In addition to filling totes with apples and picking out a pumpkin or two, at many farms you can extend your visit with a corn maze. These live-action puzzles offer an all-ages fall activity and another way for the farms to benefit from visitors during the harvest season.
At the Coppal House Farm in Lee, you’ll find a different design each year. “Every year our corn maze theme encompasses something that you would see in your own back yard, be it animal, plant, reptile, amphibian, or avian,” according to the farm’s website. “Our crops are rotated around the farm for the health of the soil, so our corn maze is a different experience every year. Depending on the weather, the corn maze has been planted by our Belgian Draft Horses and it is almost always harvested by them. Our corn is not of the human eating variety, instead it is a feed corn used for the nourishment of our sheep flock and our horses.”
At Elwood Orchards in Derry, they posted photos of green corn stalks in early July: “Corn maze construction is underway!” the post read, highlighting the multi-step process and long journey of turning corn to maze.
At Moulton Farm in Meredith, a post from fall 2023 also talks about starting the maze in the summer: “Our corn maze is planted every year in mid to late June, depending on the weather. The field is planted in both directions to create a grid. The maze is then designed by hand. An outline of the field is drawn on about 20 pieces of graph paper taped together. Each line on the graph paper represents 1 row of corn. Wes Thomas, who has worked at our farm since he was in high school, starts translating his design idea onto graph paper. This process alone takes one or two days and several erasers.”
At Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn in Hopkinton, the farm creates two unique corn mazes every fall. This 200-acre farm, under conservation and going back to 1771, is open every day until Thursday, Oct. 31, for corn maze fun until dusk. An admission price of $7 covers both mazes, and children 3 and under get in free.
Holly Kimball, one of the owners of the farm, is a former educator whose love of her family’s farm is apparent.
“This is a multigenerational farm, so we have the seventh, eighth and ninth generations running the farm,” Kimball said. Much of the farm is run and maintained by Holly as well as her son, Nate Kimball-Barr, and his wife, Hannah Kimball-Barr.
Besides corn mazes they have around 500 trees tapped for maple syrup, they raise pork, and there’s a menagerie of farm animals that include baby goats, sheep, lambs, peacocks, Shetland ponies and more.
“We have a wide array of farm animals that people love to visit,” Holly Kimball said. “Over 100 animals here, actually.” Beef cattle are a mainstay as well.
“We have a nice mixture of Black and Red Angus and then we have some Simmental blood mixed in there…. We were a dairy farm for 225 years, and the dairy cattle were sold in 1996. That’s when my parents decided to sell ice cream to keep the farm going,” she said.
Ice cream is as big a draw as the animals at Beech Hill, she noted. “So many times when I’m outside taking care of the plants I’ll hear people come and they’ll say, ‘Do you want to see the animals first or get the ice cream first?’”
As the weather begins to get cooler, fall becomes apparent. “We also grow acres of pumpkins so it won’t be long before we’ll start picking pumpkins and gourds … the barnyard is just a sea of orange once the pumpkins get ripe.”
The mazes opened on Aug. 1 this year, and although they start in the summer the mazes lead the farm into the new seasons.
Kimball’s background in teaching fuels each new maze theme.
“I want one that’s good for school-aged [visitors] and one that’s for everyone,” she said. “We come up with two fresh new themes each year and we come up with designs that complement the themes. I vary it each year so that the format is different. People can make it competitive or a team-building activity.”
These are not your typical mazes.
“I work on some kind of a scavenger hunt-style activity for each one,” she said. “That is hugely popular with people because they are not just walking through a maze. They actually have a piece of paper in their hand and they’re trying to solve a giant crossword puzzle or sometimes it’s a Jeopardy! game. I always try to have at least one that’s a game style.”
One of the themes this year is Museum Mixup.
“It’s based on the Smithsonian Museums that my family actually went and saw last January. I chose a lot of the artifacts that we saw from five different museums and then I turned that into a scavenger hunt where people need to find all of the items listed and match them to the museum that they are displayed in,” she said. These include the National Zoo, the American History museum and the Air and Space Museum. “It’s a lot of pop culture, things that are multi-generational and people will kind of get a kick out of.”
The concept is easy to follow, Kimball said. “What we do is we hide the signs in the maze, all throughout it, and if people can find all the items on the scavenger hunt list they know they’ve been through the entire maze.”
In honor of Hawaii’s 65 years as a state, the second maze is The Amazing Aloha State Maze. “That one’s a giant crossword puzzle. People really love the crossword puzzle. They’re finding signs in the maze that say one-across or 13-down, whatnot, and they fill in the puzzle as they go,” Kimball said.
Mazes have a little something for everyone.
“It appeals to all ages. The kids like to go in because they can spy all the signs and the older children that are reading, that becomes another level, and then the ones that want to do the crossword and check the answers as they go through, and some do it as a team, some as a family, it really makes for a fun fall outing for people,” she said.
Kimball is always figuring out new ways to maze.
“It’s always in the back of my mind. I do research. I look at every different angle…. It gets very tricky not to repeat,” she said.
How do Holly’s designs come to life? First is the planting.
“My son grows the fields, the acres of corn. He plants the corn very close together. It’s almost cross planted so it’s very dense, very close-growing stalks of corn in the field. We’re also using a hybrid corn that grows quickly and it grows tall,” she said. It has reached 10 feet.
The corn is not just for the mazes.
“First and foremost, we’re planting this corn anyway because we have 50 head of beef cattle here on the farm. That corn is 100-day corn that gets planted and it has nutritional value for our cows,” she said. “We have a lot of signs up that say, ‘Please don’t pick the corn,’ because that’s a food crop that is really essential for our farm.”
After agriculture comes the technology.
“Nate and his wife, Hannah, actually use Google Earth and a lot of math and figure out how to put that design and make it fit in the shape of that field,” Kimball said.
“The first step after that is the design. They draw out on graph paper, then they’re looking at Google Earth and they’re deciding which design is going to fit better on one piece rather than the other,” she said.
The shape of each plot is a deciding factor: “One is a little longer and thinner. The other one is a little more boxy, the acreage.”
The growth of the corn helps dictate when the structure gets crafted.
“There’s the old farmer’s saying, ‘knee high by the fourth of July’ — that’s when we start thinking about wanting to cut the corn because if you wait until the corn is eye level, it’s really, really hard to see where your next point is that you’re trying to go to,” Kimball said.
Farm engineering lends a hand as the maze is sculpted out of corn.
“They have to scale the dimensions of the design to the 4-acre plot. They use a GPS point finder and Nate is able to mow the path while his wife is standing and holding a surveyor stick,” she said. “He does an amazing job because his designs come out with a lot of symmetry and that is not easy to do. He’s done an octopus, he’s done a cow, a beehive, some Olympic medals, and it’s remarkable how precise he can be just using your own basic tools like an old beater lawn mower. You have to go over all the paths in the maze several times until it’s just dirt…. It’s very labor-intensive.”
How long is this path? “We do know that it takes 30 to 40 minutes to do each maze. That’s finding the signs, stopping, writing in the answer. People like that too because they don’t want to go in there and get really lost. You still can’t see over your head but the size is very doable.”
After Halloween the corn is siloed. “It will feed our cows all the way through the winter up until April. Not many people that have corn mazes actually do something with the corn, and ours go to the cows.”
How did the maze craze start? Kimball was with her father around 25 years ago in Vermont and saw either a brochure or bumper sticker that sparked the interest. “There’s a maze they call the Great Vermont Maze, and I said to my dad, ‘I think we can do that,’ and over the winter we tried to think of everything that would be involved and what we would have to do…. That’s what started it, a maze in Vermont.”
The belief in themselves has sparked a new tradition at this old farm, Kimball said: “We get a little better each year, I think.”
Where to corn maze
Here are some of the area corn mazes. Call before you go to make sure the maze is open that day as availability can change based on weather and other factors. Know of a maze not mentioned here? Let us know at [email protected].
• Applecrest Farm Orchards (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com) Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $9 per person and free for ages 5 and under. This 8-acre corn field features a maze of twists and turns that typically remains open through Halloween or early November depending on weather conditions. Applecrest, which features pick your own apples, also hosts a fall festival every weekend through the end of October with live music, tractor rides and food for sale, according to the website. On Sunday, Oct. 20, it’s the annual Great Pumpkin Carve from noon to 4 p.m. when the master carver creates a many-hundred-pound jack-o’-lantern, the website said.
• Beans & Greens Farm (245 Intervale Road, Gilford, 293-2853, beansandgreensfarm.com) Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; a night maze is offered Friday and Saturday from 7:30 to 10 p.m. with last entry at 9:15 p.m. Cost: $14 for adults and $10 for kids 9 and younger Monday through Friday. $16 for adults and $12 for kids 9 and under for Saturday and Sunday. The cost for the night maze is $24 according to their website; it is anticipated to open Friday, Sept. 20. On Saturday, Sept. 28, the Notch Biergarten by Beans & Greens Farm will hold its second annual Oktoberfest from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (with activities such as a sausage toss at 1 p.m., chicken dance-off at 2 p.m., a beer stein holding contest at 3 p.m., a kids’ fun park and more) and a Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 12, and Sunday, Oct. 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with live music, a kids’ fun park, candy cannon, craft fair, hayrides and more, according to the website.
• Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn (107 Beech Hill Road, Hopkinton, 223-0828, beechhillfarm.com) Hours: Daily, noon to dusk. Cost: $7 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under. Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn has two 4-acre corn mazes, and $7 gives you access to both. This year’s themes are “Museum Mixup” and “The Amazing Aloha State Maze,” and maze-goers search for signs with clues in a scavenger hunt style. Complete the puzzles to navigate through. The mazes are open daily through Oct. 31. In addition to the ice cream and homemade waffle cones, Beech Hill offers pumpkins, mums and more in its Gardner’s Barn. On Sunday, Sept. 22, from 1 to 4 p.m., author Matt Forrest Ensenwine will sign copies of his picture books; his new book Tractor Dance is for sale at the ice cream barn, according to the farm’s Facebook page.
• Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com) Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $4 per person. The corn maze is among several family-friendly activities that will be available at Brookdale Fruit Farm this fall, along with hayrides and apple picking. The farm also features an ice cream stand and a wide variety of local products in its farm stand, including the farm’s own honey, canned vegetables and jellies and more, according to the website.
• Brookford Farm (250 West Road, Canterbury, brookfordfarm.com, 742-4084) Corn maze hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $8 for everyone 3 and over; free for kids 2 and under. This coming weekend, the farm’s pick-your-own offerings include raspberries and pumpkins, according to the website, where you can find the picking schedule through the end of October and purchase corn maze tickets. The weekend of Saturday, Oct. 12, through Monday, Oct. 14, is Pumpkins and Puppets, which will feature pumpkin picking, Wicked Witches of the Lakes Region (on Oct. 12 at 11 a.m.), marionettes (Oct. 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m), feed the pigs, cow parades, farm basketball, hayrides, puppet show, build your own scarecrow and more, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets for a day’s admission.
• Coppal House Farm (118 N. River Road, Lee, 659-3572, nhcornmaze.com) Hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entrance is at 4:30 p.m.). Columbus Day hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $10 for adults, $8 for kids ages 5 to 12 and for students, seniors and active military service members, and free for kids ages 4 and under. This year’s theme is the 2024 Anniversary Moose Corn Maze to celebrate 20 years of Coppal House Farm. There are also three nighttime maze dates that are open to the public, scheduled for Sept. 28, Oct. 12 and Oct. 26 (general admission is $15 per person; online ticketing only) — bring your own flashlight. The farm’s farm stand is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers meats, local maple syrup and more, according to the website. A Harvest Weekend celebration will be held Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22, with events including horse-drawn wagon rides, fairy house building (Sept. 21 from 1 to 3 p.m.), acorn scarecrow building (Sept. 22 from 1 to 3 p.m.), wildlife encounters (Sept. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and farm animals, according to the website. Catch live music both days and food will be for sale from Crescent City Kitchen, Refuge BBQ and Ken’s Corn, the website said.
• Elwood Orchards (54 Elwood Road, Londonderry, 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com) Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entrance is at 5 p.m.) Cost: $12 per person and free for kids ages 5 and under. The 15-acre corn maze at this family-owned and -operated farm and orchard is open now and typically through the first weekend of November. In addition to pick-your-own apples, the orchard offers “delicious treats at the farm stand” and fall decorations, according to the website.
• J & F Farms (124 Chester Road, Derry, 437-0535, jandffarmsnh.com) Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $10 per person. The corn maze is Fall-themed in September and Halloween-themed in October at this longtime family-run farm and is open to the public now through the end of October. Also at the farm, you can visit and feed the animals at the petting farm and buy some fresh produce and honey, according to the website.
• Lavoie’s Farm (172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.com) Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Cost: Free. At the family-owned and -operated Lavoie’s Farm, visitors can traverse the 3-acre corn maze. Visitors in the fall “can … enjoy hay rides, a corn maze, a corn boil, and apple cider — all free with any produce purchase,” according to the website. Pinky’s Traveling Smokestack is expected to be selling barbecue at the farm on weekends in September and October, according to a Facebook post from the Farm.
• Mack’s Apples (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, macksapples.com, 432-3456) Corn maze is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays Mack’s also has weekend Bee Train rides from noon to 5 p.m. and hayrides around the orchard from 1 to 5 p.m.
• Moulton Farm (18 Quarry Road, Meredith, moultonfarm.com, 279-3915) Corn maze hours: 8 a.m to 4 p.m. daily. The cost is $10 per person, $6 for ages 3 to 6, free for under 3, the website said. The corn maze opens for the season on Saturday, Sept. 21, which will also see the opening of pumpkin picking (which will run through Oct. 14), according to the website. Other events include a view of the baby goats (called “New ‘Kids’ On the Block”), horse drawn carriages and live music some weekends (starting Saturday, Sept. 28) and face painting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, through Monday, Oct. 14. The farm also features Sal’s Fresh Seafood Thursdays through Sundays; baked goods, salads, meals, soups, sandwiches and more for sale at the farm market; Cider Bellies cider doughnuts Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Moutlon’s Hay Wagon food truck Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and fresh produce from Moulton’s and other farms in the market, according to the website.
• Riverview Farm (141 River Road, Plainfield, 298-8519, riverviewnh.com) Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Cost: $8 per person and free for kids ages 4 and under. Artist and illustrator Emily Zea comes up with new themes each year for Riverview Farm’s corn maze, and visitors this year will see monsters and folklore, a similar theme to last year but with a whole new path. The Farm Store is open through October, offering doughnuts, cider, jams, honey and more; visitors can bring a packed lunch to eat at the picnic tables on the lawn.
• Trombly Gardens (150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net) Hours: Daily, from 9 a.m. to dusk. Cost: $9 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under. Bringing in a canned good will result in $1 off entry (one can per person) and the item will be donated to a local food bank. Visitors can also “grab an ice cream and visit the animals while you are here,” according to a recent Facebook post from the Gardens. Starting in October on Friday and Saturday there will be a night maze whose times vary based on the schedule of The Dark Woods (thedarkwoodsnh.com), which is a haunted trail on the other side of the farm, through Halloween.
• Washburn’s Windy Hill (orchard 66 Mason Road, Greenville, 878-2101, washburnswindyhillorchard.com) Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under. The 5-acre corn maze at Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard is open daily, rain or shine, through the end of October. Visitors can visit farm animals and browse the gift shop; there are picnic tables and a play area for children.
Featured Photos : A previous maze at Beech Hill Farm. Photo by Jody Reynolds.
2023 was an exceptionally bad year for apples in New Hampshire. After a particularly frigid snap in February, temperatures in May across the state plunged well below freezing and killed off almost all the apple blossoms. Without apple blossoms, there can’t be any apples. Many apple-growers lost 80 percent or more of their crop. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen urged Congress to provide disaster assistance to New Hampshire farmers impacted by the weather. The event was later declared a disaster by the U.S Secretary of Agriculture. But that was last year. 2024 has been as good as 2023 was awful. “It’s a good apple year,” said Madison Hardy, the president of the New Hampshire Fruit Growers Association (38 Broad St, Hollis, 465-2241, nhfruitgrowers.org). “The weather has been cooperating and people have good crops. We’re looking forward to the fall agritourism since we didn’t have the apples last year; it’s shaping up to be a good fall here.” In spite of some hail earlier in the summer, the weather has been excellent for apples.This spring and summer were warm, with plenty of, but not too much, rain, and Hardy said the September weather has cooperated, too. “We’ve had some good, nice, cool weather that’s coming in. That really helps the apples color up this time of year. A lot of people are wrapping up picking Paula Reds and early varieties and we’re starting to get into the McIntosh and Cortland season coming up,” Hardy said. Dianne Souther, co-owner of Apple Hill Farm (580 Mountain Road, Concord, 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com), agrees that this year has been a lot less stressful than 2023. Her farm was one of the ones that lost more than 80 percent of its apple crop, but like other apple-growers, she is cautiously optimistic. “This year’s crop is looking good,” Souther said. “The weather’s been good to us this year. We expect to pick through Indigenous People’s Day in the middle of October.” Unlike Dianne Souther, Tim Bassett at Gould Hill Farm (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, 746-3811, gouldhillfarm.com) wasn’t badly affected by last year’s weather — at least not directly. “We did have a pretty decent crop last year,” Bassett said, “and unfortunately I think the news was out that there were no apples and we just didn’t have people coming out. So it just seemed [business was] very off last year and not because we didn’t have apples, just because I think people thought nobody had apples.” Bassett said that this year is looking good, though. “We’ve been open for a week for Pick Your Own,” he said. “Our hard cider company is open weekends, and we have a restaurant. I think we have nine varieties of hard cider going. So we kind of try to get people and give them a full day’s experience here,” As Madison Nelson said, picking has already started on early-season varieties of apples like Paula Red, McIntosh and Summermacs. Mid-season varieties should be ready to pick sometime until the end of September. These include Cortland, Empire, Gala and Macoun apples. Late-season varieties like Mutsu, Honeycrisp, Braeburn and heirloom cider apples should be available through October, and perhaps a little longer.
APPLE FACTS According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as of 2022 (the most recent year with published data) New Hampshire had 271 working apple farms, covering 1,435 acres.
According to Gould Hill Farm (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, 746-3811, gouldhillfarm.com), far and away the most popular apple in New England is the McIntosh, which was developed from a sapling graft in 1870 by John McIntosh of Ontario, Canada. It is a sweet, firm apple, good for out-of-hand eating or baking.
The biggest apple producer in the U.S. is Washington state, which produces 6.7 billion tons of apples annually, according to the USDA.
Pick Your Own
Here are a some of the nearby orchards allowing you to pick your own apples. Dates and times may change according to the weather.
Applecrest Farm Orchards (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com) Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The orchard also features a corn maze and a sunflower trail. For up-to-the-minute weather and picking conditions, call the orchard’s PYO hotline at 926-3721. Apples can also be ordered online.
Apple Hill Farm (580 Mountain Road, Concord, 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com) Open 7 days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year there are 19 varieties of apples available. Different varieties will be ready to pick at different times throughout the season. Apple prices for PYO is $24 for a peck, $36 for a half bushel.
Appleview Orchard (1266 Upper City Road, Pittsfield, applevieworchard.com, 435-3553) Open for PYO Saturday and Sunday only, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy baked treats, ice cream and a petting zoo.
Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com) Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. An ice cream stand is open daily from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. Call the Farm for current picking conditions.
Carter Hill Orchard (73 Carter Hill Road, Concord, 225-2625, carterhillapples.com) Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. An on-site bakery offers a variety of pies, sweet breads and cookies, cider doughnuts and whoopie pies. Visit the Orchard’s website for apple variety descriptions, calendar and orchard map.
Currier Orchards (9 Peaslee Road, Merrimack, 881-8864, currierorchards.com) Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the last entry for PYO at 5 p.m. Apple varieties include Jonastar, Honeycrisp, Liberty and Empire.
Elwood Orchards (54 Elwood Road, Londonderry, 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com) Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a corn maze on site.
Gould Hill Farm (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, 746-3811, gouldhillfarm.com) Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. More than 100 varieties of apple are available during the picking season. Visit the website for a description of each variety and to find out which are ripe and ready to be picked.
Hackleboro Orchards (61 Orchard Road, Canterbury, 783-4248, hackleboroorchard.com) Open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pick your own in half peck, peck, and half bushel amounts. The orchard’s owners report having a very good crop this season.
Hazelton Orchards (20 Harantis Lake Road, Chester, 490-9921, facebook.com/HazeltonOrchardsChesterNH) Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Saturday and Sunday. Many varieties of apple, including McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Gala and Zestar.
Kimball Fruit Farm (184 Hollis St, Pepperell, Mass., 978-433-9751, kimball.farm) Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Lavoie’s Farm (172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.wordpress.com) Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Apple varieties include Fuji, Spartan Macs, Gravenstein and Sansa. Guests can enjoy hay rides, a corn maze, a corn boil and apple cider, all free with any produce purchase.
Lull Farm (65 Broad St., Hollis, 465-7079, livefreeandfarm.com) Open 7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Mack’s Apples/Moose Hill Orchard (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 434-7619, macksapples.com) Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mack’s Apples is the largest pick-your-own destination in New Hampshire. Driving between picking stations is recommended. Call the Orchard’s hotline at 432-3456 for the latest picking conditions and to find out what varieties are ready.
McLeod Brothers Orchards (735 N. River Road, Milford, mcleodorchards.com) Open Monday through Friday, 1 to 5:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Apple varieties include McIntosh, Gala, Mutsu and Cortland.
Meadow Ledge Farm (612 Route 129, Loudon, 798-5860, meadowledgefarm.com) Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fresh-pressed apple cider and award-winning apple cider doughnuts are available at Meadow Ledge’s farm store. For the most current information, visit the Farm’s Facebook page.
Oliver Merril and Sons (569 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 622-6636, facebook.com/olivermerrillandsons) Open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Smith Orchard (184 Leavitt Road, Belmont, 387-8052, facebook.com/SmithOrchardNH) Open 7 days, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Stone Mountain Farm (522 Laconia Road, Belmont, 731-2493, stonemtnfarm.com) Open Thursday to Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 30 apple varieties are available as they become ripe.
Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com) Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call Sunnycrest’s PYO hotline at 432-9652 for daily updates on picking conditions and varieties available. There is a “Meet the Farm Animals” area, home to goats and sheep along with the occasional pig. Visitors can feed and pet the animals through the fence.
Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard (66 Mason Road, Greenville, 878-2101, washburnswindyhillorchard.com) Open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a corn maze, ice cream and hot apple cider doughnuts.
Making an apple pie is as easy as — well, it’s not hard Advice from an expert
Lynn Donnelly is the owner of Bittersweet Bake Shoppe (272 Derry Road, Litchfield, 978- 649-2253, bittersweetbakeshoppe.com), a small-batch bakery that specializes in seasonal desserts. It would be fair to call her an apple pie expert.
What makes a good apple pie? A well-made apple pie has color and texture — the greens, the reds — brown sugar so it’s a little more caramely, and of course a fresh homemade crust.
A top and bottom crust? Yes, though we do switch it up [at the bakery]. We do a Dutch crust with the crumbs on top, and sometimes we do a lattice crust. Some people just want it like an old-fashioned rustic tart, so to speak. We just fold the edges in. But our typical [apple pie] is a two-crust pie.
What’s the secret to a good crust? The secret to the crust is a secret. Actually, it’s a technique. Everybody has one. We have one that works for us, but you have to make sure that fat you choose — whether it’s shortening or butter or a little of both — you have to make sure it’s good and cold so that when you bake it, your layers will explode and pop with the fat and create the flakes. What kind of fat do you use in your crust? Do you ever use shortening? The shortening crust can be delicious. But stay with the Crisco because at least you know where it’s been, what it’s doing, and it is non-hydrogenated. They were the first ones to jump into that. I will use shortening in my crust because it adds to the flake.
Do you cook the apples down before you put them in the crust? Not really. The apples are the last thing to go in. I make my filling, the roux [a thickened sauce], and I put in my fruit last. And then I cook it until it’s just right. The apples aren’t fully cooked. They’re only somewhat cooked. And it’s only because they’ll release some juice and change the texture of the roux. So you’ve got to make sure that all comes together; then you pour it into the pie, and it’ll finish baking in the oven. That way, your apples aren’t mushy. You want them to hold up so when you slice it [the pie] you’ll see pieces of apple.
—John Fladd
Apple pie This recipe comes from owner Brookdale Fruit Farm owner Cameron Hardy’s grandmother Betty Hardy. Cameron and his wife, Nicole, recommend baking this pie with raw, crispy apples, preferably Baldwin, Northern Spy or Jonagold. They, too, are proponents of a Crisco crust.
1 recipe pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the apples, and cover with a latticework of crust. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until the apples are soft.
Additional apple reading To learn more about the long and strange history of apples, Louisa Spencer from Farnum Hill Cider recommends reading The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World (2001) by Michael Pollan. “In a way, I think that’s the best book he ever wrote,” she says. The movie documentary based on the book was partially filmed at Farnum Hill’s orchard.
