Category: Cover Stories

Test your knowledge at trivia night, live out your rock star dreams and win prizes by listening to your favorite tunes.

New Hampshire’s nightlife scene has plenty to offer, with games and events happening at local bars, restaurants and pubs nearly every night of the week. Check out where you can go to test your knowledge with trivia nights, live out your rock star dreams with karaoke nights, or even win prizes by simply listening to your favorite tunes with musical bingo.

Name that tune

Listen to music, win prizes during musical bingo

By Matt Ingersoll

mingersoll@hippopress.com

Musical bingo is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of letters and numbers like in a traditional game of bingo, you’re given a card filled with squares of song titles and recording artist names. The DJ or event host plays a clip of a song, and it’s your job to identify a match shown on your bingo card. In a normal game, the clips continue until the first player is able to match five squares in a row on their card, whether it be vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

It’s a weekly activity at area bars and restaurants that finds a happy medium between trivia and karaoke nights for its interactivity, said Gregory Nickerson, owner and founder of Musical Bingo Nation. Since launching in 2018, the entertainment company has grown to now host several public musical bingo events at venues across southern New Hampshire, as well as Massachusetts and Florida. Musical bingo is played every Wednesday night at Shopper’s Pub + Eatery in Manchester and at The Barnyard Venue in Candia, for instance, and on Thursday nights you can play at Backyard Brewery & Kitchen in the Queen City or at Main Street Grill and Bar in Pittsfield. All public musical bingo events are free to play, with the chance to win prizes. The company also offers private musical bingo events and even virtual events via Zoom.

Nickerson, a professional DJ for more than a decade playing in venues across New England, said he got the idea of launching Musical Bingo Nation after coming across the game online.

“I was really intrigued by the concept, because it created an engagement that I had never found at an event, other than playing the right music for a specific crowd that’s there for it,” he said.

Each game consists of different rounds, featuring songs that encompass a specific genre, decade or theme of music. You could be playing in a classic rock or reggae round, for instance, or a “one-hit wonders” theme — more than 50 different music rounds are featured across each event.

“We play enough of the song for the player to essentially try and figure it out, so songs like ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’ or ‘Crazy,’ by Gnarls Barkley, for instance … you can hear [the name] multiple times in the chorus,” Nickerson said. “There are a couple of cool things we do like that, to be able to help engage players that might not know the song off the top of their head. … It’s also a cool way to make new friends, because we encourage players at our events to ask the table next to them if they might not know the song, and one table could share a song with another.”

Musical Bingo Nation has a whole team of DJs and event hosts, and you’ll never know which themes will be featured at each public musical bingo event until you actually sit down and play.

“We like to make it a surprise, and that allows our hosts to be flexible too,” Nickerson said. “If we were planning on doing ‘top hits of the 2000s’ but it’s a classic rock crowd, then they can swap that. It allows us to … cater to whatever age, demographic or crowd is in front of us.”

Jennifer Mitchell of Good Vibes Music Bingo, which holds free public events at Salona Bar & Grill in Manchester on Monday nights and at Backyard Grill Burgers & Wings in Seabrook on Tuesday nights, said she got into hosting the game after trying it out as a player. Her games also randomly shuffle the theme of the songs played each night and, prior to the start of every game, players are given a free space that they can pick anywhere on their card.

“I give them anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds of the song, and typically in that amount of time will be the song title,” Mitchell said, adding that, depending on the venue, players sometimes may be allowed to use song recognition apps like Shazam or SoundHound to help them out.

Prizes normally include gift cards or certificates to whichever restaurant, bar or venue you’re playing in. Mitchell said she has also seen some venues give out scratch tickets, or various swag such as T-shirts, keychains and beer koozies. Salona Bar & Grill even has a cash coverall, or a jackpot cash prize that rolls over each week, for anyone who can mark every single square on their bingo card within a certain amount of songs played.

But while everyone loves winning prizes, Nickerson added that the game has also proven to be a fun way for players to broaden their musical knowledge and horizons.

“In my eyes, one of the reasons I started this company was because I felt like I was keeping music history alive … [and] all those songs that are essentially disappearing off the radio,” he said. “We’re keeping them in play on a regular basis to hundreds and sometimes thousands of people each week, so that was the beauty of it. … I feel like it’s the best music game out there.”

Where to play musical bingo

Here’s a list of local restaurants, bars and pubs where you can go every weeknight to try your luck at a game of musical bingo. Know of a spot not listed here? Let us know at music@hippopress.com to include in our weekly Music This Week listings.

Backyard Brewery & Kitchen
1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545, backyardbrewerynh.com
When: Thursdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Featuring: Musical Bingo Nation, musicalbingonation.com

Backyard Grill Burgers & Wings
5 Provident Way, Seabrook, 760-2581, backyardgrillnh.com
When: Tuesdays, 7 to 9 p.m.
Featuring: Good Vibes Music Bingo, jennifermitchellmusic.com

The Barnyard Venue
285 Old Candia Road, Candia, 483-4888, barnyardvenue.com
When: Wednesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Featuring: Musical Bingo Nation, musicalbingonation.com

Fody’s Tavern
9 Clinton St., Nashua, 577-9015; 187 Rockingham Road, Derry, 404-6946; fodystavern.com
When: Tuesdays, 8 to 10 p.m. (Nashua); Thursdays, 8 to 10 p.m. (Derry)
Featuring: JB Entertainment, find them on Facebook

The Goat Bar and Grill
142 Congress St., Portsmouth, 590-4628, goatnh.com
When: Mondays, 7 to 9 p.m.
Featuring: Musical Bingo Nation, musicalbingonation.com

JB’s on the Boardwalk
187 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach, 926-1420, jbsnh.com
When: Tuesdays, 8 to 11 p.m.
Featuring: Music Bingo by Ironic, ironic.it/musicbingo

Logan’s Run Restaurant & Sports Bar
816 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 926-4343, logansrunrestaurant.com
When: Tuesdays, 6 to 8 p.m.
Featuring: Game of Tunes, gametimetrivia.com

Main Street Grill and Bar
32 Main St., Pittsfield, 435-0005, mainstreetgrillandbar.com
When: Thursdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Featuring: Musical Bingo Nation, musicalbingonation.com

McGarvey’s Saloon
1097 Elm St., Manchester, 627-2721, mcgarveysnh.com
When: Wednesdays, 9 to 11 p.m.
Featuring: Perfect Entertainment, perfectne.com

Saddle Up Saloon
92 Route 125, Kingston, 347-1313, saddleupsaloonnh.com
When: Wednesdays, 7 to 9 p.m.
Featuring: Musical Bingo Nation, musicalbingonation.com

Salona Bar & Grill
128 Maple St., Manchester, 624-4020, find them on Facebook @salona
When: Mondays, 6 to 8 p.m. (no bingo on Sept. 5)
Featuring: Good Vibes Music Bingo, jennifermitchellmusic.com

Shane’s Texas Pit
61 High St., Hampton, 601-7091, shanes-texas-pit.com
When: Tuesdays, 6 to 9 p.m.

Shopper’s Pub + Eatery
18 Lake Ave., Manchester, 232-5252, shoppersmht.com
When: Wednesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Featuring: Musical Bingo Nation, musicalbingonation.com

Smuttlabs Brewery & Kitchen
47 Washington St., Dover, 343-1782, smuttynose.com
When: Fridays, 6 to 8 p.m.

Wally’s
144 Ashworth Ave., Hampton, 926-6954, wallysnh.com
When: Tuesdays, 9 to 11 p.m.
Featuring: Musical Bingo Nation, musicalbingonation.com

Whym Craft Pub & Brewery
853 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 601-2801, whym.beer
When: Thursdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Featuring: Music Bingo by Ironic, ironic.it/musicbingo

Sing your heart out

A look at southern New Hampshire’s thriving karaoke scene

By Katelyn Sahagian

ksahagian@hippopress.com

Karaoke is more than just singing along to some song on an old stereo system into a half-dead microphone and reading lyrics from a tiny monitor. Many DJs and venues in New Hampshire take it to the next level, featuring specialty equipment and live bands.

George Cox of Cox Karaoke, based in Manchester, said that karaoke should feel like you’re a rock star playing your own concert.

“I love the fact that people can get up and perform in front of an audience,” Cox said. “It brings a lot of people together.”

While almost all karaoke nights will have singers choose a song from a list, sign up for a designated time and sing away, Cox said he tries to make the experience much more special. From a hard drive with more than 100,000 songs to sound systems that add layered vocal effects to the singers, Cox said he is focused on giving the best experience possible to performers.

“When you come to one of my shows, it sounds like a professional show,” Cox said. “It’s like singing at your own concert.”

Cox was the DJ for Manchester Idol, a local singing competition held at The Goat Bar and Grill in Manchester earlier this summer. It was so popular, he said, that people came from as far as Boston, Connecticut and Rhode Island for their shot at winning a $3,000 grand prize.

“I couldn’t believe the amazing talent [of] the people who came,” he said. “There was a line out the door.”

Erica Fleury, one of the co-owners of The Goat, said that she had known the competition would be popular since she had competed in one years ago with a much smaller prize.

“We just wanted to give … a huge prize away to get some real talent to come out,” Fleury said, adding that Cox’s fans coming to the competition made it even more popular than she had hoped for it to be. “I was surprised it did even better than I thought.”

While there’s no set date yet, Fleury said she is planning to host another Manchester Idol competition sometime later this winter. Right now, karaoke will continue at The Goat through the summer. Fleury said that she wants to see how it does with college students to see if it’ll continue being a weekly event — or if it will slow down to every other week or stop altogether until the next competition.

Cox, who has been working as a karaoke DJ for a decade in southern New Hampshire, said that he’s seen nothing but a boom in popularity for the activity over the years. Even with the pandemic causing most events to close, Cox said that he worked with South Side Tavern, across the Queen City on South Willow Street, to set up an outdoor karaoke night.

“It was the biggest gig of my karaoke career,” Cox said. “I didn’t think people would show but it was packed. There were about 50 singers and a lot of newcomers.”

Fleury said that karaoke will be around for a very long time. She and her husband also own Wally’s in Hampton, where they have a live band performing the karaoke set. The goal, she said, is for you to feel less like you’re just singing for a crowd of people and more like you’re the headliner at your own concert.

“You’re able to be your alter ego when you get up there on stage,” Fleury said. “People like to do things when they go out other than just sit at a bar. It just gets the energy going in the room and livens up the night.”

Where to sing karaoke

Check out this list of venues in southern New Hampshire that offer karaoke. In most cases, singers can choose a song from a pre-selected list and sign up to sing at a designated time. Know of a spot not listed here? Let us know at music@hippopress.com to include in our weekly Music This Week listings.

American Legion Post 31
11 Charles St., Penacook, 753-9372, nhalpost31.org
When: Fridays, 7 p.m.
Featuring: JMitch Karaoke

Angel City Music Hall
179 Elm St., Unit B, Manchester, 931-3654, angelcitymusichall.com
When: Sundays and Tuesdays, 8 p.m.
Featuring: DJ Clashious Clay

The Bar
2B Burnham Road, Hudson, 943-5250
When: Mondays, 7 p.m.

Boonedoxz Pub
95 Park St., Northfield, 455-3755, find them on Facebook
When: Fridays, 7 p.m.
Featuring: DJ Oz

Crow’s Nest Pub & Grill
181 Plaistow Road, Plaistow
974-1686, crowsnestnh.com
When: Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.

Fody’s Tavern
9 Clinton St., Nashua, 577-9015; 187 Rockingham Road, Derry, 404-6946; fodystavern.com
When: Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30 p.m. (Nashua); Wednesdays, 7 p.m. (Derry)
Featuring: DJ Rick (Nashua); DJ Jay (Derry)

The Goat Bar and Grill
50 Old Granite St., Manchester, 844-603-4628, goatnh.com
When: Thursdays, 8 p.m.
Featuring: Cox Karaoke

L Street Tavern
17 L St., Hampton, 967-4777, lstreettavern.com
When: Wednesdays, 9 p.m.
Featuring: DJ Jeff

Lynn’s 102 Tavern
76 Derry Road, Hudson, 943-7832, lynns102.com
When: Thursdays and Fridays, 8 p.m.
Featuring: DJ George Bisson

Millyard Brewery
25 E. Otterson St., Nashua, 722-0104, millyardbrewery.com
When: Every other Thursday, 6 p.m.
Featuring: Bobby Lane

Raga Contemporary Kitchen
138 Main St., Nashua, 459-8566, find them on Facebook @raganashua
When: Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m.

Saddle Up Saloon
92 Route 125, Kingston, 347-1313, saddleupsaloonnh.com
When: Thursdays, 7 p.m.
Featuring: DJ Jason

South Side Tavern
1279 S. Willow St., Manchester, 935-9947, southsidetavernnh.com
When: Thursdays, 9 p.m.
Featuring: Cox Karaoke

Stark Brewing Co.
500 N. Commercial St., Manchester, 625-4444, starkbrewingcompany.com
When: Mondays, 8 p.m.
Featuring: Cox Karaoke

Stonecutters Pub
63 Union Square, Milford, 213-5979, find them on Facebook @stonecutterspubmilfordnh
When: Fridays, 9 p.m.
Featuring: KJ-Dave O.

Tower Hill Tavern
264 Lakeside Ave., Laconia, 366-9100, towerhilltavern.com
When: Thursdays and Sundays, 8 p.m.; and Saturdays, 9 p.m.
Featuring: DJ Tim and guest hosts

Knowledge is power

Flex your mental muscles during trivia night

By Hannah Turtle

hturtle@hippopress.com

Bill Seney, local host of the trivia event named “Best Weekly Bar Event” in Hippo’s readers’ poll this year, believes a good trivia contest comes down to two things.

“One: It’s interactive, there’s some competition, and people like that. Two: It’s kind of like dinner theater. It’s entertaining,” Seney said.

Trivia is easy to jump into. Everyone can participate because everyone knows something, but nobody knows everything. Typically, bar trivia is free to attend, the only price being that of the drinks and food offered by the bar. A typical bar trivia event lasts about two hours.

For Marc Chamberland of Game Time Trivia, the special ingredient to a successful trivia night comes down to the host. Game Time Trivia is a regular at several local spots, including The Thirsty Moose Taphouse in Merrimack (on Mondays) and in Manchester (on Wednesdays).

“They’ve got to be personable. They can’t be a robot reading questions, [and] they have to make it entertaining for everyone,” Chamberland said.

Chamberland’s trivia events, like many, consist of themed rounds. Teams answer a set of questions, turn in their answers, see how their scores rank in the group, and move to the next round, with scores accumulating. It’s a system that allows players with different skill sets all to show their stuff.

Seney, who hosts weekly trivia nights at The Hop Knot, Shopper’s Pub + Eatery and Backyard Brewery & Kitchen in Manchester, points to the art of writing the questions as the most important facet of a successful trivia night.

“What I’ve learned from hosting is that nobody is really there to get stumped,” he said. “You have to have good questions. Not too hard, [but] not too easy either. My criteria is this: People should have at least heard of the answer.”

He gave an example of how he goes about writing a question.

“If I ask, ‘College Dropout and Late Registration are two albums by what famous rapper?’ And the answer is Kanye West, you might not have known that, but at least you know who Kanye West is,” Seney said. “If I ask the question in the reverse order, ‘What are the names of Kanye West’s first two albums?’ You might think, ‘Well, I never would have gotten that.’”

Seney uses an online scoring system, allowing guests to submit answers through their phones.

With the formula perfected, it’s up to trivia-goers to create their teams and try their hand at bar glory. Seney’s Instagram page, @trivianightwithbillseney,shows the names of some teams celebrating their hard-fought wins. Champions include “Quiz Free or Die,” “The Boothday Truthers,” “Have Kids They Said – It’ll Be Fun They Said,” “Boys’n Berries,” and “Only Here for the Beer.”

Where to check out local trivia nights

Here are some of the local trivia offerings. Some trivia nights happen many but not all weeks; contact the venue before gathering your team for the evening. Know of a regular game night not mentioned here? Let us know at music@hippopress.com.

Area 23
254 N. State St., Concord, 760-7944, thearea23.com
When: Tuesdays, 7 p.m.

Backyard Brewery & Kitchen
1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545. backyardbrewerynh.com
When: Wednesdays, 6 p.m.

The Bar
2B Burnham Road, Hudson, 943-5250
When: Wednesdays, 7 p.m.

Battle of the Breweries Trivia
When: Third Thursday of every month, 7 p.m.
Where: Join from Great North Aleworks (1050 Holt Ave., Manchester), To Share Brewing Co. (720 Union St., Manchester), Rockingham Brewing Co. (1 Corporate Park Drive, No. 1, Derry), From The Barrel Brewing Co. (1 Corporate Park Drive, No. 16, Derry), or Daydreaming Brewing Co. (1½ E. Broadway, Derry).

Chunky’s Cinema Pub
707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com
When: Thursdays, 8 p.m.

Crow’s Nest
181 Plaistow Road, Plaistow, 817-6670, crowsnestnh.com
When: Mondays, 8 p.m.

Downtown Cheers Grille and Bar
17 Depot St., Concord, 228-0180, cheersnh.com
When: Fridays, 8:30 p.m.

The Farm Bar and Grille
1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com
When: Wednesdays, 8 p.m.

Fody’s Tavern
9 Clinton St., Nashua; fodystavern.com
When: Wednesdays, 8 p.m.

Great North Aleworks
1050 Holt Ave., Manchester, 858-5789, greatnorthaleworks.com
When: Thursdays, 7 p.m.

The Hop Knot
1000 Elm St., Manchester, 232-3731, thehopknot.com
When: Thursdays, 8 p.m.

KC’s Rib Shack
837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net
When: Wednesdays, 7 p.m.

Lakehouse Tavern
157 Main St., Hopkinton, 746-1800, lakehousetavern.com
When: Saturdays, 8 p.m.

Main Street Grill and Bar
32 Main St., Pittsfield, 435-0005, mainstreetgrillandbar.com
When: Wednesdays, 7 p.m.

Millyard Brewery
125 E. Otterson St., Nashua; 722-0104, millyardbrewery.com
When: Wednesdays, 7 p.m.

Peddler’s Daughter “Geeks Who Drink” trivia
48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com
When: Tuesdays, 8:30 p.m.

Popovers on the Square
11 Brickyard Square, Epping, 734-4724, popoversonthesquare.com
When: Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.

The Shaskeen Pub & Restaurant
909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenpub.com
When: Mondays, 7:30 p.m.

Shopper’s Pub + Eatery
18 Lake Ave., Manchester, 232-5252, shoppersmht.com
When: Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

Station 101
193 Union Square, Milford, 249-5416, station101nh.com
When: Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.

The Thirsty Moose Taphouse
360 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 670-0270; 795 Elm St., Manchester, 792-2337; 21 Congress St., Portsmouth, 427-8645; thirstymoosetaphouse.com
When: Mondays, 7 p.m. (Merrimack); Wednesdays, 7 p.m. (Manchester and Portsmouth)

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Manchester International Film Fest is ready for the big screen

How to make a film festival

The Manchester International Film Festival, year one

By Katelyn Sahagian

ksahagian@hippopress.com

The Rex Theatre will again become a venue for a weekend of movies with the inaugural Manchester International Film Festival, happening over the course of three days from Friday, Aug. 12, through Sunday, Aug. 14.

Some of the movies are from New England-based filmmakers, while others are cult classics, like An American Werewolf in London (R, 1981) and Slap Shot (R, 1977).

Festival director Warren O’Reilly said that it was important to him to highlight not just the established film world but the growing filmmaking scene in the Granite State as well.

“There’s a lot of exciting filmmaking happening in New Hampshire,” O’Reilly said. “We’re happy to be a place [where] people … can actually have their movie shown on the big screen.”

Four of the featured films are directed by New Englanders — two of whom are Granite Staters, O’Reilly said, adding that that number was approximately a third of the blocks of movies.

“Like the three legs of a stool, a third of the stuff that we’re showing is international, a third of it is cult and stuff that people recognize from their childhood, and then a third of it is New England-based filmmakers,” he said.

With exposed brick walls, a large stage, thick carpeting, a bar and the balcony from its original iteration as a theater, the Rex seats about 300 people. Perhaps the biggest highlight is the digital 4K wall along the back of the stage — the main reason for the film festival in the first place, O’Reilly said, as plans had been in the works to hold the event before the pandemic hit.

“It opened and then Covid hit and it closed down,” he said. “This was the first year that everything had reopened long enough for us to put out the feelers for the festival.”

Manchester International Film Festival
Where: The Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester
When: Friday, Aug. 12, through Sunday, Aug. 14; films are screened at various times throughout each day
Cost: $20 for a one-day pass ($10 for students), or $50 for a weekend pass
Visit: palacetheatre.org/film

Making movie magic

O’Reilly, who has worked in the film industry in both Los Angeles and Massachusetts, said that it was easy getting submissions. He even has friends who work around the world — that’s how he received submissions of independent international films, like Alice? (Short 2020) from New Zealand.

A total of 970 film submissions were received — of those, a panel narrowed it down to 400, and only a handful of those will be shown over the three-day event. David Humphreys, a film professor at Southern New Hampshire University, said that it’s extremely common for filmmakers to submit whatever they have to any festival, even if it doesn’t align with the event.

“You have to start with weeding out the ones that aren’t a good fit for whatever reason,” Humphreys said. “You can be running a documentary film fest and you’ll get fiction films.”

Pat Kalik and Ross Fishbeins, the co-chairs of the New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival, said that they will go through watching at least 60 movies for their festival which will end up showing about a dozen movies.

“I never decide what will be in the festival until I’ve seen at least 40 [films],” Kalik said.

Their festival primarily focuses on movies made by Jewish filmmakers for Jewish audiences.

“You need to balance everything,” Kalik said. “You can’t have too many movies about the Holocaust, but you also can’t have too many movies that are comedies.”

Kalik said that the Jewish Film Festival differs from the Manchester International Film Festival in that it doesn’t have a home theater for showing movies. Instead, they partner with small theaters across New Hampshire. In the future, Kalik hopes to partner with the Rex to show movies during their own festival. One of the movies cut from their program, Haute Couture (2021), directed by Sylvia Ohayon, will be shown at the Manchester International Movie Festival on Sunday.

Despite the long hours of movie watching, note taking, debating and decision making, Fishbeins said he was excited to start.

“It’s a great community activity for me … and I love films,” he said. “Everyone loves to go to the movies and talk about it after.”

For the love of movies

While O’Reilly wasn’t the mastermind behind the idea of the festival, he said he definitely was a driving force in getting it launched this year — a new event to match the growing artistic vibe of Manchester.

“This is an exciting time for downtown Manchester,” O’Reilly said. “There’s a bunch of new people moving into town and people want to go out and see movies. It’s the perfect recipe for a film festival.”

In addition to the film screenings, the festival will have conversations and Q&A sessions with directors and crew members who worked on different films. Local comedian Jimmy Dunn will also provide commentary on the 1977 sports comedy film Slap Shot on Friday, while Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor John Lithgow will host a conversation about his career at the Palace Theatre on Saturday.

