Category: Cover Stories

It’s the most important vote you cast all year.

Sure, governmental elections involve, like, the future of your town and its schools and stuff, but this vote had pizza. And doughnuts. And beer.

In the Best of 2023 Readers’ Poll, you not only voted for your favorite pizza place, you weighed in on the correct way to eat pizza (not with a fork and knife, seems to be the general consensus). Readers also voted for their favorite spots to lace up and go for a long run, where to order lunch from when the boss is paying, where to go for a good margarita, who has the prettiest cupcakes and which fitness instructors keep you in top cocktail-drinking, cupcake-eating form.

Here we present you with, generally, the top five winners in each category — though sometimes we have supersized it and let a few more reader faves join the winners court. And we’ve sprinkled some specific reader responses throughout, because they’re fun.

Looking for a place where they make your coffee perfect every time or a restaurant that will make you love vegetables? Here are Hippo readers’ favorites…

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The Fine Print

This survey is for entertainment purposes only and all results are final.

The results of Hippo’s readers’ poll are based on readers’ answers to a poll conducted online in February. Readers typed in the names of people and locations they voted for. In situations where the vote is tied or otherwise unclear, Hippo editorial staff makes an effort to determine the will of the greatest number of voters. Hippo reserves the right to disqualify individual votes, ballots and/or entries when they are incomplete or unclear, do not meet the letter or the spirit of the question asked or otherwise do not meet the requirements to make them a usable vote.

Hippo’s editorial staff makes the ultimate determination of the winners in the categories. Hippo’s advertisers play no role in the determination of the winners. All results are final.

The Best of 2023 is a celebration of all things local and is meant to serve as a snapshot of the people and places in southern New Hampshire. Large national and international chains are, for the most part, not included in the count. Information presented here is gathered from sources including the location’s website and social media pages. Double check with the spots before heading out to make sure times, locations and menu items haven’t changed.

Questions, comments, concerns? Did we get an address or phone number wrong? Do you have an idea for a new category? Let us know. Contact editor Amy Diaz at adiaz@hippopress. com. Corrections will appear on the first page of the news section in future issues. Is your favorite category missing? Categories change regularly, with some categories taking a sabbatical and new categories introduced, so please send your suggestions for a category for next year. And, again, all results are seriously final. Hey, there’s always next year.

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Arts

Best Performing Arts Venue

• Best of the best: Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org

• Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelohall.com
• Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com
• Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, 293-4700,
• banknhpavilion.com
• Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org/venues/rex-theatre

Best Theatrical Production

• Best of the best: Ballet Misha’s production of The Nutcracker, performed by professional dancers and students of Dimensions in Dance, at the Dana Center for the Humanities (St. Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester) on Saturday, Dec. 17, and Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022.

• A Christmas Carol, mainstage production of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org), ran Nov. 25 through Dec. 23, 2022.
• Grease, mainstage production of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org), ran Oct. 21 through Nov. 12, 2022.
• Legally Blonde, mainstage production of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org), ran June 3 through June 26, 2022.
• The All New Piano Men, mainstage production of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org), ran Jan. 20 through Feb. 5, 2023.

Best Local Place to Buy Art

• Best of the best: Craftsmen’s Fair, nhcrafts.org/annual-craftsmens-fair. The annual nine-day craft fair hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen is held outdoors at Mount Sunapee Resort starting the first week of August. It features hundreds of craftspeople with vendor booths, plus special craft exhibitions, demonstrations, hands-on workshops and more.

• League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Concord Fine Craft Gallery, 36 N. Main St., Concord, 228-8171, concord.nhcrafts.org. The craft organization’s flagship retail shop and gallery features a variety of traditional and contemporary crafts created by juried New Hampshire craftspeople.
• Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, Manchester, 512-6209, mosaicartcollective.com. The art cooperative features a gallery with rotating exhibitions and hosts community events and educational programming.
• Manchester Craft Market, Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., Manchester, manchestercraftmarket.com. This year-round gift shop features handmade items by more than 125 local artisans.
• The Museum Shop at the Currier, Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org. The gift shop offers art supplies and gifts for artists and art-lovers, including novelty items inspired by the museum’s special exhibitions.

Best Publicly Viewable Sculpture or Statue

• Best of the best: Abraham Lincoln statue at Central High School, 535 Beech St., Manchester. The original model of this statue depicting our nation’s 16th president was presented to the city of Manchester by sculptor John Rogers in 1895.

• General John Stark statue at Stark Park, 550 River Road, Manchester, starkpark.com. Born in Londonderry in 1728, General John Stark was a Revolutionary War hero and the author of New Hampshire’s motto, “Live Free or Die.”
• Millie the Mill Girl statue in downtown Manchester’s Millyard, manchesternh.gov. This 10-foot bronze statue commemorates the female employees of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Co., who represented one third of Manchester’s population in 1880. The Mill Girl Stairs Rehabilitation project began this past summer and is ongoing — the result will prominently feature the Mill Girl statue and improve public access from Commercial to Bedford streets.
• Daniel Webster statue at New Hampshire Statehouse, 107 N. Main St., Concord, nh.gov. According to information from the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources, this bronze statue of Portsmouth lawyer and Dartmouth College graduate Daniel Webster was designed in 1853, one year after his death.
• Ralph Baer statue at Arms Park (between the Merrimack River and Commercial Street), Manchester, manchesternh.gov. Arms Park is home to “Baer Square,” featuring a memorial statue and bench of Ralph Baer, a longtime Manchester native widely considered to be “the father of video games.”

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Entertainment

Best Bookstore

• Best of the best: Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com

• Bookery Manchester, 844 Elm St., Manchester, 836-6600, bookerymht.com
• Balin Books, 375 Amherst St., Nashua, 673-1734, find them on Facebook @balinbooks. Balin is the new name of the former Toadstool Bookshop in Nashua.
• The Toadstool Bookshop, 12 Depot St., Peterborough, 924-3543, toadbooks.com
• Water Street Bookstore, 125 Water St., Exeter, 778-9731, waterstreetbooks.com

Best Bowling Alley

• Best of the best: Lakeside Lanes, 2171 Candia Road, Manchester, 627-7722, lakesidelanes.com

• Merrimack Ten Pin Center, 698 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-0989, merrimacktenpin.com
• Leda Lanes, 340 Amherst St., Nashua, 889-4884, ledalanes.com
• Boutwell’s Bowling Center, 152 N. State St., Concord, 224-0941, boutwellsbowl.com
• Yankee Lanes, 216 Maple St., Manchester, 625-9656, manchester.yankeelanesentertainment.com

Best Comic Book Store

• Best of the best: Double Midnight Comics, 252 Willow St., Manchester, 669-9636, dmcomics.com.

• Merrymac Games & Comics, 550 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 420-8161, merrymacgc.com
• Jetpack Comics & Games, 37 N. Main St., Rochester, 330-9636, jetpackcomics.com
• Double Midnight Comics, 341 Loudon Road, Concord, 715-2683, dmcomics.com
• Midgard Hobbies and Games, 55 Crystal Ave., No. 21, Derry, 260-6180, midgardhobbiesandgames.com.

Best Mini Golf

• Best of the best: Chuckster’s Family Fun Park, 9 Bailey Road, Chichester, 798-3555, chuckstersnh.com. The park is currently closed for the season, but its miniature golf, batting cages and go-karts are scheduled to open on April 14.

• Mel’s Funway Park, 454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield, 424-2292, melsfunwaypark.com. Opening date for the 2023 season TBA. The park offers a wide variety of attractions, including miniature golf, go-kart racing, batting cages, arcade games and more.
• Chuckster’s Family Fun Park, 53 Hackett Hill Road, Hooksett, 210-1415, chuckstersnh.com, This Chuckster’s location is also opening on April 14, and the miniature golf course boasts 36 different holes to test your skills on.
• The Links at LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery.com. The winery’s onsite 18-hole miniature course is currently closed but is scheduled to reopen in April.
• Hilltop Fun Center, 165 Route 108, Somersworth, 742-8068, hilltopfuncenter.com. Miniature golf at Hilltop Fun Center is scheduled to open for the season on April 1.

Best Place to Learn to Make Something Cool

• Best of the best: Studio 550 Arts Center, 550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com. Pottery is the name of the game at this art center. Right now Studio 550 is offering a spring cleaning sale on classes through April 1.

• Tuscan Market, 9 Via Toscana, Salem, 952-4875, tuscanbrands.com. Tuscan Market maintains a monthly schedule of cooking classes, with signups available for all skill levels.
• 603 Charcuterie, 603charcuterie.com. The charcuterie businesses, which regularly holds charcuterie board building classes at area breweries and wineries, has recently come under new ownership. Leah and Tom Bellemore, who own Vine 32 Wine + Graze Bar in Bedford, have taken over the reins of the store, as announced by 603 Charcuterie in a March 22 Facebook post.
• Muse Paintbar, 42 Hanover St., Manchester, 607-6873, musepaintbar.com. Paint-and-sip classes are available to all skill levels.

Best Place to Totally Geek Out

• Best of the best: Boards & Brews, 941 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5184, boardsandbrewsnh.com

• Game Knight, 545 Hooksett Road, Unit 18, Manchester, 606-2299, gameknightnh.com
• Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, nhahs.org. New Hampshire’s only working museum devoted to aviation history in the Granite State features a variety of exhibits covering important people, places, events and artifacts, and features year-round programming geared toward families.
• Double Midnight Comics, 252 Willow St., Manchester, 669-9636, dmcomics.com. In addition to selling comic books, the shop holds game events as well as a day of celebration on Free Comic Book Day (Saturday, May 6, this year).
• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, 2 Institute Drive, Concord, 271-7827, starhop.com. This hands-on learning center highlighting astronomy, space and aviation also features a planetarium. During the school year the center is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $12 ($9 for children ages 3 to 12, $11 for 62+ and ages 13 to college, free for children 2 and under); planetarium shows cost $6 for ages 3 and up.
• Granite State Comic-Con, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester, 669.9636, granitecon.com. Granite State Comic-Con is scheduled to return from Friday, Sept. 15, through Sunday, Sept. 17.
• Midgard Hobbies and Games, 55 Crystal Ave., No. 21, Derry, 260-6180, midgardhobbiesandgames.com. In addition to having board games and tabletop role playing games for sale, Midgard has open gaming spaces, a private game room and a regular tournament gaming schedule.

Best Place to Make New Friends

• Best of the best: The Collective Studios, 4 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 216-2345, thecollective-studios.com. The Collective Studios boasts a regular schedule of yoga, meditation and fitness classes. See their website for details on how to join a class.

• The Nest Family Cafe, 25 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 404-2139, thenestfamilycafe.com. This Londonderry cafe, which opened in June 2022, was specially designed to cater to families with young children, with a variety of built-in amenities like a Montessori-style play area, a “treehouse” reading nook, a chalk wall, changing tables and a bottle-warming station, all in addition to a menu of coffees, teas, smoothies, baked goods, kid-friendly snack dispensers, bento boxes and more. The roughly 1,500-square-foot space includes traditional cafe seating that’s adjacent to the gated play area, designed to look like a bird’s nest.
• The Dam Brewhouse, 1323 Route 175, Campton, 726-4500, dambrewhouse.com. The Dam Brewhouse hosts music bingo on Fridays from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. and maintains a regular schedule of other events, like Paint and Pint on the third Sunday of every month.
• Strive Indoor Cycling, 10 Hills Ave., Concord, 513-9464, striveindoorcycling.com. This indoor cycling center maintains a regular schedule of classes. See their website for the full calendar.
• Feathered Friend Brewing Co., 231 S. Main St., Concord, 715-2347, find them on Facebook @featheredfriendbrewing. Feathered Friend Brewing Co., which opened in March 2022, is a popular spot for its pop-ups with local restaurants, as well as its live music and video game nights. See their Facebook page for details on upcoming events and happenings.

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Nightlife

Bar Where You Feel Relaxed as Soon as you Sit Down

• Best of the best: Industry East Bar, 28 Hanover St., Manchester, 232-6940, industryeastbar.com

• Stumble Inn Bar and Grill, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 432-3210, stumbleinnnh.com
• The Hop Knot, 1000 Elm St., Manchester, 232-3731, hopknotnh.com
• The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com
• 815 Cocktails & Provisions, 815 Elm St., Manchester, 782-8086, 815nh.com

Best Live Music Venue

• Best of the best: Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelohall.com

• Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, 293-4700,
• banknhpavilion.com
• Bank of New Hampshire Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com
• Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 929-4100, casinoballroom.com
• The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center, 39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com

Best Restaurant, Bar or Brewery for Live Music

• Best of the best: Stumble Inn Bar and Grill, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 432-3210, stumbleinnnh.com

• The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant, 909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com
• Area 23, 254 N. State St., Concord, 552-0137, thearea23.com
• The Goat Bar and Grill, 50 Old Granite St., Manchester, 844-603-4628, goatnh.com
• Strange Brew Tavern, 88 Market St., Manchester, 666-4292, strangebrewtavern.net

Best Bar with an Outdoor Deck

• Best of the best: The Derryfield Restaurant, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com

• Backyard Brewery & Kitchen, 1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545, backyardbrewerynh.com
• Stumble Inn Bar and Grill, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 432-3210, stumbleinnnh.com
• KC’s Rib Shack, 837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net
• The Dam Brewhouse, 1323 Route 175, Campton, 726-4500, dambrewhouse.com

Best Pub or Bar

• Best of the best: The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant, 909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com

• Stumble Inn Bar and Grill, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 432-3210, stumbleinnnh.com
• Industry East Bar, 28 Hanover St., Manchester, 232-6940, industryeastbar.com
• The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com
• Strange Brew Tavern, 88 Market St., Manchester, 666-4292, strangebrewtavern.net

Best Weekly Bar Event

• Best of the best: Trivia Heather, with Heather Abernathy, find her on Facebook @triviaheather. Held various weeknights, most often at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester) and The Farm Bar & Grille (1181 Elm St., Manchester).

• Open Mic Nights with Paul Costley and Nate Comp. Held Tuesday nights, from 8 to 10 p.m., at KC’s Rib Shack, 837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net.
• Trivia Nights with Bill Seney, see “Trivia Night with Bill Seney” on Facebook.
• Held Thursday nights, at 8:30 p.m., at The Hop Knot, 1000 Elm St., Manchester, 232-3731, hopknotnh.com
• Trivia Nights at Area 23, 254 N. State St., Concord, 552-0137, thearea23.com. Held Tuesday nights, at 7 p.m., with prizes awarded. See the Facebook page for an updated list of trivia categories each week.
• Ruby Room Comedy, rubyroomcomedy.com. Held Wednesday nights, at 9 p.m., at The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant, 909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com, and featuring a rotating lineup of up-and-coming comics from across the country.

Best Spot for Some Friendly Competition

• Best of the best: Axel’s Throw House, 4 Bud Way, Unit 2, Nashua, 318-9987, axelsthrowhouse.com

• The Rugged Axe, 377 S. Willow St., Manchester, 232-7846, theruggedaxe.com
• RelAxe Throwing, 157 Gay St., Manchester, 782-3061, relaxethrowing.com
• Game Changer Sports Bar & Grill, 4 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 216-1396, gamechangersportsbar.com. Named after one of the popular brand names of cornhole bean bags, Game Changer Sports Bar & Grill opened in May 2020 and features its own indoor cornhole lanes, with tournaments available for the chance to win prizes.
• Par 28, 23 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-7078, par28.com. Par 28 opened in November 2022. The full-service restaurant and bar also features virtual indoor golf and ax throwing with projected targets, and is also home to Rae’s Coal Fired, featuring pizza and appetizers cooked out of a custom-built coal-fired oven.

Best Spot for a Cheap Date

• Best of the best: The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com

• Tandy’s Pub & Grille, 1 Eagle Square, Concord, 856-7614, tandyspub.com
• The Hop Knot, 1000 Elm St., Manchester, 232-3731, hopknotnh.com
• Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org
• RelAxe Throwing, 157 Gay St., Manchester, 782-3061, relaxethrowing.com

Best Spot for a Group Outing

• Best of the best: Axel’s Throw House, 4 Bud Way, Unit 2, Nashua, 318-9987, axelsthrowhouse.com

• Boards & Brews, 941 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5184, boardsandbrewsnh.com
• Canobie Lake Park, 85 N. Policy St., Salem, 893-3506, canobie.com. Featuring more than 100 rides, games, live shows and attractions, Canobie Lake Park is expected to reopen later this spring.
• RelAxe Throwing, 157 Gay St., Manchester, 782-3061, relaxethrowing.com
• 603 Brewery & Beer Hall, 42 Main St., Londonderry, 404-6123, 603brewery.com
• The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com

Best Place to Meet a Blind Date

• Best of the best: The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com

• Boards & Brews, 941 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5184, boardsandbrewsnh.com
• City Hall Pub, 8 Hanover St., Manchester, 232-3751, cityhallpub.com
• Vine 32 Wine + Graze Bar, 25 S. River Road, Unit 107, Bedford, 935-8464, vinethirtytwo.com
• RelAxe Throwing, 157 Gay St., Manchester, 782-3061, relaxethrowing.com

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Restaurants

Best Restaurant

• Best of the best: Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677, copperdoor.com

• The Puritan Backroom Restaurant, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com
• Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com
• Buckley’s Great Steaks, 438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com
• The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com

Best New Eatery

• Best of the best: Rambling House Food & Gathering, 57 Factory St., Suite A, Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale.com. Featuring seasonally inspired menus — with a diverse offering of meat, seafood and vegetarian options — and an outside dining area with unparalleled rooftop views of the Nashua River, Rambling House Food Gathering opened its doors in early March 2022. It’s co-owned and co-founded by members of the Gleeson family, who have also run 2nd Nature Academy (formerly known as The Nature of Things) since 1997. On the first floor below Rambling House you’ll find its sister company, the TaleSpinner Brewery, which can be accessed at the opposite end of the building on Water Street.

• The Nest Family Cafe, 25 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 404-2139, thenestfamilycafe.com. This Londonderry cafe, which opened in June 2022, was specially designed to cater to families with young children, with a variety of built-in amenities like a Montessori-style play area, a “treehouse” reading nook, a chalk wall, changing tables and a bottle-warming station, all in addition to a menu of coffees, teas, smoothies, baked goods, kid-friendly snack dispensers, bento boxes and more. Owners Jamie and Ryan Getchell, themselves the parents of three kids, said the idea for the business came to them following their own experiences visiting cafes and coffee shops with their kids in tow. The roughly 1,500-square-foot space includes traditional cafe seating that’s adjacent to the gated play area, designed to look like a bird’s nest.
• Pressed Cafe, 216 S. River Road, Bedford, 606-2746, pressedcafe.com. Pressed Cafe, a local chain known for its scratch-made menu of paninis, sandwiches, smoothies and bowls, opened its fourth New Hampshire location inside the former Canoe Restaurant & Bar space in Bedford in March 2022. It’s open for breakfast all day and features a double drive-thru and a full bar.
• Ansanm, 20 South St., Milford, 554-1248, ansanmnh.com. Chris Viaud, owner of Greenleaf in Milford and a Season 18 contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef, opened this Haitian restaurant with his family in October 2022 in the former Wicked Pissah Chowdah storefront on South Street, just a stone’s throw away from the Milford Oval. Ansanm, which gets its name from the word meaning “together” in Haitian Creole, continues the success of the family’s restaurant concept following nearly a year and a half of hosting monthly pop-up dinners. Ansanm’s menu continues to include items that were main staples at the pop-ups — the griot, or a marinated twice-cooked pork, and the poule nan sós, or braised chicken in Creole sauce, to name a couple — as well as all kinds of authentic dishes totally new to the space, and a few new spins on classic flavors.
• Los Reyes Street Tacos & More, 127 Rockingham Road, Derry, 845-8327, losreyesstreettacos.com. Manchester couple Jose and Isabel Reyes opened this Mexican restaurant inside Derry’s Hillside Plaza in April 2022. They’re perhaps best known for their birria — Jose Reyes comes from multiple generations of street food vending in Mexico, serving authentic birria, most commonly served on a plate in the form of goat meat. You won’t find goat on their menu, but you can try quesabirras, inspired by the traditional stew and featuring beef, onion, cilantro and a side of consommé, or the stewed broth. Los Reyes is also known for its street tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos and chimichangas.

Best Fine Dining

• Best of the best: Hanover Street Chophouse, 149 Hanover St., Manchester, 644-2467, hanoverstreetchophouse.com

• Buckley’s Great Steaks, 438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com
• Bedford Village Inn, 2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com
• Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677, copperdoor.com
• Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com

Best Restaurant from which to Get Takeout

• Best of the best: The Puritan Backroom Restaurant, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com

• Goldenrod Restaurant, 1681 Candia Road, Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com
• Lilac Blossom Restaurant, 650 Amherst St., Nashua, 886-8420; 385 E. Dunstable Road, Nashua, 888-9588; lilacblossom.us
• Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar, 4 Orchard View Drive, No. 6, Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com
• Dos Amigos Burritos, 26 N. Main St., Concord, 410-4161, dosamigosburritos.com

Best Date Night Restaurant

• Best of the best: Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677, copperdoor.com

• The Foundry Restaurant, 50 Commercial St., Manchester, 836-1925, foundrynh.com
• The Crown Tavern, 99 Hanover St., Manchester, 218-3132, thecrownonhanover.com
• Cotton Restaurant, 75 Arms St., Manchester, 622-5488, cottonfood.com
• Buckley’s Great Steaks, 438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com

Restaurant where the Meal Always Lifts your Mood

• Best of the best: Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar, 4 Orchard View Drive, No. 6, Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com

• The Puritan Backroom Restaurant, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com
• Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677, copperdoor.com
• KC’s Rib Shack, 837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net
• Surf Restaurant, 207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293, surfseafood.com

Best Food Truck

• Best of the best: Messy Mike’s Barbecue & Catering Co., messymikesbbq.com. Messy Mike’s reopened for the season on March 16 — find them in the parking lot of Rockingham Acres Greenhouse (161 Rockingham Road, Derry).

• B’s Tacos & More, nhtacotruck.com. Find them outside the BP gas station (2 Mohawk Drive, Londonderry) from May through October. B’s Tacos, meanwhile, has a brick-and-mortar location on Manchester’s West Side, at 372 Kelley Street.
• Up In Your Grill, upinyourgrill.com. When he’s not catering for an event, Up In Your Grill owner and pitmaster Dan DeCourcey of Merrimack can often be found in the parking lot of Vault Motor Storage (526 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack) — the dates and times vary but are regularly updated on Facebook.
• The Sleazy Vegan, thesleazyvegan.com. Find this plant-based food truck at pop-ups across southern New Hampshire — the dates and locations vary but are regularly updated on the website and on Facebook. The truck also offers delivery and catering services.
• One Happy Clam Seafood & More, find them on Facebook @onehappyclam. Operated by longtime former Clam Haven owner Rick Metts, One Happy Clam has multiple public events on the schedule this spring and summer across southern New Hampshire.
• Buxton’s Pizza, find them on Facebook @buxtonspizza. Find this Derry-based brick oven pizza truck at several pop-up locations mostly throughout the spring and summer months.