When most of us think about apple season, we think of apple-picking, pies and lunch boxes. There is a completely different side to apples, though — one best enjoyed in a glass. Flag Hill Distillery and Winery (297 N. River Road, Lee, 659-2949, flaghill.com) makes an apple-cranberry wine around the holidays, but its main interest in apples is for making brandy. Brian Ferguson is the owner of Flag Hill. According to him, fermenting apples and distilling brandy from them are important, and taken very seriously, but the key process for making excellent apple brandy is how it’s aged. “After fermentation, we double pot distill [the cider],” Ferguson explained. “It’s very similar to the way we would make bourbon, but with a very full flavor, very rich. And then we put it in a barrel and it sleeps there for about six years.” He said Flag Hill uses several types of oak for the barrels — toasted, to bring out specific flavors to infuse the brandy — but that it is vital that some of the oak has been aged for at least three years, which allows microscopic strands of fungi to tunnel through the wood. “The mycelium [fungus], as it grows throughout the oak, creates more porosity over that longer period of time,” he said. “So we get more micro-oxidation during this process. These are much more expensive barrels to use, but they result in much more of the exciting compounds that we’re looking for out of the brandy.” The porosity — the tiny tunnels — in the oak provides more surface area to allow the exchange of flavor-bearing chemicals. Apple brandy and its slightly more relaxed cousins apple wine and hard cider are enjoying a renaissance. It has taken about a century to recover from an involuntary hiatus that knocked the apple alcohol industry back on its heels since 1920. The Volstead Act, otherwise known as Prohibition, was rough on apple farmers. Up until that time, in the U.S. and around the world, apples were used more for making alcohol than for eating or cooking. Louisa Spencer of Farnum Hill Ciders (98 Poverty Lane, Lebanon, 448-1511, farnumhillciders.com) explained that American orchardists had to rethink everything about their industry. Prior to Prohibition, the vast majority of apples grown in the U.S. were specialized varieties that were excellent for fermenting into hard cider but not very good for eating out-of-hand. “When you’ve got acres and acres and acres of woody plants that do not produce anything that anybody would put in a pie or a fruit bowl, what are you going to do?” Spencer said. “You can see in these old agricultural journals people talking about in the run-up to Prohibition whether they’re going to stop making cider, and what they’re going to do was disassociate the word ‘cider’ from alcohol. And alone on Earth, we became a culture that thinks of cider as apple juice. That was quite intentional. They distinguished sweet cider from hard cider and it happened incredibly fast.” For several generations, apples remained lunch-box fruit and cider was a cold, refreshing, alcohol-free beverage. That changed in the 1980s. Woodchuck hard cider, made from Vermont apples, was the first mainstream commercial cider, and Farnum Hill led the way with artisanally made cider from heirloom varieties of apple. “So the decision was made here at Poverty Lane Orchards to plant a whole lot of apples that no one in the States had ever heard of and no one would be able to eat even if they had heard of them,” Spencer said. Since then, apple-based alcohols have become increasingly popular, especially in apple-growing regions like New England. In addition to making traditional red and white wines, Sweet Baby Vineyard (260 Stage Road, Hampstead, 347-1738, sweetbabyvineyard.com) produces eight different fruit-based wines. Lewis Eaton is the vineyard’s owner; he has made apple wines for 16 years, making his vineyard one of the pioneers in New Hampshire apple wine. “You know it,” he said. “We’ve been around a bit.” Sweet Baby makes two apple wines: a cranberry-apple wine, and one with apples only. Their complex flavors come in part from the number of varieties of apple used to make them. “[We use] 13 different kinds of apples,” Eaton said, “heirloom and standard varieties. The heirloom apples are old English-style apples.” Sweet Baby starts with a proprietary blend of apple juices from Applecrest Farm Orchard (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com). “It’s what they call their holiday cider,” Eaton said. “So it’s the best of the best, in that it has all those 13 or so different kinds of apples. Obviously they adjust the blend, depending on whether it’s too sweet or too tart, and then we take it in as fresh pressed cider. We remediate it to get up to 12 percent alcohol.” Eaton and his team use Champagne yeast, which tolerates higher levels of alcohol than traditional cider yeast, which normally tops out at 4 or 5 percent alcohol by volume. Sweet Baby Vineyard makes about 400 cases of the straight apple wine per year, and 200 cases of their apple-cranberry. “We sell out of it every year,” Eaqton said. The apple-cranberry wine is extremely popular around the holidays. “It goes bonkers and we never seem to make enough,” he said. “People get a little mad, but whatever. It is what it is. Maybe that makes them want it more, I suppose. If we made too much of it, then they wouldn’t want it so much.” By contrast, Pete Endris, the owner and cider-maker at Bird Dog Farm and Cidery (150 Bayside Road, Greenland, 303-6214, birddogcider.com), has been in business for two years. He, too, is a firm believer in using juice blends from different apples to make a complex cider. “At Bird Dog we focus on making ciders using traditional methods,” he said, “and definitely paying attention to the right cider varieties. So what I like to tell people is much like with wine, you don’t make the best wine from table grapes, and it’s usually the case that you don’t make the best cider with just any old apple.” He credits the popularity of hard ciders to the resurgence of bitter-tasting heirloom apple varieties. “They tend to have more tannins, which are usually associated with bitterness or complexity, and they have different flavor compounds that, honestly, over the years have made them maybe less desirable for eating, and some of these apples have fallen by the wayside. And the traditional cider movement is bringing some of these apples back to the forefront.” As a small cider producer, Bird Dog Farm is just getting started. “We’re just getting kind off the ground,” Endris said. “We make around 2,000 gallons of cider a year, but alongside the cider we’re growing out our orchard, so we have nearly 1,500 trees planted. My wife and I bought this farm, which for most of its modern history was a working dairy farm, but it hasn’t been a working farm for about 50 years. And so we have planted all these trees, and we’re growing them in a high-density fashion, like a vineyard, basically. They’re on a trellis, they’re dwarf rootstocks, the trees only get to be about maybe 12 feet tall, and they’re kept within about a 3-foot space.” Endris is in the process of opening a tasting room where customers can compare Bird Dog Farm’s eight varieties of cider. “We’ve been spending a lot of time renovating an old dairy barn built in the 1950s,” he said, “and it now houses our cidery. Recently we’ve been focusing on the tasting room part of it, which we will be planning to open up here in late September.”
An apple vocabulary word to make you look cool Under certain conditions, apples can develop rough, brownish skins. This is called “russeting”. Some varieties that are particularly susceptible to russeting have the word “russet” in their names — golden russet or English russet, for example. Russet potatoes are called that because they are entirely covered with russetted skin.
Featured Photos : Brookdale Fruit Farm. Courtesy photo.
A season of fairs, music, festivals, theater, and more
It’s time for crisp mornings, pumpkin spice in everything and a packed calendar of arts events. Fall — the season of happenings if not quite yet the official season — kicks off this weekend with fairs, festivals, theater, art exhibits and so much more. We present our annual guide to all the autumnal fun, running now until the holidays take over.
FAIRS & FESTIVALS
• The Hillsborough County Agricultural Fair takes place Friday, Sept. 6, through Sunday, Sept. 8, at 17 Hilldale Lane in New Boston. The fair is open Friday noon to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. New events this year include pedal tractor pulling and a zero-turn obstacle course. Visit hcafair.org.
• The 11th annual New Hampshire Monarch Festival (petalsinthepines.com/monarch-festival) continues at Petals in the Pines (126 Baptist Road, Canterbury, petalsinthepines.com, 783-0220) Friday, Sept. 6, through Sunday, Sept. 8. Online reservations for two-hour time slots are required; the cost is $7 for adults, $3.50 for kids, and infants (non-walkers) get in free. Learn about ways to help migrating monarchs and other pollinators at the festival, which will feature kids’ activities and games, monarch tagging, book readings, labyrinths, ask a master gardener, free milkweed seeds and 2 miles of woodland trails and garden paths, according to a press release. Butterfly wings and costumes are encouraged, according to the website.
• Auburn will hold its 31st annual Duck Race on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 2 p.m. as part of 2024 Auburn Day, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Auburn Village on Hooksett Road. Winning ducks get their ticket-holders prizes — from $1,000 for first prize through $25 for 6th through 10th place. The day will also feature an apple pie contest, a cookie baking contest for kids, a small petting zoo, music by Ray Zerkle, the Pinkerton Marching Band, a New Hampshire National Guard Black Hawk helicopter, food trucks, children’s games and more. See auburnhistorical.org.
• Friends of Benson Park’s third annual Family Fun Day will take place Saturday, Sept. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Benson Park (19 Kimball Hill Road, Hudson, friendsofbensonpark.org). Details to be announced.
• The Nashua Multicultural Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library plaza (2 Court St.). The event will feature music, dance, food and more from the cultures of Nashua. See nashuanh.gov.
• There will be a Harvest Festival Psychic and Craft Fair Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Londonderry American Legion (6 Sargent Road, Londonderry).There will be food, vendors, crafters, psychic readers, live music and more. Admission is free. Visit the event’s Facebook page.
• Concorso Italian, a free Italian car show at Tuscan Village (9 Via Toscano, Salem, tuscanvillagesalem.com), will run Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and feature live music, street food, entertainment and more than 150 exotic cars.
• The Granite State Fair at 72 Lafayette Road in Rochester will run Thursday, Sept. 12, through Sunday, Sept. 15, and Thursday, Sept. 19, through Sunday, Sept. 22. Find a ride list with height requirements at granitestatefair.com. One-day tickets cost $10 per person through Sept. 11, or $12 per person Sept. 12 and beyond (children 8 and under get in free).
• Pelham Old Home Day is Saturday, Sept. 14, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 3 Main St. in Pelham. The day will include music, fitness demonstrations, dance and martial arts demonstrations, food trucks (meat pies, poutine, hot dogs, fries, chicken fingers, ice cream, beverages and desserts), a pancake and sausage breakfast at the Church Fellowship Hall, crafts and goods vendors, a white elephant yard sale, a 5K road race, kids’ games, touch a truck, a cornhole tournament, a grand parade, a performance by the Windham Community Band, a penny sale raffle and more, according to pelhamoldhomeday.org.
• Greater Derry’s Got Talent will take place Saturday Sept. 14, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway, Derry, 404-2928, derryoperahouse.org). This is a community-wide talent show. Admission is free but you may purchase vote tickete. Snacks and water will be available for $1 each (cash only). Visit derryoperahouse.org/events.
• The Hampton Falls Craft Festival will run Saturday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Town Common (Route 1, Hampton Falls). Admission to this outdoor event is free. More than 75 juried artisans from all over New England will display and sell theirworks. See castleberryfairs.com.
• The Manchester City-Wide Art Festival returns for its second year and runs Monday, Sept. 16, through Saturday, Sept. 21, culminating in a free arts & crafts fair on Saturday, Sept. 21, in the Opera Block of Hanover Street. See palacetheatre.org/manchester-citywide-arts-festival.
• The Humane Society for Greater Nashua will hold its Wags to Whiskers Festival Saturday, Sept. 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 DW Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, anheuser-busch.com/breweries/merrimack-nh). It will be a day of fun, featuring vendors, food trucks, demos, games and raffles. There will be an adoption tent on site with puppies. Visit hsfn.org/festival-2024. Tickets are $15 for adults 21 and up, $12 for ages 17 to 20. Ages 16 and younger attend free.
• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) will hold Toddlerfest, its annual celebration of the littlest museum-goers featuring special activities and events, Tuesday, Sept. 17, through Sunday, Sept. 29. A visit to the museum requires online reservations.
• The New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival celebrates Scottish music, sports and culture and runs from Friday, Sept. 20, through Sunday, Sept. 22, at Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln. An adult pass to all three days costs $100 (children ages 6 to 14 cost $10; ages 5 and under get in free); single-day adult tickets cost $40 to $64 depending on the day. The event features several food and drink events — a beer tasting, a whiskey master class, a Cape Breton dinner, Scottish spirits and stories, a beer pairing dinner and more — each of which has its own tickets. Musical performances also have their own tickets. The main festival will also feature music, a clan village, Scottish living history, classes in aspects of Scottish culture, kids’ programs, Scottish-themed vendors, Scottish and fair food and more. See nhscot.org to purchase tickets.
• Hollis Old Home Days take place Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21, at Nichols Field and Lawrence Barn on Depot Road in Hollis. Events include rides, exhibits such as heritage demonstrators (spinning, fly tying, rug hooking, small handiwork and more), an artisan market, entertainment, a pet pageant, a town parade, food trucks both days and fireworks Saturday night, according to the event’s Facebook page. See hollisoldhomedays.org.
• Granite State Comicon will take place Saturday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 22 (with a sneak preview night on Friday, Sept. 20), at SNHU Arena and the Doubletree by Hilton, both venues near each other in downtown Manchester. Saturday night there will also be a screening of the live action 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with a cast Q&A at the Rex Theatre in Manchester. Tickets are available for a single day or for a weekend pass; a VIP ticket gets entry for all three days plus other perks. See granitecon.com for a rundown of participating artists and vendors as well as other special guests.
• Hooksett Old Home Day is Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with fireworks scheduled after dusk. The day starts with a parade from Lamberts Park to Donati Park (behind Town Hall, 35 Main St., Hooksett). The day will feature live music, demonstrations, vendors, eating contests and kids’ activities. See hooksettoldhomeday.org.
• Derryfest will run Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day features a vendor fair, performances and more. See derryfest.org.
• Aerospacefest is Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord, 271-7827, starhop.com). The keynote speaker will be astronaut JayGregory C. “Ray J” Johnson. This year AerospaceFest will extend to inside the Discovery Center (weather permitting), meaning visitors can enjoy the Discovery Center exhibit halls and observatory as well as all the guest exhibitors, science-based activities, and a full line-up of fun on the main stage outside. The event is free, though a $5 10 $10 donation will be appreciated. Food will be for sale.
• See airplanes, fire trucks, helicopters, police vehicles and electric vehicles close up at Wings and Wheels on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Nashua Airport (93 Perimeter Road, Nashua, nashuaairport.com). Explore big trucks and planes and see how they work. This free event will include fire trucks, police vehicles, planes, helicopters, DPW vehicles, electric cars and more.
• The Presentation of Mary Academy (182 Lowell Road, Hudson) will hold its Fall Fun Fest on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This fundraiser will feature inflatables, face painting, pumpkin painting, ax throwing, food trucks, a petting zoo, touch a truck, a bake sale, vendors and more. Find them on Facebook.
• Portsmouth Fairy House Tours take place Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Portsmouth at the Strawbery Banke Museum, John Langdon House, Prescott Park and Gundalow waterfront. The day featuresmore than 250 fairy houses as well as storytelling, face painting, crafts and games — wearing wings is encouraged, according to strawberybanke.org, where you can purchase tickets). Visit fairyhousetour.com.
• The East Kingston Summer Market will be held Sunday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the East Kingston Public Library (47 Maplevale Road, East Kingston, 642-8333, eastkingstonlibrary.org) and will feature crafts, baked goods, artisan vendors and seasonal produce.
• The Concord Multicultural Festival will take place Sunday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Keach Park in Concord. There will be music, dance and food vendors with cuisine from a variety of culinary traditions. The food can be purchased with vouchers, which will be available for purchase for $1 and $5 in cash, according to concordnhmulticulturalfestival.org. The event comes after “Welcoming Week,” which runs from Friday, Sept. 13, through Sunday, Sept. 22.
• The Deerfield Fair runs Thursday, Sept. 26, through Sunday, Sept. 29, at the Deerfield Fair grounds (34 Stage Road in Deerfield). The fair is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursdaythrough Saturday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $12 for adults (13 and older). Kids 12 and younger get in free. Discounted entry for seniors is available at the gate on Thursday and Friday; military is free with identification. Ride special wristband days are Friday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m., $30) and Sunday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m., $35). Tickets for rides cost $1.50 each, $30 for a sheet of 25 and $40 for a sheet of 40. In addition to the rides, the fair features live music in multiple locations throughout each day; agricultural and animal shows, demonstrations and competitions; strolling entertainers; the Miss Deerfield Fair scholarship pageant, and concessions. See deerfieldfair.com.
• The Harvest Moon Festival at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner, indianmuseum.org, 456-2600) is Sunday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to the website, the Harvest Moon Festival celebrates the traditional harvest season; it is a family-friendly event featuring craft demonstrations, activities for kids, and educational exhibits. Food for sale, prepared using Native American recipes, includes bison stew, chicken wild rice stew, several varieties of cornbread, and sweets.
• The Joppa Hill Educational Farm (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford, 472-4724, sites.google.com/theeducationalfarm.org/joppahillfarm) will hold a Fall Fair on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will feature artisan booths, food trucks, vendors, tractor rides, apples, pumpkin decorating, live music, kids’ activities and farm fun.
• The Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) will host the New Hampshire Book Festival on Friday, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 5. This is a premier cultural event featuring live presentations, panels and book signings by more than 40 nationally recognized authors. Visit nhbookfestival.org.
• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St., Candia, visitthefarm.com, 483-5623) holds its Pumpkin Festival Saturday, Oct. 5, and Sunday, Oct. 6, as well as Saturday, Oct. 14, through Monday, Oct. 16. Admission costs $29 per person (23 months and younger get in free). Pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, take a tractor or horse-drawn wagon ride, enjoy live music and more. The festival also features a cow milking contest (not involving a real cow), pumpkin art, costumed characters and a visit with the farm’s animals. Charmingfare’s Halloween events include children’s trick-or-treat (the last three weekends in October) for families and younger kids and Harvest of Haunts (Oct. 19, Oct. 20, Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 in the early evening) for families and ages 12 and under (but who are old enough for some spookiness).
• The 25th Annual Autumn Craft Festival on the Lake at Mills Falls Marketplace (312 DW Highway, Meredith) will take place Saturday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 85 juried craftsmen and artisans from all over New England will display their work.. See castleberryfairs.com.
• The Milford Pumpkin Festival will take place Friday, Oct. 11, through Sunday, Oct. 13, in and around the Milford Oval with live music at two stages; the Haunted Trail Friday and Saturday; a beer, wine and spirits tasting on Friday and Saturday; a historical walking tour Saturday and Sunday; face and pumpkin painting; scarecrow making; pumpkin carving; a pumpkin flash mob on Sunday, eats and more. See milfordpumpkinfestival.org.
• The Warner Fall Foliage Festival will take place Friday, Oct. 11, through Sunday, Oct. 13, at locations along Main Street in Warner. Events include a parade on Sunday, a kids’ fun run on Sunday morning and an ice cream eating contest on Sunday at noon. See wfff.org.
• Brookford Farm (250 West Road, Canterbury, 742-4084, brookfordfarm.com) will host its annual Pumpkins and Puppets event Saturday, Oct. 12, at 10 a.m. through Monday, Oct. 14, at 4 p.m. Get ready for pumpkin picking, hayrides, puppet shows, building your own scarecrow, and more. General admission tickets are $10 online ($15 at the door), children 3 to 12 years old $7 online ($10 at the door). Children 2 and under are free.
• The New Hampshire Wool Arts Tour takes place Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with happenings on five farms (Spinner Farm in Deering; Glory Be Farm in Bennington; Windfall Farm in Antrim; Ten Talents at La Bergerie Dumas in Greenfield, and Maple Lane Farm in Lyndeborough) including demonstrations of creating yarn, hay rides, music, live animals, food, an opportunity to meet fiber artists, and fiber from a variety of animals for sale, according to woolartstournh.com.
• Concord Sound and Color: Music and Arts Festival will take place in downtown Concord Friday, Oct. 18, and Saturday, Oct. 19. There will be live performances from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and an outdoor artist market from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is a free art and music festival taking place at venues and outdoor locations in the city. Visit concordsoundandcolor.com.
• Windham Recreation Department will hold its annual Harvest Fest on Saturday, Oct. 19, in Griffin Park. See windhamnh.gov for more on this family fun event.
• The Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and Regatta in downtown Goffstown takes place Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, with a variety of events each day as well as vendor booths throughout the weekend. See goffstownmainstreet.org/pumpkin-regatta.
• Fulchino Vineyard (187 Pine Hill Road, Hollis, 438-5984, fulchinovineyard.com) will host the 2024 Grape & Italian Festival Hollis Car Show, Sunday, Oct. 20, from noon to 6 p.m. There will be classic cars, music, grape-stomping, vendors and more. Tickets are $15. V
• The New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival will take place Friday, Oct. 26, from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 27, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in downtown Laconia. Events will include doughnut and pumpkin pie eating contests, the Runaway Pumpkin 10K & 5K, a masquerade ball aboard the M/S Mt. Washington, pumpkin carving and decorating, and more. See nhpumpkinfestival.com.
• The Third Annual BeadStock, an event celebrating the artistry of beading from around the world, will take place Saturday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner, indianmuseum.org, 456-2600).
FOOD – FESTIVALS & EVENTS
• The 35th Annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival will take place Sept. 6 through Sept. 8. More than 50 local food vendors will offer appetizers, entrees and desserts. There will be free parking and shuttle service. Admission each day is $10. Three-day admission is $30. Children 12 and under are free. Visit seafoodfestivalnh.com.
• The Egyptian Food Festival at St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church (29 Chandler St., Nashua, stmarycoptsnh.org) will take place Friday, Sept. 7, through Sunday, Sept. 9, offering Egyptian shish kebab platters, kebba, beef shawarma, falafel, baklava and zalabya. The festival will be open Friday 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
• The Vintage & Vine Fine Wine and Food Festival, a fundraiser for the Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, will take place Thursday, Sept. 12, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. (VIP admission at 4 p.m.) on the museum’s grounds. Enjoy wines along with appetizers created by Seacoast area chefs, according to strawberybanke.org, where you can purchase general admission tickets for $95, $40 for designated drivers.
• Glendi, the 45th annual celebration of Greek food and culture at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St., Manchester, stgeorgenh.org/activities/glendi, 622-9113), will take place Friday, Sept. 13, through Sunday, Sept. 15. Admission is free but bring money for the dinner or gyros and coffee, pastries and other Greek eats. The festival is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Food service ends at 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday
• Concord Craft Brewing (117 Storrs St. in Concord; concordcraftbrewing.com) will hold its Oktoberfest on Saturday, Sept. 14, noon to 7 p.m. with German food, a stein holding competition and more, according to a post on its Facebook page.
• To Share Brewing Co. (720 Union St., Manchester, tosharebrewing.com) will hold Oktoberfest on Saturday, Sept. 14, beginning at 1 p.m. The day will feature live music, brats topped with kraut, a stein-holding competition and more.
• Candia Road Brewing Co. (840 Candia Road, Manchester, 935-8123, candiaroadbrewingco.com) will host Füt-Fest on Saturday, Sept. 14. “It’s like Oktoberfest, but with your fëët,” they say. Hosted by Bigfüt, the event will feature six local bands.
• The Great New Hampshire Pie Festival will take place at the New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy., Milton, nhfarmmuseum.org) on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $15 ($6 for kids 12 and under, and free for pie-bakers). Local bakeries will have pies for sampling while local pie makers will compete in a pie contest (kids 12 and under can enter a pie in their own category). The day will also feature a pie crust rolling demonstration, a raffle, a silent auction, tractor rides, visits with the animals, tours of historic buildings, and live music.
• The 10th Annual Manchester BrewFest will take place on Sept. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. in Arms Park in Manchester. This festival will feature food, beer, live music and much more. General admission tickets are $50, VIP tickets are $60, and tickets for designated drivers are $20. This is a child- and pet-friendly event. Visit manchesterbrewfest.com.
• The Red, White & Brew Craft Beer and Wine Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 25, at FunSpot (579 Endicott St. N., Laconia) with a general admission time of noon to 4 p.m. The event benefits Veterans Count NH and will feature craft beer, wine, food, a car show, an auction, raffles, live music with The Bob Pratte Band and more. Admission includes sampling tickets and a commemorative glass, while supplies last. Admission does not include the cost of food. $50 VIP access, $35 general admission.
• Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (68 N. State St., Concord, 225-2961, holytrinitynh.org/taste-of-greece-festival) will hold its Taste of Greece Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival will feature homemade Greek dishes and pastries such as dolmades, moussaka, spanakopita and baklava.
• The NH Wine & Cheese Fest will take place at The Biergarten (221 DW Highway, Merrimack). The date is still to be announced. Taste wines from a selection of more than 40 wine varietals, as well as artisan cheeses and regional chocolates. The day will also feature food trucks. Visit winecheesefest.com.
• The 40th Annual Apple Harvest Day will take place in downtown Dover on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature more than 300 vendors including a variety of food vendors as well as live music. Visit appleharvestday.com.
• 603 Brewery (42 Main St., Londonderry, 603brewery.com) will hold a Fall Fest Block Party on Saturday, Oct. 5, from noon to 9:30 p.m. This event will take over Main Street with food trucks, live music, a stein-holding competition, axe-throwing, 603 scratch kitchen specials and more, according to the brewery’s website.
• The 11th annual Powder Keg Beer & Chili Festival will take place Saturday, Oct. 5, from noon to 4 p.m. at Swasey Parkway in downtown Exeter. The day features samples of chili from local restaurants and artisans for all ticket holders. General admission tickets are $45 online ($55 at the door); VIP tickets are $60 online ($70 at the door); chili-only tickets are $10 online ($15 at the door). The event will also feature food vendors and live music. See powderkegbeerfest.com.
• Black Bear Vineyard (289 New Road, Salisbury, 648-2811, blackbearvineyard.com) will hold its Annual Harvest Weekend Saturday, Oct. 5and Sunday, Oct.6. There will be dueling pianos, food trucks, live music vendors, yard games, and more. As always, the Vineyard will welcome volunteers to assist with the grape harvest.
• Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, mileawayrestaurantnh.com/oktoberfest, 673-3904) will hold its Oktoberfest on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. The event is cash only. In past years the celebration has included German foods, Oktoberfest beers, live music and more. This year, there will be a performance by the Tubafrau Hofbråu Band.
• The New Hampshire Brewfest Craft Festival will take place at Cisco Brewers in Portsmouth Saturday, Oct. 12, from noon to 4 p.m., with a noon entrance for VIP ticket holders ($80) and a 1 p.m. entrance for general admission ($60). Tickets for designated drivers are $20. This 21+ event features beer samples, food vendors, live music and more. See nhbrewfest.com.
• The Chocolate Expo will be held Sunday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester) and feature tastings of chocolates, baked goods, specialty foods, cheeses, craft beverages and ready-to-eat foods as well as chef demos, magic, music and kids’ activities, according to thechocolateexpo.com. Tickets cost $30 for a VIP entry at 9:30 a.m. and other perks, $20 for adults (with the choice of a two-hour window) and $10 for kids (ages 5 to 12); entry after 4 p.m. is $10 for all ages.
• Mount Uncanoonuc Brew Fest will take place Saturday, Oct. 19, from 1 to 5 p.m. at 553 Mast Road in Goffstown. Tickets cost $35 in advance, $45 at the door. See workerbeefund.org/events for details.
• The annual Taste of New Hampshire will take place Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord). The event features sweet and savory eats from area restaurants as well as live music and a silent auction — all to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Central New Hampshire. See tasteofnh.com.
• The 11th annual Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits, part of New Hampshire Distiller’s Week, will be Thursday, Nov. 7, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown with general admission from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and early access and VIP openings at 5 p.m. There are three levels of tickets, for $65, $80 and $120. The evening also features 25 food and beverage vendors. See distillersshowcase.com.
• There will be a Wine and Cheese Festival at Fulchino Vineyard (187 Pine Hill Road, Hollis, 438-5984, fulchinovineyard.com) Saturday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 17. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be wine tastings, paired with an array of artisan meats, cheeses, oils, vinegars, desserts and much more. Tickets are $55. Visit the Vineyard’s website.
Meals, tastings and classes
• The Grazing Room at Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, colbyhillinn.com, 428-3281) will hold an “Into the Woods Wild Game & Foraging Dinner” on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m. featuring a six-course dinner, a bourbon tasting and a tented dessert station. The cost is $150 per person.
• The Londonderry Fish and Game Club (5 Lund St., Litchfield) will hold its annual Pig Roast on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for one person, $35 for a couple or family of four (kids under 12 eat free). The spread will include barbecue sauce choices, baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad and hamburgers and hot dogs. Find the event on EventBrite.
• The Milford Pumpkin Festival will feature a Beer, Wine and Spirits Tasting: “Raise One for Charity” on Friday, Oct. 11, and Saturday, Oct. 12, 5:30 to 8 p.m. both days. Ten tasting tickets are $25 and include a complimentary tasting glass. This is a 21+ event. See milfordpumpkinfestival.org.
• The Grazing Room at Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, colbyhillinn.com, 428-3281) will host a Harvest Dinner Friday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m. This will be a five-course barn dinner featuring of estate-grown wines. This event costs $150 per person.
• Tuscan Village (9 Via Toscano, Salem, tuscanvillagesalem.com) offers cooking classes on subjects such as different varieties of pasta, Italian cocktails, Italian desserts and more. Prices vary according to class.
• LaBelle Winery in Derry (14 Route 111, 672-9898) and Amherst (345 Route 101, 672-9898) will hold a variety of food, wine, and cooking events this fall, including Autumn Cookie Decorating, Chinese Cooking with Wine, Autumn Cake Decorating, Walks in the Vineyard wine classes, Oktoberfest Cooking with Wine, and Halloween Candy and Wine Pairings. Prices and dates are available at labellewinery.com.
• The Cozy Tea Cart (104 Route 13, Brookline, thecozyteacart.com, 249-9111) will hold a series of tea tastings and lectures this fall. Most cost $30 per person, and reservations are necessary.
• WineNot Boutique (25 Main St., Nashua, winenotboutique.com, 204-5569) will hold a variety of wine classes and tastings this fall.
CONCERTS
Everclear. Photo by Brian Cox.
Capitol Center for the Arts has a variety of concerts, dance parties, movie screenings with live music on the schedule and more at both the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) and the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord). At the Chubb:
Lorrie Morgan Friday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
Roger McGuinn Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Live in Concert Friday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m.
Jim Henson’s Labyrinth in Concert Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7 p.m.
Jessica Kirson Friday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m.
Lotus Land Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Concord Sound & Color Festival — Yonder Mountain String Band with Adam Ezra Group & Tyler Hinton Friday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m.
Children’s musician Laurie Berkner solo Halloween Concert Saturday, Oct. 26, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
KITKA Women’s Vocal Ensemble Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m.
Vampire Circus Thursday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m.
NH 39th Army Band Veterans Day Concert Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m.
Celtic Thunder Odyssey Sunday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.
The Wailin’ Jennys Friday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Tusk Saturday, Nov. 23, at 8 p.m.
Magical Mystery Doors Saturday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m.
The Last Waltz Celebration featuring The The Band Band Sunday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m.
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Monday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m.
Grand Funk Railroad Friday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m.
Top of the World: A Carpenters Tribute Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m.
At the BNH Stage, catch these acts:
John Gorka Thursday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m.
Journeyman — A Tribute to Eric Clapton Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:30 p.m.
NightOUT with Free Range Revue: tribute to Saturday Morning Cartoons Saturday, Sept. 7, at 7:30 p.m.
