem, the website said.

• The Jazz Ambassadors of the United States Army Field Band will offer a free concert at the Music Hall in Portsmouth on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m., according to themusichall.org, where you can get tickets.

• Nashua Chamber Orchestra, nco-music.org, will hold its fall concert, “Brahms and Shepherds,” on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at the Nashua Community College and Sunday, Nov. 15, at 3 p.m. at the Milford Town Hall, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Nashua Choral Society, nashuachoralsociety.org, will have a guest appearance at the Nashua Chamber Orchestra’s Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 concerts (see listing immediately above), according to the website. The society will hold its Holiday Concert on Dec. 6, the website said.

MOVIES

• Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main St. in Concord, redrivertheatres.org, offers its weekly line-up of new films , which on Sept. 10, include Coyote vs. Acme, Late Fame and Practical Magic 2, as well as frequent throwback screenings, such as last weekend’s Steel Magnolias screening, and special one-night screenings by outside groups. On Friday, Oct. 9, Red River will partner with Arts Alley for an outdoor movie screening, according to an email from the theater. Also for October, Rocky Horror Picture Showwill return Friday, Oct. 23; Saturday, Oct. 24, and Friday, Oct. 30, at 10 p.m. and the theater will show a series of scary movies, the email said.

• Park Theatre, 19 Main St. in Jaffrey, theparktheatre.org, offers screenings of current run movies such as Coyote vs. Acmeand Tony, both screening this week, as well as classic films, such as 1979’s The Europeans, a Merchant Ivory filmed in New Ipswich. which will screen Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m. with a Q&A talkback after the film, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. Other screenings include 1949’s The Third Man screening Friday, Sept. 25, at 6:30 p.m.; 1980’s The Shiningon Friday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m., and 2023’s documentary In the Whaleon Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m.

• Peterborough Community Theatre, 6 School St. in Peterborough, pctmovies.com, offers screenings of recent releases with showtimes Fridays at 3 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 3 & 7 p.m.; Wednesdays at 3 & 7 p.m., and Thursdays, at 7 p.m., according to the website. It will wrap up Tonyon Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m., before two weeks of Practical Magic 2(PG-13, 2026) running Friday, Sept. 11, through Thursday, Sept. 24, and one week of Olmo (NR) Friday, Sept. 25, through Thursday, Oct. 1, the website said.

• Safety Last (1923), a silent film starring Harold Lloyd, will be performed with a 22-player orchestral score written by Mike Annicchiarico at UNH Durham at the Johnson Theater on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 2 p.m., according to an event email. The screening is free and open to the public.

• Fathom Entertainment, fathomentertainment.com, has several screenings on its fall schedule including anniversary screenings, horror films, religious programming and The Met: Live in HD broadcasts of The Metropolitan Opera. Notable upcoming screenings include Mystery Science Theater 3K: The Rifftrax Experiments — Sting of Death on Sept. 13; 2004’s The Passion of the Christ; Transformers: The Movie: The Apology Tour 40th Anniversary Screening Sept. 17 through Oct. 1; Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth 20th Anniversary starting Oct. 9; 1939’sGone with the WindOct. 10-14;V for Vendetta20th anniversary Nov. 1 & 5; Jimmystarting Nov. 6; Rocky 50th Anniversary on Nov. 7; A Beautiful Mind 25th Anniversary on Nov. 22 & 23, and The Maltese Falcon 85th Anniversary on Dec. 6 & 9, according to the website, where you can find screening theaters and times. The Studio Ghibli Fest also continues with Princess Mononoke Sept. 26-23 and Spirited Away Oct. 17-21, the website said.

• Jeff Rapsis, presenter of silent films for which he provides live musical accompaniment, has several screenings on the schedule this fall, according to silentfilmlivemusic.blogspot.com. Screenings include A Fool There Was (1915) on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 2 p.m. at Wilton Town Hall Theatre; The Scarlet Letter (1926) starring Lillian Gish on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library and on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m. at the Moultonborough Public Library; Nosferatu(1922) directed by F.W. Murnau on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. at The Flying Monkey in Plymouth; The Bat(1926) on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre; The Cat and the Canary (1927) on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m., at the Derry Opera House sponsored by the Derry Public Library; a Harry Houdini Double Feature with Terror Island (1920) and Haldane of the Secret Service (1923) on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m., at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, and A Sailor-Mad Man (1921) starring Harold Lloyd and Shoulder Arms(1918) starring Charlie Chaplin on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 2 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, according to the website, where you can find addresses and ticket information as well as film descriptions.

• In addition to Jeff Rapsis’ silent film presentations, Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St. in Wilton, offers screenings of classic films. See the theater’s Facebook page, facebook.com/wiltontownhalltheatre.

• Manchester Parks & Recreation continues its outdoor screenings with Inside Out 2 (PG, 2024), which will screen in Derryfield Park in Manchester on Friday, Sept. 18, at 8:15 p.m., and Hocus Pocus 2 (PG, 2022), which will screen in Derryfield Park in Manchester on Friday, Oct. 16, at 8:15 p.m., according to a post on the Manchester Parks & Recreation Facebook page. BYO chairs, blankets and snacks, the post said.

• Movies in the Park in Riverfront Park in Tilton, hosted by the Hall Memorial Library (hallmemoriallibrary.org), on Fridays throughout the summer, wraps up with Herculeson Friday, Sept. 25, with the park opening at 6 p.m. and the movie starting at dusk, the website said.

• The Manhattan Short Film Festival, manhattanshort.com, will screen at NHTI in Concord on Friday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 26, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m., according to the website, where you can get information about the 10 finalists that will be screened. Participate in the global voting and check back with the website on Monday, Oct. 5, to see the winner.

• The Music Hall (Historic Theater at 28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth; Lounge at 131 Congress St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org) will host Telluride by the Sea Film Festival Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27, according to the website, where you can find the line-up of films and see the available ticket packages. On Sunday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m., it’s Say Anything: An Intimate Screening and Evening with John Cusack. On Saturday, Oct. 31, the theater will host the Hocus Pocus Taste-Along screening at 4 p.m., the website said. On Friday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m., cat Rocky in Concert featuring a screening of the 1976 with the score performed live by a full symphony orchestra, the website said. The theater will screen Teton Gravity Research Presents Actually, It Is Rocket Science on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m.

• The Village Players 51 Glendon St. in Wolfboro, village-players.com, will hold classic movie screenings this fall, with $7 admission and popcorn and other concessions for sale, the website said. The upcoming lineup is Superman on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m.; Psychoon Saturday, Oct. 24; Jurassic Park on Saturday, Nov. 21; Toy Story on Saturday, Dec. 19; Westworld on Saturday, Jan. 23, and The Last Starfighter on Saturday, Feb. 20, the website said.

• In addition to its line-up of new films and events such as trivia nights and comedy, Chunky’s Cinema Pub 707 Huse Road, Manchester, chunkys.com, offers specialty screenings of classic films and sensory- and family-friendly screenings of current and recent kids’ films. Starting Tuesday, Sept. 29, Chunky’s will screen classic horror films through Halloween on Tuesdays and Thursdays (the first two are at 7 p.m.,) according to the website. The line-up is A Nightmare on Elm Street on Sept. 29 & Oct. 1; The Shining on Oct. 6 & Oct. 8; Friday the 13th on Oct. 13 & Oct. 15; The Exorciston Oct. 20 & Oct. 22, and Halloween on Oct. 27 & Oct. 29, the website said. Chunky’s will also host an 18+ screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 9 p.m. and Friday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m. (props and costumes allowed), the website said.

