Category: Cover Stories

Your guide to fun scares and Halloween happenings

It’s the scary season — you know, fun scary.

If worrying about the real world has you frazzled, take some time out to enjoy the intentional spookiness, the costumes, the jack-o’-lanterns and of course the candy of Halloween. Though some events are still on hold or modified for the year, a lot of the seasonal fun is back. Find events geared toward kids (including, of course, trick or treating), plus movie screenings, music and costume parties for the older crowd and haunted houses and attractions for those who dare.

More treats than tricks

Halloween events for kids and families

Compiled by Angie Sykeny

Bring the kids for some Halloween fun at these family-friendly events, where they can trick-or-treat at downtown business, do spooky (and not-so-spooky) activities at the museum, show off their costumes in a parade and more.

• There’s a Halloween Dance Party with a DJ at George B. White Basketball Court (8 Raymond Road, Deerfield) on Friday, Oct. 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., open to kids in grades 3 through 5. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative, scariest and best-overall costumes. Admission costs $5. Visit deerfield.recdesk.com.

• Join the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover) for its Not So Spooky Weekend, happening Friday, Oct. 22, through Sunday, Oct. 24. There will be Halloween-themed educator-led programs and self-led drop-in activities each day. Costumes are welcome, but regular masks are still required. The Halloween festivities are included with regular admission to the museum, which costs $11 for adults and kids over age 1, and $9 for seniors. Register online in advance. Visit childrens-museum.org.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (chunkys.com) has some screenings on the schedule geared at younger movie goers. On Saturday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m., the theaters in Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave.) and Manchestser (707 Huse Road) will offer an all-ages friendly screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (PG, 2001), with costumes encouraged. Tickets cost $5.99. Take the kids for a “Little” Lunch Date to see the 2019 animated movie The Addams Family (PG) at Chunky’s Cinema Pubs in Manchester, Nashua and Pelham (150 Bridge St.) on Friday, Oct. 29, at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are free but reserve a spot with a $5 food voucher.

• Paint a Halloween owl at The Canvas Roadshow (25 S. River Road, Bedford) on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 10 a.m. The cost is $25 for the step-by-step workshop and 11”x14” canvas painting. Registration is required by Aug. 21. Then, on Sunday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m., there’s a Halloween candy charcuterie tray and pumpkin painting workshop, recommended for kids ages 5 through 10. Tickets, which include admission for one adult and two children, one charcuterie and two small pumpkins, cost $75. Register by Oct. 28. Visit thecanvasroadshow.com.

• DeMeritt Hill Farm (20 Orchard Way, Lee) presents its Storybook Halloween Hayride on Saturdays, Oct. 23 and Oct. 30, and Sundays, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31. The event is designed for elementary school-aged children, featuring storytelling with characters like Snow White, Cinderella, Superman, Belle and others along the hayride. Each child will receive Halloween goodies and a pumpkin. The hayride lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and departs every half-hour. The cost is $14 per child and $5 per adult. Reservations are recommended. Visit demeritthillfarm.com.

• The YMCA’s Trunk-or-Treat will be held at Camp Sargent (141 Camp Sargent Road, Merrimack) on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The free outdoor event will feature crafts, games and snacks. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Visit bit.ly/3EtsieG for the EventBrite page.

• Derry will have its Halloween festivities on Saturday, Oct. 23, including the Spooktacular Costume Parade and Contest at Hood Park (4 Rollins St.) from 11:30 a.m. to noon, with categories for kids ages 12 and under and families; and the Downtown Trick-or-Treat from noon to 3 p.m. Visit derrynh.org.

• Hopkinton’s Halloween Holler is on Saturday, Oct. 23, at Harold Martin School (271 Main St.). A kids costume parade will take off from the parking lot at 11 a.m. and proceed down Main Street to Hopkinton Village Store, then back to the school. Following the parade there will be games, crafts, s’mores over the campfire, hot cocoa and cider and more. Admission is free. Visit hopkintonrec.com.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) is issuing free “Broomstick Pilot Licenses” to kids age 12 and under on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The experience lasts about 20 minutes and includes a “ground school” where the ghosts of aviation pioneers from history will talk about their achievements and teach about the basic principles of flight. Then, applicants will then have their headshots taken and receive their license, as well as some Halloween treats. The regular museum admission charge of $10 will still apply for visitors age 13 and up. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org or call 669-4820.

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St., Candia) continues its Children’s Trick-or-Treat experience on Saturdays, Oct. 23 and Oct. 30, and Sundays, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31. The experience includes costumed characters handing out candy in the barnyard; a tractor train or horse-drawn wagon pumpkin patch ride; a cow milking contest; pumpkin decorating; and pony rides. The cost is $22 per person and free for children under age 2. Visit visitthefarm.com to register for a timeslot.

• With its mix of candy and fear, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (G, 1971) captures the Halloween spirit. The movie will screen on Sunday, Oct. 24, at 3 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $12; a portion of the proceeds goes to the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth.

• Milford’s Trick-or-Treat on the Oval is on Friday, Oct. 29, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. The town Recreation Department and businesses on the Oval will be handing out candy and small toys to kids in costume. Visit milfordrec.com.

• Canterbury hosts its Wicked Weekend on Friday, Oct. 29, and Saturday, Oct. 30. The Canterbury Woods Trick-or-Treat will take place on Friday from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Then, on Saturday, there’s the Sherwood Forest Trick-or-Treat from 2 to 5 p.m.; the Town Center Trick-or-Treat from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; and a Haunted Trail at 224 Baptist Road at 6:30 p.m. See the “Canterbury, NH” group on Facebook.

• Wear your costumes and trick-or-treat at Manchester City Hall (1 City Hall Plaza) on Friday, Oct. 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. Meet Mayor Craig, pick up a book from the library’s Bookmobile, then do some trick-or-treating at the businesses on Elm Street. Visit manchesternh.gov.

• The CHaD Storybook Tablescape Tour comes to the Bedford Event Center (379 S. River Road, Bedford) on Saturday, Oct. 30, with tours starting at 11:30 a.m. Guests will receive a red carpet welcome by costumed characters who will guide them through a storybook experience, ending with sweet treats. Tickets cost $10 per person, free for kids age 2 and under, and must be purchased in advance. Masks are required. Visit getinvolved.dartmouth-hitchcock.org.

• Come in costume and get ready to sing and dance at the Mr. Aaron Band Halloween Bash, happening at the Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord) on Sunday, Oct. 31, with shows at 10 a.m. and noon. The outdoor shows will include some Mr. Aaron favorites as well as some Halloween songs. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Tickets $10. Visit mraaronmusic.com.

• Deerfield’s Tailgate Trick-or-Treat and Costume Parade returns to the Deerfield Fairgrounds (34 Stage Road) on Sunday, Oct. 31, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Visit deerfield.recdesk.com.

• Tilton’s Downtown Trunk-or-Treat and Children’s Costume Parade will take place on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Main Street. There will be a costume contest, music, family activities and more. See the “Tilton Downtown Trunk or Treat 2021” event on Facebook.

• Bow’s Trunk-or-Treat will take place on Sunday, Oct. 31, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Bow High School (55 Falcon Way). Visit bownh.gov.

• Head to the Village Green in Amherst for the Halloween Doors trick-or-treating event on Saturday, Oct. 31. Register online in advance for a time slot between 1 and 4 p.m. Visit amherstnh.myrec.com.

Trick or Treat

When do adults need to stock up on mini Snickers and Reese’s (or full-size bars, if you want to be a hero) so costumed kids can hit the streets to look for candy? According to town websites, social media pages and/or town officials, the following are the scheduled trick-or-treat times. In case of the odd Halloween snow storm or other strange weather, check with your town on the day to make sure trick-or-treat is still on.

Saturday, Oct. 30

Barrington: 5 to 7 p.m.
Boscawen: 5 to 8 p.m. (The Boscawen Police Dept. is slated to hold a Trunk or Treat event from 5 to 8 p.m. at Boscawen Elementary School.)
Canterbury: Canterbury does a trunk-or-treat/Halloween celebration in the Town Center from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., according to the police department.
Dover: 5 to 8 p.m.
Durham: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Greenland: 5 to 7 p.m.
Hampton Falls: 5 to 7 p.m.
New Castle: 5 to 7 p.m.
Newmarket: 5 to 7 p.m.
North Hampton: 4 to 7 p.m.
Portsmouth: 3 to 6 p.m. (The police department is giving away free bright yellow Halloween bags to Portsmouth residents.)
Rollinsford: 5 to 7 p.m.
Seabrook: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Strafford: 5 to 8 p.m.
Stratham: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Tilton: 6:30 to 8 p.m. (The Trunk or Treat and children’s costume parade will run from 4 to 6:30 p.m.)