Choir!Choir!Choir! An Epic Anthems Singalong Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m.
Steamroller — The Music of James Taylor Friday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
Danny Bedrosian & Secret Army Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Texas Flood: A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan Friday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m.
Swing Dance Night with the NH Jazz Orchestra Saturday, Sept. 28, at 3:30 p.m.
Highway to the RangerZone open mic night with Andrew North and the Rangers Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m.
Broadway Rave — a Musical Theater Dance Party Friday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m.
End of The Line: A Tribute to the Allman Brothers Band Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
NightOUT with Free Range Revue: Dracula’s Wedding Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m.
Concord Sound & Color Festival — Oliver Hazard with Billy Wylder & Golden Oak Friday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m.
Tony Yazbeck Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
Moon Walker Friday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m.
Highway to the Ranger Zone open mic night with Andrew North and the Rangers Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m.
Christopher Paul Stelling Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Night OUT with Free Range Revue: That ’90s Show Friday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Swing Dance Night with NH Jazz Orchestra Saturday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m.
Symphony NH Illuminated Ensembles Sunday, Nov. 17, at 4 p.m.
Highway to the Ranger Zone open mic night with Andrew North and the Rangers Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m.
Roomful of Blues Saturday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m.
An evening with Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul & Mary) with Mustard Retreat Thursday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m.
deSol Friday, Dec. 20, at 7:30 p.m.
In the Cantin Room at the BNH Stage:
The Starlight Honeys as part of the NH Music Collective Sunday Sessions on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 6 p.m.
Charlie Chronopoulos as part of the NH Music Collective Sunday Sessions on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m.
• Crows’ Feat Farm (178 Drinkwater Road, Kensington, 498-6262, crowsfeatfarm.org) will finish its 2024 lawn concert series with with two September performances: The Mallett Brothers on Sunday, Sept. 8, and Gnarly Darling on Sunday, Sept. 15, both at 3 p.m.
• Dana Center For the Humanities at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, tickets.anselm.edu) has shows on its fall schedule including the Matt Savage Quartet and James Fernando Trio on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m., The Legendary Wailers on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m. and Mac McAnally on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m.
• The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com) has fall concerts including these:
Damn the Torpedoes, a Tom Petty tribute, Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Prince/Bowie, a tribute fusion band, Saturday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Red Wanting Blue Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m.
EagleMania, an Eagles tribute band, Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m
Kris Allen Friday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Jimmy Kenny & the Pirate Band Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7:30 p.m.
Pink Talking Fish Friday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m.
So far on the fall schedule at Fulchino Vineyard (187 Pine Hill Road, Hollis, 438-5984, fulchinovineyard.com) are Ring of Fire — a Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash Tribute on Friday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m., and the Sunday, Sept. 15, Sinatra Wine Pairing Dinner with Chris Jason & Joelle Righetti and the Sinatra Live Big Band (dinner starts at 5 p.m.).
Live events this fall at the Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St., Manchester, 819-9336, jewelmusicvenue.com) include these:
DRI, Re-Tox A.D., Candy Striper Death Orgy and Inverter Thursday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m.
The Dee Allen Memorial Noise Showcase featuring Cost of Living, Journey to the Center of the Colon, BedTimeMagic, Puppy Problems, Signal Chain and BellToneSuicide Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m.
CancerSlug, Street Trash and Grip Bite Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m.
Celph Titled with Suave Ski, N.M.E. The Illest, EyeNine and Hush Stryfe Saturday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m.
Mr. Bill with Camna, Sine Language, Fermented Beats and Concert Winner Saturday, Nov. 16, at 8 p.m.
LaBelle Winery (672-9898, labellewinery.com) has live music on the schedule at both its Amherst (345 Route 101) and its Derry (14 Route 111) locations this fall.
In Derry:
DuelingPianos Show with The Flying Ivories Thursday, Sept. 5, at 8 p.m.
Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives Thursday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m.
United Way of Greater Nashua presents Care-E-Oke Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m.
Jesse Cook Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m.
Rocking Mountain High Experience: A John Denver Christmas Starring Rick Schuler Thursday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m.
Beatles vs. Stones Monday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m.
The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) and its sister theater the Rex Theatre (823 Amherst St., Manchester) have a big schedule for fall. At the Palace:
Sweet Baby James: James Taylor Tribute Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Celebrating Celine with Jenene Caramielo Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Classic Albums Live performs Abbey Road Friday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Bruce in the USA, a tribute to Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, on Friday, Oct. 11, and Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Cheek to Cheek: A Tribute to Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga Thursday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m.
Theatre Rock: A Tribute to the Best of Rock Musicals Friday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m.
At the Rex:
The Ultimate Variety Show: Vegas Top Impersonators on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 7, at 2 p.m.
Soultown Band Sunday, Sept. 8, at 4 p.m.
Pousette-Dart Band Friday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
Silver Springs: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Bedford Big Band Sunday, Sept. 15, at 2 p.m.
Candlelight: a Tribute to Queen Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m.
Candlelight: a Tribute to Coldplay and Imagine Dragons Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 8:30 p.m.
Manchester Citywide Arts Festival Open Mic Night Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m.
Dueling Pianos: Live at the Rex Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Mary Gauthier with special guest Jaimee Harris Friday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m.
American Elton Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Darrell Scott Friday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m.
603 Music: An Evening of Singer-Songwriters with Cosy Sheridan and Kate Redgate Saturday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Candlelight: the Best of the Beatles Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m.
Candlelight: Tribute to Taylor Swift Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 8:30 p.m.
Amy Helm and Band Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Souled Out Show Band Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m.
Freese Brothers Big Band Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m.
Muse: A Salute to Divas of Rock Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
Harvest Blues Festival with The Love Dogs Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m.
Yesterday Once More: A Tribute to The Carpenters on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m.
A History of Women in Music featuring The Femmes Friday, Nov. 1, at 7:30 p.m.
Damn The Torpedoes: A Live Tom Petty Concert Experience Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m.
A Salute to Veterans Celebration with The New Hampshire Jazz Orchestra Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m.
Candlelight: a Tribute to Queen Thursday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m.
Candlelight: a Tribute to Coldplay and Imagine Dragons Thursday, Nov. 14, at 8:30 p.m.
Willie Nile Friday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Moondance: The Ultimate Tribute to Van Morrison Saturday, Nov. 16, at 2 & 7:30 p.m.
Ishna: An Irish Christmas Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7:30 p.m.
Memories of Patsy: The Patsy Cline Tribute Show Sunday, Dec. 1, at 2 p.m.
Nefesh Mountain: The Love and Light Tour Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m.
Whammer Jammer: Live J. Geils Band Tribute Experience Friday, Dec. 20, at 7:30 p.m.
• There will be three concerts at The Range (96 Old Turnpike Road, Mason, 878-1324, therangemason.com) in September: Ballyhoo! With Mad Caddies and Keep Flying (Friday, Sept. 6, 6 p.m), all-female tribute act Lez Zeppelin (Friday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.), once described as “the most powerful all-female band in rock history,” and Jatoba (Friday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m.).
• Shows scheduled at SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com) this fall: Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, and founder of founded the Lilith Fair tour, Sarah McLachlan on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; 1980s supergroup Duran Duran on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m., and the Godmode Tour Part 2 for In This Moment with Kim Dracula, Nathan James and Mike’s Dead on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 6:30 p.m.
• Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, 5 Pinkerton St., Derry; stockbridgetheatre.com) will host Tommy Dorsey Orchestra on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. and Stairway to Zeppelin on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m.
So far, the scheduled fall concerts at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) include:
Anthony Gomes Friday, Sept. 6, at 8 p.m.
Unforgettable Fire U2 tribute Saturday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m.
“The Breakers,” a tribute to Tom Petty, on Friday, Sept. 13, at 8 p.m.
KK’s Priest with special guest Accept Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7:45 p.m.
Croce Plays Croce Sunday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.
King X with special guest Trope Thursday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m.
John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band Saturday, Sept. 21, at 8 p.m.
X Sunday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m.
Slaughter Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m.
Liz Longley Friday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m.
Phillip Phillips Saturday, Sept. 28, at 8 p.m.
Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras Sunday, Sept. 29, at 8 p.m.
Kashmir: the Live Led Zeppelin Show Friday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m.
Thunder From Down Under Thursday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m.
Panorama and Bikini Whale Two bands paying tribute to The Cars and The B-52’s on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m.
Ana Popovic Sunday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m.
Richie Kotzen Thursday, Oct. 17, at 8 p.m.
Foreigners Journey tribute band Friday, Oct. 18, and Saturday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m.
Tom Rush with Matt Nakoa openingSunday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m.
Awaken: The Music of Yes on Friday, Oct. 25, at 8 p.m.
Hollywood Nights — Bob Seger tribute Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m.
Adrenalize — The Ultimate Def Leppard Experience Friday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m.
Coco Montoya and Ronnie Baker Brooks Friday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m.
Glenn Miller Orchestra Sunday, Nov. 17, at noon and 4:30 p.m.
Matisyahu Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m.
The Artimus Pyle Band honoring the music of Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd on Friday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m.
The British Invasion Years Saturday, Nov. 23, at 8 p.m.
The Four Horsemen: The Ultimate Tribute to Metallica Friday, Nov. 29, at 8 p.m.
The Fools Saturday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m.
Carbon Leaf Saturday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m.
Wishbone Ash Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m.
Tab Benoit with Jesse Dalton Band opening Friday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m.
Beck-Olathe music of Jeff Beck with Johnny A Saturday, Dec. 14, at 8 p.m.
Quiet Riot Thursday, Dec. 19, at 8 p.m.
Thunderstruck “America’s AC/DC” Friday, Dec. 20, at 8 p.m.
The Bank of NH Pavilion (80 Recycle Way, Gilford, 293-4700, banknhpavilion.com) will continue to host concerts through Sept. 20. Scheduled acts include:
Jordan Davis, Mitchell Tenpenny, and Ashley Cooke Friday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m.
The National and The War on Drugs with special guest Lucius Thursday, Sept. 12, at 6:45 p.m.
Cody Jinks and Josh Meloy Friday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
Staind and Breaking Benjamin Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 5:30 p.m.
Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and John Mellencamp Friday, Sept. 20, at 5 p.m.
The Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 929-4100, casinoballroom.com) has concerts scheduled through mid-November, including:
Sevendust Friday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m.
Clutch and Rival Sons with Special Guest Fu Manchu Sunday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.
Alkaline Triowith Spanish Love Songs and Slomosa Sunday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Beth Hart Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m.
Mother Mother with Winnetka Bowling League Saturday, Sept. 28, at 8 p.m.
Clint Black Saturday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m.
Voyage, celebrating the music of Journey, with Desolation Angels, a tribute to Bad Company, on Friday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m.
Scotty McCreery Saturday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m.
Theory Of a DeadmanUnplugged, with Saint Asonia and Cory Marks Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m.
Fall concerts at the Colonial Theatre (609 Main St., Laconia, 657-8774, coloniallaconia.com) include:
A Temptations Experience Sunday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m.
The Sixties Show Friday, Sept. 20, at 8 p.m.
Almost Queen: A Tribute to Queen Saturday, Sept. 21, at 8 p.m.
The Concert: a Tribute to ABBA Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Five For Fighting with String Quartet Friday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Live From Laurel Canyon: Songs & Stories of American Folk Rock Saturday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m.
Let’s Sing Taylor: A Live Band Experience Celebrating Taylor Swift Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
10,000 Maniacs Sunday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m.
Lonestar Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Rocky Mountain High Experience Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Beatles vs. Stones Thursday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Due to ongoing renovations to the Franklin Opera House (316 Central St., Franklin, 934-1901, franklinoperahouse.org) this fall’s concerts will take place at other venues. This season’s concerts are Dueling Pianos of New Hampshire at the Franklin Elks Lodge on Saturday, Sept. 21, and Eloise & Co. at the Franklin Public Library on Saturday, Oct. 12. Eloise & Co. features the combined creative force of two of the country’s most sought-after traditional musicians, fiddler Becky Tracy and accordionist Rachel Bell.
This fall Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club (135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 888-603-JAZZ, jimmysoncongress.com) will host performances including:
CKS Band Thursday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Stanley Plays The Dead Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:30 p.m.
Dan Walker Band Monday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m.
Bywater Call Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Sam Morrow Band Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
J.P. Soars & the Red Hots Friday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
Orrin Evans and Captain Black Big Band Sunday, Sept. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Colin James Monday, Sept. 16, and Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m.
Southern Avenue Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7:30 p.m.
Dennis Chambers, Jeff Berline and Michael Wolff Sunday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m.
James Montgomery Band Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
Cécile McLorin Salvant with Glenn Zaleski Friday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m.
Eddie Palmieri Sextet Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra: Colombian Music for Clarinet & String Quartet Sunday, Sept. 29, at 6:30 p.m.
An Evening with Lady Luck Burlesque featuring Bunny Wonderland Monday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m.
The Steepwater Band Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m.
Curtis Stigers Wednesday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Artemis Sunday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m.
Mica’s Groove Train Monday Night Local Artists Series Monday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m.
Laurence Juber’s Airfoil Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Bob James Quartet Thursday, Oct. 10, and Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m.
Van Morrison Saturday, Oct. 12, and Sunday, Oct. 13,at 8 p.m.
John Scofield Trio featuring Vicente Archer and Bill Stewart Friday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Peter Parcek Blues Review Sunday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m.
The Brothers Project Monday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m.
Christian McBride and Inside Straight Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m.
Grace Kelly Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m.
Acoustic Alchemy Thursday, Oct. 24, and Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
Roomful of Blues Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m.
Arturo Sandoval Friday, Nov. 8, and Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Eric Gales Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Quinn Sullivan Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 p.m.
The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St, Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org) has concerts slated for both the Historic Theatre and the Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth). There will also be a Live Under the Arch performance, a venue space outside the Theatre, on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 7:30 p.m. by Coyote Island with special guest Sneaky Miles. At the Historic Theatre:
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers Saturday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m.
Everclear with Marcy’s Playground and Jimmie’s Chicken Shack Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m.
The Machine performs Pink Floyd Friday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m.
LeAnn Rimes Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m.
Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra Fall Concerts — Musical Portraits Sunday, Oct. 27, at 3 p.m.
Pink Talking Fish Thursday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m.
The Brit Pack Sunday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.
At the Lounge, see:
Ari Hest Thursday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Jill Sobule Friday, Sept. 6, at 8 p.m.
Lisa Bastoni Sunday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m.
Taylor O’Donnell and Mike Effenberger Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Gabe Lee Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.
Brendan James Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m.
Bruce Sudano Friday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m.
Lucy Kaplansky Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Daniela Schächter Quintet Sunday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m.
Peter Bradley Adams Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m.
Trace Bundy Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Richard Shindell Friday, Oct. 4, at 6 & 8:30 p.m.
The Mammals Saturday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m.
Ben Sollee Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Dean Owens and the Sinners Friday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m.
Willy Porter and Maia Sharp Saturday, Oct. 12, at 8:30 p.m.
Geneviève Racette Sunday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m.
Tray Wellington Band Monday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m.
Joshua Hyslop Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m.
Smithfield Thursday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m.
Ward Hayden and the Outliers Friday, Oct. 25, at 8 p.m.
Antje Duvekot Saturday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m.
Debashish Bhattacharya Trio Monday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m.
Ken Yates Friday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m.
Chadwick Stokes Sunday, Nov. 3, at 5 & 8 p.m.
Halley Neal Trio Friday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m.
BBMAK Friday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m.
Griffin House Saturday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m.
Rochester Opera House (31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 335-1992, rochesteroperahouse.com) will host regional and national acts this fall, including:
The Best of the ’70s with DizzyFish and the Uptown Horns Saturday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m.
Kanin Wren’s Taylor Swift Experience Friday, Sept. 13, at 8 p.m.
Start Making Sense: A Tribute to Talking Heads Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m.
Danny Klein’s Full House Saturday, Sept. 21, at 8 p.m.
Shemekia Copeland Friday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m.
PorchFest 2024 Sunday, Sept. 29, at noon
The Ultimate Doors Friday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m.
Dancing Dream: A Tribute to ABBA Friday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m.
The Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show Friday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m.
Molly Hatchet Saturday, Nov. 23, at 8 p.m.
Fall performances at Stone Church (5 Granite St., Newmarket, 659-7700, stonechurchrocks.com) include:
Space Baconand Lee Ross Friday, Sept. 6, at 9 p.m.
Joyce Andersen Saturday, Sept. 7, at 4 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m.
Dave Gerard Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 6:30 p.m.
Elsa Cross Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m.
Wolfman Jack Friday, Sept. 13, at 9 p.m.
David Fiuczynski’s KiF with Amorphous Trio Saturday, Sept. 14, at 9 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.
The Village Acoustic Jam on Zion Hill, hosted by Adriana Scott and Mike Skrip Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m.
Sans Souci Jerry Garcia Band Tribute Thursday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m.
Yam Yam and Clandestine Friday, Sept. 20, at 9 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m.
Seth Yacavone Band Friday, Sept. 27, at 9 p.m.
Creamery Station and The Chops Saturday, Sept. 28, at 9 p.m.
Jim & Jordan’s Irish Sundays Sunday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m.
The Village Acoustic Jam on Zion Hill, hosted by Adriana Scott and Mike Skrip Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m.
Dreadnoughts, Hub City Stompers, and Penniless Jacks Thursday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m.
Escaper and Mono Means One Saturday, Oct. 12, at 9 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m.
The Village Acoustic Jam on Zion Hill, hosted by Adriana Scott and Mike Skrip Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m.
Scissorfight, Murcielago, The Long Wait, Paul Jarvis Friday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m.
Jim & Jordan’s Irish Sundays Sunday, Oct. 27, at 4 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m.
Halloween Show: Jimkata with special guests Px3 Thursday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m.
The Village Acoustic Jam on Zion Hill, hosted by Adriana Scott and Mike Skrip Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m.
Strange Machines, The Edd Saturday, Nov. 9, at 9 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m.
The Village Acoustic Jam on Zion Hill, hosted by Adriana Scott and Mike Skrip Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m.
Jim & Jordan’s Irish Sundays Sunday, Nov. 24, at 4 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m.
The Village Acoustic Jam on Zion Hill, hosted by Adriana Scott and Mike Skrip Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m.
The Village Acoustic Jam on Zion Hill, hosted by Adriana Scott and Mike Skrip Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m.
The Best Open Mic in the World with Dave Ogden Sunday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m.
The Strand (20 Third St., Dover, 343-1899, thestranddover.com) will host Soultown Band on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 8 p.m.; Neon Wave New Wave tribute band on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 8 p.m., and Little Lies tribute to Fleetwood Mac on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 8 p.m.
Musical performances at 3S Artspace (319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, 766-3330, 3sarts.org) generally start at 8 p.m. Scheduled shows include:
Bob Mould with J. Robbins Sunday, Sept. 8
Karina Rykman Thursday, Sept. 12
Vapors of Morphine and Dub Apocalypse Friday, Sept. 13
Shovels & Rope, with Al Olender Tuesday, Sept. 17
Indigo De Souza with ill Peach Tuesday, Sept. 24
Southern Culture on the Skids with The Woggles Wednesday, Spet. 25
Big Something Thursday, Sept. 26
Augustana with verygently Sunday, Sept. 29
Mihali with Dry Reef Thursday, Oct. 10
Low Cut Connie with Will Dailey Friday, Oct. 11
Sneaky Miles and The Wolff Sisters Saturday, Oct. 12
Pom Pom Squad Thursday, Oct. 17
Bendigo Fletcher with Anna Tivel Tuesday, Oct. 22
Destroyer Wednesday, Oct. 23
Kash’d Out with Dale and the Zdubs Sunday, Nov. 10
Alisa Amador with Beane Wednesday, Nov. 13
Lady Lamb with Humbird Sunday, Nov. 17
Habib Koité, Aly Keïta, Lamine Cissokho, Mandé Sila Thursday, Nov. 21
Futurebirds Friday, Nov. 22
Donna The Buffalo Saturday, Dec. 14
The Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter, 244-0202, thewordbarn.com) has live music scheduled, with most shows starting at 7 p.m. through the fall, including:
Jeffrey Foucault Thursday, Sept. 5
Haley Heynderickx Friday, Sept. 6
Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road Saturday, Sept. 7
Darlingside Sunday, Sept. 8, 3:30 & 7 p.m.
David Wilcox Thursday, Sept. 12
Jake Swamp and The Pine with Harrison Goodell Friday, Sept. 13
The Wildmans with Rachel Sumner Sunday, Sept. 15
Country Gongbang Thursday, Sept. 19
Jolie Holland Friday, Sept. 20
Sol y Canto Thursday, Sept. 26
Clem Snide with Rye Valley Friday, Sept. 27
May Erlewine Sunday, Sept. 29
Mark Erelli Thursday, Oct. 3
King Kyote Friday, Oct. 11
Little Wishbone with The Mountain Sunday, Oct. 13
Robert Ellis Wednesday, Oct. 16
Molly Parden, Eliza Edens and Louisa Stancioff Friday, Oct. 18
John Smith Monday, Oct. 23
Laura Cortese and The Dance Cards Friday, Oct. 27
California Guitar Trio Friday, Nov. 1
Shane Koyczan with Derrick Brown Monday, Nov. 4
Ryanhood Friday, Nov. 8
Cheryl Wheeler with special guest Kenny White Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m.
Fireside on the Mountain with the Fireside Collective Sunday, Nov. 10
David Francey Friday, Nov. 15
Zachariah Hickman’s Power Outage Party Saturday, Nov. 16, & Sunday, Nov. 17
Haley Jane Band Thursday, Nov. 21
David Francey Friday, Nov. 22
Jane Siberry Friday, Nov. 29
ART – Events
• Concord Arts Market,an outdoor artisan and fine art market, has its final Saturday market of the season on Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). The Market will also be at Intown Concord’s First Friday on Nov. 1 in Bicentennial Square from 4 to 8 p.m. Visit concordartsmarket.net.
• Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury, shakers.org, 783-9511) will hold its annual Artisan Market on Saturday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free to this event featuring handcrafted arts, music and family activities, according to the website.
• The International Sculpture Symposium at the Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13, Brookline, andresinstitute.org, 673-7441) kicks off Saturday, Sept. 14, with an opening ceremony at 1 p.m. Sculptors Morton Burke of Alberta, Canada; Jim Larson of Portland, Maine, and Adrian Wall of Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico, are this year’s artists. There will be a reception with an opportunity to meet the artists on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 5 p.m. The closing ceremony will be Sunday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m. See andresinstitute.org for a look at the artists’ past works as well as a trail map.
• Manchester Citywide Arts Festival runs Monday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 22, with a series of events culminating in a street festival on Saturday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See palacetheatre.org/manchester-citywide-arts-festival for the full list of workshops and demonstrations throughout the festival and events such as the open mic night at the Rex on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m.; a Art After Work night at the Currier Museum of Art on Sept. 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. and the Spotlight Room Pop-Up Gallery on Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis, 465-7787, beaverbrook.org) hosts its annual Fall Festival and Art Show on Saturday, Sept. 28, and Sunday, Sept. 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature an adult and children’s art show, children’s crafts, a Maple Hill Gardener’s Bake Sale, a story walk, a scavenger hunt, owl activities, an insect safari, music, a birds of prey show on Saturday, puppet shows both days, local exhibitors and more.
• Monadnock Art Open Studio Tour runs Saturday, Oct. 12, through Monday, Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with more than 65 participating artists in Peterborough, Dublin, Jaffrey, Sharon, Harrisville, Hancock and Marlborough. Find a map with a listing of all the artists at monadnockart.org/monadnock-art-open-studio-tour.
• Center for the Arts (centerfortheartsnh.org) will hold its Open Studios for artists in the New London area on Saturday, Oct. 12, and Sunday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. See the website for updates on participating art studios.
• Concord Sound & Color Music and Arts Festival Friday, Oct. 18, and Saturday, Oct. 19, at locations in downtown Concord. Catch live music both evenings at three different venues as well as the Mr. Aaron Halloween Party at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Queen City Improv at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. The event will also feature three public art installations and a community art mosaic. The festival is free. See concordsoundandcolor.com for more.
• Deerfield Arts Tour takes place Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 20 artists are slated to participate, according to deerfieldarts.com where you can find a map of the studios.
shows open now
• “Speaking for Wildlife — Alpine Averill Photography Exhibit” featuring the photos of Rebecca Scott will run through Saturday, Sept. 7, open daily until then 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Road Farm, Concord, nhaudubon.org, 224-9909).
• “Somewhere to Remember,” an exhibit featuring the works at Lizzy Berube, who “paints large seasonal landscapes in acrylic and oil, inspired by places in New England where she has spent time,” at Two Villages Art Society (846 Main St., Contoocook, twovillagesart.org) through Saturday, Sept. 7. The gallery is open Thursdays through Sunday noon to 4 p.m.
• “Constructs,” described as a “group exhibition exploring distinct visual languages through geometric abstraction and sculptural works” and featuring the work of Damion Silver, Eric Katzman, Don Williams, Jenny McGee Doughery and Trevor Toney, is on display at the Pillar Gallery (205 N. State St., Concord, pillargalleryprojects.com) through Sept. 15. The gallery is open Sunday, Tuesday and Friday, 3 to 7 p.m.
• Sandy Cleary Community Art Gallery at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) currently features the works of artists Kate Pritchard, Krysta Rhiann LaBlanc, Matthew Robertson and Madeleine LaRose, on display through September.
• “Rick Freed: The World Through My Window” is on display at the art gallery at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua, nashualibrary.org) through the end of September. The library is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
• “Full Circle: The Speed of Light” at Mosaic Art Collective (66 Hanover St., Manchester, mosaicartcollective.com) will run through Tuesday, Oct. 1, with an opening reception and birthday celebration to celebrate the collective’s second anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 14, 4 to 8 p.m.
• “Daniel Otero Torres: Sonidos Del Crepusculo (Twilight Sounds)” will be on display at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org) through Sunday, Oct. 6.
• “Stories of the Sea” includes Van Gogh’s first outdoor painting and two by Andrew Wyeth and will be on display at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org) until Friday, Oct. 18.
• “Harvest of Arts” presented by the Manchester Artists Association and the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn, nhaudubon.org, 668-2045) will feature 15 artists paintings and photographs that “capture the iconic images and colors of autumn in New England” and will be on display at the Massabesic Center through Nov. 1. The center is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A reception for the exhibit will be held Saturday, Sept. 7, from noon to 3 p.m.
• “Olga de Amaral: Everything is Construction and Color” featuring works by the abstract artist from Latin America who “works with materials that she sources locally, such as raw wool, wood branches, luffa, horsehair, plastic, and most notably, gold” at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org, 669-6144) on through Sunday, Jan. 12.
Shows opening soon
• “Wide Open Spaces: En Plein Air” En plein air is a French expression meaning “in the open air” and refers to the act of painting outdoors with the artist’s subject in full view, according to the website, at Twiggs Gallery (254 Kings St, Boscawen, twiggsgallery.org, 669-6144) on view from Saturday, Sept. 7, till Sunday, Oct. 27, with an opening reception on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 1 to 3 p.m.
• “Native New Hampshire Birds Exhibit” features the acrylic paintings of artist Shannon Bender of Enfield at the New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm, Concord, nhaudubon.org, 224-9909) Thursday, Sept. 12, through Saturday, Nov. 2. The McLane Center is open Wednesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A reception will be Friday, Sept. 20, 4 to 6 p.m.
• “Colorful Contemplations, Abstract Realities” featuring the works of Bedford artist and teacher Marcie Roberts at Two Villages Art Society (846 Main St., Contoocook, twovillagesart.org) Saturday, Sept. 14, through Saturday, Oct. 12. The gallery is open Thursdays through Sunday noon to 4 p.m.
• “Dan Dailey: Impressions of the Human Spirit” “is a retrospective examination of a transformative sculptor whose creative ideas and inventiveness expanded the vocabulary of art” at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org, 669-6144) on view Thursday, Sept. 26, through Sunday, Feb. 2.
• “October 9th – November 9th Show” will display the unique work of six local artists as well as the art of curator Christina Landry-Boullion at Glimpse Gallery (Patriot Building, 4 Park St., Concord, theglimpsegallery.com, 892-8307) with receptions from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12; Friday, Oct. 18, and Saturday, Nov. 2.