Restaurant With the Best Outdoor Seating

• Best of the best: Downtown Cheers Grille & Bar, 17 Depot St., Concord, 228-0180, cheersnh.com

• KC’s Rib Shack, 837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net
• The Crown Tavern, 99 Hanover St., Manchester, 218-3132, thecrownonhanover.com
• Backyard Brewery & Kitchen, 1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545, backyardbrewerynh.com
• The Derryfield Restaurant, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com

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Delicious Dishes

Best Bakery

• Best of the best: Bearded Baking Co., 819 Union St., Manchester, 647-7150, beardedbaking.com

• The Crust & Crumb Baking Co., 126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com
• Bread & Chocolate, 29 S. Main St., Concord, 228-3330, find them on Facebook @breadandchocolateconcordnh
• Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe, 436 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 262-5929, buckleysbakerycafe.com
• Klemm’s Bakery, 29 Indian Rock Road, Windham, 437-8810, klemmsbakery.com

Best Barbecue

• Best of the best: KC’s Rib Shack, 837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net

• Smokeshow Barbeque, 231 S. Main St., Concord, 227-6399, smokeshowbarbeque.com. In March 2022, Smokeshow Barbeque relocated into a new space in Concord’s South End, nearly tripling its seating capacity and sharing a building with Feathered Friend Brewing Co.
• Smokehaus Barbecue, 278 Route 101, Amherst, 249-5734, smokehausbbq.com
• Messy Mike’s Barbecue & Catering Co., messymikesbbq.com. Messy Mike’s reopened for the season on March 16 — find them in the parking lot of Rockingham Acres Greenhouse (161 Rockingham Road, Derry).
• Goody Cole’s Smokehouse & Catering Co., 374 Route 125, Brentwood, 679-8898, goodycoles.com

Best Blueberry Muffin

• Best of the best: Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar, 4 Orchard View Drive, No. 6, Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com

• Hotrize Bagel Cafe, 634 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-3367, find them on Facebook
• Klemm’s Bakery, 29 Indian Rock Road, Windham, 437-8810, klemmsbakery.com
• O’Shea’s Caife & Tae, 44 Nashua Road, Londonderry, 540-2971, osheasnh.com
• The Crust & Crumb Baking Co., 126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com
• Bearded Baking Co., 819 Union St., Manchester, 647-7150, beardedbaking.com

Best Breakfast

• Best of the best: Tucker’s, 80 South St., Concord, 413-5884, tuckersnh.com

• Tucker’s, 95 S. River Road, Bedford, 413-6503, tuckersnh.com
• Tucker’s, 1328 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 206-5757, tuckersnh.com
• MaryAnn’s Diner, 29 E. Broadway, Derry, 434-5785, maryannsdiner.com
• The Post Restaurant, 58 N. Main St., Concord, 227-6686; 125 Fisherville Road, Concord, 228-0522; postrestaurantnh.com

Best Brunch

• Best of the best: The Foundry Restaurant, 50 Commercial St., Manchester, 836-1925, foundrynh.com

• Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677, copperdoor.com
• Firefly American Bistro & Bar, 22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com
• Rambling House Food & Gathering, 57 Factory St., Suite A, Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale.com
• Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar, 4 Orchard View Drive, No. 6, Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com

Best Burgers

• Best of the best: The Barley House Restaurant & Tavern, 132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com

• Vibes Gourmet Burgers, 25 S. Main St., Concord, 856-8671, vibesgourmetburgers.com
• The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery, 58 Route 27, Raymond, 244-2431, tuckaway.com
• Papa Joe’s Humble Kitchen, 237 South St., Milford, 672-9130, papajoeshumblekitchen.com
• River Road Tavern, 193 S. River Road, Bedford, 206-5837, riverroadtavern.com

Best Chicken Tenders

• Best of the best: The Puritan Backroom Restaurant, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com

• Goldenrod Restaurant, 1681 Candia Road, Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com
• Charlie’s, 1 Pinard St., Goffstown, 606-1835, charliesgoffstown.com
• The Red Blazer Restaurant & Pub, 72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com
• T-Bones Great American Eatery, 39 Crystal Ave., Derry, 434-3200, t-bones.com
• Vintage Pizza, 241 Candia Road, Manchester, 518-7800, vintagepizzanh.com

Best Fish & Chips

• Best of the best: The Lobster Boat Restaurant, 453 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-5221, lobsterboatrestaurant.com

• The Peddler’s Daughter, 48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com
• Lobster Claw II, 4 S. Main St., Derry, 437-2720, lobsterclaw2.com
• Goldenrod Restaurant, 1681 Candia Road, Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com
• Rambling House Food & Gathering, 57 Factory St., Suite A, Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale.com
• Petey’s Summertime Seafood & Bar, 1323 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 433-1937, peteys.com

Where the French Fries Are So Good They Could Be a Meal

• Best of the best: The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com

• The Puritan Backroom Restaurant, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com
• River Road Tavern, 193 S. River Road, Bedford, 206-5837, riverroadtavern.com
• Goldenrod Restaurant, 1681 Candia Road, Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com
• 603 Brewery & Beer Hall, 42 Main St., Londonderry, 404-6123, 603brewery.com

Eatery with Home Cooking Like Grandma Used to Make

• Best of the best: Local Baskit, 10 Ferry St., Suite 120A, Concord, 219-0882, localbaskit.com

• Diz’s Cafe, 860 Elm St., Manchester, 606-2532, dizscafe.com
• Chez Vachon, 136 Kelley St., Manchester, 625-9660, chezvachon.com
• The Common Man, 1 Gulf St., Concord, 228-3463, thecman.com
• The Common Man, 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088, thecman.com

Best Lasagna

• Best of the best: Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop, 815 Chestnut St., Manchester, 625-9544, angelaspastaandcheese.com

• Angelina’s Ristorante Italiano, 11 Depot St., Concord, 228-3313, angelinasrestaurant.com
• Villaggio Ristorante, 677 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 627-2424, villaggionh.com
• Fratello’s Italian Grille, 155 Dow St., Manchester, 624-2022, fratellos.com
• Ralphie’s Cafe Italiano, 91 S. Broadway, Salem, 893-3777, ralphiescafeitaliano.com

Best Mac & Cheese

• Best of the best: Mr. Mac’s Macaroni & Cheese, 497 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 606-1760, mr-macs.com

• The Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery, 58 Route 27, Raymond, 244-2431, tuckaway.com
• The Common Man, 1 Gulf St., Concord, 228-3463, thecman.com
• O Steaks & Seafood, 11 S. Main St., Concord, 856-7925, osteaksconcord.com
• Pressed Cafe, 216 S. River Road, Bedford, 606-2746, pressedcafe.com
• The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com

Best Pizza

• Best of the best: 900 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria, 50 Dow St., Manchester, 641-0900, 900degrees.com

• Alley Cat Pizzeria, 486 Chestnut St., Manchester, 669-4533, alleycatpizzerianh.com
• New Hampshire Pizza Co., 76 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2125, newhampshirepizzaco.com
• Constantly Pizza, 39 S. Main St., Concord, 224-9366; 108 Fisherville Road, Penacook, 227-1117; constantlypizza.net
• Vintage Pizza, 241 Candia Road, Manchester, 518-7800, vintagepizzanh.com

Best Sandwich

• Best of the best: Steak Bomb at USA Subs, 66 Crystal Ave., Derry, 437-1550, usasubs.com. Available in three sizes, this tried and true classic features tender shaved steak that’s grilled with peppers, onions, mushrooms, cooked salami and your choice of American or provolone cheese.

• The Cardiac Sam at KC’s Rib Shack, 837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net. This sandwich is stacked with pulled chicken, pulled pork, bacon, cheese, roasted red peppers, lettuce and a garlic and herb mayonnaise.
• Roast beef sub at Bentley’s Roast Beef, 134 Route 101A, Amherst, 883-2020, bentleysroastbeef.com. Bentley’s uses eight ounces of freshly thin-sliced USDA choice Midwestern beef for its subs, which are served on a toasted 12-inch Piantedosi sub roll.
• Messy 3-Way at Messy Mike’s Barbecue & Catering Co., messymikesbbq.com. “If it ain’t messy, it ain’t barbecue” — that’s the motto of Messy Mike’s. The Messy 3-Way features melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork, served on a bun with mayonnaise, American cheese and James River barbecue sauce. Messy Mike’s reopened for the season on March 16 — find them in the parking lot of Rockingham Acres Greenhouse (161 Rockingham Road, Derry).
• Fried chicken sandwich at Ansanm, 20 South St., Milford, 554-1248, ansanmnh.com. Putting a new spin on traditional Haitian flavors, this sandwich features chicken thigh marinated in epis (a blend of peppers, garlic and herbs) and topped with a house epis aioli, crispy plantain and pikliz (a spicy slaw) on a house-made adobo brioche roll.

Best Subs

• Best of the best: Nadeau’s Subs, 776 Mast Road, Manchester, 623-9315; 110 Cahill Ave., Manchester, 669-7827; 673 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 644-8888; 1095 Hanover St., Manchester (inside the Kwik Stop Mobil), 606-4411; nadeaussubs.com

• USA Subs, 66 Crystal Ave., Derry, 437-1550, usasubs.com
• Bill Cahill’s Super Subs, 8 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, 882-7710, find them on Facebook @billcahills
• Great American Subs, 44 Nashua Road, Unit 3, Londonderry, 434-9900, greatamericansubsnh.com
• Jeannotte’s Market, 2 Courtland St., Nashua, 882-0161, jeannottesmarket.com

Best Tacos

• Best of the best: Nuevo Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, 791 Second St., Manchester, 782-8762, vallartamexicannh.com

• Dos Amigos Burritos, 26 N. Main St., Concord, 410-4161, dosamigosburritos.com
• La Carreta Mexican Restaurant, 545 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 628-6899; 1875 S. Willow St., Manchester, 623-7705; lacarretamex.com
• Hermanos Cocina Mexicana, 11 Hills Ave., Concord, 224-5669, hermanosmexican.com
• Los Reyes Street Tacos & More, 127 Rockingham Road, Derry, 845-8327, losreyesstreettacos.com

Restaurant that Can Make You Love Vegetables

• Best of the best: Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar, 4 Orchard View Drive, No. 6, Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com

• The Sleazy Vegan, thesleazyvegan.com. Find this plant-based food truck at multiple pop-ups across southern New Hampshire — the dates and locations vary but are regularly updated on the website and on Facebook. The truck also offers delivery and catering services.
• Greenleaf, 54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com
• Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro & Bar, 35 Portwalk Place, Portsmouth, 427-8344, greenelephantnh.com
• Buckley’s Great Steaks, 438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com
• The Green Beautiful Gourmet Vegan Cafe, 168 Wilson St., Manchester, 606-1026, greenbeautifulcafe.com

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Sweet Treat

Best Chocolate or Candy Shop

• Best of the best: Granite State Candy Shoppe, 13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591, granitestatecandyshoppe.com

• Van Otis Chocolates, 341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotis.com
• Granite State Candy Shoppe, 832 Elm St., Manchester, 225-2591, granitestatecandyshoppe.com
• Lickee’s & Chewy’s Candies & Creamery, 53 Washington St., Suite 100, Dover, 343-1799, lickeesnchewys.com
• Nelson’s Candy & Music, 65 Main St., Wilton, 654-5030, nelsonscandymusic.com

Best Cookies

• Best of the best: The Crust & Crumb Baking Co., 126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com

• Bearded Baking Co., 819 Union St., Manchester, 647-7150, beardedbaking.com
• The Black Forest Cafe & Bakery, 212 Route 101, Amherst, 672-0500, theblackforestcafe.com
• Buckley’s Bakery & Cafe, 436 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 262-5929, buckleysbakerycafe.com
• Frederick’s Pastries, 109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725, pastry.net
• Pats Peak Ski Area, 686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 428-3245, patspeak.com

Prettiest Cupcakes

• Best of the best: Queen City Cupcakes, 816 Elm St., Manchester, 624-4999, qccupcakes.com. In January, Queen City Cupcakes moved all its operations a few doors down, joining forces with its sister gift shop, Pop of Color, at 816 Elm St.

• Bearded Baking Co., 819 Union St., Manchester, 647-7150, beardedbaking.com
• Carina’s Cakes, 14B E. Broadway, Derry, 425-9620, find them on Facebook @carinas.cakes
• Cupcakes 101, 132 Bedford Center Road, Bedford, 488-5962, cupcakes101.net
• Wild Orchid Bakery, 836 Elm St., Manchester, 935-7338, wildorchidbakery.com
• Frederick’s Pastries, 109 Route 101A, Amherst, 882-7725, pastry.net

Best Doughnuts

• Best of the best: Klemm’s Bakery, 29 Indian Rock Road, Windham, 437-8810, klemmsbakery.com

• Brothers Donuts, 426 Central St., Franklin, 934-6678, find them on Facebook @brothersdonuts
• New Hampshire Doughnut Co., 2 Capital Plaza, Concord, 715-5097, nhdoughnutco.com
• Flight Coffee Co., 209 Route 101 West, Bedford, 836-6228, flightcoffeeco.com
• New Hampshire Doughnut Co., 410 S. River Road, Bedford, 782-8968, nhdoughnutco.com. The company’s newest shop, which opened on South River Road in Bedford in September 2022, expanded the menu offerings to include yeast ring and filled doughnuts for the first time, in addition to fritters and French crullers.

Best Ice Cream

• Best of the best: The Puritan Backroom Restaurant, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com

• Moo’s Place Homemade Ice Cream, 27 Crystal Ave., Derry, 425-0100, moosplace.com. Moo’s opens for the season on April 1.
• Ilsley’s Ice Cream, 33 S. Sugar Hill Road, Weare, 529-6455, find them on Facebook @ilsleysicecream. Opening date for the 2023 season TBA.
• Hayward’s Homemade Ice Cream, 7 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua, 888-4663, haywardsicecream.com
• Goldenrod Restaurant, 1681 Candia Road, Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com

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Drinks

Best Beer Selection in a Shop

• Best of the best: Bert’s Beer & Wine, 545 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 413-5992, bertsnh.com

• Lazy Dog Beer Shoppe, 27 Buttrick Road, Suite B4, Londonderry, 434-2500, lazydogbeer.com
• The Beer Store, 433 Amherst St., Nashua, 889-2242, thebeerstorenh.com
• The Packie, 581 Second St., Manchester, 232-1236, thepackienh.com
• East Derry General Store, 50 E. Derry Road, Derry, 432-5302, eastderrygeneralstore.com

Best NH Brewery

• Best of the best: 603 Brewery & Beer Hall, 42 Main St., Londonderry, 404-6123, 603brewery.com

• Pipe Dream Brewing, 49 Harvey Road, Londonderry, 404-0751, pipedreambrewingnh.com
• Spyglass Brewing Co., 306 Innovative Way, Nashua, 546-2965, spyglassbrewing.com. In late January, Spyglass Brewing Co. moved all of its operations across Nashua to its current location at 306 Innovative Way, where a full kitchen is now available featuring smash burgers, sandwiches, tacos, salads, appetizers and more.
• Backyard Brewery & Kitchen, 1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545, backyardbrewerynh.com
• Concord Craft Brewing Co., 117 Storrs St., Concord, 856-7625, concordcraftbrewing.com

Best NH Winery

• Best of the best: LaBelle Winery, 345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewinery.com

• LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery.com
• Zorvino Vineyards, 226 Main St., Sandown, 887-8463, zorvino.com
• Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, 297 N. River Road, Lee, 659-2949, flaghill.com
• Fulchino Vineyard, 187 Pine Hill Road, Hollis, 438-5984, fulchinovineyard.com
• Appolo Vineyards, 49 Lawrence Road, Derry, 421-4675, appolovineyards.com

Best Cocktail

• Best of the best: Cosmo at Copper Door Restaurant, 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033, copperdoor.com. The Copper Door’s signature Cosmo features Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Gran Gala orange liqueur, freshly squeezed lemons, pomegranate juice and a sugar rim.

• Frozen mudslides at The Puritan Backroom Restaurant, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com. The Puritan’s original mudslide features Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kahlua coffee liqueur and vodka, while other variations include an Almond Joy Slide, a Milky Way slide, a Snickers slide and a Peanut Butter Cup slide.
• C.R.E.A.M. at Industry East Bar, 28 Hanover St., Manchester, 232-6940, industryeastbar.com. Standing for “Cucumber Rules Everything Around Me,” the C.R.E.A.M. cocktail at Industry East is one of the bar’s signature offerings, featuring Mi Campo tequila, ancho verde liqueur, Dolin Blanc, a cucumber shrub, lemon juice and jalapeno tincture. It’s then garnished with a cucumber ribbon, salt and pepper.
• Squam Shrub at New Hampshire Pizza Co., 76 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2125, newhampshirepizzaco.com. Changing its flavors with the seasons, from cranberry in the fall or blueberry in the summer to other combinations like apricot rosemary, this craft cocktail features Ice Pik vodka, a simple syrup and soda water.
• Painkiller at KC’s Rib Shack, 837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net. Known for being the KC’s Rib Shack’s best-selling specialty drink, the Painkiller features a blend of Cruzan aged Virgin Island rum, coconut cream, pineapple and orange juices, topped with freshly grated nutmeg.

Best Margaritas

• Best of the best: Hermanos Cocina Mexicana, 11 Hills Ave., Concord, 224-5669, hermanosmexican.com

• La Carreta Mexican Restaurant, 545 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 628-6899; 1875 S. Willow St., Manchester, 623-7705; lacarretamex.com
• El Rincon Zacatecano Taqueria, 10 Lake Ave., Manchester, 232-4530, elrinconnh.com
• Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill, 865 Second St., Manchester, 935-9182, vallartamexicannh.com
• Nuevo Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, 791 Second St., Manchester, 782-8762, vallartamexicannh.com

Restaurant with the Most Innovative Cocktails

• Best of the best: Tandy’s Pub & Grille, 1 Eagle Square, Concord, 856-7614, tandyspub.com

• The Farm Bar & Grille, 1181 Elm St., Manchester, 641-3276, farmbargrille.com
• The Hop Knot, 1000 Elm St., Manchester, 232-3731, hopknotnh.com
• Industry East Bar, 28 Hanover St., Manchester, 232-6940, industryeastbar.com
• T-Bones Great American Eatery, 404 S. Main St., Concord, 715-1999, t-bones.com

Where They Make your Coffee Perfect Every Time

• Best of the best: Revelstoke Coffee, 100 N. Main St., Concord, revelstokecoffee.com

• Flight Coffee Co., 209 Route 101 West, Bedford, 836-6228, flightcoffeeco.com
• A&E Coffee & Tea, 1000 Elm St., Manchester, 578-3338, aeroastery.com
• O’Shea’s Caife & Tae, 44 Nashua Road, Londonderry, 540-2971, osheasnh.com
• Hometown Coffee Roasters, 80 Old Granite St., Manchester, 703-2321, hometownroasters.com

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Outdoors

Best Farm for Pick Your Own

• Best of the best: Sunnycrest Farm, 59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com. Pick-your-own opportunities, depending on the season and on availability, include apples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, grapes, cherries and flowers.

• Mack’s Apples, 230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 434-7619, macksapples.com. Pick-your-own opportunities, depending on the season and on availability, include apples, pumpkins, peaches and pears.
• Lull Farm, 65 Broad St., Hollis, 465-7079, livefreeandfarm.com. Pick-your-own opportunities,
• depending on the season and on availability, include strawberries and apples. The farm has additional locations in Milford and Nashua.
• Apple Hill Farm, 580 Mountain Road, Concord, 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com. Pick-your-own opportunities include several varieties of apples.
• Carter Hill Orchard, 73 Carter Hill Road, Concord, 225-2625, carterhillapples.com. Pick-your-own opportunities, depending on the season and on availability, include blueberries, apples and peaches.

Best City Park

• Best of the best: White Park, 1 White St., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov. Amenities include a basketball court, a seasonal pool, walking trails and an ice skating rink.

• Livingston Park, 156 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 624-6444, manchesternh.gov. This park includes a walking trail that circles Dorrs Pond.
• Benson Park, 19 Kimball Road, Hudson, 886-6000, hudsonnh.gov. Benson Park is a 166-acre public park that opened in 2010. The former property of Benson’s Wild Animal Farm, a private zoo and amusement park open for much of the early half of the 20th century, the park is now a popular area for hiking, dog walking, fishing and picnicking.
• Greeley Park, 100 Concord St., Nashua, nashuanh.gov. A public city park spanning 125 acres, Greeley Park features a stage, playgrounds, picnic areas and more, and is a popular spot for outdoor festivals.
• Mine Falls Park, Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov. This park has around 8 miles of trails across 325 acres of forest, open fields and wetlands, bordering the Nashua River, Millpond and a canal system on the north side.

Best State Park

• Best of the best: Bear Brook State Park, 61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9874, nhstateparks.org. At more than 10,000 acres, this is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. There are around 40 miles of trails that run through this heavily forested park, offering a variety of options for hikers and dog walkers. Leashed pets are permitted in the campground and on the trails only — not in the beach area.

• Pawtuckaway State Park, 128 Mountain Road, Nottingham, 895-3031, nhstateparks.org. The park offers campers a family beach on the lake and hiking trails across a diverse landscape, where they can see wildlife and natural points of interest.
• Franconia Notch State Park, 260 Tramway Drive, Franconia/Lincoln, 823-8800, nhstateparks.org. Franconia Notch State Park is located in the White Mountain National Forest and is home to the Franconia Notch, a mountain pass crossed by a parkway extending from Echo Lake to the Flume Gorge. Visitors can enjoy hiking, swimming, fishing, biking, horseback riding, camping and more.
• Wellington State Park, 614 W. Shore Road, Bristol, 744-2197, nhstateparks.org. Wellington State Park offers hiking trails, picnic areas and volleyball and horseshoe courts, and is known for having the largest freshwater swimming beach in the New Hampshire state park system.
• Ellacoya State Park, 266 Scenic Road, Gilford, 293-7821, nhstateparks.org. Ellacoya State Park is located on the southwest shore of New Hampshire’s largest lake, Lake Winnipesaukee. It features a 600-foot-long sandy beach area open for swimming, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, with views of the Sandwich and Ossipee mountains across the lake, as well as picnic areas, a playground and an RV campground.
• Wallis Sands State Beach, 1050 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 227-8722, nhstateparks.org. Wallis Sands State Beach is a sandy beach with ocean swimming and views of the Isles of Shoals. Amenities include a store with food and drinks, a bathhouse with hot and cold showers, walking trails and a grassy area with picnic tables.

Best Hike in Southern New Hampshire

• Best of the best: Mount Monadnock, 169 Poole Road, Jaffrey, 532-8862, nhstateparks.org. The 3,165-foot mountain features more than 35 hiking trails of various levels of difficulty leading to the summit.

• Mount Major, Alton, forestsociety.org/mtmajor. The mountain’s 1.5-mile Mount Major Trail and 1.6-mile Boulder Loop Trail form a loop at its 1,785-foot summit, which offers a panoramic view of Lake Winnipesaukee to the north.
• Mine Falls Park, Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov. This park has around 8 miles of trails across 325 acres of forest, open fields and wetlands, bordering the Nashua River, Millpond and a canal system on the north side.
• Mt. Uncanoonuc Trails, Mountain Road, Goffstown. The North Uncanoonuc Trail, about a 0.6-mile hike, is steep in some spots and is known for its wilderness and panoramic views of Goffstown. At about 0.8 miles, the South Uncanoonuc Trail is slightly longer, also serving as a snowmobiling and ATVing trail that features views of Mount Monadnock from a distance.
• Pulpit Rock Conservation Area, New Boston Road, Bedford, plcnh.org/pulpit-rock-trails. The 338-acre conservation land features 10 marked trails totalling 3 miles, including a connector trail from the gorge and ledge called Pulpit Rock, through Amherst to Bedford’s Joppa Hill Conservation Land.

Best Bike Trail

• Best of the best: Granite State Rail Trail, from Londonderry through Salem, gsrtnh.org. The southern portion of the trail network connects the Londonderry Rail Trail, Derry Rail Trail, Windham Rail Trail and Salem Bike-Ped Corridor, ending in Salem at the Massachusetts border.

• Nashua River Rail Trail, Nashua. This paved trail is 12.5 miles and runs along the Nashua River, connecting Nashua to Ayer, Mass.
• Northern Rail Trail, fnrt.org. The 59-mile trail runs from Boscawen to Lebanon, crossing nearly a dozen towns across two counties.
• Mine Falls Park, Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov. This park has around 8 miles of trails across 325 acres of forest, open fields and wetlands, bordering the Nashua River, Millpond and a canal system on the north side.
• Goffstown Rail Trail, Goffstown, goffstownrailtrail.org. The 5.5-mile trail runs between Goffstown and Manchester, connecting Pinardville, Grasmere and Goffstown Village.

Best Spot for a Long Run

• Best of the best: Mine Falls Park, Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov. This park has around 8 miles of trails across 325 acres of forest, open fields and wetlands, bordering the Nashua River, Millpond and a canal system on the north side.

• Manchester rail trails, manchesternh.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/parks-trails-and-facilities/recreational-trails. The City of Manchester is working to develop a rail trail network, with four rail trails in various stages of planning and development. Rockingham Rail Trail is 3.1 miles and runs from Tarrytown Road to Lake Massabesic; South Manchester Rail Trail runs 2.4 miles parallel to South Willow Street; Heritage Trail runs for 6.1 miles along the Merrimack River and includes the Riverwalk in the Millyard; and Piscataquog Trail runs for 2.4 miles through the West Side of Manchester and connects to the Goffstown Rail Trail.
• Goffstown Rail Trail, Goffstown, goffstownrailtrail.org. The 5.5-mile trail runs between Goffstown and Manchester, connecting Pinardville, Grasmere and Goffstown Village.
• Londonderry Rail Trail, londonderrytrails.org. The 4.5-mile trail runs through North Londonderry, ending at Harvey Road in Manchester near the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
• Nashua River Rail Trail, Nashua. This paved trail is 12.5 miles and runs along the Nashua River, connecting Nashua to Ayer, Mass.

Best Ski Hill

• Best of the best: Pats Peak Ski Area, 686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 428-3245, patspeak.com

• Loon Mountain Resort, 60 Loon Mountain Road, Lincoln, 745-8111, loonmtn.com
• McIntyre Ski Area, 50 Chalet Way, Manchester, 622- 6159, mcintyreskiarea.com
• Mount Sunapee Resort, 1398 Route 103, Newbury, 763-3500, mountsunapee.com
• Cannon Mountain Ski Resort, 260 Tramway Drive, Franconia, 823-8800, cannonmt.com

Best Lake for Canoeing or Kayaking

• Best of the best: Lake Massabesic, off the Londonderry Turnpike, Manchester, 642-6482, manchesternh.gov. Spanning 2,500 acres in Manchester and Auburn, the lake is the centerpoint for a network of dozens of trails, including a loop to the Massabesic Audubon Center, a wildlife sanctuary situated on a historic farm site in Auburn. The trails range in length from half a mile to more than 3 miles.