Sunday, Oct. 31

Allenstown: 5 to 7 p.m.
Amherst: 6 to 8 p.m. (Halloween Doors on the Green will also offer trick-or-treating from 1 to 4 p.m.; register for a specific time slot at amherstnh.myrec.com.)
Antrim: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Atkinson: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Auburn: 1 to 4 p.m.
Bedford: 6 to 8 p.m.
Belmont: 4 to 8 p.m.
Bennington: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Bow: 5 to 8 p.m. (Bow Parks & Recreation will hold Trunk or Treat at Bow High School from 2 to 3:30 p.m.)
Bradford: 5 to 8 p.m. (Main Street will be closed during this time.)
Brentwood: 6 to 8 p.m.
Brookline: 6 to 8 p.m.
Candia: 5 to 8 p.m.
Chichester: (The PTO is holding a trunk-or-treat event on Sunday, Oct. 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Carpenter Park.)
Concord: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Danville: 6 to 8 p.m. (The Danville Police Department is handing out free glow bracelets to anyone who plans to trick-or-treat. The Recreation Department will host a trunk-or-treat at the Community Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
Deerfield: 4 to 7 p.m. (The Parks & Rec department is holding a tailgate trick-or-treat and costume parade for town residents at the Deerfield Fairgrounds from 1 to 2:30 p.m. with parking beginning at noon. See deerfield.recdesk.com for ticket info.)
Deering: 5 to 8 p.m.
Derry: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Dunbarton: 4 to 7 p.m.
Epping: 5 to 7 p.m.
Epsom: 4 to 8 p.m.
Exeter: 4 to 7 p.m.
Francestown: (Main Street trick-or-treating and Horse Sheds Trunk or Treat will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m.)
Franklin: 4 to 7 p.m.
Goffstown: 6 to 8 p.m.
Hampstead: 6 to 8 p.m.
Hampton: 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Henniker: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Hillsborough: 5 to 8 p.m.
Hollis: 6 to 8 p.m.
Hooksett: 6 to 8 p.m.
Hudson: 6 to 8 p.m.
Kingston: 5 to 8 p.m.
Laconia: 5 to 8 p.m. (Laconia Parks & Rec will host trick-or-treating in Opechee Park from 5 to 8 p.m.)
Lee: 5 to 7 p.m. (Lee’s Fireman’s Association will hold drive-thru Trunk or Treat at the Lee Safety Complex Oct. 31 from 5 to 7 p.m.)
Litchfield: 6 to 8 p.m.
Londonderry: 5 to 7:30 p.m. (Starting Oct. 27, trick-or-treaters can pick up a glow necklace at the police department lobby.
Lyndeborough: 6 to 8 p.m.
Manchester: 6 to 8 p.m. (Halloween at City Hall/Downtown Trick or Treat is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. Visit City Hall Plaza for a free book and then participating downtown businesses for treats.)
Milford: 6 to 8 p.m.
Mont Vernon: 5 to 8 p.m. (Trick or Treat in the Village will run from 6 to 8 p.m.)
Merrimack: 6 to 8 p.m.
Nashua: 6 to 8 p.m.
New Boston: 6 to 8 p.m. (A trunk-or-treat event will start at 5:30 p.m. at New Boston Town Hall.)
New Ipswich: 5 to 7 p.m.
New London: 4 to 6 p.m.
Northfield: 5 to 8 p.m.
Nottingham: 5 to 7 p.m.
Pelham: 5 to 8 p.m.
Pembroke: 5 to 8 p.m.
Pittsfield: 5 to 7 p.m.
Plaistow: 5 to 7 p.m.
Raymond: 5 to 7 p.m.
Salisbury: 5 to 8 p.m.
Sanbornton: 4 to 7 p.m. (Trunk or Treat will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at Sanbornton Central School.)
Sandown: 6 to 8 p.m.
Warner: 5 to 8 p.m.
Washington: 5 to 8 p.m. at the town commons
Weare: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Wilton: 6 to 8 p.m.
Windham: 5 to 8 p.m.

Enter if you dare

Haunted houses, barns and dark woods to explore

By Matt Ingersoll

Chad Zingales remembers his brother and father presenting “The Haunted Barn,” a Halloween-themed attraction that was attached to his childhood colonial home in Hollis.

“That’s what kind of started my love for it all,” he said. “I’m a very right-brained individual, so I’ve always enjoyed the entertainment side of Halloween and entertaining people.”

For 14 years Zingales ran The Dark Crop over several weeks in October, a “haunted” corn maze at Lavoie’s Farm featuring a cast of scary costumed characters. Now he has a new annual haunt — The Dark Woods, a dimly lit trail behind the farm stand at Trombly Gardens in Milford.

The self-guided tour is decked out with all kinds of unique sets as you make your way through. Costumed characters, each with their own names, voices and props, will be lurking in the shadows, and you’ll never know what types of people you’ll be meeting. For Zingales it’s that theatrical aspect of Halloween attractions that makes putting them on so much fun. Actors — he fondly refers to them as “creeps” — aim for at least two to four scares per group.

“You could build this beautiful haunted house, but if you don’t have any good actors it’s a hard sell,” he said. “We’ve taught our actors how to be creepy and how to scare people, and that timing is everything. … We also strive to have everybody have a backstory. There’s a reason why this character is out in the woods, and why you encounter this particular person.”

Haunted houses have also been a lifelong love for Tim Dunne, owner of Fright Kingdom in Nashua. Now in its 17th year of serving up scares, Fright Kingdom features five uniquely themed attractions for each visitor to go through. He described “Apocalypse Z,” for example, as a scenario straight out of The Walking Dead, while “Bloodmare Manor” is inspired by an old 19th-century Victorian mansion, with family mysteries and secrets to discover.

“It’s definitely an immersive experience. We try to start scaring people as soon as they get into the parking lot,” Dunne said. “The people on our team could be bagging your groceries or handling your finances. … The one thing they all have in common is that they love Halloween.”

Each year Dunne and his team try to think of new ways to scare people, through the inclusion of new rooms or hallways, soundtracks, or costumes or makeup artistry. Fright Kingdom is also unique because the haunts don’t stop after Halloween is over.

“We do a Krampus-themed event during Christmas, and then we do a catered dinner inside the haunted house for Valentine’s Day that always sells out,” Dunne said.

You’ll also encounter spooky sets and costumed characters at The Salisbury Woods, a haunted barn and trail staffed entirely by volunteers on the Salisbury property of Brett Walker.

“On a normal night we can have anywhere from 60 to 70 actors out there in various spots, and there are quite a few animatronics out there as well,” Walker said. “The animatronics kind of act as a distraction for the actors to come out and get another good scare.”

The Salisbury Woods first launched eight years ago as a short walk through the barn. But over the years, Walker said, more and more sets have been added. The production is a fundraiser for several Salisbury-area organizations, like the town’s parent-teacher group and the Fire Explorers.

In Litchfield, Spooky World Presents Nightmare New England is celebrating its 30th year in business. It’s been at Mel’s Funway Park for just over a decade, according to co-owner Mike Accomando, but originally opened in Berlin, Mass., back in 1991.

“It’s a massive show that you can spend the entire night coming out to enjoy,” he said. “We tell people to definitely plan on staying for at least a couple of hours.”

Like at Fright Kingdom, new features are always being added to Spooky World’s repertoire. A haunted hayride spanning more than 80 acres of the property was introduced a few years ago. New to this year’s Spooky World experience is a haunt called “Asylum 47.”

“It’s an entirely new medical scene that we’ve designed,” Accomando said. “As you’re leaving one room and going into another, everything is changing, from the sounds to the lights to the smells, and so everything is constantly working in your head. … We’re also constantly changing scare zones, so you may know what’s going to happen if you were there before but we make sure it’s something different that you see each time you’re there.”

A host of haunts

There are plenty of opportunities for a frightful Halloween in New Hampshire this year. Check out this list of local haunted houses, barns and outdoor trails through the woods.

The Dark Woods at Trombly Gardens

150 N. River Road, Milford, 465-DARK (3275), thedarkwoodsnh.com

Hours: Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 22 and 23, and Oct. 29 and 30, and Sunday, Oct. 31; gate opens at 7 p.m., with the last ticket sold at 10:30 p.m.

Cost: $21 general admission; advance ticket purchasing online is encouraged

During this self-guided tour through the woods behind the farm stand at Trombly Gardens in Milford, you’ll find a cast of creepy characters and misfits, each with their own props, stories and reasons for being there.

Fright Kingdom

12 Simon St., Nashua, 809-1173, frightkingdom.com

Hours: Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 11 p.m., and Sundays, 7 to 10 p.m., now through Nov. 6 (haunts close after the last ticket holder goes through)

Cost: $29 general admission; purchase advance tickets online

Now in its 17th year of serving up scares, Fright Kingdom features five haunted house attractions, each with their own unique themes, from “Psycho Circus” to “Bloodmare Manor.” Special “In the Dark” experiences are set for Friday, Nov. 5, and Saturday, Nov. 6, when attendees will be given a single light source per group as they attempt to navigate their way out.

Haunted Overload

DeMerritt Hill Farm, 20 Orchard Way, Lee, 868-2111, hauntedoverload.com

Hours: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, now through Oct. 31, beginning at 7 p.m. and ending at 8:30 or 9:30 p.m., depending on the night. Day walks are also available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Cost: Main event admission is $28 and day walk admission is $8. Other rates apply for special themed events, including a Fright Night Lite on Thursday, Oct. 28 ($14.50 per person; no scares), a Glow Stick Night on Saturday, Oct. 30 ($18 per person), and a Black Out Night on Sunday, Oct. 31 ($17 per person). All tickets must be purchased in advance.

Located on DeMerritt Hill Farm in Lee, Haunted Overload has multiple types of shows to choose from. Its main event features a full cast of actors, complete with theatrical lighting and special events, as attendees traverse through a spooky wooded trail. You can also enjoy the lighting and effects without the scares during Fright Night Lite, or visit the trails and see the props during any of the day haunts.

The Salisbury Woods

19 Franklin Road, Salisbury, 496-2334, facebook.com/thesalisburywoods

Hours: Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 22 and 23, and Oct. 29 and 30; 7 to 10 p.m. each night

Cost: $10 admission; advance ticketing online is strongly recommended (choose your own timed ticket slots), but cash tickets will be sold at the gate if they are available.

The Salisbury Woods is a haunted barn and trail, staffed entirely by volunteers and featuring dozens of costumed actors and animatronic setups. It’s also a fundraiser for several local organizations, including the Salisbury Parent Teacher Group and the Salisbury Fire Explorers.

Screeemfest

Canobie Lake Park, 85 N. Policy St., Salem, 893-3506, canobie.com/screeemfest

Hours: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, now through Oct. 30; hours are 6 to 11 p.m. on Fridays, 3 to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and 1 to 8 p.m. on Sundays

Cost: General admission rates are $46 on Fridays and Sundays, and $55 on Saturdays. Admission is $32 all three days for kids under 48 inches tall and seniors over 60, and free for kids ages 3 and under. Group rates are also available. Advance reservations are required.

For six weeks, Canobie Lake Park transforms into Screeemfest, a Halloween-themed destination featuring five themed haunted houses, plus a full schedule of live shows, games, rides and more. Indoor haunts open at 6 p.m. on Fridays and 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, while outdoor haunts open as soon as it gets dark (typically around 6:45 p.m.).

Spooky World Presents Nightmare New England

Mel’s Funway Park, 454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield, 424-7999, spookyworld.com

Hours: Regular season now runs Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, through Oct. 31. Shows begin at 7 p.m. each night and end around 9:35 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays, and 11:05 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Two special events will close out the season, including a TikTok Meet & Greet on Friday, Nov. 5, and a Lights Out event on Saturday, Nov. 6.

Cost: Rates vary; general admission starts at $41.49 on Thursdays and Sundays, $46.49 on Fridays and $51.49 on Saturdays. VIP rates are also available (varies before or after 9:30 p.m.)