Humphreys, along with his colleague Vincent Corbo, a Southern New Hampshire University psychology professor, will also be part of the festival’s live entertainment. The two professors run the podcast “A Dark Impression,” in which they dive into the psychology behind horror movies.

After Saturday’s screening of An American Werewolf in London (1981 R), Humphreys and Corbo will host a live recording of their show.

“The stage will be a new location for me,” Corbo said, adding that he believes most people seeing the cult horror classic “will want to see it and have that theater experience.”

The experience is what makes a film festival, Humphreys said. According to him, festivals are meant to be events in which people take in a film and then discuss it either amongst themselves or with the filmmakers.

“You go and share this space with other people,” Humphreys said. “I think that [is] something we’re losing with Netflix and home streaming, is having a conversation about the movies afterward.”

Corbo agreed, saying that those conversations are what makes film festivals so important.

“It enhances that personal and emotional experience,” Corbo said. “It’s much richer from the moviegoer perspective.”

Featured films

Film descriptions and times are according to the schedule at palacetheatre.org/film.

Friday, Aug. 12

Sherlock Jr. (1924)
Directed by Buster Keaton
A film projectionist longs to be a detective, putting his meager skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend’s father’s pocket watch. (The screening will include live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis). 5:45 p.m.

The Egg (Short 2021)
Directed by Terrence Fitzgerald Hayes
Days into a pandemic, Tristan sets sail to escape a world wrought with violence, racism and greed in search for a fresh start. The film is “a story of torment, isolation and introspection.” Shorts program, 6 p.m.

Four Pins (Short 2022)
Directed by Matthew Beltz
A young man named Tommy Graves spends his days tending to the declining lanes of the local bowling alley. In this place time feels stuck, as does Tommy. Shorts program, 6 p.m.

Slap Shot (1977)
Directed by George Roy Hill
Coach Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) lets his failing mill town minor-league ice hockey team play their own distinct brand of violent hockey, in hopes of drawing a big crowd. 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 13

Shrek (2001)
Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
A mean lord exiles fairytale creatures to the swamp of a grumpy ogre, who must go on a quest and rescue a princess for the lord in order to get his land back. Noon.

The Last American Colony (2019)
Directed by Bestor Cram
The Last American Colony traces the life of Juan Segarra, who graduates from Harvard and sets off on a treacherous path to fight for Puerto Rico’s independence — a struggle that he rightly assumes will lead to either jail or death. 2 p.m.

Man (Short 2018)
Directed by Oksana Artemenko
A little boy is scared of using the toilet. His father, a military soldier, taught him, “A real man should pee in the toilet, not the pot.” The father goes to war and doesn’t come back home. “Son should become man now.” Shorts program, 4 p.m.

Thunder (Short 2022)
Directed by Orest Smylanetz
This film was shot during the air raid on the 77th day of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Shorts program, 4 p.m.

Marsh Clouds: The Oysters of Harris Neck (Short 2022)
Directed by Kevin Mannens
The Timmons family has been picking oysters in Harris Neck, Georgia, for more than 100 years. The land they call home has a tragic history. Marsh Clouds tells “a story of trauma and racism — and the perseverance to overcome against all odds.” Shorts program, 4 p.m.

Alice? (Short 2020)
Directed by Grace Hood-Edwards
A starry-eyed plus-size teenager actively reimagines the world around her as she experiences first love and first heartbreak. Shorts program, 4 p.m.

Conservative Horses (Short 2022)
Directed by David Manitsky
In the mid-1950s, a Los Angeles television show that does weekly interviews with B-list celebrities goes to Vermont to interview Hollywood’s premiere horse trainer, Richard Turgidson (Jack Barron), and his wife, Kitty (Delaney Spink). Shorts program, 4 p.m.

About Him (Short 2015)
Directed by Rick Dumont
Adapted from the short story by New Jersey author Adele Schwartz, this dark comedy tells the story of a lonely woman trying to find her soulmate in the personal ads of newspapers. Shorts program, 4 p.m.

Finding Sandler (2022)
Directed by David Seth Cohen
Director David Seth Cohen embarks on a quest to find Adam Sandler and finally have that beer Adam asked him to have back in 1998. Will David find Adam Sandler? Will they have that drink? 6 p.m.

An Evening with John Lithgow
At the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester (tickets for this event are separate from the Saturday pass).
Join the Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor for a heartwarming conversation to reflect on his life on stage and screen from his decades-long career. 7:30 p.m.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Directed by John Landis
Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. (The screening will be followed by a live podcast recording with the hosts of the local podcast A Dark Impression.) 9 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 14

Spin (Short 2021)
Directed by Lisa Marie Tedesco
When the curtain descends on their final performance of Romeo and Juliet in drama club, high school seniors Abigail and Sky bid a fair adieu to the stage they loved while letting their deepest desires for one another surface at the cast party.

Whale Fall (Short 2021)
Directed by Katie McNeice
“A glimpse beneath the surface of a relationship bonded by books, whales and love.”

Parrot (Short 2021)
Directed by Kyle B. Thompson
A drag queen protects a child during a crisis as prejudices reach a breaking point.

Love is Strange (2014)
Directed by Ira Sachs
While struggling with the pain of separation, Ben and George are further challenged by the intergenerational tensions and capricious family dynamics of their new living arrangements.

Haute Couture (2021)
Directed by Sylvia Ohayon
Instead of calling the police on the girl who stole her handbag, Esther decides to pass on her skills, the craft of dressmaking. Presented in partnership with the New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival. 2p.m.

Summer (Short 2020)
Directed by Nick Czerula and Anna Belmonte
Following the death of their father, a set of siblings find a figurative skeleton in his closet and must find a way to discreetly dispose of it, so as not to tarnish their family’s good name. 4 p.m.

Filmmaker Q&As

Meet the directors behind some of the festival’s films

By Hannah Turtle

hturtle@hippopress.com

David Seth Cohen, Director of Finding Sandler (2022)

The biggest premiere of the festival, Finding Sandler has an interesting backstory. In 1998, director David Seth Cohen was working as a production assistant on the Adam Sandler film Big Daddy. While tasked with dropping off a suit to Sandler’s hotel one day, Cohen was invited by the actor himself to have a drink with him — an offer Cohen declined, as he was running on a busy schedule. Years later, while living in his grandmother’s basement with his filmmaking dreams cast aside, Cohen began to wonder if his life might have been different had he gotten that drink with Adam Sandler. He set out to finally get that drink, getting a small film crew together in search of Adam Sandler and making friends along the way.

In your own words, can you tell me a little bit about the film?

Well, when I went to drop off the suit, it was rushed. I had to double park in Manhattan, and I left another [production assistant] named Autumn with the car. If you’ve ever double parked in Manhattan, you’ll know that’s an emergency situation. At the time, in 1998, I was a poor 22-year-old kid with no cell phone, so I really had to hurry. I went upstairs and knocked on the door, and he [Sandler] started messing with me through the door. … You know how he yells in his movies? He yelled at me like that: ‘Who is it? What do you want?’ I tell him who I am, [and] he opens the door and has a big smile on his face. He invites me in to come have a drink and hang out. I froze. There were all these thoughts going through my head, like, ‘Autumn’s in the car, you’re double parked, you have no way of contacting her, if you leave her there, you’re totally fired and you’ll never get a job in the movie industry again.’ The other part of my brain was saying, ‘Stay, he’s your hero, this is the opportunity of a lifetime to hang out with your hero.’ The angel part of my brain won and told me to leave and do the right thing. So, I left. … Fast forward years later, [and] I was tossing and turning in my bed at night, wondering what might have happened if I had stayed with Adam Sandler. Would he have given me advice, or would something he said have triggered me to take a different path? … Finally, one night, I had this dream where I went to California and went looking for Adam. … Somehow in my dream I found him, and when I woke up, right then, I decided I had to do something about this whole thing, or I’d regret it for the rest of my life. That’s where the idea came from.

How long did it take from the inception of the idea to the creation of the film?

As soon as I had the idea, I knew I had to call my business partner. At the time, I was working at a Catholic TV station … but I also had a small production company where I did videos for sporting events, and I called [my business partner] at 6 in the morning, all amped up, and said, ‘Dan, I want to make a movie. Can you help?’ He responded with, ‘It’s 6 in the morning, can we talk about this later?’ … So I got up, got dressed, went to the TV station, and told my production assistant, Vinnie, about the idea. He said he was in, and the whole day I was telling people, and some were interested, and some said it was the stupidest idea they had ever heard. But it really just took off from there. … The film got held up for a number of years in the editing room, going through revisions, and I never quite liked it … but finally we got an edit I really liked, and at the beginning of 2022 we completed it.

What were you planning to do if you couldn’t end up finding Adam Sandler?

I was hoping that, no matter what, it would inspire people to follow their dreams. At the end of the day, there’s that line from The Rolling Stones: ‘You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need.’I always wanted to make a movie, so I knew that no matter what, if I finished the movie, I’d achieve a goal.

Throughout the journey of making this film, were there any unexpected moments that made the film what it is?

Tons. When we first started making this thing, we didn’t really know what was going to happen. It’s a documentary, so nothing was set up. It was a lot of just seeing what happened. The first cool thing was that we found out Emeril Lagasse, the celebrity chef, was doing a book signing right by where we lived. So we decided to go and ask Emeril to cook appetizers for the drink with Adam. Then we found out that Billy Joel was heading to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, so we decided to find him and ask if he’d play the piano while we had this drink, and so all these crazy things were popping up, all these surprises along the way. … When we went to Manchester, we decided we wanted to get into the school to talk to his [Sandler’s] teachers. At the time, I called the principal about six times, and every time I got the same assistant, and she wouldn’t let me talk to the principal. So when we went to Manchester, we weren’t hopeful that we would be able to get into the school. … When we got there, we went to the Red Arrow Diner and had the Adam Sandler Burger, and learned a little bit about him from the people there. Then we went to the Puritan Backroom, and we were just talking to random people there, and we ran into Jane Clayton, who, at the time, was a gym teacher at Manchester Central [High School]. She heard our story and made some calls, and then all of a sudden we got to go in and talk to everyone at the school. … It was just a ton of unexpected stuff, like throwing a bunch into the wind and seeing what catches.

So, did you end up getting a drink with Adam Sandler?

You’ll have to come see the movie to find out. What I want to ask is, how can we lure Adam Sandler back to come to the film festival?

Matthew Beltz, Director of Four Pins (Short 2022)

Four Pins is a short film that follows a young man, Tommy Graves, as he works at a bowling alley in western Massachusetts. At the same time, Walter, an older man experiencing memory loss, comes in to play a game with his grandson. When his grandson doesn’t come, the two men reckon with their lives and their futures as they bowl together. Matthew Beltz, the film’s director, has worked as a production assistant on Ghostbusters (2016), and Black Mass (2015), and as a location manager for The Purge: Election Year (2016), as well as the television miniseries Dexter: New Blood and, most recently, HBO’s Julia, about acclaimed chef and cookbook author Julia Child.

What led you to this story?

My partner Jimmy Luc and I had just done another short film together, and we wanted to try our hand at another. We were working on a TV show at the time, and there was this great bowling alley close by. It was one of the oldest candlepin bowling alleys in America. It really started with this great location. Mostly it was born of that, and [because] Jimmy and I wanted to keep working together, to sort of keep the ball rolling.

What were some of the challenges you faced along the way?

Every project has its own unique challenges. The biggest challenge for this project wasn’t even in the filming of it, or in pre-production. The real challenge was in post-production, [and] in how to best tell the story we were trying to tell. We were very cognizant of wanting to ‘show’ and not ‘tell,’ so [during] the editing process we had all this footage to whittle down, to best get across the idea that our main character, Walter, is in the early stages of dementia without any of the characters coming out and saying that. It was really about finding the rhythm of the story in the editing room, and figuring out how to best tell this story.

What do you hope the audience gains from your film?

With any project, you hope that first and foremost … [they] enjoy it. I hope that anyone who sees it, when they walk away, doesn’t say to [themselves], ‘Well, that was time wasted.’ That’s definitely the first priority. I think that’s the only thing I can really hope for. Everyone sees a project in a different way, and everyone takes something unique away from every movie they go to see, and if something resonates with them, or if they connect with something, I would love that.

What’s next for you?

We’ve got another project that’s currently in post-production … called Nuclear. It’s a short film about a father and a son during the Cuban Missile Crisis, [and they are] dealing with a death in the family. They get brought together again because of a cartoon turtle. We’re hoping to release a trailer for that in September on our website, [which is] gonfalonpictures.com.

Nick Czerula and Anna Belmonte, Directors of Summer (Short 2020)

Summer, a short film shot on location in Concord, follows two siblings as they clean out their father’s apartment after his death. Their father, a pillar of the community, has a proverbial skeleton in the closet. To protect their father’s reputation, the siblings have to dispose of the item without anyone in town finding out. Czerula also owns Cz Video Productions, based in Concord.

Can you talk a little bit about the process of getting this film off the ground?

Belmonte: We had the script ready to go in early 2020, and we had planned to have a 30-person crew — hair, costumes, makeup, grips, lighting, all of it. We were planning to bring people in from New York, and then Covid hit, so we had to put it on hold. Then, later, when things were a little bit better, we decided to make this safely, and cut the crew down to five people on set maximum at a time. There was a funeral scene that was originally supposed to have as many extras as possible, but we had to cheat some camera angles and make everything with a fraction of what we originally planned.

What was it like shooting in Concord?

Czerula: Filming with locations in New Hampshire offered a very unique experience and opportunity for us. It’s not spoiled like other places. We’d call businesses and say, ‘We want to film there, [but] not during business hours,’ and they’re much more receptive to it than somewhere that has that happen all the time. It went very smoothly. … For example, we had this scene where we had the actors loading a body into a car off the street, and we had to tell the Concord police in advance what was going on, and they were very understanding. The whole thing was kind of a pleasure.

Belmonte: Everywhere we went, everyone was so eager to be a part of it. We went to a hardware store, and they offered to let us stay after hours, and invited their whole staff to come and watch, and everyone was not only accommodating but really went above and beyond. There was a lot of enthusiasm.

Aside from the Covid elephant in the room, were there other challenges you faced in the filming of this project?

Czerula: We were really blessed as far as locations were concerned, and the crew was great, so we had a pretty smooth process. A lot of it came down to making it work with what we had, so for the funeral scene, since we couldn’t have a ton of extras, we really had to step back and think, and we came to the conclusion that the funeral scene doesn’t really add a ton to the story. … So we changed it to a post-funeral scene, and it really worked.

Belmonte: Well, the biggest challenge was probably the doll [a large doll that gets carried around through the majority of the film]. It was honestly like having another actress. Tripping over her, bending her arms back into place, brushing her hair, [and] shoving shoes on her rubbery, wiggly toes.

Czerula: A funny story is that we lost this eyeball for the doll, and I was trying to buy eyeballs everywhere I could that would match, but none of them did. I ended up finding a doll dealer in Texas who had an assortment of eyeballs in stock. I had to call this guy and ask him to send me a whole bunch of eyeballs to try. But I wasn’t really being forthcoming about what we were doing, since at the time we were keeping the idea pretty close to the vest. So I had to make up a story about why I needed eyeballs.

What are you hoping audiences gain from your film?

Czerula: Acceptance. But really, just to laugh. At a time when there’s not a whole lot of fun happening in the world, I just hope people can laugh at it and forget everything else for a little while.

Belmonte: It’s really about family bonding through unexpected, silly obstacles. But especially having been made during Covid, [the film] will be a little microcosm of levity in a rough time.

Rick Dumont, Director of About Him (Short 2015)

About Him follows Corrine on her search to find her soulmate through a personal ad in the paper. After escaping an abusive relationship, she recruits a friend on a search for the right kind of partner. The film is based on a short story by Adele Schwartz. Director Rick Dumont runs Sweaty Turtle Entertainment, a production company based in Madbury.

So, a personal ad?

It’s kind of old-school. … It’s a period piece, or a period-ish piece, set in the pre-internet days. Back then, personal ads were the thing — the original dating app, if you will. Today’s ways of connecting with a partner have changed so dramatically. It’s not necessarily less personal than an ad in the paper, but it has definitely changed.

What was the process like of getting this made?

We shot it in about four days, four very long days, [during] one of which we went to Portsmouth to shoot a restaurant scene. We shot at a place called Massimo, and we wrapped there after midnight. Then we had to immediately pack up and go to Salem to shoot another scene. But we had a great crew and a great cast, and it was a lot of fun to do.

What are you hoping audiences get out of this film?

Mostly, I hope people are entertained, and maybe it gives them a little bit of thought about how we interact with each other … but I don’t like telling people what they should think. I remember the second feature I did. A reviewer reached out to review my film, and after he watched it, he asked, ‘What was I supposed to think?’ … and I said, ‘Exactly that.’ That’s what you felt, so go with it. I would say go see the film [and] see what you think. It’s a great thing, the festival. It’s a chance to see the work of great artists in the area. I think it’s important to support artists, especially the ones in our community who are really working hard to create something beautiful and intriguing. Sometime in the future, we might be able to say, ‘I saw the new Scorcese’s first film at the Manchester International Film Festival.’

Where did the name ‘Sweaty Turtle’ come from?

It’s an homage to my wife. … People are always confused when I say that. Several years ago, I had called my wife ‘My Sweet Eternal,’ and she is a very talented artist, but also a little kooky, and she says, “Did you just call me a sweaty turtle?” … So, she became my sweaty turtle, and later on, when I started my company, it became my honorarium to her.

Featured photo: Finding Sandler. Courtesy photo.

A look at the spicy world of New Hampshire’s craft hot sauces

Growing up in an ethnically diverse community in northern New Jersey, Gabe DiSaverio was introduced to spicy foods at a young age.

“A lot of my friends growing up were Asian and Indian … and I was eating hot food before I was even 10 years old. I remember always going to a fast food place in New York City that was called Curry in a Hurry,” he said. “Even as teenagers in high school, my friend group and I were doing all these eating challenges, like who could eat the hottest, spiciest, most unique foods.”

New England Hot Sauce Festival
Where: Smuttynose Brewing Co., 105 Towle Farm Road, Hampton
When: Saturday, July 30, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $10 in advance online and $15 at the door; kids ages 10 and under are free
Visit: newenglandhotsaucefest.com

DiSaverio originally started making his own hot sauces “kind of casually” before eventually, with the help of his culinary-minded sister, Adriana, deciding to jumpstart his passion into a business. Today he owns The Spicy Shark, a line of products that includes seven craft hot sauces, a wing sauce, a Sriracha, a hot honey and two hot maple syrups using all natural ingredients. A self-described “Jaws fanatic” since the age of 8, DiSaverio said the “shark” part of the business comes from combining spicy foods with his other lifelong passion, shark conservation.

Since selling its first bottle in early 2019, the Portsmouth-based company has gone on to win multiple national awards for its sauces, and DiSaverio and his team have participated in various hot sauce festivals and expos all over the country. But all the while, these experiences led him to a pivotal question: Why wasn’t there such an event anywhere in New England?

“These festivals are awesome, and I kind of said to myself that since I’ve heard nothing of someone putting one on around here anytime soon, then the heck with it. I’ll do it,” he said.

The inaugural New England Hot Sauce Festival, happening on Saturday, July 30, at Smuttynose Brewing Co. in Hampton, has already generated substantial buzz among its participating vendors. Nearly 30 New England and Northeast-area hot sauce companies will be there, and that doesn’t include the more than 20 others that had to be placed on a waiting list. Food challenges, including hot pepper and hot wing eating contests — and a world record attempt by Canadian competitive eater Mike Jack — are planned throughout the day, along with live music, food trucks and more.

DiSaverio is a regular proponent of Save the Sharks and several other nonprofits that focus on shark conservation and education. In keeping with his passion, proceeds from the festival will benefit the Blue Ocean Society in Portsmouth and the Seacoast Science Center in Rye.

For DiSaverio, the festival’s immense anticipation is a testament to a growing culture.

“I think it’s an understatement to say that New England is not exactly known as a ‘spicy’ region, and that’s fair, up until the last five years or so,” he said. “But as I’ve gotten more entrenched in the hot sauce community, the amount of new hot sauce companies that have popped up in New England is unbelievable. … I think a lot of it has to do with the ethnic diversity that continues to grow within our country … and there’s this growth of more people seeking out those cultures.”

With New England’s first hot sauce festival right around the corner, we took a deeper dive into New Hampshire’s growing hot sauce scene. Here’s a look at how some companies turn up the heat and enhance the flavor of their products, as well as what their top suggestions are for how you should use them.

Smokey Tom pineapple pulled pork
Courtesy of Dandido Sauce, dandidosauce.com

4 to 5 pounds pork butt
⅕ of a bottle of hot or medium Dandido Smokey Tom hot sauce
1 can pineapple chunks
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon cumin

Combine ingredients in a slow cooker and set on high for 7 hours.

Coming in hot

DiSaverio, who worked for Boston Beer Co. for 17 years prior to founding The Spicy Shark, said the surging interest in craft hot sauces is not unlike that of the local craft beer scene.

“You go into any beer store now and there’s craft beer that’s falling off the shelf onto your head,” he said. “Where we were around 10 to 15 years ago with craft beer [is] where I feel like we are now with craft hot sauces. You’re starting to see this huge explosion.”

Phil Pelletier of Manchester, for instance, got into making his own sauces in 2017 when his wife, Melissa, bought him a ghost pepper plant. Her goal? She wanted to see if her husband, an avid lover of spicy foods, could handle the intense heat of the peppers.

“Every time we’d go out to eat … she’d always try to get me to get the spiciest thing to try,” Pelletier said. “So when I got that plant, I had to figure out what the heck I was going to do with all those peppers, because each plant will produce up to 200-plus ghost peppers, easily.”

The Pelletiers are now the husband-and-wife team behind Smokin’ Tin Roof, a specialty sauce company also offering items like a hot pepper jelly, a bacon stout mustard and a spiced pumpkin butter. All of their products, Pelletier said, are created using ghost peppers that are dehydrated and pulverized into a powder. He adds them in different amounts to control the heat level.

Smokin’ Tin Roof’s sauces include the Smoky Peppah, made with roasted red bell peppers; Grow a Pear, a sweeter pear-based sauce; and Burnin’ Raspberry, a raspberry-based sauce.

“The way I developed all of them was by creating a flavor first … and then I would add the ghost pepper powder to give it the amount of heat that I wanted to have,” Pelletier said. “We don’t want the flavor to get destroyed with the amount of heat that we add to it, which is key for us.”

Marshall Irving of the aptly named Hots Hoss, a small-batch producer of countless flavors of craft hot sauces, similarly began dabbling in his own unique flavors late last year.

“I’ve always been the spicy guy, even as a kid,” he said. “Last October, my mother came up from Florida and went to the Concord Farmers Market. I work in Concord, and so she visited me and handed me a bag of some ghost peppers she got from the farmers market. … Then literally that night, I went home and I looked up probably 10 or 20 different hot sauce recipes online.”

Since then, Irving has gravitated toward all types of other peppers, experimenting with other ingredients to create his own flavor profiles. He’s done everything from a strawberry carrot habanero hot sauce to a black truffle sauce with Fresno and habanero peppers. New flavors are regularly posted to Hots Hoss’s social media channels and when they’re gone they’re gone.