THEATER
The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) kicks off the St. Mary’s Bank 2024-2025 Performing Arts Series with Oliver!the musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist on Friday, Sept. 6. The show runs through Sunday, Sept. 29, with shows Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. as well as Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $45 to $59.
Jersey Boys will run Friday, Oct. 18, through Sunday, Nov. 10, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays as well as Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $45 to $59.
Other productions at the Palace include:
Witch Perfect, a parody of Hocus Pocus, featuring performers from the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race — Tina Burner, Scarlet Envy and Alexis Michelle — on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $49 through $60. For an additional $60, purchase a pre-show meet and greet.
Theatre Rock, a tribute to rock musicals from 1970 to the present, on Friday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $25 to $45.
The Nutcrackerfrom Southern New Hampshire Dance Theatre. on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 23, at 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 24, at noon and 4 p.m. Tickets cost $45 to $59.
The Palace Youth Theatre, whose productions feature student performers in grades 2 to 12, will present Camp Rock The Musical on Wednesday, Sept. 18, and Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 to $15.
The young actors are also slated to present Legally Blonde The Musical Jr. in October.
At the Rex Theater (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org), scheduled productions include
The Ultimate Variety Show presented by Anthony & Eddie Edwards with Vegas’ top impersonators and impressionists on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 7, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $29 to $49.
Manchester’s Got Talent! An open mic and variety show as part of the Manchester Citywide Arts Festival on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m.
Sausagefest with the Calamari Sisters comedy musical show on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $35 to $45.
Magic Rockswith illusionist Leon Eitenne on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 4 & 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35.
At the Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St., Portsmouth, seacoastrep.org), Rock of Ages continues through Sunday, Sept. 8. Also at the Rep are Nick Dear’s Frankenstein (Thursday, Sept. 19, through Sunday, Oct. 27); Lizzie Thursday, Sept. 26, through Sunday, Oct. 27; The Rocky Horror Show Live (Wednesday, Oct. 30, through Friday, Nov. 1, plus Tuesday, Dec. 31); Under Pressure (Sunday, Nov. 3), and Cats (Thursday, Nov. 14, through Sunday, Dec. 22).
Pre-Thanksgiving shows at the Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth, playersring.org) include Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike(Friday, Sept. 6, through Sunday, Sept. 22); Nurse! (Friday, Sept. 27, through Sunday, Sept. 29); Lindsay and Her Puppet Pals on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Head, Heart and Heather (Friday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Oct. 20); Trick and Treat (Saturday, Oct. 12, through Sunday, Oct. 20); Sisterhood of the Survivors on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2:30 p.m.; The Fall of the House of Usher (Thursday, Oct. 31, through Sunday, Nov. 17), and A Tuna Christmas (Friday, Nov. 22, through Sunday, Dec. 1).
Head to the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, theaudi.org) for the The New Hampshire State Community Theater Festival on Saturday, Sept. 7. See the story in this week’s Arts section.
The Powerhouse Theatre Collaboration (powerhousenh.org) has shows on its fall schedule. The Immigrant, described as “a play reading about one Jewish immigrant’s experience arriving in Galveston, Texas, in the early 1900s,” on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3 p.m. at the Laconia Public Library and Sunday, Sept. 8, at 3 p.m. at the Congregational Church of Laconia. RSVP online. After the reading, there will be a discussion with the cast.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland will be presented Sunday, Sept. 15; Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22, with performances beginning every 20 minutes from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $10.
The Crucible will be presented at the Colonial Theatre (609 Main St., coloniallaconia.com) on Friday, Oct. 11, and Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $18 to $22.
At the Dana Center for the Humanities (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, tickets.anselm.edu) see Aaron Tolson Institute of Dance Presents: Tapped In on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25. The website describes the show as featuring “dancers from Speaking In Taps, a training ground for young dancers. It is a pre-professional tap company that provides tailored, advanced instruction to broaden and strengthen the breadth of each dancer’s individual scope and fosters their goals. ”
The Majestic Theatre kicks off its season on Friday Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21, at 6:30 p.m. with “Paris! City of Lights,” its fundraiser featuring “performances by Majestic’s adult, teen, & youth actors, Ted Herbert Music School faculty & students, and special guests. Silent auction … Special theme raffles, and refreshments each evening,” according to the website. Tickets cost $20 and the event will be held at the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester). Check back with majestictheatre.net for more on their plans this season.
The Capitol Center for the Arts (ccanh.com) has theatrical presentations scheduled at both the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord) and at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord).
At the Chubb:
The Great Gatsby presented by Literature to Life on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 10:30 a.m. Tickets cost $8.
Vampire Circus, a mix of circus cabaret and theater, Thursday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $44 through $64.
A Conversation with Kathryn Grody & Mandy Patinkin Friday, Nov. 1, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $58 through $95.
Cirque Kalabanté “Afrique en Cirque is a show by Yamoussa Bangoura, inspired by daily life in Guinea. This performance shares the beauty, youth and artistry of African culture,” according to ccanh.com. The performance will take place Friday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $48 through $68.
My Father’s Dragon, part of the Education Series, will take the stage Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 10:30 a.m. Tickets cost $8.
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, The Musical, also part of the Education Series, will take the stage Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 10:30 a.m. Tickets cost $8.
At the BNH Stage:
Life Sucks. Presented by Theatre Kapow, which describes the play as a “brash and revelatory reworking of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya,” Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 22, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $33.75, $26.75 for students and seniors. According to tkapow.com the show contains “Strong Language, Adult Situations, Gunshots. Recommended for ages 13+.”
Broadway Rave musical theater dance party on Friday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $20.75 for early bird purchase, $23.75.
Death of a Gangster an 18+ show presented by Murder Mystery Co. with a dessert buffet on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 4 & 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $48.75.
Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare will present Much Ado About Nothing on Friday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $39.75 in advance, $5 more at the door.
Pontine Theatre (1 Plains Ave., Portsmouth, pontine.org) will feature Odysseus presented by Kingfisher Theatre on Friday, Sept. 20, through Sunday, Sept. 22, and John Farrell with “Four Quartets” Friday, Oct. 25, through Sunday, Oct. 27. See website for available times and ticket prices.
Advice to the Players will present The Tempest on Saturday, Sept. 21; Saturday, Sept. 28, and Sunday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m. at Quimby Park in Center Sandwich. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students. See advicetotheplayers.org.
The Gallery at 3S Artspace (319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, 3Sarts.org, 766-3330) has shows on the schedule including Shadows – A Physical Theater Dramapresented by Articine, directed by Elizabeth Daily, on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 for members and $28 for general admission.
The Nashua Theatre Guild will present A Prelude to a Kiss Friday, Sept. 27, and Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 29, at 2 p.m. at the Court Street Theatre, 14 Court St., Nashua. Tickets cost $20, $18 for students and seniors. See nashuatheatreguild.org.
The Milford Area Players will present The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company) Friday, Sept. 27, through Sunday, Oct. 6. Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. See milfordareaplayers.org.
Upcoming shows at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse (33 Footlight Circle, Meredith, winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org) include Behind the Curtain with Ashely Meekin and Tegan Marie Kelly, a cabaret show fundraiser,on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $60 to the show, $100 to include a pre-show reception. A Year With Frog and Toad, presented by the professional theater for young audiences, will run Saturdays, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m. Tickets cost $10 to $20. The ImprovOlympics will be on Saturday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10.
The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, the musichall.org) will present Story Pirates, described as “sketch comedy podcast brings their fast-paced, hilarious, and inspiring show to The Music Hall with actors, singers, comedians, and the funniest Story Pirate characters around,” on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 through $50.
Catch A Conversation of Alan Ruck — known for the TV show Succession and the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off among many other credits — on Friday, Oct. 18, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $45.
Literature of Life will present The Great Gatsby on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 9:30 a.m.
Enrichment Theatre Company presents My Father’s Dragon on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Ogunquit Playhouse presents Disney’s Frozen Wednesday, Nov. 27, through Sunday, Dec. 22, with shows Wednesdays through Thursdays (except for Thanksgiving). See specific days and times for ticket prices.
Theatrical offerings at the Stockbridge Theatre (5 Pinkerton St., Derry, pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre) include:
The Pout Pout Fishpresented by Theatre Works USA on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10 to $12.
Dracula presented by PUSH Physical Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 to $35.
In addition to its lineup of music and comedy, Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) will present Saw The Musical: An Unauthorized Parody on Friday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $40 to $113.
Lend Me A Theater (lendmeatheater.org) will present Mandate For Murder, a political satire murder mystery with audience interaction, on Saturday, Nov. 9, when dinner is at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 10, when dinner is at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for dinner and a show ($55) and just the show ($25).
The Manchester Community Theatre Players will perform Disney’s The Little Mermaid at The MCTP Theatre at North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester) Friday, Oct. 18, through Sunday, Oct. 27. Showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. See manchestercommunitytheatre.com.
SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, snhuarena.com) offers its own kind of excitement on a stage:
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 12:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 13, at 2:30 p.m.
Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey on Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 17, noon and 4 p.m. Tickets cost $19 to $119.
Community Players of Concord have shows on the schedule this fall. Charlotte’s Web will be presented by the Community Players of Concord Children’s Theatre Project (Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord, communityplayersofconcord.org, 224-4905) with showtimes on Friday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15.
The Players will take on Bye Bye Birdie at the Audi in November, with showtimes on Friday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 24, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 age 17 and under as well as 65+. Tickets available online at or at the Audi box office 90 minutes before the show.
The Peacock Players will present Alice in Wonderland Jr. at Janice B. Streeter Theatre (14 Court St. in Nashua) Friday, Oct. 18, through Sunday, Oct. 27. Shows are 7 p.m. on Fridays, 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets cost $15 and $18 for adults; $12 and $15 for students and seniors.
The fall teen mainstage production will be Mean Girls: High School Version,presented at Janice B. Streeter Theatre (14 Court St., Nashua) Friday, Nov. 15, through Sunday, Nov. 24. Shows are 7 p.m. on Fridays, 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets cost $15 and $18 for adults; $12 and $15 for students and seniors. See peacockplayers.org.
Cue Zero Theatre’s fall show is [title of show], which will run Friday, Oct. 25, through Sunday, Oct. 27, at Arts Academy of New Hampshire in Salem. The play is “a love letter to the musical theater — a uniquely American art form — and to the joy of collaboration,” according to cztheatre.com.
Epping Community Theater (38 Ladds Lane, Epping, eppingtheater.org) will present Disney’s Descendants on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $15 for ages 12 and under.
Riverbend Youth Company will present Beetlejuice Friday, Nov. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 3, at the Amato Center for the Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company). See the website for updates.
Actorsingers will present Beauty and the Beast Friday, Nov. 8, through Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). See actorsingers.org.
Safe Haven Ballet (safehavenballet.org) has several holiday productions on its schedule. Some early ones:
The Nutcracker at The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, the musichall.org) on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $48.50 to $53.50.
The Nutcracker at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., nashuacenterforthearts.com) Saturday, Nov. 23, at 4:30 p.m. Adult tickets cost $45; seniors and students cost $40.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., nashuacenterforthearts.com) Sunday, Nov. 24, 4:30 p.m. Adult tickets cost $45; seniors and students cost $40.
Kids Coop Theatre will present Disney’s Descendants The Musical Friday, Nov. 22, through Sunday, Nov. 24. (Auditions are Sunday, Sept. 8, from noon to 4 p.m.) See kctnh.org for updates.
CLASSICAL
• Evenings at Avaloch in the concert barn space at Avaloch Farm Music Institute with visiting artists and ensembles of different genres from around the world who are in residence at Avaloch Farm Music Institute (16 Hardy Lane, Boscawen, avalochfarmmusic.org). Suggested donation is $10. On Friday, Aug. 30, at 7:30 p.m. the performers are Trio Oko, saajtak, Balourdet Quartet and Trio Simsive-Spiegelberg-Yang. On Friday, Sept. 6, at 7:30 p.m. the performers are Ayano Ninomiya, Rasa String Quartet, Thalea String Quartet, Sophie Delphis and Ari Livne. On Friday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m. the performers are Hinterlands, Ariel Mo, KJ Mcdonald and Tanjo & Crow.
• Choir! Choir! Choir! “Hallelujah An Epic Anthems Sing Along” on Thursday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m. at BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). Tickets cost $43.75 and $53.75.
• “Out of This World” with Principal Winds a Family Matinee Series performance by the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 3 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 101 Chapel St. Portsmouth. The concert will pay “homage to space travel and otherworldly themes” and include “selections from the Star Wars soundtrack and Gustav Holst’s ‘The Planets’” as wella s other pieces, according to portsmouthsymphony.org. $15 suggested donation at the door.
• Bedford Big Band on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 2 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $29.
• “Harmony Returns!” presented by the Concord Coachmen and guest chorus Greenlight Quartet and Northern Voices, on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, theaudi.org). Tickets cost $20 at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord and at the door. See concordcoachmen.org.
• “Take 3 — Where Rock Meets Bach” a concert that is all-ages and “ranges form Beethoven to the Beach Boys” from the Concord Community Concert Association on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, theaudi.org). Tickets cost $20 at the door and $23 online at ccca-audi.org.
• Swing Dance Night with the NH Jazz Orchestra on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 3:30 p.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). Tickets cost $30.75. Swing dance lessons start at 3:30 p.m. followed by dancing and music at 4 p.m.
• Colombian Music for Clarinet & Strings featuring clarinetist Santiago Baena Florez and members of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra’s string section in a night of Colombian music featuring two suites by composers Jose Revelo Burbano and Alfredo Mejia Vallejo on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m. at Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club (135 Congress St., Portsmouth) with optional dinner service starting at 5 p.m., a meet and greet with PSO music director John Page at 5:30 p.m. and performance at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $20 to $40. See portsmouthsymphony.org.
• Fall Fiddle Festival Concert at the Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St., Concord, 228-1196, ccmusicschool.org) in the Recital Hall on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m featuring guest faculty members Hanneke Cassel, a fiddling champion, and Don Roy, and two New Hampshire fiddlers Audrey Budington and Liz Faiella joined by Cindy Roy on piano and Dan Faiella on guitar. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $20 for students.
• Tommy Dorsey Orchestra on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, Derry, pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre). Tickets cost $15 to $35.
• Matt Savage Quartet & James Fernando Trio billed as “an evening of genuine jazz,” will perform Sunday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m. at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, tickets.anselm.edu). Tickets cost $35.
• Candlelight: Tribute to The Beatles on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $43 to $60.
• Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 8:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $43 to $60.
• Eliot Fisk in a solo guitar concert at the Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St., Concord, 228-1196, ccmusicschool.org) on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. Free.
• Fanfare Kick Off to the season of Symphony NH and the final season of Maestro Roger Kalia will be held Sky Meadow Country Club (6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua) on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m. The evening will include food and an auction. Tickets cost $100. See symphonynh.org.
• Rhapsody in Red, White & Blue NH Philharmonic Orchestra kicks off its season with the premiere of Peter Boyer’s homage to George Gerswhin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” “Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue” featuring Steinway artist Jeffrey Biegel performing both works. The concert will also feature Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide Overture,” Joan Tower’s “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman” and William Grant Still’s Symphony Nov. 3 the “Sunday Symphony.” The concert will be at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem) on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 27, 2 p.m. Tickets cost $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, $10 for students and $5 for Salem students. See nhphil.org.
• KITKA Women’s Vocal Ensemble will perform as part of the Gile Series at the Chubb Theatre Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m.
• Mahler 4 — Visions of Heaven a concert from Symphony New Hampshire will feature “soprano Carley DeFranco on a journey through Mahler’s delightful vision of heaven with his Fourth Symphony paired with Samuel Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915”’ according symphonynh.org. The concert takes place Sunday, Oct. 27, at 4 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashucenterforthearts.com). Tickets cost $32 to $67.
• Musical Portraits the season opening concert of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra featuring Shostakovich’s Symphony Nov. 10 in E minor, Op. 93 and Copland’s Lincoln Portrait on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 3 p.m. at the Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org). Tickets cost $25-$45, $15 for students. See portsmouthsymphony.org.
• “Faith In The Seed With the Thoreau Piano Trio” inspired by Thoreau’s essay “The Dispersion of Seeds” with a piano/violin/cello trio featuring the music of Bernstein, Shostakovich and Mendelssohn on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, theaudi.org). Free, no tickets required.
• Brahms Requiem the fall concert from the Nashua Chamber Orchestra will take place Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Nashua Community College and Sunday, Nov. 3, at 3 p.m at Milford Town Hall. See nco-music.org for tickets.
• “Brother Four” on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. presented by the Concord Community Concert Association at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, theaudi.org). Tickets $20 at the door and $23 online at ccca-audi.org.
• Concord Community Music School40th Anniversary Year Fundraising Gala on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 5:30 p.m. at Pembroke Pines Country Club (42 Whittemore Road, Pembroke). Tickets cost $125. The evening will feature music, food and more. See ccmusicschool.org.
• NH 39th Army Band Veterans Day Concert on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) as part of the Gile Series.
• Beethoven’s 3rd Exploring Eroica, a concert from Symphony New Hampshire that will “delve into the intricacies of Beethoven’s pivotal Third Symphony with musical excerpts provided by the SNH musicians,” according symphonynh.org on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashucenterforthearts.com). Tickets cost $32 to $67.
• Candlelight: Tribute to Queen on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $43 to $60.
• Candlelight: Tribute to Coldplay and Imagine Dragons on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 8:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $43 to $60.
• “Adventures with Beethoven” with Essex Piano Trip a Family Matinee Series performance by the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 3 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 101 Chapel St., Portsmouth. The concert will feature Beethoven’s Op. 97 Archduke Trio, according to portsmouthsymphony.org. $15 suggested donation at the door.
• Swing Dance Night with the NH Jazz Orchestra on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). Tickets cost $30.75. Swing dance lessons start at 6:30 p.m. followed by dancing and music at 7 p.m.
• Jesse Cook, a Nuevo Flamenco guitarist, will perform on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com). Tickets cost $39 through $69.
• Illuminated Ensembles — American Standards, a concert from Symphony New Hampshire. The Symphony at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord presents a “three-part series of Illuminated Ensembles. Join the Symphony New Hampshire Jazz Quartet for the first of a series of concerts by candlelight at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage. This intimate and immersive experience will bring the Great American Songbook into a whole new light,” according symphonynh.org. The concert takes place Sunday, Nov. 17, at 4 p.m. at Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com. Tickets cost $37.
COMEDY
Bob Marley will perform at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, 672-1002, amatocenter.org) on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m.
The Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord (225-1111, ccanh.com) will host comedy this fall. At the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) see Jimmy Dunn on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 8 p.m.
At the Chubb Theater (44 S. Main St.), catch:
Nurse John Saturday, Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m.
Jessica Kirson Friday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m.
Bored Teachers: The Struggle is Real Sunday, Oct. 13, at 3 p.m.
Tracy Morgan Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m.
Matt Mathews Sunday, Nov. 3, at 8 p.m.
Nick Swardson Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Bob Marley Saturday, Nov. 16, at 8 p.m.
Nikki Glaser: Alive & Unwell Tour Thursday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 13, at 7 & 9:30 p.m.
Joe Gatto: Let’s Get Into It, with Mark Jigarian Monday, Dec. 30, at 7 p.m.
The Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 929-4100, casinoballroom.com) will host Brad Williams on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m.; Lewis Black on Friday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m.; Becky Robinson on Sunday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m., and Steve Trevino on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 8 p.m.
Colonial Theatre Laconia (609 Main St., Laconia, 657-8774, coloniallaconia.com) will host The Jimmy Dunn Comedy All-Stars featuring Andrew Della Volpe, Frank Santorelli, Jimmy Cash and Ken Rogerson on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m.
Comedians performing at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com/movie-theater/chunkysmanchester) in September include Phillip Anthony on Saturday, Sept. 14; Steve Bjork on Saturday, Sept. 28, and Peter Coppola R-Rated Hypnotist on Saturday, Sept. 28. All shows begin at 8:30 p.m.
Headliners Comedy Club (DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 988-3673, headlinersnh.com) has shows most Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20. So far on the fall schedule are:
Kyle Crawford Sept. 28
Corey Manning Oct. 5
Chris Tabb Oct. 12
Steve Bjork Oct. 19
Tim McKeever Nov. 2
Dan Crohn Nov. 9
Mark Scalia Nov. 16
James Dorsey Nov. 23
The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com) will host Bob Marley on Friday, Sept. 13; The No Apologies Comedy Show featuring Tammy Pescatelli, Tom Cotter and Jim Florentine on Saturday, Sept. 28, and Funny Women of a Certain Age featuring Carole Montgomery, Kerri Louise and Monique Marvez on Saturday, Nov. 16. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Juston McKinney will perform on Saturday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m.
Upcoming acts at McCue’s Comedy Club at the Roundabout Diner(508 Portsmouth Traffic Circle, Portsmouth, 844-424-2420, mccuescomedyclub.com) include Janelle Draper on Thursday, Sept. 7, and Jim McCue on Thursday, Sept. 14, both at 8 p.m.
Comedy shows at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) this fall include The No Apologies Comedy Show featuring Tom Cotter, Tammy Pescatelli and Jim Florentine on Friday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m.; Jimmy Dunn Comedy All-Stars featuring Jimmy Dunn, Andrew Della Volpe, Frank Santorelli, Jimmy Cash and Ken Rogerson on Friday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m., and Gary Gulman on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m.
The Palace Theatre and its sister Rex Theatre in Manchester (668-5588, palacetheatre.org) have comedy on the schedule for the fall. At the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St.):
Justin McKinney Saturday, Oct. 5, at 5 and 8 p.m.
Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood Sunday, Oct. 6, at 5 p.m.
At the Rex Theatre (823 Amherst St.):
Roger Kabler – The Robin Williams Experience on Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m.
The Calamari Sisters’ SausageFest Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m.
Robert Dubac’s Stand Up Jesus Friday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m.
R-Rated Hypnotist Frank Santos Friday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m.
The Ladies of Laughter Comedy Tour with Patty Rosborough and Liz Glazer Friday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Emily Ruskowski’s Thanksgiving Leftover Comedy Show Friday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m.
Lenny Clark Friday, Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m.
Look for comedians at the The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org) and its Lounge this fall. In the Historic Theatre:
Charlie Berens Saturday, Sept. 21, at 8 p.m.
Paula Poundstone Saturday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m.
In the Music Hall Lounge:
Carmen Lynch Saturday, Sept. 7, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Heather Shaw Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m.
David Drake Saturday, Sept. 21, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Gabby Bryan Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
Chris Franjola Friday, Nov. 22, at 8:30 p.m.
Kelly MacFarland Saturday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m.
Jackie Fabulous Thursday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m.
Rochester Opera House (31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 335-1992, rochesteroperahouse.com) will host New England treasure Tim Sample on Friday, Sept. 20, at 8 p.m. and Jimmy Dunn on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Comedy shows at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) this fall include Robby Printz and Chris D on Friday, Sept. 20; Brian Regan on Thursday, Oct. 3; Jason Merrill and Kindra Landsburg on Saturday, Oct. 26, and Christopher Titus on Saturday, Nov. 16. All shows begin at 8 p.m.
BOOKS- Author appearances
Bookery Manchester (844 Elm St., bookerymht.com) has several authors on its schedule.
Ann Melim will celebrate the launch of her book Peaches or Pickles on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Amanda Huot will discuss her book Code Mercy on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Tim Baird presents his new fantasy book The Dragon in the Whites: Omnibus Volume II n Saturday, Sept. 28, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Wendy Murphy will discuss her book Oh No He Didn’t! on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 3 to 5 p.m.
David Miller will be speaking on the historic link between exorcism and revival with his new book Redacted: The Secret History of Exorcism on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 5 to 7 p.m.
At Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Nashua, balinbooks.com) Susanna Hargreaves presents her kids’ book Ghost Stories from Amherst, New Hampshire on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) has several authors on its schedule.
Abi Maxwell, a New Hampshire author, will talk about her book One Day I’ll Grow Up and Be a Beautiful Woman: A Mother’s Story on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 6:30 p.m.
Rachel Harrison will talk about her latest horror novel, So Thirsty, in conversation with fellow horror author Clay McLeod Chapman, on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 6:30 p.m.
Maren Tirabassi will talk about her latest cozy mystery novel, Death in Disguise: A Rev & Rye Mystery, on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 6:30 p.m.
Paula Munier will talk about her latest Mercy Carr mystery, The Night Woods, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m.
Chad Finn will talk about his new book, The Boston Globe Story of the Celtics: 1946-Present, on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m.
Jacquelyn Benson will talk about her fantasy novel Tomb of the Sun King in conversation with her audiobook narrator, Alex Picard, on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 6:30 p.m.
Award-winning author and photographer Jon Waterman presents his new book, Into the Thaw: Witnessing Wonder Amid the Arctic Climate Crisis, , on Monday, Oct. 21, at 6:30 p.m. in conversation with Richard Adams Carey, professor emeritus of SNHU.
Katrina Emmel returns to her hometown of Concord to talk about her debut YA novel, Near Misses & Cowboy Kisses, on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m.
Sy Montgomery will talk about her new book, What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Famous Bird, on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 6:30 p.m.
Eric Orff will discuss his new book What’s Wild: A Half Century of Wisdom from the Woods and Rivers of New England on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 6:30 p.m.
The Poetry Society of New Hampshire will feature Abbie Kiefer at its afternoon of verse on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 4:30 p.m.
At the Barnes & Noble in Manchester (1741 S.Willow St., 668-5557, bn.com) John Leahy, a local author and sports broadcaster, will talk about his books Breakaway Wisdom: Life Strategies from the Coaches of Hockey East and Living a King’s Life: The Story of the 2009 Kalamzaoo Kings from the Radio Broadcast Booth on Saturday, Sept. 14, from noon to 2 p.m. Sarah DeLaVergne, author of the novel Shattered Skies, will hold a meet-and-greet on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
As part of the New Hampshire Book Festival, the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) has authors on the schedule including Kate DiCamillo on Friday, Oct. 4, at 10 a.m. and Saturday, Oct. 5, at 5 p.m. and Jean Hanff Korelitz on Friday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m.
The Cap Center will also present Dana & Greg Newkirk’s Haunted Objects Live, a story-telling presentation, on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord). Alexander McCall Smith, author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series among many other books, will speak at the Chubb Theatre at 44 S. Main St. on Monday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. Candace Bushnell, of the book Sex and the City fame, will speak at the Chubb Theater on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m. And on Friday, Nov. 1, Kathyrn Grody and Mandy Patinkin, the married couple and multi-hyphenates who had some Covid-era online fun, will speak at 7:30 p.m.
Water Street Bookstore in Exeter (125 Water St., waterstreetbooks.com) will feature Mark DeCarteret with his new book, Props: Poetic Intros, Praises, Co-conspiracies, Pairings, on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. Greg Bastianelli will talk about his new thriller, October, at Water Street on Friday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m.
The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org) will feature author talks including:
Rachel Kushner at The Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St.) on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 5:30 p.m. for a discussion and Q&A about her novel Creation Lake. Tickets cost $45 and include a signed copy of the book. The moderator will be Lara Prescott, author of The Secrets We Kept.
Richard Powers on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. for a discussion and Q&A about his latest novel, Playground. Tickets cost $56.50 including fees and a signed copy of the book for every 1-2 tickets.
Elizabeth Strout at The Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St.) on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. for a discussion and Q&A about her novel Tell Me Everything. Tickets cost $45 and include a signed copy of the book. The moderator will be Lara Prescott, author of The Secrets We Kept.
Ariel Lawhon at The Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St.) on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. for a discussion and Q&A about her novel The Frozen River. Tickets cost $33 and include a signed copy of the book.
Book events
• Geisel’s Library 34th Annual Book Sale occurs during Saint Anselm’s (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, anselm.edu, 641-7000) Family Weekend on Friday, Sept. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, Sept 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Prices are $1 for paperbacks, DVD/VHS/CD and puzzles, $2 for hardcover books and board games.