Spooky World is celebrating its 30th anniversary in business this year — the haunted attraction originated in Berlin, Mass., in 1991 before briefly moving to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, eventually landing at its current spot at Mel’s Funway Park in 2009 when it joined forces with Nightmare New England. In 2015, Spooky World added a 1-mile-long haunted hayride, and it has a new attraction for 2021 called “Asylum 47.”

Haunted happenings

All-ages Halloween fun

Compiled by Angie Sykeny

From costume contests to hikes and parades, these all-ages Halloween events have something for everyone.

• Join the NH Audubon (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) for an Enchanted Forest experience on Friday, Oct. 22, or Saturday, Oct. 23, with tours offered between 5 and 7:45 p.m. Follow a forest trail, illuminated by jack-o-lanterns, and encounter creatures, plants and characters along the way, who will perform skits. The walk ends with a storytime at a campfire. This family-friendly experience is open to kids ages 4 and up and adults. The cost is $15 per person, and pre-registration is required. Visit nhaudubon.org.

• The Haunting of Wilton will take place on Saturday, Oct. 23, with downtown merchants trick-or-treating from 2 to 4 p.m., a costume parade down Main Street at 4:30 p.m., and a costume dance in the park with a DJ from 6 to 9 p.m. Visit visitwilton.com.

• Deerfield hosts its 5th annual Haunted Stables on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Deerfield Fairgrounds (34 Stage Road). Residents of Deerfield and surrounding towns are invited for a night of spooky fun and tasty refreshments. Visit facebook.com/deerfieldpolicenh.

• Intown Concord’s Halloween Howl returns to Main Street in the Capital City on Friday, Oct. 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Come in costume and enjoy trick-or-treating, Halloween decor, and games and activities for all ages in downtown. Admission is free. Visit intownconcord.org.

• There’s an all-ages Zombie Walk in Dover on Saturday, Oct. 30. The walk starts at 2 p.m. at the Dover Chamber of Commerce parking lot (550 Central Ave.) and will proceed down Central Avenue, ending at Rotary Arts Pavilion. Participants will receive goodie bags and raffle tickets to win gift cards for downtown Dover businesses and other prizes. Non-zombie costumes are also welcome. Visit dovermainstreet.org.

• Deering’s Trunk-or-Treat will be held on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Deering Fish and Game (Fish and Game Road). In addition to the trunk-or-treat, there will be games, hay rides, a campfire, snacks and a jack-o’-lantern contest (bring your own, pre-carved). The event is BYOB for adults. Visit deering.nh.us.

• Meet at Keach Park in Concord for an all-ages Halloween Hike on Saturday, Oct. 30, starting at 1 p.m. There will be games, songs, books, crafts and more. Costumes are welcome. Visit concordnh.gov.

• Merrimack will have its 29th annual Halloween Party, Sparkly Spooktacular, on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 2 to 7 p.m. at Wasserman Park (116 Naticook Road). Festivities will include free games, crafts, entertainment and food vendors from 2 to 5 p.m.; a concert by the Whiskey Business Band from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; and fireworks at 6:30 p.m. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org/halloween-party.

• Allenstown’s Townwide Halloween Lighting Contest is going on now, with winners to be announced at an awards ceremony at Blueberry Express Park (16 School St.) on Saturday, Oct. 30, at 4 p.m. First-, second- and third-place prizes will be awarded for the houses with the best Halloween decorations. Visit allenstownnh.gov for a list of participating residences.

• The Exeter Halloween Parade and Costume Contest will be held on Saturday, Oct. 30, with the parade starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Water Street end of Swasey Parkway and proceeding to the center pavilion, where there will be refreshments and awards for the best costumes. Additionally the Downtown Trick-or-Treat will be going on from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Visit exeternh.gov.

• Head to the Brown Lane Barn at Beaver Brook Nature Center (52 Brown Lane, Hollis) for a Halloween Enchanted Forest Walk on Saturday, Oct. 30, with time slots from 3 to 5 p.m. The non-scary self-guided walk will include educational stations along the way where participants can learn about New England wildlife, and will end at a campsite with cider and s’mores over a campfire. The cost is $12 per person. Visit beaverbrook.org.

• Head to the JFK Coliseum (303 Beech St., Manchester) for a Halloween Skate Party on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 2 to 4 p.m. Enjoy ice skating, a costume contest and a photo booth. Wear your costume and get a goodie bag at the door. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for children and seniors (cash only). Skate rentals will be available for $5. Visit manchesternh.gov.

• The Amherst Orthodontics Trick or Trot 3k takes place on Sunday, Oct. 31, at 11 a.m., in Arms Park (10 Arms St., Manchester). The course goes up to the Notre Dame Bridge, crosses the bridge, then returns back across the bridge to Arms Park. The Stonyfield Lil’ Pumpkin Fun Runs for kids age 8 and under will proceed the race at 10 a.m. Registration costs $25 for adults age 21 and older, $20 for youth ages 12 through 20 and $15 for kids ages 9 through 11 for the 3k, and $10 for the Lil’ Pumpkin Runs. The registration deadline is Oct. 29, at 9 a.m., and race-day registration will not be available. Visit millenniumrunning.com/trick-or-trot.

• Don’t miss the Portsmouth Halloween Parade on Sunday, Oct. 31. All are welcome to come in costume and march in the parade; meet at Peirce Island by Prescott Park at 6 p.m. No sign-up is required. The parade will begin at 7 p.m. and march through downtown. Visit portsmouthhalloweenparade.org.

• Head to McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Way, Manchester) for its Witch of Weston Tower experience, happening every weekend in October on Fridays, from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 8 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. (last ride is at 30 minutes before closing). The experience includes transportation up the mountain and a hayride to the tower, where participants can meet the witch, play games and more. The cost is $15 for kids and adults age 9 and up, and free for kids under age 9. Visit manchesternh.gov.

• The Harvest Festival at Applecrest Farm (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls) is going on every Saturday and Sunday in October, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with pick-your-own opportunities, a corn maze, live music, tractor rides, barnyard animals and more. Admission is free. Stop by on Sunday, Oct. 24, to see the Great Pumpkin Carve, where a master carver will take on an 800-pound jack-o-lantern. Visit applecrest.com.

• The corn maze at Coppal House Farm (118 N. River Road, Lee) is open through October. Farm hours are Monday, Thursday and Friday, from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last admission at 4:30 p.m. The cost is $9 per person; $7 for kids ages 5 through 12, seniors age 65 and up, and military; and free for kids age 4 and under. A flashlight night maze will be open on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., (BYO flashlight), with tickets priced at $12 per person, ages 5 and up. Tickets for the flashlight maze must be purchased online in advance. Visit nhcornmaze.com.

Also check out the corn maze at Riverview Farm (141 River Road, Plainfield), open through October, Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The cost is $5 per person and free for kids age 4 and under. Visit riverviewnh.com.

• O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square (24 Calef Hwy. in Epping; 679-3529, oneilcinemas.com) continues its Film Frenzy $5 series of classic films with some Halloween appropriate titles: The Shining (R, 1980) which screens through Thursday, Oct. 21; Beetlejuice (PG, 1988) which screens Monday, Oct. 25, through Thursday, Oct. 28, and A Nightmare on Elm Street (R, 1984), Monday, Nov. 1, through Thursday, Nov. 4. The films are screened multiple times each day.

• Jeff Rapsis will present The Phantom of the Opera (1925), the silent film starring Lon Chaney, with live musical accompaniment on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey (39 Main St. in Plymouth; 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com). Tickets start at $10. He will also perform live music to accompany the film on Wednesday, Oct. 27, at Park Theatre at 7 p.m. (19 Main St. in Jaffrey; theparktheatre.org). Admission costs $12 per person and tickets are available online or at the door.

• The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) will offer a classic 1980s horror film and a classic silent era horror. On Thursday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m., see A Nightmare on Elm Street (R, 1984). Tickets cost $10 ($8 with student ID). On Thursday, Oct. 28, see Nosferatu (1922), the silent film directed by F.W. Murnau, at 7:30 p.m. The presentation features live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. Admission costs $10.

• Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St. in Concord; 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org) continues its series of horror films screened on Thursdays in October at 7 p.m. On Oct. 21, catch 1972’s Frenzy and on Oct. 28, see 1982’s The Thing.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Manchester (707 Huse Road), Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave.) and Pelham (150 Bridge St.) will screen Psycho (1960), starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh) on Friday, Oct. 29, at noon, as part of a senior showing. Admission is free; secure a seat by purchasing a $5 food voucher at chunkys.com

Boootiful music

Costume parties & more for the grown-up Halloween fan

Compiled by Amy Diaz

For the older crowd, several area breweries, restaurants and other venues have parties, often with costume contests planned this Halloween season. Because the holiday itself falls on a Sunday, some parties are happening Saturday or even earlier in the week, giving you more opportunities to dress up and head out. (Note: Some events are 21+. Information here comes from the venues’ websites and social media.) Know of a party not listed here? Let us know at music@hippopress.com.

In the days before Halloween…

• Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St. in Manchester; 819-9336) will host a Pop Punk Halloween on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 6:30 p.m. featuring Big Smile, Driveways, Rematch, Promise Game, 20 Something and Day Trip. Tickets cost $12 in advance, $15 at the door, for this 18+ event.

• Twin Barns Brewing (194 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Meredith; 279-0876) will host a pumpkin painting party on Friday, Oct. 22, at 5 p.m.

• Averill House Winery (21 Averill Road in Brookline; 371-2296, averillhousevineyard.com) will hold a Spooktacular Halloween Comedy Show with headliner Mike Koutrobis on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 7 to 8 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets cost $15 in advance.

• Head back to Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St. in Manchester; 819-9336) on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. for the Halloween Bash featuring tribute sets with bands performing the music of Slipknot, Deftones, Vanna and Hawthorne Heights, free candy, a costume contest with prizes and more. Tickets cost $12 in advance, $20 the day of (or $15 day of with a costume) to this 18+ show.

• Monique Toosoon will co-host a Halloween-themed “Life’s a Drag” show at Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Manchester (707 Huse Road) on Saturday, Oct. 23 at 9 p.m. (doors open at 8 p.m.). Tickets cost $25 and are available at chunkys.com. “The shows are high energy, funny, diverse and interactive. Performers dance, lip-sync and some even sing live,” Monique said in an email.