For kids, Chunky’s will hold a sensory-friendly screening of Forgotten Island (PG, 2026) on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 11:30 a.m., 4:30 & 6 p.m. as well as a Little Lunch Date screening on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 11:30 a.m. of that same movie, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Epping Community Theater (38 Ladds Lane, Epping, eppingtheater.org) will present a screening of We Are The Shaggs, a “documentary about the legendary New Hampshire sisters whose music became one of rock’s greatest cult stories,” on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 2 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St. in Nashua, will present Napoleon Dynamite Live featuring a screening of the 2006 film and a “Lively, freewheeling, interactive experience” with Jon Heder, Jon Gries and Efren Ramirez on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The New Hampshire Film Festival, nhfilmfestival.com, will take place at the Music Hall and other locations in Portsmouth on Thursday, Oct. 15, through Sunday, Oct. 18, according to the website, where you can find available pass packages and find updates about the schedule and festival line-up.

• The Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord has films on its schedule, according to ccanh.com.

BNH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord) presents Hocus Pocus Taste-Along Experience on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m., according to ccanh.com, where you will be able to purchase tickets. Described as “Perfect for families, friend groups and Halloween fanatics of all ages,” the evening will feature a taste-along candy box for each ticket holder featuring treats that correspond to moments in the film, the website said.

On Sunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. BNH Stage will screen the documentaryGregg Allman: The Music of My Soul, the website said.

Also at BNH Stage, on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 3 and 6 p.m., catch Actually, It Is Rocket Science. “For over 30 years, Teton Gravity Research has defined ski and snowboard filmmaking. Join us for the 2026 film, featuring world-class athletes, breathtaking cinematography, and the biggest mountain adventures of the year,” the website said.

At the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord) on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. it’s An Evening with Peter Billingsley and A Christmas Story, featuring a screening of the film and an audience Q&A, the website said.

And on Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m., catch Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert featuring a screening of the film and a live performance of the music, the website said.

BOOK EVENTS

• New Hampshire Humanities will bring a wide variety of programs to libraries and historical societies across the state this fall, most of them free and open to the public. A sampling of these includes “The Beginner’s Guide to Cemetery Sleuthing” presented by Erin Moulton on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at Dunbarton Public Library (1004 School St., Dunbarton, 774-3546) and again Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. at Sanbornton Public Library (27 Meetinghouse Road, Sanbornton, 286-8288), as well as Monday, Oct. 5, in Pembroke, and on other dates around the state; “Our Declaration, Our Constitution: Securing the Blessings of Liberty at 250” with a panel moderated by Laura Knoy at the UNH School of Law Rudman Center, 2 White St., Concord, on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 5:30 p.m. (RSVP at nhhumanities.org); “The Ethics of AI” presented by SNHU philosophy professor Kiki Berk on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 5:30 p.m. hosted by Kensington Public Library at Kensington Union Meetinghouse (97 Amesbury Road); “Last of the Granite State Rattlesnakes” presented by Dan Billin on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 5:30 p.m. at Abbott Library (11 Soonipi Circle, Sunapee, info@abbottlibrary.org), and “Rethinking the U.S. National Parks” presented by Plymouth State Professor Abby Goode on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. at Kimball Library in Atkinson (5 Academy Ave., kimballlibrary.com). For details on these and other NHH programs at locations throughout the state this fall, visit nhhumanities.org.

• Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, gibsonsbookstore.com) will host several author readings, book signings and other events at its store and will partner with Capitol Center for the Arts to bring the 2026 NH Book Festival to Concord. Local author Robert L. Fried presents his book Passionate Teaching in Troubled Times on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m.; Michael Koryta presents his new gangster novel, Die Famous, on Monday, Sept. 21, at 6:30 p.m.; Chris Panatier presents his new horror novel, Worry Box, on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 6:30 p.m., and Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky, presents his book Go and Do Likewise: How We Heal a Broken Country, on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 12:30 p.m., in conversation with former New Hampshire governor John Lynch; local author Andrew Bridgeman presents his latest thriller, Noble Reckoning, on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 6:30 p.m.; local author Kate Schoedinger presents her debut middle-grade historical novel, Death By Molasses, on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m.; NYT bestselling author Chuck Wendig presents The Calamities and Stoker Award winner Delilah S. Dawson presents Monstera on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m.; James Crews presents Breathing Room: Poems of Rest and Retreat on Monday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m.; Alix E. Harrow presents her new collection of short fiction, Slantwise Histories, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6:30 p.m.; Hannah Fries presents A Forest Language: Words that Illuminate the Astonishing World of Trees on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 6:30 p.m.; John Mutter presents his debut novel, Fortune and Glass, on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 12:30 p.m.; Emily Ladau presents the revised edition of her book Demystifying Disability on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m.; Emily Franklin presents her latest novel, Love & Other Monsters, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 6:30 p.m., and Carter Wilson presents his latest thriller, When They Find Me, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 6:30 p.m. at Gibson’s in conversation with fellow thriller author Lisa Gardner.

Gibson’s monthly poetry readings with the Poetry Society of New Hampshire continue on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 4:30-6 p.m., with headliner Shanta Lee Honeycutt, and the shop’s monthly audiobook night is the first Monday of every month, 4-8 p.m. — bring a quiet craft, a puzzle, or just yourself, your own listening devices plus audiobook and headphones, and enjoy quality audiobook listening time while you shop, craft, or relax in the store.

• The really big book event of the season in Concord is the New Hampshire Book Festival on Friday, Oct.2, and Saturday, Oct. 3, in Concord, with events at the Capitol Center for the Arts and on South Main Street. Jodi Picoult will be the Festival’s keynote author and will discuss her next novel, Hollow Bones (publishing in late September), on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Chubb Theater at CCA (44 S. Main St., Concord), all seats $50 plus $9 per-ticket fee; each ticket includes a copy of Hollow Bones. Purchase tickets via ccanh.com. Saturday includes a costume parade at 9 a.m., author panels free and open to the public during the day, and a family keynote with author Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), tickets for which are $22 plus fee and include a copy of Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories 2. Purchase tickets at ccanh.com. For more Festival details see nhbookfestival.org.

• Goffstown Public Library (2 High St., goffstownlibrary.com) presents Robert B. Perreault discussing his historical novel, Courtship in Purgatory, on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m.; the program will include a brief introduction on the Franco-Americans of New England to set the context for the novel.

• At Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough (12 Depot Square, toadbooks.com), Jarvis Coffin will talk about his new book, Calmly on the Waters, Seasonal Essays from Monadnock, on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m.; David Keohan will talk about his new book, The Wind Beneath the Stone: My Quest to Unearth a Piece of Ireland’s Folklore, on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m.;

Will Hackman will talk about his book Radically Reframing Climate Change on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m., and Rebecca Dinerstein Knight will read from her new book, Notes to New Mothers, in which 65 writers and artists write about new motherhood, on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11 a.m.

• Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Nashua, balinbooks.com) welcomes Jon Rubin presenting his new picture book Oscaron Saturday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 3, at 2 p.m. author Sylvie Kurtz discusses her book Unforgettable, the latest in her Love in Brighton Village series, the website said. On Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2 p.m., author Andrew Bridgman discusses Noble Reckoning, the third book in his Emma Noble Thriller Series, the website said.

• Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester, bookerymht.com) has a full slate of author visits and other events this fall.Author visits include Jennifer Anne Gordon launching her thriller Perfect Wives, Perfect Lies on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m.; local children’s author Naomi Fredette reading on Sunday, Sept. 13, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Constance Hays Matsumoto in conversation with Betsy Small on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m.; Alexus King presenting her romance novel Every Summer After You on Saturday, Sept. 19, 1-3 p.m.; local author Alicia-Leigh Smith holding a book launch and reading on Friday, Sept. 25, 5-6:30 p.m., and New Hampshire author Priscilla Corriveau Drouin signing copies of her middle-grade novel Desert Danger! Lost and Alone on Saturday, Sept. 26, 1-3 p.m.

Other special events at Bookery include the monthly Horror Book Talk with ThePalomaFiles on Saturday, Sept. 19, and Saturday, Oct. 17, at 1 p.m., where all are welcome to explore the dark side of fiction, share a love of chilling stories and trade thoughts with fellow fans; a Dirty Shirley Bar Crawl & Dungeon Crawler Carl themed games presented by The Desperado Club in conjunction with Granite State Comicon on Saturday, Sept. 19, 5-9 p.m.; a talk by New Hampshire author William Graser on“The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing” on Saturday, Sept. 26, 1-3 p.m., and a midnight release party for A Court of Thorns and Roses Book 6 from Monday, Oct. 26, at 10 p.m., until 1 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, where guests can enjoy themed snacks and drinks as well as activities and games, followed by the midnight book release.

• Water Street Bookstore (125 Water St., Exeter, waterstreetbooks.com) welcomes these authors to the store this fall: Alex Myers presents his latest novel, While We Were Silent, on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m.; Andrew Merton presents his latest book, Gloria Steinem Blurbed Me (And Other Miracles), on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m., and local author Emily Bean presents her novel, Let You Go, on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m.

• Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua, 589-4600, nashualibrary.org) has two author visits this fall. Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz will talk about her latest book, The Ballad of Fugitive William Parker: A True Tale of Love, Murder, Treason, and Ordinary Folks Who Saved America on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m.; books will be available for purchase and signing. And Ana Hebra Flaster visits to discuss this year’s Nashua Reads title, Property of the Revolution: From a Cuban Barrio to a New Hampshire Mill Town, on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m.; copies of the book will be available to purchase at the event, at Chandler Performance Arena in the Nashua Public Library, and event tickets can be purchased online for $10 via eventbrite.com or at the door for $15. Visit nashualibrary.org/252/Nashua-Reads.

• The Music Hall in Portsmouth (436-2400, themusichall.org) continues its Writers on a New England Stage series with R.F. Kuang discussing her new novel, Taipei Story, on Monday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Music Hall Historic Theater (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth), in conversation with NHPR All Things Considered host Julia Barnett; the ticket package is $57.75 and includes a hardcover copy of the book. The Music Hall’s Lit at the Lounge series continues with Mona Awad discussing her new novel, We Love You, Bunny, on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth); the ticket package is $35 and includes a signed paperback.

• Manchester City Library (405 Pine St., Manchester, 624-6550, manchesterlibrary.org) has a local author visit, a book sale and a talk on home organizing this fall. Local writer Robert B. Perreault will give a brief talk on the history of New England Franco-Americans as a context for a discussion of and brief readings from his novel Courtship in Purgatory, on Thursday, Sept. 24, 6-7 p.m. Then it’s the Fall Book Sale on Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m. to 1.p.m. in the Winchell Room, cash or check only; prices are $10 per average-sized grocery bag, with individual items available for purchase at $2 each for hardcovers, $1 each for most other materials. And on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 6 to 7 p.m. Bonnie Borromeo Tomlinson, author of Stop Buying Bins, Stop Pushing Perfection and the newly published You Don’t Need It, will be at the library to talk about home downsizing, organizing, system building and conscious consumerism.

• The Walker Lecture series of free events at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, walkerlecture.org) the fall includes “Japan: Spirited Away with Marlin Darrah” on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m., and dramatic readings Irish Voices with Stephen Collins and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” with Jeffrey Zygmonton Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m.

• Wadleigh Memorial Library (49 Nashua St., Milford, 249-0645) presents Robert B. Perreault discussing his historical novel, Courtship in Purgatory, on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m.; the program will include a brief introduction on the Franco-Americans of New England.

• The Tory Hill Author Series returns to Warner, presented by the Warner Historical Society, with MainStreet BookEnds as the bookseller, on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Warner Town Hall (Main Street). Tina Morris presents her book Return to the Sky: The Surprising Story of How One Woman and Seven Eaglets Helped Restore the Bald Eagle — meet the author, enjoy free desserts, get your book signed and celebrate America’s 250th. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students, available online at mainstreetbookends.com or warnerhistorical.org.

• Barnes & Noble in Nashua (235 DW Highway, bn.com) hosts John U. Bacon presenting his latest book, The Gales of November, on Sunday, Nov. 8, at noon.

CONCERTS

• Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com, has a full calendar of shows. The line-up currently includes An Evening with Emerson, Lake & Palmer featuring live footage from a 1992 concert alongside a performance by Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy Live on Thursday, Sept. 10, with a VIP Q&A at 5:30 p.m. and a concert at 8 p.m. (separate tickets are required); Matthew & Gunnar Nelson on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m.; Hammerfall with special guests Evergrey and Elvenking on Friday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m.; Aldo Nova on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m.; Guitar Monsters featuring Johnny A & Jon Butcher with special guest Dave Amato on Friday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.; John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m.; Stryper on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 8 p.m.; Unforgettable Fire (U2 tribute) on Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m.; Ann Wilson: The Voice of Heart & Tripsitter on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m.; Kashmir (the spirit of Led Zeppelin) on Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m.; Badfish (a tribute to Sublime) on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m.; Australia’s Thunder from Down Under on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m.; Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories Live on Friday, Oct. 16, at 8 p.m.; FJ (tribute to Foreigner and Journey) on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m.; Panorama and 4RPlay (tributes to The Cars and Boston) on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m.; With a Vengeance with Silent Season opening on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m.; GCS ft. Eric Gales, Dennis Chambers & Billy Sheehan on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 8 p.m.; Peter Wolf and the Midnight Travelers on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m.; The British Invasion Years on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m.; Bruce in the USA on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m.; The Outlaws on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m.; The Four Horsemen (tribute to Metallica) on Friday, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m.; Live and Let Die — The Music of Paul McCartney on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m.; Glenn Miller Orchestra on Sunday, Nov. 15, at noon and 4:30 p.m.; Queensryche with Lone Wolf James opening the show on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m.; Hollywood Nights (Bob Seger tribute) on Sunday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m.; The Fools on Friday, Nov. 27, at 8 p.m., and Adrenalize — The Ultimate Def Leppard Experience on Saturday, Nov. 28, at 8 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets and sign up for the newsletter that announces newly booked shows.

• The Capitol Center for the Arts has shows at both its Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord) and BNH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord) locations, according to ccanh.com, where you can purchase tickets.