• Newfound Lake, Wellington State Park, 614 W. Shore Road, Bristol, 744-2197, nhstateparks.org. A boat launch is located just outside the park, providing free 24/7 access to the 4,106-acre lake.
• Pawtuckaway Lake, Pawtuckaway State Park, 7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031, nhstateparks.org. The park offers canoe and kayak rentals at its camp store as well as a public boat launch for the 784-acre lake.
• Squam Lake, Grafton, Carroll and Belknap counties, lakesregion.org/squam-lake. Big and Little Squam lakes are naturally spring-fed and connected by a channel in Holderness. Big Squam is the second-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire, at 6,791 acres long with 61 miles of shoreline. The lakes are also host to 67 islands.
• Canobie Lake, Salem and Windham, canobielake.org. The 375-acre lake is known for its peaceful waters and resident loons. Canoes and kayaks can be carried into the water from the North Policy Street parking lot.
• Lake Winnisquam, Water Street, Laconia, winnisquamwatershed.org/public-access. With 4,264 acres, the lake, fed by Lake Winnipesaukee, is the state’s fourth largest, spanning across the towns of Laconia, Tilton, Sanbornton, Belmont and Meredith. There are two public boat ramps and a floating dock in Laconia.

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Happenings

Best Food Festival

• Best of the best: Hampton Beach Seafood Festival, Route 1A, Hampton, seafoodfestivalnh.com. The festival will be back Friday, Sept. 8, through Sunday, Sept. 10, with shopping, live music, entertainment and, of course, lots of seafood.

• Taco Tour in Manchester. According to tacotourmanchester.com, the self-proclaimed “World’s Largest Taco Tour,” organized by the Greater Manchester Chamber, will be coming back on Thursday, May 4, from 4 to 8 p.m. in downtown Manchester and will include more than 60 restaurants selling tacos for $3 each.
• Glendi, St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 650 Hanover St, Manchester, 622-9113, stgeorgenh.org. This festival will take place Friday, Sept. 15, through Sunday, Sept. 17, and will feature a wide selection of Greek food, including lamb, gyro, pastries and more.
• Great American Ribfest at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, 221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 595-1202, greatamericanribfest.com. The food truck festival that features barbecue, live music, kids attractions and more is back Friday, July 21, through Sunday, July 23.
• Concord Multicultural Festival, Keach Park, Concord Heights, 2 Newton Ave., Concord, 568-5740, concordnhmulticulturalfestival.org. Scheduled this year for Sunday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Concord Multicultural Festival features food, music and live entertainment, artists and makers and more — all with the goal of showcasing the many cultures of the community, according to the website.

Best Farmers Market

• Best of the best: Concord Farmers Market, which runs Saturday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Capitol Street between North Main Street and State Street (next to the lawn in front of the Statehouse). The farmers market opens for the season on May 6 and will run through Oct. 28, according to concordfarmersmarket.com.

• Contoocook Farmers Market, which runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. The winter market takes place November through April at Maple Street School (194 Maple St.); the summer mark et runs from May through October at the Contoocook gazebo, according to the market’s Facebook page.
• Salem Farmers Market, which takes place year-round on Sundays starting at 10 a.m., according to salemnhfarmersmarket.org. The market’s Easter Market will be held Sunday, April 2; the market will be closed on Sunday, April 9, the website said. The winter market, which runs November through April, is at LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111, Derry, 833-2311) and goes until 1 p.m.; the summer market will open May 7 at the Mall at Rockingham Park (77 Rockingham Park Blvd. in Salem).
• Bedford Farmers Market, which takes place at Murphy’s Taproom (393 Route 101 in Bedford) on Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. The market will open for the season on June 13 and will run through Oct. 17, according to bedfordnhfarmersmarket.org.
• Derry Homegrown Farm and Artisan Market, which runs Wednesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. at 1 West Broadway in Derry. The season will open on June 7, according to derryhomegrown.org.

Event That Puts the Fun in Fundraiser

• Best of the best: Penguin Plunge for Special Olympics. This year’s Penguin Plunge took place in February at Hampton Beach, where 720 participants jumped into the cold ocean to raise funds to support Special Olympics New Hampshire, according to sonh.org/events/penguin-plunge.

• Rock ‘N Race. This race, which features 5K walk, 5K run and 1-mile run options, takes place in downtown Concord and supports Concord Hospital Payson Center for Cancer Care. The race will kick off at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 18 (with a pre-race program at the Statehouse Plaza at 5:45 p.m.), according to giveto.concordhospital.org.
• Glendi, St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 650 Hanover St, Manchester, 622-9113, stgeorgenh.org. This festival will take place Friday, Sept. 15, through Sunday, Sept. 17, and will feature a wide selection of Greek food, including lamb, gyro, pastries and more.
• Abby Lange’s Walk for the Animals, which raises funds for Pope Memorial SPCA (94 Silk Farm Rd, Concord, 856-8756, popememorialspca.org). It’s slated for Sunday, Oct. 1, and will start at Northeast Delta Dental in Concord; details are to come.
• Wags to Whiskers Festival, a day of dog demonstrations, kid activities, pet vendors and more to support The Humane Society of Greater Nashua (24 Ferry Road, Nashua, 889-2275). This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch in Merrimack.

Best Community Event

• Best of the best: Concord Market Days Festival. Concord’s downtown celebration with music, food, live entertainment, family activities, vendors and more will take place Thursday, June 22, through Saturday, June 24. See marketdaysfestival.com.

• Glendi, St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 650 Hanover St, Manchester, 622-9113, stgeorgenh.org. This festival will take place Friday, Sept. 15, through Sunday, Sept. 17, and will feature a wide selection of Greek food, including lamb, gyro, pastries and more.
• Milford Pumpkin Festival. This celebration of pumpkins and Halloween in downtown Milford will run Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8, and historically features live music, a haunted trail, a pumpkin weigh-in, pumpkin carving, scarecrow making, a rubber duck race, live entertainment, a pumpkin catapult, vendors, kids’ activities, food and more, according to milfordpumpkinfestival.org.
• Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off and Regatta. Run by Goffstown Main Street, the Regatta has in the past taken place over two days in October and has featured as its highlight a race of carved pumpkin boats in the river. See goffstownmainstreet.org.
• Derry After Dark, a celebration of breweries and restaurants that in the past has been scheduled to coincide with Derryfest in September. For information, contact Cask and Vine (1 East Broadway in Derry; 965-3454, caskandvine.com).
• Winter Holiday Stroll. This downtown Nashua celebration takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving (this year, that’s Saturday, Nov. 25). Taking place in the evening (in 2022 it ran from 5 to 10 p.m.), the Stroll in the past has featured the lighting of the holiday tree, a Santa’s Village, live entertainment, vendors and more. See downtownnashua.org.

Best Event Celebrating a Holiday

• Best of the best: Winter Holiday Stroll. This downtown Nashua celebration takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving (this year, that’s Saturday, Nov. 25). Taking place in the evening (in 2022 it ran from 5 to 10 p.m.), the Stroll in the past has featured the lighting of the holiday tree, a Santa’s Village, live entertainment, vendors and more. See downtownnashua.org.

• Midnight Merriment. Organized by Intown Concord (intownconcord.org), the Capital City’s holiday event is usually the first Friday in December and has in the past run from 5 p.m. to midnight. The evening features music, kids’ activities, Santa Claus, shopping and more, according to the website.
• Halloween Howl. In 2022, this Halloween event from Intown Concord (intownconcord.org) took place the Friday before Halloween and featured trick-or-treating on Main Street in the downtown, family activities and a trunk-or-treat, according to the website.
• LaBelle Lights at LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111 in Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery.com). In 2022 this lights display was twice the size as in the first year’s, with artistic sculptures that the winery commissioned exclusively for the event, which ran through the holiday season and into January.
• Milford Pumpkin Festival. This celebration of pumpkins and Halloween in downtown Milford will run Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8, and historically features live music, a haunted trail, a pumpkin weigh-in, pumpkin carving, scarecrow making, a rubber duck race, live entertainment, a pumpkin catapult, vendors, kids’ activities, food and more, according tomilfordpumpkinfestival.org
• Manchester St. Patrick’s Parade. The parade traditionally takes place a week or so after St. Patrick’s Day (this year it was Sunday, March 26) and steps off at noon, running down Elm Street through the city’s downtown. See saintpatsnh.com for the countdown clock to next year’s parade.

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Beauty & Wellness

Best Barber Shop

• Best of the best: Lucky’s Barbershop and Shave Parlor, 50 S. State St., Concord, 715-5470, luckysbarbershop.biz/concord

• The Polished Man, 707 Milford Road, Unit 3A, Merrimack, 718-8427, thepolishedman.com
• Varnished Gentlemen’s Salon & Shave Parlor, 1019 Hanover St., Manchester, 782-8628, varnishednh.com
• Dude’s Barbershop, 1328 Hooksett Road, Unit 14, Hooksett, 626-0533, dudesbarbershop.com
• HomeGrown Barber Co., 18 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 818-8989, homegrownbarber.com

Best Salon

• Best of the best: Blank Canvas Salon, 1F Commons Drive, No. 38, Londonderry, 818-4294, blankcanvassalon.com

• Mari Lossi Hair Studio, 40 S. River Road, Unit 63, Bedford, 782-3908, marilossihairstudio.com
• Cachet Beauty Lounge, 44 Bridge St., Suite 100B, Manchester, 782-8030, cachetbeautylounge.com
• Salon North, 102 Bay St., Manchester, 483-3011, 102salonnorth.com
• Salon Bogar, 25 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 434-2424, salonbogar.com

Best Spa

• Best of the best: Renew MediSpa, 23 Crystal Ave., Derry, 931-4345, renewmedispa.com

• Pellé Medical Spa, 159 Frontage Road, Manchester, 627-7000, pellemedicalspa.com
• Serendipity Day Spa, 23 Sheep Davis Road, Pembroke, 229-0400, serendipitydayspa.shop
• Chill Spa, 1224 Hanover St., Manchester, 622-3722, chillspa.com
• Innovations Salon & Spa, 228 Naticook Road, Merrimack, 880-7499, innovationsnh.com

Where They Do a Good Brow

• Best of the best: Beauty Works, 123 Nashua Road, Londonderry, 275-8672, beautyworksnh.com

• Renew MediSpa, 23 Crystal Ave., Derry, 931-4345, renewmedispa.com
• Chill Spa, 1224 Hanover St., Manchester, 622-3722, chillspa.com
• Mari Lossi Hair Studio, 40 S. River Road, Unit 63, Bedford, 782-3908, marilossihairstudio.com
• Pellé Medical Spa, 159 Frontage Road, Manchester, 627-7000, pellemedicalspa.com

Where They Make your Nails Look Fabulous

• Best of the best: Glossy Nails, 1 S. River Road, Bedford, 935-8383, glossynails.net

• Glossy Nails, 655 S. Willow St., Manchester, 518-5557, glossynails.net
• Chill Spa, 1224 Hanover St., Manchester, 622-3722, chillspa.com
• Karma Nails Lounge, 17 Premium Outlets Blvd., Unit B, Merrimack, 420-8699, karmanailslounge.com
• Exotic 9 Nails, 30 Crystal Ave., Suite 6, Derry, 425-7731, exotic9nails.com

Best Tattoo Shop

• Best of the best: New Inkland Tattoo Co., 1358 Elm St., Suite C, Manchester, 518-7493, new-inkland-tattoo-co.business.site

• Tattoo Angus, 179 Elm St., Unit C, Manchester, 935.9398, tattooangus.com, This shop is owned by Jon Thomas, the founder of the Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo, who also owns Spider-Bite Body Piercing in the same location.
• Capital City Tattoo, 8 N. Main St., Concord, 224-2600, capcitytat.com
• Blood Oath Tattoo, 15 Pleasant St., Concord, 227-6912, find them on Facebook @bloodoathtattoo
• Underworld Tattoo Co., 282 Main St., Salem, 458-7739, find them on Facebook @underworldtattoocompany
• Buzz Ink Shop, 85 Manchester St., Concord, 715-1808, buzzinkshopnh.com

Best Workout Space

• Best of the best: Get Fit NH, 41 Terrill Park Drive, Suite A, Concord, 848-6138, getfitnh.com

• Strive Indoor Cycling, 10 Hills Ave., Concord, 513-9464, striveindoorcycling.com
• The Collective Studios, 4 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 216-2345, thecollective-studios.com
• SPENGA, 493 Amherst St., Nashua, 324-0355, nashuanh.spenga.com. A combination of spin, strength and yoga, SPENGA focuses on three 20-minute sessions of each activity.
• Executive Health & Sports Center, 1 Highlander Way, Manchester, 668-4753, ehsc.com

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Family Fun

Best Place to Take Your Kids

• Best of the best: Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, nhahs.org. New Hampshire’s only working museum devoted to aviation history in the Granite State features a variety of exhibits covering important people, places, events and artifacts, and has year-round programming geared toward families.

• The Nest Family Cafe, 25 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 404-2139, thenestfamilycafe.com. This Londonderry cafe, which opened in June 2022, is specially designed to cater to families with young children, with a variety of built-in amenities like a Montessori-style play area, a “treehouse” reading nook, a chalk wall, changing tables and a bottle-warming station, all in addition to a menu of coffees, teas, smoothies, baked goods, kid-friendly snack dispensers, bento boxes and more. Owners Jamie and Ryan Getchell, themselves the parents of three kids, said the idea for the business came to them following their own experiences visiting cafes and coffee shops with their kids in tow. The roughly 1,500-square-foot space includes traditional cafe seating that’s adjacent to the gated play area, designed to look like a bird’s nest.
• Cowabunga’s Indoor Kids Play & Party Center, 725 Huse Road, Manchester, 935-9659, cowabungas.com
• Fun City Trampoline Park, 553 Mast Road, Goffstown, 606-8807, funcitygoffstown.com
• Krazy Kids Indoor Play and Party Center, 60 Sheep Davis Road, Pembroke, 228-7529, krazykids.com

Best Outdoor Spot to Let Kids Get Out Their Energy

• Best of the best: Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark. Benson Park is a 166-acre public park that opened in 2010. The former property of Benson’s Wild Animal Farm, a private zoo and amusement park open for much of the early half of the 20th century, the park is now a popular area for hiking, dog walking, fishing and picnicking.

• White Park, 1 White St., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov. Amenities include a basketball court, a seasonal pool, walking trails and an ice skating rink.
• Livingston Park, 156 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 624-6444, manchesternh.gov. This park includes a walking trail that circles Dorrs Pond.
• Griffin Park, 101 Range Road, Windham, 434-7016, windhamnh.gov. Amenities include a playground and basketball and tennis courts.
• Mel’s Funway Park, 454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield, 424-2292, melsfunwaypark.com. Opening date for the 2023 season TBA. The park offers a wide variety of attractions, including miniature golf, go-kart racing, batting cages, arcade games and more.

Best Spot for All-Ages Family Fun

• Best of the best: The Nest Family Cafe, 25 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 404-2139, thenestfamilycafe.com. This Londonderry cafe, which opened in June 2022, is designed to cater to families with young children, with a variety of built-in amenities like a Montessori-style play area, a “treehouse” reading nook, a chalk wall, changing tables and a bottle-warming station, all in addition to a menu of coffees, teas, smoothies, baked goods, kid-friendly snack dispensers, bento boxes and more. Owners Jamie and Ryan Getchell, themselves the parents of three kids, said the idea for the business came to them following their own experiences visiting cafes and coffee shops with their kids in tow. The roughly 1,500-square-foot space includes traditional cafe seating that’s adjacent to the gated play area, designed to look like a bird’s nest.

• Canobie Lake Park, 85 N. Policy St., Salem, 893-3506, canobie.com. Featuring more than 100 rides, games, live shows and attractions, Canobie Lake Park is expected to reopen later this spring.
• Mel’s Funway Park, 454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield, 424-2292, melsfunwaypark.com. Opening date for the 2023 season TBA. The park offers a wide variety of attractions, including miniature golf, go-kart racing, batting cages, arcade games and more.
• Funspot, 579 Endicott St. N, Laconia, 366-4377, funspotnh.com. With more than 600 games including classic arcade cabinets, 10-pin and candlepin bowling and indoor minigolf, Funspot is the largest arcade in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
• Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, nhahs.org. New Hampshire’s only working museum devoted to aviation history in the Granite State features a variety of exhibits covering important people, places, events and artifacts, and features all kinds of specialty year-round programming geared toward families.

Best Restaurant for the Whole Family

• Best of the best: The Puritan Backroom Restaurant, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com

• Backyard Brewery & Kitchen, 1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545, backyardbrewerynh.com
• T-Bones Great American Eatery, 39 Crystal Ave., Derry, 434-3200, t-bones.com
• Tucker’s, 95 S. River Road, Bedford, 413-6503, tuckersnh.com
• The Red Blazer Restaurant & Pub, 72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com
• T-Bones Great American Eatery, 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 641-6100, t-bones.com

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Pets

Best Dog Groomers

• Best of the best: Sarah’s Paw Spa, 16 Manning St., Derry, 512-4539, find them on Facebook @sarahspawspa

• Grooming at Tiffany’s, 127 Rockingham Road, Derry, 432-8000, groomingattiffanys.com
• Bark Now!, 237 S. Main St., Concord, 229-3700, barknow.com
• Honey Dog Salon & Bakery, 501 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 674-9718, salonhoneydog.com
• Hollywood Hounds Pet Spa, 250 Wallace Road, Bedford, 472-7387, hollywoodhoundsnh.com
• Pawtopia Pet Grooming Salon & Boutique, 244 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, 227-6140, pawtopiapets.com

Best Doggie Daycare

• Best of the best: All Dogs Gym & Inn, 505 Sheffield Road, Manchester, 669-4644, alldogsgym.com

• Superdogs Daycare, 637 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-1515, superdogsdaycare.com
• The Barking Dog, 208 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett, 833-688-0745, thebarkingdog.com
• American K9 Country, 336 Route 101, Amherst, 672-8448, americank9country.com
• Pawquet’s Play & Stay, 302 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 216-1147, pawquetsplaystay.com
• Chewie’s Playland, 472 Amherst St., No. 24, Nashua, 921-1875; 217 W. Hollis St., Nashua, 921-0745; chewiesplayland.com

Best Pet Retail Store

• Best of the best: Woofmeow, 19 Manchester Road, Suite A, Derry, 965-3218, woofmeownh.com

• Sandy’s Pet Food Center, 141 Old Turnpike Road, Concord, 225-1177, sandyspetfood.com
• Pets Choice, 454 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-7297, petschoicenh.com
• The Wholistic Pet, 341 Route 101, Bedford, 472-2273, thewholisticpet.com
• State Line Pet Supply, 137 Plaistow Road (Route 125), Plaistow, 382-6873, statelinepetsupply.com

Best Place to Let Your Dog Off Leash

• Best of the best: Hooksett Dog Park, 101 Merrimack St., Hooksett, 485-8471, hooksett.org. This park is open daily from 6 a.m. to dusk.

• Hudson Dog Park, located inside Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, 886-6000, hudsonnh.gov. This dog park is securely fenced in and located just inside Benson Park as you enter. It features two separate areas, large and small, for dogs to play leash-free.
• Derry Dog Park, Fordway and Transfer Lane, Derry, 432-6136, derrynh.org. Open daily from sunrise to sunset, this dog park also contains a designated area for smaller dogs.
• The Dam Brewhouse, 1323 Route 175, Campton, 726-4500, dambrewhouse.com. Well-behaved dogs are welcome off leash outdoors.
• Dog Park at Terrill Park, Old Turnpike Road, Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov. This fenced in dog park is maintained by the Pope Memorial SPCA and open daily from dawn to dusk.

Best On-leash Dog Outing

• Best of the best: Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark. Benson Park is a 166-acre public park that opened in 2010. The former property of Benson’s Wild Animal Farm, a private zoo and amusement park open for much of the early half of the 20th century, the park is now a popular area for hiking, dog walking, fishing and picnicking.

• Mine Falls Park, Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov. This park has around 8 miles of trails across 325 acres of forest, open fields and wetlands, bordering the Nashua River, Millpond and canal system on the north side.
• Livingston Park, 156 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 624-6444, manchesternh.gov. This park includes a walking trail that circles around Dorrs Pond.
• Bear Brook State Park, 61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9874, nhstateparks.org. At more than 10,000 acres, this is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. There are around 40 miles of trails that run through this heavily forested park, offering a variety of options for hikers and dog walkers. Leashed pets are permitted in the campground and on the trails only — not in the beach area.
• Head’s Pond Trail, off Post Road, Hooksett, 485-5322, hooksett.org. This roughly 1.5-mile trail runs adjacent to Head’s Pond in Hooksett and features mostly flat terrain.

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Shopping

Best Independent Clothing or Shoe Store

• Best of the best: Alec’s Shoes, 1617 Southwood Drive, Nashua, 882-6811, alecs-shoes.com

• Gondwana & Divine Clothing Co., 13 N. Main St., Concord, 228-1101, gondwanaclothing.com
• Joe King’s Shoe Shop, 45 N. Main St., Concord, 225-6012, joekings.com
• Alapage Boutique, 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 622-0550, alapageboutique.com
• George’s Apparel, 675 Elm St., Manchester, 622-5441, georgesapparel.com
• Kelly’s Kloset, sales are coordinated through the Facebook group “Kelly’s Kloset LLC,” with pick-ups and drop-offs based in Hooksett

Best Secondhand Store

• Best of the best: Corey’s Closet, 1329 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 722-2712, coreyscloset.org

• M&C Clothing and Gifts, 135 Route 101A, Amherst, 886-6727, mcclothingandgifts.com
• Lilise Designer Resale, 7 N. Main St., Concord, 715-2009, liliseresale.com
• Kelly’s Kloset, sales are coordinated through the Facebook group “Kelly’s Kloset LLC,” with pick-ups and drop-offs based in Hooksett
• Chic Boutique Consignments, 126 S. River Road, Bedford, 935-7295, chicboutiqueconsignments.com

Best Shop for Browsing and then Spending More than You Planned

• Best of the best: Manchester Craft Market, Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., Manchester, manchestercraftmarket.com. This year-round gift shop features handmade items by more than 125 local artisans.

• Junction 71, 707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 213-5201, junction71.wixsite.com/mysite. The shop sells an eclectic mix of home decor and gifts.
• The Terracotta Room, 1361 Elm St., Suite 102, Manchester, 935-8738, theterracottaroom.com. This downtown sustainable lifestyle boutique features a wide selection of botanicals as well as sustainably sourced, ethically made clothing and accessories, jewelry, beauty and wellness products, home decor and gifts.
• Viking House, 19 N. Main St., Concord, 228-1198, vikinghouse.com. This European imports shop carries food, clothing and gifts from more than 10 European countries.
• Deja Vu Furniture & More, 113 Hillside Ave., Londonderry, 437-5571, dejavufurniture.net. This warehouse boutique sells high-end new and used furniture, lighting fixtures and architectural pieces in a variety of styles.