• Copper Door restaurants in Bedford (15 Leavy Dr.; 488-2677, copperdoor.com) and Salem (41 S. Broadway; 458-2033) will hold Wicked Scary Week Oct. 24 through Oct. 31, with special lunch and dinner menus, drinks, games and live music on Oct. 24 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), Oct. 28 (7 to 10 p.m.) and Oct. 31 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

• Sea Dog Brewing Co. (5 Water St. in Exeter; 793-5116, seadogbrewing.com) will hold a Mug Club Social Halloween Bash on Monday, Oct. 25, from 5 to 8 p.m. RSVP and find out more about joining the brewery’s Mug Club at ecox@seadogbrewing.com. The night will feature live music, food, raffles and more.

• Last in Linewill play The Big House (322 Lakeside Ave. in Laconia; bighousenightclub.com) on Friday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m. for a Halloween Party, costumes encouraged. Tickets cost $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

• Chop Shop Pub (920 Lafayette Road in Seabrook; 760-7706, chopshoppub.com) will hold a Halloween Extravaganza Costume Party with music by FastTimes (playing 1980s music) on Friday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Pelham (150 Bridge St.; chunkys.com) will hold a live, 21+ Ghouling Pianos Halloween Bash on Friday, Oct. 29, at 8:30 p.m. featuring the Dueling Pianos. Costumes are encouraged; tickets cost $20.

• Wally’s Pub (144 Ashworth Ave. in Hampton; 926-2801) will host Prospect Hill’s 12th annual Halloween Bash, featuring special guests Lansdowne, Sleepspirit and Psycle, on Friday, Oct. 29, starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for this 21+ event cost $20.

• Lynn’s 102 Tavern (76 Derry Road in Hudson; 943-7832, lynns102.com) will hold a karaoke costume party on Friday, Oct. 29, starting at 8 p.m. with gift certificates for the best costume.

Saturday, Oct. 30

• Millyard Brewery (25 E. Otterson St. in Nashua; 722-0104, millyardbrewery.com) will host Bradley Copper Kettle and Friends at 3 p.m.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave.) and Manchester (707 Huse Road; chunkys.com) will hold a live, 21+ Ghouling Pianos Halloween Bash on Saturday, Oct. 30, at 8:30 p.m. featuring the Dueling Pianos. Costumes are encouraged; tickets cost $20.

• Cercle National Club (550 Rockland Ave. in Manchester; 623-8243) will start its Halloween party at 5 p.m. with Off Duty Angels.

• The Polish American Club (15 School St. in Nashua; 821-7535) will hold a karaoke Halloween Party starting at 6 p.m., with prizes for best costumes, food and more.

• Shane’s BBQ (61 High St. in Hampton; 601-7091, shanes-texas-pit.com) will hold a costume contest starting at 6 p.m, with prizes for first and second place.

• Head back to Chop Shop Pub (920 Lafayette Road in Seabrook; 760-7706, chopshoppub.com) at 6:30 p.m. for a second night of celebrations with Halloween Bash with a costume party with prizes and bands including Notley Crue (a Motley Crue tribute band), Band Inc. and Casual Gravity.

• Area 23 (254 N. State St. in Concord; 881-9060, thearea23.com) will hold a Halloween party with a costume contest and the band Holy Fool from 7 to 11:47 p.m.

• The Purple Pit Coffee Lounge (28 Central Sq. in Bristol; 744-7800, thepurplepit.com) will feature The Krimson Krewe from 7 to 9 p.m., with a Mardi Gras costume contest. Doors open at 6 p.m.; admission costs $15 per person.

• High Octane Saloon (1072 Watson Road in Laconia; 527-8116, highoctane603.com) will kick off its Halloween party at 7 p.m. with music by EXP Band, a costume party with prizes and an entry fee of $5.

• Long Blue Cat Brewing Co. (298 Rockingham Road in Londonderry; 818-8068, longbluecat.com) will hold a Halloween party at 7 p.m., with costumes encouraged (and prizes for the best costumes) and beer and drink specials and a DJ and dancing.

• Boston Billiards Club & Casino (55 Northeastern Blvd. In Nashua; 943-5630, bostonbilliardclubcasino.com) will hold its annual Halloween Bash starting at 8 p.m. featuring the band Plan B and a costume party with prizes.

• The Gas Light (64 Market St. in Portsmouth; 430-9122, portsmouthgaslight.com) will host Nightmare on Market Street Halloween Party, which starts at 8 p.m. with a DJ, dancing, drink specials, costume contest with prizes and more. Tickets in advance cost $12 (plus fees) for general admission and $30 (plus fees) for VIP tickets.

• Head back to Lynn’s 102 Tavern (76 Derry Road in Hudson; 943-7832, lynns102.com) today for a Halloween Bash at 8 p.m. featuring Sindicate and a cash prize for best costume.

• The Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St. in Nashua; 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com) will kick off its party at 8 p.m. Check with social media closer to the date for updates.

• Saddle Up Saloon (92 Route 125 in Kingston; 369-6962, saddleupsaloonnh.com) will hold its Halloween party starting at 8 p.m. with Bite the Bullet, drink specials, giveaways and a costume contest.

• Tower Hill Tavern (264 Lakeside Ave. in Laconia; 366-9100, towerhilltavern.com) will hold a karaoke costume party with DJ Tim starting at 8 p.m.

• The Big House (322 Lakeside Ave. in Laconia; bighousenightclub.com) will hold a costume party featuring DJ Kadence starting at 9 p.m. with a $5 entry fee and a costume contest featuring prizes.

Halloween, Oct. 31

• The Big House (322 Lakeside Ave. in Laconia; bighousenightclub.com) will host the Weirs Drag Brunch on Halloween morning starting at 9:30 a.m. Tickets cost $25.

• Smuttynose Brewing (105 Towle Farm Road in Hampton; smuttynose.com, 436-4026) will hold a Mutt-ster Mash from 1 to 4 p.m. The afternoon will include a dog costume contest with prize, treats for humans and pups and Smuttynose Beer, with proceeds to go to Pope Memorial Humane Society.

• The Village Trestle (25 Main St. in Goffstown; 497-8230, villagetrestle.com) will hold a Halloween Party, costumes encouraged, featuring music from Bob Pratte and Steve Roberge on sax and harp starting at 3:30 p.m.

• The Alamo Texas Barbecue & Tequila Bar (99 Route 13 in Brookline; alamobarbecue.com, 721-5000) will celebrate its three-year anniversary and Halloween with live music starting at 4:30 p.m. by Ralph Allen, raffles and giveaways and more.

• Fody’s Tavern (9 Clinton St. in Nashua; 577-9015, fodystavern.com) will have a Halloween party featuring DJ Mark Allen starting at 8 p.m.

And beyond…

• On Saturday, Nov. 6, Liquid Therapy (14 Court St. in Nashua; 402-9391, liquidtherapynh.com) will hold a Halloween Trivia ExtravaganzaSaturday, Nov. 6, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Arcades, bowling alleys and game shops to level up your game night

High scores

Classic video gaming at New Hampshire’s arcades

by Matt Ingersoll

Portsmouth native Sean Greenlaw grew up playing retro video games, thanks in part to his father’s managing the former Dream Machine arcade at the Fox Run Mall. So when he learned that Manchester’s Electric Avenue Arcade was up for sale, he saw a unique opportunity.

“I was definitely here pretty regularly. This was a place that I loved to come to and remembered having an amazing community to participate with,” Greenlaw said. “I’ve wanted to start my own business, and this pandemic really taught me that there were opportunities out there for me and that I needed to take chances. … So I threw my hat into the ring to purchase the arcade.”

Last month Electric Avenue fully reopened under Greenlaw’s ownership after an extended absence. All of the arcade’s more than two dozen games are available to play once again, from timeless classics like Pac-Man and Galaga to Donkey Kong, Space Invaders and many others, plus multiple pinball machines and a few Skee-Ball lanes. Greenlaw is looking into adding a few more games on the floor too, including one he acquired that used to be at the Dream Machine.

Arcades were products of their time, before the age of the internet and smartphones, when gamers would gather around hunched over a machine and attempt to surpass the high score. It’s all part of that nostalgic factor Greenlaw hopes to carry on at Electric Avenue.

“You can play a game on your computer or your phone, and that’s a very solitary experience,” he said, “but when you come into an arcade you hear the classic sounds that you grew up with. You’re able to meet up and challenge other folks face to face, which is something that has kind of been lost. … So I really appreciate the feeling of the arcade bringing everyone together. That’s the vibe I’m going for here, is that you feel like you’re walking into your friend’s basement.”

Indeed, when Greenlaw reopened the doors, many of the arcade’s faithful regulars returned.

“There were people who hadn’t seen each other since the pandemic began who were able to meet up again, and for me that was the best part,” he said. “It’s a testament to [former owners] Chuck and Sara [Vorias], and that’s something that I want to continue.”

In the spirit of starting fresh, Greenlaw is resetting the high scores of each of the machines and is also working toward adding a token dispenser. The bar side of the arcade, meanwhile, will continue to feature a rotating selection of local brews and light food options.

At Block Party Social in Hooksett, formerly the Space Entertainment Center, there are dozens of new arcade games to play in its recently renovated space. Each game operates using preloaded funds on a game card, which you can also use to accumulate points and win prizes.

While there are several iconic games that are represented, many have their own modernized twist. If you love to play Pac-Man or Galaga, for example, you can experience them on a giant LED video billboard. Space Invaders Frenzy combines the classic gameplay of the original Space Invaders with ray gun-like controllers in place of traditional joysticks and buttons. There are also multiple interactive arcade experiences, such as Jurassic Park and Halo.

“The games all kind of have that physical experience to them. It makes for more of an immersive environment,” Block Party Social marketing director Ron Weinberg said. “In a certain sense it is a throwback to maybe when you used to go to the arcade at the beach and play Skee-Ball, but this is almost like a little more high-tech version of it.”

Weinberg said the new games were all part of a complete rebranding of the business that took place last year. Other attractions, like indoor ropes courses, zip lines and an axe-throwing lounge with multiple games to choose from using superimposed screens, have all been added.

In Concord, Wow Fried Chicken & Subs owner Maher Abbas recently turned the adjacent vacant building space on the corner of Main and Pleasant streets into Wow Chicken Arcade, which officially opened to the public on Oct. 1.

Abbas said kids of all ages enjoying the few games he has inside in his restaurant made him realize that there wasn’t any central arcade in town for them to go to. Unlike at Electric Avenue, which currently utilizes special tokens to play the games that are sold in bagged quantities at the counter, machines at Wow Chicken Arcade are quarter-operated.