“I haven’t repeated a batch yet,” Irving said. “I’ve been working on making a bunch of different new recipes and just kind of seeing what sticks and what the crowd favorites are.”

According to DiSaverio, most of the bigger mass-market hot sauce brands — think Tabasco, TexasPete or Frank’s — are considered Louisiana-style and are known for their simplicity.

“They [contain] vinegar, mostly cayenne or tabasco peppers, and salt. That’s it, three ingredients,” he said. “They’re very vinegar-y, [but] that’s what Louisiana-style is.”

Chef Adam Parker, who founded NH Hot Sauce nearly 15 years ago, said he set out to make his own products after growing disenchanted with what was available on the market at the time. For each of his four sauces, he likes to individually roast and concentrate the peppers that are used.

“What that does … is it really starts to bring out the natural flavors that are in those peppers, as opposed to [the sauce] just being something spicy that you put on your food,” said Parker, who has most recently served as the owner of The Utopian, a cozy scratch-cooked bistro in Amherst.

Kevin Taillon, another chef by trade with his own craft hot sauce company on the side, bottled the first of what would become Naked Hot Sauces in 2015 — a green chile pepper-based sauce called Garden Variety. The sauce received such a positive reaction that it inspired Taillon, who co-owns Fire and Spice Bistro in Newfields with his wife, to make more. Eventually, he began experimenting with other types of sauces and started to sell them at local farmers markets.

Scale of spiciness

In 1912 a pharmacist named Wilbur Scoville created what he called the Scoville Organoleptic Test. Now more commonly referred to as the Scoville Scale, it’s used as a measurement method to determine the pungency of different types of peppers, with each being assigned a range of numbers, or Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The more units assigned, the hotter the pepper is.

“The Scoville Scale goes from zero to 16 million. It’s the scale of the amount of capsaicin, which is the portion of the pepper that causes the heat,” DiSaverio said. “So you’ve got this scale of 16 million, which is pure capsaicin, and even the hottest peppers are in the 1 to 2 million range. … That’s a measure of the pepper itself, and basically what it means is how many drops of water it would take to dilute that drop of capsaicin so that you wouldn’t be able to feel the heat.”

Even bell peppers without a trace of heat in them, Irving said, are technically on the Scoville Scale, but at zero units. As you move your way up the scale, you encounter different types of peppers assigned to different tiers based on their Scoville units — a jalapeno, for instance, sits at a range of about 2,500 to 8,000 units, while a much hotter habanero pepper is about 100,000 to 350,000 units. Ghost peppers are even higher, from 855,000 to just over 1 million units.

The hottest pepper on the Scoville Scale, ranked at about 1.4 million to 2.2 million Scoville units, is known as the Carolina Reaper. In fact, in 2017 Guinness World Records declared it the hottest pepper in the word, citing tests that were conducted by Winthrop University in South Carolina.

Ed Currie — a.k.a. “Smokin’ Ed” — of the PuckerButt Pepper Co. in Fort Mill, South Carolina, is the creator of the pepper. He also happens to be a friend of DiSaverio’s and will be supplying Carolina Reaper peppers for the New England Hot Sauce Festival’s pepper eating contest.

“There are so many more different peppers available now in the United States to buy because of the demand … and now you’re seeing people like Ed who are cross-pollinating and cross-breeding to make new peppers … and experimenting, just like with beer,” DiSaverio said.

The Carolina Reaper is used as a base pepper in several of Taillon’s sauces, like the Reaper Madness, and the Red Reaper, which blends them with red Fresno peppers. Dandido Sauce, based in Manchester, also offers its “extremely hot” Dandido Black — its newest product, according to sales consultant Jennifer Renaud. The sauce blends Carolina Reaper peppers with wasabi, hot cinnamon and ginger, among other fresh ingredients.

Can you take the heat?

Here’s a snapshot of various peppers most commonly used in New Hampshire’s craft hot sauces. Peppers are ranked using a method known as the Scoville Scale; each is assigned a range of numbers, or Scoville Heat Units (SHU), based on the amount of capsaicin, the active ingredient in the pepper. The more units assigned, the hotter the pepper is.

Nurse Shark, Thresher Shark or smoked maple Sriracha breakfast egg bake
Courtesy of The Spicy Shark, thespicyshark.com

12 eggs
½ of a bottle of Nurse Shark (jalapeno hot sauce), Thresher Shark (chipotle hot sauce) or smoked maple Sriracha
5 ounces baby kale
5 ounces baby arugula
1 small Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
2 three-finger pinches each of salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a large skillet)

Preheat the oven to bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat eggs in a large bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Saute onions for a few minutes, or until translucent. Add salt, pepper, kale and arugula to the onions. Mix and cook for a few more minutes, or until the kale and arugula are wilted. Remove from heat. Coat a 9-by-12-inch baking pan with olive oil, nonstick spray, ghee or butter. Evenly spread the mixture from the saute pan into the baking pan. Sprinkle mozzarella over the mixture. Pour the eggs over the mozzarella. Gently move everything in the baking pan slightly with a fork, so the eggs can reach the bottom. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let it cool for a few minutes before cutting.

Universal flavor

When it comes to hot sauce, local makers say their usage opportunities are consistently endless.

“The interesting thing is … you can have it [with] your breakfast, lunch or dinner and it can still be amazing in every way, shape and form,” Parker said. “I like using it on eggs. … Sometimes I’ll mix some into a sour cream or even some yogurt and use that as a dipping sauce.”

Depending on the flavor, Pelletier said, his sauces are great for everything, from ingredients in tacos and nachos to their use as salad dressings or chicken or pork marinades. A regular client even purchases his raspberry sauce by the half-gallon to use as an ice cream topping.

“We get more ideas as people talk to us and come back to buy more when they see us at a show,” he said. “They’ll go, ‘Oh, yeah, I put this sauce on this and, boy, did that make a difference!’”

Most of Dandido’s sauces are also great when incorporated into your cooking — or even as ingredients in shrimp cocktail sauces, co-owner Ed Baroody said.

“It’s not just something to put on top,” Renaud said. “You can build a chili off of it, [or] you can add it to your baked potato in your sour cream. … I’ve even scrambled it into my eggs.”

Irving’s best friend, Rylan Hill, is the head chef of New Hampshire Pizza Co. in Concord — the eatery has incorporated Hots Hoss into its specials, notably using a blackberry hot sauce Irving made for a Delmonico steak pizza special that was topped with chimichurri, pickled red cabbage, leeks, mozzarella and Gouda.

“I put my hot sauce on everything,” Irving said. “That’s the thing about hot sauce. It’s a topping, it’s a condiment, it’s a dipping sauce. … You can do anything with it.”

Scovie Awards
Dubbed the “Oscars of hot sauce” by Gabe DiSaverio of The Spicy Shark in Portsmouth, the annual Scovie Awards recognize the most acclaimed fiery foods and spicy products from around the world. The awards ceremony is held every year at the Sandia Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico, usually the first weekend in March — a panel of judges rates all applicable submissions in various categories like appearance, aroma, texture, originality, flavor and overall impression.

To date, The Spicy Shark has taken home a total of 11 Scovie awards in either first, second or third place categories for its products. DiSaverio said he is most proud of two of those awards in particular: winning first place last year for his Hammah Gatah 7 Pot Primo pepper sauce, and winning Best in Show, the grand prize award, in 2020 for his hot maple syrup. Manchester’s Smokin’ Tin Roof has a Scovie Award of its own — its Smoky Peppah sauce, made from ground ghost pepper and some pineapple and sweet red bell peppers, was awarded second place in 2021.

New Hampshire-made craft hot sauces

Here’s a list of some of the Granite State’s spiciest hot sauce companies — visit their websites directly or follow them on social media to find out how to order them or where to pick them up.

Dandido Sauce
dandidosauce.com, @dandidosauce
Try this sauce: The Dandido Black This “extremely hot” sauce, the company’s newest product, blends Carolina Reaper peppers with wasabi, hot cinnamon and ginger, among other fresh ingredients.

Effin Sauces Co.
effinsauces.com, @effinsauces
Try this sauce: Sweet Lava This apple cider-based vinegar hot sauce is made with bell and habanero peppers, offering a unique balance of sweetness and heat.

Hots Hoss
marshall4@hotshoss.com, @hots.hoss
Try this sauce: Strawberry carrot habanero One of the more recent offerings from Marshall Irving of Hots Hoss, a one-man operation of small-batch craft hot sauces in Manchester, this sauce combines habanero peppers with strawberry and carrot flavors.

Naked Hot Sauces
nakedhotsauces.net, @nakedhotsauces
Try this sauce: Reaper Madness One of several Carolina Reaper-based offerings from chef Kevin Taillon of Naked Hot Sauces, who also owns Fire and Spice Bistro in Newfields, the Reaper Madness is best recommended for use on tacos or cheesesteaks.

NH Hot Sauce
nhhotsauce.com, @nhhotsauce
Try this sauce: Pull Fire Pull Fire, made with red Fresno peppers and fresh garlic, is one of four products from NH Hot Sauce, brought to you by longtime local chef Adam Parker.

Philbur’s Hot Sauce
philburs.com, @philburs
Try this sauce: Philbur’s No. 21 Hot The hottest offering from Philbur’s of Portsmouth, this sauce starts with sweet roasted peppers, jalapeno and habanero, along with extra ghost and scorpion peppers and a fresh herb finish.

Pogo’s Peppers
pogospeppers.com, @pogospeppers
Try this sauce: Jalapeno lime Pogo’s Peppers of Rye creates this sauce using roasted jalapenos and bright lime flavors, making it a versatile addition to just about any dish.

Rubin’s Hot Sauce
rubinshotsauce.com, @rubinshotsauce
Try this sauce: Inferno This sauce features a unique proprietary blend of twice the normal amount of home-grown Carolina Reaper peppers that’s then infused with a citrus-based blend of tropical fruits.

Smokin’ Tin Roof
smokintinroof.com, @smokintinroof
Try this sauce: Smoky Peppah A 2021 Scovie Award winner, taking home second place in the national competition, Smokin’ Tin Roof’s Smoky Peppah sauce is made from ground ghost pepper and some pineapple and sweet red bell peppers.

The Spicy Shark
thespicyshark.com, @thespicyshark
Try this sauce: Megalodon Named after the largest shark that ever lived, this craft sauce is brought to you by The Spicy Shark of Portsmouth, featuring “a sweet cherry start with the blazing finish of the Carolina Reaper pepper.”

Volcanic Ash Hot Sauce
volcanicashhotsauce.com, @volcanicashhotsauce
Try this sauce: O.G. Volcanic Ash This small-batch sauce features a blend of fresh habanero peppers with slowly caramelized onions, garlic, premium olive oil and a touch of sea salt.

Waldo Pepper’s Hot Sauce
waldopeppershotsauce.com, @waldopeppershotsauce
Try this sauce: Chipotle Ghost Featuring a blend of chipotle and ghost peppers with other ingredients like cider vinegar, carrots, onions, ground garlic, ginger and lime juice, this sauce is great for spicing up your eggs, burgers or chicken.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

A look at New Hampshire’s world of tattoo artistry

By Katelyn Sahagian and Jack Walsh

listings@admin

Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester
When: Friday, July 22, 5 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, July 23, 11 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday, July 24, noon to 8 p.m.
Cost: $15 for a single-day pass, $20 for a two-day pass, or $25 for a three-day pass
Visit: livefreeordietattoo.com

On Friday, July 15, the air was buzzing with more than just the whir of tattoo machines at Tattoo Angus and Spider-Bite, Inc., a joint tattoo and body piercing shop in Manchester. Anticipation grew as artists and apprentices scurried across the main floor — those not currently getting inked or pierced looked through flash sheets and pointed out elegantly crafted adornments, occasionally stooping to pet one of the “shop dogs,” a black-and-white-colored pit bull named Bijou.

It’s nearly time for the long-awaited return of the Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo — the 14th annual event is a three-day affair packed with local vendors, contests and live music, returning to the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown from Friday, July 22, through Sunday, July 24.

The largest event of its kind in the Granite State, the expo originally started in 2007 but hasn’t been held since 2019. Organizer Jon Thomas, who is also the owner of Tattoo Angus and Spider-Bite, said he never imagined it would be as successful as it has become.

“An hour before the show, people started piling up and I saw this huge line out there, and that feeling was amazing,” Thomas said. “We had a sold-out show.”

The expo will be a little smaller this time around, Thomas said, but there will still be more than 100 booths set up. Sideshows by Doctor Finnigan’s Circus and burlesque performer Marlo Marquis are also planned, as well as the return of the ever popular pin-up pageant.

“For the tattoo contest and pin-up contests, we went back to the classics,” Thomas said, adding that some past themes have complicated things. “It takes [the models] a lot more work. They all do a decent job, but every time we do a classic pin-up, it goes back four times bigger.”

Artists can participate in different competitions, like Best Cover-up, Best Half-Sleeve and Best Portrait in either color or black and gray. Each of the expo’s three days will culminate with an artist being awarded the Best Tattoo of the Day.

Smaller tattoos like scripts and dates, as well as images chosen from flash sheets, will make up most of the walk-in tattooing opportunities at the expo. Thomas said that a few of the artists will be fully booked for the competitions. He added that even with the smaller number of booths there will be no shortage of artists willing to do some quick work.

Thomas is even hosting a party at Angel City Music Hall, a bar below his shop, with a complimentary limo service to take people from the expo to there and back. There will also be live music, including performances from Bar Hoppers and The Dilemma.

Meet the artist
Sean Ambrose, Arrows & Embers Tattoo
117 Manchester St., Suite 3, Concord, 988-6067, arrowsandemberstattoo.com
Years of experience: 12
Appointments: arrowsandemberstattoo.com/contact
Ambrose started his first apprenticeship at the age of 18. “I knew I was going to be a tattoo artist from an early age,” he said. “It was meant to be.” Having opened Arrows and Embers in 2010, Ambrose has gone on to win awards and accolades, continuing to do what he loves today. As for his style, it’s hard to pin down. “I work in any style that is beautiful,” he said. “I follow my instincts, draw from classical art sources, any piece of art has a recipe, like baking a cake, more so than being a magical experience.”

Meet the artist
Jo-Jo Clark, Scaredy Cat Ink Tattoo
181 Route 13, Brookline, 347-8980, scaredycatinktattoo.com
Years of experience: 17
Appointments: scaredycatinktattoo.com (scroll down to the contact form)
Originally from Maine, Clark has been tattooing since 2005, opening Scaredy Cat Ink in 2018. Working in a lot of different styles, she specializes in watercolor tattoos, preferring to do things the old-fashioned way. “I like to sit down with the client and do an in-person consultation,” she said. “I love the opportunity to sit down with them and design it for them in the studio. That way any changes can be made right there, instead of messaging back and forth.”

Meet the artist
Sami “Moxi” Monoxelos, Scorpion Tattooing
10 Manchester Road, Derry, 434-4798, scorpiontattooing.com
Years of experience: 4 1/2
Appointments: smoxietattoo@gmail.com (not currently accepting bookings)
Monoxelos, who dresses up as her favorite characters from different fandoms and attends different conventions, specializes in doing fandom and anime tattoos. While she isn’t open for booking, her shop takes walk-ins and bookings with other artists.

A rapidly growing culture

Thomas organized the first Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo just one year after tattooing became legal in Manchester. In fact, he was a major part of getting that legislation passed in 2006.

“I tried to tell [the court] how safe shops would be, instead of people getting tattooed in basements,” he said. “I had Spider-Bite already. I showed them my aftercare sheets and other stuff. They finally broke down and gave it to me.”

A major part of tattooing is getting an apprenticeship. According to the Board of Body Art Practitioners, apprenticeships are required in New Hampshire for tattoo artists to become licensed. Apprenticeships must last at least a year, but most will extend for longer until the training artist is confident in their apprentice’s abilities.

Paul Teves of Blue Iris Tattoo in Merrimack has been practicing the art for more than 20 years in New Hampshire. Back then, Teves said, there was a huge social taboo hanging over the heads of artists and people covered with tattoos alike.

“When I first started, [tattoos were] really frowned upon,” Teves said. “I remember when older women would get up and sit on the other side of the bus from me. Now you can’t go [to] the hospital without seeing a nurse with a sleeve.”

Teves will be one of the featured artists at the expo. He said he is glad to see how the art form and its overall reception have evolved tremendously over the last few years.

Meet the artist
Abe Hilerio, Tat2abe
100 Main St., Nashua, 341-0145, tat2abe.com
Years of experience: 23
Appointments: Made via phone
To Hilerio, tattooing is more than just a profession — it’s his passion. He treats every day of work as a chance to better his skills and hone his craft, as well as making the best art he can for his clients. He specializes in black and gray realism tattoos, especially portraiture. Tat2abe, his shop, only accepts clients via appointment.

Abe Hilerio of Tat2abe, a private studio in Nashua, said tattooing has changed drastically since he began back in 1999. His career started in his home state of Massachusetts, where it was illegal for people without medical degrees to tattoo up until the year 2000.

“Back then tattooing wasn’t popular,” Hilerio said. “There were no reality shows, [and] it was more of an underground type of thing. It was still kind of cliché.”

Hilerio gained an apprenticeship by word of mouth — a friend boasted of his talents in illustration — as there was no social media for him to share his work.

Now, Hilerio said that tattooing has grown in acceptance, crediting the popularity of reality television shows. He said they have shaped the current industry and have shown the world the true diversity in art surrounding each tattoo artist and piece.

Hilerio spends hours studying and drawing his designs to perfection for each of his clients. He only takes on one client per day so that he can maintain complete focus.

“Everybody wants custom [tattoos], so we have to sit there and draw, and sometimes we have to figure out what it is the client wants us to do,” Hilerio said. “That takes a lot of time.”

Sami “Moxie” Monoxelos of Scorpion Tattooing in Derry said that in recent years tattoo culture has changed for the better. She started her career as an art student at Maine College of Art before transitioning to skin canvases.

“Almost any tattoo shop that I’ll go into, it doesn’t matter what walk of life, who you are, where you come from, [or] what you identify as, people are super accepting of it,” Monoxelos said.

Lloyd Goodwin of Magic Moon Tattoo in Nashua said that being personable is a huge part of the process nowadays, especially in having recurring clients.

“The business has changed a lot,” Goodwin said. “It used to be that somebody would come in, [and] they’d sit down, be quiet and get the tattoo.”

Originally taking up illustration in his early years, Goodwin worked in retail when he was told that he could make money in tattooing by an admirer of his art. Tattooing quickly became his passion, and he has been giving people permanent art for six years.

Meet the artist
Paul Teves, Blue Iris Tattoo
416 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 505-7701, blueiristattoo.com
Years of experience: 23
Appointments: ptevesbookings@outlook.com
Teves received his first tattoo at the age of 13 and has been in love with the artform ever since. He began his career as a self-taught tattooer in 1999. A few years later he completed his apprenticeship in Massachusetts under longtime artist Mulysa Mayhem, ultimately returning to New Hampshire to fulfill his dream of owning his own shop. Teves owns Blue Iris Tattoos, where he is also a principal artist. The shop is by appointment only.

Meet the artist
Sarah Arnold, Apothecary Tattoo
141 Route 101A, Unit M4, Amherst, 521-7491, apothecarytattoonh.com
Years of experience: 8
Appointments: apothecarytattoonh.com/contact/
Arnold, who has been fascinated with art and drawing her whole life, said transitioning to tattooing in 2014 felt like a natural extension of that passion. She opened Apothecary Tattoo in 2020 as a joint tattoo shop and fine art gallery. She specializes in neo-traditional, illustrative, and cartoon tattoos. Apothecary Tattoo is open for walk-ins, as well as booked appointments for larger pieces.

Tattooing trends

While she favors creating unique fandom and anime pieces for her clients, Monoxelos said she has noticed over her four-and-a-half-year career that tattooing trends change frequently. Right now, she is seeing a spike in people requesting floral pieces.

“There’s so much that you can do with it, too. It flows naturally with the body, and it usually looks really good,” she said. She explained that any type of plant life, from forests to flowers, is considered a floral tattoo. “Black and gray floral, color floral, floral with a pet portrait, I’d say, [is] the going trend right now.”

Sarah Arnold, an artist at Apothecary Tattoos in Amherst, said that she’s seen a lot of tattoo trends come from social media.

“On TikTok, there was a girl [with] five butterflies going from her hand up her arm and the amount of people who wanted this tattoo was staggering,” Arnold said. “It was pretty, but I kept thinking, ‘Why do you all want the same thing?’”

Arnold said she has been obsessed with tattoos since she was 18, when she got her first piece done. She has been designing art and inking people since 2014, but said she has never before seen people embracing the art form like they are now.

“Everybody is getting tattoos now,” she said. “Everybody is going straight for hand, neck, face and that used to be the last thing you’d get done. You’d only do those spots when you ran out of space.”

Arnold said she won’t do faces, hands or necks for people unless they are already heavily covered. She said that a lot of young people don’t fully grasp the implications of what having tattoos in those spots could mean in the future.

A piece of advice Arnold has for people who are new to getting tattoos is for clients to not worry about offending artists if they don’t like the stencil. Arnold said that there’s no harm in turning away a drawing, because it’s the client’s body that will be permanently changed.

“Say something when you’re upset with the drawing. We have to look at it for a couple hours. You have to look at it for the rest of your life,” Arnold said. She added that offending an artist might be uncomfortable, but it outweighs the other option. “Their feelings will be fixed in an hour when they’ve forgotten you. You’d be stuck with a tattoo that you don’t want.”

Meet the artist
Lloyd Goodwin, Magic Moon Tattoo
38C E. Hollis St., Nashua, 320-9616, magicmoontattoo.com
Years of experience: 7
Appointments: form.jotform.com/magicmoontattoo/tattoo
Goodwin has been drawing and creating illustrations his whole life. While working in retail he was encouraged to take the plunge into tattooing, and he’s never looked back. Goodwin specializes in neo-traditional but is comfortable with all styles of tattooing. Magic Moon Tattoo does not take walk-in clients.

Meet the artist
Dave McCormick, Tattoo Angus
179 Elm St., Unit C, Manchester, 935-9398, tattooangus.com
Years of experience: 27
Appointments: fleshink@yahoo.com
McCormick does a mix of styles but said he specializes in photorealism and more classic styles. His process for designing a tattoo with a client is simple: “They just have to put me on a path,” he said. McCormick had an interesting start to his tattooing career. ”My wife bought me a ‘tattoo starter kit,’ with our tax money that we desperately needed to pay bills that year, and she said, ‘Get good quick,’” he said. “27 years later I’m still doing it.”

When it comes to trends, Goodwin said that there are often waves. He said that a lot of what people consider hot tattoos is based on the art notable celebrities get done.

“Rihanna’s pharaoh bird came out and that really set the trend for sternum tattoos,” Goodwin said. “It’s all based on what people see in the media.”

Goodwin added that now, more people are doing research on who they want to use as an artist rather than walking into a shop and picking the first artist that they happen to speak with.