Go-to Store for Making Your Outdoor Space Awesome

• Best of the best: Seasonal Specialty Stores, 120 Route 101A, Amherst, 880-8471, seasonalstores.com

• House by the Side of the Road, 370 Gibbons Hwy., Wilton, 654-9888, housebythesideoftheroad.com
• Manchester Craft Market, Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., Manchester,manchestercraftmarket.com.This year-round gift shop features handmade items by more than 125 local artisans.
• Bedford Fields Home & Garden Center, 331 Route 101, Bedford, 472-8880, bedfordfields.com
• Cyr Lumber & Home Center, 39 Rockingham Road, Windham, 898-5000, cyrlumber.com
• Demers Garden Center, 656 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 625-8298, demersgardencenter.com
• Empire Pools & Hot Tubs, 655 Mast Road, Manchester, 668-7665, empirepoolsnh.com
• Grasshoppers Garden Center, 728 River Road, New Boston, 497-5788, grasshoppersgardencenter.com

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Work Life

Best Spot for a Quick but Tasty Lunch

• Best of the best: Pressed Cafe, 216 S. River Road, Bedford, 606-2746, pressedcafe.com

• The Bridge Cafe, 1117 Elm St., Manchester, 647-9991, thebridgecafe.net
• Troy’s Fresh Kitchen & Juice Bar, 4 Orchard View Drive, No. 6, Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com
• Pressed Cafe, 108 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road, Nashua, 402-1003 (this location is drive-thru only); pressedcafe.com
• The Works Cafe, 42 N. Main St., Concord, 226-1827, workscafe.com
• Dos Amigos Burritos, 26 N. Main St., Concord, 410-4161, dosamigosburritos.com

Best Place for Lunch when the Boss is Buying

• Best of the best: Pressed Cafe, 216 S. River Road, Bedford, 606-2746, pressedcafe.com

• Pressed Cafe, 108 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, 718-1250; 3 Cotton Road, Nashua, 402-1003 (this location is drive-thru only); pressedcafe.com
• The Puritan Backroom Restaurant, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com
• The Bridge Cafe, 1117 Elm St., Manchester, 647-9991, thebridgecafe.net
• Pressed Cafe, 1 Artisan Drive, Salem (inside Tuscan Village), 458-5922, pressedcafe.com

Best Happy Hour Hangout

• Best of the best: Industry East Bar, 28 Hanover St., Manchester, 232-6940, industryeastbar.com

• 815 Cocktails & Provisions, 815 Elm St., Manchester, 782-8086, 815nh.com
• Chuck’s BARbershop, 90 Low Ave., Concord, 856-7071, find them on Facebook @chucksbarbershopnh
• New Hampshire Pizza Co., 76 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2125, newhampshirepizzaco.com
• Rambling House Food & Gathering, 57 Factory St., Suite A, Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale.com

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Personalities

Most Inventive Chef

• Best of the best: Chris Viaud, Greenleaf, 54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com

• Corey Fletcher, Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com
• Bobby Marcotte, The Tuckaway Tavern and Butchery, 58 Route 27, Raymond, 244-2431, thetuckaway.com
• Rylan Hill, New Hampshire Pizza Co., 76 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2125, newhampshirepizzaco.com
• Troy Ward Jr., Troy’s Fresh Kitchen and Juice Bar, 4 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com

Restaurant with the Friendliest Staff

• Best of the best: Rambling House Food & Gathering, 57 Factory St., Suite A, Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale.com

• The Nest Family Cafe, 25 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 404-2139, thenestfamilycafe.com
• KC’s Rib Shack, 837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack.net
• Troy’s Fresh Kitchen and Juice Bar, 4 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 965-3411, troysfreshkitchen.com
• The Hop Knot, 1000 Elm St., Manchester, 232-3731, hopknotnh.com

Butt-Kicking-est Fitness Instructor

• Best of the best: Ashley Daigle (Ashley Frosher), Get Fit NH, 41 Terrill Park Drive, Suite A, Concord, 848-6138, getfitnh.com

• Courtney Giddis, Strive Indoor Cycling, 10 Hills Ave., Concord, 513-9464, striveindoorcycling.com
• Laura Collins, The Collective Studios, 4 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 216-2345, thecollective-studios.com
• Emily Corbin, Pure Barre, 79 S. River Road, No. 4, Bedford, 218-3817, purebarre.com
• Megan Ferns, Strive Indoor Cycling, 10 Hills Ave., Concord, 513-9464, striveindoorcycling.com

Best Barber

• Best of the best: Hannah Coleman, Ritual Grooming, 557 Daniel Webster Hwy., Unit 3, Merrimack, 365-4319, ritualgroomingnh.com

• Emilio Risoni, Belair Beauty and Barber, 19 Nashua St., Milford, 554-1704, find them on Facebook @belairbeautyandbarber
• Jesus “Zeus Cuts” Lajara, Rossi’s Barbershop, 1D Commons Drive, Londonderry, 404-3447 rossisnh.com
• Benny D’Ambrosio, The Polished Man, 707 Milford Road, Unit 3A, Merrimack, 718-8427, thepolishedman.com
• Kelly Smith, HomeGrown Barber Co., 18 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 818-8989, homegrownbarber.com
• Rick Lindof, The Polished Man, 707 Milford Road, Unit 3A, Merrimack, 718-8427, thepolishedman.com

Best Hairstylist

• Best of the best: Mari Bartalossi, Mari Lossi Hair Studio, 40 S. River Road, Unit 63, Bedford, 782-3908, marilossihairstudio.com

• Katie Terrio, Cachet Beauty Lounge, 44 Bridge St., Manchester, 782-8030, cachetbeautylounge.com
• Desirae Burdick, Cachet Beauty Lounge, 44 Bridge St., Manchester, 782-8030, cachetbeautylounge.com
• Taylor Parker-Suprey, Blank Canvas Salon, 1F Commons Drive, No. 38, Londonderry, 818-4294, blankcanvassalon.com
• Coco Lever, Blank Canvas Salon, 1F Commons Drive, No. 38, Londonderry, 818-4294, blankcanvassalon.com
• Tashia Landry, Salon North, 102 Bay St., Manchester, 483-3011, 102salonnorth.com

Friendliest Dentist

• Best of the best: Dr. Nicholas Rizos, 103 Riverway Place, Bedford, 669-4384, drnickdmd.com

• Dr. Elizabeth Spindel, Spindel General and Cosmetic Dentistry, 862 Union St., Manchester, 669-9049, elizabethspindel.com
• Doug Duval, Vanguard Dental Group, 1142 Somerville St., Manchester, 622-9225, book.vanguarddentalgroup.com
• Dr. Larry Puccini, Puccini & Roberge, 505 Riverway Place, Bedford, 622-3445, pucciniroberge.com
• Ray Orzechowski, 280 Pleasant St., No. 4, Concord, 228-4456, orzechowskiarndt.com

Friendliest Mechanic

• Best of the best: Tony Morin at Motor-Sport Tire & Auto Repair Center, 3 Tinkham Ave., Derry, 434-1561, motorsportsderry.com

• Bill Morin, Morin’s Service Station, 1091 Valley St., Manchester, 624-4427, morinsservicestation.com
• Dave Keith at Sunoco, 8 Nashua Road, Londonderry, 437-6530
• Dan Weed at Weed Family Automotive, 124 Storrs St., Concord, 225-7988, weedfamilyautomotive.com
• Will Chestnut at Will’s Auto Service of Manchester, 720 E. Industrial Park Drive, No. 10, 222-9296, wills-auto-service-of-manchester.business.site

Best Musical Act

• Best of the best: Jennifer Mitchell, 236-1015, jennifermitchellmusic.com. Also known as “JMitch,” Mitchell is a singer and instrumentalist who has been winning awards since she was in high school. Mitchell specializes in classic rock, Southern rock, today’s hits and original music.

• Justin Jordan, 721-9548, find him on Facebook @justinjordanmusic. Jordan, a Manchester-based singer, bassist and acoustic guitarist, is known for his country and rock stylings. He performs solo as Justin Jordan Music, in the duo 21st and 1st, and in his band Small Town Stranded.
• Recycled Percussion, recycledpercussion.com. The Laconia-based band placed third on Season 4 of America’s Got Talent, the highest for a non-vocalist group.
• Nicole Knox Murphy, 339-0732, nkmsings4u.com, The country singer-songwriter has three Nashville-recorded studio albums and has won several accolades from the New Hampshire Country Music Awards. Her song “My 603” was recognized in 2020 by the New Hampshire Senate.
• Kevin Horan, kevinhoranmusic.com, In addition to being a solo artist performing everything from high-energy rock to stripped down acoustic, Horan gives in-person lessons on guitar and drums and runs summer rock camps for kids ages 8 to 10 and 11 to 14 through the Merrimack Parks and Recreation department.
• Brad Myrick, bradmyrick.com, A composer, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer and educator, Myrick has released four albums of original music and has had multiple successful tours in the United States and Italy, as well as touring as a guitarist for singer Vinx.

Best Local Comedian

• Best of the best: Juston McKinney, justonmckinney.com. With two Comedy Central specials, two Amazon Prime specials and multiple appearances on the Tonight show with both Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, McKinney has been making audiences cry with laughter across the country since he retired from his sherriff job in the late 1990s.

• Bob Marley, bmarley.com. Besides holding the Guinness World Record for the longest stand-up comedy show, Marley is known for being a fairly regular presence on Sirius XM radio.
• Matt Barry, mattbarrycomedy.com. Since landing third place at “Last Comix Standing” in 2015, Barry has opened for national acts including Tom Green, Gilbert Gottfried and Harland Williams.
• Jay Chanoine, find him on Facebook @jay.chanoine. The Manchester-born and -raised stand-up comedian has been performing since 2009. His most recent comedy album, The Texas Chanoinesaw Massacre, reached No. 1 on the Amazon comedy chart.
• Jimmy Dunn, jimmydunn.com. The actor and comedian has performed at some of the biggest events in comedy, including Denis Leary’s Comics Come Home, Montreal’s International Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, and the Late Show with David Letterman. Most recently, Dunn co-starred on the CBS comedy The McCarthys, as Sean McCarthy.

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Living Here

Most Photo-worthy Public Spot

• Best of the best: Cat Alley, Dean Ave., Manchester, orbitgroup.com/cat-alley-revival. Located between the Bookery and Wild Orchid Bakery, just off Elm Street, Cat Alley features the unique works of more than a dozen local muralists.

• Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark. Benson Park is a 166-acre public park that opened in 2010. The former property of Benson’s Wild Animal Farm, a private zoo and amusement park open for much of the early half of the 20th century, the park is now a popular area for hiking, dog walking, fishing and picnicking.
• Flume Gorge, 852 Daniel Webster Hwy., Lincoln, nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/flume-gorge. This natural gorge extends 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. It’s located within Franconia Notch State Park, which was also the home of the famous Old Man of the Mountain.
• Lake Massabesic, off the Londonderry Turnpike, Manchester, 642-6482, manchesternh.gov. Spanning 2,500 acres in Manchester and Auburn, the lake is the centerpoint for a network of dozens of trails, including a loop to the Massabesic Audubon Center, a wildlife sanctuary situated on a historic farm site in Auburn. The trails range in length from half a mile to more than 3 miles.
• Greeley Park, 100 Concord St., Nashua, nashuanh.gov. A public city park spanning 125 acres, Greeley Park features a stage, playgrounds, picnic areas and more, and is also a popular spot for outdoor festivals.

Coolest Historical Site or Monument You Can Visit for Free

• Best of the best: New Hampshire Statehouse, 107 N. Main St., Concord, nh.gov. Built between 1816 and 1819, the New Hampshire Statehouse is the oldest state capitol in which both houses of the legislature meet in their original chambers, according to a document from the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources.

• Robert Frost Farm Historic Site, 122 Rockingham Road, Derry, 432-3091, robertfrostfarm.org. This historic site was home to acclaimed New Hampshire poet Robert Frost from 1900 to 1911. Seasonal programs are available to the public from May to October. Admission is free for New Hampshire residents 65+ and under 17; admission costs $4 for residents ages 18 to 64.
• 9/11 memorial at Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, hudsonnh.gov/bensonpark. This monument was unveiled in September 2011 during a memorial service for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. One of the twin structures contains a steel beam from the elevator shaft of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. A grassy structure in the shape of a pentagon surrounds the two beams (representative of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.), and the sidewalk that leads into the memorial was shaped to represent the path of United Airlines Flight 93 before it crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
• Stark Park, 550 River Road, Manchester, starkpark.com. One of the first public parks to be incorporated in the Queen City, Stark Park occupies a 30-acre tract that was once the site of the Stark family farm in Manchester’s North End. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
• Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth, 433-1100, strawberybanke.org. Located in the heart of downtown Portsmouth, Strawbery Banke is an authentic nearly 10-acre outdoor museum featuring several historic buildings, preservation programs and more, with an overall collection of around 30,000 artifacts. According to its website, the historic houses will reopen for tours on May 1. Though there are admission fees for the historic houses ($19.50 for adults gets you admission for two days; admission for a family of two adults and children ages 5 to 17 costs $48), veterans and active military (including the families of activie military members up to five people) receive free admission. The Museum’s StoryWalk project is free and open to the public.

Attraction Worth Visiting Again and Again

• Best of the best: Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, nhahs.org. New Hampshire’s only working museum devoted to aviation history in the Granite State features a variety of exhibits covering important people, places, events and artifacts, and features all kinds of specialty year-round programming geared toward families.

• Mt. Washington Auto Road (Route 16, Gorham, mt-washington.com) and Cog Railway (thecog.com). You can get to the summit of Mt. Washington — the highest peak in the Northeast, at 6,288 feet — by driving up the Auto Road or by taking the Cog Railway. See each website for scheduling and ticket pricing details.
• Flume Gorge, 852 Daniel Webster Hwy., Lincoln, nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/flume-gorge. This natural gorge extends 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. It’s located within Franconia Notch State Park, which was also the home of the famous Old Man of the Mountain.
• Canobie Lake Park, 85 N. Policy St., Salem, 893-3506, canobie.com. Featuring more than 100 rides, games, live shows and attractions, Canobie Lake Park is expected to reopen later this spring.
• Andres Institute of Art, 106 Route 13, Brookline, 673-7441, andresinstitute.org. Co-founded in 1998 by engineer Paul Andres and master sculptor John M. Weidman, the Andres Institute of Art spans more than 10 miles of trails over 140 acres and features more than 100 sculptures representing dozens of countries. Trails are open daily, from dawn to dusk.
• Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org. Founded in 1929, the Currier is known for its exhibits featuring paintings, sculptures, photographs and other works from internationally renowned American and European artists.

NH Organization You’d Give $1 Million to if You Won the Lottery

• New Hampshire SPCA, 104 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 772-2921, nhspca.org. The oldest and largest animal shelter in the area, the New Hampshire SPCA celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2022 and serves more than 120 communities across New Hampshire, southern Maine and northern Massachusetts.
• Manchester Animal Shelter, 490 Dunbarton Road, Manchester, 628-3544, manchesteranimalshelter.org. For more than two decades the Manchester Animal Shelter has provided more than just homes for animals. The nonprofit has sheltered, provided medical care for and spayed or neutered more than 25,000 animals since its founding.
• Families in Transition, 122 Market St., Manchester, 641-9441, fitnh.org. With headquarters in Manchester and additional locations in Concord, Dover and Wolfeboro, Families in Transition is dedicated to preventing and breaking the cycle of homelessness in New Hampshire. The organization has served thousands of individuals and families with everything from serving meals to providing emergency shelters, and holds a variety of fundraising events throughout the year, including the annual Walk Against Hunger, which returns for the 33rd year on May 21. Families in Transition also includes the Outfitters Thrift Store and Willows Treatment Center brands.
• CASA of New Hampshire, 138 Coolidge Ave., Manchester, 626-4600, casanh.org. Founded in 1989, Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, is a nonprofit that recruits, trains and supports community volunteers to serve as advocates for New Hampshire children who have experienced abuse or neglect. CASA volunteer advocates get to know a child and the important people in that child’s life to provide vital information to help a judge make decisions based on the child’s best interests.
• Pope Memorial SPCA, 94 Silk Farm Road, Concord, 856-8756, popememorialspca.org. Pope Memorial SPCA is dedicated to protecting and advocating for abandoned and homeless pets and promoting the humane treatment of all animals. Qualified staff medically and behaviorally evaluate all animals that come through the shelter’s doors, provide necessary veterinary care and work closely with prospective adopters to create successful matches and place pets in loving homes that are committed to lifetime care.

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Things We Forgot to Ask About

• Best Homemade Jams and Jellies: Laurel Hill Jams & Jellies, Bedford, laurelhilljams.com. Newly owned and operated by Bedford sisters Rachel Mack and Sara Steffensmeier, Laurel Hill features more than 50 flavors of gourmet jams and jellies, made from local fruits, wines and teas — see the website for a full list on where to find them locally.
• Best Dance Studio: Dimensions in Dance, 84 Myrtle St., Manchester, 668-4196, dimensionsindance.com. Founded in 1995 by Michele Leslie, a professional dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dimensions in Dance was taken over in 2007 by current director Amy Fortier, who also founded the nonprofit dance company Ballet Misha that same year. The studio offers a wide range of dance programs and classes, including ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, acro, hip-hop, tap, partnering, contemporary and more.
• Best Massage Therapist: Bethany J. Chabot. Chabot is a licensed massage therapist and the owner and founder of 444 Hands Innately Integrative Massage and Energy Therapy (36 Baboosic Lake Road, Merrimack, 834-2758, 444hands.com). She received her certificate for Massage Therapy and Bodywork from MacIntosh College in Dover in 2004 and her national and state license in 2005. See 444hands.com for a full list of her services; new clients are by referral only.
• Best Florist: Flowers by Jennifer, Manchester, flowersbyjennifer.com. A freelance floral artist based out of Manchester, Flowers by Jennifer specializes in artistic floral arrangements for special occasions and events, as well as weekly subscriptions for local businesses.
• Best Cigar Shop: Twins Smoke Shop, 80 Perkins Road, Londonderry, 421-0242, twinssmokeshop.com. Twins Smoke Shop’s Londonderry location houses more than 20,000 cigars and is also home to the 7-20-4 Lounge upstairs, offering a wide range of premium tequilas, bourbons, whiskeys and more.

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An adventure with the classic combination of peanut butter and jelly

Typically I would try to start an article on peanut butter and jelly with some sort of hook, like a story about how a Japanese princess drove off 15 ninjas with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or how a 5-year-old boy foiled a mugging by dropping a jar of peanut butter on a thief in an alley from the 30th-floor window of his apartment. I could tell you a personal story about the philosophical breakthrough I made while eating a spoonful of peanut butter at dawn in an Indian ashram on my 40th birthday.

The thing about those stories, aside from the fact that none of them is remotely true, is that they are unnecessary.

It has to do with the time of year.

Go into any supermarket this week, past the displays of shamrocks and Easter candy, and what do you see? End-cap displays of chicken-noodle soup. Mint Milanos. Extra-large containers of taco chip party mix.

In other words, comfort food.

It is theoretically almost spring. But we all know that even when it comes it won’t be a real, tra-la-la, skipping through the meadow, strewing flower petals type of spring.

It will be mud. Followed by slush. Followed by more mud.

If you are a person who shaves or wears makeup, you’ve seen the haunted look in your eyes in the mirror lately. Do you know what you need?

That comfort food.

And, grilled cheese sandwiches aside, what is the quintessential comfort food?

Peanut butter and jelly.

So let’s peanut butter it up, Skippy.

PB&J Bundt cake

“Cake Gunk” – equal amounts of vegetable shortening, flour and vegetable oil

• ⅓ cup (75 grams) finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
• ½ cup (114 grams) sour cream
• 1¼ cup (213 grams) brown sugar
• ½ cup (135 grams) peanut butter
• 1¾ cup (210 grams) all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon (3.3 grams) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon (1.7 grams) baking soda
• 3 eggs
• ⅓ cup (76 grams) half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla – I’ll be honest here; I never measure vanilla. I add a big glug or a small glug. This recipe calls for a small glug.
• ¾ cup (255 grams) strawberry jam
• 17 or 18 (60 grams) maraschino cherries, stems removed

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a Bundt pan – brush the inside surface thoroughly with Cake Gunk (see above), then dust with crushed peanuts. (“But what if I’m allergic to peanuts? Is there something else I can use?” Um, theoretically, graham cracker crumbs, but have you read the title of this article?)

Measure or weigh out the sour cream, brown sugar and peanut butter in the bowl of your stand mixer, or the bowl that you’re going to finish the cake batter in. Now leave it alone until you are ready for it.

Combine all your dry ingredients in a separate bowl. If you worry about such things, go ahead and sift them together; otherwise just stir them together with a spoon.

Beat the sour cream, sugar and peanut butter together into a fine goop. (This is a technical term. If you were using butter or shortening, this would fluff up impressively. But you are looking Betty Crocker in the eyes, knocking back a shot of whiskey and using sour cream. This Bundt cake is not for cowards. In the end you’ll be happy about using the sour cream, but for now you will have to accept that your sugar-fat mixture is not fluffy. It is goopy.)

When your goop is as light and fluffy as it is going to get, continue beating, adding the eggs, one at a time, followed by a small glug of vanilla.

At this point your mixture is pretty soupy. You’ll be happy to know that it’s time to add the dry ingredients, alternating with the half-and-half.

So what’s the big deal about alternating ingredients? It’s not like the cake is going to care, is it?

Actually, it will, but only if it’s got a dark sense of humor. If you dump too much of the flour mixture in all at once, you’ll get a face full of flour, which, theoretically, your cake batter will find hilarious. If you pour too much half-and-half in too quickly, some of it will splash out onto your counter and you will start worrying about whether you’ve thrown off the proportions of your recipe, and again the cake batter — understandably, given that you are about to bake and devour it — will feel smug about.

Scrape the sides of your bowl down to make sure that everything has gotten mixed together, then pour a little more than half of your batter into your Bundt pan.

Bonk the Bundt pan firmly on the counter twice. This is to make sure that there are no air pockets. If you want to, you could wait until you’ve added all the ingredients. In this particular recipe, it might also drive your jam and cherries downward, to what will be the top of the cake, and make visible jam inclusions. In any other cake this would be a bug. In this cake it would be a feature.

Gently spoon the jam in a ring around the Bundt pan, on top of the batter you just poured in. Place the cherries in a ring on top of the jam.

Pour the rest of the batter into your pan, making sure to cover the jam and cherries. Don’t worry about being particularly neat; the batter will level itself out.

Bake at 350 degrees for about half an hour. If you are worried about whether it is completely baked, stab it with a probe thermometer. If it reads over 200 degrees F, you’re fine. Don’t worry about it being overbaked; that’s what the sour cream is there for. It has your back.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 20 minutes, then invert it onto a plate. I find that I rise up onto my toes as I make the flip, then come down hard on my heels. I don’t know if that does anything productive, but I like to think that it lets the finished cake know that I mean business, and that I haven’t forgotten the whole flour-in-the-face thing.

This is a moist, not-too-sweet snack cake, ideal for sharing with a special friend over coffee. The peanut butter is there, in the background, but isn’t in your face. The jam brings even more moisture and the sweet fruitiness the body of the cake needs. The cherries provide a juicy pop, once per slice.

Could you serve this as an actual dessert?

Absolutely. It’d hit the plate with lightly sweetened sour cream in place of whipped cream.

Peanut butter soufflé

• 2 large eggs, separated
• ½ cup + 1 Tablespoon (120 grams) brown sugar
• ¼ cup minus 1 teaspoon (55 grams) peanut butter
• Small glug of vanilla – about 1 teaspoon
• Pinch of salt

A lot of people are intimidated by soufflés — making them, eating them, or even talking about them. They seem extra-fancy and a little fussy. And sometimes they are. There is a place for extra fancy and fussy. But do you know what is the least fussy, least fancy food in the world? Peanut butter. Let’s do this.

Preheat your oven to 350°.

Separate your eggs. Do this over the bowl to your stand mixer or the bowl you will be beating the egg whites in. Put the yolks in a separate bowl. Everyone has their own method for separating eggs. My preference is to break the shell on a flat surface, like a countertop. (This pretty much eliminates small pieces of shell in the bowl that I have to fish out.) I crack the egg open and pour it into my open hand. I keep my fingers just far apart enough that the egg white will eventually release its hold on the yolk and slip through them into the bowl. Remember to wash your hands before and after doing this.

Add the brown sugar and peanut butter to the egg yolks. Mix it well with a spoon. The mixture will be really stiff, so it will be more a matter of mashing than mixing.

Add the salt and vanilla to the egg whites, then whisk them to medium peaks. Have you ever seen a cooking show or competition where a baker beats their egg whites, then holds the bowl over their (or a competitor’s) head to show that they are stiff enough? This is what bakers call stiff peaks. That’s a little stiffer than we want for this recipe. We want them to be the consistency where the TV baker starts giggling and it is just enough to make the egg whites slowly glop onto somebody’s head.

With a silicone spatula, scoop out about a third of your egg whites and mix them into the peanut butter mixture. This is what professionals call loosening up a stiff base. Go ahead and mix everything together. As the mixture becomes more liquidy and stir-able, the doubt you’ve been feeling about your ability to pull this whole soufflé off will ease up by about 15 percent.

This next step is the closest thing to tricky. Use the spatula to scoop out about half the remaining egg whites and put them in the peanut butter bowl. Run the edge of the spatula through the middle of the mess, then sweep it around the edge of the bowl. A tiny bit of the whites will mix together with the base. This is called folding in the egg whites. Even though you can’t see it easily with the naked eye, beaten egg whites are made up of a gazillion tiny bubbles, held together by the sticky proteins in the egg white itself. Remember when your hands felt sticky and gross after separating the eggs? That stickiness is what’s holding those tiny bubbles together. Those bubbles are what’s going to lighten your soufflé and give it lift. By folding the egg whites into the mixture, instead of just stirring it, you are preserving as many of the bubbles as possible. Keep folding until the whites are mostly incorporated with the base.

At this point, your peanut butter mixture should be looking a lot lighter. Your soufflé stress will also lighten up — probably another 15 percent. Fold the rest of the egg whites into the mixture.

Gently spoon the mixture into two large ramekins and put them into your preheated oven.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Your oven and mine are probably different by a few degrees, so you might have to make this recipe a couple of times before you perfect the timing. The good news is that even sub-optimal soufflés are awfully good.

Pull the puffed-up soufflés from the oven and serve immediately. The now-baked bubble matrix is proud and puffy, but it will collapse within the next 10 minutes. Serve with a fruit compote; my suggestion is rhubarb (see below).

When most people think of soufflés, they tend to think of delicate, lighter-than-air dishes that require a lot of concentration to eat. These peanut butter soufflés have a little of that, especially when they first come out of the oven, but they also have a substantial, gooey quality that make them extremely comforting. A fruit compote will help give a contrast to the rich, peanut-butteriness of the soufflé itself.

Why are all the ingredients listed in cups and grams?
Cups: Everyone has measuring cups. There will probably not be any math involved. You don’t sound like a nerd.
Grams: You can measure more precisely. Flour, for instance, can take up many different volumes, depending on whether it is fluffed up, packed down, or if Mercury is in retrograde. After you add each ingredient to a bowl, you can use the tare button to zero your reading out and be ready for your next ingredient.

Fruit compote

This is the easiest thing you will cook this week. It has a “Toast” level of simplicity.

Combine equal amounts, by weight, of frozen fruit and sugar in a small saucepan. This works for almost any type of fruit, but for this particular application I like to use chopped rhubarb; it has a sour acidity to it that contrasts nicely with the gooey peanut butter.

The important thing here is to use frozen fruit. If you have fresh fruit that you want to use, chop it to a size you like, then freeze it. The freezing, while bad for the texture of whole fruit, is perfect for making jams, syrups and compotes. As the liquid inside the cells of the fruit freezes, it forms large sharp ice crystals that pierce cell walls and help the fruit give off more juice.

Cook the fruit-sugar mixture over medium heat. As the fruit thaws, the sugar will help draw out liquid. By the time it comes to a boil, the sugar has dissolved thoroughly. Stir occasionally as it cooks; you might want to help the process along with a potato masher. This is also a good way of separating out cherry pits, if that’s an issue.