Games include many of the classics, as well as a few pinball machines, racing simulators, ice hockey tables and basketball shooting machines. Abbas is making the downstairs space available to rent as a function room for family-friendly private parties and gatherings and has plans to offer entertainment outings like open mic or karaoke nights in the near future.

Visit an arcade

From Pac-Man to Space Invaders and dozens of other classics in between, here’s a list of some spots in southern New Hampshire where you can get your retro video gaming on.

Block Party Social

51 Zapora Dr., Hooksett, 621-5150, blockpartysocial.com

Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight

Formerly the Space Entertainment Center, Block Party Social features a newly renovated arcade space with more than 100 types of video games to enjoy, in addition to an in-house restaurant, a revamped 5,000-square-foot laser tag arena, ropes courses, and an axe-throwing lounge with a variety of game formats.

Dave & Buster’s

1500 S. Willow St., Manchester, 506-3100, daveandbusters.com

Hours: Sunday and Monday, 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Granite State’s first Dave & Buster’s location, which arrived in the Mall of New Hampshire plaza in August 2020, features a large arcade with chances to win prizes, plus a sports bar and virtual reality gaming.

Electric Avenue Arcade

24 Bridge St., Manchester, 518-5770, electricavearcade.com

Hours: Thursday, 6 to 11 p.m.; Friday, 6 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, noon to midnight, and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m. (may be subject to change)

Reopened last month under new ownership, Electric Avenue is back with all of the same arcade games as before, including Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Paper Boy, Galaga, Q*Bert and more, plus a rotating offering of local brews and a light food menu.

Funspot

579 Endicott St. N., Laconia, 366-4377, funspotnh.com

Hours: Monday through Friday, noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Billing itself as the “largest arcade in the world,” Funspot features several hundred classic arcade games, as well as other activities like indoor mini-golf, bowling and cash Bingo.

FunWorld

200 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua, 888-8735, funworldnh.com

Hours: Friday, 3 to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 8 p.m. (hours are temporarily reduced due to the pandemic and may be subject to change)

This Nashua center features more than 250 video games for all ages, plus a three-story playground and three indoor amusement rides.

Hilltop Fun Center

165 Route 108, Somersworth, 742-8068, hilltopfuncenter.com

Hours: Monday through Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.; Friday, noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Arcade games are just one of the attractions at Hilltop Fun Center, which also features mini-golf, laser tag, batting cages and more.

Mel’s Funway Park

454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield, 424-2292, melsfunwaypark.com

Hours: Friday, 5 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, noon to midnight, and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m.

One of several attractions to enjoy at Mel’s Funway Park, the indoor arcade is expected to remain open through the end of Spooky World’s annual run this Halloween season, according to co-owner Mike Accomando.

Tokens Taproom

284 Central Ave., Dover, 343-2879, tokenstaproom.com

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight; Friday, 4 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday, 4 to 11 p.m.

Known as a “barcade,” a combination arcade and bar, Tokens Taproom has classic arcade games and pinball machines that have been collected over the years by owner Josh Hynes. It’s open to visitors ages 21 and up, but minors are allowed in on Saturdays, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with accompanying adults.

Wow Chicken Arcade

2 N. Main St., Concord, find them on Facebook @wowchickennn

Hours: Monday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, noon to midnight (may be subject to change)

New to the local arcade scene, Wow Chicken Arcade opened Oct. 1 on the corner of Main and Pleasant streets in downtown Concord. Games include pinball, ice hockey, simulated racers, Skee-Ball and more, while a function space is available to rent.

Right up your alley

Bowling still fun for all ages

By Meghan Siegler

The game of bowling hasn’t changed much in the past few decades. You lace up your well-worn rental shoes, grab a ball — a big one with finger holes if you’re playing 10-pin, a much smaller one with no holes if you’re playing candlepin — and send it down the lane, aiming for the pins at the end and hoping the ball stays out of the gutters. But not everything has stayed the same.

“What has come a long way is the technology,” said Kelly Cross, manager of Yankee Lanes in Manchester.

There are two basic kinds of bowling centers, Cross said: traditional league houses that are focused on league bowlers and tournaments, and the centers that are geared more toward family entertainment. She said Yankee Lanes falls somewhere in the middle, with league-based play during the weekdays and non-competitive players coming in on nights and weekends.

“After 9 it’s really geared more toward the casual bowlers,” Cross said. “We crank up the music and turn on the glow-in-the-dark lights.”

Cross has been working at Yankee for 20 years, so she’s watched the scene evolve in that time.

“The swing toward a more casual bowler has been the most dramatic change,” she said.

There are also two main kinds of bowling: candlepin and big-ball, the former of which is really only a thing in New England, Cross said.

“It’s a pretty niche market,” she said.

With candlepin, you’re using a smaller ball and aiming for skinnier “candlesticks,” so named because the pins are tapered and resemble candlesticks. The lane conditions are different too; there’s a protective coat of oil that goes on big-ball lanes that’s not used on candlepin lanes.

With its smaller balls, candlepin might seem like a better choice for kids and families, but most bowling centers that have 10-pin offer lighter-weight balls for kids. They also have ramps for really young kids, and bumpers help minimize the frustration of gutter balls.

“There are no benchwarmers in bowling,” Cross said. “Everyone can participate. … We have bowlers who are 2 or 3, all the way up to 90.”

Go bowling

Candlepin

Boutwell’s Bowling Center

152 N. State St., Concord, 224-0941, boutwellsbowl.com

Hours: Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

King Bowling Lanes

751 Mast Road, Manchester, 623-9215, kinglanes.com

Hours: Sunday 1 to 6 p.m., Monday 3 to 9 p.m., Tuesday noon to 9 p.m., closed Wednesday, Thursday 1 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 1 to 10 p.m.

Lakeside Lanes

2171 Candia Road, Manchester, 627-7722, lakesidelanes.com

Hours: Sunday noon to 9 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday noon to 10 p.m.

Leda Lanes

340 Amherst St., Nashua, 889-4884, ledalanes.com

Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

Park Place Lanes

16 Rockingham Road, Windham, 898-4422, parkplacelanes.com

Hours: Closed Monday, open Tuesday through Saturday noon to 9 p.m., Sunday noon to 6 p.m.

Ten-pin

Merrimack Ten Pin

698 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-0989, merrimacktenpin.com

Hours: Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Strikers East Bowling Center & Function Room

4 Essex Dr., Raymond, 895-9501, strikerseast.net

Hours: Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday 5 to 10 p.m., Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m., Wednesday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday 5 to 10 p.m., Friday 2 to 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Yankee Lanes

216 Maple St., Manchester, 625-9656, yankeelanesentertainment.com

Hours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to midnight, Saturday noon to midnight, Sunday noon to 11 p.m.

Really Retro

King Bowling Lanes in Manchester has been around since 1939, according to its website. When it first opened, there were “pinboys” who would set the pins because there were no automatic pinsetters — those weren’t added until 1954. In 1989 King Bowling upgraded to automatic scoring, which is now the norm at most bowling centers.

Well-played

Local game shops host tabletop games, old and new

by Angie Sykeny

Tabletop games are alive and well, from the ones you played as a kid to new ones being released all the time. Many local game and comic book stores double as venues where people can gather for open-play gaming and organized gaming events.

The fantasy tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D, has been a household name in the game world since the 1980s, but some local game shop staff said it’s starting to break into the mainstream.

“D&D has really come out of the basement and into the spotlight in the last few years, with shows like The Big Bang Theory,and shows that stream D&D games, like Critical Role, where you see Hollywood voice actors playing the game,” said Jay Ribak, owner of Relentless Dragon, a game store in Nashua. “I think the demographic [of players] is growing.”

Megan Kilar, who works at Collectibles Unlimited, a game store in Concord, said the pandemic was also responsible for a “Dungeons & Dragons renaissance.”

“There are a lot of board games that you can really only play in person, but D&D is one that you can play together online, so for many people, playing D&D was a way to connect with their friends during Covid,” she said.

Relentless Dragon hosts organized D&D games three nights a week that are open to anyone with any level of interest in the game.

“People are welcome to drop in and sit in on a session to observe, or to join,” Ribak said. “You don’t really need anything except a willingness to try things out. … We’ll help you get an introduction to the game.”

Another game that has stood the test of time and continues to attract new players is Magic: The Gathering, a fantasy trading card game that came out in the early 1990s.

“Magic is great, because the rules haven’t changed,” Kilar said. “If you knew how to play Magic 10 or 15 years ago, you still know how to play Magic, and if you don’t, it’s easy enough to pick up.”

You can find weekly Magic games at both Collectibles Unlimited and Relentless Dragon as well as other local game shops.

If you like games involving strategy and games that allow you to be creative, Warhammer, a medieval-fantasy war game played with custom miniatures, has the best of both worlds, Kiler said. Around since the 1980s, Warhammer has maintained a following and is, according to Kiler, the most popular game at Collectibles Unlimited.

“There’s a lot to it,” she said. “You paint your miniatures on your own however you want to, and then you have to think about how you’re going to use your army and what each of your units is going to do.”

Your tabletop game options don’t end with the classics; Matt Summers, owner of Game Knight, a BYOB game shop and gaming lounge in Manchester, said there’s “a pretty decent market” for tabletop games, and that it’s growing all the time.

“A lot of people think board games have gone by the wayside, but they’ve actually been evolving,” Summers said. “There’s brand new games — all kinds of crazy games — coming out almost every month.”

Modern games have expanded into many different themes and genres beyond fantasy, Summers said, such as cyberpunk, outer space, crowd games and games based on anime series like Cowboy Bebop and My Hero Academia.

Every Saturday, Game Knight opens a game that’s new to the store and teaches people how to play it.

“We don’t want to be a niche-type store,” Summers said. “The sky’s the limit in [the game] world — if you can think of it, there’s probably a game for it — and we want to do it all so that anyone can come and game the way they want.”

If your post-pandemic social life could use a boost, Riback said, playing games at your local game store is a great way to get out of the house and engage with other people in a relaxed atmosphere.

“It’s really important, especially now, to be able to step away from our screens for a bit and get some face time with our fellow humans,” he said. “[The store] provides a place where people can do that, and everyone is welcome.”

Play tabletop games

Here are some local game shops and gaming lounges where you can play tabletop games.