Birth flowers, mandalas, dates and memorial tattoos take up about 30 to 40 percent of Goodwin’s business. The other 60 to 70 percent, he said, is based on his own creativity — he works with clients to design art that fits their body and will accommodate their special requests.

“People are beginning to see [the value of] going to see a specific artist because of the quality of the work, in comparison to just going everywhere and getting a bunch of work,” Goodwin said. “When I first started in the industry, it was more or less flash tattoos that people were doing.”

Despite the growing demand for custom tattoos, Arnold said that there isn’t any hostility amongst artists that she’s noticed in New Hampshire. She said that she’ll often refer people who are looking to get mandalas done to artists she knows who will excel at the geometric style.

“I feel we’re super lucky to have so many great artists concentrated in such a small state,” Arnold said. She said that there is competition, but it pushes her and other artists to do the best they can. “I feel like the community between artists … [is] not negative and super competitive in a bad way. We’re all proud of the accomplishments of each other.”

Tattooing styles
Source: Inked Magazine, inkedmag.com
• American traditional: A popular style of tattoo with thick black outlines, a minimal but bold color palette, and iconic tattoo imagery like skulls, snakes, knives, swallows and anchors.
• Black and gray: A style of tattooing that only utilizes black ink. The ink is diluted with water to get the gray tones for shading and highlighting.
• Cosmetic tattoo: A type of tattoo that is used to enhance features, much like make up. Common types are microblading, which is done to fill out eyebrows, as well as permanent lip and eye liner.
• Cover-up: A tattoo designed to hide an older tattoo in the new one. A good cover-up
will completely hide the old tattoo through strategic linework and color.
• Geometric: A style of tattooing that uses geometric shapes and linework with no shading. Mandalas are a popular form of geometric tattoo.
• Illustrative: A style of tattooing that combines aspects of realism and American traditional. It uses bold outlines and realistic shading to depict illustration designs.

Hannah Turtle contributed to this story.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Explore camping, hiking and puzzle-solving at New Hampshire’s outdoor gems

New Hampshire has 93 state parks offering recreation for outdoor-lovers (or just the outdoor curious) of all interests. And not all the action is up north — there are several parks in and close to the southern part of the state providing you a place to camp, hike and have other adventures out in the fresh air. Looking for something new to do this summer? Here are some ideas to help you get the most out of our state parks.

Camp it up

Get away at a local state park

By Matt Ingersoll

mingersoll@hippopress.com

You don’t need to go far to find a campsite within New Hampshire’s state park system — there are 23 campgrounds statewide with a total of 1,419 campsites, offering a wide variety of opportunities from tents and cabins to some RV sites with water, sewer and electric hookups.

New Hampshire has experienced a steadily large increase in outdoor recreational activity across the board, including camping in state parks and private campgrounds. According to Shawn Hamilton, deputy supervisor of state park operations, the 2021 calendar year saw a record-breaking number of campers — more than 135,000 — within the state park system. Two years earlier, in 2019, a total of 118,000 campers utilized the parks, also a record at the time.

“We have campers who have been coming to the state parks every summer for 50 to 60 years, and that’s not an exaggeration,” Hamilton said. “It’s almost like a badge of honor for them, something that they take pride in. … It’s such a nostalgic experience for people to go back every summer and experience what they have with their parents, and now they share it with their kids.”

Campgrounds within the New Hampshire state park system are operationally self-funded, and there are all kinds of ongoing projects to improve their quality and accessibility. Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, for instance, has 110 sites with recently renovated cabins, Hamilton said. Five dishwashing stations were also recently installed at Greenfield State Park’s campsites.

A majority of the state park campgrounds offer traditional tent camping or cabins, but there are three — Hampton Beach State Park, Franconia Notch State Park and Ellacoya State Park in Gilford — that have full-service RV parks with hookup sites.

“We just recently upgraded the amperage at Hampton Beach State Park to better accommodate some of the newer RVs that are coming on to the market,” Hamilton said. “We’re planning to do the same at Ellacoya in the near future.”

Other sites, like Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham, offer multiple activities to campers.

“You can go to the beach one day, rent some boats and go out on the water … but then at the same time, the next day you can go out on the hiking trails,” Hamilton said, “so I think that type of versatility in terms of what we offer is really what people respond to. … At most of the parks we offer playgrounds as well. We make a concerted effort to add and upgrade the playgrounds so that the kids are fully occupied and having fun for the whole day.”

While July and August are two busiest months of the year for camping in the state parks system, Hamilton said the season runs from April through October. Campsite reservations can be made on the state park’s website up to 11 months in advance of your arrival date.

“Some of the campgrounds offer a couple hundred sites just in and of themselves … so there’s a lot of opportunity within each park as well,” Hamilton said.

Where to camp at some of New Hampshire’s state parks

Here’s a list of southern- and central-area campgrounds and RV parks within New Hampshire’s state parks system. Campsite reservations can be made online 24 hours a day and up to 11 months in advance. Visit nhstateparks.org or call 1-877-nhparks (647-2757) to reserve your spot. Rates cover two adults and up to four children on the site (maximum number of adults per site is four, with a maximum of six people total). A fee of $6.50 applies for all reservations, with $10 per night for each additional adult and $5 per night for each additional child.

Bear Brook State Park
61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9869
Cost: Ranges from $25 to $55 per night, depending on the site (no hookups)
At more than 10,000 acres, this is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. Campers have two options within the park — Beaver Pond Campground (600 Lower Road, Deerfield), as well as the cabins at Bear Hill Pond (15 Bear Hill Pond Road, Deerfield), featuring two sizes occupying up to four or six people. The cabins are furnished but do not have electricity. There is also an Adirondack-style lean-to shelter overlooking Smith Pond. Renters have access to two wide wooden bunks, a stone cook place and two outhouses inside.

Ellacoya RV State Park
266 Scenic Road, Gilford, 293-7821
Cost: $47 per rig per night (includes water, electric and sewer hookups)
Located on the southwest shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, Ellacoya State Park features an RV campground with 37 available sites by reservation only. Each offers three-way hookups. All of the sites are open daily to reserve now through Columbus Day weekend (no tents or pets are allowed inside the RV park).

Greenfield State Park
52 Campground Road, Greenfield, 547-3497
Cost: $25 per night (no hookups)
This 400-acre park features 256 campsites that are available by reservation only, including family group campsites with two Adirondack-style shelters. RVs are welcome in sites where they fit, but no hookups are available. Leashed pets are permitted in the campground but are prohibited in the park’s day-use and beach areas.

Hampton Beach RV State Park
160 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 926-8990
Cost: $50 per rig per night (includes water, electric and sewer hookups)
According to the New Hampshire state parks website, this is the only RV park directly on the coast, at the mouth of the Hampton River. The park is located south of the main part of Hampton Beach on Route 1A, at the Seabrook town line. There are 28 sites that are open for reservations now through Columbus Day weekend. Camping units must be able to hook up all three services (water, electric and sewer) and be self-contained — no pop-ups or tents are allowed.

Monadnock State Park
169 Poole Road, Jaffrey, 532-8862
Cost: $25 per night (no hookups)
Gilson Pond Campground became the first new camping area in the New Hampshire state parks system in more than 40 years when it opened in July 2010. Located just down the road from the headquarters area of Monadnock State Park, Gilson Pond Campground has 35 sites that can accommodate tents and pop-ups, as well as five remote hike-to sites. There are several trails leaving the area that lead to the summit of Mount Monadnock.

Mount Sunapee State Park
86 Beach Access Road, Newbury, 763-5561
Cost: Ranges from $23 to $29 per night, depending on the site (no hookups)
Mount Sunapee State Park has a campground with 11 sites that offer either lean-tos or tent platforms. The sites are wooded and are for tent camping. One campsite is non-reservable and available for walk-in campers.

Pawtuckaway State Park
7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031
Cost: Ranges from $25 to $30 per night, depending on the site (no hookups); cabin reservations are $65 per night or $360 per week
This state park’s campground includes nearly 200 wooded sites, providing many views of Pawtuckaway Lake. Each campsite has an open fire ring, a picnic table, flat areas for a tent, and a parking space. There are no hookups at any of the sites, but the bathhouses are equipped with running water, flush toilets and 24-hour-access coin-operated showers. There’s also a camp store where canoe and kayak rentals are available, as well as a public canoe and kayak launch. Pets are not allowed in the campground or beach area of the park.

Pillsbury State Park
100 Pillsbury State Park Road, Washington, 863-2860
Cost: $23 per night (no hookups)
Pillsbury State Park’s campground is open for reservable stays now through Columbus Day weekend. Amenities include handicap-accessible pit toilets, a playground, a kayak and canoe rentals, firewood and a boat launch for non-motorized boats. Eleven of the 41 campsites are remote and accessible by foot or canoe only.

Parks and treks

Hike the day away in a local state park

By Katelyn Sahagian

ksahagian@hippopress.com

New Hampshire is home to a variety of state parks with trails carving through them, showing off the state’s beauty to new and experienced hikers alike.

“Science has proven that a lot of the healthy chemicals in our bodies rise when we are in green space, so just being [in nature] is really important for people,” said Jake King, a co-founder of Thrive Outdoors, a team-building and leadership organization based in Manchester.

State parks are popular places to take a hike, and many are home to everything from beginners’ nature walks to advanced mountain passes. King said that it’s important to differentiate the two.

It’s important for people who are new to getting into nature and walking to do something on the easier side, like going up to New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center in Concord.

“There are nature walks, and they shouldn’t be considered hikes,” King said. “People who are going to start hiking are going into more remote areas and [taking] on more of a challenge.”

Hiking has always been a popular pastime in the Granite State, said Kimball Rexford, the creator of TrailsNH.com. But during the height of the pandemic, he said, it has exploded in popularity.

“Since Covid, like everything, all popular hikes are more than double than what they used to be, maybe even triple,” Rexford said. “It’s starting to come down and people are less nervous being around others, but during Covid, hiking was through the roof.”

Across the board, the most recommended trail on both the Hike NH and Girls Hike NH Facebook groups was Pawtuckaway State Park’s South Loop. Many group members suggested that people take the hike up to the fire tower for a beautiful view.

Rexford suggested a more challenging trail within Pawtuckaway State Park.

“I usually do the North Loop,” he said. “It has a long bony ridge, meaning it’s rocky. It’s a lot of bang for your buck.”

King’s favorite trail, the Cardigan Loop, is for hikers who feel comfortable with the activity, but the trail isn’t extremely challenging by any means.

“It’s got beautiful views and it’s not super remote,” he said. “People walk their dogs and run on the trail. It’s not [as] if you were to go up the [White Mountains] where you won’t see someone for days.”

While Rexford’s website is a good place to find what’s currently popular and trending for hiking, people who are members of hiking Facebook groups, like Hike NH, will help and offer suggestions for their favorite paths.

“Pawtuckaway is unbeatable for what it is,” commented Randall Schanck, a member of Hike NH, in response to the Hippo asking for state park hiking recommendations. “[It is] big enough to explore for a long day and [there is] so much to see if you know where to look. It might as well be Jurassic Park.”

Terra Anna Merry, a member of Girls Hike NH, also said that she enjoys hiking in Pawtuckaway, but added that there were beautiful hikes in Northwood Meadows State Park in Northwood, Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, and Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown.

Rexford said that the Granite State has a seemingly endless number of trails, peaks and loops for avid hikers to explore.

“There’s a lot of everything,” he said. “You could spend a lifetime hiking in New Hampshire and not do it all.”

Where to go hiking in New Hampshire’s state parks

The Hippo reached out to the local Facebook groups Hike NH and Girls Hike NH for suggestions from members on the best trails to hike within New Hampshire’s state parks. Here’s a list of what we received for responses. Visit nhstateparks.org for more details on each trail.

Bear Brook State Park
157 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9869
Trail: Catamount Loop
Difficulty: Strenuous

Cardigan Mountain State Forest
658 Cardigan Mountain Road, Orange, 227-8745
Trail: Mount Cardigan Loop
Difficulty: Moderate

Miller State Park
13 Miller Park Road, Peterborough, 924-3672
Trail: Wapack Trail
Difficulty: Moderately strenuous

Monadnock State Park
169 Poole Road, Jaffrey, 532-8862
Trail: Wantastiquet-Monadnock trail
Difficulty: Moderately strenuous

Northwood Meadows State Park
755 First New Hampshire Turnpike, Northwood
Trail: NALMC Trail
Difficulty: Moderate

Odiorne Point State Park
570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 436-7406
Trail: Odiorne Point Trail
Difficulty: Easy

Pawtuckaway State Park
7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031
Trail: South Mountain Tower Trail
Difficulty: Moderate

Rhododendron State Park
424 Rockwood Pond Road, Fitzwilliam, 532-8862
Trail: Wildflower Trail
Difficulty: Easy

Wellington State Park
614 W. Shore Road, Bristol, 744-2197
Trail: Peninsula Nature Trail
Difficulty: Easy

Winslow State Park
475 Kearsarge Mountain Road, Wilmot, 526-6168
Trail: Rollins Trail
Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking difficulties source: National Park Service, nps.gov

Essential hiking gear
Visit hikesafe.com for more details.
• Pocket knife
• Rain jacket and pants
• Fire starter
• First aid kit
• Whistle
• Headlamp or flashlight
• Water and food
• Warm clothing
• Compass
• Map

The non-hiker’s guide

State park fun for the hiking-averse

By Hannah Turtle

hturtle@hippopress.com

Maybe hiking isn’t your thing. Maybe you don’t look forward to a trudge among the flora and fauna amid the summer heat. Luckily, this does not exempt you from enjoying the many state parks in southern New Hampshire.

Outside of hiking, there are a plethora of activities available for park-goers, including educational and beautiful historic sites, boating activities and the exciting hunt for geocaches.

Historic sites

For those interested in learning some local history, or for museum-frequenters who want to get outside this summer, here are some great options:

Fort Constitution Historic Site
25 Wentworth Road, New Castle, 271-3556
Located on a peninsula on the northeast corner of New Castle island, the ruins of Fort Constitution provide a great picnic spot for those interested in American history. First used during the War of 1812, the Fort also served as a training site during the Civil War, and was updated in 1897 to be used during the Spanish-American War, as well as World Wars I and II. Returned to the state in 1961, it now sits as a historic landmark with gorgeous views of the water. Source: nhstateparks.org

Fort Stark State Historic Site
211 Wildrose Lane, New Castle, 271-3556
Historically known as Jerry’s Point, Fort Stark sits on the southeastern peninsula of New Castle Island. Built following the Spanish-American War, the fort helps preserve the history of the island as an important military operation used during World War II. Of note is the Ordnance Machine Shop Museum, which displays military artifacts as well as a detailed history of the fort. Source: nhstateparks.org

Robert Frost Farm Historic Site
122 Rockingham Road, Derry, 432-3091
See the farmhouse of the late renowned poet Robert Frost, where he lived with his family from 1900 to 1911. In addition to being the setting for some of Frost’s most acclaimed poems, the site offers a variety of activities for visitors, including poetry readings and a self-guided tour of the property. Source: nhstateparks.org

Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion
375 Little Harbor Road, Portsmouth, 436-2233
Home to New Hampshire’s first royal governor, Benning Wentworth, the Wentworth-Coolidge mansion is a feat of 18th-century architecture. With tours of the sprawling mansion available every day this summer (which include a spy closet), and a gorgeous waterside walking path, the site is a must-see for fans of local history. Additionally, the grounds are covered in purple lilacs, descendents of the first European stock imported by Wentworth. Source: nhstateparks.org

White Island Historic Site
Rye, 271-3556
Visit New Hampshire’s only off-shore lighthouse on White Island for a whole day’s worth of historic sights. Originally built in 1820 and rebuilt in 1859, the lighthouse has seen many influential visitors and residents. Acclaimed poet Celia Thaxter was the daughter of the lighthouse’s keeper and wrote many of her works about that period. White Island itself is nestled in the Isles of Shoals, originally known as the Smith Islands (named after Jamestown settler Capt. John Smith). Source: lighthousefriends.com

Geocaching

Originating in 2000 in Oregon, geocaching has had a recent resurgence in popularity amid Covid. By downloading the free “Geocaching” app available for any smartphone, users can hunt for hundreds of hidden treasures called “caches” all over various area parks. The app gives mysterious clues as to the exact location of each cache, and turns any regular hike into an interactive scavenger hunt. It’s perfect for families with curious children, and for anyone who enjoys solving a mystery. When a cache is found, simply sign your name in the log book and leave it for the next person to find.

There are geocache locations hidden in every local state park, and the larger walking trails provide opportunities for finding upwards of 10 caches. For a geocaching challenge that doesn’t require the app download, we’ve hid our own geocache in one of New Hampshire’s state parks — test your mettle and see if you can solve the riddle and find our cache:

Whose cache this is I think I know
His box is rather hidden, though
He will not see me crossing here
Beneath my feet the water flows.

My little phone seems sure it’s near
I’ll wait until the coast is clear
The gurgle of my much-loved brook
Is all that I do long to hear.

I’ll give my weary legs a break
For coming here was no mistake
The only other sound’s the croak
Of that which is my spot’s namesake

These woods are lovely dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And caches to find before I sleep
And caches to find before I sleep

Canoeing and kayaking

According to nhstateparks.org, canoe and kayak rentals at applicable state parks are $15 per hour, $30 for four hours, $50 for a full day, or $150 for a full week. Oars and life vests are provided. Boaters must have a driver’s license to rent within the state parks system.

Bear Brook State Park
61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9874
Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)

Clough State Park
455 Clough Park Road, Weare, 529-7112
Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)

Ellacoya State Park
266 Scenic Road, Gilford, 293-7821
Admission cost: $5 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats

Greenfield State Park
52 Campground Road, Greenfield, 547-3497
Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)

Livermore Falls Recreational Area
86 Livermore Road, Holderness, 238-9284
Admission cost: $5 per car; no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats

Odiorne Point State Park
570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 436-7406
Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats

Pawtuckaway State Park
7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031
Admission cost: $5 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)

Pillsbury State Park
100 Pillsbury State Park Road, Washington, 863-2860
Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11)

Silver Lake State Park
138 Silver Lake Road, Hollis, 465-2342
Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); kayak rentals available only

Wentworth State Park
297 Governor Wentworth Hwy., Wolfeboro, 569-3699
Admission cost: $4 ($2 for kids ages 6 to 11); no rentals available but visitors can bring their own boats

Featured photo: Camping at Pawtuckaway State Park in Allenstown in Nottingham. Photo courtesy of New Hampshire State Parks.

Add a little action to your day with go-karts, bumper boats and laser tag.

Summer is all about breaking out of your daily routine. Put a little excitement in your weekend (or your afterwork or your staycation) by checking out some local, low-time-commitment but big-fun-payoff activities such as go-karts, bumper boats and laser tag.

Speedy fun with go-karts

Find fast(-ish) paced excitement and friendly competition at area tracks

By Katelyn Sahagian

ksahagian@hippopress.com

Parents against kids, siblings against each other — the go-kart racetrack has a way of turning even the most devoted of couples into competitors, said Michael Accomando, the owner of Mel’s Funway Park.

“Everybody that hits the track and they get so excited. You’ve got to look at it from the point of view of a kid who wants to beat their mother or father, or their older siblings, through the eyes of people who can’t drive regular cars,” said Accomando. “You look at one big official race that’s started, but there’s always more within those little groups.”

Accomando said that his entire fleet has been tuned up and is ready for racers. His track has tight turns and a bridge for karters to go over and under. He said that his favorite part is seeing how excited the kids get while racing.

“If you’re a young young kid, you feel like you’re really zipping around a track,” Accomado said, adding that the karts don’t go faster than 20 miles per hour.

Go-karts were first created in the 1950s, and some tracks in New Hampshire have been around for 40 years, like Weirs Beach Go-Kart Track in Laconia.

Owner Tom Hickey said that he was 14 years old when his parents bought the track. Now, he comes up every summer to open up the course.

Hickey said he loves seeing the generations that have come through, from kids racing around the track to parents sharing the experience with their children.

Go-kart fun facts
Go-karts were invented in 1956 in Glendale, California, by Art Ingels, who was a fabricator at Kurtis Kraft, a dominant manufacturer of the Indianapolis 500 race cars. He put a discarded two-cycle lawn mower motor into a tube-frame “kart” and created the world-famous miniature race car.
Source: Petrolicious.

“They know me by name and they say they used to come as a kid and it’s a generation thing,” Hickey said. “You see families come back year after year.”

While these karts are much slower, and safer, than the ones professional racers use, there are still safety parameters that all locations follow.

Drivers at most locations have to be taller than 58 inches, and all have slightly different requirements for passengers. At Chuckster’s, passengers can be as young as 3 with a licensed driver. Weirs Beach only allows passengers ages 4 to 9.

Karts are equipped with kill switches, and operators can lower the speeds of all the karts for safety purposes, like if a driver spins out or isn’t driving safely.

Throughout the years, Hickey said, he’s noticed that people will always come back to do more and more laps.

“I always say to my workers that people don’t get sick of pizza or coffee, so people won’t get sick of go-karts,” Hickey said.

Where to go karting

Chuckster’s
9 Bailey Road, Chichester
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Price: $8 for one ride, $33 for five. Passengers ride free.
Visit: chuckstersnh.com.

Daytona Fun Park
104 Endicott St. East, Laconia
Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Price: $8.75 for single ride, $24.50 for three, $75 for 10. Passengers are $2 additional for each ride and passengers must be under 54 inches tall.
Visit: daytonafunparknh.com

Mel’s Funway Park
454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Price: $9.50 for one ride, $42.50 for five rides
Visit: melsfunwaypark.com

Weirs Beach Go-Kart Track
582 Endicott St. North, Laconia
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Price: one race is $9, six for $48
Visit: wbgokarts.com

Bump and splash

Everybody becomes a kid in a bumper boat

By Katelyn Sahagian

ksahagian@hippopress.com

Bumper cars are one of the oldest amusement rides, dating back to the early 1920s. While bumper boats aren’t as old, they add a little bit of pizazz to the process of crashing vehicles into one another.

Like their land counterparts, bumper boats have drivers smashing into each other, but water makes everything a little more chaotic, especially when the boats are equipped with water cannons.

“If you squirt the old guy on the dock he’ll take out a hose, he’ll take out a hose and take ’em down,” John Crawford, who is the owner of Daytona Fun Park and is also the old guy on the dock, joked. “There have been a few guys that I’ve squirted too much, but we all have fun.”

While Daytona has had bumper boats for years, the attraction is new to Chuckster’s Family Fun Park this year.

“We just opened them up a month ago,” said Mark Blasko, the owner of Chuckster’s. “It’s a super fun way to cool off. We’ve learned that even when it’s not hot it’s still heavily used.”

Bumper boats float on a pool called a pond and are propelled with a small motor. The circular boats are designed to be nearly impossible to capsize, said Blasko, and all of the parks had height restrictions of 44 inches.

The boats at all the locations have water cannons that shoot water approximately 30 feet in an arc, making aming and driving a bigger challenge.