• New Hampshire Book Festival will be held Friday, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 5, in Concord, with panels, book signings and presentations. Friday features a children’s keynote by author Kate DiCamillo at 10 a.m. and an adult keynote by Jean Hanff Korelitz at 7 p.m. Visit nhbookfestival.org for a full schedule and to purchase tickets.
HISTORY
• Nashua Historical Society (5 Abbott St., Nashua, nashuahistoricalsociety.org, 883-0015) has several fall programs on the schedule, according to its website.
The “Notable Nashuans with a Twist: Voices from the Past” Cemetery Tour will take place on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church cemetery behind White Wing Preschool (58 Lowell St., Nashua). Participants will select from 18 grave sites where reenactors adorned in period attire will tell their stories. Tickets are $20.
A tree planting will occur on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum lawn. Andrew Morin of Regenerative Roots has donated three apple trees and three pear trees to be planted on the grounds.
Jane O’Neail will give a free talk titled Heroes and Homecomings: Norman Rockwell and World War II on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. in Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum Library.
A museum open house will take place Saturday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Abbot-Spalding House Museum (1 Abbott Square; $10; free for members) and Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum (free).
Write at the Museum will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum in celebration of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. participants are invited to tour the Abbot-Spalding House Museum for free.
The documentary At Home and Abroad: Nashua and World War II will be shown on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum; it was created by experienced local filmmakers John Sadd and Jeremy Frazier. The run time is approximately one hour and this event is free and open to the public.
• The Manchester Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., manchesterhistoric.org, 622-7531) celebrates the Grace Metalious centennial on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. To commemorate the 100th birthday of Grace Metalious, author of the best-selling and controversial novel Peyton Place, historian and Metalious scholar Robert B. Perreault will give a talk titled “Before Peyton Place: In Search of the Real Grace Metalious” about her life and formative years in Manchester. The Museum partners with the Majestic Theatre for Murder and Mayhem: A Manchester Game of Clue on Oct. 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. featuring three distinct historic Manchester murders; participants can experience a first-person reenactment of the events. And the exhibit “Who Wore It? The Forensics of a Dress” in the Millyard Museum’s Henry M. Fuller State Theatre Gallery will be up until Friday, Nov. 1, showcasing 200 years of dresses worn by remarkable women from Manchester’s past.
New Hampshire Humanities (nhhumanities.org) will offer a slate of programming around the state this fall, including these events:
From Mickey to Magoo: The Golden Age of American Animation presented by Margo Burns on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. at Plaistow Public Library (85 Main St., Plaistow).
Faberge Imperial Easter Eggs on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. at the Merrimack Historical Society (10 Depot St., Merrimack, 424-5207).
2024 Annual Celebration of the Humanities at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St.,
Derry) on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 6:30 p.m. featuring keynote speaker Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked, and interviewer Jaed Coffin, author of A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants (2008) and Roughhouse Friday (2019).
New Hampshire Cemeteries and Gravestones at Chichester Grange Hall (54 Main St., Chichester, 798-5613) with presenter Glenn Knoblock on Monday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m.
The Capital Crime of Witchcraft: What the Primary Sources Tell Us at Rodgers Memorial Library (194 Derry Road, Hudson, 886-6030) on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m. with presenter Margo Burns, the 10th-generation great-granddaughter of Rebecca Nurse, who was hanged in Salem in 1692 on the charge of witchcraft.
• Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., 589-4600, nashualibrary.org) presents two online events this fall. Jennie Powers: The Woman Who Dares is a one-hour illustrated online presentation by Jennifer Carroll on Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. about Jennie Powers, a humane society agent in Keene from 1903 to 1936 who was one of the first to become a deputy sheriff in New Hampshire. A History of Shipwrecks with Capt. Greg Ketchen (ret.) is presented online by Nashua Public Library in partnership with Ashland Public Library on Thursday, Oct. 24, from 1 to 2 p.m. To attend these events, visit the Nashua Public Library website event calendar at nashualibrary.libcal.com.
• Center for the Arts NH (centerfortheartsnh.org) will host Nora Lewis for a discussion of the Black Heritage Trail NH on Monday, Sept. 16, at 5:30 p.m. and Simon Brooks with an hour of storytelling on Monday, Oct. 21, at 5:30 p.m., both at the Center for the Arts’ Whipple Hall in New London. For details call 844-564-2787 or visit centerfortheartsnh.org.
• The New Hampshire Historical Society (30 Park St., Concord, 228-6688, nhhistory.org) will offer several programs this fall. These programs are held at the NHHS in Concord unless otherwise noted.
Leah Dearborn will give a lecture titled Lighter-Than-Air: Early Ballooning in New England on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 2 p.m. Dearborn, assistant director of the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, gathers tales to show the panorama of colorful personalities who shared the skies over 19th-century New England. Admission is $7. No registration required.
Award-winning writer, editor and columnist Keith Gentili, author of White Mountains State, will give a lecture titled Hiking the New Hampshire 48 on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 2 p.m. Admission is $7. No registration required.
A virtual lecture titled The History of the Kancamagus Highway will occur Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. Historian and author Glenn Knoblock details the development of this Granite State treasure and gives a glimpse into what the “Kanc” has to offer. Admission is $5. Advance registration is required.
The New Hampshire Furniture Masters exhibition takes place Friday, Oct.18, and Saturday, Oct. 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The NHHS was a founding partner of the Furniture Masters and will be celebrating the group’s 30 years of craftsmanship. Admission to the exhibition is $7. Visit furnituremasters.org.
A virtual workshop titled Who’s Taking Care of Your Local History? will be offered online on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Maggie Stier of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance talks about how different groups at the local level work to save and preserve history. The program is free, but advance registration is required.
Matthew Bowman, professor of religion and history at Claremont Graduate University, presents a lecture and book signing of Three Ways of Thinking about the UFO: Betty Hill, Barney Hill, and UFO Culture in America on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m. Copies of the book will be available for sale at the event and through the Society’s online store. This program, which is free, is being offered both in person and virtually. No registration is required to attend in person but advance registration is required for virtual attendees.
Retired news reporter David Tirrell-Wysocki will give a lecture titled The New Hampshire Primary: A Light-Hearted Look at the Long Shots on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 2 p.m., offering a light-hearted nonpartisan look at New Hampshire’s presidential contest. Admission is $7. No registration required.
Glen Rodgers, emeritus professor at Allegheny College and author of Traveling with the Atom: A Scientific Guide to Europe and Beyond, presents a lecture titled Traveling with Count Rumford on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m., recounting Rumford’s scientific, economic, diplomatic and military accomplishments while tracing his footsteps across the United States and Europe. Admission is $7. No registration required.
A virtual workshop on Creating Dynamic Cemetery Tours takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 7 to 9 p.m. where participants will learn about the many ways that local organizations can put together compelling, crowd-pleasing cemetery tours. The workshop is $25. Advance registration is required.
Paul Wainwright gives a lecture titled New England’s Colonial Meetinghouses and Their Impact on American Society on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m., using photographs of the few surviving “mint-condition” meetinghouses as illustrations. Admission is $7. No registration required.
A lecture titled New England’s General: Franklin Pierce and the War with Mexico will take place on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 2 p.m. where participants will join doctoral candidate James Irving from the University of New Hampshire as he uncovers the wide and tangled network of individuals — from President James K. Polk to local friends, foreign foes, and even horses, mules and mosquitos — who helped determine the course of Pierce’s wartime experience. Admission is $7. No registration required.
The Manchester City Library (405 Pine St., manchesterlibrary.org) presents a Tour of Valley Street Cemetery led by local historian Stan Garrity on Friday, Oct. 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. The tour starts at the Library and will walk to the cemetery and then return to the library. For details, call 624-6550, ext. 7620, or email [email protected]. The library also welcomes Debra LeClair presenting Irish Castles at the Time of the Tudors on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m. in the Library auditorium. For details, call 624-6550, ext. 7620, or email [email protected]. Signup is not required for either of these events, but you can sign up via the library calendar in order to receive a reminder email
FILM
Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St. in Concord; redrivertheatres.org) has multiple movies on the schedule each week — on Thursday, Sept. 5, for example, you can catchIt Ends With Us(PG-13, 2024) at 4 p.m.; Widow Clicquot (R, 2024) at 4:30 & 6:30 p.m.; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PG-13, 2023) at 4:16 & 6:45 p.m. and Between The Temples(R, 2024) at 7 p.m. For October, Red River has some Halloween-themed programming in the works. The annual Rocky Horror Picture Show tradition returns Fridays, Oct. 18 and Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, with special guest hosts, prop bags and rewards for the best costumes. The theater is also working on a late night scary movie schedule for the first two Fridays and Saturdays in October, according to Red River executive director Angie Lane.
Chunky’s (707 Huse St. in Manchester; chunkys.com) has become a go-to spot for comedy (many Saturdays), trivia (most Thursdays as well as monthly family trivia nights), games (such as scratch ticket bingo on Sept. 13 and Sept. 25) and other events (such as a paint night on Sept. 15 and the monthly Life’s a Drag show, next on Sept. 21 at 9 p.m.). But of course there is still a solid offering of first-run movies as well as specialty screenings. Upcoming events include:
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PG-13, 2024) a 21+ screening on Thursday, Sept. 5, 8:30 p.m.
Abominable (PG, 2019) a “Little Lunch Date” screening on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 11:30 a.m. Tickets cost $5 plus fees and include a $5 food voucher.
The Peanuts Movie (G, 2015) a “Little Lunch Date” screening on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 11:30 a.m. Tickets cost $5 plus fees and include a $5 food voucher.
Transformers One (PG, 2024) a Sensory Screening on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 11:30 a.m.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PG-13, 2024) presented as part of a five-course Farmer’s Dinner on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. Dinners (with a vegetarian option) are $75 per person, $110 with a wine package.
The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) has some silent screenings on the schedule: Speedy (1928), a silent Harold Lloyd comedy with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, will screen on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. Lon Chaney Halloween Creepfest Double Feature with The Unknown (1927) and West of Zanzibar (1928) featuring live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis will screen on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m.
As part of the Granite State Comic Con (granitecon.com), the 1990 live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtleswill screen on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m.
Inside The Mind Of A Genius: Leonardo Da VinciFilm Premiereand Conversation with Ken Burns will take place on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, tickets.anselm.edu, 641-7700). Tickets cost $100, $250 for a VIP which includes a pre-show reception with Ken Burns.
Fathom Events (fathomevents.com) hosts screenings at several area theaters including Apple Cinemas in Hooksett and Merrimack, O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square in Epping, AMC Londonderry, Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem and Regal Fox Run in Newington. Movie events include anniversary screenings, Studio Ghibli Fest, The Metropolitan Opera HD and religious films. The upcoming schedule includes:
God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust (PG, 2024) Thursday, Sept. 12, through Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Apple Cinemas, AMC Londonderry, O’neil in Epping and Regal Fox Run (not all theaters have the movie on all days; see website for times).
Blazing Saddles (1974) Sunday, Sept. 15, at 4 p.m. at Cinemark in Salem, O’neil in Epping and AMC Londonderry (where it also screens at 7 p.m.) and Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. at those theaters.
The Matrix (R, 1999) Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. at both Apple Cinemas, Cinemark in Salem, O’neil in Epping and Regal Fox Run, and Sunday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. at the Apple Cinemas and at 3 & 7 p.m. at Cinemark and Regal Fox Run.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeves Story (PG-13, 2024) will screen Saturday, Sept. 21, at 4 & 7 p.m. at Cinemark in Salem and Regal Fox Run and Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 4 & 7 p.m. at AMC Londonderry, Cinemark in Salem and Regal Fox Run.
Howl’s Moving Castle (PG, 2004) Friday, Sept. 26, through Thursday, Oct. 3, at the Apple Cinemas, AMC Londonderry, O’neil in Epping and Regal Fox Run. See website for times and for a listing of which screenings are subtitled and which are dubbed.
Mean Girls (PG-13, 2004) Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. at Apple Cinemas, AMC Londonderry, Cinemark in Salem, O’neil in Epping and Regal Fox Run and on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m. at all of those theaters (except the Apple in Merrimack) as well as at 7 p.m. at the Apple in Hooksett, AMC Londonderry and Regal Fox Run.
Les Contes d’Hoffmann Saturday, Oct. 5, at 1 p.m. (when it is broadcasting live) at both Apple Cinemas, O’neil Epping and Regal Fox Run as well as in an encore broadcast on Wednesday, Oc.t 9, at 6:30 p.m. at both Apples and at 1 p.m. at O’neil Epping and Regal Fox Run.
Heart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan StoryTuesday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. at both Apple Cinemas and Regal Fox Run.
Average Joe (PG-13, 2024) Thursday, Oct. 10, through Thursday, Oct. 17, at both Apple Cinemas, AMC Londonderry and Regal Fox Run.
Grounded Saturday, Oct. 19, at 1 p.m. (when it is broadcasting live) at both Apple Cinemas, O’neil in Epping and Regal Fox Run as well as in an encore broadcast on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the Apple Cinemas and 1 p.m. at O’neil and Regal.
Back to the Future Part II (1989) Saturday, Oct. 19, and Monday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. at both Apple Cinemas, Cinemark in Salem and Regal Fox Run.
Kiki’s Delivery Service (G, 1989) Saturday, Oct, 26, through Wednesday, Oct. 30, at Apple Cinemas in Hooksett and Merrimack, O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square in Epping, AMC Londonderry, Cinemark in Salem and Regal Fox Run. See website for times at each theater and for which screenings are dubbed or subtitled.
For the One a film about the Summer Worship Nights Tour, Sunday, Oct. 27, through Tuesday, Oct. 29.
Radiating Joy: The Michelle Duppong Story on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
The Fifth Element (PG-13, 1997) Sunday, Nov. 17, at 4 p.m. at Cinemark Salem, Oneil in Epping, Regal Fox Run (where it will also screen at 7:30 p.m.) and AMC Londonderry (where it will also screen at 7 p.m.) as well as Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. at AMC Londonderry, Cinemark in Salem, O’neil in Epping and Regal Fox Run.
Tosca Saturday, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m. (when it is broadcasting live) at both Apple Cinemas, O’neil in Epping and Regal Fox Run as well as in an encore broadcast on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the Apple Cinemas and 1 p.m. at O’neil and Regal.
Pom Poko (PG, 1994) Sunday, Nov. 24, when it will be dubbed, at Apple Cinemas in Merrimack and Hooksett (3 & 7 p.m.), Cinemark in Salem (3 & 7 p.m.), O’neil in Epping (7 p.m.) and Regal Fox Run (3 &7 p.m.) and Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m. when it will be subtitled at those theaters.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (PG, 2013) Monday, Nov. 25 (dubbed), and Wednesday, Nov. 27 (subtitled), at 7 p.m. at the Apple Cinemas, Cinemark in Salem and Regal Fox Run (O’neil in Epping only has the Monday screening).
My Neighbor Totoro (G, 1988) Saturday, Dec. 7, through Wednesday, Dec. 11, at Apple Cinemas in Hooksett and Merrimack, O’neil in Epping, AMC Londonderry, Cinemark in Salem and Regal Fox Run in Newington. Not all theaters will screen all days; see website for times and for a breakdown of which screenings are dubbed or subtitled.
The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org) once again hosts Telluride by the Sea, the film festival featuring six new films from the Telluride Film Festival that screen at the Music Hall Friday, Sept. 13, through Sunday, Sept. 15. Tickets range from weekend passes with varying levels of perks (priced at $120 through $490) to individual film tickets. This year’s films are Conclave, Memoir of a Snail, Nickel Boys, Saturday Night, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Will & Harper and Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight.
The Ritual Mountain Bike Film Tour, a collection of films about mountain biking, will screen on Friday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m.
Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour, a slate of seven short films from 2024 Sundance, will screen on Tuesday, Sept. 24, and Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. on both days. Tickets cost $16, $14 for students, seniors, veterans & military and first responders.
The New Hampshire Film Festival will also take place at The Music Hall as well as venues around Portsmouth. See nhfilmfestival.com for updates on titles and ticket information.
And catch CatVideoFest 2024, a compilation of cat videos, on Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m.
The Music Hall regularly screens National Theatre London in HD and The Met broadcasts, the next of which is an encore of Porgy & Bess on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 3 p.m. And catch recently released movies such as:
Water Brother (NR, 2024) Friday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m.
Ezra (R, 2024) Tuesday, Sept. 10, and Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m.
Yamnuska (NR) Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m.
The Thicket (R, 2024) Wednesday, Sept. 18, and Thursday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m.
One Hand Clapping — Paul McCartney and Wings (1974) Thursday, Sept. 26, and Saturday, 28, at 7 p.m.
Seven Samurai (1954) Saturday, Sept. 28, and Sunday, Sept. 29, at 1 p.m.
Beyond the Fantasy from Teton Gravity Research, a ski and snowboard film, Friday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.
The Capitol Center for the Arts venues (Chubb Theater at 44 S. Main St. and BNH Stage at 16 S. Main St., both in Concord; ccanh.com) have film events scheduled for the fall. Catch two Live In Concert screenings: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (PG, 2023) on Friday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. and Jim Henson’s Labyrinth (1986) on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7 p.m., both in the Chubb Theatre. The Chubb Theatre also hosts broadcasts of The Metropolitan Opera. The schedule includes Les Contes D’Hoffmann on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 1 p.m.; Grounded on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m. and Tosca on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m.
Other events include a lecture based on Netflix’s Our Planet on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. and the ski and snowboard film Beyond the Fantasy on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 3 and 8 p.m.
Wilton Town Hall Theatres (40 Main St. in Wilton; find them on Facebook) will continue its silent film series, with live musical accompaniment provided by Jeff Rapsis. Admission is free, though a $10 donation is suggested. The schedule includes The Show (1927) with Lionel Barrymore on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 2 p.m.; Der Golem (1920) on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m., and It’s the Old Army Game (1926) with W.C. Fields on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 2 p.m.
The Park Theatre (19 Main St., Jaffrey, theparktheatre.org, 532-9300) has some specialty screenings on the schedule:
Edward Scissorhands: Matthew Bourne’s dance version of Tim Burton’s classic will be screened on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 29, at 2 p.m.
Paul McCartney & Wings’ One Hand Clapping on Thursday, Sept. 26, and on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. on both days.
The Exhibition on Screen series includes Young Picasso (2019) on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 1:30 p.m.; Canaletto & The Art of Venice (2017) on Oct. 9 at 1:30 p.m.; Cezanne: Portraits of a Life (2018) on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 1:30 p.m., and Matisse: From MoMA and Tate Modern (2014) on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 1:30 p.m.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PG-13, 2024) is also slated to screen Thursday, Sept. 5, through Thursday, Sept. 19.
Movies in the Park, hosted by the Hall Memorial Library (hallmemoriallibrary.org), wraps up its season of screenings in Riverfront Park in Tilton on Friday, Sept. 27, at 6 p.m. with the movie starting at 8 p.m.
Manhattan Short film festival makes the audience the judge for the competition of the 10 finalist short films. This year’s lineup includes films starring Emma D’Arcy (The Talent, from the U.K.) and Zoe Saldana (Dovecote, from Italy), see manhattanshort.com for information on each film. The festival films will screen all over the world; in New Hampshire, the festival will run at NHTI in Concord on Friday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 5, at 2 & 7 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m.
The Walker Lecture Fund Travelogue series at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord, 333-0035, walkerlecture.org) will offer two presentations. “Great Cities of Europe” is on Wednesday, Oct.23, at 7:30 p.m.; cinematographer Marlin Farrah travels from Norway to France, through fjords and fish markets, palaces and parks, cathedrals and canals. “A Visit To New Zealand” is on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. Travel with Paul and Deb Doscher through a range of natural and cultural attractions from tropical to frozen. Both events are free and doors open at 7 p.m.
The Flying Monkey (39 S. Main St. in Plymouth; flyingmonkeynh.com) will screen The Lost World(1925), a silent film based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel about dinosaurs found by “modern” explorers, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m. The presentation features live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis.
Nosferatu (1922), the silent film directed by F.W. Murnau, will be presented with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway in Derry) on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m.
The Milford Drive-In (531 Elm St. in Milford; milforddrivein.com) will be open for weekend screenings through the weekend of Oct. 25 and Oct. 26, according to an email from the drive-in.
On the exterior walls of buildings in Concord, Manchester and Nashua, you can find a wealth of murals, some commissioned by organizations or businesses, others semi-spontaneous expressions of artistic passion.
David Hady is one of the people behind some of Manchester’s murals. As Creative Director of the Orbit Group in Manchester he helps up-and-coming artists, including street artists, get a toe-hold in the notoriously difficult art field.
“Part of what Orbit Group wants to do is give back and contribute to the Manchester local arts community,” Hady said. “One of our arms does property development and another one of our arms is centered on the arts. We’re trying to find emerging artists who are looking for stepping stones to cross this bridge so that they can step toward their professional career.”
One of Orbit’s early projects was revitalizing Cat Alley in Manchester.
“Cat Alley was originally painted in 2011,” Hady said. “We did a local [artist] submission and we had around 60 people apply. We chose 18 artists and we cleaned up the alley, primed it all, then prepared the different spaces for each artist to come in and create their own version of cat artwork. We kind of gave them free rein to do whatever they wanted, as long as it was cat-centric. They created a bunch of different styles, colors and aesthetics, which is really nice.”
Another project is an Art Walk Scavenger Hunt Map, to help visitors to Manchester find murals and other outdoor art they might not be familiar with. It is a map of downtown Manchester, with 42 works of public art plotted on it.
Storrs Street mural by James Chase, Concord. Photo by Zachary Lewis.
“We’re trying to create multiple avenues of things for people to do downtown,” Hady said. “This just kind of layers into an afternoon. You have lunch, you go to a Fisher Cats game and then maybe you do this art tour and it’s all kind of centered within a one-and-a-half-mile radius. It’s got a bunch of great locations of sculptures and mural works.”
James Chase is an Associate Professor at New England College, and the founder of Art Builds Community, an organization with a mission to connect and empower the community through the Arts. Chase said that one of the organization’s strengths is its grass-roots nature.
“It’s led by artists and creators and community members through shared art experiences,” he said. “I think the art that is out in the public has been blossoming, especially over the last few years, as residents are comfortable lending their walls for voices to be heard.” Public acceptance of street art has been growing, he said.
“When I first started doing murals, it was a little, ‘Oh, it’s graffiti! I don’t want you to put a mark on our building and degrade it.’ And what I’ve noticed now is a lot more people are coming to the table to bring change and to make areas destinations, to have them be conversation pieces,” Chase said.
Chase sees public art as a form of dialogue that a community has with itself.
“I think it’s really important to have a [clear vision of] where you can bend [and] where you can’t. But everyone has been so accommodating. And even if people don’t get to physically sometimes pick up a paintbrush, they get to see their voice, their mark. And lots of times they’re actually painting too, which is even more amazing,” he said.
“Cooking and Basketball,” by Amanda Hill, painted for the Mural Festival in 2022. Chestnut Street, Manchester. Photo by John Fladd.
He cited two murals under traffic bridges along the Piscataquog Rail Trail on the West Side of Manchester.
“Once again, it was a collective group of people,” Chase said. “What I love about those types of projects is when people come together, something new is going to happen. Just from afar, I had helped, my students were going to do that project and just with the timing it didn’t work out.” Eventually, he said, a group of local artists and community members ended up painting the murals.
Amber Nicole Cannan was one of the organizers responsible for getting the murals completed. She sees them as another example of a community dialogue.
“We wanted to make sure we were including lots of community members,” she said, “[to make sure we included a] wide variety of opinions and perspectives, and we all worked together to get it done. We grabbed anyone who would walk by and asked them to participate, and a lot of people contributed to it.”
Cannan said that conditions were not ideal for painting a mural. “It was a unique challenge,” she said, “because obviously that spot is far from any electrical hookups or water or bathroom.” Eventually, she got permission to park at an apartment on the street above and used her car as a power station for the equipment the artists needed. Cannan said there was another unexpected complication. “We did run into a small snag. We were told the city would prime it for us. But they painted it with anti-graffiti paint.”
Despite technical challenges, and some backlash from some community members, for the most part the murals have been embraced by the community, including an unexpected part of it.
“It became really interesting,” Cannan said, “because while we were there, notes would get left on what we were working on, like the paint pens and Sharpies. It was mostly from the transitory population. And they just talked about how beautifying that space made them feel thought of. They said they saw themselves in it, and they just felt the love from it. And that was really important to us.”
Yazamine Safarzadeh sees a growing and surprising amount of support for street art. She is the Special Projects Coordinator forPositive Street Art, a group based in Nashua dedicated to bringing under-represented voices to public spaces.
“We have a very good relationship with the city of Nashua,” she said. “I’ve never seen such a copacetic relationship between the city and an arts organization which, in turn, benefits the city. We can’t do what we do without the support of the community.”
Safarzadeh said Positive Street Art has spent the past few years building a relationship with people who rarely see themselves in the art around them.
“We’ve had multiple-year relationships with nonprofits who trust us and let us come into this space with the demographics that are highly, highly vulnerable because we too are from those demographics. So that’s a really unique thing about this organization is you’re, you know, we’re serving the community, but we’re also of the community’s working class,” she said.
Local mural artists have seen more and more support in recent years from the business community, as well.
815 Cocktails & Provisions is a plush bar in downtown Manchester. There are comfortable chairs and sofas, the lighting and the music is soft and the drinks innovative, like the Smoked Lemon Drop or the Moxie Mule. And then there are the murals. Roughly two thirds of the bar’s wallspace is covered with floor-to-ceiling murals.
They were painted by Nashua artist Jason McDonald, who goes by the name JayMac and paints under the name @The_Backstah. He has been an artist for 30 years.
Mural at 815 Cocktails & Provisions by Jason McDonald. Photo by John Fladd.
“I started off as a graffiti artist in Boston as a young kid,” McDonald said. “I actually got in a bunch of trouble when I was younger for graffiti, and then as I grew older and got more into artwork, I turned it more, honed it more professionally and positive and turned it into a career.” After years of work, he has developed a following and is becoming a known name in the art world.
“I do everything from custom canvases all the way to big murals to my own clothing as well,” McDonald said. “I have all kinds of projects, anything from cartoon to realism to flowers to lettering. I’ve done custom cars. I’ve done projects for Porsche and Acura. The most recent big wall I did was for UMass Memorial for their mental health building. They have an outside fresh air space, and I redid the basketball area. We did a positive hopscotch and a mural going over the whole side of the building.”
JayMac sees Manny Ramirez from Positive Street Art as a guiding force in local art. “His stuff is fantastic,” he said. “Manny’s probably, as far as this area, the only other artist that I’ve really seen who has an in with the city where he’s been able to get some really prime locations for his murals.”
James Chase summed up the burgeoning local mural scene: “I see all these pieces of the puzzles really fostering connections,” he said, “and then giving more platforms for things that we don’t even know about yet.”
New murals
Arts Builds Community held its second Community Canvas Mural Festival in August, resulting in new public murals in Manchester. At the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester at 555 Union St. you can see the work of Sophy Tuttle (560 Union St.); Jason Naylor (161 Lowell St.); and Alex Ferror (163 Lowell St.), according to ABC.
Sophy Tuttle (560 Union St.)Alex Ferror (163 Lowell St.)
Jason Naylor (161 Lowell St.)
At 77 Amherst St., behind the Palace Theatre, there’s the work of Liz Pieroni, Nick Alexander, Jozimar Matimano and Ambar Ruiz. (All photos below by Zachary Lewis.)
Murals at 77 Amherst St. featuring artists Liz Pieroni, Nick Alexander, Jozimar Matimano and Ambar Ruiz.
Cat Alley, Manchester
Cat Alley is located on the west side of Elm Street in downtown Manchester, next to Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester, 836-6600, bookerymht.com). It was originally painted with cat-themed murals in 2011. The Orbit Group commissioned independent artists to paint new murals in 2022. For more information on this project, visit orbitgroup.com/cat-alley-revival. Photos by John Fladd.
“Electric Cat,” by Liz LaManche
“Superhero Cat,” by Emily Drouin
“Scaredy Cats,” by Dei Xhrist
Arms Park pillars, Manchester
The traffic pillars in Arms Park (10 Arms St., Manchester) that support the Notre Dame Bridge were painted by a collaboration of artists and Art Builds Community. Photos by John Fladd.