• Awesome Cards, Collectibles, & Games (123 Nashua Road, Unit 14, Londonderry, 404-6996, awesomeccg.com)

• Boards and Brews Board Game Cafe (941 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5184, boardsandbrewsnh.com)

• Collectibles Unlimited (25 South St., Concord, 228-3712, collectiblesunlimited.biz)

Weekly events:

Warhammer – Tuesday, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering – Friday, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

• Diversity Gaming (1328 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 606-1176, diversitygaming.store)

Weekly events:

Dragon Ball Super – Monday, 6 to 10 p.m.

Dungeons & Dragons – Tuesday, 6 to 10 p.m.

• Double Midnight Comics (245 Maple St., Manchester; 341 Loudon Road, Concord; 669-9636, dmcomics.com)

Weekly events at Manchester location:

Heroclix – Sunday, 1 p.m.

Dragonball Super – Sunday, 1 p.m.

Digimon – Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Dungeons & Dragons – Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering (modern) – Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Yu-Gi-Oh – Wednesday, 7 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m.

Magic: The Gathering (Commander) – Thursday, 7 p.m., and Saturday, 3 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering (draft) – Friday, 7 p.m.

Flesh & Blood TCG – Friday, 7 p.m.

Cardfight Vanguard – Saturday, 3 p.m.

Weekly events at Concord location:

Flesh & Blood TCG – Sunday, 1 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering (Commander) – Thursday, 7 p.m., and Saturday, noon

Magic: The Gathering (draft) – Friday, 7 p.m.

• Game Knight (North End Shops at Livingston Park, 545 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 232-4813, gameknightnh.wixsite.com)

Weekly events:

Dungeons & Dragons – Wednesdays, 6 to 10 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering (Commander) – Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering (Draft) – Friday, 7 p.m.

Ultimate Day of Gaming (the shop introduces a new game)

• The Relentless Dragon Game Store (483 Amherst St., Nashua, 204-5275, relentlessdragon.com)

Weekly events:

Dungeons & Dragons – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 6 to 9 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering – Friday, 5 to 11 p.m.

• Merrymac Games and Comics (550 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 420-8161, merrymacgc.com)

Weekly events:

Magic: The Gathering (Draft) – Wednesday, 6 to 10 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering (Commander) – Thursday, 6 to 9 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering (Modern) – Friday, 6:30 to 10 p.m.

• Midgard Comics and Games (55 Crystal Ave., No. 21, Derry, 260-6180, midgardcomicsandgames.com)

Weekly events:

Digimon – Thursday, 6:30 to 10 p.m.

Magic: The Gathering – Friday, 6:30 to 10 p.m.

• Tactical Tabletop Gaming (940 Suncook Valley, Epsom, 736-0411, tacticaltabletopgaming.com)

Free RPG Day

Free RPG Day, an annual worldwide promotional event for role-playing tabletop games, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 16. Participating game, comic book and hobby retailers partner with participating game publishers to provide free content for RPGs, including booklets with exclusive adventures, campaigns, guides, character profiles and previews, as well as RPG accessories and swag, like special-edition dice. This year’s featured RPGs will include Twilight Imperium, Talisman Adventures, Fabula Ultima, Warhammer, Victoriana, Achtung! Cthulhu, Pathfinder, Zombicide, Blue Rose, Vast Grimm, Humblewood, Epic Encounter, Iron Kingdoms and Dungeons & Dragons. More may be announced. For more information and updates about Free RPG Day, visit freerpgday.com or find them on social media @freerpgday.

Here are the local retailers officially registered as Free RPG Day participants. Other retailers may be hosting unofficial celebrations with special activities and promotions of their own.

• Awesome Cards, Collectibles, & Games (123 Nashua Road, Unit 14, Londonderry, 404-6996, awesomeccg.com)
• Game Knight (North End Shops at Livingston Park, 545 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 232-4813, gameknightnh.wixsite.com)
• Jetpack Comics (37 N. Main St., Rochester, 330-9636, jetpackcomics.com)
• Pop Culture Cards, Comics, Collectibles, and Gaming (66 Route 27, Raymond, 244-1850, popculturenh.com)
• The Relentless Dragon Game Store (483 Amherst St., Nashua, 204-5275, relentlessdragon.com)

Featured photo: Electric Avenue Arcade in Manchester. Courtesy photo.

CELEBRATE YOUR FAVORITE GOURD AT LOCAL PUMPKIN FESTS PLUS WHERE TO PICK YOUR OWN

Flavors of fall

Milford Pumpkin Festival returns

by Matt Ingersoll

When longtime Milford resident Wade Campbell learned that the town’s annual pumpkin festival was at risk of not continuing in 2018, he and several volunteers, local organizations and community members set out to take it over. Three years later, Campbell is now director of the Granite Town Festivities Committee, carrying on the decades-long tradition of the Milford Pumpkin Festival in partnership with the Milford Rotary and Lions clubs.

The three-day event will return to the Milford Oval and surrounding areas from Friday, Oct. 8, to Sunday, Oct. 10, featuring local food vendors, beer and wine tastings, live music and family-friendly activities.

This will be the first in-person version of the Milford Pumpkin Festival in two years, although a scaled back virtual event mainly highlighting local musicians took place in 2020.

“I’m really excited. I’ve been looking forward to this ever since we ramped it back up,” Campbell said. “We did cancel the variety show and we have a few less vendors in the town hall, but overall there really isn’t much of a difference between this year and 2019.”

Friday evening’s opening festivities will include a pumpkin lighting ceremony at the Milford Town Hall, while on the Oval honorees for Milford’s Citizen of the Year will be announced.

At the nearby Community House Lawn, the Milford Rotary and Lions clubs are presenting two nights of beer, wine and spirit tastings on Friday and Saturday from more than two dozen local and regional vendors. Admission is available at the gate either night beginning at 5:30 p.m. — attendees are given a total of 10 tasting tickets, which are redeemable for a four-ounce sample of beer, a one-ounce sample of wine or a ½-ounce sample of liquor per vendor.

Pumpkin Fest Tasting

Beer, wine and spirits tastings

When: Friday, Oct. 8, and Saturday, Oct. 9, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Milford Community House Lawn, 5 Union St., Milford
Cost: $20 per person; includes 10 tasting tickets, each for a four-ounce sample of beer, a one-ounce sample of wine or a ½-ounce sample of liquor
Visit: milfordpumpkinfestival.org/bws-tastings
Free parking and shuttle bus services will be available at Milford Middle School (33 Osgood Road) on Friday and at Milford High School (100 West St.) throughout the weekend. Per federal regulations, face masks are required while riding the shuttle bus regardless of vaccination status.

This will be the first official festival participation for Concord’s Steadfast Spirits Distilling Co. since it opened in early 2020. Lori Lundergan, whose husband, CJ, is head distiller, said they will likely be pouring their fan-favorite Apple Pie moonshine-mixed cocktail — better known under the name Trouble’s Moonshine — in addition to some other flavors of their signature selections.

Averill House Vineyard of Brookline will be there with its barrel-aged True Blue blueberry wine and its Little Secret Nebbiolo wine, owner Bob Waite said. The winery will also be promoting a unique Halloween-themed twist for its igloo experiences, which are being transformed into “wine caves” with blacklights and decorative spider webs throughout the month of October.

Of course, in keeping with the festival’s theme, you can expect pumpkin brews. The Loft Brewing Co. of Milford will offer its OMG pumpkin ale, while on Friday only, Martha’s Exchange of Nashua is expected to bring its PumpkinWeizen, in addition to other selections.

“We have a few vendors who couldn’t physically make it but are donating product, so there will be a couple of tables where we’ll have volunteers, Rotarians or Lions doing the pouring,” said Tim Finan, former Milford Rotary Club president and coordinator of the tastings.

Dozens of local vendors, from restaurants and food trucks to crafters and artisans, will be set up at multiple spots throughout the weekend. On Friday night Papa Joe’s Humble Kitchen of Milford will be serving burgers at the Community House Lawn. Then on Saturday, members of the Milford Rotary and Lions clubs will team up to offer burgers, homemade sausages and more.

Rotarian Janet Langdell added that The Memo Foundation, a Milford-based nonprofit, will be back to serve Frito Pie, featuring homemade chili and cheese served in a Fritos corn chip bag.

More than 20 bands and singers will hold performances across two stages throughout the weekend. The Flying Gravity Circus will be there on Saturday afternoon, while the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley’s competitive dance team will perform on Sunday morning.

Other featured activities during the festival will include pumpkin and face painting, a “haunted trail” at the nearby Emerson Park, a pumpkin weigh-in contest and a pumpkin catapult.

32nd annual Milford Pumpkin Festival

Official Milford Pumpkin Festival hours are Friday, Oct. 8, 5 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 9, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit milfordpumpkinfestival.org.

Friday, Oct. 8
• Live music performances: 5 to 9 p.m. on the Oval and Community House Lawn stages
• Opening ceremonies and Town Hall pumpkin lighting: 6:30 p.m.
• Haunted Trail: 6 to 9 p.m. at Emerson Park (6 Mont Vernon St.); tickets are $5 for adults and $1 for children under 10

Saturday, Oct. 9
• Milford history walking tour: 8 or 9:30 a.m.; begins at the Carey House (6 Union St.) and goes around the Oval and nearby sites
• Live music performances: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the Oval and Community House Lawn stages
• Scarecrow making, pumpkin painting and face painting: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the Community House Lawn ($15 per scarecrow, $5 per pumpkin painting, $1 per face painting cheek and $5 for full face painting)
• Pumpkin catapult: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the lower parking lot of TD Bank (57 South St.); the cost is $3 for one pumpkin shot and $5 for two shots
• Eye-Spy scavenger hunt: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Carey House (6 Union St.)
• Pumpkin carving: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Oval
• Great Pumpkin Weigh-In contest: Noon on the Oval
• Flying Gravity Circus performance: 3 to 6 p.m. along Union Square, near the intersection of Union and Elm streets
• Haunted Trail: 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Emerson Park (6 Mont Vernon St.); tickets are $5 for adults and $1 for children under 10

Sunday, Oct. 10
• Milford history walking tour: 8 or 9:30 a.m.; begins at the Carey House (6 Union St.) and goes around the Oval and nearby sites
• Pumpkin catapult: 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the lower parking lot of TD Bank (57 South St.); the cost is $3 for one pumpkin shot and $5 for two shots
• Scarecrow making, pumpkin painting and face painting: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the Community House Lawn ($15 per scarecrow, $5 per pumpkin painting, $1 per face painting cheek and $5 for full face painting)
• Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley’s competitive dance team performance: 10 a.m. on the Community House Lawn stage
• Live music performances: 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Oval and Community House Lawn stages
• Rubber duck race: 1 p.m. on the Souhegan River; ducks can be purchased at the Milford Ambulance Association’s booth on Middle Street, starting Friday at 5 p.m. and ending on Sunday at noon ($5 per duck, or $20 for five ducks)

Boatload of fun

Enormous pumpkins the star of Goffstown’s annual event

by Angie Sykeny

Goffstown Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off and Regatta

Where: Downtown Goffstown and the Piscataquog River
When: Saturday, Oct. 16, and Sunday, Oct. 17
Cost: Free admission
More info: goffstownmainstreet.org/pumpkin-regatta

There are a lot of creative uses for pumpkins, but it’s hard to top Goffstown’s Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off and Regatta.