Bumper boats fun fact
The first iteration of bumper boats, called Dodgem Boats, was featured at the 1933 Chicago’s World Fair. The small motorboats sat two adults and were made entirely out of wood.
Source: “A Short History of Bumper Cars Going Bump In The Night,” By Seth Gussow for Automobile Magazine.

The Chuckster’s bumper boat pool has an island in the center featuring the park’s woodchuck mascot spraying a waterfall over the boaters. Despite its being only open for a month, Blasko said that there’s been a line for the boats almost every day.

In Crawford’s eyes, bumper boats are so popular because anyone can have fun on them.

“I like to say we have kids of all ages come here,” Crawford said. “It’s great to see the 70- and 80-year-old ‘kids’ get in the boats with their kids and grandkids and have a good time.”

Where to find bumper boats

Chuckster’s
9 Bailey Road, Chichester
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Price: $7 per ride, passengers are free
Visit: chuckstersnh.com

Daytona Fun Park
104 Endicott St. East, Laconia
Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Price: $9.50 for single ride, $2 additional per passenger
Visit: daytonafunparknh.com

Mel’s Funway Park
454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Price: $9 for one ride, $40 for five rides.
Visit: melsfunwaypark.com

Pew! Pew! Pew!

Tag, you’re it, with lasers

By Hannah Turtle

hturtle@admin

Jack Walsh contributed to this story.

When asked about the draw of laser tag, Mel’s Funway Park owner Mike Accomando sums it up in one sentence: “It takes a grown-up, and it makes them a kid all over again.”

A popular activity for kids and adults alike, laser tag is exactly what it sounds like, a game in which participants use infrared-emitting light guns to “tag” targets. Or, as Accomando puts it, “people run around in the dark shooting each other, but nobody gets hurt.”

Laser tag is by no means a new activity in the area, but the many venues in which it can be played have multiplied over the years. Now, there’s outdoor laser tag at AG Paintball in Weare, and even mobile laser tag services that come to you.

One such service, offered by Next Level Tag, includes various scenarios such as “zombie apocalypse” and a hostage situation. There’s even a “bomb scenario,” in which players must defuse a laser bomb before the device “explodes.” At AG, you can play a “gold rush” game or have a similar zombie-like experience with “infection survival” (Covid not included).

Venues like Mel’s Funway Park still offer the traditional laser tag experience, perfect for groups or even lone players, and for adults and kids alike, including a robust “laser maze.” One piece of advice, though: Don’t tamper with the emergency exits.

“Once a kid thought the emergency door was an emergency room where you could hide,” Accomando said. “So, in the middle of the game, he ran through the emergency door and set off the fire alarm in the building. It was a lot of work for us, but I thought it was pretty funny.”

The thrill of the chase without the possibility of actual bodily harm is something that connects all the laser tag options in the area, but winning a game requires a sharp mind and a good battle strategy.

XTremeCraze, which opened in Londonderry in early 2019, hosts a large arena of around 10,000 square feet. Games take place hourly, sometimes every other hour, with 44 open player slots. There are a variety of different game modes, and each holds different objectives that lead to victory.

“Our game modes are super interactive,” XTremeCraze general manager Leo Batista said. “They allow you to essentially play a team style game like you would in a video game, but [you can] play it in a real-life form with your friends.”

Batista’s personal favorite game mode is “Headquarters,” a mode where players take over sectors to accumulate points, all while tagging out opponents.

For those looking to have a leg up in laser tag strategy, Accomando recommends finding cover and staying low.

“People are normally looking and aiming higher. When you find a spot and stay low, you kind of disappear in the dark,” he said. “Then, you’ll have an opportunity to shoot other people’s lasers without them even knowing what hit them.”

Where to play tag (with lasers)

AG Paintball
158 Deering Center Road, Weare
Hours: Monday to Friday, appointment only; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets: $20 per person
Visit: agpaintball.com

Block Party Social
51 Zapora Drive, Hooksett
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets: $22 per person
Visit: blockpartysocial.com

Fun City
553 Mast Road, Goffstown
Hours: Monday, 3 to 8 p.m.; Tuesday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tickets: $8 per game
Visit: funcitygoffstown.com

Mel’s Funway Park
454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets: $8 for each 10-minute game
Visit: melsfunwaypark.com

Next Level Tag
Booking: packages vary, basic package $350 for 12 players
Visit: nextleveltag.com

XtremeCraze
4 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.; (Thursday Junior Jumps from 10 a.m. to noon); Friday, noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed for private events on Mondays, except for school holidays. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Visit: xtremecraze.us/londonderry

Featured photo: Kristen Powers takes the lead in her go-kart race against Bruce Jache at Mel’s Funway Park. Photo by Katelyn Sahagian.

Put action, fantasy, science fiction and more on your summer reading list

Need some books to take on vacation or to give you a little getaway on your lunch hour? We asked local book sellers and librarians for their suggestions on what to put on your summer reading list.

Contemporary fiction

The Hospice Singer by Larry Duberstein, published May 2022
The little-known practice of hospice singing brings two unlikely characters together.
Recommended by: Willard and Holly Williams of The Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough. “Full of surprising turns, this is an enjoyable read leavened by Larry’s humorous takes on life.”

Bright Burning Things by Lisa Harding, published December 2021
Sonya, a single mother, struggles to make a good life for her son Tommy while her unrelenting alcohol addiction causes heartbreaking moments of darkness.
Recommended by: Brittany Overton, adult services librarian at Hooksett Library. “Readers are brought into the mind of a young woman whose alcohol addiction is spiraling out of control, providing a perspective on addiction rarely known to the depths described in this book.”

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, published May 2022
Tova, still grieving from the loss of her 18-year-old son, Erik, many years ago, and more recently her husband, is getting ready to retire from her night-shift job cleaning the local aquarium, where she has befriended the intelligent and wily giant Pacific octopus, Marcellus.
Recommended by: Maria Schroeter, adult collection development and adult programming librarian at Nesmith Library in Windham. “This heartwarming book, with a bit of mystery on the side, is ultimately about relationships. … This is perfect for anyone looking for an uplifting, but not too sweet, lovely story.”

Still the Night Call by Joshua Senter, December 2021
This story is a debut novel that takes place over 24 hours centering on the life of a Missouri dairy farmer. It dives into the plight of Midwestern farmers as they fight to hold on to their livelihoods.
Recommended by: Susan Schatvet, Director at Seabrook Library. “It’s one of those books where, from the very first page, you’re compelled to go on. It gives you a fantastic perspective of the impact on this group of people. It’s a tragic novel, but it is just so compelling and it takes place over just 24 hours.”

This Time Tomorrow, by Emma Straub, published May 2022
Alice is supposed to be turning 40, but when she wakes up on her birthday somehow back in 1996, it isn’t her 16-year-old body that is the biggest shock, or the possibility of romance with her adolescent crush. It’s the 49-year-old version of her father with whom she is reunited, giving her a new perspective on her own life and his.
Recommended by: Michael Herrmann, owner of Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “It’s a time travel tale reminiscent of Jack Finney’s Time and Again, with just a touch of Narnia.”

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult, published November 2021
Diana O’Toole’s well-ordered life is sent off course when the Covid-19 pandemic hits during her vacation to the Galapagos, closing borders, landing her in quarantine and giving her time for self-reflection.
Recommended by: Amy Lapointe, library director at Amherst Town Library. “The characters are compelling, making for a page-turner; the time period is relevant; and the Galapagos setting is the perfect backdrop for themes of resilience and evolution.”

What we’re reading:
Tracy Flick Can’t Win By Tom Perrotta (Scribner, 2022)
Perrotta revisits the central character of his 1998 Election in this story that catches up with Tracy, the one-time ambitious high school student with presidential aspirations. Now she is on the cusp of getting picked as principal at the high school where she has long served as assistant principal. She’s a lock, a shoo-in — so naturally, things start to go wrong. It’s a delight to revisit her and see how she and the world have changed (and, sigh, haven’t). The book is a quick fun read, told from multiple points of view.
— Amy Diaz

Cookbook

Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple by Dorie Greenspan, with photographs by Mark Weinberg, published October 2021
A creative collection of recipes that includes everything from breakfast pastries to savory treats.
Recommended by: Tammy Gross, library assistant at Goffstown Public Library. “This was a beautiful cookbook, and the cookies I made from it were delicious. I’m looking forward to making the Lemon Meringue Layer Cake next.”

Fantasy

Book of Night by Holly Black, published May 2022
When a former thief who specialized in stealing magical documents is forced back into her old habits, a story of magic, secrets and murder unfolds.
Recommended by: Liz Herold, Assistant Director at North Hampton Public Library. “The main character is definitely someone you root for. She’s one of those people who always makes the wrong choice in life. But she’s trying to turn over a new leaf. It’s very fast-paced with a thread of mystery and suspense in it.”

The Change by Kirsten Miller, published May 2022
Three women who have developed supernatural powers while going through midlife changes band together to solve the murder of a teen girl whom the police have written off as a drug addict.
Recommended by: Carolyn Tremblay, reference librarian at Dover Public Library, and Chris Savukinas, children’s library assistant at Nesmith Library in Windham. “This oddly charismatic trio will win you over in their fight against powerful men. A suspenseful plot, humor and some sharp commentary about sexism combine to create a novel you won’t want to put down,” Tremblay said. “It’s about menopause, superpowers and revenge; if you’re a woman of a certain age, you’ll love it,” Savukinas said.

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas, published February 2022
In the second installment in the Crescent City series, Bryce and Hunt are ready to settle down together and live a quiet life, but as the rebels continue fighting against the Asteri, staying on the sidelines is no longer an option.
Recommended by: Alexa Moore, circulation and reader services librarian at Amherst Town Library. “[The book] follows a lot of different threads and works to firmly establish the large cast of characters. While I loved the character-building and intrigue this story provided, it succeeded in its main goal of setting the stage for an incredible third book.”

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, published September 2021
Concubine-pilot Zetian is out for vengeance for the death of her sister, and to stop the practice of sacrificing girls once and for all.
Recommended by: Alexa Moore, circulation and reader services librarian at Amherst Town Library. “This book grabbed my attention initially because of the gender roles being challenged and other important representations within the story, but kept me reading because of the giant robot (mech) fights.”

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, published April 2022
Marra, the youngest princess of a very modest kingdom, sets out to rescue her older sisters from an abusive prince.
Recommended by: Dianne Hathaway, director at Goffstown Public Library. “It is well-written and clever and very different from what you should expect of traditional fairy tales. … If you enjoy stories of knights, strong damsels-not-in-distress and magic, then this book is for you.”

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune, published September 2021
The story of Wallace, a curmudgeonly young man who dies without really having lived, and the kind and wise ferryman, who runs a tea shop and holding room for the recently deceased, who helps him cross over.
Recommended by: Maria Schroeter, adult collection development and adult programming librarian at Nesmith Library in Windham. “The story … is filled with hope and caution and made my heart break and soar. T.J. Klune draws you in with wonderful characters, an interesting and extraordinary plot and life lessons for us all.”

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill, published May 2022
In an alternate version of the world in the 1950s, one quarter of the female population has spontaneously and simultaneously turned into dragons, and despite the chaos that ensues, no one is allowed to talk about it.
Recommended by: Heather Weirich Roy, children’s book buyer at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “This book is full of righteous, suppressed rage at the patriarchy in a clever, well-mannered wrapper.”

What we’re reading:
The Priory of the Orange Tree By Samantha Shannon (Bloomsbury, 2019)
Shannon explores what happens when a divided world faces a universal threat: the ancient forces of chaos. The Western Queen, Sabran, must conceive a daughter to continue her family’s thousand-year reign and protect the world. Ead, a Southerner and outsider (and secret practitioner of forbidden magic), must convince the Western court to abate its hostility to the East. Tamé, a dragonrider in the East, needs to find a way to open the borders of her closed-off country. This high-fantasy tome is a must read for lovers of magic, dragons, kings, queens, epic battles, and strong, determined women.
– Katelyn Sahagian

Graphic novel

Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo and Juan Cavia, published November 2021
An aging piano virtuoso must confront many uncomfortable parts of his past when a young journalist pays him an unexpected visit to conduct an interview.
Recommended by: Christopher Larochelle, patron services assistant at Hooksett Public Library. “This graphic novel will captivate readers who want to investigate the price that might come along with fame.”

Salt Magic by Hope Larson, published October 2021
This middle-grade graphic novel fairy tale follows a girl’s journey to save her family from an evil witch who has put a curse on their well, turning the town’s water supply into saltwater.
Recommended by: Chris Savukinas, children’s library assistant at Nesmith Library in Windham. “Just when I thought I’d read a bit of everything. I liked it. And there’s a twist at the end I didn’t see coming.”

Historical fiction

Horse by Geraldine Brooks, published June 2022
When civil war grips the country, it kicks off a journey between a groom, his horse and a young artist.
Recommended by: Lisa Houde, Assistant Director at Rye Public Library. “Anything this woman writes is gold.”

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, published October 2021
In 1950s America, a man recently released from prison heads to California with his brother to start a new life after the death of their father.
Recommended by: Dianne Hathaway, director at Goffstown Public Library, and Jessica DeLangie, head of technical services at the Derry Public Library. “This is an unforgettable book by a talented, beautiful writer,” Hathaway said. “A sweeping story with heartfelt characters, and a fast-paced plot … and very engaging and vivid scenes,” DeLangie said.

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis, published January 2022
This novel examines the Frick Museum through the eyes of three women: a young artist’s model in the 1920s and her imperious employer and a young model at a fashion shoot in the Frick circa 1966.
Recommended by: Carolyn Tremblay, reference librarian at Dover Public Library. “A terrific behind-the-scenes look at an iconic art museum. Fiona Davis excels in bringing history alive.”

Miss Eliza’s English Kitchen: A Novel of Victorian Cookery and Friendship by Annabel Abbs, published November 2021
Two very different women in 19th-century London come together to create a cookbook.
Recommended by: Erin Robinson, genealogy and reference librarian at Derry Public Library. “Wonderful characterization, rich prose and close attention to historic cooking make this book a standout.”

Out Front the Following Sea by Leah Angstman, published January 2022
In New England in the late 1600s, 23-year-old Ruth must escape her hometown with no warning and ends up on a ship that takes her to Stonington, Connecticut, where her problems are just beginning.
Recommended by: Virginia Hundley, bookseller at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth. “What a fascinating tale of what women had to do to survive in that era. … I loved this book. It is not on any bestseller list, but I came across it somehow and have now hand-sold many copies.”

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, published November 2021
This novella, set in a small town in Ireland in 1985, follows Bill Furlong, who delivers coal in a small Irish town and ruminates about what he uncovers along the way.
Recommended by: Dianne Hathaway, director at Goffstown Public Library. “The writing is lyrical and lovely, and while there is no deep character development, the plot is full of messages and visual pictures of a quaint Irish town at Christmas.”

Still Life by Sarah Winman, published June 2021.
An English soldier meets a middle-aged art historian in Tuscany in 1944, in the midst of bombed-out villages and advancing Allied troops.
Recommended by: Karen Dixon, assistant director at Hopkinton Town Library. “It’s a feel-good story, but in an intelligent, not-saccharine way. And there is the bonus of a parrot who quotes Shakespeare.”

The Sweetness Of Water by Nathan Harris, published June 2021
News of the Emancipation Proclamation has just arrived in a rural Georgia town, and most of the white townspeople are refusing to give freed slaves jobs or food. When two of the former slaves are hired by a local farmer, chaos erupts.
Recommended by: Willard and Holly Williams of The Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough. “This is a powerful reminder of the terrors that remained as the war wound down.”

Horror

Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow, published February 2022
Farrah is a calculating, manipulative and possibly psychopathic young Black girl, who schemes her way into the lives of her Black best friend Cherish’s white, wealthy, adoptive family, and things may be even more insidious than they first appear.
Recommended by: Ryan Clark, marketing manager at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “For the folks looking for a splash of horror in their beach reads, look no further than Cherish Farrah. A brilliant, chilling, unflinching masterpiece of a novel. This is social horror at its finest, and it left me spinning.”

What we’re reading:
The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell (Penguin Books, 2021)
In this Victorian gothic tale, silhouette portrait artist Agnes struggles to support herself while recovering from a nervous breakdown and still plagued by the deaths of her lover and her sister. When her clients begin to be murdered after their portrait sittings, Agnes seeks the counsel of a child spirit medium in the hope of finding clues to the killer. Instead she finds that she may be haunted by something much more sinister. Purcell twists all the gothic tropes into her own unique brand of supernatural horror — creepy and deliciously bleak. Here she weaves a story of obsessive loves, secrets, and the dark side of sisterly relationships.
—Jennifer Gingras

Mystery and thriller

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager, published June 2022
A cabin on a lake, a hot cop next door, a former model who might be in danger, a drowned husband, a dubious detective, an urban legend and a whole lot of lies converge in this thriller.
Recommended by: Ryan Clark, marketing manager at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “This book made me gasp out loud on multiple occasions. This is the summer thriller you’ve been waiting for.”

The Midcoast by Adam White, published June 2022
This story follows a tragic family of lobstermen who quickly rise from poverty to wealth, and the dark secrets surrounding them.
Recommended by: Virginia Hundley, bookseller at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth. “Many plots and twists and … a must-read for anyone familiar with the midcoast of Maine.”

Ocean Prey by John Sandford, published April 2021
When the Marshal service and the Minnesota Criminal Investigation Bureau team up to investigate the murder of a Coast Guard team, the result is a gripping adventure to the bottom of the ocean.
Recommended by: Cindy Rivers, Customer Service Librarian at Wiggin Memorial Library.
“It’s just a great fun mystery read. I love the character development, and Sandford also does some great research for his stories.”

Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket, published August 2021
The children’s author, writing as himself, tells the story of an ominous note found under his door, leading him to solve the mystery of his own demise.
Recommended by: Jessica DeLangie, head of technical services at Derry Public Library. “I love everything Lemony Snicket — the witty humor, the macabre plots, the poignant truisms. This newest story does not disappoint. … I feel this story was very appropriate for adults since it deals with accepting your own eventual demise.”

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich, published November 2021
A different kind of ghost story, this book follows a small independent bookstore that is being haunted by the ghost of its most annoying customer.
Recommended by: Jessica DeLangie, head of technical services at Derry Public Library. “It’s … about the power of community, connection, and learning to trust not only others, but ourselves. I’m not sure I have ever felt the growth of a character more than I did with this book.”

What we’re reading:
In Cold Blood By Truman Capote (Random House, 1969)
Capote’s now-classic In Cold Blood is the perfect antidote to the mindless thriller kept stocked in many a summer beach house. Following the true story of a shocking murder, In Cold Blood is the kind of seminal work that is as entertaining as it is important. The first of its kind, In Cold Blood reimagines how we consume true crime and how we view journalism. For those who love a true crime podcast like Serial or devoured Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, In Cold Blood is as good now as it was then — and it was pretty good then.
—Hannah Turtle

Nonfiction

52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time by Annabel Streets, published February 2022
An introduction to walking, with 52 ideas for beneficial ways to walk, backed up by scientific research.
Recommended by: Jessica DeLangie, head of technical services at Derry Public Library. “I walked away with many new ideas and some great factoids.”

The Boys by Ron Howard, published October 2021
Director Ron Howard’s memoir recounts a life growing up in Hollywood as a child actor, and the incredible steps his father took to protect Ron and his brother from the pitfalls of success.
Recommended by: Anne Powell, Circulation Assistant at Seabrook Library.
“I always like memoirs. Their father managed to keep them safe and keep them from getting corrupted or exploited as children and [let them] have a good experience.”

Chasing Eden: A Book Of Seekers by Howard Mansfield, published October 2021
An account of individuals and groups that made attempts to create an Edenic life here on Earth, from the Shaker Community in Canterbury to an early 20th-century Black doctor in Keene who crossed over and back between races.
Recommended by: Willard and Holly Williams of The Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough.

Deep Water: Murder, Scandal, and Intrigue in a New England Town by Ken Sheldon, published June 2022
In August 1918, William Dean was murdered in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, his body dumped in a cistern. The case remains unsolved, but Ken Sheldon recounts the mystery that has surrounded the case ever since.
Recommended by: Willard and Holly Williams of The Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough. “The book reads like a thriller.”

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach, published September 2021
Mary Roach travels the world to investigate human-wildlife conflicts, from the deadly to the mischievous.
Recommended by: John LeDonne, adult book buyer at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “As in all her books, Roach combines humor and science to create an entertaining and enlightening read.”

The Hawk’s Way: Encounters With Fierce Beauty by Sy Montgomery, May 2022
Montgomery showcases many fascinating aspects of hawk life, revealing how these amazing animals fit into nature’s “bigger picture.”
Recommended by: Christopher Larochelle, patron services assistant at Hooksett Public Library. “A quick and absorbing nonfiction read, featuring the backdrop of a New Hampshire farm.”

Patient Zero: A Curious History of the World’s Worst Diseases by Lydia Kang, published November 2021
A look at the interesting histories of the diseases that have plagued humans throughout time.
Recommended by: Jessica DeLangie, head of technical services at Derry Public Library. “You would think it would be macabre, yet it is fascinating and surprisingly upbeat.”

Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts, published June 2021
The remarkable story of a woman from Maine in the 1950s who decides to set off across the country to see California, on her horse.
Recommended by: Jessica DeLangie, head of technical services at Derry Public Library. “Her journey seems impossible. Told in a very engaging style, and incredibly researched, I couldn’t put the book down.”

River Man: An American Odyssey by Ben McGrath, published April 2022
Writer Ben McGrath met Dick Conant canoeing the Hudson River, and discovered Contant had crossed the country with his canoe. They exchanged numbers, so when Conant’s canoe was found empty, McGrath got the call from investigators. As he unraveled the mystery of this man’s disappearance, McGrath began to discover the lives that Conant had touched over the years.
Recommended by: Andy Richmond, Director at Rye Public Library. “It was really interesting the way this guy touched people’s memories and lives, even with these chance meetings. This was his avenue for adventure, but also his lifestyle. It’s a fascinating story.”

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl, published October 2021
The Grammy-winning rock star recounts stories from his life and career.
Recommended by: Virginia Hundley, bookseller at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth. “Well-written, with a unique and inspiring description of his experiences throughout his career. Honest, and a hard book to put down.”

What we’re reading:
Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space By Amanda Leduc (2020, Coach House Books)
Leduc unpacks the depiction of disabilities in fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm to Disney, examining how disabilities are used as a curse to be lifted or to signal a villainous character. She demonstrates how who gets the ‘happily ever after’ in fairy tales shapes perceptions of what those with disabilities deserve or can hope for, especially when it’s internalized by those with disabilities. Leduc leaves us with suggestions about how we can write new stories with more complex princesses and superheroes. Leduc’s history of European fairy tales, and how she and others in the disabled community relate to them, is engaging without feeling preachy.
— Tristan Collins

Picture books

The Blur by Minh Le, published March 2022
One moment she’s taking her first steps and the next she’s ready to take on the world; the years fly by in this little superhero’s origin story.
Recommended by: Heather Weirich Roy, children’s book buyer at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “Perfect for parents seeing their babies growing quickly or new graduates.”