At BNH Stage, shows include Tom DiMenna on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m.; Weird Phishes (Radiohead through the lens of Phish) on Friday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m.; Pete Yorn on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m.; Five for Fighting with String Quartet on Friday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m.; Duunes on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m.; Swing Dance Night featuring New Hampshire Jazz Orchestra on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 3:30 p.m.; Dueling Pianos on Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m.; Kawaii Rave on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m.; Golden! K-Pop Kids Dance Party on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 and 4:30 p.m.; Highway to the Rangerzone Open Mic with Andrew North and the Rangers on Wednesday, Oct. 7, Wednesday, Nov. 4, and Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 6:30 p.m.; Lee & Dr. G on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; Echoes of Floyd on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m.; Noah Gunderson on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Andrea Paquin on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 4 p.m.; Carsie Blanton with The Burning Hell opening on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m.; Brass Against on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m.; Mr. Aaron’s Halloween Bash on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 11 a.m.; The Free Range Revue with Black Zodiac on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m.; Jamantics on Friday, Nov. 6, at 8 p.m.; YellowHouse Blues Band on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m.; CelloGaygeum on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.; Blue Collar Men: A Styx Tribute on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m.; Seth Glier & Laurie MacAllister on Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m., and Swing Dance Night featuring New Hampshire Jazz Orchestra on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m., the website said.

At the Chubb Theatre, upcoming shows include An Evening with Celtic Thunder on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m.; The Billy Joel Legacy — A Tribute Experience on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m.; Lorrie Morgan on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Dirty Deeds: The AC/DC Experience on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m.; Laurie Berkner on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; The Disco Biscuits on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m.; Punch Brothers on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. and The Rush Tribute Project on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m., the website said.

• The Music Hall (Historic Theater at 28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth; Lounge at 131 Congress St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org) has a packed schedule of music through the fall.

At the Historic Theater, catch Here Come the Mummies on Friday, Sept. 18, at 8 p.m.; UB40 on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m.; Five for Fighting with a string quartet on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Little Feat: The Last Farewell Tour on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m.; Invincible (Michael Jackson tribute) on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m.; Lucinda Williams and her band on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 8 p.m.; The Carole King & James Taylor Story (tribute) on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m.; Vitamin String Quartet & Girl Named Tom on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m.; Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m.; The Blind Boys of Alabama Present Songs in the Key of Life on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 4 p.m.; The Breakers (Tom Petty tribute) on Friday, Oct. 30, at 8 p.m.; Black Violin: The Be Free Tour on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

At the Lounge, shows include Brendan Cleary on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m.; PMAC Jazz Night: 1980s Songbook Vol. 2, on Friday, Sept. 18, at 6:30 and 9 p.m.; Nellie McKay on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m.; Remi Good & Amy Jay on Thursday Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Jess Klein & Jenny Reynolds on Wednesday Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m.; Sophie B. Hawkins on Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m.; Sharon Jones on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m.; Amani Burnham on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m.; Henry Honkonen & Tyler Levs on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m.; Trae Sheehan on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m.; Ari Hest on Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m.; Adrienne Mack-Davis on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m.; Clifford Cameron’s Vinyl Quartet on Friday, Oct. 30, at 8 p.m.; Songbird: Halley Neal Sings Fleetwood Mac on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m.; JR Richards (Dishwalla original singer) on Tuesday Nov. 3, at 7 p.m.; The Lowest Pair on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 8 p.m.; Catie Curtis: C’mon Butterfly album release show on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m.; Dan Bern on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.; Michaela Anne on Friday, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m.; Antje Duvekot on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m., Hayley Reardon on Friday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m., and Griffin House on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 5 and 8 p.m., the website said.

• The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester) and its sister theater the Rex (23 Amherst in Manchester) have several shows on the schedule this season, according to palacethearte.org, where you can purchase tickets.

At the Rex Theatre, the schedule includes Vance Gilbert on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m.; American Elton on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 p.m.; The Edwards Twins from Las Vegas (the Ultimate Variety Show) on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m.; Seconds Out: A Tribute to the Music of Genesis on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7:30 p.m.; Forever Simon and Garfunkel: A Tribute on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 2 p.m.; RDMTION Reggae on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; An Evening with G.E. Smith and Jeff Kazee on Friday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m.; Panorama (A Tribute to the Cars) on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; Diaspora Radio Plays Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m.; Yesterday Once More: A Tribute to The Carpenters on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 2 p.m.; Jackson Browne Tribute Featuring Running on Jackson on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m.; All Revved Up: The Ultimate Meat Loaf Band on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.; Muse: A Salute to the Divas of the ’90s on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m.; Uncaged: Zac Brown Tribute on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; The Joshua Tree (U2 tribute) on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m.; The Corvettes Doo Wop Revuew on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m.; Back in Black: The Best AC/DC Experience on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m.; Daybreak — The Music & Passion of Barry Manilow on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Draw the Line — The Aerosmith Tribute Band on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m.; A Salute to Veteran’s Celebration with the Freese Brothers on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m.; Forever Ray: Honoring the Music of Ray Charles on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m.; Damn The Torpedoes — A Live Tom Petty Concert Experience on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m.; Willie Nile on Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Moondance — The Ultimate Tribute to Van Morrison on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Tributes to Journey and REO Speedwagon Friday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m., and Blues Brothers The Next Generation on Saturday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 p.m, the website said.

At the Palace Theatre the schedule includes Remembering John Denver featuring Ted Vigil on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Staying Alive (a tribute to the Bee Gees) on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m.; From Broadway to the Big Screen with Jenene Caramielo on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m., and The Music of the Steely Dan with The Steely Dan Project on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m., the website said.

• LaBelle Winery features concerts at both its Amherst (345 Route 101) and Derry (14 Route 111) locations, according to labellewinery.com, where you can purchase tickets for these events.

Shows scheduled in Derry include Outdoor String Quartet Candlelight Concert: ’90s Hits on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 8 p.m.; Lovesexy Concert: Tribute to the Music of Prince on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 8 p.m.; Nirvani Concert: A Tribute to Nirvana on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 8 p.m.; Barely Dead: Grateful Dead Tribute Concert on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 8 p.m., and Johnny Folsom 4: Johnny Cash Tribute Concert on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 8 p.m, the website said.

Shows scheduled in Amherst include A Farewell to Kings: Rush Tribute Concert on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 8 p.m.; Crybaby Concert: Tribute to the Music of Janis Joplin and Woodstock on Thursday, Oct. 1, 8 p.m.; Ladies of the ’80s Concert on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m.; Zepphalen: Led Zeppelin & Van Halen Tribute on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 8 p.m.; Halloween Disco Party with Booty Vortex Band on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 8 p.m.; Scenes: A Billy Joel Experience on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m., and 1 Wild Night: the Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute Concert on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 8 p.m., the website said.

• Pembroke City Limits, 134 Main St. in Suncook, pembrokecitylimits.com, features live music many Wednesdays through Sundays — Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m., for example, PCL will feature Baza Blues, according to the website. Some shows from the upcoming schedule include an Outlaw Country Tribute Show on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 2 to 5 p.m., the website said. On Sunday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 5 p.m. there will be a Musicians Retreat: “… an afternoon dedicated to helping musicians perform at their best — both physically and mentally! Connect with local vendors and professionals offering resources, demonstrations and services focused on improving meuidcal performance, preventing injuries…” and more, according to a post on the venue’s Facebook page.

• Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St. in Rochester, rochesteroperahouse.org, will present concerts including Whitestake: The Whitesnake Experience with ZeppHalen on Friday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m.; Blue Collar Men: The Music of Styx and the Doobie Brothers on Satursday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m.; The Young Dubliners on Friday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.; Stairway to Zeppelin on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m.; Northern Cross on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m., and Arrested Development on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Mr. Aaron’s Kids Music Fest takes place Saturday, Sept. 12, at the NH Statehouse on Main Street in downtown Concord from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. featuring the Mr. Aaron Band, Miss Alli, Friend Andrea, La La Squad and a kids’ music songwriting competition, according to Mr. Aaron’s Facebook page.

• Musicians for Meals, a benefit concert for Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County, will be held Saturday, Sept. 12, from noon to 10 p.m. at Riley’s Place, 29 B Mont Vernon St. in Milford, according to the Meals on Wheels Hillsborough Facebook page.

• Latino Vibes Festival 2026 will take place Saturday, Sept. 12, from noon to 9 p.m. in Veterans Park in Manchester featuring La Sonora Dinamita; Mala Fe; Chrissy I-EECE; Los Voces Originales Adolescentes; Jose Manuel, El Sultan De La Bachata; Moreno Rosario; Jassiell, La Nueva Cara Del Merengue; Javier Timbal; Anthony Torres, and Raul Mieres, El Conde De La Bachata, according tolatinovibefestival.com, where you can find a map to the park.

• Upcoming shows at Terminus Underground at New Hampshire Underground, 134 Haines St. in Nashua, newhampshireunderground.org/terminusunderground, include Ladies of Rock with Haunting Titans, Wired for Sound, Tiger Witch and Ashborne (with visual performance by Air Flow Projection Art) on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m.; Faces of Doom featuring Lizzy, Dust Project, Vale End and Lava Mama on Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m.; Leviathan of Sound featuring Void the Nobody, Trading Tombstones and Dank Sinatra on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m., and the Benefit for Mental Health with Phantasm, Witchspire, Graboid, Lobotomobile and Piss in Public on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Upcoming concerts at the Lakeport Opera House, 781 Union Ave. in Laconia, lakeportopera.com, include Garth Live: Ultimate Tribute on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m.; Angelz Fury (’80s metal) on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m.; Meat Loaf the Ultimate Tribute on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Aquanett (’80s rock tribute) on Saturday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Andres Institute of Art, 16 Route 13, Brookline, andresinstitute.org, will continue Act II of its 2026 concert series with shows including Modern Fools with Brother Seamus & The Dudes on Saturday, Sept. 12; Soggy Po’ Boys on Friday, Sept. 18; Etch & The Youngs with Straight A’s on Saturday, Sept. 19; Diplomats of Funk on Friday, Oct. 2; The Far Out on Friday, Oct. 16; Folksoul on Saturday, Nov. 7; Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters on Saturday, Nov. 14; Ballou Brothers on Saturday, Nov. 21, and Compaq Big Band on Dec. 12, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, 819-9336, jewelmusicvenue.com, has several big shows on its schedule including Resurrection: Back to Skull on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m.; Swarmiefest on Saturday, Sept. 19, at noon; Filth, Slated, Provenance, Fall Of Atlantis, Pit Wolves, Gutted Twice on Monday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m.; Chaos Rising! Vctms, Lost In Separation, EverChanger, Murder Monday, Quick! Before the Outbreak, Tomorrow Untold, Faith In Silence and Funeral Thirst on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m.; Beyond 30 presents Daytime Clubbing on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 4 p.m.; Kings Court Booking & Radical Image Press presents Howling Giant, John Fox and Sundrifter on Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m.; Kings Court Booking & Radical Image Press presents Rocktober Halloween! with He Is Legend, In Angels, Excide, Parts Per Million, Dead Fiction, Socially Problematic Children and Reapercussion on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m.; Hachi Halloween 3 with Kumarion, Venture 5 (East Coast Debut), Mr.Eyeslee, Sokomodo and J-rawk on Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m.; Resurrection: Angels vs. Demons on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m., and Kings Court Booking & Radical Image Press presents The Great Turkey Massacre! With Primer 55, Redefined, Makes My Blood Dance, Scarecrow Hill, The Grey Curtain, Found Piece, Under The Horizon, Pit Wolves, Throttle Hyde and Piss In Public on Friday, Nov. 20, at 6 p.m., according to Jewel’s Facebook page, where you can find links to purchase tickets.

• The Flying Monkey 39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com, has a lineup of concerts (all starting at 7:30 p.m.) including Chris Knight featuring Chance Stanley on Saturday, Sept. 12; Draw the Line The Ultimate Aerosmith Tribute on Friday, Sept. 18; Donna the Buffalo on Thursday, Sept. 24; Almost Queen (tribute to Queen) on Friday, Sept. 25; A Band of Brothers (Allman Brothers tribute) on Saturday, Sept. 26; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra on Thursday, Oct. 1; Crystal Ship (tribute to the Doors) on Friday, Oct. 2; Damn the Torpedoes (tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) on Saturday, Oct. 3; Monkey Karaoke Monster Mash with DJ Angie & Bob on Tuesday, Oct. 6; A Farewell to Kings (Rush tribute) on Thursday, Oct. 8; Badfish (tribute to Sublime) on Friday, Oct. 9; The Travelin’ McCourys on Thursday, Oct. 15; FJ (music of Foreigner, Journey and classic legends) on Friday, Oct. 16; Bruce Cockburn & Livingston Taylor on Tuesday, Oct. 20; The Speed of Sound & Sneaky Miles (soul-rock quartet featuring Spencer Albee) on Friday, Oct. 23; Upstate on Saturday, Oct. 24; Gaelic Storm on Sunday, Oct. 25; Story Songs of the ’70s: Fall Edition presented by Tom DiMenna on Friday, Nov. 6; Music Bingo with DJ Angie & Bob on Tuesday, Nov. 10; CJ Solar & The Old Souls featuring Rick Huckaby on Friday, Nov. 13; The Slambovian Circus of Dreams on Saturday, Nov. 14; Monkey Karaoke Jingle Jam with DJ Angie and Bob on Tuesday, Dec. 1, and Fed Tacket and Scott Sharrard from Little Feat on Thursday, Dec. 17, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The season at BankNH Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane in Gilford, banknhpavilion.com, wraps up in September with shows including O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw and KT Tunstall,with MikelParis on the Hazy Little Stage, on Sunday, Sept. 13; Hayley Williams, Magdalena Bay and Rico Nasty, with Cozy Throne on the Hazy Little Stage, on Monday, Sept. 14; Dan + Shay, Tyler Hubbard and Josh Ross, with Everway on the Hazy Little Stage, on Friday, Sept. 18; Dermot Kennedy and Jonah Kagen, with Sunday Ave. on the Hazy Little Stage, on Thursday, Sept. 24, and Jason Aldean, Chase Matthew, Mackenzie Carpenter and Dee Jay Silver on Friday, Sept. 25, with AK Cody on the Hazy Little Stage and on Saturday, Sept. 26, with Whiskey-6 on the Hazy Little Stage, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Averill House Vineyard, 21 Averill Road in Brookline, averillhousevineyard.com, has live music on Sundays at 1:30 p.m. The upcoming schedule includes Jae Mannion on Sept. 13; Mark Winters on Sept. 20; Gus & Jean on Sept. 27; Side Effects on Oct. 4, and D. Heywood & Dee Kimble on Oct. 11, according to the website.