The two-day fall festival will return on Saturday, Oct. 16, and Sunday, Oct. 17, with all kinds of pumpkin-related fun in the downtown area and, of course, the regatta, where teams from local community groups, schools and businesses will race down the Piscataquog River in boats made from giant pumpkins.

It all started in 2000 when Jim Beauchemin, a member of the New Hampshire Giant Pumpkin Growers Association, was thinking about what to do with his giant pumpkins once the pumpkin weigh-offs were over. His idea was to use the pumpkins as boats and create a community event centered around a pumpkin boat race on the river. It was a hit, with around 500 people attending the inaugural regatta.

“It’s a tradition and a really special thing … not just for Goffstown but for New Hampshire and even for New England, especially now, being able to come together again when we haven’t been able to for so long,” said Tracey Hutton, executive director of Goffstown Main Street Program, which hosts the event.

Members of the New Hampshire Giant Pumpkin Growers Association will present their pumpkins at the weigh-off on Saturday and compete to be the grower with the heaviest pumpkin. Then, all of the pumpkins that are structurally sound enough to be used as boats — Hutton said she’s expecting around six this year — will be handed over to the regatta teams to be converted.

For a pumpkin to function as a boat, it must be carved out, then filled with sandbags to ensure that it’s balanced and won’t roll over when it’s in the water. Once that’s done, the teams will get to work painting and decorating their boats based on this year’s chosen theme, “Back to the Future.”

“We thought that was an appropriate theme after having to skip last year’s event because of the pandemic,” Hutton said. “It’s like, we’re ‘back to the future’ of the regatta; the regatta is back.”

The regatta itself will take place on Sunday. Each team designates a captain, who is usually in costume fitting the theme, to race their pumpkin boat. Spectators gather along the perimeter as the captains use kayak paddles to float down the river, about 100 yards, to the Goffstown bridge. The team with the first boat to make it under the bridge wins the race and receives a trophy. The team with the best pumpkin boat design will also be awarded, with a travelling trophy to keep until next year’s regatta.

Another highlight of the event, Hutton said, is the pumpkin drop on Sunday.

“We take one of the giant pumpkins and drop it from a crane,” she said. “It’s always exciting to see that big pumpkin go ‘kersplat’ and explode.”

New this year, the event will also feature a fireworks show on Saturday night.

“We’re really excited to be doing something that we’ve never done before,” Hutton said. “I think people will really enjoy that extra bit of festivity.”

Other festivities happening throughout the weekend will include a mini pumpkin race on the river, pumpkin carving demonstrations, a pie eating contest, a dog costume contest, yoga and fitness classes, a scarecrow contest, a 10k road race, activities for kids, street vendors and food concessions.

“There are so many different things going on,” Hutton said. “It’ll be a great time to get something good to eat, buy a few things and just relax and enjoy each other’s company.”

Schedule of events

Saturday, Oct. 16
• 10K Race check-in (behind the Village Trestle) – 7 a.m.
• Giant pumpkins arrive on the Common – 9 a.m.
• Vendors, demonstrations and activities – starting at 9 a.m.
• Doggie costume contest – 10 a.m.
• Pumpkin Weigh-off on the Common – 10:30 a.m.
• Kids pumpkin dash (Mill Street) – 11 a.m.
• Crowing of the Prince and Princess (on the Common) – noon
• Giant pumpkin boat building begins (Mill Street) – 2:30 p.m.
• Fireworks – dusk

Sunday, Oct. 17
• Giant pumpkin carving demonstration (on the Common) – 10 a.m.
• Giant pumpkin drop (Citizens Bank Field) – noon
• Pie eating contest – 1 p.m.
• 50/50 mini pumpkin race (Piscataquog River) – 2 p.m.
• Arrival of the Pumpkin Princess and Prince (parade on Mill and Main streets) – 2:45 p.m.
• Pumpkin Regatta (Piscataquog River, Mill Street and Village Bridge) – 3 p.m.

Fields of orange

How pumpkin crops have fared this year

by Angie Sykeny

It’s been a challenging year for growing produce, and pumpkins were no exception.

Holly Kimball, a family owner of Beech Hill Farm in Hopkinton, said the farm had “some disappointments” with its pumpkin crop this year, particularly the gourds and mini pumpkins, due to the large amounts of rain and not enough sunny days.

“Gourds will usually grow pretty much anytime, anywhere, but the one thing they really don’t like is a lot of moisture,” she said, “so they didn’t do very well.”

Beech Hill’s pumpkin crop was at a disadvantage from the start. The rain was particularly heavy in early May, which is when the farm normally plants pumpkins, Kimball said. The ground was too soggy for the farmer to take the tractor out, so they had to hold off on planting the pumpkins until the end of the month.

“If you plant too early or too late by even one week, that can affect your crop,” she said.

Harvesting at the right time is also critical. Beech Hill had to pick their pumpkins prematurely this year, which “wasn’t ideal,” Kimball said, but, if they were to allow the pumpkins to grow for a few more weeks in order to reach full maturity, the farm would be risking a frost, which would wipe out the entire crop.

“It’s tricky, but it is what it is,” she said. “When you’re a farm in New Hampshire, you have to take your losses, because every year is different.”

In the past Beech Hill has invited visitors to pick their own pumpkins right from the patch, but this year, with growing the pumpkins being such a challenge, preservation is the priority, Kimball said, and the farm will be able to preserve more pumpkins if they handle the harvesting.

“If someone steps on a vine, you lose [all of the pumpkins] that are on that plant,” she said, “and if we leave them out in the field [for pick-your-own] there’s a greater chance of them getting frosted, or of animals getting to them, and we just can’t risk losing all those pumpkins.”

There was one upside to this year’s growing conditions. Unlike gourds, the regular orange pumpkins love water; the more rain they get, the bigger and plumper they grow. Kimball said she estimates this year’s pumpkins to be between 20 and 30 pounds, making them the heaviest pumpkins the farm has grown since she’s been there.

“They’re beautiful,” she said. “They’ve got thick, strong stems and nice ridges all the way around, and you can put your arms all the way around them; they’re a perfect armful.”

When you go to pick out your pumpkins, consider what you want to do with them.

As you can gather from their name, sugar pumpkins — the smaller orange ones that you can hold on one hand — have higher sugar content than other kinds of pumpkins.

“Those are the ones that you want to get for eating,” Kimball said. “You can roast them or cook with them or make a pie.”

If it’s the pumpkin seeds you’re after, go for the bigger orange pumpkins.

For decor, the best pumpkins are simply a matter of personal preference, Kimball said. Though the big orange pumpkins are the most popular choice for carving and using as jack-o’-lanterns, other kinds of pumpkins are just as suitable.

“People choose all sizes and shapes and for carving,” Kimball said. “Some people like tall, thin ones, some people like warty ones, and then, there’s the colored pumpkins, too, which are really trendy.”

Pick your own pumpkin

Head to the pumpkin patches at these farms to find your perfect pumpkin. Picking hours and pumpkin availability are subject to change, so call or check the farm’s social media for updates before you go.

• Applecrest Farm Orchard (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com) has PYO pumpkins, including field pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns for 75 cents per pound, sugar pumpkins for 95 cents per pound, and specialty heirloom gourds and pumpkins for $1.25 per pound. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather-dependent.

• Butternut Farm (195 Meaderboro Road, Farmington, 335-4705, butternutfarm.net) has PYO pumpkins for 60 cents per pound, open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays. An “All You Can Haul” pumpkin carrying challenge is tentatively planned for the weekend of either Oct. 16 or Oct. 23, TBD. The cost for the challenge will be $25 per person.

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St., Candia, 483-5623, visitthefarm.com) has PYO pumpkins for 50 cents per pound, starting at $6, during its Pumpkin Festival, which runs from Saturday, Oct. 9, through Monday, Oct. 11. Admission costs $22, free for children age 23 months and under.

• DeMeritt Hill Farm (20 Orchard Way, Lee, 868-2111, demeritthillfarm.com) has PYO pumpkins, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call for pricing.

• J&F Farms (124 Chester Road, Derry, 437-0535, jandffarmsnh.com)has PYO pumpkins until Oct. 31, open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call for pricing.

• Lavoie’s Farm (172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.com) has PYO pumpkins through October, open daily from 8 a.m. wto 7 p.m. Call for pricing.

• Mack’s Apples (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 434-7619, macksapples.com) has PYO pumpkins through the end of October, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call for pricing.

• Moulton Farm (18 Quarry Road, Meredith, 279-3915, moultonfarm.com) has PYO pumpkins through October, open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call for pricing.

• Scamman Farm (69 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 686-1258, scammanfarm.com) has PYO pumpkins for 60 cents per pound, fancies for $1 per pound, Jack B Littles for $1 each, and gourds for $1.50 per pound under 20 pounds or $1 per pound over 20 pounds, through Oct. 31, open weekdays from noon to 5 p.m., closed Tuesday, and open on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com) has PYO pumpkins through Oct. 31, open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather-dependent. Call for pricing.