I’m Not Missing by Kashelle Gourley, published May 2022
Tired of having to follow his human’s rules and be on good behavior, a pup runs away, but doesn’t get far when he notices how much his human misses him.
Recommended by: Heather Weirich Roy, children’s book buyer at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord.

Viking In Love by Doug Cenko, published December 2021
A tale of love, the high seas, Viking ingenuity and kittens.
Recommended by: Chelsea Paige, digital literacy librarian at Nesmith Library in Windham. “Vikings? Kittens? Count me in. I love when a picture book combines multiple layers and themes and makes it look elegantly easy. This was a delightful read for an adult, without losing its appeal for kids.”

Poetry

Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong, published April 2022
The poet reimagines the past as if he is living it once again in the present time.
Recommended by: Virginia Hundley, bookseller at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth. “This collection is intimate yet maintains a level of distance. His poetry and verse is as wonderful as ever.”

Romance

Book Lovers by Emily Henry, published May 2022
This romance novel follows Nora, a cutthroat literary agent, and Charlie, a famously difficult book editor, in an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story.
Recommended by: Ryan Clark, marketing manager at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “At times laugh-out-loud funny, and at other times heart-achingly tender. … A delightful twist on the Hallmark Movie trope.”

Love, Hate & Clickbait by Liz Bowery, published April 2022
Tom Morgan and Clay Parker are two political consultants working on a California campaign that faces a setback when their candidate is accused of being homophobic. In order to save their image and secure the liberal vote, Parker and Morgan fake a dating life that turns into a little something more.
Recommended by: Michelle Sprauge, Adult Services Librarian at Seabrook Library.
“There’s a lot of steam and the burgeoning relationship between the two of them propels the story to the end. You really want to see them get their happy ending.”

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, published September 2021
Olive Smith, a Ph.D. student, accidentally lands herself in a fake relationship with a grumpy professor to prove a point to her best friend.
Recommended by: Alexa Moore, circulation and reader services librarian at Amherst Town Library. “The fake dating trope can make romances a little predictable, but this story was able to make it relatable [and] funny. … I found it to be an accurate look at balancing graduate school with a relationship, with a little cheesiness mixed in.”

Talk Bookish to Me by Kate Bromley, published May 2021
Between being a bridesmaid for her best friend’s upcoming wedding and trying to finish her next book by the deadline, romance author Kara Sullivan has a lot going on. Things only get more complicated when her estranged first love also happens to be in the wedding party.
Recommended by: Amy Lapointe, library director at Amherst Town Library. “The story within a story will appeal to romance readers and book lovers, and the witty dialogue makes this a perfect beach read.”

Science fiction

The Candy House by Jennifer Egan, published April 2022
A tech entrepreneur looks at the long-term consequences of a technology he developed years earlier that allows people to download, access and share their memories.
Recommended by: Michael Herrmann, owner of Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “An exploration of character and authenticity that will have you up late rereading and obsessing over dozens of brilliantly written passages.”

How High We Go In the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu, published January 2022
In a post-apocalyptic world plagued by a deadly virus, humans fight to maintain their humanity and take hope wherever they can find it.
Recommended by: Jessica DeLangie, head of technical services at Derry Public Library. “For anyone who likes their post-apocalyptic books to have empathy, imagination and hope. Nagamatsu is an exceptional writer who knows how to pull at the heartstrings as he is weaving an incredible tale.”

A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers, published July 2021
In a future where robots have become sentient and live independently from humans, a robot and a monk embark on a journey to discover what humans need for a better future.
Recommended by: Jessica DeLangie, head of technical services at Derry Public Library. “A unique speculative fiction story — very positive, very inclusive, very environmentally minded. I loved living in this world and can’t wait for the next book in the series, which will be released in July 2022.”

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, published April 2022
A mind-bending tale of time travel and characters who share a connection that transcends time and space.
Recommended by: Jessica DeLangie, head of technical services at Derry Public Library. “There are many elements and themes that could be pulled out and discussed, but it can also stand completely on its own as just a fun read.”

The Temps by Andrew DeYoung, published March 2022
Trapped in their airtight office complex after a worldwide disaster strikes outside, a group of temps must work together to survive and discover the truth about what happened.
Recommended by: Tammy Gross, library assistant at Goffstown Public Library. “The author really brought to life the young characters and each of their personalities. It’s been recently announced online that the novel will be adapted for TV, and I’m looking forward to that, too.”

Youth

Family of Liars by E. Lockheart, published May 2022
This prequel to Lockheart’s 2014 young adult novel We Were Liars dives deeper into the secrets and lies of the Sinclairs, a wealthy New England family that will do whatever it takes to keep up appearances.
Recommended by: Heather Weirich Roy, children’s book buyer at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “A great summer mystery. When you think you’ve revealed what they’ve been hiding, you only uncover more mysteries hidden away.”

Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill, published March 2022
In this middle-grade novel, a group of orphans set out to defend a benevolent ogress who becomes the prime suspect in the case of a missing child when the mayor fuels stereotypes and fears held by the townspeople about ogres.
Recommended by: Heather Weirich Roy, children’s book buyer at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. “A beautiful parable about doing good where you can and creating a loving community instead of isolating out of fear or anger.”

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Fairs, shows, outdoor adventure and more sunny fun for your chill kids

Fairs and festivals

Catch a town fair, a specialty expo or a local old home day celebration this summer — here’s a list of all those happenings and more set to take place across the Granite State over the next few months. Be sure to visit each event’s or organization’s website or social media pages for the most up-to-date details.

• The Nashua Parks and Recreation department kicks off its Summer Fun schedule of events on Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m.. to 1 p.m. with Celebrating DPW Day in Greeley Park (100 Concord St. in Nashua), featuring live music (including Joe Birch at 10:15 a.m.), BJ Hickman Magic Show at 11:15 a.m., local stage acts, a bounce house, vendors and more. SummerFun highlights include a Silver Knights baseball game on Monday, July 4, at 11 a.m. when kids 12 and under get in free, and the evening includes the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corp and fireworks; family field day at the library on Thursday, July 14, at 2 p.m.; a Fairy Tale Festival in Greeley Park on Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. featuring a costume parade, and Wheels & Wings at the Nashua Airport on Saturday, Sept. 17. Nashua also will host several Pics in the Park at Greeley Park (100 Concord St. in Nashua): Jurassic Park (PG-13, 1993) on Friday, July 15, at dusk; Raiders of the Lost Ark (PG-13, 1981) on Friday, Aug. 12, at dusk, and Shrek (PG, 2001) on Friday, Sept. 16, at dusk. And the city hosts several outdoor concerts throughout the summer. See nashuanh.gov.

• The 40th annual Somersworth International Children’s Festival is happening on Main Street and Noble Pines Park in Somersworth on Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy live music, food, local vendors, rides, wildlife encounters and a variety of other children’s activities, including — new this year — a Touch-A-Truck area. A pre-festival celebration will take place the night before, on Friday, June 17, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Somersworth High School (11 Memorial Drive), and will include a fireworks display. Visit nhfestivals.org.

• Plaistow’s Old Home Day will be held on Saturday, June 18 — activities will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Town Hall green (145 Main St., Plaistow) and will include demonstrations, contests, a parade, a road race, raffles, fireworks and more. Find them on Facebook @plaistowoldhomeday for updates.

• Intown Concord’s annual Market Days Festival, a three-day free street festival, is set to return to Main Street in downtown Concord from Thursday, June 23, through Saturday, June 25. Visit marketdaysfestival.com for the full list of happenings, which will include live music, a beer tent, participating local vendors, children’s activities and giveaways. The “KidZone” will be open each day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the Statehouse lawn and will feature two bounce houses this year, as well as hula hoops, cornhole, jenga and other games.

• The Wilton Main Street Association will present its annual SummerFest on Saturday, June 25 — a full day of festivities is planned across town, including a pancake breakfast, live music, street vendors, an arts market and fireworks in the evening on Carnival Hill. See visitwilton.com/summerfest for the full schedule.

• The next New England Reptile Expo is scheduled for Sunday, June 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester). The event features thousands of reptiles on display and for sale as pets, plus vendors selling cages, supplies, frozen feeder rodents and other reptile-related items. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 7 to 12 and free for kids under 7. Visit reptileexpo.com.

• Fathom Events (Fathomevents.com) and GKids present Studio Ghibli Fest 2022 kicks off with The Cat Returns (G, 2002) screening Sunday, June 26 (Cinemark Rockingham Park om Salem) and Monday, June 27 (Cinemark Rockingham Park and O’neil Cinemas Brickyard Square in Epping). Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service (G, 1989) will screen at Cinemark Rockingham Park on Sunday, July 31; Monday, Aug. 1, and Wednesday, Aug. 3. Only Yesterday (PG, 1991) will screen Sunday, Aug. 28 (Cinemark Rockingham Park) and Monday, Aug. 29 (Cinemark Rockingham Park and O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square).

• O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square (24 Calef Hwy. in Epping; 679-3529, oneilcinemas.com) will feature family-friendly films on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. starting on Monday, July 4. According to the website, the lineup includes Trolls World Tour (PG, 2020) on July 4 and July 6; Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (PG, 2022) on July 11 and July 13; The Croods: A New Age (PG, 2020) on July 18 and July 20); Minions (PG, 2015) on July 25 and July 27, and The Boss Baby: Family Business (PG, 2021) on Aug. 1 and Aug. 3, and Sing 2 (PG 2021) on Aug. 8 and Aug. 10.

• The Hillsborough Summer Festival, returning to Grimes Field (29 Preston St., Hillsborough) from Thursday, July 7, through Sunday, July 10, features live entertainment, midway and carnival rides, a fireworks show, a 5K road race, a parade, a car and truck show and more. Festival hours are from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free — go to hillsborosummerfest.com for the full schedule of happenings.

• The Raymond Town Fair returns from Friday, July 8, through Sunday, July 10, at the Raymond Town Common. Enjoy a firemen’s parade, sack races, pie eating, live music, a fireworks display and more. Fair hours are from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Visit raymondareanews.com.

• In lieu of the Stratham Fair, which was canceled earlier this year, a new one-day community event known as the Stratham 4-H Summerfest is being planned for Saturday, July 16, at the Stratham Hill Park Fairgrounds (270 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham). The smaller event will feature a single-day family experience, showcasing several 4-H programs and livestock, along with forestry and tractor driving contests, club displays, a teen talent fair and a limited menu of food offerings. Email strathamfairinfo@gmail.com for more details.

• Save the date for the 32nd annual American Independence Festival, happening at the American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter) on Saturday, July 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event features several historical reenactments, colonial artisan demonstrations and children’s activities. Visit independencemuseum.org.

• Don’t miss the Canterbury Fair, returning on Saturday, July 30, at Canterbury Center (Baptist and Center roads). A full day of festivities is planned, from hands-on demonstrations from local artisan and antique vendors to live music, children’s activities and more. Visit canterburyfair.com.

• Concord’s National Night Out Against Crime is on Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. in Rollins Park (33 Bow St. in Concord) and will feature food, prizes, K-9 demonstrations, Touch-a-Truck, a zoo exhibit, a rock climbing wall and more according to concordnh.gov.

• The Suncook Valley Rotary’s Hot Air Balloon Rally will take place Friday, Aug. 5, through Sunday, Aug. 7, in Pittsfield with a craft fair, a 5K, helicopter rides, a regatta and more. See suncookvalleyrotary.org.

• The Belknap County Fair is scheduled to return on Saturday, Aug. 6, and Sunday, Aug. 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, at 174 Mile Hill Road in Belmont. The fair features animal shows, demonstrations, live entertainment, exhibits and food. Admission at the gate is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors over 65 and for police, fire and EMS personnel, and free for kids under 10 and for military service members. Visit bcfairnh.org.

• Hudson’s Old Home Days return to the grounds outside the Hills House (211 Derry Road, Hudson) from Thursday, Aug. 11, through Sunday, Aug. 14 — hours are from 5 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Festivities include free children’s games, live music, carnival games, a fireworks display, fair food and more. Visit hudsonoldhomedays.com.

• The Great New England BBQ & Food Truck Festival returns to the Hampshire Dome (34 Emerson Road, Milford) for its fifth year on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will feature a variety of local food trucks, plus artisan vendors, a beer tent, a cornhole tournament, a kids zone, live music and more. Advance tickets are $5 and are available now. Kids ages 14 and under are free. Visit gnecraftartisanshows.com.

• Windham High School (64 London Bridge Road) is scheduled to host a food truck festival on Sunday, Aug. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visit windhamnh.gov.

• Catch the 15th annual Hampton Beach Children’s Festival, happening during the week of Monday, Aug. 15, through Friday, Aug. 19, during which there will be magic shows, a costume parade, dancing, storytellers, balloons, ice cream and more. All activities are free and open to the public. Visit hamptonbeach.org.

• Londonderry’s Old Home Days, set for Wednesday, Aug. 17, through Sunday, Aug. 22, are coinciding with the town’s 300th anniversary celebration this year. Several days’ worth of happenings are planned, including a parade, local vendor booths, games, food and much more. Follow the Facebook page @townoflondonderryoldhomeday for updates.

• Formerly known as the Living History event, History Alive will return to various locations in Hillsborough, rain or shine, on Saturday, Aug. 20, and Sunday, Aug. 21, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also coinciding with the town’s 250th anniversary celebration this year, History Alive will feature several historical reenactments throughout the weekend, plus children’s activities, crafts, speakers, musicians and much more. Admission is $10 for adults and free for kids under 16. Visit historyalivenh.org.

• Don’t miss the annual Candia Old Home Day celebration, happening on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Moore Park (74 High St., Candia) and featuring a parade, local vendors and live entertainment. Visit candiaoldhomeday.com.

• Join Field of Dreams Community Park (48 Geremonty Drive, Salem) for its annual family fun day event, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., when there will be local vendors, children’s games, face painting, a touch-a-truck, live music, food trucks and — new this year — a rock climbing wall. Visit fieldofdreamsnh.org.

• A Labor Day weekend tradition, the Hopkinton State Fair will return to the fairgrounds (392 Kearsarge Ave., Contoocook) from Thursday, Sept. 1, through Sunday, Sept. 5. Fair hours are from 5 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday — the multi-day event features everything from local vendors and classic fair food to live music, carnival rides, agricultural exhibits and demonstrations and more. One-day admission passes are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors over 60, $8 for kids ages 3 to 12 and free for kids ages 3 and under. Five-day passes are also available at a rate of $39 for both kids and adults. Visit hsfair.org.

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Live entertainment

• The Palace Teen Apprentice Company presents Seussical Jr. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) on Wednesday, June 15, and Thursday, June 16, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 to $15. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

•​ See Blippi The Musical at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord) on Friday, June 17, at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $39.50 to $59.50. Visit ccanh.com or call 225-1111.

•​ The North Country Center for the Arts presents its IMPACT series, a six-week tour of performances by a children’s theater troupe, at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) on Tuesdays at 10 a.m., from July 5 through Aug. 9. It kicks off with Sleeping Beautyon July 5, followed by Lost in Wonderlandon July 12, Neverland on July 19, Little Red Riding Hoodon July 26, Return to Oz on Aug. 2 and Jack & the Beanstalkon Aug. 9. Tickets are free. Visit ccanh.com.

• The 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series presents a series of shows at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) with a Tuesday-through-Friday run every week in July and August. Shows include magician BJ Hickman July 5 through July 8; Wizard of OzJuly 12 through July 15; RapunzelJuly 19 through July 22; Peter PanJuly 26 through July 29; Cinderella Aug. 2 through Aug. 5; Beauty and the Beast Aug. 9 through Aug. 12; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Aug. 16 through Aug. 19; and Disney’s Frozen Kids Aug 23 through Aug. 26. Showtimes are at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. from Tuesday through Thursday, and at 10 a.m. on Friday. Tickets cost $10. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

•​ The Majestic Theatre presents Big The Musical at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry) from July 8 through July 17, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for youth and seniors. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7649.

. • Camp ENCORE presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. at the Prescott Park Arts Festival (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) on Saturday, July 9, and Sunday, July 10, at 10 a.m. Reserved seating tickets cost $40. Visit prescottpark.org or call 436-2848.

• The Peterborough Players (55 Hadley Road, Peterborough) second company presents an outdoor performance of The Emperor’s New Clothes on Fridays, July 15, July 29, and Aug. 12; Saturdays, July 16 through Aug. 13; and Wednesdays, July 27 and Aug. 10, at 10:30 a.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for children. Visit peterboroughplayers.org.

• Johnny Peers & the Muttville Comix, a slapstick comedy act with more than a dozen performing dogs, comes to the Lakeport Opera House (781 Union Ave., Laconia) on Sunday, July 17, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25. Visit lakeportopera.com or call 519-7506.

• The Franklin Area Children’s Theatre presents a theatrical adaptation of The Rainbow Fish at the Franklin Opera House (316 Central St., Franklin) on Thursday, July 21, with showtimes at 1 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $8 for children, $9 for seniors and students and $10 for adults. Call 934-1901 or visit franklinoperahouse.org.

•​ The Sound of Music will run at the Rochester Opera House (31 Wakefield St., Rochester) from July 29 through Aug. 21. Visit rochesteroperahouse.com or call 335-1992.

• Disney cover band The Little Mermen comes to the Lakeport Opera House (781 Union Ave., Laconia) on Sunday, July 31, at 3 p.m. Come dressed as your favorite Disney character for a chance to win a prize. Tickets start at $30. Visit lakeportopera.com or call 519-7506.

• Chinese acrobatics group The Peking Acrobats will perform at the Lakeport Opera House (781 Union Ave., Laconia) on Thursday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 5, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $45. Visit lakeportopera.com or call 519-7506.

•​ The Northeastern Ballet Theatre presents Swan Lake at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord) on Friday, Aug. 5, and Saturday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $42. Visit ccanh.com or call 225-1111.

• The Peacock Players youth theater company presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. at the Court Street Theatre (14 Court St., Nashua) from Aug. 5 through Aug. 14, with showtimes on Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit peacockplayers.org.

• Children’s musician Laurie Berkner will perform a “Greatest Hits Show” at the Tupelo Music Hall, (10 A St., Derry) on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 11 a.m. Tickets cost $25 to $35. VIP tickets, which include counter seats, an after-show meet-and-greet and a photo op, cost $100. Visit tupelomusichall.com.

• Seussical the Musical comes to the Colonial Theatre (609 Main St., Laconia), with showtimes on Friday, Aug. 12, and Saturday, Aug. 13, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 14, at 2 p.m. Tickets purchased before Aug. 7 cost $16 for youth age 18 and under, $18 for seniors and $20 for adults. Tickets purchased Aug. 7 and after cost $18 for youth, $20 for seniors and $22 for adults. Visit coloniallaconia.com.

•​ The Winnipesaukee Playhouse (33 Footlight Circle, Meredith) presents Oliver! from Aug. 18 through Sept. 3, with showtimes Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., plus matinees on Saturday, Aug. 20; Thursdays, Aug. 25 and Sept. 1; and Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 to $42. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.

• The Franklin Area Children’s Theatre presents The Lion King Experience Jr. at the Franklin Opera House (316 Central St., Franklin) on Friday, Aug. 19, and Saturday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $10 for students, children and seniors. Call 934-1901 or visit franklinoperahouse.org.

• The Riverbend Youth Company presents Shrek the Musical at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford) from Friday, Aug. 26, through Sunday, Aug. 28. More information is TBA. Visit svbgc.org/amato-center.

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Outdoor fun

See a baseball game, attend a car show, or find other fun ways to get outside this summer on this list below.

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A minor-league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball, are in the middle of a homestand against the Somerset Patriots. Catch them at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester) on Thursday, June 16, at 6:35 p.m.; on Friday, June 17, (Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond night) or Saturday, June 18, (featuring post game fireworks) at 7:05 p.m.; or on Sunday, June 19, at 1:35 p.m. Then, after a day off on Monday, the Fisher Cats will host a six-game series against the Altoona Curve from Tuesday, June 21, through Sunday, June 26. The team’s final home game of the season will be on Sunday, Sept. 18, against the Harrisburg Senators. In addition to post game fireworks on some nights, other special events to look out for include North Woods Law night (July 8), Christmas in July (July 22), Star Wars Night (July 23), Cats-Con Night (Aug. 6), Princesses in the Park (Aug. 7) and Wizards & Wands night (Sept. 3). Visit nhfishercats.com.

• The Nashua Silver Knights of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League recently kicked off their 2022 season and will next play at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St., Nashua) on Thursday, June 16, at 6 p.m. against the Brockton Rox. Upcoming theme days include Kids Club Sunday on Sunday, June 19, and Scout Night on Friday, June 24. The team’s last home game is on Sunday, Aug. 7, at 3 p.m. against the Worcester Bravehearts. Visit nashuasilverknights.com.

• Don’t miss the 22nd annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic, happening from Thursday, June 16, through Saturday, June 18. The event features multiple award ceremonies, with prizes given out for the best sand sculptures, along with a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. The sculptures will then be lighted for nightly viewing through June 26. Visit hamptonbeach.org.

• The Merrimack Parks & Recreation Movies in the Park series kicks off Saturday, June 18, with a screening of Encanto (PG, 2021) at 8:30 p.m. The lineup also includes Spider-Man: No Way Home (PG-13, 2021) on Saturday, July 23, at 8:15 p.m. and Sing 2 (PG, 2021) on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to Merrimack residents and non-residents. Screenings are held in Wasserman Park (116 Naticook Road in Merrimack). See merrimackparksandrec.org.

• Join the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) for its annual “Welcome Summer” Fly-In BBQ on Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Boire Field, at the hangar of Nashua Jet Aviation (83 Perimeter Road, Nashua). Pilots are invited to fly in, and vintage airplanes and home-built aircraft are especially welcome. A barbecue buffet will be served at noon — the meal will include chicken, pulled pork, baked beans, salad, pasta, desserts and drinks. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for museum members, $10 for kids ages 6 to 12 and free for kids ages 5 and under. Visit nhahs.org.

• The second annual Chandler’s Ball 3-on-3 Kids Basketball Tournament is happening on Saturday, June 18, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Emmett-Sheridan Park (324 Beech St., Manchester). The cost is $15 per team, and players will be divided into age groups of 8 to 12, 13 to 16 and 17 to 21 years old. Visit chandlersangels.org.

• Beaver Brook Association is hosting Strawberry Station: A Family Event at Brown Lane Barn (52 Brown Lane, Hollis) on Sunday, June 19, from 1 to 3 p.m. Learn to spot wild strawberries and make strawberry shortcake. The cost is $45; children are free, but attendees must register in advance. Visit beaverbrook.org.

• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (Curry Place, 846 Route 3, Holderness) will hold its StoryWalk Kickoff Reception: The Bugliest Bug, on Friday, June 24, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Stroll along the path that surrounds the Holderness Town Gazebo while reading The Bugliest Bug by Carol Diggory Shields, posted one page at a time along the trail. The story is about the news of a big contest taking place in the land of insects. After the kickoff reception, the trail will be open daily through Sept. 6.

• Dozens of high school football players from across the state will participate in this year’s CHaD NH East-West High School All-Star Football Game, scheduled for Saturday, June 25, at 1 p.m. at Saint Anselm College (100 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester). General admission tickets are $15, with all proceeds benefiting Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD). Visit chadkids.org.