Manny Ramirez
Manny Ramirez (@phelany) is the co-founder and Creative Director of Positive Street Art (48 Bridge St., Nashua, positivestreetart.org). He is one of the leading muralists in the business. Photos by Chris Boncoddo.
“Be Like Water,” at Millyard Strength and Conditioning (10 Cotton St., Nashua)
“Young Heroes,” at Police Athletic League Center (52 Ash St., Nashua)
“Nostalgia,” at 174 Main St., Nashua
Jyl Dittbenner
Jyl Dittbenner is a prolific local artist and muralist. She posts her work online at JylDrawsEveryDay.wordpress.com. Here are some of her notable murals. Photos by John Fladd.
Bees on the rear wall of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester)
“Jazz It Up,” on the rear wall of the Rex Theatre (823 Amherst St., Manchester)
“Hanging the Load,” on the north face of the north pillar in Arms Park (10 Arms St., Manchester)
A Tardigrade, on the back wall of the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester)
Union Street, Manchester
Union Street is a great place to see surprising murals. There is a pair of excellent murals on the rear wall of the Seven Days Market (360 Union St., Manchester, 622-4331). Photos by John Fladd.
Pandas in headphones, artist unknown
“Small City, Big Dreams,” on the corner of Union and Auburn streets, Manchester. Mural by Colby Goon.
“Anthony’s Mural,” east side of Union Street, Manchester, near Fernandez Deli, between Lake Street and Lake Street Setback. By Debbie Curtain and Anthony Williams.
Specifically, the eastern cottontails “have been increasing in New Hampshire because of, likely, the milder winters, and some of our development,” said Heidi Holman, Wildlife Diversity Biologist from New Hampshire Fish and Game.
They like the suburbs.
“The eastern cottontails do really well in our suburban neighborhoods. They take cover from us from some of their predators,” Holman said.
Eastern cottontails are on an upward trajectory.
“I think the populations are just growing so it seems like every year we keep seeing more rabbits … so we’re just seeing the populations continue to increase year over year, so every year [it’s] like we’re seeing the most rabbits we’ve ever seen right now, that’s the trend,” she said.
The Hippo spoke with several biologists from New Hampshire Fish and Game about the different bunnies in the state, along with some fellow mammals that call the Granite State their home.
BUNNIES
Species: New England cottontail
Eastern cottontail
Snowshoe hare
There are three types of what would typically be considered bunnies in the Granite State, according to Holman. The first is the New England cottontail.
New England Cottontail. Photo by Meagan Racey of USFWS.
“It’s also nicknamed the coney or a wood rabbit and that is in reference to the fact that it typically lived in interspersed thickets,” Holman said.
The next one is the eastern cottontail.
“This species is actually from the Midwest, so areas west of the Hudson River Valley, and they were brought to New England for release in the 1800s, early 1900s. At the time I don’t think they recognized them as two distinct species. They look incredibly similar, very similar in size, although if you get familiar with them you’ll notice eastern cottontails are bigger.”
Finally, the snowshoe hare.
”The third species of what we might link to rabbits would be the snowshoe hare,” Holman said. “It’s different than a cottontail rabbit. Its young are born with fur and can actually move around early on. They become more independent from their parents.”
Cottontails are not ready to go out on their own right away.
“Rabbits are born without fur and are blind and are in a nest … for a pretty long time, a couple weeks,” she said.
How are they doing? “Snowshoe hare are doing well,” Holman said. “They are being researched for the impacts of climate change, so that concept of them changing color and snow being on the ground, if they still change color but there is no snow, all of a sudden there’s this big white rabbit on a brown landscape so that could lead to higher predation rates, so the exact opposite of what keeps cottontails south, traditionally.”
The recently arrived eastern cottontail, relatively speaking, is faring fairly well.
“The eastern cottontail populations have been growing in New Hampshire pretty substantially, especially in the past five to 10 years, we’ve noticed them in many towns that we hadn’t detected them [in] for a long time,” Holman said.
When they first arrived, “we have documentation from literature that shows they were pretty much everywhere, ” she said. But as forests grew back, their numbers “retreated from this historic anomaly that had been created by people.”
Holman is from southwest New Hampshire and is noticing them there now too: “I grew up out there, I never saw a cottontail rabbit growing up and now I see them pretty regularly in the town I grew up in.”
The native rabbit species is not doing as well. “The New England cottontail has been declining for several decades and is listed as state endangered,” she said.
New Hampshire Fish and Game workers are studying their numbers.
“We have two different focus areas that we’ve been working on conservation,” Holman said. “One is in the Merrimack River corridor. There, it just has continued to decline, there’s just so much development along that corridor between Nashua, Londonderry and Manchester. Where we had the largest remnant population, we’ve slowly lost it to industrial buildings. We’re having a hard time creating a viable landscape with enough habitat for them to maintain a viable population.”
There is a different story on the Seacoast, where there is “a lot more agriculture, and you have larger parcels, maybe more historic farms … and more wooded areas too, which we’re finding might be critical for them…. The landscape In the Seacoast region is OK and we’ve been able to find a lot of landowners that are willing to work with us so we have been able to expand the population in that area, modestly, but we’re still working on it,” Holman said. The added wooded cover could be helping New England cottontails dodge predators while they find thickets of solitude. As mentioned above, the New England cottontail is listed as endangered on the state level as well.
How do the New England and eastern cottontail fit together?
“We don’t really know much at the moment about the interaction between cottontails and snowshoe hare,” Holman said. “If cottontails move north and snowshoe hare are all living in somewhat similar locations, would there be enough room, is there a competition issue, etc.”
Where to find them: The eastern cottontail “are from a more open landscape,” Holman said. “So there’s a lot more fields and native prairies in the Midwest. They live pretty much all the way to the West Coast as well. So they adapted to using more hedgerows and stone walls, less cover, they tend to be out in the open more…. They also tend to be more southern.”
As snow dwindles, certain bunny populations expand.
“One of the things that determines how far north they’re found is how many days of snow cover there is in a year.The longer winters make the brown rabbits more susceptible to predation, but as winters get shorter there’s a higher likelihood any individual will survive, so populations will continue to grow, and then they have the opportunity to disperse and move north,” she said.
Snowshoe hares are actually all over the place.
“We detect them across the entire state of New Hampshire because we do still get snow over most of the state,” Holman said.
The original bunnies have a smaller area. “Native New England cottontails were only really found in the southern part of the state, and they seem to have been more of a coastal species, again, where you’re going to get a lot more hurricanes, probably creation of coastal thicket, but they tend to be more southern,” she said.
Their place in the ecosystem: Rabbits like to multiply.
“They’re known for rapid reproduction, right, ‘breeds like bunnies,’ so they have multiple litters with lots of young, and that’s part of their role in the ecosystem because they are so plentiful only a small portion of them survive to make it to their first winter, anywhere, I think it’s 30 to 40 percent, and that may fluctuate somewhat but it’s less than half,” Holman said.
The change in seasons is an obstacle. “Survival over the course of winter is challenging,” she said.
Eastern cottontails have a unique advantage.
“UNH did some research and they determined that they had the ability to detect predators from a further distance, better peripheral vision, and they just happen to go out in the openings more regularly than our native rabbits,” Holman said.
Snowshoe hares have a helpful ability, she noted. They “change their fur color as the days get longer and shorter, so they turn to a white coat in the winter and that allows them to be less detectable to predators as they’re moving around. Then in the summer they tend to be a similar color to cottontail rabbits.”
The future: How are things looking for the eastern cottontail? “As of right now,” Holman said, “I see them continuing to potentially expand in the state. Similarly to how we’ve seen deer move north….”
They are doing better than the New England cottontail, which “don’t seem to do well sharing the habitat” with the eastern cottontail, she said, but “that’s some research we need to do. That is a huge concern for us over time.”
Brett Ferry, a colleague of Holman’s who specializes in small game spoke on the future of the snowshoe hare.
“There is some concern with less snow during the winter [that] they’ll be mismatched,” Ferry said. “Instead of being white to blend in with the snow. Some concern there for them but for now they remain a common species that is statewide.”
Bunnies at Millstone
The Millstone Wildlife Center in Widham (16 Millstone Road, millstonewildlife.com) rehabilitates mammals in the Granite State and has first-hand knowledge of how they are doing. When people find bunnies in their yard that need help, they typically reach out to Millstone and those bunnies are typically eastern cottontails.
“Most everyone that comes in here is the eastern cottontail.” said Frannie Greenberg, Executive Director.
Markings can help differentiate between eastern and New England cottontail, though a DNA test would be needed to be conclusive, but location is also a helpful indicator.
“Because of where they are found, we are going by habitat…,” Greenberg said. “We can surmise, because the amount of eastern cottontails in the state are much, much higher, that most all of the ones that come in here are eastern cottontails.”
Greenberg has noticed the increase of eastern cottontails in the state. “We are seeing that rabbit babies start coming earlier and earlier,” she said. “This year we had rabbits in March, and people aren’t usually thinking the rabbits are out with babies because there may be snow on the ground — they don’t care about that. If it’s a warm stretch they may start having their litters.”
These warm stretches are being utilized by the eastern cottontail.
“The rabbit population is on the rise in southern New Hampshire,” Greenberg said.
Again, warmer winters are fueling the surge. “If they start in March and they go all the way through October, there is plenty of time to have six or seven litters…,” Greenberg said. “That’s a lot of rabbits. It’s natural that not every rabbit makes it to adulthood, which is why rabbits are prolific, why they have more.”
The bunnies continue to do well, and although it remains to be seen how the eastern and New England cottontail cohabitate, the rise in eastern cottontails is good for larger predators.
“Enough of them have made it so that we see a notable difference over the last few years of the rabbit population in southern New Hampshire…,” Greenberg said. “The better rabbits do in the state, the more food sources there are for the other animals. They are the bottom of the food chain, so when there are more rabbits, they can support more predators so there can be more bobcats or foxes or other animals that would eat the rabbits.”
There is an issue for these larger predators that the MWC has noticed and that echoes the sentiments of NH Fish and Game, and that issue is rodenticide poisoning.
“Rodenticide poisoning is a concern,” Greenberg said. “We are seeing more and more that animals come in here with secondary rodenticide poisoning. That means they’re not necessarily the ones that get into the bait box that gets sick…. Even if it’s a few animals past that mouse. It can be that an animal eats the mouse and then something else eats that animal, that poisoning stays in their system.”
For foxes, rodenticide can exacerbate the effects of mange and make it harder to recover. “That, in turn, presents itself very often with mange. Mange in red foxes is something that the fox themselves have a harder time if they’re immunocompromised, if their systems just are struggling because of the rodenticide poisoning, mange seems to take a hold a whole lot quicker and be a more devastating problem for them in the state of New Hampshire,” Greenberg said.
The health of mammals in the state should be a concern for all. “If it’s a problem for them then it’s a problem for all of us if we want to maintain our red fox population.”
BOBCATS
Species: Lynx rufus (not to be confused with the Canada Lynx)
How are they doing? Oodles of bobcats live in the Granite State, according to Patrick Tate, a Fish and Game biologist.
Bobcat. Photo by Micheal McGarry.
“Bobcats are very abundant in New Hampshire and are doing great statewide,” Tate said. “Their densities do decline, and by density I mean number of animals per square mile, as one goes north, particularly in the White Mountain area and the very extreme northern parts of New Hampshire, and that is because of snow depth. They have small feet and don’t do exceptionally well with snow during the winter.”
We’re not talking about a small amount of snow.
“Not 4 or 5 inches, but 12 inches or more of snow. They don’t do well because their body weight pushes their feet through the snow and moving around becomes difficult,” Tate said.
The winters do appear to be changing, Tate noted: “Our winters are a little more mild than they’ve been in decades past. With milder winters, animals do better, predators do better.”
“There’s been various work done where predators of bobcat have altered in their number which allows bobcats to do greater, meaning reproduce more. Some of those predators, one in particular, are argued to be fisher, and there’s various work there, but at the same time where our bobcats are doing so well now our fisher may not be doing as well because in part of our bobcat population doing so well,” Tate said.
Where to find them: Bobcats can be found all over the state.
“Seeing a bobcat during daylight hours is not anything to be alarmed about,” Tate said. “The species will be active 24 hours a day, they will hunt during the day, that’s a normal behavior.”
They are not skittish.
“Seeing a bobcat walk away, rather than run away, from a person is a normal behavior. They tend to be tolerant of human presence.”
But chicken owners should be aware.
“Make sure they have a properly constructed chicken coop with a chicken run. Don’t rely on having chickens out during the day because there’s a lower number of predators. Bobcats learn to key in on human behavior and timing and will learn to hunt chickens during the day,” Tate said.
Their place in the ecosystem: Besides occasional chickens, what does a bobcat eat?
“Bobcats are capable of taking down anything from smaller than a mouse to whitetail deer-sized animal, any species between there: rabbits, raccoons, there’ve been situations where they’ve gone after foxes, deer fawns, gray squirrels, bird, beaver, muskrat, and adult whitetail deer,” Tate said. They like to eat and move on to their next errand.
“They are a strict carnivore species,” Tate said. “They will scavenge in the winter…. They tend not to cache animals unless it is the winter months, and during winter months they will cache whitetail deer because they can’t consume one entirely at one sitting.”
As to rivals, “fisher and bobcat are predators of one another,” he said.
The future: The outlook for the bobcat is unclear.
“The future all depends on what time scale we are talking about and how much habitat continues to be fragmented and the impact of those roads,” Tate said.
There is an issue with rodenticide. “Rodenticide use and how we use rodenticides has potential of impacting various wildlife species and indirectly bobcat. Where I stand now, the future does not look awful. I don’t want to put rose-colored glasses on and say it looks the best it’ll ever be,” he said.
“Predator species key on prey that are a little bit off and not acting correctly and they’ll kill those prey. That is called secondary poisoning. By killing mice and in situations where other animals are poisoned, the predator is then poisoned themselves…,” Tate said.
How many bobcats are affected by rodenticide? “The exact numbers on bobcats, I don’t know,” he said, “but I can say for sure with fox and fisher, it happens a lot.”
The UNH Veterinary Diagnostic Lab has done work with New Hampshire Fish and Game on fox and fisher and “it showed that over 90 percent had been exposed to rodenticide, of the animals we submitted,” he said.
Overall though, “bobcats are doing well and as long as our wildlife habitat, our unforced habitat, remains where it is, bobcats will continue to do well.”
BATS
Species: There are eight species of bats, three of them migratory, according to Sandra Houghton, a Wildlife Diversity Biologist in the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program through the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. These include the hoary bat, silver-haired bat and eastern red bat.
The five that winter here are the little brown bat, the northern long-eared bat, the tricolored bat, the eastern small-footed bat and the big brown bat.
“The big brown bat is now much more common. It used to be the little brown bat prior to white-nose syndrome,” Houghton said.
Big Brown Bat. Courtesy photo from NH Fish & Game.
How are they doing? Unfortunately, bats are not doing well and the main culprit is white-nose syndrome (WNS). “White-nose syndrome, it’s caused by a fungus that basically decimated bat populations, originally in the Northeast but now it’s kind of spread across the nation,” Houghton said. “It’s causing them to arouse more frequently during the winter and we just saw massive die-offs. A 90 percent decline in many of our wintering bat species.”
When and where did this come from? “It was first documented in New Hampshire in 2009 and most of that decline occurred generally by 2014, 2015, our numbers were low and have stabilized at that low number. It’s a little bit different for every species. Some have been impacted more severely…. It was first documented in New York…. It’s a little bit unknown … it may have come from Europe or Asia. It was a new fungus to the environment,” she said.
Some bats can carry the fungus and be asymptomatic but still pass on spores.
Will they get better? “Any recovery is going to be slow and uncertain. They’re generally only having one young each year and the likelihood of survival for that young is also more tenuous now than it was. That’s about how they are doing,” Houghton said.
Many bats are considered threatened or endangered both on a state and federal level.
“The northern long-eared bat was listed as federally threatened … it just became federally endangered…. The tricolor is proposed for listing as federally endangered and four out of the five of those species are state endangered,” Houghton said. These include the little brown bat, the northern long-eared bat, the tricolored bat and the eastern small-footed bat.
Where to find them: “The wintering locations are more confined,” Houghton said. “It might be an old mine or cave that has a suitable environment. That’s high humidity, generally over 80 percent humidity. The temperature is stable so it’s staying like 34 to 40 degrees. It’s inground.”
When the weather warms up, it’s a different story.
“During the summer, it’s really statewide. Different species use a variety of habitats,” she said. “Some of them live in trees. We have one bat, the eastern small-footed bat, that lives in more of a rock crevice, like a talus slope….”
Bats utilize snug spaces in trees too.
“Others will roost in different parts of a tree. some use the cracks and crevices, some will be among the leaves, and then some might be underneath the bark, and both the little brown bat and big brown bat will utilize man-made structure,” Houghton said.
Their place in the ecosystem: Bats will eat a lot of insects.
“They are our largest predator of night flying insects. They’re eating half their body weight, and when they’re pregnant or nursing they may be eating all of their body weight in insects and they’re eating a whole diversity, agricultural pests, forest pests, a mosquito that people find to be pesky,” Houghton said.
As for what eats bats, “predators could include owls or cats,” though that’s not an exhaustive list, she said.
The future: Not without hope, but having the joy of watching bats flutter about at twilight is an ongoing struggle.
“We see little glimmers of potential signs of recovery but any recovery is going to be slow and uncertain. Any glimmers we’re taking with caution,” Houghton said.
Some other good news include a certain longevity and the ability to have their offspring survive. “We’ve seen little brown bats who we’ve documented surviving over a decade,” she said. “Also, successfully having young and having the young return. Little signs of encouragement. Little things like that.”
CHIPMUNKS & SQUIRRELS
Species: Eastern gray squirrel
Red squirrel
Eastern chipmunk
How are they doing? According to Brett Ferry, the New Hampshire Fish and Game small game project leader, squirrels are doing fine.
“They are doing quite well,” Ferry said. “Their population is based on available food sources, mostly oak acorns, pine seeds and cones. If it’s a good pine cone year then there are a lot of pine seeds for them to eat over the winter.”
Chipmunk. Photo courtesy NH Fish and Game.
The chipmunks, “they’re doing fine as well,” he said, and they are on “the same track as squirrels…. Sometimes people call in because they occasionally see an albino squirrel or sometimes they’re black, but they’re all the same eastern gray squirrel; they just have some different color variations once in a while.”
Where to find them: “They’re pretty common, found statewide,” Ferry said. “The gray squirrels will be more in the southern part of the state. Red squirrels are more common in the north. But they’re both statewide…. There’s a hunting season on gray squirrels.” This starts on Sept. 1.
Their place in the ecosystem: Chipmunks and squirrels provide similar ecosystem services.
“They spread the seeds and nuts of the trees they eat. They spread acorns around, keeping those species going. Then, they’re also prey for predators such as hawks and owls, weasels…,” Ferry said.
The future: Squirrels do not seem to be going anywhere.
“They’re able to exist with humans pretty well, and good stands of oak trees to maintain acorns and future food sources so they should do well,” Ferry said. Chipmunks are “pretty much the same.”
COYOTES
Species: The eastern coyote, canis latrans variant, is what’s found in New Hampshire, as Patrick Tate explains. “They are a mix of western coyote DNA, a small amount of wolf DNA, and I’m going to use rough terms, call it 10 percent or so, and approximately 10 percent domestic dog,” Tate said.
These coyotes are found all the way from Ohio to the tip of Maine and from there down to the Carolinas and back up to Ohio.
It is interesting to note that “eastern coyotes in New Hampshire, which are pretty similar to all those occupying New England, would be extremely different from an eastern coyote on the edge of Ohio or New York.”
Coyote. Photo courtesy NH Fish and Game.
How are they doing? Coyotes are doing great. “Eastern coyotes are doing very well in New Hampshire,” Tate said. “They arrived in the state in the late ’30s, early 1940’s. The first documented one in New Hampshire was in 1944 and that was up in the Lakes Region…. Animals are generally present for a few years before they are officially documented.”
Where to find them: Coyotes are pretty much everywhere.
“By the 1970’s they [were] found statewide and they continue to remain statewide,” Tate said. “They are highly adaptable to all habitats and have the ability to do well in all the places they adapt to, so our cities have eastern coyotes in them and certainly every town in the state.”
Their place in the ecosystem: Coyotes eat lots of different types of food.
“They’re an omnivore species,” Tate said, “so they eat fruits, berries, and take prey up to the size of whitetail deer. They do very well at taking whitetail deer … If there is good snow depth or snow conditions they’ll do better.”
These animals excel at what they do, Tate said. “As predators, they are a consistent force through the year to remove sick and weak prey animals, which strengthens the prey species because the stronger ones survive. It’s that predator-prey relationship game that all the species that we discussed play, that they’re a part of…. They have the ability to help the natural ecological function of being a predator and capturing animals.”
The future: Tate does not have information on coyotes with rodenticide, but said “they do extremely well in all habitats and seem to be more resistant to human changes in the landscape. As a wildlife biologist, my projection is that they’ll continue to do well as they are….”
FOXES
Species: Red fox, Gray fox
These two types of foxes are “completely separate species. They have a different chromosome number and they do not have any ability to interbreed,” Tate said.
Foxes. Photo courtesy NH Fish and Game.
How are they doing? Tate and New Hampshire Fish and Game “are doing some trail camera work to determine densities” of fox populations, Tate said. Numbers for both species are down, he said. “Their numbers are down from the historic high; however, we have no reason to believe that foxes are about to leave this state and not be present.”
Where to find them: Both can be found statewide, and especially for “red fox, the density per square mile does not vary greatly throughout the entire state,” Tate said.
It is different for the gray fox.
“Gray foxes are near the northern limit of their range in New England. Because of that, as a person goes north, the density per square mile of gray fox declines,” he said.
Their place in the ecosystem: Foxes have a varied palate.
“They’re an omnivore species, both red and gray; interestingly their diets overlap,” Tate said. “So they’ll eat berries, they’ll eat fruits. Then mice, squirrels, rabbits … waterfowl, turkeys, wild turkeys, that’s all in their realm.”
Gray fox. Photo courtesy NH Fish and Game.
Unlike the bobcat and coyote, foxes leave deer alone, he said. “They have less capabilities than bobcats.”
It is fun to note that gray foxes have retractable front claws. “They have the ability to climb trees,” Tate said. “When I say climb, they hold on with the front claws and with their rear claws, push themselves up the tree. So they’re not using limbs to climb; they’re actually using their claws to grip and climb the tree.”
Red foxes lack this trait. “Red foxes do not have that ability,” Tate said. “However, red foxes will climb ornamental trees that they’re able to jump limb to limb to get to fruit such as crab apples or apples…. It’s not the same type of climbing technique and one could argue that one does not climb at all. Whereas gray foxes can certainly climb trees.”
The future: The outlook is similar to that for the bobcat, although “based on exposure rates, I would argue that rodenticides are more impactful to the population because of the fox’s willingness to occupy residential settings at a greater level,” Tate said.
Foxes do not travel as far as bobcats either.
“They have smaller home ranges than bobcat, smaller area, and can expose themselves a little more because of that,” he said. This makes rodenticide exposure a greater concern. But it is important not to lose hope. “There’s work at the federal level regarding rodenticide … that continues to be ongoing,” Tate said, “so my hope is that the rodenticide issue gets cleared up over time and the population is less impacted by human presence.”
Your guide to sports, dance, arts, music and more extracurricular excitement
Get your kid excited about the new school year by finding a new team to join, a new style of dance or a new instrument to play. Here are some of the organizations offering opportunities for kids to try new things or get better at a favorite pastime this school year.
GENERAL
• Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis, 465-7787, beaverbrook.org) offers preschool as well as home school (with a class for grades 1-6 and one for grades 7-9) programming, beginning the week of Sept. 9.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America (555 Union St., Manchester, 625-5031, mbgcnh.org; 1 Positive Place, Nashua, 883-0523, bgcn.com; 3 Geremonty Drive, Salem, 898-7709, salembgc.org; 56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, 672-1002, svbgc.org; 55 Bradley St., Concord, 224-1061, nhyouth.org; 40 E. Derry Road, Derry, 434-6695, derrybgclub.com) offers a variety of before- and after-school programs that include homework assistance, sports and recreation, arts and crafts, leadership development, life skills and more. Programs and costs vary with location and based on age.
• The Culinary Playground (16 Manning St., Suite 105, Derry, 339-1664, culinary-playground.com) offers one-time classes for mini chefs (ages 3-6) and older kids (6-11 and 11+) as well as six-week series that meet for an hour once a week. There are also one-time “kid with adult” cooking classes and classes for home-schoolers available as well. See the website for upcoming classes.
• Daniel Webster Council Scouts SA (625-6431, nhscouting.org) is the center of information for New Hampshire Scouts (formerly the Boy Scouts of America). Contact them for information about joining a local pack. Packs and Dens set their own start dates, meeting days and times and meeting locations. Many Packs hold fall activities where potential new members can learn more about Scouting.
• Franco-American Centre (100 Saint Anselm Drive, No. 1798, Manchester, 641- 7114, facnh.com) Children’s Beginner French is offered for ages 6-11 for 10 weeks on Tuesdays, Oct. 1, through Dec. 3. The classes run from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and operate over Zoom. The cost is $150 plus a French workbook.
• Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains (1 Commerce Drive, Bedford, 888-474-9686, girlscoutsgwm.org) offers programs for girls in kindergarten through grade 12, focused on leadership-building, community engagement, STEM and nature. Visit their website or call to learn how to join a local troop or join as a solo Girl Scout. Troops set their own start dates, meeting days and times, and meeting locations. The council also offers programming and events.
• Girls at Work (200 Bedford St., Manchester, 345-0392, girlswork.org) offers after-school workshops for ages 8 to 14 where girls can learn building skills. Some classes are specifically offered for students of certain Manchester schools and some are open to all schools; see their website for details.
• Girls, Inc. of New Hampshire (340 Varney St., Manchester, 623-1117; 27 Burke St., Nashua, 882-6256, girlsincnewhampshire.org) Girls are picked up by bus at Nashua and Manchester schools to go to a Girls, Inc. center where they can participate in a variety of classes. The program runs from after school to 6 p.m. (or 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on full days) with a snack and dinner provided. The cost is $85 per week; financial assistance is available.
• Granite YMCA (30 Mechanic St., Manchester, 623-3558; 116 Goffstown Back Road, Goffstown, 497-4663; 206 Rockingham Road, Londonderry; 437-9622; 15 N. State St., Concord, 228-9622; 35 Industrial Way, Rochester, 332-7334; 550 Peverly Hill Road, Portsmouth, 431- 2334; 35 Bartlett Ave., Somersworth, 692-2081; graniteymca.org/child-care) YMCAs offer before- and after-school programs for kids and teens. Programs vary at each location; call the local branch. The Ys also offer athletic programs that can include, depending on the location, swimming, climbing, tennis, gymnastics, dances and a variety of sports. These programs run in sessions. Check with individual branches for session start dates.
• Hampshire Hills Athletic Club (50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com) offers classes, events and activities for children as well as adults.
• Manchester Police Athletic League (409 Beech St., Manchester, 626-0211, manchesterpoliceathleticleague.org) offers aikido, boxing, skateboarding and wrestling, as well as occasional cooking classes. MPAL is open to kids ages 5-18 who are attending school; membership is free.
• Mathnasium (257 DW Highway, Nashua; 1 Bicentennial Drive, Manchester; mathnasium.com) offers math classes for kindergarten through high school as well as test prep. Students are recommended to attend Mathnasium two to three times a week.
• NH Audubon (including Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way in Auburn, 668-2045; McLane Center, 84 Silk Farm Road in Concord, 224-9909; nhaudubon.org) offers family and children programs as well as homeschool programs. Next on the schedule: “The Magic of Monarchs Children’s Program” on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 9:30 a.m.