When the mixture has come to a boil, remove it from the heat and let it cool. Taste it and maybe add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to brighten it up, if it needs it. You can use this compote as is, or strain it to make syrup (see pancakes, below). The remaining pulp is excellent on English muffins, or a peanut butter soufflé, if you don’t want it so runny.

Keep in mind that raspberries and blackberries are very much more seedy than you think. You will almost certainly want to strain them and make syrup.

A peanut butter and jelly cocktail

You did a really good job with that soufflé. You deserve a reward.

• 2 ounces Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
• 3 ounces Manischewitz Concord Grape Wine
• 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 5 or 6 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until thoroughly chilled.

Pour, unstrained into a rocks glass. Drink, with a child-like song in your heart.

If you had to guess beforehand, you’d probably think that the Manischewitz would be a little too sweet and that the whiskey would give this drink some backbone. In fact, though the wine is nice and grape-y, the sweetness comes from the Skrewball. In fact, it might even be a little cloying, if not for the lemon juice, which steps in at just the right moment and says, “I got this, Boss.”

This is shockingly good. One of these might turn your day around. Two of them might encourage you to try a new recipe — maybe pancakes (see below). Three of them might bring on some ill-advised, late-night texts. Or a nap.

Peanut butter pancakes with blackberry syrup

So, to make these pancakes the way I really want to, we’d have to run a brunch bar in Las Vegas.

That sounds good to me; it might be our ticket out of here. Tell me more.

Well, OK. It would be really nice to have sourdough pancakes.

Ooh, I’m in. Let’s do that.

Yeah, unfortunately, the batter needs to proof for 12 hours or so. That wouldn’t be a problem in our Vegas Brunch Bar — I’m thinking we should call it Midnight at Schmitty’s — but real people almost never realize they want pancakes until about five minutes before they eat them.

I see your point. Until we get the Vegas place going, I’m going to stick with a boxed mix I like. And who’s Schmitty?

I know a guy, who knows a guy.

And—

That’s Shmitty.

Oh, OK. What about the peanut butter?

Yeah, that’s another thing that will work better in Vegas. I spread some peanut butter on a silicone sheet and froze it, then chopped it up to sprinkle on the wet side of the pancake as it cooked in the pan.

That sounds like a really good idea.

Well, it does, but a home freezer doesn’t really get the peanut butter cold enough. It freezes solid, but because of the high oil content, it melts after the first pancake. We’d have to use liquid nitrogen. That would get it cold enough that a line cook wearing snowmobile gloves and a face shield could drop it on the counter and shatter it into peanut butter shards that she could put back into a bowl of liquid nitrogen until she’s ready for them. It would make a great show.

Aaaand, most of us don’t actually have access to liquid nitrogen, so—

Uh-huh. At home, we’re stuck with using tiny jam spoons to drop dollops of the peanut butter onto the wet side of the pancake.

Does it work?

Really, really well. And then there’s the syrup.

What about it?

We could make it for customers on demand. We could have a buffet of frozen fruit for them to choose from, and they could fill up a bowl with it and we’d make it right in front of them.

And if a customer wanted something special, what could we make?

Twenty-five dollars per pancake.

Peanut butter banana cocktails

The best bananas aren’t pretty.

It’s that simple; people want pretty, yellow bananas, maybe a little bit green at the tips. The ones that don’t have a huge amount of flavor and might even be acidic enough to hurt the roof of your mouth. Ones, in short, that don’t taste very much like bananas.

This is what a delicious banana looks like.

No. Not the yellow ones on the bottom shelf.

No. Not the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, though we will get to the peanut butter, soon enough.

The brown bananas with blotches of yellow, sitting in front of the cash register at a convenience store. The ones that look like they have seen too much and lost the will to live. They are the ones that will actually taste like bananas.

And what will you do with one?

Banana rum

• 1 very ripe convenience-store banana. You want the sketchiest-looking one in the gas station. Pick it up, cradle it in your hands, and murmur to it, “Shhhh. It’s OK. You’re safe now.” This is patently untrue, but lulling your banana into a false sense of security will make this whole process easier.
• 2 cups white rum

Peel the banana, then muddle it thoroughly in the bottom of a large, wide-mouthed jar.

Add the rum, seal the jar, then shake vigorously.

Put the jar somewhere cool and dark. (I like to put it in the laundry room.) Shake it twice a day for a week.

After a week, strain, filter and bottle it.

This will give you a lovely, slightly cloudy rum that tastes of bananas but is not terribly sweet.

Peanut butter rum

This will use a bartender’s trick called “fat washing.” This exploits a chemical loophole: Any flavor that bonds to an oil will also bond to alcohol. So if you expose something flavorful and fatty — bacon grease, browned butter or, in this case, peanut butter — to a high-proof alcohol, given enough time, the booze will strip away some of the flavor and give it a new home.

Empty a jar of peanut butter into a non-reactive container with a lot of surface area. A glass casserole dish would be ideal for this. Spread the peanut butter over the entire bottom surface of the container with a silicone spatula or the back of a spoon.

Fill the empty peanut butter jar with medium-quality white rum. You don’t want the very cheapest stuff, but the flavor of the peanut butter will cover up any delicate flavor notes, so probably not the most interesting stuff you have either. A bottle of Bacardi or Captain Morgan will do very nicely.

Put the cap back on the peanut butter jar, and shake it to wash out any peanut butter you might have missed, then pour it into your container, to completely cover the peanut butter.

Put some sort of cover over the container — parchment paper, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, perhaps. Put it somewhere out of the way, where nobody will bump into it for a few days.

After four days, carefully pour the rum off into a new container. Filter, and bottle it. It is now delicious.

Two delicious cocktails you can make with these rums

An Elvis martini

Combine 2 ounces each of banana and peanut butter rums in a mixing glass with ice.

Stir gently, then pour into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish with a strip of bacon.

Even better: a peanut butter banana daiquiri

In a cocktail shaker with ice, add 1 ounce Banana Rum, 1 ounce Peanut Butter Rum, 1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice, and ¾ ounce simple syrup.

Shake thoroughly, then strain into a coupé glass. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Just as with the banana you used to infuse your rum, you will want to use a lime that has seen a few too many things, one that, if it were starring in a fruit-based buddy cop movie, would say, “I’m getting too old for this.” It might be a little dried up. It might even have started to turn yellow. You want an experienced lime for this.

Your resulting cocktail will be stunningly delicious. You will be able to taste each element — the peanut butter, the banana, Grampa Lime, and the hint of sweetness that you’ve used to make everything mesh.

The world’s best breakfast sandwich

Thanks for meeting with us, Otto. We’re very excited about this project.

“My pleasure. I’ve always wanted to direct an adaptation of a Shakespeare play. Romeo and Juliet will be a good challenge for me.”

Outstanding! We’re all on the same page. We’ve made a few notes for you on the casting.

“Oh, I’ve got a casting director in mind. I’ve always worked with her and she’s always done really solid work for me.”

Oh, no doubt. We love her. She’s like family.

“And yet, you still have some casting notes for me.”

Excellent! I’m glad we’re all in agreement here. The first part we’ve cast for you — we’re really excited about this — is a bit of a coup. We’ve gotten Helen Mirren to play Juliet.

“Dame Helen Mirren?”

Like I said, we’re really excited about this. Juliet is supposed to be beautiful and Helen Mirren is one of the most beautiful women in the world.

“Yes. Yes, she is. She is also 77 years old. Juliet is supposed to be 14.”

Mirren’s a pro; don’t worry about it. You’re really going to like this next one. We’ve found your Mercutio!

“And who do you see playing him?”

A CGI Scooby Doo!

“Because—”

He’s incredibly popular. This will bring in a whole new generation of Shakespeare fans! We can’t kill him off, of course, but he’ll totally refresh the whole duel scene!

“Ruh-roh, Romeo’?”

See? This practically writes itself!

Details matter, people.

Ingredients

Assemble in the following order:

• 1 slice of white toast. You’re going to be tempted to use better bread — something with seeds, or fiber, or flavor. Save them for a more conventional sandwich. This one calls for toasted white sandwich bread.
• Natural peanut butter — the kind that separates if you don’t refrigerate it. Use the KISS principle here: Keep It Simple, Sandwich.
• Pickled jalapeños. Not fresh chilies. Not hot sauce. Pickled. Jalapeños.
• A scrambled egg. I make mine in the microwave. Beat an egg in a small bowl with a tablespoon or so of milk or cream, then cook it for 67 seconds. Will it be the fluffiest, most delicate scrambled egg you’ve ever had? Probably not, but it’s the right egg for this sandwich.
• Fresh ground black pepper and coarse sea salt.

Believe it or not, this is an excellent sandwich. The spicy acidity of the pickled jalapeños cuts the richness of the peanut butter. The egg gives it dignity and gravitas. Delicious bread would be a distraction, but the crunch of the toast pulls everything together.

“OK, but I can put cheese on it, right?”

No.

“It doesn’t really need jalapeños, does it?”

Yes, it does.

“No offense, but I don’t think I’m going to make this; it sounds too weird.”

Don’t worry about it. This sandwich will be there when you need it. Someday, you will be clawing your way back from a broken romance, or a late night out, or three hours of your life in a meeting that you will never get back, and this sandwich will be there for you.

Peanut butter and jelly sorbet

In our increasingly strident and partisan world, it’s easy to feel alone and bitter. It sometimes feels like we have nothing in common. Black is white. Up is down. Tangerine is a color. Madness!

Is there a common thread to humanity where we can find common ground?

Ice cream.

If someone says that they don’t like ice cream, do not trust them. I’m not saying that they are absolutely, 100 percent, reptilian aliens in a skin suit, but you should really not take the chance.

This is technically a sorbet, meaning that it is made without dairy, so we can’t call it ice cream, but it’s frozen and smooth and peanut buttery. It is a riff on a recipe from David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup (180 grams) smooth peanut butter
• ¾ cup, heaping (180 grams) brown sugar
• 2⅔ cup (660 grams) unsweetened almond milk. I like the vanilla-flavored kind. (Dairy purists can use half-and-half.)
• Pinch of salt
• A small glug (see above) of vanilla
• Jelly or jam for ribbon

Add peanut butter, brown sugar, almond milk, salt and vanilla to a blender. Blend everything until it is completely mixed and takes up slightly more room in the blender jar.

Chill the mixture for several hours.

Freeze and churn in your ice cream machine, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (Or according to what the spirit of Mr. Peanut told you in the dream you had after eating all that questionable cheese from the back of the cheese drawer.)

As you spoon the sorbet into whatever dish you will be freezing it in, alternate between gobs of sorbet and spoonfuls of jelly. I have found that jellies with bright, acidic flavors work best; seedless raspberry is good. I haven’t tried lime marmalade yet, but I have high hopes for it.

Harden in your freezer for several hours.

This sorbet is exactly what it purports to be. It is cold and intensely flavored with peanut butter. The jelly ribbon gives contrast in taste and texture. It is refreshing, both physically and emotionally.

Compiled by Matt Ingersoll, Angie Sykeny and Amy Diaz
[email protected]

Spring is awesome.

Sure, it can be blizzardy or flower-filled, muddy or suddenly strangely summer-like, but the stretch between mid-March and Memorial Day is packed with fun, from arts and music to the changing outdoor offerings and food events like NH Craft Beer Week in early April. Here are 63 reasons to get excited about spring.

• The 2023 New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival starts on Thursday, March 16, and runs through Sunday, March 26, with screenings at locations in Manchester, Bedford, Keene, Concord, Portsmouth and Hooksett — to be followed by bonus weeks, March 27 through April 16, when four of the feature films shown in theaters will be available for streaming at home. See nhjewishfilmfestival.com for film trailers, tickets (individual and multi-film packages) and all the details, and check out our story in this issue.

• The annual Black Ice Pond Hockey Tournament, originally scheduled for late January outdoors, has been postponed to Friday, March 17, through Sunday, March 19, and will take place inside the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord). Go to blackicepondhockey.com to view the full schedule.

• When you need a break from emails and spreadsheets throughout your work day, head to the New Hampshire Audubon’s Manchester Peregrine Cam to check out the progress of the breeding season for the peregrine falcons living at 1750 Elm St. in Manchester. A visit to the cams (find the links at nhaudubon.org/education/birds-and-birding/peregrine-cam/) on March 9 showed a falcon surveying downtown from the perch. The local peregrine falcon pair in Manchester stays around all winter, according to Chris Martin, conservation biologist at New Hampshire Audubon. The breeding season “really heats up in March. Expect to see eggs appear beginning around the last week in March and hatching to start at the end of April. Early June is when the youngsters will start flying,” Martin said in an email. The Peregrine Cam at Brady Sullivan Tower is operated by Peregrine Networks, an internet services provider based in Dover, Martin said. During the 2022 season five peregrine falcons hatched and fledged from the nest (a photo on the Audubon’s website showed the five chicks newly banded on May 20), according to the Audubon.

• Have fun with versatile fashion pieces that can be modified for spring’s warmer and cooler days, like an oversized blazer. “An oversized blazer is the perfect option to put over thick sweaters now, that will also be perfect when worn as a spring coat over tanks and shorter sleeve options once the weather warms up,” Elyssa Alfieri, owner of Lilise Designer Resale in Concord. Another tip, which comes from Ashley Lyons, owner of Chic Boutique Consignments in Bedford, is to layer with spring and summer dresses until the weather is warm enough to wear them on their own. “With the help of a good tight, bootie or boot, and a leather moto jacket or cardigan, you can take full advantage of your warmer weather pieces even in cooler months,” she said.

• The New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) is open to visitors Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with live animals and exhibits, including a reptile room, nature store and raptor mews, which are home to a bald eagle, red-tailed hawk, barn owl and barred owls. The center also features 3 miles of mostly forested trails, pollinator gardens, grassland fields and access to the Great Turkey Pond shoreline, which are free and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. Call 224-9909 or visit nhaudubon.org.

• You may still (maybe? possibly?) be able to go ice skating outdoors on some city and town ponds that offer it, depending on the current weather conditions. But regardless of what it’s doing outside, public ice skating indoors at the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord) remains available through Thursday, March 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is $6 per person (free for kids ages 3 and under) and skate rentals are available in the pro shop for $6. See concordnh.gov. Other local spots offering indoor skating include The Icenter (60 Lowell Road, Salem) — this month the arena will be open for about one hour and 20 minutes each time, on Saturday, March 18, at 4 p.m.; and Sunday, March 19, at 2:15 p.m.; as well as on Saturday, March 25, at 4 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 26, at 2:15 p.m. The cost is $8 per person (cash only), and free for kids ages 4 and under. Visit icentersalem.com.

• St. Patrick’s Day is Friday, March 17 — check out a rundown of food and drink specials at area bars and restaurants on page 25 in the March 9 issue of the Hippo. You’ll find details on where to go to get that ceremonious plate of corned beef and cabbage with a glass of green beer, as well as all kinds of St. Paddy’s Day-related festivities from live Celtic music to comedy shows. In this week’s issue Michael Witthaus takes a look at some pub-based celebrations; find that story on page 34.

• Firefighters and police officers from across New Hampshire will renew their friendly rivalry for charity during the Battle of the Badges Hockey Championship, which returns for a 15th year to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester) on Saturday, March 18. The puck drops at 1 p.m., and proceeds from the game benefit the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (CHaD). Tickets are $16 in advance online and $20 on game day for attendees ages 6 and up (kids ages 5 and under are free). See chadhockey.org.

• Springtime means, in many cases, the return of local seasonal eateries — ice cream stands like Sundae Drive (346 Route 13, Brookline) and The Big 1 (185 Concord St., Nashua), for instance, opened for the season in late February, while King Kone (336 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack) and Memories Ice Cream (95 Exeter Road, Kingston) are each set to reopen on Saturday, March 18. Clam Haven (94 Rockingham Road, Derry), known for its fried seafood specials, was scheduled to open for the season on Wednesday, March 15, and Cremeland Drive In (250 Valley St., Manchester) is also set to begin its season soon.

• This coming weekend — Saturday, March 18, and Sunday, March 19 — is also New Hampshire Maple Weekend, when sugarhouses and farms across the Granite State welcome visitors for tours, demonstrations, tastings and other family-friendly activities, all revolving around local maple syrup production. Learn how sap is collected and trees are tapped, and enjoy samples of everything from maple syrup to fudge, roasted nuts, ice cream and more, depending on where you go. See the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association website at nhmapleproducers.com for a full list of participating sugarhouses. Find more coverage of Maple Weekend on page 26.

• Maple Weekend also means the return of the annual Kearsarge Maple Festival, a regional event featuring two days of local sap house tours, pancakes, a syrup tasting contest and more. A pancake breakfast and raffle will be held on Saturday, March 18, from 7:30 to 11 a.m. at the United Church of Warner (43 E. Main St.), with proceeds going toward the town’s 250th birthday celebration committee (Warner will turn 250 in 2024). The cost is $12 for adults, $5 for kids ages 7 to 12 and free for kids under 6, and the breakfast will feature plain and blueberry pancakes, waffles, home fries, baked beans and sausage. The maple syrup tasting contest happens on Sunday, March 19, from noon to 3 p.m. in front of Town Hall (5 E. Main St.). See warnerhistorical.org or kearsargechamber.org for more details on festival happenings.

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia; visitthefarm.com, 483-5623) is celebrating Maple Month with its Maple Express event featuring a ride to the sugar shack, where you can watch the syrup making process, get a look at tree tapping, meet farm animals and taste syrup on silver dollar pancakes, according to the website. Admission costs $22 per person. The Maple Express continues this weekend — Saturday, March 18, and Sunday, March 19 — and next (Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, March 26), with entry times starting at 10 a.m. On Saturday, March 18, the farm will hold Sugar Shack Live, with entry times from 5 to 6 p.m.; the evening will feature live music from Morgan-Nelson (Dan Morgan and Lynda Nelson), horse-drawn and tractor rides, a visit to the sugar shack and a campfire (BYO marshmallows for toasting or hot dogs for roasting), the website said. Tickets to this evening event cost $29 per person.

• It may not look like it outside at the moment, but the first day of spring is Monday, March 20. For many — er, or at least those of us who aren’t already year-round iced coffee drinkers — this means the kickoff to iced coffee season! Pinard Street Bakery (1 Pinard St., Manchester; inside Charlie’s) is one shop celebrating spring with several specialty coffee flavors all month long in March, including Scout’s Samoa (coconut with a caramel and mocha swirl) and In Bloom (blueberry, lavender, melted raw honey and white chocolate swirl). See pinardstreetbakery.business.site for their full list of spring-inspired coffee flavors.

• Catch some action on the ice when the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Regional Championship comes to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester; snhuarena.com) Thursday, March 23, and Saturday, March 25. See the arena’s website for times (which are to be announced) and tickets.

• The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford) will host a Cacao Ceremony with Empress Alchemy on Saturday, March 25, from 7 to 8 p.m. In this immersive and interactive experience, held outside around a firepit, participants will be served ceremonial grade cacao in the form of “hot chocolate” while being led through a series of guided meditation exercises. Dress warm and bring a blanket to sit on and a journal to write in. The event costs $35 and is open to participants ages 16 and up. Visit theeducationalfarm.org.

• Catch a show at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry), which has a full lineup of live acts scheduled throughout the season. They host Blues Brothers The Next Generation on Saturday, March 25, for instance, as well as their next Tupelo Nights of Comedy on Friday, March 24, and Friday, April 14. Visit tupelomusichall.com to view the full concert schedule and to buy tickets.

• The Manchester St. Patrick’s Parade returns on Sunday, March 26, kicking off at noon at the intersection of Salmon and Elm streets in the Queen City and continuing south on Elm. Admission is free, and shuttle services will run from 10 a.m. to noon from the corner of Central and Chestnut streets to the parade’s assembly area. See saintpatsnh.com. The parade immediately follows the Citizens Bank Shamrock Shuffle, a road race organized by Millennium Running starting and finishing in front of Veterans Memorial Park (723 Elm St.). Visit millenniumrunning.com.

• McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Way in Manchester; mcintyreskiarea.com, 622-6159) plans to wrap up its season of skiing, snowboarding and tubing on Sunday, March 26 (see the website for hours), according to an email. On Saturday, March 18, the Pond Skim and Hawaiian Festival will run from 1 to 3 p.m., with competition starting at 1 p.m., according to the website. “End the season with a splash and join us at the pond. Wear your most festive attire as we celebrate the end of an amazing season! Prizes awarded for biggest splash, best costume and best skim!” the website said.

• You voted and we counted. In mere weeks, Hippo will present the Best of 2023 readers poll results. Find out who fellow readers picked as the best pizza purveyor, beer brewer or cupcake creator. Keep your eyes on Hippo newsstands for that issue.

• Get into birding by focusing on the Eastern Bluebird. The New Hampshire Audubon will hold “NestWatch Volunteer Training: Bluebird Monitoring” on Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Massabesic Audubon Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; 668-2045, nhaudubon.org) where there are “almost 100 monitored nest boxes,” according to the website. The workshop costs $5; register by March 30. Learn how to be a volunteer monitor (monitors usually spend about an hour or two weekly from April to August to record data in their sections, according to the website) or just learn more about the Eastern Bluebird. The workshop features inside and outside sessions.

• The Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis) will host a guided full moon hike on Saturday, April 1, at 7 p.m. During the hike, a naturalist will share moon facts and lore and talk about how animals are adapted for the night and how they prepare for seasonal changes. The cost is $22, and registration in advance is required. Visit beaverbrook.org.

• Join the Franco-American Centre for a traditional sugaring off celebration on Saturday, April 1, at the Oscar Barn Wedding Venue (191 W. River Road, Hooksett). The event will feature a maple syrup demonstration from Chisholm Farm from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by a traditional cabane à sucre (sugar shack) dinner served family-style from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and music and dancing from 7:30 to 10 p.m., featuring a live performance by the Reel McCoys. The cost is $25 for adults, $15 for kids ages 5 to 12 and free for kids under 5. Visit facnh.com to register.

• The craft fair scene ramps up again in the spring. On Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Capital City Craft Festival will bring more than 125 artisans to the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord), according to castleberryfairs.com, where you can purchase tickets ($8 for adults, under 14 get in free; one admission is good for both days). Tickets will also be sold at the door. The spread of arts and crafts includes folk art, candles, apparel, metal art, fiber arts, personal care items, jewelry, glass and more as well as specialty foods, the website said.

• Conversations with Concord Authors returns for the second year to the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) on Wednesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. Laura Knoy, formerly the host of New Hampshire Public Radio’s The Exchange, will host a discussion with local authors including Kathleen D. Bailey, Sarah McCraw Crow, Dan Lawton, Paul Brogan and Margaret Porter. Admission is free. Visit ccanh.com/show/conversations-with-concord-authors-2023.

• Enjoy a First Thursday Hike at The Fells (456 Route 103, Newbury) on Thursday, April 6, at 11 a.m., with landscape director Nick Scheu and education director Simon Parsons. No reservations are necessary, and non-members are welcome with the regular admission price ($10 for adults), $8 for seniors and students, $4 for kids and teens ages 6 to 17 and free for kids ages 5 and under, or $25 per family of two adults and 2 or more children under 6. Visit thefells.org.

• The nationally touring Arts & Dance Company’s Hispanic Flamenco Ballet Ensemble will perform a matinee show at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord) on Thursday, April 6. The show celebrates the art and culture of Latin America and Spain, featuring flamenco dancing in an immersive experience. Visit theaudi.org/events/matinee-arts-dance-company-on-tour-presents-flamenco-ballet.

• Join Etz Hayim Synagogue (1 ½ Hood Road, Derry) for a Passover Second Seder on Thursday, April 6, at 6 p.m. The meal will be catered by Levine’s Kosher Market and will include roast chicken, kugel, carrot tzimmes, chicken soup with matzo balls and gefilte fish and costs $49 for adults and $29 for kids ages 10 and under. Reserve online at etzhayim.org by March 26.

• New Hampshire Craft Beer Week, an annual 10-day celebration of the Granite State’s craft brewing industry, returns from Thursday, April 6, through Saturday, April 15. The campaign is presented by the New Hampshire Brewers Association and is meant to coincide with National Beer Day (April 7). Check back at nhbrewers.org or follow Craft Beer Week’s Facebook page @nhcraftbeerweek for updates on ongoing events and happenings as they become available.

• The Derry Author Fest will bring a day of books, speakers and panels to the Derry Public Library (64 E Broadway in Derry; 432-6140) on Saturday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Author Ann Dávila Cardinal kicks off the day with a keynote on “Writing from the In Between: Navigating Identity as a Writer Between Worlds,” according to a press release. Find the lineup of speakers and more at derryauthorfest.wordpress.com.

• The 14th annual Our Promise to Nicholas Indoor Maze to the Egg Hunt returns to New Hampshire Sportsplex (68 Technology Drive, Bedford) on Saturday, April 8, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. There will be 15,000 plastic colored eggs filled with candy and prizes on the indoor fields for children to collect. Other festivities will include face painting, photos with the Easter Bunny and other mascots, games, DJ music, balloon creations, a bake sale, raffle baskets and an auction. Tickets cost $8 per person, $28 for four to seven people or $56 for eight people if purchased online in advance, and $10 per person at the door. Visit ourpromisetonicholas.com.