• The Prescott Park Arts Festival has movies on the schedule for screening in Prescott Park in Portsmouth (prescottpark.org). A $5 per person donation is suggested to make a reservation (with other options for a table or blanket). The Monday Night Movie Series kicks off on Monday, June 27, at 8:30 p.m. with a screening of The Perks of Being a Wallflower (PG-13, 2012). The rest of the lineup includes Encanto (PG, 2021) on Monday, July 11, at 8:30 p.m.; Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (PG, 1980) on Monday, July 18, at 8:30 p.m.; Moonrise Kingdom (PG-13, 2012) on Monday, July 25, at 8:30 p.m.; Clue (PG, 1985) on Monday, Aug. 1, at 8:30 p.m.; Grease: Sing-Along (1978) on Monday Aug. 8, at 8:30 p.m.; Hook (PG, 1991) on Monday, Aug. 22, at 8:30 p.m., and The Wizard of Oz (1939) on Monday, Aug. 29, at 8:30 p.m.

• Join the New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy., Milton) for Fourth on the Farm, happening on Saturday, July 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., during which there will be historical reenactments, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, lawn games, tractor rides, strawberry shortcake and more. Museum admission is $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors over 65, $5 for kids and teens ages 4 to 17 and free for kids under 4 and for members and active military servicemen and women. Visit nhfarmmuseum.org.

• If you spend a summer Monday at the beach, finish your day at the coast with Movie Night Mondays on Hampton Beach (next to the playground) starting July 11 at dusk (approximately 8:22 p.m. for that first movie and then a few minutes earlier for each subsequent film). The films run weekly through Aug. 29, admission is free, bring a chair or blanket. The lineup of family-friendly films kicks off with Paw Patrol (G, 2021) on July 11. See hamptonbeach.org for the full schedule and the approximate dusk times; rain days are Tuesdays.

• It’s NASCAR Weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Loudon) from Friday, July 15, through Sunday, July 17 — weekend happenings include Friday Night Dirt Duels on Friday, a 200-lap NASCAR Xfinity Series race at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, followed by the Whelen Manufactured in America 100 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at 6 p.m. on Sunday, the Ambetter 301 will kick off at 3 p.m. Adult tickets start at $49 while kids ages 12 and under are $10. Visit nhms.com.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) will hold its annual classic car show on Saturday, July 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. See a wide variety of cars on display, along with restored antique fire trucks courtesy of Amoskeag Reserve Engine Co. Trophies will be given out for the People’s Choice and Museum awards, and the show will also include a 50/50 raffle, food trucks and more. Admission to participate in the show is $10 per vehicle, while for spectators it’s $5 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under (admission is cash only). Visit nhahs.org.

• Old Stage & Tavern Day is scheduled for Saturday, July 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy., Milton). Experience what it was like to travel by stagecoach in the 1800s, then tour the museum’s historic Jones farmhouse with guides in period dress. There will also be tractor rides, and candle making and basket making demonstrations, along with a scavenger hunt with prizes awarded. Museum admission is $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors over 65, $5 for kids and teens ages 4 to 17 and free for kids under 4 and for members and active military servicemen and women. Visit nhfarmmuseum.org.

• The New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy., Milton) will host a special Truck and Tractor Day on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., during which there will be a large display of trucks, tractors, wagons and antique cars dating back to the mid-1900s. Tractor rides will be available around the farm for attendees to visit with the resident cows, sheep, goats, horses, rabbits and chickens. Museum admission is $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors over 65, $5 for kids and teens ages 4 to 17 and free for kids under 4 and for members and active military servicemen and women. Visit nhfarmmuseum.org.

• Firefighters and police officers from across the Granite State will renew their friendly rivalry during the annual Battle of the Badges Baseball Classic, scheduled for Friday, Aug. 26, at 6:30 p.m. at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester). Visit chadkids.org.

• One of the largest car shows in the area, Cruising Downtown is scheduled to return to the streets of downtown Manchester for its 21st year on Saturday, Sept. 3. Visit manchesterrotary.com for updates.

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Art & Museums

• The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter, 772-2622, independencemuseum.org) is a place for people of all ages to learn about America’s revolutionary history. It provides access to historic buildings and interactive, historically accurate depictions of what life was like during the American revolution. Museum tours are offered Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, students, educators and first responders, and $4 for children ages 6 to 18. Tickets are free for children under age 6 and for active or retired military veterans. Save the date for the museum’s 32nd annual American Independence Festival on Saturday, July 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which will feature several historical reenactments, colonial artisan demonstrations and children’s activities.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) is dedicated to the science, technology, history and culture of aviation and features interactive exhibits and educational programs. It’s open Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for adults, $5 for seniors age 65 and over, veterans, active duty and kids ages 6 through 12, and is free for kids age 5 and under, with a $30 maximum for families.

• Travel back to a simpler time at Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury), a restored Shaker village and history museum with historic buildings, interactive exhibits and activities, educational programs and more. The Village grounds and trails are open every day from dawn to dusk with no admission fee. Guided indoor and outdoor tours with different themes are offered Tuesday through Sunday at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tour tickets cost $20 to $25 for adults, depending on the tour, and are free for visitors age 25 and under. Call 783-9511 or visit shakers.org.

• Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, 742-2002, childrens-museum.org) is a family museum featuring unique interactive exhibits with a focus on art, science and culture. Summer hours are Tuesday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to noon, with an additional session from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Masks are required on Tuesday and Sunday, but optional Wednesday through Saturday. Tickets are available for either the morning (9 a.m. to noon) or afternoon (1 to 4 p.m.) sessions and cost $11 for adults and children over age 1 and $9 for seniors over age 65. Participants must register online. This summer the museum is providing concert seats from its patio, directly across from the main stage where Dover’s Cochecho Arts Festival performances will be taking place on Fridays, July 22, Aug. 5 and Aug. 12, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 per person.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) offers Creative Studio, a themed art-making project for families, every second Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., free for New Hampshire residents. On the third Saturday of every month it hosts Art for Vets Family Days, where veterans and active military members and their families get free admission to the museum and can enjoy art-making activities and a complimentary lunch. Registration is required for all special events. Current gallery hours are Wednesday and Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 to 17 and free for children age 12 and under and museum members. General admission to the museum is also free for New Hampshire residents on the second Saturday of the month. Call 669- 6144 or visit currier.org.

• Mariposa Museum & World Culture Center (26 Main St., Peterborough, 924-4555, mariposamuseum.org) is a museum of art and artifacts from around the world that includes hands-on exhibits with costumes, puppets, instruments and more for children to explore. It’s open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $5 for kids ages 3 through 16.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord, 271-7827, starhop.com) is a museum focused on astronomy and aviation, offering interactive exhibits, simulations, an observatory, a planetarium and more. It’s open daily during the summer, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission costs$11.50 for adults, $10.50 for students and seniors and $8.50 for kids ages 3 through 12. The museum also features a variety of planetarium shows, with daily showtimes on the hour from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., for an additional cost of $5 per person.

• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester, 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum)is dedicated to educating the public about Manchester’s history, particularly the history of the Amoskeag Millyard. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.General admission costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 62+ and college students, $4 for youth ages 12 through 18, free for kids under age 12.

• The New Hampshire Telephone Museum (1 Depot St., Warner, 456.2234, nhtelephonemuseum.com) features nearly 1,000 telephones, switchboards and other telecommunication memorabilia and history, and has an interactive kids room. Its summer hours are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $7 for adults, $6 for seniors age 65 and up and $3 for students in grades 1 through 12.

• Learn about New Hampshire marine life and science with live animals, hands-on exhibits and educational programs at the Seacoast Science Center (Odiorne Point State Park, 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 436-8043, seacoastsciencecenter.org). Summer hours are Wednesday through Monday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission costs $10 for ages 12 and up, $5 for ages 3 to 11, and $8 for seniors age 65 and up. Children under age 3 are free. The Center recommends that attendees book ahead, since availability may be limited. The museum’s current special exhibit “The Edge of the Sea” allows kids to view various animals and organisms under a high-power microscope. The experience includes 500-gallon hands-on touch-tanks with simulated tide pools for visitors to view, touch and learn more about the ocean.

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org) is a museum focused on technology, engineering, mathematics and more, featuring interactive exhibits, demonstrations and educational programs. It’s home to the Lego Millyard Project, the largest permanent minifigure scale Lego installation in the world, depicting Manchester’s Amoskeag Millyard circa 1900. During the summer, the museum is open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $10 per person and is free for kids under age 3.

• Strawbery Banke Museum (14 Hancock St., Portsmouth, 433-1100, strawberybanke.org) is an outdoor museum preserving more than 300 years of history of New Hampshire’s oldest neighborhood to be settled by Europeans. Visitors can tour historic buildings preserved on their original foundations, meet historical costumed roleplayers, see traditional craft demonstrations and more. Summer hours at the museum are daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $19.50 for adults, $17.50 for seniors ages 65 and up and $9 for children ages 5 to 17. Children under age 5 are free. Family and group rates are also available. The museum will host its popular summer concert series Tuesdays on the Terrace every Tuesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. beginning June 21. Hear local talent and mingle with the community by an open-air stage. Visitors should bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.

• Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com) offers an all-ages family clay sculpting workshop on select Fridays at 4:15 p.m., for $20 per person, and a family pottery wheel workshop for kids ages 9 and up every Friday at 4:30 p.m., for $35 per person.

• You’re Fired (25 S. River Road, Bedford, 641-3473; 133 Loudon Road #101, Concord, 226-3473; 264 N. Broadway, Salem, 894-5456; yourefirednh.com) is an all-ages walk-in pottery studio, open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Mondays are “Mini Mondays,” when studio fees for kids age 12 and under are half-off all day.

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At the library

Libraries across the Granite State have all sorts of summer reading programs and other fun events planned over the next few months. From arts and crafts to live music, nature, wildlife and more, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at their local library this summer.

Amherst Town Library

14 Main St., Amherst, 673-2288, amherstlibrary.org

• Weekly storytimes: Family storytime (ages 3 and up) is Wednesdays, June 22 to Aug. 10 (except July 20), from 10 to 10:30 a.m.; Little Listeners lapsit storytime (ages 3 and under) is Thursdays, June 23 to Aug. 11 (except July 28), from 10 to 10:30 a.m.

• Mr. Vinny the Bubble Guy: Wednesday, June 22, 1 to 1:45 p.m. outside on the library grounds (all ages); no registration required

• Wildlife Encounters: Tuesday, July 12, 2 p.m.

• Kick into Karate: Tuesday, July 19, and Friday, July 22, 10 to 10:45 a.m. (ages 5 and up); registration is required, as space is limited

• Children’s Pet Show: Wednesday, July 20, 10 to 11 a.m. (ages 5 and up); registration is required

• Music with Mr. Aaron: Thursday, July 28, 10 to 11 a.m. (ages 2 and up); no registration required

• Turtles of New Hampshire (with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center): Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2 to 3 p.m. (ages 5 and up); no registration required

• End of Summer Ice Cream Social: Friday, Aug. 12, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. (all ages); no registration required

Baker Free Library

509 South St., Bow, 224-7113, bowbakerfreelibrary.org

• Pirate Party (summer reading kickoff event): Friday, June 17, 4 to 6 p.m. (all ages); features a special live performance from Miss Julieann at 5 p.m.

• Weekly take-home craft kits:Each kit will include supplies and instructions for one craft project. New kits will be available every Monday on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning the week of June 20 and through the week of Aug. 8, and will be available for pickup any time the library is open.

• Family storytime: Tuesdays, June 21 to Aug. 9, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

• Glow in the Dark Nights: Wednesday, June 22, 5:30 to 7 p.m. (ages 3 to 7), and Wednesday, July 13, 5:30 to 7 p.m. (ages 8 and up); registration is required

• Friday Summer Matinees: Fridays, June 24 to Aug. 5, 1 to 4 p.m. (all ages); movie titles and descriptions will be available in the coming weeks)

• Young Writers Workshop: Tuesday, June 28, 4 to 5 p.m. (grade 4 and up); registration is required, as space is limited

• Young Writers Club drop-in hours: Thursdays, June 30 to July 21, 3 to 4 p.m. (grade 4 and up); no registration required

• Whales & Seals presentation: Thursday, July 28, 4 to 5 p.m. (kindergarten to grade 4); registration is required

• Ice Cream Party, featuring Mike the Bubble Man: Saturday, Aug. 13, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (all ages); no registration required

Bedford Public Library

3 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford, 472-2300, bedfordnhlibrary.org

• Weekly storytimes (registration required): Sailing Storytime (ages 6 and under), Thursdays, 10 to 10:30 a.m., now through July 28 (next one is June 16); Baby Sharks Storytime (ages 2 and under), Tuesdays, 10 to 10:30 a.m., now through July 26 (next one is June 21); Starfish Storytime (ages 2 to 5), Wednesdays, 10 to 10:30 a.m., now through July 27 (next one is June 22); Sprinkler Storytime (ages 12 and under), Saturdays, 10:30 to 11 a.m., June 18 and July 16

• Comics Workshops with Marek Bennett: Mondays, June 20, June 27, July 11 and July 18, from 4 to 5 p.m. (ages 9 to 12); registration is required

• Drawing Under the Sea with Miss Lee Ann: Mondays, June 20, July 11 and July 25, from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. (ages 6 to 9); registration is required

• Touch-A-Truck event: Tuesday, June 21, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. (ages 3 to 12); registration is required

• Beach Explorers with UNH Marine Docents: Monday, June 27, 1 to 2 p.m. (ages 5 to 12); registration is required

• Zendoodles Under the Sea: Wednesdays, June 29, July 6, and July 20, from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. (ages 8 to 12); registration is required

• H2OH! Party: Wednesday, July 6, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ages 12 and under); registration is required

• Lunch Bunch: Thursdays, July 8, July 15, and July 22, noon to 12:30 p.m. outside under the library tent (ages 5 to 7); registration is required

• Breakfast Buzz: Saturday, July 9, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. (ages 8 to 12); registration is required

• Magic by George: Monday, July 11, 2 to 3 p.m. (ages 3 to 12); registration is required

• S’mores & Stories: Monday, July 18, 7 to 7:30 p.m. (ages 12 and under); registration is required

• Wildlife Encounters: Tuesday, July 19, 11 a.m. to noon, and Wednesday, July 20, 2 to 3 p.m. (ages 3 to 12); registration is required

• Summer Reading Finale Party: Friday, July 29, 2 to 3 p.m. (all ages); registration is required

Boscawen Public Library

116 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-8576, boscawenpubliclibrary.org

• Preschool storytimes: Wednesdays, 10:30 to 11 a.m. (next one is June 22)

• Make and take crafts: Thursday, June 30, 2 p.m.

• Lego Saturdays: Saturdays, 10 a.m., July 2 to Aug. 6

• Teddy bear workshop: Thursday, July 14, 2 p.m.

• Music with Mr. Aaron: Monday, July 18, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Brookline Public Library

16 Main St., Brookline, 673-3330, brooklinelibrarynh.org

• Music Time with Miss Jackie: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. outside on the library grounds (next date is June 21, weather permitting)

• Read to Kallie the dog: Wednesdays, July 6 and Aug. 3, at 3:30 p.m.

Chester Public Library

3 Chester St., Chester, 887-3404, chesternh.org/chester-public-library

• Bedtime stories: Mondays at 6:30 p.m. (next one is June 20); registration is required. All ages welcome.

• Weekly storytimes:Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. (next one is June 21); registration is required. All ages welcome.

• Yarn wall garland craft: Wednesday, June 22, 4 p.m. All materials will be provided by the library (ages 9 and up); registration is required

• Fishtail braiding craft: Tuesday, July 5, 2 p.m. (ages 9 and up); registration is required

• Live animals program with the Seacoast Science Center: Wednesday, July 13, 6 p.m. (all ages); registration is required

• Pet show: Thursday, July 14, 6 p.m. (all ages and pets welcome, with prizes awarded); registration is required

• Touch-A-Truck event at the Chester Fire Station: Tuesday, July 19, 1 p.m.; no registration required; rain date is July 26

• Bubbles and Lights and Lasers show: Wednesday, July 20, 6 to 8 p.m. (all ages); registration is required

• Sand slime making activity: Wednesday, July 27, 4 p.m.; all materials will be provided by the library (all ages); registration is required

• Tie-dye art activity: Thursday, July 28, 4 p.m.; bring your own T-shirt, socks or other clothing to tie-dye (all ages); registration is required

Concord Public Library

45 Green St., Concord, 225-8670, concordpubliclibrary.net

• Evening storytime: The Ocean Floor: Wednesday, June 22, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Rolfe Park (79 Community Drive, Penacook); registration is required

• Get to Know: The Outstanding Octopus: Friday, June 24, 2 to 3:30 p.m. (all ages); registration is required

• Outdoor preschool storytime: Wednesdays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. (location varies depending on the date; the next one is scheduled for June 29 at Keach Park, 2 Newton Ave.)

Derry Public Library

64 E. Broadway, Derry, 432-6140, derrypl.org

• Family storytimes on the patio: Fridays, June 24 to July 29, from 10 to 10:45 a.m.; registration is required

• Step Into Music!: Tuesdays, June 21 to Aug. 2, from 10 to 10:45 a.m. (ages 3 to 5); registration is required

• Enchantment Under the Sea Glow Dance Party: Tuesday, June 21; includes a morning session from 11 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. (all ages); registration is required

• Bedtime Stories: Tuesdays, June 21 to Aug. 9, from 6:30 to 7 p.m. (ages 2 to 7); registration is required

• Infant storytimes: Wednesdays, June 22 to Aug. 10, from 10 to 10:30 a.m.; registration is required

• Mother Goose on the Loose storytimes:Thursdays, June 23 to Aug. 4, from 10 to 10:45 a.m. (ages 1 to 3); registration is required

• Explore the Coral Reefs: Thursday, June 23; includes a morning session from 11 to 11:45 a.m. and an afternoon session from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. (ages 5 to 11); registration is required

• Lindsay & Her Puppet Pals: Friday, June 24, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.; registration is required

• Preschool storytimes: Mondays, June 27 to Aug. 8 (except July 4), 10 to 10:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. to noon; registration is required

• Fascinating Feelings of Dogs: Tuesday, June 28, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. (ages 5 to 11); registration is required

• Pool Noodle Sea Creatures: Thursday, June 30; includes a morning session from 11 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.; registration is required

• Across Oceans: Exploring the Art, History and Culture of Japan: Thursday, July 7; includes a morning session from 11 to 11:45 a.m. and an afternoon session from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. (ages 5 to 11); registration is required

• Teen comic workshop with Marek Bennett: Monday, July 11, 2 to 4 p.m. (ages 11 to 18); registration is required

• Shell trinket dish and recycled bracelet workshop: Wednesday, July 13, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ages 11 to 18); registration is required

• Fun With Dolphins: Thursday, July 14; includes a morning session from 11 to 11:45 a.m. and an afternoon session from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. (ages 5 to 11); registration is required

• Jellyfish lantern workshop: Monday, July 18, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ages 11 to 18); registration is required

• Shark Infested Fun!: Tuesday, July 19; includes a morning session from 11 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.; registration is required

• No-sew octopus pillow workshop: Wednesday, July 20, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ages 11 to 18); registration is required

• Aquariums: Thursday, July 21; includes a morning session from 11 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.; registration is required

• DIY marbled mugs workshop: Monday, July 25, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ages 11 to 18); registration is required

• Searching for Treasure: Tuesday, July 26; includes a session from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. and one from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. (ages 5 to 11); registration is required

• Campfire stories at the Taylor Library: Thursday, July 28, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; registration is required

• Recycled submarines workshop: Monday, Aug. 1, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ages 11 to 18); registration is required

• Lighthouses: Tuesday, Aug. 2; includes two sessions, at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. (ages 5 to 11); registration is required

• Bermuda Triangle Escape Room: Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (ages 11 to 18); registration is required

• Seashell collages workshop: Thursday, Aug. 4; includes a morning session from 11 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.; registration is required

• Pirate Scavenger Hunt: Tuesday, Aug. 9; includes a morning session from 11 a.m. to noon and an afternoon session from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.; registration is required

• End of Summer Party featuring magician BJ Hickman: Thursday, Aug. 11, 1 to 2:30 p.m. (all ages); registration is recommended

Dunbarton Public Library

1004 School St., Dunbarton, 774-3546, dunbartonlibrary.org

• Weekly storytimes: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. outside on the town band stand (next date is June 22)

• Touch-A-Truck event: Wednesday, June 29, 10:30 a.m. on the north side of the Town Common

• Mr. Aaron live on the band stand: Wednesday, July 13, 10:30 a.m.

• Judy Pancoast live on the band stand: Wednesday, July 20, 10:30 a.m.

Goffstown Public Library

2 High St., Goffstown, 497-2102, goffstownlibrary.com

• Whales & Seals presentation: Tuesday, June 21, at 10 a.m.; registration is required

• Teen STEAM programs: Tuesdays, June 21 to Aug. 16, at 2 p.m.

• Reading with Candy the Therapy Dog: Tuesdays, June 21 to Aug. 9, at 6 p.m.

• Family Game Night: Wednesday, June 22, at 6 p.m.

• Simple STEAM Activities: Mondays at 10 a.m. (next one is June 27)

• Children’s movie matinee: Mondays at 2 p.m. (next one is June 27)

• Preschool storytimes: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m., June 28 to Aug. 3

• Kids’ graphic novel book club: last Wednesday of every month at 3:30 p.m. (next one is June 28)

• Skywatch: Wednesday, July 29, 8:30 p.m.

• Movers & Groovers: Thursdays, June 30 to Aug. 4, at 10 a.m.

• Kids Can Cook! workshop: Wednesdays, July 6 and Aug. 3, at 1 p.m.

• Teen Cuisine: Sea Creature Cupcake decorating: Wednesday, July 6, 3 p.m.

• Teen Coding Hour: Thursday, July 7, 1 p.m.

• Minecraft: Learning to Code for Kids: Thursday, July 7, 3 p.m.

• Oceans of Bubbles: Friday, July 8, 10 a.m.

• Family drop-in storytimes: Saturdays, July 9 and Aug. 13, at 10 a.m.

• Music with Mr. Aaron: Monday, July 18, 3 p.m.

• Tie-dye workshop: Friday, July 22, 10 a.m.

• Crazy about Pokemon!: Wednesdays, July 27 and Aug. 17, at 3:30 p.m.

• Kids’ Picture Book Club: Fridays, July 29 and Aug. 12, at 10 a.m.

• Drop-in video games: Wednesday, Aug. 3, at 5 p.m.

• Family book discussion: Wednesday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m.

• Under the Sea tea party: Thursday, Aug. 4, at 3 p.m.

• Lindsay & Her Puppet Pals: Friday, Aug. 5, at 10 a.m.

• Pirate Tales: Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 1 p.m.

• Teen Cuisine with Hannaford: Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 3 p.m.

• Stuffed Animal Sleepover: Wednesday, Aug. 17, at 6 p.m.