• The Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St. in Laconia, coloniallaconia.com, has several concerts on the schedule. Shows include Welcome Back My Friends (featuring video performance of Emerson and Lake from 1992 and live on-stage performance with Carl Palmer and his own ELP legacy band) on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m.; Classic Stones Live on Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m.; Celebrating Meat Loaf: Bat Out of Helloween on Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m.; Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime the Final Chapter on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7:30 p.m., and Tusk: The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St. in Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com, has several concerts on its schedule, including Kenny G on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; Gimme Gimme Disco on Friday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.; The Carpenters Songbook on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; Pat Metheny: Side-Eye III+ on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m., Emo Night Brooklyn on Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m.; 40 Fingers on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.; The Concert: A Tribute for ABBA on Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m.; Celebrate Celine with Jenene Caramielo on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.; Classic Albums Live: Led Zeppelin II on Friday, Oct. 16, at 8 p.m.; Neko Case Neon Grey Midnight Green Tour with support from Destroyer on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m.; Melvin Seals & JGB on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m.; Here Come the Mummies on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Howlin’ Halloween Concert: Independent Art and Music with Playing Dead and Guests on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 6 p.m.; Andy Grammer Greater Than Part II: A One Man Show on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 p.m.; AJ McLean presents Alexander James: The Better Man Tour on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m.; Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives Saturday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m.; Close Enemies featuring Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith with support from Jeff Hilliard on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m.; Tusk: The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m.; Sarah Jarosz on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m.; Taylorville (an unofficial live tribute band) on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 4 p.m.; Cowboy Junkies on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Face 2 Face: Tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel on Friday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m.; Jessica Lynn’s A Very Merry Classic Christmas on Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m., and Beginnings: A Celebration of the Music of Chicago on Friday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord, theaudi.org, kicks off its season with an arts party and ice cream social on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m., according to the website. The Walker Lecture series opens its season with Vintage Rock ’n’ Roll with Richie and the High Street Rockers on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 p.m., according to the website, followed by Soulful Sounds with Lori Diamond, Fred Abatelli and special guest Anelise on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 7:30 p.m.; Studio Two (Beatles tribute) on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m.; An Evening of Bluegrass with Southern Rail Bluegrass Band on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m., and Connie Converse: Concord’s Cassandra with Howard Fishman (presentation about the artist) on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m., the website said. See walkerlecture.org. Other concerts at the Audi include the Concord Community Concert Association kicking off its season with The Limeliters on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; the Concord Coachmen Chorus presenting Harmony and Hilarity: A Night of Musical Mischief on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.; the Concord Community Concert Association presenting The Moanin’ Frogs on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m., and Recycled Percussion on Saturday, Nov. 28, at 4 and 7 p.m., according to theaudi.org, where you can find ticket information.

• Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd. in Hampton, casinoballroom.com, continues its season with concerts including Cheap Trick on Wednesday, Sept. 16; Dark Star Orchestra on Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19; Lee Brice with Grace Tyler on Sunday, Sept. 20; W.A.S.P. with special guest KK’s Priest on Wednesday, Sept. 30; Scotty McCreery on Thursday, Oct. 15; Voyage — Celebrating the Music of Journey on Friday, Oct. 23; An Evening with Rumours of Fleetwood Mac on Saturday, Oct. 31; Corrosion of Conformity & The Sword with Hippie Death Cult on Wednesday, Nov. 4; Clutch with Slomosa & Blood Venture on Thursday, Nov. 5; Beat (performing the music of King Crimson) on Saturday, Nov. 7; Greensky Bluegrass on Friday, Nov. 20, and Mitchell Tenpenny on Saturday, Nov. 21, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Range, 96 Old Turnpike Road, Mason, 878-1324, therangemason.com, will finish out its summer of concerts with The Machine performs Pink Floyd on Friday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m., and Town Meeting on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 5 p.m., along with other live music shows, according to the website.

• The Southern New Hampshire Ukulele Group will hold its 10th annual SNHUGFEST on Saturday, Sept. 19, starting at 11 a.m. at the Rotary Arts Pavilion in Dover, a “free, all-day festival” featuring “live ukulele performances from local and visiting bands, food vendors, raffle prizes and interactive play-along jams” to raise money for Ukulele Kids Club, according to a press release. See theukc.org/snhugfest-x.

• Riley’s Place, 29 B Mont Vernon St. in Milford, rileysplacellc.com, will also host the 2026 White Horse Reunion on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 1 to 9 p.m., featuring Ballou Brothers, Aces & Eights, Truffle, Bat Magoon Band and Oliver Sudden, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Hidden Gem (formerly the The Listening Room), 33 Howard St., Wilton, 732-3815, musicandrockshop.com, has concerts on its schedule including Bosey Joe on Saturday, Sept. 19; Brian Dolzani on Sunday, Sept. 20; Footings with Caitlin Wilder on Sunday, Sept. 27; Spooky Special with Dr. Gasp! & Cryin’ Caleb on Saturday, Oct. 3, and Twilight Lullabies with Savoir Faire, Lynda Mandolyn & Darling Hill on Saturday, Oct. 17, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets and get updates on future shows.

• Franklin Opera House, franklinoperahouse.org, is presenting upcoming concerts including Devine * Nix on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Franklin Public Library, and Jack & Tim on Friday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. at the library, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Fourth Annual Live Free Fest takes place Saturday, Sept. 26, from 12:30 to 8:30 p.m. (gates open at 11:30 a.m.) in Hillsborough County Fairground, 17 Hilldale Lane in New Boston, according to the event’s Facebook page. The musical line-up includes Los River Fleet, Cozy Throne, Thoughtstick, cellardoor, Cloth Mother, Roaches, Saguaro and Jiggry Pokery, the post said. The event will also include a Half Pipe Jam, tug of war, food trucks, dodgeball, a pie eating contest, a cornhole tournament, and a vendor village, the post said. Purchase tickets at livefreefestnh.com.

• At the CAKE Theatre, 12 Veterans Square in Laconia, thecaketheatre.com, catch Recycled Percussion onSaturday, Sept. 26, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 25, at 4 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 1, at 4 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 and 7 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Jonas Brothers will bring the Burning Up Tour: All Over Again to SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St. in Manchester, on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m., according to snhuarena.com, where you can purchase tickets.

• PorchFest 2026 is a “free outdoor music festival in downtown Rochester” that features “over 50 local bands, duos and solo artists performing on more than 20 stages throughout downtown Rochester,” and it takes place Sunday, Sept. 27, starting at noon, according to rochesteroperahouse.org, where you can check back for a map and a music schedule.

• Musical offerings at the Stockbridge Theatre (5 Pinkerton St. in Derry, pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre) include Yesterday and Today: An Interactive Beatles Experience on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m.

• Blasty Bough Brewing 3 Griffin Road, Epsom, blastybough.com/blastytrad, continues its BlastyTrad concerts with Ethan Setiawan and Fine Ground on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m.; Laura Cortese on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m.; Hanz Araki on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m., and Alison Lupton on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

• Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester, tickets.anselm.edu, will present the New Hampshire Jazz Orchestra with “Swingin’ to Victory: A Big Band Salute to the Greatest Generation” on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

Cocktails to toast the change of season

The calendar says it’s still summer, but customers are already on Rachael Jones’s case about apple drinks.