• Next year — April 8, 2024 — parts of New Hampshire will be in the “path of totality for a total solar eclipse! This hasn’t happened since 1959 and won’t happen again until 2079!” according to the website for the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827), which has started the countdown for the big event. On Saturday, April 8 (of this year), the Center will hold an “Eclipse Countdown Kick Off Event” from 1 to 4 p.m. with presentations, eclipse giveaways, solar telescope viewing with the New Hampshire Astronomical Society and pizza, according to the website. Admission prices are as usual: $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and students 13 through college, $9 for kids ages 3 to 12 and free for children ages 2 and under.

• Get your orders in for a special pastry tray sale being offered by St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (1160 Bridge St., Manchester). The cost is $35 per tray, which includes six pieces of baklava, six kourambiethes (powdered sugar cookies) and koulourakia (butter cookies), and orders must be placed by April 5 for pickup on Friday, April 14 (Greek Easter is observed on Sunday, April 16, this year). Contact parishioner Barb George at [email protected] or at 925-330-9966 to place your order.

• And while you’re at it, join the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) in welcoming the Easter Bunny by air travel on Saturday, April 1 — he’ll arrive at the museum at 11 a.m. via the student-built RV-12iS aircraft after a planned low pass over Runaway 35. After landing, he’ll taxi under a water cannon arch courtesy of the Manchester Airport Fire Department, greeting families in front of the museum, posing for pictures and giving out candy (courtesy of Granite State Candy Shoppe). The event will take place rain or shine, and the museum will be open for visitors, with regular admission charges applying. See nhahs.org.

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia; visitthefarm.com, 483-5623) will hold its Egg-City Egg Hunt on the weekends of Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2, and Saturday, April 8, and Sunday, April 9. Pick a time between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. (morning only on Easter Sunday, April 9) and kids ages 2 to 12 can hunt for candy-filled eggs, meet the Easter Bunny, meet farm animals and new spring baby animals, take a horse-drawn or tractor train ride and more, according to the website. Tickets cost $22 per person and will only be available online.

• New Hampshire poets and poetry lovers will have all kinds of opportunities throughout April to celebrate National Poetry Month, with readings, workshops, contests and more, spearheaded by state Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary in partnership with NHPR, NH Humanities Council, Poetry Society of NH and others. Peary will present a program on mindful writing techniques at Goffstown Public Library (2 High St., Goffstown) on Tuesday, April 4, and as an online event on Friday, April 14; a poetry reading at NHTI (31 College Drive, Concord) on Wednesday, April 12; a celebration of life for the poet Charles Simic at UNH (105 Main St., Durham) on Wednesday, April 19; and a teen poetry contest with Under the Madness Magazine (underthemadnessmagazine.com). See Peary’s blog, newhampshirepoetlaureate.blogspot.com, for updates on Poetry Month happenings.

• It’s almost time for baseball! The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are due to hold their home opener of the 2023 season on Tuesday, April 11, at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester) against the Portland Sea Dogs. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m., starting a six-game homestand that continues through Sunday, April 16. See nhfishercats.com for the full schedule of games, which runs through mid-September this year.

• Through the New Hampshire Astronomical Society’s Library Telescope Program, you can check out a telescope from your local library just as you would a book. April is full of astrological events, including the best day of the year to view Mercury on Tuesday, April 11, a hybrid solar eclipse the night of Wednesday, April 19, and a meteor shower expected to peak between Friday, April 21, and Sunday, April 23. Visit nhastro.com for a list of local libraries participating in the telescope program and to connect with a New Hampshire Astronomical Society member who can provide information about upcoming astrological events and tips on how to have your own skywatch.

• It’s Reba Live in Concert! Reba McEntire comes to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester; snhuarena.com) on Thursday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. with special guests Terri Clark and The Isaacs. Tickets start at $49.75.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) presents its annual gala celebration on Friday, April 14, from 6 to 10 p.m. The evening will include a curated fine art auction, a reception with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a gourmet dinner and a fundraising program highlighting the museum’s Art & Wellness programs. Attire is formal. Tickets cost $350 per person, and tables can be purchased for eight people. Visit currier.org/event/gala-celebration or call 669-6144

• The annual Made in New Hampshire “Try It & Buy It” Expo, presented by Business NH Magazine and Events NH, returns for a 26th year to the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St.) from Friday, April 14, through Sunday, April 16. Show hours are from 1 to 7 p.m. on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, when attendees will have the opportunity to sample a wide variety of products and services made right here in the Granite State. Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors ages 65 and over and for military service members, $3 for kids ages 2 to 12 and free for kids under 2. Visit madeinnhexpo.com or follow the event page on Facebook @madeinnhexpo to see the full list of this year’s participating vendors.

• The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra presents its annual “Drawn to the Music” concert on Saturday, April 15, and Sunday, April 16, at 2 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center at Salem High School (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem). The program will include music from Copland’s Appalachian Spring, as well as Rossini’s Overture “Barber of Seville,” Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Ginastera’s “Estancia.” The concert is a collaborative arts project for which elementary school students from across New Hampshire submitted their original artwork inspired by the featured music. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors, $8 for students and $5 for Salem School District students. Visit nhphil.org.

• After the Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) production of the musical Little Women wraps up this weekend (March 17 through March 19 with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday) the next big show on the schedule is the musical Rent, which opens Friday, April 21, and runs through Sunday, May 14. As with Little Women, shows run Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. along with a show on Thursday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for adults cost $44 to $51, based on seating ($35 for 60+ and veterans; $30 for ages 6 to 12).

• The Anselmian Abbey Players of Saint Anselm College in Manchester will perform Disney’s The Little Mermaid at the college’s Dana Center for the Humanities (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester) with showtimes on Friday, April 21, and Saturday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $8 for youth and students. Visit anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities.

• Celebrate the joy of flipping through albums to find new-to-you tunes at Record Store Day on Saturday, April 22. Participating shops will have specialty releases (CDs, vinyl, cassettes, etc.) from a variety of artists. Find a complete list of the offerings this year at recordstoreday.com, where you can also find a list of area participating stores including Music Connection in Manchester; Metro City Records in Manchester; Pitchfork Records in Concord; Bull Moose in Salem, and Newbury Comics in Manchester and Nashua.

• Celebrate Earth Day — Saturday, April 22 — by getting out in the fresh air. Millennium Running’s Stonyfield Earth Day 5K & Fair starts at 9 a.m. and will feature a 3.1-mile course that starts and finishes in Londonderry’s West Soccer Complex (90 West Road), just steps away from the Stonyfield Earth Day Fair, which will include local vendors, live music, games and more. Visit millenniumrunning.com.

• The New Hampshire Audubon will celebrate Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, with a celebration at the Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; 668-2045, nhaudubon.org) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $15 for a family of four and pre-registration is recommended, according to the website. The day will include guided walks, storytimes, live reptile meet-and-greets, live raptor presentations, crafts, a master gardener available for answering questions, food sales from the Walking Gourmet Food Truck and more.

• Head to Hampstead Congregational Church (61 Main St.) on Saturday, April 29, from noon to 5 p.m. for Hampstead Eats, the third annual food truck festival held outdoors on the church grounds. There will be a variety of options from local food trucks, along with live music, and a portion of the event proceeds goes toward the New Hampshire Food Bank. See “Hampstead Eats” on Facebook for updates as they become available.

• Among Symphony NH’s spring concert lineup is “Momentum! 100 Year Anniversary Concert” on Saturday, April 29, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com). According to symphonynh.org, the symphony “marks the anniversary of its very first concert to the day” with the celebration featuring cellist Amit Peled, and a movement from Schubert’s “unfinished” Symphony and Strauss’s “On the Beautiful Blue Danube,” two works played at the Symphony NH’s first concert in 1923. Tickets for the concert start at $39 for adults ($12 for ages 12 to 17 and free for children under 12 with an adult or senior ticket purchase). After the concert, Symphony NH will hold a gala from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Courtyard by Marriott Nashua; tickets to this dinner (which must be purchased separately) cost $110 for a single ticket or $1,000 for a table.

• Saturday, April 29, is Independent Bookstore Day, a nationwide celebration of independent bookstores and the book-lovers who frequent them. Participating bookstores sell merchandise released exclusively for that day, which may include special-edition books, signed art prints and covers and literary-themed novelty items. Some bookstores may host additional festivities, such as author visits, readings and book signings, live music, food, activities for kids, contests and giveaways and more. Visit indiebookstoreday.com to see a list of this year’s featured merchandise and to find a bookstore near you that is participating.

• New Hampshire Roller Derby returns to JFK Memorial Coliseum (303 Beech St., Manchester) with a season-opening doubleheader on Saturday, April 29, at 5 p.m. More home bouts are scheduled for Saturdays, May 20, June 24 and Aug. 5. Tickets cost $12 at the door; admission is free for kids age 12 and under and veterans. Visit nhrollerderby.com.

• After a successful comeback year in 2022, Taco Tour Manchester will return in full force to downtown Elm Street on Thursday, May 4, from 4 to 8 p.m. Now presented by the Greater Manchester Chamber, more than 60 area restaurants, food trucks, bakeries and other establishments will be participating in this year’s event, selling their signature tacos for $3 apiece. Each has a shot at winning a custom “Golden Taco Trophy,” in addition to $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice, as voted by taco tasters. New to this year’s Taco Tour will be a concert at Veterans Memorial Park (723 Elm St.), thanks to the support of 92.5 The River, with performing acts to be announced in the coming weeks. See tacotourmanchester.com for details.

• The Craftworkers’ Guild presents its Spring Craft Shop from Thursday, May 4, through Saturday, May 13, at the historic Kendall House (5 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. There will be handmade items by more than 50 juried artisans and craftspeople, including seasonal decor, photography, fine art and prints, cards, gourmet treats, woodworking, fiber and fabrics, sewn and knit specialties, stained and fused glass art, mixed media, jewelry, doll clothes and more. Visit thecraftworkersguild.org.

• Get a little magic when the Champions of Magic come to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com, 800-657-8774) on Thursday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $69.

• The two-day New Hampshire Farm, Forest & Garden Expo returns for its 40th year on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, this time at the Deerfield Fairgrounds (34 Stage Road). Expo hours are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, when there will be a wide array of local exhibitors, live animal visits, gardener showcases, workshops, demonstrations of farm machinery and other family-friendly activities. Tickets are $10 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under. Visit nhfarmandforestexpo.org to view the full schedule of expo happenings.

• Perhaps May’s best holiday, Free Comic Book Day takes place Saturday, May 6, at your favorite participating comic book shop. Get totally free comics produced especially for the day; see previews of this year’s books at freecomicbookday.com. Notables on the list so far include a Dog Man comic from Dav Pilkey, a Baby-Sitters Little Sisters comic, a graphic novel biography of Stan Lee, an Investi-Gators comic, Smurfs, Last Kid on Earth, Garbage Pail Kids and several Marvel titles. Local participants include Merrymac Games and Comics(550 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack) and the Double Midnight Comics in Manchester (252 Willow St.) and Concord (341 Loudon Road). For this first Free Comic Book Day at its new Manchester location, Double Midnight is offering free comics in the store and running a free comic con in The Factory’s event space, with artists and vendors, food trucks, a video game truck, movie cars, lawn games, lightsaber training, a scavenger hunt, live music, kids’ activities, costume contests and more, according to an email from Double Midnight’s Chris Proulx. Up in Concord it’s a more laid back Free Comic Book Day and a good alternative for families with kids who have sensory issues, he said. See dmcomics.com.

• Also doing Free Comic Book Day up big is Jetpack Comics (37 N. Main St. in Rochester; jetpackcomics.com), which is the hub for a city-wide Rochester Free Comic Book Day Festival, which starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m., according to the website. The day will include a free comic book scavenger hunt throughout the city, comic creators and special guests, vendors and others at the Event Hall at the Governor’s Inn, a food truck and beer garden, a costume contest at 4 p.m. and more. See the website for locations and other details.

• A few local farmers markets are due to start their seasons outdoors this spring. The Concord Farmers Market is one of the first — it’s due to return to Capitol Street in downtown Concord (adjacent to the Statehouse lawn) on Saturday, May 6, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, continuing every weekend through October, according to its website.

• The Senie Hunt Project performs at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) on Friday, May 12, at 8 p.m. The blues rock band, fronted by guitarist and singer Senie Hunt, takes influence from classic blues rock and Southern rock and soul powerhouses such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and The Allman Brothers. Tickets cost $21.75. Visit ccanh.com/show/the-senie-hunt-project.

• If your kids love comics, comic book or movie characters, books in general, Jedi training, puppets, princesses, magic or dressing up as their own adventure creations, check out Kids Con New England, a comic book and pop culture convention for kids and families, on Saturday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Tickets cost $12 for adults and kids 5 and over (kids 4 and under get in free) and are available at kidsconne.com, where you can see the line-up of activities, participating authors and artists and more.

• Stock up on annuals, perennials, seedlings, veggie plants, herbs and more at a local garden club’s spring sale. The Amherst Garden Club’s annual sale takes place on Saturday, May 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside on the grounds of Wilkins School (180 Boston Post Road, Amherst); Nashua Garden Club’s sale is on Saturday, May 20, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Nashua Historical Society (5 Abbott St., Nashua); and Bedford Garden Club’s sale is also on Saturday, May 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Bedford Village Common (15 Bell Hill Road, Bedford).

• Get big truck action when the Monster Jam comes to SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester; snhuarena.com) on Saturday, May 13, at 1 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 14, at 1 p.m. Ticket prices are $18 to $73, according to the arena website. See monsterjam.com for details on likely featured competitors (Grave Digger, Megalodon, El Toro Loco, etc.) and for information on the Pit Party events scheduled for 10:30 a.m. each day, when you can meet drivers and see the trucks up close; tickets to the Pit Party cost $20, according to Ticketmaster.

• Sunday, May 14, is Mother’s Day — be sure to check back in early May for our annual listings detailing special Mother’s Day brunches at area eateries. The Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way), for instance, will serve a three-course prix fixe dinner that day, with reservations available from 2 to 7 p.m. The cost is $75 for adults and $39.98 for kids ages 10 and under. See bedfordvillageinn.com or call 472-2001 to make a reservation.

• Tickets are on sale now for the second annual New England Coffee Festival, returning to downtown Laconia on Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20. Organized by Wayfarer Coffee Roasters in Laconia, the inaugural event last year drew more than 5,000 attendees to the area. “We received so much amazing feedback and are excited to elevate the next festival,” Karen Bassett of Wayfarer Coffee Roasters told the Hippo via email, going on to note that this year’s event will feature even more hands-on workshops and outdoor vendors than before, plus a “latte art throwdown” on the Main Stage of the Colonial Theatre in front of a grand audience. See newenglandcoffeefestival.com for the full schedule of events, or follow the event page on Facebook @newenglandcoffeefestival for updates as they become available.

• Preparations are now underway for the annual Greek food festival to return to St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church (500 W. Hollis St., Nashua) on Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20. Following a series of pop-up and takeout events held the past few years, plans are in the works for this year’s event to return in person with a full menu. Visit stphilipnashua.com or follow the event page on Facebook @stphilipgreekfoodfestival.

• Explore all the natural beauty New Hampshire has to offer with a New Hampshire State Parks season pass. Passholders are guaranteed access to day-use parks with exemption from entrance fees. Passes, which are good for one year, cost $60 for individuals; $105 for New Hampshire resident families of up to two adults and up to four dependents; and $120 for non-resident families. Seacoast parking passes are also available for $175, granting one vehicle exemption from the $15 parking fees at Hampton Beach State Park and Wallis Sands State Park for one year. To purchase a pass, visit nhstateparks.org/planning/schedule-and-fees/passes-promotions.

Featured photo: Amherst Garden Club’s annual plant sale. Courtesy photo.

Compiled by
Matt Ingersoll, Mya Blanchard, Katelyn Sahagian and Angie Sykeny

[email protected]

Whether your kids are looking to boost their creativity with music, arts or theater, or stay active with sports like soccer, lacrosse or golf, they can find all of those opportunities and more at area summer camps. Did we miss one? Let us know at [email protected].

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

College Preparation; Find Your Voice – Jump Start Your College Essay The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road, Manchester, 641-9426, derryfield.org/page/summer/college-prep
What: This intensive writing workshop is designed to create a space for 11th- and 12th-graders to begin drafting their college essay. In the collaborative setting, students will uncover their unique stories and draft an essay that truly reflects their values and life experiences. On the final day of the workshop, a college admissions officer will provide the college perspective on the personal statement and read essay drafts. Who: Students entering grades 11 and 12 When: Monday, June 26, through Friday, July 30, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. (session is taught remotely) Cost: $395

SAT/ACT Preparation The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road, Manchester, 641-9426, derryfield.org/page/summer/college-prep
What: Students will learn strategies and components of the SAT and ACT from Derryfield teachers and test-prep instructors in one-on-one settings as well as with group work. Who: Students entering grades 11 and 12 When: Verbal sessions run Monday through Friday from 9:15 to 11:45 a.m., and math sessions run from 12:15 to 2:45 p.m., dates offered July 31 to Aug. 4. Cost: Ranges from $395 for half-day sessions to $685 for full-day sessions

ART

Creative Ventures Art Gallery 411 Nashua St., Milford, 672-2500, creativeventuresfineart.com
What: Programs include a nature-inspired art camp for kids and an art camp for teens. Who: Nature-inspired art camp is open to ages 8 through 12, and teen art camp is open to ages 12 through 16. When: Monday, July 31, through Thursday, Aug. 3, from 9 a.m. to noon each day; teen art camp runs Monday, Aug. 7, through Thursday, Aug. 10, from 9 a.m. to noon each day. Cost: $125

Currier Art Center, 180 Pearl St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org/education-programs
What: The Currier Museum of Art’s education center will offer five weeks of summer programming. Who: Varies by program. When: Program dates are TBA. Cost: Call for details. Online registration opens in early March.

Kimball Jenkins School of Art 266 N. Main St., Concord, 225-3932, kimballjenkins.com/summer-camp-2023
What: Campers explore artistic media, including sculpture, painting, clay, printmaking, drawing and more, and spend time outdoors, collaborating in group activities and learning about history. This year’s camp week themes include Branching Out, Art Olympics, Into the Wild, Fantasy & Cosplay, Mythology & Folklore, Kinetic Art, Choose Your Own Adventure and Bite Sized Art. Who: Ages 6 and up When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 18 Cost: $300 per week.

New England College’s Institute of Arts & Design Pre-College Summer Program, 148 Concord St., Manchester, 623-0313, nec.edu/precollege
What: Two-week residency program for high school students that includes college-level courses covering creative writing and visual arts, and elective courses and workshops in sculpture, mixed media, comic arts, drawing and painting, game design, graphic design, illustration, photography and portfolio development. Campers who complete the program are eligible to earn up to four college credits. Who: Students ages 14 through 18. Space is limited — apply by May 1 for priority consideration. When: July 9 through July 22 Cost: $3,200 for the Resident Program, which includes on-campus housing, meals and materials, and $2,200 for the Commuter Program, which includes meals and materials.

Studio 550 Kids Art Camp Studio 550 Community Art Center, 550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com
What: Programs include an Arts Explorer camp, in which students sample a variety of two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms, working with paint, paper, pencil and clay; and a Clay camp for teens and tweens, in which students learn the basics of the pottery wheel as well as various sculpting techniques. Who: Arts Explorer camp is open to ages 8 and up; Clay camp is open to ages 11 and up When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, in half-day sessions. Dates TBA. Cost: Call for details.

DANCE

Alicia’s School of Dance 563 Route 106, Loudon, 496-9762, aliciasschoolofdance.com
What: Campers will learn all styles of dance, including tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical and hip-hop, and will also have the opportunity to play games and make crafts. A mini performance will be held on the last day of camp. Who: Ages 6 and up When: Monday, July 17, through Friday, July 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day Cost: $130 per child, plus a $25 required deposit. Register by June 30.

Broadway Bound Performing Arts Center 501 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-8844, broadwayboundpac.com
What: Programs include a two-week Musical Theatre Camp, in which campers will prepare and perform a junior production of Annie; Kids Dance Camp, where campers will practice various styles of dance, singing and acting and participate in theater games and crafts; and an Intensive Dance Camp, modeled after the intensive dance workshops in New York City. Who: Kids Dance Camp is open to ages 4 through 11, and Musical Theatre Camp welcomes campers ages 6 through 15 as performers and campers ages 14 through 18 as assistants and backstage crew. When: Musical Theatre Camp runs July 10 through July 22; Kids Dance Camp runs July 30 through Aug. 4; and Intensive Dance Camp runs Aug. 7 through Aug. 11. Cost: $500 for Musical Theatre Camp and $275 for the Kids Dance Camp and the Intensive Dance Camp. A $50 deposit is required to reserve a spot.

Concord Dance Academy 26 Commercial St., Concord, 226-0200, concorddanceacademy.com
What: Recreational dance camp teaches a variety of dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip-hop. A mini camp for younger children and an intensive camp for serious dancers are also offered. Who: Recreational dance camp is open to ages 4 through 12; mini camp is for ages 3 through 5; and intensive camp is open to ages 8 through 13. When: Monday, July 24, through Friday, July 28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a full day and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a half day. Cost: $250 for a full-day week and $150 for a half-day week.

Martin School of Dance 288 Route 101, Suite 202, Bedford, 488-2371, martinschoolofdance.com
What: Dance camp features dance instruction, crafts, outdoor activities and more. games, crafts and more. Themed weeks include Princess Tea Party, Under the Sea, Safari Adventure and Tropical Vacation. A three-week dance intensive is also offered. Who: Camp is open to ages 3 through 6, and the intensive program is open to ages 7 through 18. When: Camp dates are offered July 10 through Aug. 25. Intensive runs July 24 through Aug. 11. Programs run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Cost: Varies, depending on the program.

Miss Kelsey’s Dance Studio 2626 Brown Ave., Manchester, 606-2820, mkdance.com
What: Dance camps include a half-day afternoon camp with the theme All Things Disney; and two full-day camps with the themes Under the Sea and Spa Retreat. Who: All Things Disney is for ages 6 and up, Under the Sea is for ages 5 and up and Spa Retreat is for ages 8 and up. When: All Things Disney runs Monday, June 26, through Friday, June 30, from 3 to 6 p.m. each day; Under the Sea runs Monday, July 17, through Friday, July 21, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Spa Retreat runs from Monday, July 24, through Friday, July 28, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: Call for details

Nancy Chippendale’s Dance Studios 49 Range Road, Building No. 2, Suite A, Windham, 458-7730, chippswindham.com
What: Programs include themed dance camps like Princess Power, Popstar Bop and Royal Academy, as well as a dance boot camp. Who: Themed camps are open to dancers in preschool through grade 2, and boot camp is open to dancers in grades 2 through 12. When: Themed camps are offered July 24 through Aug. 4 and Aug. 21 through Aug. 25 and run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon each day; boot camp runs Monday, Aug. 7 through Friday, Aug. 11. Cost: Themed camps are $250 and boot camp is $500

New England School of Dance 679 Mast Road, Manchester, 935-7326, newenglandschoolofdance.com
What: A week-long summer intensive and musical theater workshop provides a comprehensive multi-level experience for dancers with at least two years of dance training that includes technique classes in a variety of dance styles, mind-body wellness sessions, stretch workshops, Progressing Ballet Technique, pilates, dance-related art projects, choreography exploration and more, culminating with a showcase performance for family and friends. Two-day mini camps are also offered for younger dancers. Who: The intensive is open to ages 6 through 19, and the mini camps are for ages 3 through 6. When: The intensive runs Monday, July 24, through Saturday, July 29; mini camps are offered various dates from July 18 through Aug. 10 Cost: Mini camps are $110 each, and the intensive is $750, with a musical theater workshop for an additional $50.

Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater 19 Harvey Road, Bedford, 637-4398, snhdt.org
What: Programs include Princess Camp and Prima Ballerina Camp; the Young Dancer Workshop for beginner and intermediate dancers; a Nutcracker Dance Intensive; and a three-week Summer Intensive for serious dancers. Who: Princess and Prima Ballerina camps are open to ages 3 through 5; Young Dancer Workshop is open to ages 6 through 12; the Nutcracker Intensive is for ages 8 through 11; and the Summer Intensive is for ages 10 and up. When: Princess Camp is offered June 27 through June 29 and July 11 through July 13; Prima Ballerina Camp is offered July 6 through July 8; the Nutcracker Intensive runs Aug. 14 through Aug. 18; the Young Dancer Workshop runs July 17 through July 21; and the Summer Intensive runs July 24 through Aug. 11. Cost: $165 for Princess and Prima Ballerina camp; $225 for Young Dancer Workshop and Nutcracker Intensive; and the Summer Intensive ranges from $750 to $1,500, depending on the number of weeks.

GENERAL INTEREST

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Hampshire Locations in Andover, Concord, Epsom, Holderness, Hopkinton, Laconia, New London, Pittsfield, Stoddard, Sutton Warner and Weare, 224-1061, nhyouth.org
What: Each center offers general camps and specialty camps, with activities that include arts and crafts, sports, water games, field trips and more. Who: Children entering kindergarten through 8th grade When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from the end of the school year through Aug. 25 Cost: $185 per week if registered before May 1, plus a $40 registration fee.