• Drop-in craft extravaganza: Friday, Aug. 19, at 1 p.m.

• Murder mystery party: Wednesday, Aug. 24, at 4 to 6 p.m. (grades 5 through 12); registration is required

Griffin Free Public Library

22 Hooksett Road, Auburn, 483-5374, griffinfree.org

• Weekly storytimes: Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to noon (next one is June 21) and Fridays, 1 to 2 p.m. (next one is June 24)

• Pirate adventure craft: Saturday, June 25, 1 to 2 p.m. (ages 6 to 12); registration is required

• Sand painting craft: Wednesday, July 13, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (ages 6 to 12); registration is required

• Make a Scuba Diver craft: Saturday, July 16, 1 to 2 p.m. (ages 6 to 12); registration is required

• Shark Week puppets: Wednesday, July 20, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (ages 6 to 12); registration is required

• Decode a Message in a Bottle: Saturday, Aug. 6, 1 to 2 p.m.; registration is required

• Grand Finale Luau: Saturday, Aug. 13, noon to 2 p.m.

Hollis Social Library

2 Monument Square, Hollis, 465-7721, hollislibrary.org

• Henna with Mandy: Tuesday, June 21, 5 p.m. (ages 12 and up); registration is required

• Summer Reading Kick-off Party: Wednesday, June 22, 2 p.m. at Lawrence Barn Community Center (28 Depot Road, Hollis); all ages, registration is required

• Music and Movement with Miss Jackie: Friday, June 24, 11 a.m. at Little Nichols Field, just outside the library (ages 6 and under); registration is required

• Kids DIY I Spy Jar: Wednesday, June 29, 10:30 a.m. (ages 6 to 10); registration is required

• Teen DIY I Spy Jar: Wednesday, June 29, 1:30 p.m. (ages 11 to 14); registration is required

Hooksett Public Library

31 Mount Saint Mary’s Way, Hooksett, 485-6092, hooksettlibrary.org

• Touch-A-Truck event: Saturday, June 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Live performance from one-man-band Robert Depaolo: Saturday, June 18, noon to 2 p.m.

• Bubble party: Monday, June 20, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

• STEM the Tide program: Mondays, June 20 to July 25, 2 to 3 p.m. (ages 5 and up); registration is required

• Silly Seals music and movement program: Tuesdays, June 21 to July 26, 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. (ages 6 to 30 months); no registration required

• Crafty Crabs craft program: Tuesdays, June 21 to July 26, 10 a.m. to noon (ages 6 and under); no registration required

• Aquatic Artists craft program: Tuesdays, June 21 to July 26, 1 to 3 p.m. (ages 7 and up); no registration required

• Weekly storytimes: Oceans of Possibilities family storytimes: Wednesdays, June 22 to July 27, 10 to 10:45 a.m., or 11 to 11:45 a.m.; Pajama storytimes: Wednesdays, June 22 to July 27, 6 to 6:45 p.m.

• Ocean Explorers: Thursdays, June 23 to July 28, 10 to 11 a.m. (ages 2 and up)

• Family Movie days: Thursdays, June 23 to July 28, noon to 2 p.m. (see website for movie titles); no registration required

• Drop-in Lego play: Fridays, 1 to 4 p.m., dates offered June 24, July 8, July 15, and July 22

• Family Bingo Night: Friday, June 24, 6 to 7:15 p.m. (all ages); registration is required

• Whales & Seals presentation: Monday, June 27, 10 to 11 a.m. (ages 5 and up); registration is required

• Ocean Tie-dye art: Friday, July 15, 10 a.m. to noon (limit to two tie-dye items per person); no registration required

• Wildlife Encounters: Friday, July 22, 10 to 11 a.m.

• Dance Party: Monday, July 25, 10 to 10:45 a.m. (ages 2 to 6)

Kelley Library

234 Main St., Salem, 898-7064, kelleylibrary.org

• Summer storytimes: Tuesdays, 10 a.m. (next date is June 21)

• Magic Fred: Tuesday, June 21, 6 p.m. (outside the library, weather permitting)

• Exploring NH beaches with UNH: Tuesday, June 28, 1 p.m. (ages 5 to 9); registration is required

• Beach party: Wednesday, June 29, 1 p.m. (ages 4 to 8); registration is required

• Telewise STEM show: Wednesday, July 13, 2 p.m. (ages 5 and up); registration is required

• Ocean zone bottle workshop: Wednesday, July 20, 1 p.m. (ages 7 and up); registration is required

• Pirate party: Tuesday, July 26, 3 p.m. (ages 4 to 8); registration is required

• Bath bomb workshop: Thursday, July 28, 1 p.m. (ages 9 and up); registration is required

Leach Library

276 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 432-1132, londonderrynh.org

• Froggy visits the library: Tuesday, June 21, 11 a.m.; Wednesday, June 22, 4 p.m., and Thursday, June 23, 11 a.m.

• Craft day: Mondays, June 27, July 18 and Aug. 15, at 10 a.m. (ages 5 and under) and 1 p.m. (ages 6 to 11)

• Guppy Gang storytimes: Tuesdays, June 28, July 12, July 26 and Aug. 23, at 11 a.m.

• Magician Peter Boie: Wednesday, June 29, at 4 p.m.

• Lindsay & Her Puppet Pals: Monday, July 11, at 4 p.m.

• Wildlife Encounters: Wednesday, July 27, at 4 p.m.

• Encanto movie screening: Friday, July 29, at 6 p.m.

• The Ooch Experience: Yo-Yos, Music and Dance: Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 4 p.m.

Manchester City Library

Main Branch, 405 Pine St., Manchester, 624-6550; West Branch, 76 N. Main St., Manchester, 624-6560, manchester.lib.nh.us

• Weekly craft sessions Mondays at 10 a.m. (preschool to grade 2) and 2 p.m. (grades 3 through 6); next date is June 20; no registration required

• Ocean Games afternoons: Mondays, 3 to 3:45 p.m., June 20 to Aug. 8

• Toddler Tuesdays: Tuesdays at 10 a.m. (next one is June 21; see website for each week’s theme)

• Elementary Experiments: Tuesdays at 3 p.m. (grades 1 through 6; next one is June 21)

• NH Audubon presentation: Scales, Scutes and Skins: Wednesday, June 22, 2 to 3 p.m.

• Vinny the Bubble Guy: Wednesday, June 22, 6 to 7 p.m.

• Family storytimes: Thursdays, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. (ages 2 to 5; next ones are June 23)

• Drop-in Lego afternoons: Thursdays at 2 p.m. (ages 2 to 5; next one is June 23)

• Creative Daze craft workshops: Thursdays at 3 p.m. (grades 1 through 6; next one is June 23)

• Baby storytimes: Fridays, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. (ages 6 months to 2 years; next ones are June 24)

• Board games and a movie: Fridays at noon (next one is June 24)

• Storytime with Fisher Cats Slider and Fungo: Wednesday, June 29, 3 to 4 p.m.

• Family Fare performances: Thursdays at 6 p.m. (next one is July 7 with musician Steve Blunt)

• Storytime at the Mall of New Hampshire: Tuesdays, July 12 and Aug. 9, at 11:30 a.m.

• Indonesian Play Day: Tuesday, July 12, 1 to 2 p.m.

• Whales & Seals presentation: Wednesday, July 20, 3 to 4 p.m. (kindergarten through grade 3)

• Fairy Tales, Food and Fun: Wednesday, Aug. 3, noon

• Touch-A-Truck event: Saturday, Aug. 13, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• “Dinosaur Hunt”: Tuesday, Aug. 23, 10 to 10:45 a.m. (ages 2 to 5); registration is required

• Back to School Celebration with Fisher Cats Slider and Fungo: Wednesday, Aug. 24, at 3 p.m.

Maxfield Public Library

8 Route 129, Loudon, 798-5153, maxfieldlibrary.com

• Bring your own blanket storytime: Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. (ages 3 to 9); next one is June 16

• Cursive writing club: Thursdays, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. (ages 8 and up); next one is June 16

• Art in the Afternoon: Friday, June 17, noon; no registration required

• Bring your own blanket music and movement: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. (ages 3 and under); next one is June 21

• Summer Reading Kick-off show with Steve Blunt: Saturday, June 25, 11 a.m.

• Rocky shores of New Hampshire, with UNH: Saturday, July 23, 11 a.m. (kindergarten through grade 3)

Merrimack Public Library

470 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-5021, merrimacklibrary.org

• Comics Club: Thursdays, June 16, July 21 and Aug. 18, 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. (grades 4 through 6); registration is required

• Creative Corner: Fridays, June 17, July 15 and Aug. 19, at 3:15 p.m.

• Saturday stories: Saturdays, June 18, July 16 and Aug. 20, from 10:30 to 11 a.m.

• Musical Me: Tuesdays, June 21 to Aug. 16, from 10:30 to 11 a.m. outside the library at Abbie Griffin Park

• Sleepy stories: Tuesdays, June 21 to Aug. 16, at 7 p.m.

• Read Aloud Book Club with Miss Sam: Tuesdays, 3:30 to 4 p.m. (next one is June 21)

• Sunshine storytimes: Wednesdays, June 22 to Aug. 17, 10:30 to 11 a.m.

• Summer Reading Kick-off with Ben Rudnick and Friends: Wednesday, June 22, 6 to 7:15 p.m. outside the library at Abbie Griffin Park

• Books and Babies: Thursdays, June 23 to Aug. 18, at 10:30 a.m. (ages 2 and under)

• Storytime in the Park: Fridays, June 24 to Aug. 19, noon to 12:30 p.m. outside the library at Abbie Griffin Park

• Choosy Chapters with Miss Cathy and Miss Jenny: Fridays, June 24 to Aug. 12, at 4 p.m.

• Grimm’s Fairy Tales family trivia: Fridays, June 24, July 29 and Aug. 26, 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. via Zoom

• Facebook Live storytime: Mondays, June 27 to Aug. 15 (except July 4) 10:30 to 11 a.m.; ages 2 to 6

• Magical Make Believe: Every other Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. (next one is June 29), via YouTube

• Tween boat building workshop: Friday, July 1, 2 to 3 p.m.

• Pokemon Club Session A: First Wednesday of every month at 5 p.m. (next one is July 6); recommended for kindergarten through grade 5; registration is required

• Make recycled art: Tuesday, July 12, 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.

• Lindsay & Her Puppet Pals: Thursday, July 14, noon to 1 p.m. outside the library at Abbie Griffin Park (ages 3 to 8); registration is recommended

• Beach Baby Blast: Wednesday, July 20, 2 to 3 p.m. outside the library at Abbie Griffin Park (ages 2 and under)

• Pokemon Club Session B: third Wednesday of every month at 5 p.m., next one is July 20 (recommended for kindergarten through grade 5); registration is required

Nashua Public Library

2 Court St., Nashua, 589-4600, nashualibrary.org

• Outdoor lapsit storytimes: Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. (next one is June 16), 18 months and under

• Outdoor STEAM storytimes: Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. (next one is June 18); all ages

• Outdoor preschool storytimes: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. (next one is June 21); ages 3 to 5

• Outdoor toddler storytimes: Mondays at 10:30 a.m. (except July 4; next one is June 27); ages 18 months to 2 years

• Shaping Watersheds workshop: Thursday, June 30, 2 to 3 p.m.; grades 3 to 5

• English/Spanish bilingual storytime: Wednesdays, July 6 and Aug. 3, 10:30 a.m.

• Lindsay & Her Puppet Pals: Thursday, July 7, 2 p.m.

• Pajama storytime: Thursdays, July 7 and Aug. 4, 6:30 p.m.

• Family Field Day: Thursday, July 14, 2 p.m.

• Comics workshop with Kids Con New England’s Emily Drouin: Wednesday, July 20, 2 p.m. (grades 4 to 6); registration is required

• Underwater Art in a Jar: Thursday, July 21, 2 p.m.; kindergarten to grade 2

• Lights and Lasers: Thursday, July 28, 2 p.m. (grades 3 to 5); registration is required

• Cupcake decorating workshop: Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2 p.m. (grades 4 to 6); registration is required

• Who Would Win: Ultimate Ocean Showdown: Thursday, Aug. 11, 2 p.m. (kindergarten to grade 2)

Nesmith Library

8 Fellows Road, Windham, 432-7154, nesmithlibrary.org

• Teen Summer Reading Kick-off with Kate Sheridan of The Laundress Tarot: Tuesday, June 28, 6:30 p.m.

• Children’s Summer Reading Kick-off with Mr. Aaron: Thursday, June 30, 10:30 a.m.

• Storytime at the Windham Town Beach: Fridays, July 1, July 15 and July 22, at 10:30 a.m. at 45 Cobbetts Pond Road, Windham

• Finding Nemo scavenger hunt: Tuesday, July 5, to Friday, July 8; no registration required

• Teen mermaid scrub takeaway: Tuesday, July 5, all day starting at 9 a.m.

• Camping evening storytimes: Thursdays, July 7 and July 28, 6:30 p.m. (all ages)

• Make it Mondays crafts: Mondays, July 11 to Aug. 8, at 9 a.m. (all ages)

• Teen Captain’s log: Waves & Troughs: Tuesday, July 12, 6:30 p.m. (ages 7 to 12)

• STEAM: Oceans of Possibilities: Wednesdays, July 13 to Aug. 10, at 2 p.m. (ages 6 to 11); registration is required

• Wildlife Encounters: Thursday, July 14, 10:30 a.m. (all ages)

• Tween Percy Jackson party: Tuesday, July 19, 6:30 p.m. (grades 4 through 8)

• Touch-A-Truck event: Thursday, July 21, 10:30 a.m.

• Bermuda Triangle Escape Room: Tuesday, July 26, 5:30 p.m. (grades 4 through 8), and 6:30 p.m. (grades 7 through 12); registration is required

• Whales & Seals presentation: Thursday, July 28, 10:30 a.m.

• Teen Mario Kart tournament: Tuesday, Aug. 2, 6:30 p.m. (grades 7 through 12)

• Magic by Fred: Thursday, Aug. 4, 10:30 a.m.

• Teen Murder Mystery dinner: Tuesday, Aug. 9, 6:30 p.m. (grades 7 through 12); registration is required

• Children’s Summer Reading Wrap-up party: Thursday, Aug. 11, 10:30 a.m. (all ages)

Pelham Public Library

24 Village Green, Pelham, 635-7581, pelhampubliclibrary.org

• Weekly storytimes: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:15 a.m. (next ones are June 16 and June 21)

• Read to a Dog: Thursdays; multiple sessions available between 4 and 4:45 p.m. (next ones are June 16)

• Daddy & Donuts storytime: Saturday, June 18, 10:30 a.m.

• Kids’ gaming afternoon: Mondays, June 27, July 11 and Aug. 8, at 2:30 p.m.

• Summer Reading Kick-off: Wednesday, June 29, 6 p.m.

• Bermuda Triangle Escape Room: Thursday, June 30; multiple sessions available between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. (ages 8 and up)

• Virtual Bermuda Triangle Escape Room: Friday, July 1, noon

• Make a Birdhouse: Wednesday, July 6, 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (ages 5 and up); registration is required

• Ed Popielarczyk magic show: Tuesday, July 12, 7 p.m.

• Make a Giant Squid: Wednesday, July 13, 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (ages 4 and up); registration is required

• Throwback kids’ movie screenings: Fridays, July 15 and Aug. 5, at 2:30 p.m.

• UNH Estuary and Watershed program: Tuesday, July 19, at 4 p.m.

• Sink or Float (boat making workshop): Wednesday, July 20, at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (ages 5 and up); registration is required

• Doodling workshop with Cara Bean: Tuesday, July 26, at 2:30 p.m. (suitable for ages 8 to 14); virtual option also available

• Sharks, Skates and Rays: A Virtual Field Trip: Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 2:30 p.m.

• Ceramic painting: Wednesday, Aug. 3, 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (ages 4 and up); registration is required

• Turtles of New Hampshire (with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center): Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 6:30 p.m. (ages 5 and up); no registration required

• Make a Sea Life mobile: Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (ages 4 and up); registration is required

Pembroke Town Library

313 Pembroke St., Pembroke, 485-7851, pembroke-nh.com/library

• Dads & Donuts storytime: Friday, June 17, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

• Oceans of “Craftabilities” drop-in craft event: Tuesday, June 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Super Spanish with Senora Manzelli: Fridays, June 24 through July 29, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

• Baby Sharks in the Park (storytime and music and movement): Mondays, June 27 to Aug. 8, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. at Memorial Park in Pembroke

• Jumpin’ Jellyfish (storytime and music and movement): Tuesdays, June 28 to Aug. 2, 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

• Ocean STEM Club: Wednesdays, June 29 to Aug. 3, 4 to 5 p.m.

• Whales & Seals presentation: Monday, July 11, 4 to 5 p.m.

• Animal Ambassadors: Wednesday, July 13, 2 to 3 p.m.

• Living Shores aquarium visit: Wednesday, July 27, 3 to 4 p.m.

Rodgers Memorial Library

194 Derry Road, Hudson, 886-6030, rodgerslibrary.org

• Story Safari programs at Benson’s Park (19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson): Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m., June 16 to Aug. 2 (geared toward ages 3 to 8)

• Family candy bar bingo: Thursday, June 16, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

• Tween and teen candy bar bingo (grades 5 through 12): Thursday, June 16, 3 to 4 p.m.

• Welcome summer party with Steve Blunt: Friday, June 17, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

• Creative Kids programs: Mondays, June 20 to July 25 (except July 4) 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• Tween Scene and Fantasy Book Club events: Tuesdays, June 21 to July 26 at 3 p.m. (themes vary depending on the week)

• Songs & Snuggles: Wednesdays, June 22 through July 27, at 10 a.m. (birth to 18 months old)

• Teen Anime & Manga club: Wednesdays, June 22 to July 27, at 2:30 p.m.

• Whales & Seals presentation: Wednesday, June 22, 4 to 5 p.m.

• Family playtime: Thursdays, June 24 to July 28, at 1:30 and 5:30 p.m.

• Curious Kids programs: Fridays, June 24 to July 29, at 10 a.m.

• Tween and Teen DIY events: Fridays, June 24 to July 29, at 1:30 p.m. (grades 5 through 8) and 3 p.m. (grades 8 through 12)

• Puzzle Swap: Saturday, June 25, 10 a.m. to noon; all ages

• Dungeons & Donuts: Saturday, June 25, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; all ages

• Teen K-Pop night: Tuesday, June 28, 6 to 8 p.m.

• Encanto movie screenings: Wednesday, July 29, 1 p.m., and Wednesday, July 20, 6 p.m.

• Let’s Play Music! concert: Friday, July 1, 6 p.m.

• Turtles of New Hampshire, with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center: Tuesday, July 5, 1:30 p.m.

• Wildlife Encounters: Wednesday, July 13, 1:30 p.m., and Wednesday, July 27, 6 p.m.

• Marine Mammal Rescue, with the Seacoast Science Center: Tuesday, July 19, 7 p.m.

• Harry Potter birthday event: Tuesday, July 26, 6:30 p.m.

• Pottering around the U.K.: real life locations from the world of Harry Potter: Tuesday, July 26, 7 p.m. (virtual event)

Sandown Public Library

305 Main St., Sandown, 887-3428, sandownlibrary.us

• Story hour: Thursday, June 16, 10 to 11 a.m.

• Mother Goose on the Loose: Mondays, 9:30 to 10 a.m. (next one is June 20)

• Family Fun in the Kitchen: Monday, June 20, 4 to 5 p.m.

• Graphic novel book club: Wednesday, June 22, 4 to 5 p.m.

• Octopus slime: Wednesday, July 6, 4 to 5 p.m.

• Messy Mondays: Mondays, July 11 and Aug. 8, 10 to 11 a.m.

• PJ storytime: Wednesday, July 20, 4:30 to 5 p.m.

Smyth Public Library

55 High St., Candia, 483-8245, smythpl.org

• Outdoor gazebo storytimes: Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. (weather permitting)

• Summer Reading Kick-off: Aquatic Critters: Wednesday, June 22, 6:30 p.m. (featuring the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center)

• Ed Popielarczyk magic show: Wednesday, July 6, 6:30 p.m.

Wadleigh Memorial Library

49 Nashua St., Milford, 249-0645, wadleighlibrary.org

• Teen Summer Reading Kick-off: Friday, June 17, 3 p.m.

• Children’s Summer Reading Launch Party: Friday, June 17, 6 p.m.

• Teen writing group meetings: Tuesdays, June 21 to July 26, 3 p.m.,

• Baby lapsit: Wednesdays at 9 a.m. (next one is June 22); no registration required

• Tie-dye t-shirts: Wednesday, June 22, 4 to 6 p.m.; registration is required

• Little Explorers programs: Thursdays, June 23 to Aug. 4, at 10 a.m.

• Teen craft and STEAM events: Thursdays, June 23 to July 28, at 3 p.m.

• Music with Mr. Aaron: Monday, June 27, 10 a.m.

• Painting on Canvas program: Tuesday, June 28, 2 to 3 p.m. (ideal for kids ages 2 to 5); registration is required

• Fourth of July crafts: Friday, July 1, and Saturday, July 2, 9 a.m.

• Pirate Palooza: Wednesday, July 6, 11 a.m.

• Drop-in games: Friday, July 8, 10 a.m. to noon

• Family storytimes: Mondays, July 11 to Aug. 1, at 10 a.m.

• Make your own “Socktupus”: Tuesday, July 12, 10 a.m. to noon

• Owls of New Hampshire, with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center: Sunday, July 17, 2 to 3 p.m.

• Sea slime workshop: Monday, July 18, 3 to 5 p.m.

• Talewise: Pirates Lost at Sea!: Wednesday, July 20, 10 a.m.

• Mer-Madness: Wednesday, July 27, 11 a.m.

• Book Bingo: Thursday, July 28, 5:30 p.m.

• Teen Summer Reading Wrap-Up party: Thursday, Aug. 4, 3 p.m.

• End of Summer Ice Cream party: Friday, Aug. 5, 1 p.m.

Weare Public Library

10 Paige Memorial Lane, Weare, 529-2044, wearepubliclibrary.com

• Summer reading Kick-off party: Thursday, June 23, 6:30 p.m.; all ages

• Mario Kart 8 tournament: Tuesday, June 28, 2:30 p.m. (recommended for kids ages 7 and up); registration is required

Whipple Free Library

67 Mont Vernon Road, New Boston, 487-3391, whipplefreelibrary.org

• Weekly storytimes: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m., dates offered June 20 to July 29

• Summer Reading Kick-off: Pirates Lost at Sea!: Monday, June 20, 6:30 p.m. on the New Boston Town Common

• UNH Estuary and Watershed program: Monday, June 27, 4 to 5:30 p.m.

• Whimsical Wednesdays: Wednesdays, June 29 to July 27

• Whalemobile: Thursday, July 21; includes sessions at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and noon for younger kids and at 12:30 p.m. for teens

Wilton Public & Gregg Free Library

7 Forest Road, Wilton, 654-2581, wiltonlibrarynh.org

• Story circle: Thursdays at 10 a.m. (next one is June 16) outside on the library grounds

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Featured photo: Courtesy photo.