“The way that we structure our cocktail menu,” she said, “is we change it four times a year, seasonally. But, people are already asking me about fall drinks. I had someone on Sunday like, ‘Do you have apple cider yet?’ I’m like, ‘It is a hundred degrees outside!’ It’s still going to be patio season for at least another month, hopefully.”

Spice it up

One of Jones’s responsibilities at the Firefly Bistro in Manchester is developing seasonal bar menus. She said that earlier in the summer, when the weather was oppressively hot, the focus was on light, spritzer-y drinks with a lot of citrus.

“When we introduce the fall menu, there are some items that definitely lean into the pumpkin and the apple cider,” Jones said, but this end-of-summer/not-quite-autumn period lets her staff play with drink specials that have more rounded flavors.

“We have a couple of fun items — we make a fun Sarsaparilla Old-Fashioned, for instance.That’s awesome for cooler weather — you get your bourbon with a little bit of that sarsaparilla flavor, almost like a root beer flavor. Because it’s an old-fashioned, it’s made in a rocks glass. We make a Madagascar vanilla bean simple syrup, and use that as the sweetener, and then a little bit of sarsaparilla bitters, and it’s perfect for patio sipping, but it is a darker liquor, so that helps ease into the cooler nights, for sure.”

Bengali Mule
adapted from Firefly’s concept

2 ounces rye whiskey
¾ ounce garam masala syrup (see below)
1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
3 ounces ginger beer
2 ounces very bubbly club soda

Mix rye, syrup and lime juice with ice in a mixing glass. Stir thoroughly.
Add ginger beer and club soda. Stir gently to keep the carbonation intact.
Strain over ice.
Traditionally, all mules are served in a copper cup, but feel free to use a Collins glass.

Garam Masala Syrup
1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (227 g) water
1 Tablespoon ground garam masala – This could be whatever curry powder you have on hand, but let’s face it; you have no idea how long you’ve had that. Most whole spices should be replaced once a year, but ground spices and spice mixes go stale much more quickly and are really only good for six months or so. This will be a good excuse for you to buy some fresh curry spices. The pre-ground stuff is fine for this application, but if you decide you want to go a step further, buy a bag of whole garam masala spices, toast them in a dry pan when you want them, and grind them yourself.

Heat all three ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for 30 seconds or so, to make certain that the sugar has gone completely into solution, then remove from the heat. Let the mixture steep for 20 to 30 minutes, then strain it, and store it in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

Jones said another of her favorite drinks during this shoulder season between summer and fall is called a Bengali Mule. “That one has a spicier rye whiskey as the base,” she said. ”And then we’re using a garam masala simple syrup. So if you’re familiar with garam masala, it’s similar to chai spice, but it has a few more savory elements like cumin and coriander in there as well. That’s a good bridge cocktail going into the fall.”

It’s important to listen to the customers when she’s designing a menu, Jones said, but that doesn’t always help when she’s planning a month or more in advance.

“Our fall menu will start just after Labor Day,” she said, “and then our winter menu starts just after Thanksgiving. It’s not necessarily what customers want right now, but it’s what they’ll want in a month.”

“One of the items coming up on the fall menu that would be really nice right now,” Jones said, “is a late summer bridge drink we call The Golden Hour. It’s sort of modeled off of a classic Gold Rush. So that cocktail is just a basic bourbon, with a honey and lemon base. For this, we use a lighter bourbon with a strawberry amaro. That can be hard to get hold of, but it has a really nice strawberry flavor with balanced bitter notes of [an Italian bitter liqueur], and then we’re infusing honey with fresh sage and adding lemon juice, so it gets a little bit of savoryness. It’s perfect for a cooler night.”

Fruits of early fall

For Christine Hepner, the lead bartender at Mesozoic Tiki Bar in Nashua, finding the best drinks for this time of year was rolled into the bigger job of coming up with the cocktail list for the new bar, which opened less than a month ago.

“Fortunately,” she said, “with tiki drinks, it’s an all-year thing. They’re always a good choice. Once we turn into winter, we’ll add some martinis to the menu that might have a heavier base and aren’t a twist on a tiki classic.”

Bar co-owner Aaron Shelton agreed but said that the fruit-forward flavors in most tiki cocktails make them very well suited for the end of summer.

“With a tiki drink,” he said, “you want a cocktail that allows you to escape reality, so you feel like you’re on vacation. Tiki balances tropical fruit flavors, but also with a particular rum.”

Or more than one rum. Hepner pointed out that rums cover a spectrum of flavors.

“Some rums carry a lot of caramel flavors,” she said, “and that’s what you’ll taste. With others you’ll taste a lot of allspice and some of the very Caribbean spices that aren’t very native to our area. The lighter rums will taste a lot different than a darker rum, where you’ll get more of those caramel notes or that clovey kind of taste within them. So they’re not all the same. Captain Morgan’s very different from Smith & Cross.”

“It can be surprisingly complicated,” Shelton added. “Two rums might have the same color profile but completely different flavor profile. Some of them have a musky, ‘funky’

flavor that we might balance with a lighter, sweeter rum.”

Hepner said her personal recommendation for a late summer cocktail is a classic mai tai. “I love a good mai tai,” she said. “And making one well doesn’t happen by accident. I’ve had some pretty bad mai tais. Ours, though, are phenomenal.”

Hepner said another drink for late summer is one of Mesozoic’s recipes.

“It’s called the Clever Girl,” she said. ”We’ve gotten wonderful feedback on it. It has prosecco, vodka and elderflower liqueur. It’s super-refreshing and has a fruit punch ice sphere. The presentation is gorgeous, as well as the flavor.”

Down the street at CodeX B.A.R., the bartenders work under aliases.

Rusty (the one with red hair) and Stretch (the tall one) said late summer is the best time to focus on fresh summer fruits in their cocktails.

“It’s an interesting time of year, cocktail-wise,” Stretch said. “At the end of the summer, for me, what’s most exciting is blueberry season. They just came in. I just got my blueberry syrup all ready to go, today. I’m all about just taking classic cocktails and blueberry-ifying them; that’s really fun for me. This is the time of year when you get to use a lot of fresh, local fruit. Earlier in the summer, I love using strawberries — going to the farm, picking those, and getting the really red strawberries. But by the end of the summer we move into things like stone fruit, as those come into season, cherries, blueberries, peaches, and even figs. We have a fig vodka that we infused that we’re going to be using very soon. We’re just sitting on that until we have a perfect recipe to use it in.”

Rusty agreed that blueberries are a great cocktail ingredient for the late summer, because of their versatility.

“Mint, basil, thyme — blueberry is a flavor that goes great with all these herby green things. The seasons are fun, especially the in-betweens for me. The super-savory flavors you get in winter, versus the super-fruity, super-cold, crushable, summer stuff. I like the in-between stuff. Right now it’s still fairly hot during the day, and using a lot of these ingredients is really refreshing. And of course it’s the perfect time of year for tiki drinks.”

A classic mai tai
¾ ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
½ ounce fruit syrup – you can absolutely make your own from fresh fruit and sugar, but in an emergency the juice from a can of fruit cocktail can work, too
¼ ounce orgeat (almond syrup)
½ ounce dry Curacao
2 ounces dark, aged rum – Pusser’s is a good choice

Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake enthusiastically, until you hear the ice start to break into tiny shards.
Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a tropical flower or a tiny paper umbrella
Fruity and sweet, but not too sweet, with a sophisticated rummy hit at the end, this is an excellent way to see the summer off and wish it well.