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem 3 Geremonty Drive, Salem, 898-7709, salembgc.org
What: Activities include field trips, swimming, gym, games, outdoor play and more. Who: Ages 4 and up When: 10-week sessions run Monday through Friday, dates offered June 19 through Aug. 25 (no camp Monday, July 3, or Tuesday, July 4) Cost: $260 per week ($156 for the shortened week of July 5 through 7), plus a $50 membership fee

Boys & Girls Club of Manchester Camp Foster, 36 Camp Allen Road, Bedford; Union Street Clubhouse, 555 Union St., Manchester; 625-5031, mbgcnh.org
What: A wide variety of activities are available to campers each day. Camp Foster (grades 1 through 7) features daily activities like swimming, arts and crafts, playgrounds, field games, athletics, hiking and canoeing. The Teen Adventure Camp (grades 8 and up) features weekly adventure field trips, like beach trips, hiking and biking. Teen campers split the rest of their days between programming at Camp Foster and the Union Street Clubhouse. The Club also remains open for its oldest campers all summer long with a drop-in program of daily and special activities. Who: Grades 1 through 12 When: Various days and times, dates offered June 19 through Aug. 25 (no camps on Tuesday, July 4). Cost: $185 per week ($150 for the week of July 4), plus a $25 membership fee

Brentwood Recreation Day Camp 190 Route 125, Brentwood, hosted by the Brentwood Parks & Recreation Department, 642-6400, brentwoodnh.gov/recreation What: Traditional day camp with activities like weekly field trips, arts and crafts, team-building activities, games and more. Who: Children entering grades 1 through 8 When: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 18 (no camp on Tuesday, July 4). Before and after care are also available. Cost: Online registration of a $100 deposit for Brentwood residents and $150 for non-residents is required to hold your spot. Weekly rates are $150 for residents and $175 for non-residents through June 1. After June 1 they are raised $175 and $200, respectively.

Camp 603 13 Blevens Drive, Concord, 568-8107, camp603.com
What: Activities include trips to Lake Winnisquam for water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing and other water sports; Mount Major, Mount Cardigan and other local mountains for days of hiking; and Hampton Beach for beach trips, swimming and more. Who: Ages 10 to 16 When: Weekly sessions run from Monday through Friday, dates offered July 10 through July 28 Cost: $975/week

Camp Kettleford 26 Camp Allen Road, Bedford, hosted by Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, 888-474-9686, girlscoutsgwm.org
What: Set on 30 wooded acres on the shore of Sebbins Pond, this traditional day camp features swimming, boating, archery, cooking out, day trips and more. Who: Girls who will be entering kindergarten through 8th grade When: Sessions run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 18 (closed from Monday, July 3, through Friday, July 7) Cost: $350 per week, or $625 for two-week sessions.

Camp Lincoln 67 Ball Road, Kingston, 642-3361, ymcacamplincoln.org, hosted by Southern District YMCA, sdymca.org
What: A wide variety of programming is available to campers, with activities that include archery, arts and crafts, hiking, boating, basketball, baseball, ropes courses, climbing walls and more. Who: Ages 3 and up When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, dates offered June 19 through Aug. 25 — see program guide online for details on programming as it pertains to each age group Cost: Ranges from $330 to $345 per one-week session, or $660 to $690 per two-week session, depending on the camper’s age.

Camp Lovewell 2nd Nature Academy, 10 Groton Road, Nashua, 881-4815, camplovewell.com
What: Campers will enjoy hiking, field games and sports, swimming, skits and songs, kayaking, arts and crafts, a ropes course and more. Who: Ages 6 to 14 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 (no camp on Tuesday, July 4) Cost: $400 per week for kids entering grades 1 through 3, and $390 per week for kids entering grades 4 through 9. Extended care is also available, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. or from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Camp Ponemah Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, ext. 272, hampshirehills.com/camp-ponemah
What: Day camps feature activities like swimming, tennis, weekly field trips, crafts, dance parties, playgrounds, trails, games and more. Who: Kids entering kindergarten through 7th grade. A full-day camp for teenagers called Troop T is available for campers entering 8th grade, and there is also a half-day camp called Little Warriors for kids ages 3 and 4. When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, dates offered June 12 through Aug. 25 (some weeks are full or have waiting lists; visit the website for the most up-to-date status) Cost: Camp Ponemah starts at $283 per week for Hampshire Hills Athletic Club members and $367 per week for non-members. Troop T is $256 per week for members and $347 for non-members. Little Warriors is $85 for two days and $160 for four days for members and $119 for two days and $228 for four days for non-members.

Camp Seawood 350 Banfield Road, Portsmouth, hosted by Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, 888-474-9686, girlscoutsgwm.org
What: Set among pine forests, wetlands and wildlife, this traditional day camp features archery, cooking out, nature hikes, day trips and more. Who: Girls who will be entering kindergarten through 8th grade When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., dates offered July 10 through Aug. 4 Cost: $350 per week, or $625 for two-week sessions.

Camp Starfish 12 Camp Monomonac Road, Rindge, 899-9590, campstarfish.org What: Camp Starfish provides structured, nurturing and fun group programs to foster the success and growth of children with emotional, behavioral or learning problems. Who: Kids and teens ages 6 and up When: Weekly camps run from June 25 through Aug. 19 Cost: Rates vary depending on type of camp.

Camp Trek Teen Adventure Camp 116 Naticook Road, Merrimack, hosted by Merrimack Parks & Recreation, 882-1046, merimackparksandrec.org
What: Camp Trek Teen Adventure Camp is a trip- and activity-based summer camp program geared towards campers entering grades 5 to 9 in Fall 2023. Camp Trek is intended as an alternative to the traditional day camp experience found at Merrimack Parks & Recreation’s Naticook Day Camp. Each week of the summer will feature a mix of traditional camp activities, along with five weekly field trips exploring destinations across New England. Camp tuition fees include transportation and admissions fees to all field trip destinations, as well as activities when they are at Wasserman Park. Who: Kids entering grades 5 to 9 When: Nine weekly sessions, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each weekday, dates offered June 19 through Aug. 18 Cost: $320 per week for Merrimack residents, and $370 per week for non-residents

Camp Witzel McKelvie Intermediate School, 108 Liberty Hill Road, Bedford, hosted by the Bedford Parks & Recreation Department, 472-5242, BedfordRecOnline.com What: A traditional summer day camp featuring themed weeks (past themes have been Let’s Go Green and Gold Rush Week), in addition to games, crafts, swimming on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and weekly field trips on Wednesdays. Who: Ages 6 to 13 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 11. Before and after care is also available. Cost: Varies, depending on how many days per week are chosen and on the camper’s residential status.

Candia Springs Adventure Camps Candia Springs Adventure Park,446 Raymond Road, Candia, 587-2093, candiasprings.com/camps
What: Activities include ziplining, aerial ropes courses, arts and crafts, color wars, nature walks, fire building, shelter building and archery. Each week also features a different theme. Who: Ages 7 to 13 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., dates offered June 19 through Aug. 18 Cost: $269 per week; full payment is due by May 1

Dreamers’ Ranch 125 N. Lowell Road, Windham, 327-4449, youthstorm.org
What: Dreamers’ Camp (ages 8 to 12), according to Dreamers’ Ranch’s website, is a faith-based camp hosted in an outdoor setting offering activities like experiential entrepreneurship games, gardening, farm and animal care and more. Other programs include a Little Dreamers’ Camp (ages 6 and 7), a youth cattle program (ages 10 to 14) at Normanton Farms in Litchfield, a cowgirl camp (girls ages 13 and up) and Follow Your Dreams Farm in Derry and a young entrepreneurs program (ages 10 to 17) Who: Ages 6 to 17 When: Dreamers’ Camp runs Monday, July 31, through Thursday, Aug. 4 (Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 a.m., overnight on the ranch. Little Dreamers’ Camp runs Monday, Aug. 7, through Thursday, Aug. 10, from 9 a.m. to noon. The youth cattle program has three sessions available, Tuesday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., dates offered June 20 to June 22, July 18 to July 20 and Aug. 15 to 17. Cowgirl camp runs Friday, Aug. 25, at 9 a.m., overnight through 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26. Dates and times of the youth entrepreneurs program TBA Cost: Varies depending on the program; see website for details

Granite Base Camp 300 Blondin Road, Manchester, 617-615-0004, experiencebasecamp.org
What: With a focus on character development, leadership skills and personal fitness, this outdoor camp features a variety of hands-on activities, such as archery, swimming, crafts and more. A special family camp program is also available, offering a variety of open areas for families to enjoy activities like arts and crafts, camping and hiking together. Who: Rising 1st- to 5th-graders When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered July 3 through Aug. 18 (no camp on Tuesday, July 4). The family camp has two sessions on Fridays and Saturdays, dates offered July 21 and July 22 or Aug. 4 and Aug. 5. Cost: $330 for Granite Base Camp and $50 per attendee for family camp

IMAGINE Camps New Morning Schools, 23 Back River Road, Bedford, 669-3591, newmorningschools.com
What: Campers enjoy various cognitive and physical activities that encourage social, emotional and problem-solving skills. There will also be organized gym games, STEAM activities, outside play and themed art projects. School-age campers can enjoy choice-based enrichment activities throughout the day that challenge them to try new things while being in a fun and dynamic environment. Who: Boys and girls entering kindergarten through 6th grade can join the IMAGINE program, and children ages 3 to 6 can join the preschool camp. When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (preschool hours are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), dates offered June 12 through Aug. 25 Cost: $325 per week or $75 per day

Naticook Summer Day Camp Wasserman Park, 116 Naticook Road, Merrimack, hosted by Merrimack Parks & Recreation, 882-1046, merrimackparksandrec.org What: Campers participate in a wide variety of activities, including swimming, boating, group games, team building, archery, drama, nature exploration, sports, arts and crafts, special events and more. Who: Kids who will be entering kindergarten through 5th grade. Campers entering 5th grade also have the option to move up to the Camp Trek program for grades 5 through 9; see that listing for details. When: Nine weekly sessions run Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 19 through Aug. 18 Cost: $290 per week for Merrimack residents and $340 per week for non-residents

New Hampshire SPCA New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Learning Center, 104 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 772-2921, nhspca.org What: With various programs combining fun and education, campers will interact with animals and participate in service projects, crafts, games and more. Who: Ages 6 to 12 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (half days for ages 6 and 7 are 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., or 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.; full days for ages 8 to 12 are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday), offered various weeks from June 26 through Aug. 25 (no camps on Monday, July 3, or Tuesday, July 4) Cost: Ranges from $100 to $325 per week, depending on the number of days, the camper’s age and the length of each session. Registration begins March 6.

Pelham Veterans Memorial Park Summer Camp 109 Veterans Memorial Parkway, Pelham, 635-2721, pelhamweb.com
What: Activities include swimming, kayaking, field games, mock olympics, arts and crafts, talent shows and field trips. Who: Ages 6 to 13 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., dates offered July 10 through Aug. 18 Cost: $575 for the full six-week session

SummerQuest and Enrichment Camp at World Academy 138 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, 888-1982, worldacademynh.com
What: Activities at SummerQuest (kindergarten through grade 4) include arts and crafts, games, cooking activities and much more, all intended to encourage the child’s creativity and imagination. The Enrichment Camp (grades 4 through 8) features a project-based learning curriculum integrating English and math skills, along with theme-based activities like swimming, field trips, and team-building exercises. Who: Kids entering kindergarten through grade 8 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for SummerQuest and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Enrichment Camp, dates offered June 20 through Aug. 25 Cost: $320 per week for SummerQuest and $350 per week for the Enrichment Camp. Extended hours are also available for both camps for an additional $20 per week.

UNH Youth Programs and Camps University of New Hampshire, Thompson Hall, 105 Main St., Durham, 862-7227, unh.edu/youthprograms
What: More than 50 programs are offered in a variety of areas, from academic enrichment and creative arts to athletics, STEM and traditional camp recreation. See website for a full list. Who: Boys and girls ages 5 and up When: Various dates/times from June through August Cost: Varies depending on the program.

YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown Branch of Granite YMCA, 116 Goffstown Back Road, 497-4663, graniteymca.org
What: Kids at Camp Halfmoon (ages 6 to 11) and Camp Quartermoon (ages 4 to 5) will enjoy weekly themes and activities like swimming, field games, sports, arts and crafts, and more. Specialty programs are also available including sports and specialty camps (ages 6 to 13), Discovery Camp (ages 6 to 11), gymnastics camps (ages 4 to 15), tennis camp (ages 7 to 15), adventure camps (ages 10 to 14), teen camps (ages 12 to 16), leadership camps (ages 14 to 16), and more. Who: Ages 4 to 16 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 (no camp on Monday, July 3, or Tuesday, July 4). Before and after care are both also available for an extra charge. Cost: Varies by week and camp.

YMCA Day Camp of Hooksett Branch of Granite YMCA, Hooksett Memorial School, 5 Memorial Drive, Hooksett, 497-4663, graniteymca.org
What: Campers participate in weekly themes and activities like swimming, field games, sports, arts and crafts and more. Teen camp (ages 11 to 13) and leadership camps (ages 14 to 16) are also available. Who: Ages 5 to 16 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 (no camp on Monday, July 3, or Tuesday, July 4). Before and after care are both also available for an extra charge. Cost: Varies by week and camp.

YMCA of Concord Branch of Granite YMCA, 15 N. State St., Concord, 228-9622, graniteymca.org
What: Kids at Camp Mowkawogan (ages 5 to 11) will enjoy weekly themes and activities like swimming, field games, sports, arts and crafts and more. Leadership camp (ages 13 to 14) is also available. Who: Ages 5 to 14 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 (no camp on Monday, July 3, or Tuesday, July 4). Cost: Varies by week and camp.

YMCA of Downtown Manchester Branch of Granite YMCA, 30 Mechanic St., Manchester, 623-3558, graniteymca.org
What: Kids at Camp Namoskeag will enjoy weekly themes and activities like swimming, field games, sports, arts and crafts, and more. Specialty programs are also available including sports camps, specialty camps and more. Who: Ages 6 to 14 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 (no camp on Monday, July 3, or Tuesday, July 4). Before and after care are both also available for an extra charge. Cost: Varies by week and camp.

YMCA of Greater Londonderry Branch of Granite YMCA, 206 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 437-9622, graniteymca.org
What: Kids at Camp Pa-Gon-Ki (kindergarten to Grade 9) will enjoy weekly themes and activities like swimming, field games, sports, arts and crafts, and more. Specialty programs are also available, including Windham Explorers Camp (kindergarten to Grade 8), Derry Voyagers Camp (kindergarten to Grade 5), sports and specialty camps (grades 2 to 8), leadership camps (ages 14 to 16) and more. Who: Ages 5 to 16 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 (no camp on Monday, July 3, or Tuesday, July 4). Before and after care are both also available for an extra charge. Cost: Varies by week and camp.

YMCA of Greater Nashua 10 Cotton Road, Suite 1, Nashua, nmymca.org/summercamps
What: Summer camps at the YMCA of Greater Nashua are all about discovery — kids have the opportunity to explore nature, find new talents, try new activities, build on sports skills, make new friendships and more. Day camp options are available for ages 3 through Grade 12 at each of the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s branches (24 Stadium Drive, Nashua; Westwood Park, 90 Northwest Blvd., Nashua; 6 Henry Clay Drive, Merrimack) as well as at Camp Sargent (141 Camp Sargent Road, Merrimack) Who: Ages 3 and up When: Various dates offered throughout the summer, beginning in June and through Sept. 1 Cost: Varies.

YMCA of Strafford County Branch of Granite YMCA, 63 Lowell St., Rochester, 332-7334, graniteymca.org
What: Kids at Camp Coney Pine (ages 4 to 12) will enjoy weekly themes and activities like archery, adventure, swimming, arts and crafts, and more. Specialty programs are also available including coding camp (ages 8 to 12), lego camp (ages 8 to 12), fort building camp (ages 5 to 12), ultimate sports camp (ages 8 to 12), art camp (ages 8 to 12), teen trip camp (ages 13 to 14), leadership camp (ages 13 to 14) and more. Who: Ages 4 to 14 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 (no camp on Monday, July 3, or Tuesday, July 4). Before and after care are both also available for an extra charge. Cost: Varies by week and camp selection.

YMCA of the Seacoast Branch of Granite YMCA, 176 Tuttle Lane, Greenland, 431-2334, graniteymca.org
What: Kids at Camp Gundalow (ages 5 to 13) will enjoy weekly themes and activities like swimming, field games, sports, arts and crafts and more. Specialty programs are also available including ultimate sports camp (ages 8 to 12), theater camp (ages 8 to 12), lego camp (ages 8 to 12), football camp (ages 8 to 12), soccer camp (ages 8 to 12), art camp (ages 8 to 12), leadership camp (ages 14 to 15) and more. Who: Ages 5 to 15 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 (no camp on July 3 or 4). Before and after care are both also available for an extra charge. Cost: Varies by week and camp selection.

MULTIMEDIA

Flip the Script Camp SEE Science Center, 200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org
What: Campers work together to write, film, direct, star in, and edit science videos that are creative, factual, and fun. Who: Ages 10 to 14 When: One-week session runs Monday, July 24, through Friday, July 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Cost: $300 for the week

Londonderry Access Center Media Camp 281 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 432-1100, lactv.com
What: Kids will learn to make better-quality videos appropriate for YouTube, Instagram or TikTok, composing shots and learning about editing and graphic design. They’ll learn not only about short-form videos but also longer television shows in a professional studio setting, where they get to be the camera operator, sound technician and director. New this year is a podcast studio, where campers can put their voiceover skills and podcasting ideas to the test. Who: Rising 5th- to 8th-graders When: Two-week session runs Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., dates offered July 10 through July 21 (campers must be able to attend for the entire two week session) Cost: $85

MUSIC

Concord Community Music School 23 Wall St., Concord, 228-1196, ccmusicschool.org
What: Programs include a weekly Music & Movement program for young children and their caregivers that includes songs, stories, movement games, rhythm instruments, improvisation, art, dance and more; a Piano Dynamos Camp for piano students with at least one year of study that includes instruction in ear training, theory, sight reading, improvisation, practice strategies and more; Folk Frontier Camp for string players with at least one year of study that includes building musical skills, learning about folk traditions and performing in a group; Summer Jam Camp, where campers of all experience levels can play their chosen instruments in a collaborative setting, exploring a variety of musical genres while developing ensemble skills, working in a recording studio and creating an album together; and Creative Arts Camp, where campers will create musical, dance and visual arts pieces Who: Music & Movement is open to children ages 5 months through 7 years and their caregivers; Piano Dynamos is open to ages 9 through 15; Folk Frontier is open to ages 8 through 16; Summer Jam is open to students entering grades 5 through 12; and Creative Arts is open to students entering grades 1 through 6. When: Music & Movement is held on Tuesday mornings, June 6 through July 18; Piano Dynamos runs Monday, June 26, through Friday, June 30, (full-day sessions); Folk Frontier runs Monday, July 10, through Friday, July 14 (full-day sessions); Jam Camp runs Monday, July 17, through Friday, July 21 (half-day sessions); and Creative Arts runs Monday through Friday and is offered for three weeks, from July 24 through Aug. 11. Cost: $350 for Piano Dynamos, Folk Frontier and per week of Creative Arts; $275 for Jam Camp; rates for Music & Movement are TBA.

Manchester Community Music School 2291 Elm St., Manchester, 644-4548, mcmusicschool.org
What: AtMusical Exploration Camp, campers will explore a variety of musical instruments, play musical games and grow in their musical knowledge. Who: Grades 1 through 3, and grades 4 through 6 When: Camp for grades 1 through 3 runs Monday, July 31, through Friday, Aug. 4, from 9 a.m. to noon; camp for grades 4 through 6 runs Monday, Aug. 7, through Friday, Aug. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon each day. Cost: $225

Nashua Community Music School 2 Lock St., Nashua; outdoor programs will be held at Greeley Park Bandshell, 100 Concord St., Nashua, 881-7030, nashuacms.org What: Outdoor music camp themes include Instrument Safari, Broadway Babies and Music Around the World. Indoor music camp themes include Broadway Week, Rise Up & Create and DJ Camp. Three-day ensemble programs for preteens and teens include Chamber Ensemble, Rock Band and Voices of Steel. Who: Outdoor camps are for ages 4 through 7; indoor camps are for ages ranging from 8 through 14, depending on the camp; and ensemble programs are for ages 12 through 17. When: Outdoor and indoor camp weeks are offered July 10 through July 28 and run Monday through Friday, outdoor camp in half-day sessions, and indoor camp in full-day sessions. Ensemble programs run on various dates in August. Cost: $185 for outdoor camps, $325 for indoor camps, and $150 for ensemble programs.

Walden School Young Musicians Program 18 Lehmann Way, Dublin, 415-648-4710, waldenschool.org/young-musicians-program
What: A five-week music residency camp where campers study musicianship, composition, improvisation, music theory, computer music and chorus at the school’s Dublin campus. Who: Ages 9 to 18 When: June 24 through July 30. An abbreviated three-week program is available for students who have not yet completed 8th grade. Apply by April 5. Cost: $9,300 for the five-week residency, which includes full tuition, room and board; $6,200 for the abbreviated three-week residency. There is a $55 non-refundable application fee. Need-based financial aid is available.

NATURE

Beaver Brook Nature Camps Beaver Brook Association, 117 Ridge Road, Hollis, 465-7787, beaverbrook.org What: Campers will explore, learn and play outside, building forts in the forest, catching frogs, cooking at the campfire, hiking, drawing, learning survival skills and more. Who: Pre-K through 9th grade When: Sessions run from June 26 through Aug. 11, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost: TBA; registration opens March 1 for Beaver Brook Association members, March 6 for non-members

Educational Farm Camp Educational Farm at Joppa Hill, 174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford, 472-4724, theeducationalfarm.org
What: Each week features a different theme based on animals living at the farm. Campers will have the opportunity to explore the farm and forest grounds, interact with the animals, and engage in a variety of hands-on learning experiences. Who: Ages 5 to 8 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, half days from 9 a.m. to noon, and full days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 19 through Aug. 18 Cost: $175 per half-day week, $325 per full-day week

Lake Discovery Family Days New Hampshire Boat Museum, 399 Center St., Wolfeboro Falls, 569-4554, nhbm.org
What: This program features a variety of hands-on activities related to New Hampshire’s lakes, rivers and streams, including boating safety, boat games and building, science experiments, arts and crafts, map-making and more. Who: Grades K through 5 When: Thursdays, June 29, July 27 and Aug. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to noon Cost: Free

New Hampshire Audubon Nature Day Camps McLane Audubon Center, 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord; Massabesic Audubon Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn; 224-9909, nhaudubon.org
What: Programs include a half-day Wonders Camp for ages 4 and 5; Discovery Camp (ages 6 through 9), featuring hikes, crafts, storytelling, games and live animal presentations; Explorers Camp (ages 10 through 12), which includes field trips, hiking, swimming and conservation projects; and Leaders-in-Training (ages 13 through 15) for teens interested in building leadership skills and becoming camp counselors in the future. Who: Ages 4 to 15 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (9 a.m. to noon for Wonders Camp), dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 Cost: Ranges from $180 to $300.

Paleontology Camp North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St., Manchester, 621-9011, northendmontessori.com
What: Campers will learn about fossils and dinosaurs, from Allosaurus to Zephyrosaurus, as well as various aspects of paleontology, from archeological digs to identifying dinosaur skeletons. Who: Ages 3 to 10 When: Summer session runs June 19 through Sept. 1 Cost: Call for details

Pony Farm Summer Camp Touchstone Farm, 13 Pony Farm Lane, Temple, 654-6308, touchstone-farm.org
What: The camp integrates horseback riding into its program, and each camper has a horse or pony of her own during her stay to ride and care for. Campers may also bring their own horses to ride. Small group riding lessons are also offered. Who: Girls ages 8 to 14 When: Sessions run Sunday through Saturday, dates offered June 25 through Aug. 12 Cost: $1,100 for a one-week session or $2,150 for a two-week session, with a 50 percent deposit required to hold the spot.