• YMCA of Greater Nashua (24 Stadium Drive, Nashua, 882-2011; 6 Henry Clay Drive, Merrimack, 881-7778, nmymca.org) offers before-school programs at Amherst Middle School and at the Merrimack YMCA (with transportation to schools included) and after-school programs at Amherst Clark-Wilkins Elementary School, Merrimack YMCA, Mont Vernon Village School and Nashua YMCA. The Ys also offer swimming, dance, arts, music, sports, ninja, teen classes and more.
ART
• Currier Museum Art Center (180 Pearl St., Manchester, 518-4922, currier.org) offers a myriad of weekly classes for kids and teens Wednesdays after school and Saturdays. The first fall session starts Sept. 25.
• Hollis Artspace (30 Ash St., Hollis, 465-4300, hollisartspace.com) offers youth classes and workshops. Fall 2024 schedule is coming soon, according to the website.
• Kimball Jenkins School of Art (266 N. Main St., Concord, 225-3932, kimballjenkins.com) offers youth classes and teen classes in various art forms.
• Let’s Play Music! (145 Hampstead Road, Derry, 425-7575; letsplaymusic.com) offers art classes (grouped by age) for kids ages 6-12 as well as classes for teens. Classes have open enrollment for students to join any time there are openings in a class.
• Paint pARTy (135 N. Broadway, Salem, 898-8800, paintpartynh.com) Classes in painting, drawing and art lessons in other media run continuously (for children as well as for teens and adults). Home-school and toddler-and-me classes are also available.
• Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com) After-school sessions are offered in the fall, winter and spring in clay sculpting as well as drawing and painting. Clay classes for kids 9-12 years old start Sept. 10 and run on Tuesday afternoons from 4 to 5:15 p.m. (eight total classes for $150); teen (ages 13-18) clay classes run Mondays, starting Sept. 9, and another on Thursdays, starting Sept. 12, both from 4 to 5:15 p.m. (eight total classes for $160). A home-school session also runs on Thursdays starting Sept. 5 for kids and teens (ages 12-18) and is a 10 week-session that runs from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. (10 total classes for $285). Students under 9 are welcome in one-day workshops and classes for home-school students can also be scheduled (for six or more students).
DANCE
Note on dance classes: In addition to monthly tuition, many dance classes also have registration, performance and costume fees. Many studios also offer discounts for siblings and for taking multiple classes per month.
• Alicia’s School of Dance (Fox Pond Plaza, 58 Route 129, Suite 201, Loudon, 406-0416, aliciasschoolofdance.com) The new season of classes begins Monday, Sept. 9. Offerings include a creative dance class for ages 2-3, tap/jazz/ballet combo classes for ages 4-10 (grouped according to age), hip-hop, gymnastics and teen classes. Classes cost $60 per month for one class a week plus $20 per class for extra classes and $35 per class for siblings and parents.
• Allegro Dance Academy (100 Factory St., Nashua, 886-7989, allegrodancenh.com) offers a variety of classes for several age groups, starting with ages 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 and up to ages 14 and older. Classes must have a minimum of six dancers to run. Classes include ballet, tap, hip-hop, tumbling, boys’ intro to hip-hop, acro, jazz, Irish, lyrical & contemporary, and performance team & technique. Pricing is per family; preschool registration is $69 per month, other pricing is tiered, depending on number of classes per week, and there is an annual registration and recital fee of $65 per student or $80 per family.
• Ameri-kids Baton & Dance (Candia Youth Athletic Association, 27 Raymond Road, Candia, 391-2254, ameri-kids.org) offers baton-twirling and dance in recreational and competitive programs for kids ages 3+, September through May. Classes start at $65 for a 45-minute session, plus an annual $30 registration fee.
• Bedford Dance Center (172 Route 101, Bedford, 472-5141, bedforddancecenter.com) Classes start in September; tuition costs between $59 and $74 per month, based on the hours per week of class, and a $315 per month pass allows for unlimited classes. Classes are available for ages 3 through 18 with subjects including ballet, acro, jazz, tap, hip-hop, modern dance and ensemble for different age and skill levels.
• Bedford Youth Performing Company (155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org) Classes begin the week of Aug. 26 and run through June 9. Dance classes include preschool ballet (starting at age 2-5) as well as ballet, acro, jazz and tap (for ages 5-18). Prices vary based on class and age and are charged monthly. BYPC also offers music and theater classes.
• Broadway Bound Performing Arts Center (501 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-8844, broadwayboundpac.com) Classes start the week of Sept. 11 and include preschool classes (ages 2-5), ballet, hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, tap, tumbling, musical theater, theater arts and competition classes as well as special-needs classes. The center also offers adult ballet and tap. Most classes are $65 or $70 per month.
• The Cadouxdle Dance Studio (297 Derry Road, Hudson, 459-4392, thecadouxdledancestudio.com) Classes start at age 3 and beginner-friendly classes are available for elementary and middle school-age kids. Cadouxdle also offers private lessons and beginner-friendly adult classes. Offerings include tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical and more.
• Concord Dance Academy (26 Commercial St., Concord, 226-0200, concorddanceacademy.com) Competition classes start Sept. 9 and recreational classes start Sept. 16 and include tap/ballet/jazz combo classes (for ages 2-4 and 5-7), ballet, tap, hip-hop, jazz, contemporary (for ages 13+), pointe (also age 13+, by invitation) and karate. Tuition starts at $80. Adult classes in several subjects are also available.
• Creative Dance Workshop of Bow (1355 Route 3A, Unit A & B, Bow, 225-7711, nhdances.com) Classes start Sept. 11 and include Tiny Dancers (for ages 18 months through 3 years), Dance Kids (for ages 3-4), combo classes (tap/ballet/jazz or tap/jazz) grouped by age, and single-subject classes — ballet, tap, jazz, musical theater, acro, lyrical/contemporary and hip-hop. There are also dance teams (auditions required) and adult classes. Tuition per class is $75 per month.
• The Dance Company (130 Route 101A, Amherst, 864-8374, thedancecompanyonline.com) Classes begin in September. Offerings include preschool (grouped by age, from under 3 through 5) classes (ballet, tumble, tap) as well as acro, ballet, hip-hop, jazz, tap and theater for ages 5 through 18. Lyrical/contemporary and power clinics are also offered. Monthly tuition starts at $64 and is based on length of class.
• Dance Connection Fitness & Performing Arts (8 Rockingham Road, Windham, 893-4919, danceconnectionnh.com) The new season begins Sept. 16. Combo classes, grouped by age, are available for ages 2 1/2 through 8 (combos include ballet/tap, ballet/tap/jazz, hip-hop/gymnastics) as well as a cheerleader/gym class for ages 7-10. Single-subject classes include hip-hop (starting at age 5, including an all-boys class), contemporary (starting at age 8), gymnastics (starting at age 6) and company classes (which perform and compete).
• Dance Visions Network (699 Mast Road, Manchester, 626-7654, dancevisionsnetwork.com) Classes begin after Labor Day and are geared toward age 7+. Subjects include ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop and tumbling. Monthly tuition is based on length of class.
• The Dancing Corner (23 Main St., Nashua, 889-7658, dancingcorner.com) Classes for the fall/winter/spring begin after Labor Day. Tuition is based on classes per week and is broken up into five equal payments, due on the first class of each new seven-week session. Classes range in age from 3 through adult with pre-dance classes (grouped by age) available for kids ages 3 through 6. Class subjects include ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, lyrical, musical theater and more.
• Dimensions in Dance (84 Myrtle St., Manchester, 668-4196, dimensionsindance.com) Classes begin Sept. 9. Classes are available for ages 2 through adult and focuses include ballet, acro-jazz, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, tap, theater dance and more. Monthly tuition is based on class length and starts at $55.
• Gen’s Dance Studio (151 Manchester St., Building 5, Concord, 224-0698) Classes start Sept. 16. Ages 3+. Tap, ballet, lyrical, jazz, tumbling. No registration fee. Prices vary based on class and age.
• Happy Feet Dance School (25 Indian Rock Road, Windham, 434-4437, happyfeetdanceschool.biz) Classes start at age 2 and are available through teens. Dance classes for ages 2-5 include Tiny Tots, Creative Dance and Kinder Kids classes. Offerings for ages 6 and up (grouped by age and skill level) include ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, contemporary and more. Monthly tuition is based on length of class and starts at $65.
• Highland Dance of NH Scot (nhscot.org) is accepting new students for its classes, which will run in four sessions during the 2023-2024 school year, starting with the first session on Oct. 7. Eight-week sessions take place on Monday at 25 Triangle Park Drive in Concord, divided by ages with the youngest group (ages 5-6) dancing from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. and then a beginner level I (ages 7-16) and beginner level II (ages 9-17) class.
• Kathy Blake Dance Studios (3 Northern Blvd., Amherst, 673-3978, kathyblakedancestudios.com) Classes begin Sept. 4. Classes are available for kids as young as 1 (walking) and classes for older preschoolers include ballet, tap & ballet and AcroDance. Classes for ages 5 through 18 (grouped by age and skill) include jazz, musical theater jazz, hip-hop, lyrical contemporary, AcroDance, ballet, tap and more. The studio also offers dance teams (grouped by age) and adult classes. Monthly tuition is based on class length and starts at $60.
• Londonderry Dance Academy (21 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 432-0032, londonderrydance.com) Class begins Sept. 3 and offerings include ballet (starting at ages 2), jazz, tap, contemporary, hip-hop, acro and triple threat prep (open to ages 8-17). Tuition is billed every two months and is based on class length.
• Martin School of Dance (288 Route 101, Bedford, 488-2371, martinschoolofdance.com) Classes start Sept. 3 and include ballet, hip-hop, tap, acro and jazz. Classes are available for ages 2-5, ages 5-7 and ages 7+, including a program focused solely on ballet. (Adult fitness classes are also available).
• Melissa Hoffman Dance Center (210 Robinson Road, Hudson, 886-7909, melissahoffmandancecenter.info) Classes begin Sept. 9 and include offerings from babies through teens. Dance focuses include ballet, tap, hip-hop, tumble, modern, lyric and jazz.
• Miss Kelsey’s Dance Studio (2626 Brown Ave., Manchester, 606-2820, mkdance.com) Classes include acro, ballet, breakdance, lyrical/contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, tap and musical theater as well as a series of classes for preschool (as young as 1 1/2 years) students.
• Nancy Chippendale’s Dance Studios (49 Range Road, Building 2, Suite A, Windham, 458-7730, chippswindham.com) The studio offers Babysteps (ages 1-4) programming as well as recreational (ages 2-19) and competitive (entering grades 3-12; audition required) offerings. Recreational classes (grouped by age) include combo classes featuring ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop (the mix of styles is based by age).
• New England School of Dance (679 Mast Road, Manchester, 935-7326, newenglandschoolofdance.com) offers a variety of classes that range from 30 minutes per week to an hour or two per week for younger students to classes for students hoping for a career in dance or theater (students in the pre-professional track, for example, take six to 10 hours of dance per week). Dance styles include ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical and acro. Monthly tuition is based on class length/number of class hours.
• New England Scottish Arts Centre has ongoing Highland dance classes for kids 7 and older with the first lesson always free and subsequent lessons $15 per class, according to their website. Classes are held on Sundays at noon and will be at the Creative Dance Workshop (1355 Route 3A, Bow). They also offer a version for kids ages 4-6 called Tartan Tots. Visit nhssa.org/dance.
• New Hampshire Academie of Dance (1 Action Blvd., No. 4, Londonderry, 432-4041, nhadance.com) Classes range from babies (Dance and Play With Me, starting at 8 months) through teen. Dance classes include ballet, aerial, hip-hop, jazz, acro, lyrical and tap. Monthly tuition is based on length of class/number of class hours and starts at $57.
• New Hampshire School of Ballet (183 Londonderry Tpke., Hooksett, 668-5330, nhschoolofballet.com) Class offerings include ballet (for kids starting at 2 1/2 years), tap, jazz, tumblers and lyrical. Students perform in two shows a year. Monthly tuition is based on class level and number of classes per week.
• N-Step Dance Center (1134 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 641-6787, nstepdance.com) Class offerings include preschool offerings (tiny tots for ages 1 1/2 as well as pre-dance), as well as multiple levels of ballet, lyrical, musical theater, jazz, hip-hop and tumbling. Monthly tuition varies by level and number of classes per month.
• Palace Theatres Dance Studio (palacetheatre.org) offers 11-week sessions starting in September, teaching technique and choreography in jazz, tap, contemporary and more. Classes are held at Forever Emma Studios, 516 Pine St., Manchester. Intro to Dance is for ages 3-5; a tap/jazz/ ballet hybrid class is offered for grades 1-2 and for grades 3-5. Classes in hip-hop and contemporary dance are offered for grades 4-12, and for grades 6-12 there are three levels of classes in tap, jazz, and dance technique. Classes cost $240 with some categories offering additional courses for $180.
• Rise Dance Studio (125 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 402-2706, risedancenh.com) Class offerings include pre-dance as well as ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop. The studio also features by-invitation ballet, hip-hop and contemporary companies.
• Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater (19 Harvey Road, Bedford, 637- 4398, snhdt.org) Company and Nutcracker auditions will be held Friday, Aug. 23, and Saturday, Aug. 24, for ages 8-18. Classes are offered in divisions — preschool (18 months to 6 years), youth (7-18), pre-professional (ages 10-18) and adult. Youth classes include ballet, modern, jazz, tap and hip-hop. There is also a student company.
• Turning Pointe Center of Dance (371 Pembroke St., Pembroke, 485-8710, turningpointecenterofdance.com) Monthly tuition is based on number of classes and starts at $75. Classes include ballet, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop and tap.
• Unbound Dance Academy (237 Londonderry Tpke., Hooksett, 714-2821, unbounddanceacademy.com) Classes begin Wednesday, Sept. 7. Class offerings start with parent-and-tot (ages 2+) through pre-dance classes (grouped by age to 6 years old). Classes for older students include ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, modern/contemporary, tap, hip-hop, acro and musical theater.
GYMNASTICS
• A2 Gym & Cheer (16B Garabedian Drive, Salem, 328-8130, a2gc.com) Classes in gymnastics and tumbling start in September and registration is open now.
• Flipz the Gym for Kids (Flipz Gymnastics, 14 Chenell Drive, Concord, 224-3223, flipzgymnastics.com) offers classes for ages 12 months through 4 years, with ongoing openings as space is available. Classes are 45 minutes long with tuition based on the number of classes taken per week. Classes are Mondays through Tuesday at 8:30 and 9:30 a.m., Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 and 9:30 a.m.
• Gymnastics Village (13 Caldwell Drive, Amherst, 889-8092, gymnasticsvillage.com) The school-year schedule begins Monday, Sept. 9. Gymnastics classes are offered for preschoolers and as after-school sessions (hour-long classes grouped by age). The studio also offers ninja challenge classes and boys’ and girls’ competitive gymnastics teams.
• Gym-Ken Gymnastics (184 Rockingham Road, Windham, 434-9060, gymkengymnastics.com) offers classes starting with walkers and preschoolers through a competitive girls’ team. Offerings include tumbling, gymnastics and parkour.
• Impact Gymnastics (301 River Road, Bow, 219-0343, impact-gymnastics.com) Classes start Tuesday, Sept. 5, and offerings include a preschool program (with classes for walking through 3 years old and 3-5 years old), a girls’ and boys’ recreational program, a boys’ and girls’ competitive program, a boys’ and girls’ pre-competitive program and a Special Athletes program designed for children ages 5-17.
• Noha’s Gymnastics Academy (200 Perimeter Road, Manchester, 518-7660; 30 Pond St., Nashua, 880-4927; ngacademy.us) offers recreational classes as well as a team.
• Palaestra Gymnastics Academy (8 Tinkham Ave., Derry, 818-4494, pgagym.com) offers preschool, recreational and team gymnastics as well as cheer/tumble. Fall classes start Sept. 9. • Phantom Gymnastics (142 Route 111, Hampstead, 329-9315, phantomgymnastics.com) Fall 1 session starts Sept. 9. The studio offers gymnastics for preschool and school age as well as a competitive team. Parkour and CPR education are also offered.
• Sky High Gymnastics (185 Elm St., Milford, 554-1097, skyhighgym.com) offers classes and open play.
• Southern New Hampshire Gymnastics Academy (4 Orchard View Drive, No. 11, Londonderry, 404-6181, snhga.com) Fall session classes begin Monday, Aug. 26. There are classes for ages 18 months through 18 years as well as a team program.
• Spectrum Gymnastics (26 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 434-8388, spectrumgymnast.com) offers preschool and school-age classes grouped by age (including boys’ classes for grades 1-5). There are also two competitive teams.
• Tumble Town Gymnastics (444 E. Industrial Park Drive, No. 10, Manchester, 641-9591, tumbletownnh.com) offers preschool and school-age recreational and advanced classes as well as team programs. The new school year starts Tuesday, Sept. 3.
MARTIAL ARTS
• American Dragon Shaolin Kempo (146 Londonderry Turnpike, Unit 11, Hooksett, 629-9118, americandragonnh.com) offers classes for children, teens and adults, for $100 per month.
• Aqueous Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Fitness Center (30 Harvey Road, Bedford, 566-7775, aqueousbjj.com) offers individualized classes for children and adults.
• ATA Martial Arts of Merrimack (707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 881-5435, atabbanh.com) teaches self-defense to children and adults 4 years old and up, with in-person and virtual classes. Special focus is put on conflict avoidance and resolving conflict with words. Special-needs students are welcome.
• Averill’s Martial Arts Academy (3 N. Main St., Concord, 223-0300, averillsmartialarts.com) is a boxing gym with classes for men, women and children 10+. Beginners are allowed to participate at their own pace and comfort level and do not have to spar.
• Balance Point Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (50 Emerson Road, Milford, 470-7136, www.balancepointbjj.com) teaches classes to children and adults. Children’s classes are broken into two age groups — 5-9 years old, and 10-12 years old. Students ages 13 and 14 have the option of attending either the kids’ classes or adult classes with the head instructor’s approval.
• Bedford Martial Arts Academy (292 Route 101, Bedford, 626-9696; Bedford Martial Arts Academy East, 273 S. River Road, Bedford; 703-2327, bedfordmartialartsacademy.com) offers classes for mini masters (ages 3-6), as well as for school-age kids and teens and adults. The academy also operates the Elite After School program at Bedford elementary schools and on site at the academy.
• Blue Wave Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (1 Progress Ave., Nashua, 321-5032, bluewavejj.com) teaches classes to children ages 3-5 and 6-14. Priority is given to learning how to focus and behave responsibly.
• Bodyworks Martial Arts Training Center (45 Chenell Drive, Concord, 225-5620, bodyworksnh.com) teaches karate to children ages 4-6 and 7-11.
• Brazilian Top Team Londonderry (73 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 212-9258, bttlondonderry.com) teaches classes for ages 4-6 once per week, and ages 7-16 twice per week.
• Bulsajo TaeKwonDo (703-1914, bulsajotkd.com) has classes for students 5 years old and up. Children’s classes focus on martial art skills, personal responsibility and listening skills. Classes are taught at the Allard Center YMCA (116 Goffstown Back Road, Goffstown) and Goffstown Parks and Recreation (55 S. Mast St., Goffstown).
• Capital City Tae Kwon Do (78 Fisherville Road, Concord, 227-0555, capitalcitytkd.com) teaches classes to boys and girls ages 6-12.
• Central Tae Kwon Do Academy (222 Central St., Suite 8, Hudson, 882-5617, central-tkd.com) offers tae kwon do and taerobics (a self-defense class).
• Checkmate Martial Arts (200 Elm St., Manchester, 666-5836, checkmateselfdefense.com) offers youth martial arts for ages 5-13 as well as adult classes.
• Chung’s Tae Kwon Do Academy (115 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 883- 2577, chungs-tkd.com) offers classes for ages 4 through adult.
• Concord Karate Studio and Academy (89 Fort Eddy Road, No. 3, Concord, 224-5425, cks-nh.com) teaches karate to children 3 years old and up. There is also a Family Class, where parents and children can learn together. There is an after-school program, which includes a 45-minute karate class, 45 minutes of academic support/tutoring and 45 minutes of special programming.
• Determined Martial Arts (Salzburg Square, 292 Route 101, Amherst, 672-3570, determinedma.com) offers classes for kids as young as 4 through adults.
• Dojo Sante (1 Winn Ave., Hudson, 467-9384, mbsdojosante.com) teaches martial arts to students 3 to 5 years old, and 6 and up, with a focus on anti-bullying behavior.
• Empowering Lives Martial Arts (542 Mast Road, No. 15, Goffstown, 978-414-5425, martialartsnewhampshire.com) has programs for ages 4-6 and 7-12 as well as teen and adult programs and special abilities programs (for children and adults). There is also a cardio kickboxing program open to teens and adults.
• Eric Menard’s Complete Martial Arts Academy (220 Innovative Way, Suite E, Nashua, 888-0010, cma-martialarts.com) offers classes for kids and adults.
• Family Martial Arts of Pelham (122 Bridge St., No. 6, Pelham, 635-8323, familymartialartsofpelham.com) offers classes for tots through teens.
• Gate City MMA (28 Charron Ave., Unit 8, Nashua, 722-0238, gatecitymma.com) teaches children 7 years old and up different aspects of Brazilian jiu jitsu, muay thai, wrestling, judo, kung fu and boxing. While the focus is confidence, respect, humility, leadership and skill, the classes are taught in a fun structure.
• Golden Crane Traditional Martial Arts (46 Lowell Road, No. 6, Windham, 437-2020, goldencranenh.com) offers classes grouped by age for ages 6 through teens as well as a variety of adult classes.
• Granite State American Kenpo Karate (290 Derry Road, No. 5, Hudson, 598-5400, gsakenpo.com) offers programs for kids ages 3+ as well as teens and adults.
• House of the Samurai (28 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 434-2265, samurainh.com) teaches junior traditional karate classes geared toward children ages 4-12. Each class takes about 45 minutes.
• Independent Martial Arts School (138 Lake St, Nashua, 882-6917, imasnh.com) teaches children, teens and adults traditional kenpo karate, enshudo, weapons training, grappling and breaking.
• Inner Dragon Martial Arts (77 Derry Road, Hudson, 864-8756, innerdragonma.com) started enrolling beginner kids’ martial arts programs in July. There is also an after-school program.
• Inspired Martial Arts (58 Range Road, Windham, 893-7990, inspiredmartialartscenter.com) offers martial arts classes for kids as well as adults.
• Kaizen Academy (17 Freetown Road, No. 6, Raymond, 895-1545, raymondkarate.com) offers a juniors program for ages 6 to 12 as well as teen and adult programs.
• Karasu Tengu Academy (1 Chestnut St., No. 5D, Nashua, 689-4966, ktacademymma.com) teaches youth classes in Brazilian jiu jitsu, mixed martial arts and kickboxing for students 7+.
• Karate International of Windham (60 Rockingham Road, No. 14, Windham, 898-5367, windhamkarate.com) teaches karate to preschoolers, children, teens and adults.
• Kenpo Academy of Self Defense (40 Manchester Road, Derry, 437-9900, kenpo-academy.com) offers preschool, kid and teen programs (as well as adults).
• Kian Taekwondo (236 N. Broadway, Salem, 894-5425, kiantkd.com) teaches taekwondo to students 3 years old and up. The goal of the kids’ programs is to help children develop discipline as well as valuable self-defense skills.
• Leadership Martial Arts Academy (Harris Pond Plaza, 32 DW Highway, Unit 5, Merrimack, 718-0989, facebook.com/LMA603) Contact the studio for details.
• Leverage Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (70 Pembroke Road, Concord, 738-0227, leveragebjjnh.com) teaches Brazilian jiu jitsu to children 5-9 and 9-13.
• LFG Fitness – Life Fitness Goals (303 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-5899, lfgfitnessnh.com) offers a junior boxing program for teens and tweens, ages 11-17. A membership costs $99 per month.
• Manchester Karate & Gracie Jiu Jitsu Center (371 S. Willow St., Manchester, 625-5838, manchesterkarate.com) offers a kid program (for ages 4-12) and adult programs (13+) as well as self-defense programs for ages 14+.
• The Martial Arts Zone (31 Auburn St., Manchester, 206-5716, themartialartszone.com) Beginner kids’ classes are enrolling in August. Classes (grouped by age) run for ages 5-15. There are also a variety of adult classes.
• Meikyo Dojo (292 Derry Road, Hudson, 415-9658, meikyodojo.com) teaches children, teens and adults kyokshin karate, a traditional system of Japanese karate.
• Merrimack Karate (534 DW Highway, Merrimack, 424-7458, merrimackkarate.com) has programs for ages 6-12 as well as teen/adult programs for 13+.
• Mindset Wrestling (185 Elm St., Milford, 721-2551, mindsetwrestling.net) teaches wrestling to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, and in middle and high school.
• National Karate Institute (401 Main St., Salem, 205-1157, nationalkarateinstitute.godaddysites.com) teaches karate to children. Contact the studio for information.
• Neil Stone’s Karate Academy (22 Proctor Hill Road, Hollis, 672-8933, neilstoneskarate.com) offers programs (grouped by age) for ages 2-12 as well as teen/adult programs for 13+. There is also a home-school program.
• New England Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy (30 Henniker St., Unit 9, Concord, 369-4764, nebjj.com) offers a program for ages 5-8 and ages 9-13. Kids’ classes start at $100 per month.
• NH Kicks Taekwondo Family Fitness (90 Airport Road, Concord, 714-5472, nhkicks.com) offers classes for children 5-12, for teenagers, and for families to study together.
• Ocasio’s True Martial Arts – Plaistow (160 Plaistow Road, No. 5, Plaistow, 382-4199, ocasiostma.com) teaches karate to students 3 and up.
• Phoenix Fire Martial Arts (79 Plaistow Road, Plaistow, 234-8665, phnixfire.com) offers Shotokan martial arts for ages 3 and up as well as teen/adult krav maga classes.
• Professional Martial Arts Academy (15 E. Broadway, Derry, 434-7995, pmaderry.com; 501 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-0008, pmamerrimack.com; 37 Plaistow Road, Plaistow, 974-2455, pmaplaistow.com) offers kids’ martial arts and jiu jitsu as well as adult programs. Kids’ classes are for children age 3 and older. Three classes and a uniform are $19.99.
• Souhegan Valley Karate Club (1 Main St., Brookline, 505-6777, svkc.online) teaches Okinawan-style karate to “Karate Kids” ages 5-10 on Saturday mornings.
• School of Warrior Arts (125 N. Lowell Road, Windham, 781-249-7073, facebook.com/schoolofwarriorarts) teaches Christian-oriented uechi ryu karate & Brazilian jiujitsu to children and teens.
• SDSS Martial Arts of Concord (124 Hall St., Suite E, Concord, 224-3777, facebook.com/SDSSofConcord) Contact the studio for information.
• Spero’s Martial Arts Academy (31 Westville Road, Plaistow, 275-7111, speromma.com) offers martial arts for children 4-8, kids’ MMA for ages 8-13 and kids’ jiu jitsu.
• Southpaw Boxing & Fitness (41 Range Road, Windham, 324-8200, southpaw-boxing.com) is a boxing gym with a youth program designed for ages 6-15 that teaches real boxing skills.
• Strikeback Dynamic Defense Systems (458 DW Highway, Merrimack, 262-9299, strikebackdds.com) teaches martial arts and self-defense to youth and adult students.
• Tiger Black Belt Academy (11 Kimball Drive, Unit 121, Hooksett, 627-7744, tigerblackbeltacademy.com) is offering a start-up special for the fall for $99, which includes a uniform and a month of classes. Classes start at age 3½ and are available for all ages and levels of training.
• Tim Barchard’s Professional Martial Arts Academy (15 E. Broadway, Derry, 434-7995, pmaderry.com) teaches martial arts and Brazilian jiu jitsu to kids and adults.
• Tokyo Joe’s Studios of Self Defense (85A Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 889-
4165; 20 Hammond Road, Milford, 672-2100; tokyojoes.net) offers programs, grouped by age, for kids starting at age 3, including a teen group for ages 13-17. There are also adult classes.