Gateway flavors

Jill Barnett is the bar manager at Lovejoy in Milford. She said a summer cocktail ingredient that doesn’t get enough attention is rhubarb.

“Rhubarb’s good,” she said. “I had a rhubarb drink once called Rhubarb’s Drag Race. (Naming cocktails is a big challenge, but super-fun when you find a really good one.)”

Barnett said that by late summer, cooler nights mean she can use flavors with more body than during the hottest part of the summer.

Tomato Spritz
Courtesy Krista Fisher, Local Street Eats

1 ounce botanical gin – Fisher said she likes this with an Irish gunpowder gin
¼ ounce dry vermouth
1 ounce tomato water, made from muddling fresh tomatoes – Fisher suggests cherry tomatoes
¼ ounce tomato shrub (see below)
Prosecco or club soda to top
Serve over ice in a wine glass or a tall Collins glass, garnished with a cherry tomato and fresh dill.

Tomato Shrub
¾ cup halved cherry tomatoes
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 ounces dry rose wine
¾ ounce red wine vinegar
Cook in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the cherry tomatoes are soft, then puree and strain once it has cooled.

“I think I tend to use orange juice a lot more at the end,” she said, adding that it isn’t too early to start using warmer fall spices. “At this time, pretty much every year, I’ll usually make a big batch of allspice dram, and throw that in some cocktails for that fall flavor. Even if you just add a little bit to a drink, it gives you a great flavor.”

(Jill Barnett on making allspice dram from scratch: “You can just get like a spice grinder — I used a mortar and pestle for a while, but that’s tough. You grind up the allspice berries and infuse it into a light rum, like Bacardi, and just infuse it for a week. After a week, you add however many cinnamon sticks you want for the size of the batch, then let it sit for another day or two. Then you just strain it and mix it half-and-half with a rich simple syrup [two parts sugar to one part water] to make it into a liqueur. If you look hard enough, you can find it and buy it, but it’s always more cost-effective to just make it yourself.”)

One of the things that makes allspice such a good gateway flavor between summer and fall cocktails, Barnett said, is that it’s a classic ingredient in tropical drinks, “but allspice kind of reminds people of cloves and other spices that go well with apples. I used it with an apple shrub — I made an apple-cinnamon shrub, then mixed it with tequila and lemon. It’s super-easy, but people just found it a really tasty combination. That’s my kind of drinks — they’re not always the most complex, but I think that I prefer them to be easy to make, but also balanced and yummy.”

A shrub is a sweet-and-tart syrup, usually made from fresh fruit, sugar and vinegar.

Still sipping in summer

“I definitely try not to rush summer,” Krista Fisher said, “especially in New England. I feel like we really want to hang onto it for as long as possible. So I definitely don’t jump right into the fall flavors right away, but there is that sort of in-between time right now, where we’re starting to get away from watermelon-flavored things and moving into other flavors that aren’t quite fall flavors yet.”

Fisher is the bar manager at Local Street Eats in Nashua. She, too, is a fan of end-of-summer blueberry cocktails. “Because all the produce around here is so fresh,” she said. “But also I think a huge trend right now is more savory cocktails. It’s tomato season for sure. I don’t personally grow them, but my mother-in-law brings them to me, my aunts — everyone’s bringing tomatoes to me. I remember thinking about it last year, toward the end of summer, about staying in that spritz category but maybe moving to a savory spritz, and using tomato as a fruit as opposed to just a vegetable. So something like a tomato with dry vermouth and prosecco and lemon juice is really refreshing, but not that sweet cocktail you feel like in June. Nothing beats an heirloom tomato fresh-picked, you know?”

Fisher says that because gardens are at their peak right now she takes a lot of inspiration from what is at its freshest and most flavorful: “I’m doing blueberry-basil lemonades right now, and using more herbs that are fresh from the garden.” At this time of year, she said, that is the flavor of abundance. “We incorporate dill a lot of the time,” she said. “We have a house-made brine, and the fresher the herbs the better. So I’m a big fan of dill. We just did a Mediterranean martini. It was a really simple gin martini, but jazzing it up with those things like a feta-stuffed olive, fresh lemon peels, and then fresh dill. It’s just so aromatic when you get to work with fresher herbs and ingredients like that.”

Blueberry Basil Mojito
inspired by CodeX B.A.R.

Several fresh basil leaves – this will vary depending on your type of basil and how much you like it.
Tiny pinch of coarse sugar
2 ounces white or silver rum
¾ ounce blueberry syrup (see below)
1 cup crushed ice
5-6 ounces extra bubbly club soda

In the bottom of a pint glass or a Collins glass, muddle the basil leaves and the sugar. You don’t want to take it completely to the paste stage — you want to still be able to identify bits of leaves — but let it know who’s boss.
Add the rum, stir thoroughly, then walk away for a few minutes to let the alcohol strip away some of the flavors in the basil that are not water-soluble.
Upon returning, add the rest of the ingredients, and stir with a long-handled bar spoon. Serve in the glass you mixed it in, and garnish with a couple small basil leaves. Offer your guest a straw, which might be the most civilized way to drink a mojito.

Blueberry Syrup
An equal amount, by weight, of fresh or frozen blueberries and sugar. Even if you have access to super-fresh, flavorful berries, freeze them. Ice crystals will poke holes in the blueberry cells and help syrup-ify them.
Juice of half a lemon
In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, cook the berries and sugar down into a syrup, stirring often. You will be surprised how much liquid the frozen berries will release. Mash the berries from time to time with the back of a spoon or even a potato masher. Bring the mixture to a boil to make certain the sugar has completely dissolved.
Remove from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice, then leave everything to sit and get to know each other for half an hour or so, while it cools. Then strain the syrup and store it in your refrigerator for your cocktail and pancake needs for up to a month. Eat the leftover blueberry conserve on a piece of sourdough toast with too much butter.

This is the time of year, Fisher said, when spritzes start to get a little backbone to them.

“We’re kind of getting to more wine-forward spritzes,” she said. “Even if you’re still keeping it a little bit light, red wine is kind of coming back into the scene of the season. People are ready to put on a little bit more flavor and not just focusing on [drinks] that aren’t just about keeping you refreshed.”

There are subtle signs in late summer drinks, Fisher said, of sweater-weather drinks from later in the year, if you know to look for them.

“There are little ways they creep in,” she said. “So, this might not be full-blown Manhattan season yet, but maybe something like a whiskey sour with maple kind of eases us into it — still lemony and refreshing, but with those pre-fall flavors.”

Summer-to-fall cocktail makers
Firefly Bistro and Bar (22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com) is open Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with brunch hours on Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday dinner from 4 to 9 p.m., and Sunday dinner from 4 to 8 p.m.

Mesozoic Tiki Bar & Lounge (97 Main St., Nashua, 204-5236, mesozoictiki.com) is open Wednesday and Thursday, from 4 to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 4 to 11 p.m.

CodeX B.A.R. (29 Main St., Nashua) is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 5 p.m. to midnight

Lovejoy Restaurant (40 Nashua St., Milford, 554-8430, lovejoynh.com) is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 5 to 9 p.m.

Local Street Eats (112 W. Pearl St., Nashua, 402-4435, local-streeteats.com) is open Tuesday through Thursday, from 4 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 4 to 11 p.m.

Featured photo: Gluten-free loaves at Dishon Bakery. Photo by John Fladd.