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center 23 Science Center Road, Holderness, 968-7194, nhnature.org
What: Programs include week-long outdoor natural adventure camps taught by experienced naturalists and educators. Who: Preschoolers through 12th grade When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, dates offered June 26 through Aug. 11 Cost: Ranges from $390 to $435, depending on the program; registration will open in March

OVERNIGHT

Camp Allen 56 Camp Allen Road, Bedford, 622-8471, campallennh.org
What: Activities include nature exploration, creative arts, games, sports, music and more. Residential and day camp options available. Who: Campers ages 6 and up When: Sessions run various days and durations. Residential camp runs from June 11 to Aug. 25. Day camp runs from June 19 to Aug. 18 (some weeks are full or have waiting lists; visit the website for the most up-to-date status) Cost: Day camp programs are $475 per week; residential camp programs range from $1,050 to $2,250 per week

Camp Bernadette 83 Richards Road, Wolfeboro, 931-5500, bfcamp.com
What: Traditional overnight camp for girls, with activities like swimming, kayaking, canoeing, baseball, softball, lacrosse, ropes courses, archery, arts and crafts and more. Who: Girls ages 5 to 16 When: Residential camp runs for two-week, four-week, six-week or eight-week sessions, dates offered June 25 to Aug. 12 Cost: Starts at $1,950 per two-week session

Camp Birch Hill 333C Birch Hill Road, New Durham, 859-4525, campbirchhill.com What: Campers can choose their own schedule from dozens of available activities, including land sports, water sports, arts and crafts, zip-lining, rock-climbing, ropes courses and more. Who: Boys and girls ages 6 to 16 When: Two-, four- and six-week sessions run various days/weeks from Sunday, June 25, through Saturday, Aug. 5 (some sessions may be full or near capacity — see website for the most up-to-date details) Cost: Starts at $3,600 for a two-week session, $6,400 for a four-week session and $7,600 for a six-week session; payment is due by June 1

Camp Brookwoods 34 Camp Brookwoods Road, Alton, 875-3600, christiancamps.net
What: A Christian-based outdoor camping experience for boys Who: Boys ages 8 to 16 When: Various one-week, two-week, four-week or eight-week sessions are available, dates offered June 25 to Aug. 19 (some weeks are full or have waiting lists; visit the website for the most up-to-date status) Cost: Starts at $1,345 for a one-week session and $2,745 for a two-week session

Camp Carpenter 300 Blondin Road, Manchester; hosted by Daniel Webster Council, Boy Scouts of America, 625-6431, nhscouting.org
What: Located on the outskirts of Manchester, Camp Carpenter is a 250-acre wooded property offering outdoor activities such as archery, BB gun shooting, field sports, scout skills and more. Camp Carpenter consists of nine campsites, six Adirondack shelters, eight unheated cabins and program theme areas. Who: Rising 1st- to 5th-graders When: Overnight sessions are from Sunday through Thursday, dates offered July 9 through Aug. 10. Cost: $600

Camp Deer Run 34 Camp Brookwoods Road, Alton, 875-3600, christiancamps.net What: A Christian-based outdoor camping experience for girls Who: Girls ages 8 to 16 When: Various one-week, two-week, four-week or eight-week sessions are available, dates offered June 25 to Aug. 19 (some weeks are full or have waiting lists; visit the website for the most up-to-date status) Cost: Starts at $1,345 for a one-week session and $2,745 for a two-week session

Camp Deerwood Route 3, Deerwood Road, Holderness, 279-4237, campdeerwood.com
What: A resident camp for boys with activities like ceramics, mountain biking, riflery, archery, tennis, woodworking, canoeing, kayaking, waterskiing, swimming and more. Who: Boys ages 8 to 15 When: One full eight-week session or two half four-week sessions are available, dates offered June 24 through Aug. 12 Cost: $5,900 for a half session and $10,200 for the full session

Camp Fatima 32 Fatima Road, Gilmanton Iron Works, 931-5500, bfcamp.com What: Traditional overnight camp for boys, with activities like swimming, kayaking, canoeing, baseball, softball, lacrosse, ropes courses, archery, arts and crafts and more. Who: Boys ages 5 to 16 When: Residential camp runs for two-week, four-week or six-week sessions, dates offered June 25 to Aug. 12 Cost: Starts at $1,950 per two-week session

Camp Foss 242 Willey Pond Road, Strafford, 269-3800; hosted by the Granite YMCA, 232-8642, graniteymca.org
What: Campers enjoy a traditional camp experience with arts and crafts, archery, various sports, swimming, whitewater rafting, ropes courses and more. Who: Girls ages 8 through 15 When: One-week sessions offered each week from Sunday, June 25, through Saturday, Aug. 12; two-week sessions are offered from Sunday, June 25, through Saturday, Aug. 5 Cost: $1,350 for one week and $2,300 for two weeks.

Camp Fully Involved New Hampshire State Fire Academy, 222 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, [email protected], campfullyinvolved.com
What: Camp for girls considering a career in firefighting or emergency medical services. Curriculum provides a comprehensive overview of the firefighting profession through hands-on drills and activities. Please note that this camp is very intense and physically demanding. Who: Girls ages 14 through 20 When: Sunday, July 30, through Friday, Aug. 4 Cost: $400

Camp Gottalikeachallenge Brewster Academy, 80 Academy Drive, Wolfeboro; Lions Camp Pride, 180 Lions Camp Pride Way, New Durham; 868-2140, campgottalikeachallenge.org
What: Camp Gottalikeachallenge is a one-week overnight creativity camp. Campers dabble in plenty of hands-on learning and challenging activities, from muscle-stretching games to programs focusing on critical thinking, leadership skills, problem-solving and teamwork. Who: Ages 10 to 14 (going into grades 5 to 9) When: Overnight sessions run Sunday through Friday, dates offered July 30 to Aug. 4 (at Lions Camp Pride) and Aug. 6 to Aug. 11 (at Brewster Academy) Cost: $775; financial assistance is available. A 10 percent early-bird discount applies for registrations submitted by March 31.

Camp Kabeyun 43 Camp Kabeyun Road, Alton Bay, 875-3060, kabeyun.org
What: A resident camp for boys with activities like archery, arts and crafts, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, rock climbing, ropes courses, stand-up paddleboarding and more. Who: Boys ages 7 to 16 When: Two-week, four-week, six-week and eight-week sessions are available, dates offered June 25 through Aug. 18 (some weeks are full or have waiting lists; visit the website for the most up-to-date status) Cost: Starts at $4,490 for an introductory two-week session

Camp Mi-Te-Na 65 YMCA Road, Alton, 776-3000; hosted by the Granite YMCA, 232-8642, graniteymca.org
What: Campers enjoy a traditional camp experience with arts and crafts, archery, various sports, swimming, whitewater rafting, ropes courses and more. Who: Boys ages 8 through 15 When: One- and two-week sessions offered from Sunday, June 25, through Saturday, Aug. 19 Cost: $1,350 for one week and $2,300 for two weeks; discounts are available for current Granite YMCA members

Camp Quinebarge 100 Sibley Road, Moultonborough, 253-6029, campquinebarge.com
What: An overnight camp offering activities like swimming, boating, fencing, archery, horseback riding, ropes courses, a zip-line and much more. Who: Ages 6 to 16 When: Residential camp runs for two-week, four-week, six-week or eight-week sessions, dates offered June 25 to Aug. 19 Cost: Starts at $3,925 per two-week session

Camp Sno Mo Hidden Valley Reservation, 260 Griswold Lane, Gilmanton Iron Works, hosted by Easterseals, 364-5818, easterseals.com/nh
What: Campers participate in activities like water sports, hiking, archery, ecology, riflery, adaptive horseback riding, wood working, black smithing and more. Who: Children and young adults ages 11 through 21 with disabilities and special needs When: Sessions run overnight Sunday to Friday, dates offered June 25 through Aug. 18, with an additional week from Aug. 20 to Aug. 25 for campers ages 22 and up Cost: Ranges from $1,400 to $1,900

Camp Walt Whitman 1000 Cape Moonshine Road, Piermont, 1-800-657-8282, campwalt.com
What: An co-ed overnight camp offering activities like ceramics, woodworking, drama and music programs, ropes courses, weekly hikes, whitewater rafting, sports and more. A one-week program for families is also available in August. Who: Boys and girls entering grades 2 through 11 When: Several sessions are available throughout the summer, dates offered June 25 through Aug. 11. The one-week Family Camp runs from Monday, Aug. 14, through Friday, Aug. 18 Cost: Ranges from $1,750 to $15,000, depending on the length of each session

Cohen Camps Camp Tel Noar, 167 Main St., Hampstead, 329-6931, camptelnoar.org; Camp Tevya, 1 Mason Road, Brookline, 673-4010, camptevya.org; cohencamps.org
What: Jewish educational and cultural camps where campers will enjoy swimming, boating, outdoor learning, athletics, arts and crafts, plus shira (singing) and rikud (Israeli dancing). Who: Grades 2 through 10 When: Session dates offered Wednesday, June 28, through Wednesday, Aug. 16 Cost: Starts at $7,000 for the first session (June 28 through July 23) and $6,700 for the second session (July 24 through Aug. 16)

New Hampshire Police Cadet Training Academy New Hampshire Technical Institute, 31 College Drive, Concord, nhpcta.org
What: This program is designed to help young people develop their skills and knowledge of law enforcement and to refine their life skills in the future. Who: Ages 14 to 20 When: Saturday, June 24, through Friday, June 30 Cost: TBA; applications should be available by March 1

Water Monkey Camp 298 Merrymeeting Road, New Durham, 617-855-9253, watermonkeycamp.com
What: Campers will enjoy wakeboarding, waterskiing, wakesurfing and wakeskating on Merrymeeting Lake in New Durham. Who: Ages 10 through 17 When: Sessions run Sunday through Saturday, dates offered June 18 through Aug. 11 Cost: $2,950/week, all-inclusive.

Windsor Mountain Summer Camp 1 World Way, Windsor, 478-3166, windsormountain.org
What: A co-ed overnight camp offering a variety of activities, including sports, arts, music, swimming, boating, ropes courses, cooking, videography and more. Who: Ages 7 through 16 When: Two full-length sessions are offered, each lasting four weeks. Dates run June 25 through July 19, and July 23 through Aug. 16. Mini sessions are also available within those dates (some weeks are full or have waiting lists; visit the website for the most up-to-date status) Cost: $7,295 for each full-length session; mini session rates range from $3,795 to $4,395

SCIENCE

Aviation Summer Camp: “Flights of Discovery” Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org What: Campers will learn about aviation and aerospace by engaging in curriculum-based lessons, hands-on activities and challenges. Flight simulators, wind tunnels and guest speakers will help students better understand the many different aviation careers through a hands-on approach. Field trips are incorporated into the end of each lesson to help kids see what they learned in practice. Two programs are available: Level 1 (ages 10 to 13) and Level 2 (ages 14 to 17). Core subjects for both will include aeronautics and aerodynamics, aircraft structure and function, aviation history, airports, astronomy and astrology, space exploration and more. Who: Ages 10 to 17 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered July 10 through Aug. 3; a special end-of-camp field day will be held on Aug. 3, complete with pizza delivered by helicopter. Cost: $450 per week, or $1,800 total for the full four-week program.

Brainwave STEAM Camps 2nd Nature Academy, 10 Groton Road, Nashua, 881-4815, 2ndnatureacademy.com/brainwave
What: A variety of STEAM day camps that are all about creative exploration and mind expansion, with themes like science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Who: Ages 6 through 14 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 Cost: Ranges from $250 to $440 per week, depending on the session, plus a $35 registration fee; includes all supplies. Extended care is available at an additional cost.

Camp Summer Science SEE Science Center, 200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org
What: Through hands-on activities, campers will explore four topics — Chemistry Capers, Earth, Space & the Universe, Exhibit Design & Prototype and Reverse Engineering. Who: Ages 7 to 13 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., dates offered July 10 through July 14, or July 17 through July 21 Cost: $300 for the week.

iSpy Camp SEE Science Center, 200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org
What: This camp will encourage kids to use their investigation skills in an introduction to crime scene investigation, espionage, and forensic science. Who: Ages 7 to 13 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., dates offered July 10 through July 14, or July 17 through July 21 Cost: $300 for the week.

LEtGO Your Mind Multiple locations throughout New Hampshire, 731-8047, letgoyourmind.com
What: Campers explore STEM subjects through activities with Lego bricks, introduction to robotics, stop-motion animation, and programming Minecraft. Who: Ages 4 through 14 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., dates offered June 19 through Aug. 18. Half days from 9 a.m. to noon are also available for kids ages 4 and 5 Cost: Starts at $385 per week for a full day and $225 per week for a half day. Before- and after-school care is also available.

Manchester Community College Camps 1066 Front St., Manchester, 206-8161, mccnh.edu
What: Week-long summer day camps with programs that include Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs, STEM Camp, Solid Modeling and Robotics Who: Rising 6th- to 8th-graders When: Sessions run Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., dates offered from July 10 through Aug. 3, depending on the camp Cost: $175 per week

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center 2 Institute Drive, Concord, 271-7827, starhop.com
What: Campers will learn about astronomy, aviation and Earth science through hands-on activities and adventures. This year’s seven themes are “Blast Off!,” “Storm Chasers,” “Up, Up, and Away!,” “Codename: Robot Camp,” “Discover the Dinosaurs,” “So You Want to be an Astronaut?” and Star Hunters. Who: General age range is 5 to 14 but varies depending on the program theme When: Most sessions run Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 11 (no programs Tuesday, July 4, or Wednesday, July 5) Cost: Ranges from $210 to $345 per week

SPORTS

Auburn Parks & Recreation Summer Basketball Camp 483-5052, auburnparksandrec.com, find them on Facebook @auburnnhparksandrec
What: Campers will have the opportunity to work on ball handling and defensive skills as well as how to move and handle themselves on the court, practicing in daily full scrimmages. Who: Students entering grades 5 through 8 When: A one-week session will be held from Monday, Aug. 14, through Friday, Aug. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the gymnasium of Auburn Village School (11 Eaton Hill Road, Auburn) Cost: $199 for the full week

Caramba Soccer Skills Camp Locations in Concord, Nashua, Canterbury and Chichester, 496-3579, soccerskillscamp.org
What: Soccer program specializes in skill development for goaltenders, defenders, midfielders and strikers. Players are divided by age for the first half of the day, then by ability level for the second half. Who: Grades 1 through 12 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, times vary depending on the location (a half-day option is also available), dates offered July 10 through Aug. 3 Cost: $235 per week for a full-day program, and $150 per week for a half-day program

Challenger Sports Soccer Camps Various NH locations, 800-878-2167, ext. 280, challengersports.com
What: Campers will develop core soccer skills and understanding of the game as well as sportsmanship and leadership skills. Locally, this year’s programs take place in conjunction with the New Boston Recreation Department, the Weare Athletic Club, the Windham Soccer Association, the Hopkinton Recreation Department, the Pelham Parks & Recreation Department, the Gilford Recreation Department, the Gilmanton Youth Organization, the Exeter Parks & Recreation Department and the Northwood Recreation Department. Who: Ages 2 to 14 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday; exact dates and times vary depending on the location; see website for details Cost: Varies, depending on the camp and the location

The Derryfield School Co-ed Basketball Camp 2108 River Road, Manchester, 641-9426, derryfield.org/summer/sports-camps
What: Run by Derryfield School faculty member Courtney Cheetham, this camp will include skills stations, breakout groups, games, a contest of the day and other activities revolving around basketball. Who: Rising 4th- to 10th-graders When: Monday, June 26, through Friday, June 30, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cost: $250, with a $30 lunch option (lunch paid separately)

The Derryfield School Field Hockey Skills & Shooting 2108 River Road, Manchester, 641-9426, derryfield.org/summer/sports-camps
What: Derryfield School head field hockey coach Kelsey Federico will lead this three-day camp. The first hour will focus on the fundamentals of passing and receiving for players of all positions, and the camp will then progress into goal scoring drills. Who: Rising 6th- to 12th-grade field hockey players When: Sessions run Monday through Wednesday, from 1 to 3 p.m., dates offered June 26 to June 28 or Aug. 7 to Aug. 9 Cost: $150

The Derryfield School Field Hockey Goalkeeping Camp 2108 River Road, Manchester, 641-9426, derryfield.org/summer/sports-camps
What: Derryfield School head field hockey coach Kelsey Federico will lead this three-day camp, which will focus on the fundamentals of saving and clearing, as well as diving, split saves and more. Who: Rising 6th- to 12th-grade field hockey players When: Sessions run Monday through Wednesday, from 2 to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 to June 28 or Aug. 7 to Aug. 9 Cost: $150

The Derryfield School Summer Strength & Conditioning 2108 River Road, Manchester, 641-9426, derryfield.org/summer/sports-camps
What: Program focuses on the essentials of foam rolling, mobility and motor control, as well as proper strength training and conditioning, to maximize the results of a camper’s performance and minimize the risk of injury. Who: Rising 8th-graders to newly graduated 12th-graders When: Sessions run June 20 through Aug. 3 Cost: Ranges from $120 to $450, depending on the number of sessions taken and the length of each

Fisher Cats Baseball & Softball Camps Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive, Manchester, 641-2005, nhfishercats.com
What: Instructed by New Hampshire Prospects Baseball Club players and Fisher Cats front office staff, these camps teach the fundamentals of the game, including throwing, fielding, hitting and pitching. Who: Boys and girls ages 6 through 15 When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, offered April 24 through April 28; June 26 through June 30; July 24 to July 25 and July 27 to July 28; and Aug. 21 through Aug. 25 Cost: Ranges from $150 to $175 per week, depending on the session. Campers also receive a T-shirt and complimentary tickets to an upcoming Fisher Cats home game (dates vary depending on the sessions chosen).

Foster’s Golf Camp Derryfield Park, 581 Bridge St., Manchester, 622-1553, fostersgolfcamp.com
What: Campers travel to different par-3 courses across New Hampshire and participate in practice clinics, chipping and putting contests, time on the driving range and at least nine holes of golf with instruction. Trophies and certificates are awarded at the end of the session. Drop-offs and pick-ups are at Derryfield Park in Manchester. Golf camps take place at a variety of locations, depending on the day of the week. Who: Ages 7 to 16 of all experience levels. When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered April 24 through April 28 and June 19 through Sept. 1 (no camp the week of July 4) Cost: $325 per week

Hogan Camps Various NH locations, 340-1719, hogancamps.com
What: Specialty basketball and soccer camps under the direction of Paul Hogan, retired athletics director and men’s basketball coach at NHTI in Concord. Programs include the Point Guard Basketball Camp, Rip City Basketball Camp, Shooter’s Gold Basketball Camp and a Specialty Basketball Camp Who: Boys and girls entering 1st grade and up; individual camps vary on the age range When: Sessions run various days and times, dates offered June 23 through Aug. 3 Cost: Varies.

In the Net Sports Academy Locations in Bedford, Hooksett, Manchester and Nashua, 429-0592, inthenetsportsacademy.com
What: A variety of sports camps, including baseball, softball, basketball, tennis, field hockey, lacrosse and volleyball Who: Ages 3 through high school When: Sessions run Monday to Friday, with half-day, full-day, evening and overnight options, dates offered throughout June, July and August Cost: Ranges, depending on the sport

Magic Touch Soccer Academy 120 Huse Road, Manchester, 232-2314, magictouchsoccer.com
What: Run by varsity soccer coach Jeff Cousineau of The Derryfield School in Manchester, this soccer camp is oriented around a playful and game-like atmosphere with a focus on building a player’s technical skills, using music as a unique foundation to teach creative flair with the ball. Who: Boys and girls entering grades 9 through 12 When: Sunday, Aug. 6, through Thursday, Aug. 10, from 5 to 8 p.m., at The Derryfield School (2108 River Road, Manchester) Cost: TBA

NH Climbing Camps NH Climbing and Fitness, 10 Langdon Ave, Concord, nhclimbinggym.com
What: Programs include Summer Indoor Camp, in which campers can learn basic top-rope climbing; and NH Adventure Camp, in which campers take hiking-based field trips across the state. Each day is loaded with top-rope climbing of the facility’s 40-foot walls, bouldering games, crafts and more. Who: Ages 6 to 12 When: Summer Indoor Camp sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and NH Adventure Camp sessions run Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 18 for both programs. Cost: Varies; see website for details.

NH Hoop Skills Stan Spirou Field House at Southern New Hampshire University, 2500 N. River Road, Manchester, 645-9662, nhhoopskills.com
What: A basketball camp for girls featuring SNHU women’s basketball coach Karen Pinkos as the director. Campers learn the basic fundamentals, rules and sportsmanship of basketball through fun-filled instruction and exercises. Who: Girls entering grades 2 through 10 When: Sessions run Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., dates offered June 26 through June June 29 or July 24 through July 27 Cost: $275 per week

NH Tomahawks Girls Lacrosse Camp Back River Sports Complex, 15 Camp Allen Road, Bedford; Joppa Fields, 176 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford; girls.nhtomahawks.com What: Players will be divided by position, age and ability, and will focus on improving fundamental skills in lacrosse, including offensive moves, shooting, cutting, feeding and one-on-one defense. Goalies will have specific training and integrate in with the rest of the camp for game play. Who: Girls ages 5 to 17 When: Three weekly sessions run from 9 a.m. to noon this year, dates offered Monday, June 26, through Thursday, June 29, at the Back River Sports Complex; Monday, July 10, through Thursday, July 13, at Joppa Fields; and Monday, July 24, through Thursday, July 27, also at Joppa Fields Cost: $195 per session

Nike Basketball Camps Locations in Manchester, Nashua and Hampton, 800-645-3226, ussportscamps.com/basketball/nike
What: Camp for basketball players who want to improve their skills. Includes lectures, team games and daily emphasis on fundamental development. Who: Boys and girls ages 8 to 16. When: Sessions run Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dates vary depending on the location; see website for details. Cost: Most camps range from $180 to $375 per week, but may vary depending on the location and the length of each session.

Pro Ambitions Hockey Day Camps Tri-Town Ice Arena, 311 W. River Road, Hooksett; Conway Arena, 5 Stadium Drive, Nashua; proambitions.com
What: At the Battle Camp, players learn skating skills and game theory elements while engaging in a situational battle. The Boston Bruins Camp features training in all aspects of ice hockey, plus daily appearances and autograph sessions with members of the Boston Bruins organization. A goaltending camp is also offered. Who: Ages 6 to 16 When: The Battle Camp and the goaltending camp run from Wednesday, July 5, through Friday, July 7, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Boston Bruins camps run from Monday, July 17, through Thursday, July 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: Ranges from $499 to $649.

Soccer Sphere Summer Soccer Camp Locations in Madbury and Portsmouth, soccersphere.org
What: Programs include day and residential soccer camps, high school preseason training, goalkeeper training and more. Who: Boys and girls ages 5 and up When: Four-day sessions run at various days and times, dates offered June 19 through Aug. 4 at Tibbetts Field (25 Lee Road, Madbury) and July 31 through Aug. 4 at Portsmouth Community Fields (Campus Drive, Portsmouth) Cost: Ranges from $185 to $275.

UNH Wildcats Camps University of New Hampshire, 145 Main St., Durham, 862-1850, unhwildcats.com
What: Programs offered for basketball, field hockey, gymnastics, track and field, football, soccer, volleyball and more. Day and overnight options are available. Who: Boys and girls entering kindergarten through 12th grade When: Sessions run various days/weeks, beginning the week of June 26 (some dates TBA; see website for the full up-to-date schedule) Cost: Varies depending on the camp

THEATER

Bedford Youth Performing Company 155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org What: A variety of dance and musical theater camps are offered for all ages, as well as music and movement camps for preschoolers. Who: Ages 3 and up, varies by camp When: Dates and times vary by camp, dates offered June 12 through Aug. 17 Cost: $275 for preschool camps; dance and musical theater camps range from $95 to $395

The Derryfield School Repertory Theatre Camp 2108 River Road, Manchester, 641-9426, derryfield.org/summer/theatre-camp
What: Campers will practice acting, singing, script writing, dance and improvisation and participate in a performance at the end of the camp. Who: Rising 4th- to 12th-graders When: Sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., dates offered July 10 through July 21, and July 24 through Aug. 4 Cost: $630

The Majestic Theatre 880 Page St., Manchester, 669-7469, majestictheatre.net What: Campers will learn about all aspects of theater and build skills in acting, movement, improvisation, music and cooperative abilities. Who: Ages 5 through 14 When: One-week half-day camps for ages 5 through 7 are offered June 26 through July 1 and July 24 through July 29. For ages 8 through 14, a two-week full-day camp runs July 10 through July 22, and a one-week full-day camp runs July 31 through Aug. 5. Cost: $160 for the half-day camps, $225 for the one-week full-day camp and $325 for the two-week full-day camp

Merrimack Summer Stage Wasserman Park Theater, 116 Naticook Road, Merrimack, hosted by Merrimack Parks & Recreation, 882-1046, merrimackparksandrec.org/summer-stage
What: In this week-long theater camp, participants will learn about scene acting, vocal work, dance and creative movement, theater games and improvisation. Campers will put together and perform a youth production of The Wizard of Oz. Who: Ages 8 through 15 When: Monday, July 17, through Friday, July 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day Cost: $265 for Merrimack residents and $275 for non-residents.

Palace Youth Theatre 80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org What: Campers will learn about all aspects of theater, including music, dance, acting, costume design, technical theater and more, all while developing teamwork skills, confidence and creativity. Each camp concludes with a fully staged production on stage. This year’s productions include Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr., Peter Pan, Elf the Musical Jr., Snow White, High School Musical Jr. and Winnie the Pooh.Who: Rising 2nd- through 12th-graders When: One-week or two-week sessions run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., dates offered June 26 through Aug. 25 (see website for details on when each theater performance is held and which sessions last one week versus two weeks) Cost: Ranges from $250 to $499 per session

Peacock Players 14 Court St., Nashua, 886-7000, peacockplayers.org
What: Campers will spend a week immersed in theater, music and dance to prepare a variety showcase performance. Camp themes include “Blast from the Past,” “Getting Spooky,” “Rock & Roll,” “Tales & Legends” and “Hollywood.” Who: Rising 1st- to 9th-graders When: Camps are offered July 17 through Aug. 18. Cost: $350 per week

Triple Threat Theater Camp Londonderry Dance Academy, 21 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 432-0032, triplethreattheatercamp.com
What: Focuses on the core aspects of theater, including acting, dancing and voice. Led by experienced theater educators, directors and choreographers, campers will participate in workshops and rehearsals to prepare for a public performance at the end of the session. Who: Ages 7 to 17 When: A three-week program runs July 10 through July 28, with full-day sessions. A one-week program with full-day and half-day options, open to ages 6 through 11, is offered July 10 through July 14 and July 17 through July 21. Cost: $850 for the three-week program; the one-week program costs $325 for full days and $200 for half days.