• Tokyo Joe’s Studios and Team Link NH (1338 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 641-3444, tokyojoeshooksett.com) offers youth programs including kempo karate for ages 3-12, Brazilian jiu jitsu for ages 5-15 and kickboxing for ages 5-12. Adult programs start at 13 or 15, depending on the discipline.
• The Training Station (200 Elm St., Manchester, 505-0048, thetrainingstationnh.com) offers programs for kids, grouped by age, starting at age 3, with a teen class for ages 12-14 and adult and fitness programs starting at 15+.
• Triumph Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (456 W. Hollis St., Nashua, 769-3819, teamtriumphbjj.com) teaches Brazilian jiu jitsu to children and adults, six days per week.
• Universal Kenpo Federation (37 Wilton Road, Milford, 547-5226, facebook.com/UniversalKenpoFederation) offers lessons in kenpo karate to children and adults. Contact the studio for details.
• USA Ninja Challenge (locations at Gymnastics Village, 13 Caldwell Drive, Amherst, 889-8902, gymnasticsvillage.com; Flipz Gymnastics, 14 Chenell Drive, Concord, 224-3223, ninjaconcordnh.com; 17 Friars Drive, Unit 18, Hudson, 417-6820, ninjahudson.com; and 444 E. Industrial Park Drive, Manchester, 935-7100, ninjamanchesternh.com) offers ninja classes starting at age 4. The Concord location offers a teen fitness class and a class for ages 13-17. Hudson’s classes start at 2½, as do Manchester’s. There are also team programs for ages 6 and up.
• Valle Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (44 Nashua Road, Unit 19, Londonderry, 553-1736, vallebjj.com) teaches Brazilian jiu jitsu to children, teens and adults. • White Tiger Karate (120 Laconia Road, Suite 201, Tilton, 998-1511, whitetigerkarate.net) teaches children 18-36 months old, 3-4 years, 5-6 years, 7-9 years, and 10+ a mixture of karate, kung fu and muay Thai, with special instruction for children on the autism spectrum ages 7+.
• World Class Martial Arts (25 Nashua Road, Unit D3, Londonderry, 845-6115, londonderrymartialarts.com) offers classes for ages 3½ and up.
• Z10 Gibson’s Gym (168 Amory St., Manchester, 232-4651, facebook.com/Z10Taekwondo) Contact the studio for details.
• Zenith Martial Arts (40 Thorndike St., Concord, 513-9993, zenithmartialarts.net) offers kung fu classes grouped by age, starting at age 3, as well as kickboxing for ages 14+. An after-school program for 6+ is offered, with transportation from some Concord schools.
MUSIC
• AB Music School (4 Faxon Ave., Nashua, 978-677-9244, abmusicschool.com) offers personalized instruction on 15 instruments along with music theory and composition. Students are 4 years old and up. Lessons start at $120 per month.
• Amy Conley Music (102 Elm St., Milford, 249-9560, amyconleymusic.com) offers programs for families/early childhood and special needs, ukulele classes for teens and adults, and private guitar, ukulele, piano and banjo classes for ages 7 and up. Fall classes start Sept. 9.
• Bedford Youth Performing Company (155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org) offers musical programs for children as young as infants and toddlers as well as lessons for older kids in guitar, voice, piano, drums and percussion. BYPC also offers musical ensembles, including rock bands (by audition) for ages 10+. Fall lessons start Aug. 26.
• Bemish Green Piano Studio (188 Central St., Hudson, 235-9378, greenpiano.com) teaches piano to children and adults. Appointments may be scheduled up to 50 weeks in advance, and rescheduled or canceled 24 hours a day. Lessons begin at $147 per month.
• Bordeleau Keyboard Studios (8 Maple Drive, Bedford, 472-5566, facebook.com/BordeleauKeyboardStudios) is dedicated to the fine art of keyboard education. Contact the Studios for details.
• Carey & Henderson Vocal Studio (14 Court St., Nashua, 889-6580, careyhendersonvocal.org) trains vocalists of all ages and abilities. Styles include musical theater, popular music, jazz, opera/classical music, or any combination of the above. Lessons by appointment only.
• Charles Davis Drum Instructor (58 Monroe St., Nashua, 930-9897) teaches students in elementary school to high school, beginner to advanced.
• Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St., Concord, 228-1196, ccmusicschool.org) offers private lessons for voice, banjo, bass, bassoon, cello, clarinet, composition, double bass, fiddle, flute, French horn, guitar, mandolin, oboe, percussion, piano, recorder, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, tuba, ukulele, viola and violin. There are also group classes and ensembles for kids and teens (including, for teens, folk, rock and jazz bands). Tuition is based on a 16-week semester; financial aid is available. Classes start in September.
• Don Sanni Guitar & Bass Lessons (108 Taylor St., Nashua, 882-7468, donsanni.com) teaches students 8 years old and up.
• Eric Dupont Drum Instruction (809-9575, ericdupontdrums.com) teaches drummers of all ages. Lesson topics include Rudiments & Snare Drum Studies, Drum Set Technique & Coordination, Fundamental Drum Set Grooves, Song Forms, Brush Techniques, Chart Reading/Interpretation, Improvisation/Solo Transcription & Analysis, Equipment & Tuning, and Drum Set History & Evolution.
• Figaro Music Studios (254 N. State St., Unit G, Concord, 369-0265, figaromusicstudios.com) teaches children in preschool and older piano, guitar and choir skills.
• Guitar Center (1051 S. Willow St., Manchester, 621-3016; 258 DW Highway, Suite 4, Nashua, 891-5777, guitarcenter.com/services/lessons) teaches students of all ages and abilities guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, DJing and more.
• Hollis Musical Arts (154 Witches Spring Road, Hollis, 400-1026, hollismusicalarts.com) teaches piano and voice to students of all ages.
• Jeanne Martin Piano Studio (38 Pearson Road, Merrimack, 493-2961, musictoenjoy.com) teaches piano to children and adults.
• Jimmy Mags Music Lessons (321 Laxson Ave, Manchester, 682-2550, jimmymagsmusic.com) teaches guitar, bass and piano to students of all ages. Lessons start at $110 per month.
• John Medeiros Jr. Music (498-3819, johnmedeirosjr.com) teaches drums, guitar and bass.
• Joy of Piano (1 Pembroke Drive, Derry, 703-8400, nhpianolessons.com) offers private instruction for children ages 5+.
• Kevin Horan Music (494-2716, kevinhoranmusic.com) teaches guitar and drums in person or online.
• Let’s Play Music! (2626 Brown Ave., Unit A2, Manchester, 218-3089; 145 Hampstead Road, Derry, 425-7575; 136 Lowell Road, Hudson, 882-8940; letsplaymusic.com) has choral groups and musical theater programs and rock bands as well as private lessons in piano, guitar & bass, stringed instruments, singing, drums, horns and reed instruments, ukulele, banjo, mandolin and accordion. Kindermusik classes are available for newborns through 4 years old and Kidzrock classes are available for 4- to 7-year-olds.
• Lidman Music Studio (419 Amherst St., Nashua, 913-5314, lidmanmusic.com) offers lessons in piano, violin and viola, with individual instruction and yearly recitals, for children as well as adults.
• Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St., Manchester, 644-4548, mcmusicschool.org) offers group programs, including a jazz ensemble, orchestras and choirs. Private lessons are offered in woodwind, brass, percussion, strings, voice, music theory, composition, piano, guitar, harp, ukulele, mandolin and more. Early childhood classes are also available.
• Manchester Music Mill (329 Elm St., Manchester, 623-8022, manchestermusicmill.com) See mmmlessons.com for the lessons-related landing page. Lessons include guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, clarinet, flute, trumpet, trombone, piano and voice.
• Melody Music Studios (277-3289, melodymusicstudios.com) teaches lessons in home, in a studio, or online, including piano, voice, guitar, drums, voice and band instruction.
• Merrimack Music Academy (1 Bryce Drive, Merrimack, merrimackmusicacademy.com, 493-9214) offers customized private music (including guitar, bass guitar and piano) and voice lesson for children and adults, according to their Facebook post.
• Mike Loce Music (5 Bowers Landing Drive, No. 304, Merrimack, 318-1723, mikeloce.com) teaches guitar to students of all ages.
• Milford Music Academy (37 Wilton Road, Milford, 219-1518) teaches in person or online for guitar, piano, voice, drums and bass guitar.
• Minjing Vandenbos Music Studio (52 Main St., Nashua, minjingvandenbos.com) provides piano instruction to students of all ages.
• Music Lessons By Lisa N (11 Redwood Ave, Concord, 781-832-2127, facebook.com/MusicByLisaN) provides instruction on saxophone, flute, clarinet, violin, piano and musical theory to students 5 to adult.
• Music Workshop of Concord (64 Dunklee St., Concord, 226-0690, musicworkshopofconcord.com) teaches piano to students from early childhood up.
• Nashua Community Music School (2 Lock St., Nashua, 881-7030, nashuacms.org) offers private lessons in piano, guitar, voice, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone and percussion. The school also offers music therapy for all ages, a group music class and ensembles including a rock band for current students. Introductory classes for kids include Mini Musicians (for ages 4 to 7) and Broadway Star Search (ages 7 to 10). The academic year starts on Sept. 9.
• NH Guitars (41 Range Road, Windham, 978-267-7597) teaches guitar, bass and ukulele to students of all ages.
• NH Tunes (250 Commercial St., No. 2017, Manchester, 660-2208, nhtunes.biz) offers lessons in voice, guitar, piano, ukulele, drum, banjo/mandolin and band instruments. There are also music discovery lessons (where a student can try multiple instruments) and music production.
• North Main Music (28 Charron Ave., Nashua, 505-4282, northmainmusic.com) teaches students of all ages guitar, drums, piano, bass, voice, violin, saxophone, ukulele and trumpet. North Main especially recommends the ukulele for students under 8 years old.
• Palace Theatre Voice Studio (palacetheatre.org) offers private vocal coaching each month, in person at Forever Emma studios in Manchester and via Zoom with professional performers from around the country, for grades 2 through 12, $30 per half hour. Email meganalves@palacethe-
atre.org for information.
• Peter Hostage Music Lessons (12 Adams Road, Londonderry, 437-2575, peterhostagemusiclessons.com) offers lessons in piano, guitar, bass guitar, voice, drums, banjo and mandolin to children and adults, in person or online.
• Piano Studio of Jacqueline Morin (15 Marion St., Concord, 508-633-5534, missjackienotes.com) teaches piano to students from 4 to adult.
• Quality Music Lessons (166 N. Broadway, Unit 4, Salem, 890-0209, qualitymusiclessonssalem.com) teaches individual lessons in voice and audition preparation, instruments and music theory. Instruments include piano, drums, ukulele, classical guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass and banjo. A flat fee of $100 is paid monthly for 30-minute weekly lessons.
• Rattlebox Studio (in Kimball Jenkins School of Art, 266 N. Main St, Concord, 770-298-6482, mraaronmusic.com) Mr. Aaron leads music classes for children up to 7 years old. Weekly, every Wednesday and Friday and most Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. Each 45-minute class is an introduction to music and creativity. Children sing, drum and dance to favorite original songs, kids’ classics and pop favorites. Each session is $15 for the first child, $10 for each sibling.
• The Real School of Music (10 A St., Derry, 260-6801, therealschoolofmusic.com) teaches music lessons for students ages 5 and up, bands and ensembles for students 9 and up, Yamaha group classes for ages 3 to 7, musical theater for ages 7 to 14, and adaptive music for neurodivergent students.
• Satellite School of the Arts (222 Cedar St., Manchester, satelliteschoolofthearts.com) teaches instrument lessons in piano, guitar, bass, violin, drums and saxophone, as well as songwriting and recording, and vocal and performance coaching. Financial assistance is available.
• School of Rock Nashua (225 DW Highway, Nashua, 600-7625, schoolofrock.com) is slated to open in Fall 2024 and will offer music programs for kids as young as 4 years old and songwriting programs for kids 12 and up as well as a house band program for ages 17 and under, according to the website where you can sign up to get updates on the opening.
• Souhegan Piano Instruction (294 Route 101, Unit 6, Amherst, 672-4844, see listing on Facebook) provides piano training to children of various ages.
• Strings and Things Music (339 Village St., Concord, 228-1971, stringsandthingsmusic.com) is a music store, offering lessons in banjo, mandolin, bass, clarinet, djembe, drums, fiddle, flute, saxophone, guitar, piano, trumpet and ukulele. Register for classes on the store’s website.
• Suzuki Violin Studio (890 Valley St., Manchester, 785-1884, musiclessonsnh.com) offers instruction in the studio, in students’ homes, or online. Instruments include violin, viola, cello, drums, guitar, piano, bass guitar, mandolin, songwriting and performing, music theory and improvisation training, rock band coaching, and ensemble and chamber music.
• Ted Herbert Music School (Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester; majestictheatre.net, tedherbert.com) offers lessons in brass, drums, guitar/bass, piano/keyboard, strings, theater/dance, voice and woodwind. Instrument rentals are available. The school also holds open mic nights for musicians of all levels.
• Travis Shelby Music Lessons (370-8853, travisshelbymusic.com) teaches students of all ages to play acoustic, electric or bass guitar. Lessons are structured around a student’s personal musical interests.
• Trinity Music Academy (Trinity Baptist Church, 80 Clinton St., Concord, 410-4138, tbcnh.org/tma) offers individual music lessons for flute, guitar (individual and group), piano (individual and group), trumpet, ukulele, viola, violin, voice and orchestra. There is a registration fee of $100, and a re-enrollment fee of $100. Thirty lessons are guaranteed through the academic year.
• The Voice Studio (16 Crystal Ave., Derry, 560-2495, thevoicestudione.com) teaches lessons to students of all ages in voice, piano, guitar, bass, ukulele and saxophone. Twice per year the Studio holds a recording camp.
• Weare School of Music (77 Barnard Hill Road, Weare, 206-0135, see listing on Facebook) is currently booking lessons for the fall in all school band instruments, piano, guitar, ukulele, recorder, violin, viola, cello and voice.
• Zagaria Vocal Academy Manchester (954-418-9730, musicandvoicelessonsmanchesternh.com) teaches musicians of all ages in piano, trumpet and voice.
SPORTS
• Amherst Soccer Club (amherstsoccerclub.com) Programs include tots (birth year 2020 to 2022), EDP U6-U10 (birth year 2015 to 2019) and U8-U19 Travel (birth year 2006 to 2016). In addition to a fall season, there is also winter skill training and a spring season.
• Bedford Athletic Club (bedfordac.com) Registration for fall soccer is open now. This is a six-week program designed to provide an opportunity to develop fundamental soccer skills in a fun environment, with recreational programs for pre-K, kindergarten, grades 1-2, grades 3-4, grades 5-6, and grades 7-9. An adaptive program is also listed. The cost is $65.
• Bedford Little League (bedfordll.com) fall baseball registration is open until Aug. 19. for Intermediates (ages 12-14), Majors (10-12), Minors AAA/AA Combo (8-10), and Single A Clinic (6-8). The 2024 fall season runs from Aug. 20 through Oct. 31. Visit the website to register.
• Boys & Girls Club of Central and Northern NH (55 Bradley St., Concord, 224-1061, nhyouth.org/athletics) The Meraki Volleyball Club of Bedford and the Boys & Girls Club are offering a program designed to teach and perfect foundational skills at every position. Kids in grades 4-6 will develop skills and work with trained staff to improve in the world of volleyball. The program costs $100 for one evening per week, and $185 for two evenings. The session runs from Sept. 17 through Oct. 23.
• Cannons Baseball Club (Concord, cannonsbaseballclub.com) offers year-round baseball and softball for middle school and high school.
• Concord Crew (concordcrew.org) offers fall, spring and summer youth programs, no prior experience necessary, according to the website. Practices take place at Bert Wittemore Bouthouse, 15 Loudon Road in Concord.
• Concord Soccer Association (concordsoccer.com) provides community-based youth soccer instruction and games. The program approach fosters character development, sportsmanship, skill acquisition and fun in a positive, respectful environment. It is focused on player development and has no standings, won-loss records, championships or playoffs below U12. Age groups for fall 2024: Kiddie Kicker I boys and girls born in 2020, Kiddie Kickers II boys and girls born in 2019, U8 boys and girls born in 2017 or 2018, U10 boys and girls born in 2015 or 2016, U12 boys and girls born in 2013 or 2014, U14 boys and girls born in 2012 or 2011 (boys born August-December 2010 will play U14 too, this fall), U19 girls born 2006-2010 (no U19 boys in fall because of HS soccer; there will be U19 boys next spring). Registration fees:Kiddie Kicker I $90, Kiddie Kicker II $125, U8 $140, U10 and above $160. A $25 fee will be charged on all registrations submitted after Aug. 9. Availability of a spot on a team is not guaranteed, even if registration is open.
• Concord Youth Soccer (concordnh.gov/1407/Fall-Youth-Soccer) Concord Parks & Recreation offers fall soccer leagues for children ages 4 years old through 6th grade. Leagues are broken down by age, grade and school: Soccer Fun-Damentals (ages 4 and 5), Division I (grades K and 1), Division II (grades 2 and 3), Division III (grades 4-6).
• Concord Youth Hockey Association (capitals.concordyouthhockey.org) The 2024 fall hockey season runs from October through December and features Learn To Skate, Intro to Hockey (Atoms), DynoMites (birth years 2019 through 2016) and Capitals Travel Team programs.
• Conway Arena (5 Stadium Drive, Nashua, 595-2400, conwayarena.com) Registration for fall skating opened Aug. 7. Conway is a hockey and figure skating rink with programs for all ages and abilities.
• Derry Diamond Athletic Association (derryll.org) offers baseball (ages 6-13) and softball (ages 6-14) fall programs. Registration will begin soon; check the website for updates.
• Derry Soccer Club (derrysoccerclub.org) offers recreation, intertown and travel leagues. Recreational programs are open for ages 2.5 and up with fall and spring seasons. The fall season begins in September.
• Girls on the Run New Hampshire (137 Water St., No. 3, Exeter, 778-1389, girlsontherunnh.org) is offered for girls in grades 3-8. Registration for the lottery for a spot in Girls on the Run NH opened Aug. 8. See the website for locations, which set their own weekly meet-up and run schedules, or to start a team. The fall season culminates in a 5K on Nov. 16 in Concord.
• Goffstown Junior Baseball (goffstownjrbaseball.com) There are currently spots open on the following Little League teams for the fall season: tee-ball, minor-player pitch, intermediate (50/70) and senior teams. Registration closes on Aug. 18.
• Goffstown Screamin’ Eagles (screamineagles.org) is a local nonprofit youth sports organization for ages 5-15, providing safe and competitive cheer teams for the youth of Goffstown and surrounding areas. Registration for the 2024 fall season is open.
• Granite Base Camp (300 Blondin Road, Manchester, 617-615-0004, experiencebasecamp.org) offers programming in archery, STEM, fishing, hiking, arts & crafts, environmental studies and more for ages 6-17.
• Granite State Kids New Hampshire Junior Team Tennis (granitestatekids.com) offers fall and spring programs in Bedford and winter junior team events at the YMCA in Goffstown. Fall tennis meets Mondays and Wednesday and begins Monday, Sept. 2. Classes are available for kids as young as 5 through kids 11+, with beginner, advanced beginner and intermediate levels.
• The Icenter (60 Lowell Road, Salem, 893-4448, icentersalem.com) offers competitive and recreational figure skating, learn to skate and learn to play hockey programs and Top Gun Hockey.
• Londonderry Soccer Club (londonderrysc.org) offers fall and spring recreational programs as well as a travel program. Recreation programs are available for ages 2 1/2 through 18. There is also a Unified Top Soccer program for grades K-8 for “athletes who need physical or emotional assistance in order to participate,” open to kids in Londonderry, Litchfield and Hudson. Registration is open now. The 2024 season runs from Sept. 7 through Oct. 26.
• Longfellow New Hampshire Tennis & Swim Club (140 Lock St., Nashua, 883-0153, longfellownh.com) offers junior tennis clinics for ages 5-18 of all abilities, Monday, Sept. 9, through Sunday, Nov. 3.
• Manchester Basketball League (manchesterbasketballleague.com) The 4th Annual Manchester Basketball League is set to begin in October and November. Registration will be open in August and September. There are divisions for boys and girls, ages 4+.
• Manchester East Soccer League (mesl.org) offers soccer for ages 4-18 (with interleague play for ages 12-18). Registration for fall costs $60 per player, $140 max per family.
• Manchester North Soccer League (PO Box 58, Manchester, mnsl.org) offers recreational soccer for kids ages 5-19 ($90 per kid for the season) and for younger kids ($55 per player). Its home fields are at Livingston Park in Manchester.
• Manchester Soccer League (manchestersoccerleague.com) The 3rd Annual Manchester Soccer League on the West Side will begin Saturday, Aug. 31. Register online.
• The Manchester Police Athletic League (409 Beech St., Manchester, 626-0211, manchesterpoliceathleticleague.org) offers a variety of athletic and enrichment programs, all of which are free. There are youth sports programs in aikido, boxing, skateboarding and wrestling. Visit the League website.
• Manchester Youth Sports Leagues The City of Manchester offers a variety of youth sports opportunities, from leagues to special tournaments. Leagues are run by private organizations but use fields and facilities maintained by Manchester Parks & Recreation. Sports leagues include baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, soccer and softball. See links on the Manchester Parks and Recreation website for more specific information.
• Meraki Volleyball Club (68 Technology Drive, Bedford, 978-219-4041, merakivolleyball.com) Fall training for boys and girls in grades K-8 begins Aug. 29. Boys team tryouts are Aug. 18 and Aug. 25; girls team tryouts will be held in October.
• Merrimack Youth Baseball (myabaseball.com) is accepting registrations for the following age groups: T-Ball (ages 3-4), Rookie (ages 5-6), AA (ages 7-8), AAA (ages 9-10), Majors (ages 11-12) and Babe Ruth (ages 13-16).
• Milford Community Athletic Association (mcaa.us) Registration is open for the fall season in soccer, baseball and softball; contact the Association for details.
• My Gym Children’s Fitness Center (410 S. River Road, Bedford, 668-7196, mygym.com/bedford) offers classes for infants starting at 3 months old through preschool with a few classes for older kids (up to 10 years old, according to the website) including ninja training and gymnastics.
• Nashua Cal Ripken Baseball (multiple field locations in Nashua and surrounding towns, nashuacalripken.org) offers fall ball for ages 4-12 (with ages 4-6 playing tee-ball). The fall season starts in September and runs through October.
• NH Climbing and Fitness (10 Langdon Ave., Concord, 715-9171, nhclimbinggym.com) has climbing classes for ages 3-5, 6-8 and 9+. Call for more information.
• NE Inferno Baseball (noreastersbaseball.com) operates in regional facilities including in Nashua (3 Progress Ave.) for 10U to 16U.
• New Hampshire Junior Roller Derby (facebook.com/NHJrRollerDerby) teaches roller derby to any gender ages 8-17. See the website for future sessions and events.
• New Hampshire Spartans Youth Basketball (nhspartans.com) offers three tryout dates for Seacoast and Derry AAU teams starting Aug. 25 for grades 2 through high school for the fall season.
• New Hampshire Sportsplex (68 Technology Drive, Bedford, 641-1313, nhsportsplex.com) offers youth flag football (grouped by ages) for ages 5 through high school and youth recreational soccer in five age groups.
• New Hampshire Tomahawks Lacrosse (nhtomahawks.com) offers fall leagues and indoor winter leagues as well as fall clinics with programs starting for kids kindergarten and up (a recent summer program started at age 3).
• Project S.T.O.R.Y. (Supporting Talents of Rising Youth) (39 Shaker Road, Concord, 491-7740, projectstorynh.com/sports) offers soccer, basketball and dance programs. Project S.T.O.R.Y. pays all fees to select affiliated programs and offers transportation to those who need it. The Project’s Keach Soccer Club offers a fun and supportive environment for players of all ages and abilities at Keach Park in Concord. It meets once a week for pickup-style soccer, allowing athletes to learn from various players.
• Salem Youth Baseball (salemyouthbaseball.net) Registration is open for the fall season. Tee-ball is available for ages 4-6; baseball is available for ages 7-14.
• Seacoast Fencing Club (271 Wilson St., Manchester; 261 N. Main St., Rochester, 428-7040, seacoastfencingclub.org) offers group lessons for as young as 7, as well as competitive training starting at age 7, and private lessons. Both facilities will be closed during August.
• Tri-Town Ice Arena (311 W. River Road, Hooksett, 270-1024, tri-townicearena.com) is accepting registrations for its Learn To Skate, Learn Hockey and hockey league programs.
• Vertical Dreams (250 Commercial St., Manchester, 625-6919; 25 E. Otterson St., Nashua, 943-7571; verticaldreams.com) offers a youth climbing club (for kids ages 6-12 who are beginning climbers) beginning Sept. 24 in Manchester and Sept. 26 in Nashua. The youth climbing team (for experienced climbers ages 12-18) session starts on Sept. 25 in Manchester and Sept. 26 in Nashua. Both programs have a 10-week session. For either age group, the cost is $285.
• Weare Athletic Club (weareathleticclub.com) Registration is open for fall youth field hockey. The season starts Sept. 8.
• Wrestling Rebels (Boys & Girls Club of Greater Derry, 40 E. Derry Road, Derry, 434-6695, derrybgclub.org/team-page) is a youth wrestling club for kids pre-k through 8th grade. The wrestling season usually starts in October.
THEATER
• Actorsingers (219 Lake St., Nashua, 889-9691, actorsingers.org) amateur community theater group holds auditions for Teen Actorsingers productions in spring with show dates in summer and fall.
• Bedford Youth Performing Company (155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org) Classes begin the week of Aug. 26 and run through June 2025. BYPC offers several classes in performance and acting starting at age 4 through high school as well as by-invitation musical theater classes. Students can also participate in fall, Christmas and spring productions.
• The Community Players of Concord (communityplayersofconcord.org) offer winter and summer vacation camps and workshops as well as audition opportunities through their Children’s Theatre Project. The current show being auditioned is Bye Bye Birdie, with auditions Sunday, Aug. 18, and Monday, Aug. 19. See the website for details and requirements.
• Derryfield Repertory Theater (2108 River Road, Manchester, derryfieldrepertorytheatre.com) is a summer company founded in 2006 by Laurel Devino. Over the summer, DRT has two sessions of a musical theater camp for children in grades 4-12. For the first time, the DRT will stage a winter show in February 2025. According to the DRT website, more information will be available this fall.
• Kids Coop Theatre (46 E. Derry Road, Derry, kctnh.org) is open to kids ages 8-18. To audition for a show, membership to Kids Coop costs $30. The next show is Disney Descendants – The Musical. See the website for info about auditions and rehearsals.
• The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts (880 Page St., Manchester, 669-7469, majestictheatre.net) provides performing opportunities in community theater productions year-round. The next production is Sh-Boom: A Christmas Miracle with auditions Sunday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m.
• Palace Youth Theatre (Forever Emma Studios, 516 Pine St., Manchester, 688-5588, palacetheatre.org) is open to performers in grades 2-12. The Palace Teen Company and the Palace Teen Apprentice Company are open to students ages 12-18 interested in pursuing theater beyond high school. Dance classes are offered (grouped by age) for ages 3 through 18+ beginning Sept. 9 and running for 11 weeks, culminating in a student showcase at the Palace Theatre. There will also be acting classes this fall. There are also several upcoming auditions for shows and for the teen companies; see palacetheatre.org/pyt/pyt-auditions.
• Peacock Players (14 Court St., Nashua, 886-7000, peacockplayers.org) offers vacation camps as well as productions for youth (ages 6-14), teens (ages 14-18), crossover (ages 6-18) and all ages. Upcoming auditions include Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr and Mean Girls High School Version.
• Riverbend Youth Company (Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley, The Amato Center for the Performing Arts, 56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company) presents mainstage plays and musicals with performers ages 6-18. Visit the Company’s website for news of upcoming auditions and productions.