• Trombly Gardens (150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.com) has PYO pumpkins as well as specialty pumpkins, gourds and mini pumpkins, open Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Celebrating Pumpkins

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia; visitthefarm.com) holds the last weekend of its Pumpkin Festival this Columbus Day weekend on Saturday, Oct 9, through Monday, Oct. 11. Tickets cost $22 per person (for everyone ages 24 months old and older). Take a tractor train ride to the pumpkin patch to pick your own or get one at the farm stand. The event also includes horse-drawn wagon rides, live music (Lynda Nelson and Dan Morgan, described as having “notes from country, folk and bluegrass”), a cow milking contest, a take-home pumpkin art project (for $8 when purchased online), costumed characters, pony rides (also $8 when purchased online) and visits with the barnyard animals. Purchase tickets online for the specific day and time.
• Applecrest Farm Orchards (133 Exeter Road in Hampton Falls; 926-3721, applecrest.com) will hold another Great Pumpkin Carve Sunday, Oct. 10, when a master carver will work with an 800-pound pumpkin. The day is part of live music (on Sunday, hear Unsung Heroes), pumpkin picking and more.
• The Somersworth Festival Association’s Pumpkin Festival will take place Saturday, Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Somersworth Plaza on Main Street. A $10 bracelet gives kids access to multiple activities including pumpkin decorating and other pumpkin crafts, scarecrow making, hayrides, photos and more, according to a press release, which said the day will also feature a bouncy house and games. Kids in costume get a $1 discount. The event will also feature live entertainment, a food court and raffles.

Pumpkin cookies

This recipe for pumpkin cookies came from Michelle Moulin, who used to own Michelle’s Bakery in Manchester, and first ran in the Hippo years ago. Somewhere between a little pumpkin cake, a cookie and a mini-scone, this pumpkin treat gets much of its sweetness from its icing. Halved, the recipe makes a little more than three-dozen, teaspoon-sized cookies.

1 pound of butter (4 sticks), softened

2 cups of brown sugar

2 eggs

2 cups pumpkin

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cloves

For icing:

1½ cups confectioner’s sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream softened butter and sugar.

Add eggs and pumpkin and mix until blended.

Stir together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves) and add slowly, with mixer set on low, until blended.

Scoop teaspoon-sized dough scoops and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until firm. Cool.

Mix together icing ingredients (confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon and water) until smooth.

Spoon onto cookies and let sit for glaze to harden.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Celebrate Oktoberfest with German eats and brews

On Saturday, clad in lederhosen, To Share Brewing Co. co-owner Aaron Share and his team will be pouring their seasonal German-style beer release and serving bratwurst, sauerkraut and pretzels while oompah music plays in the background — yes, it’s Oktoberfest season.

Since the very first event in early 19th-century Germany, the fall tradition has grown into a worldwide phenomenon celebrating Bavarian culture through its beers and foods. This will be To Share Brewing’s third Oktoberfest, one of many similar celebrations taking place across the Granite State over the next several weeks.

The centerpieces of nearly every Oktoberfest are German-style beers, among some of Share’s favorites to drink this time of year.

“I love beer in general, but I really enjoy a good clean malty lager,” he said. “A lot of the German styles have this nice sweet, bready maltiness to them. … Especially when the weather starts to cool off and it’s a little crisp in the air, it’s just perfect.”

Several local breweries this fall are either taking part in an Oktoberfest celebration or hosting their own, as well as introducing limited beer releases. Some restaurants are also joining in on the fun with their own seasonally inspired menus of German food items, from bratwurst, schnitzel and sauerkraut to Bavarian-style pretzels, specialty dessert stations and more.

So what exactly is defined as an Oktoberfest beer, and where did this tradition come from, anyway? We spoke with local brewers, chefs and restaurateurs to get some answers.

“March beer”

The most common beer style traditionally associated with Oktoberfests is known as a märzen, a lager that is characterized by its malty flavor and deep golden or amber color.

“Classic German beers are very simple compared to what we brew here in the States today. They would use malt and whatever hop variant they had from the harvest, and that was the basis of it,” said Dennis Molnar, co-owner of Concord Craft Brewing Co. “[A märzen style] is a little maltier in flavor than what we’re probably used to thinking of as an American Pilsner lager, like a Budweiser or something. … It’s hopped a little bit more as well, but because there’s a bit of a maltier backbone, it doesn’t necessarily taste more hopped than any other simple yellow beer.”

Even though the style is synonymous with Oktoberfests, the word “märzenbier” actually means “March beer,” as it was historically brewed in the spring. According to The Oxford Companion to Beer, an encyclopedia edited by Garrett Oliver and published by Oxford University Press, a Bavarian decree issued in the year 1553 by the duke at the time prohibited new beer from being brewed between the dates of April 23 and Sept. 29. This was due in part to the risk of fires, in addition to the threats of wild yeasts and bacteria, during the hot weather. As a result, märzens would be brewed in March and lagered, or stored, until the end of the summer.

Last week Concord Craft Brewing Co. brought back its Oktoberfest release, a märzen-style lager that Molnar said he expects will last through about mid-October. Other local brewers, like Kelsen Brewing Co. of Derry and Great North Aleworks of Manchester, have märzen-style releases of their own — the latter’s, called “Märzen Rover,” goes light on the hops, with a breaded, honey-like flavor from a blend of a few different malts.

But Oktoberfests don’t have to strictly be märzens, either. Derry’s Rockingham Brewing Co. recently debuted “For Better or For Wurst,” a German-style festbier that co-owner Ali Leleszi described as being similar to a märzen but with a slightly lighter color and more hop bitterness. They have it on draft now, and they’ll also be pouring it at an Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, Oct. 2, at Twin Barns Brewing Co. in Meredith, she said.

Henniker Brewing Co. also has a seasonal lager inspired by the modern festbier. Teresa Pominville, director of events and marketing, said the brewery’s “Wurst Bier” adds a little bit of rye to help complement the malts and the spicy herbal notes from the German hops used.

To Share Brewing releases a German-style altbier, or “alt,” during Oktoberfest season, using a recipe dating back to Share’s time as a homebrewer.

“An alt is one of those weird hybrids between a lager and an ale. The main difference between lagers and ales are the yeasts that you use and the temperatures in the fermentation process,” Share said. “So an alt is pretty similar to a märzen in terms of the flavor profile. Just a really easy-drinking, clear amber beer that’s perfect for when the weather gets colder.”

In Dover, Garrison City Beerworks will be introducing two new beers to be released the day of its Oktoberfest celebration on Friday, Sept. 24 — Glean is a lager brewed with Maine-grown grain, while Jet-Setting is a New England IPA dry-hopped exclusively with German hops.

“It’s got the smooth, bright haze of the New England IPA style, with some really interesting melon and farmhouse notes from the … hops,” co-owner Andy Gray said of Jet-Setting.

A glossary of terms

This list contains various terms you may encounter at local Oktoberfest celebrations or on German restaurant menus, including seasonal food options, beer styles and traditions.

• Altbier (or Alt): A German-style amber-colored beer that To Share Brewing Co. co-owner Aaron Share described as a hybrid between a lager and an ale, with a balance of malty sweetness and bitterness from its hops. This is the third year the brewery has released an Oktoberfest alt.
• Apfelstrudel: Bavarian-style apple strudel. You can find this homemade dessert on the menu at Bavaria German Restaurant in Hooksett, or at the annual Oktoberfest celebration at Mile Away Restaurant in Milford on Sunday, Oct. 3.
• Blaukraut: Red cabbage cooked with apple.
• Bratkartoffeln: Bavarian-style roasted potatoes.
• Bratwurst: German sausage, most commonly made with pork, veal or a combination of the two, according to Monika Berger, co-owner of Bavaria German Restaurant in Hooksett.
• Brezn: Bavarian-style pretzels, which are characterized by their crisp, dark exterior and soft interior, according to Matt Brown, owner of The Salted Knot in Rollinsford.
• Dunkel: A German-style lager characterized by its dark brown color and malty flavor.
• Festbier: A German-style lager similar to a märzen, but with a slightly lighter color and more hop bitterness, according to Ali Leleszi of Rockingham Brewing Co. in Derry.
• Hefeweizen: A German-style wheat beer. Daydreaming Brewing Co. of Derry will have “Daydreaming of Martha,” its hefeweizen in collaboration with Martha’s Exchange & Brewery of Nashua, at its Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, Sept. 25.
• Hunter’s Stew: A savory brown sauce-based stew with pork, beef, veal and vegetables. Mile Away Restaurant in Milford will be serving hunter’s stew during its Oktoberfest event on Sunday, Oct. 3.
• Märzen: A malty German-style amber lager most commonly associated with Oktoberfest celebrations. Several local breweries, including Concord Craft Brewing Co., Kelsen Brewing Co. of Derry and Great North Aleworks of Manchester, have their own märzen-style releases this time of year as an ode to the classic Germanic style.
• Masskrugstemmen: A beer stein hoisting competition, typically held at Oktoberfest events.
• Rinderroulade: Rolled slices of tender beef, filled with mustard, onions, bacon and pickles.
• Sauerbraten: Traditional German pot roast, featuring marinated, roasted beef boiled in a wine-based sauce and topped with gravy. Sauerbraten is available at Bavaria German Restaurant in Hooksett with homemade spätzle and red cabbage. It will also be on the menu during Mile Away Restaurant’s Oktoberfest celebration in Milford on Sunday, Oct. 3.
• Sauerkraut: Sour fermented cabbage.
• Schnitzel: Literally translating to “cutlet,” schnitzel is a thin slice of meat, usually pork, that has been breaded and fried. Bavaria German Restaurant in Hooksett has multiple schnitzel options available on its menu that also feature the option to substitute pork for veal.
• Schweins haxn: Bavarian-roasted pork shank.
• Spätzle: Bavarian-style egg noodles.

Bavarian bites

German beers may be the stars of the show, but Oktoberfest season is also a great opportunity to try all kinds of authentic foods. At Mile Away Restaurant in Milford, for instance, a special menu will be served during its 15th annual Oktoberfest event on Sunday, Oct. 3. Dinner plates featuring items like schweineschnitzel (pork schnitzel) and sauerbraten (German pot roast) will be available, in addition to a dessert station with items like apfelstrudel (apple strudel).

Share said the brewery will be offering a shareable snack board all day during its Sept. 25 event, featuring bratwurst with sauerkraut, plus pretzels courtesy of The Hop Knot.

Speaking of pretzels, be on the lookout in the coming weeks for Matt Brown of The Salted Knot, a Rollinsford-based Bavarian-style pretzel company launched earlier this year. Brown has a full schedule of events he’ll be serving his pretzels at, including the Powder Keg Beer Festival in Exeter on Saturday, Oct. 2, and the Great Oktoberfest at Anheuser-Busch Tour Center & Biergarten in Merrimack on Saturday, Oct. 16. He’ll also appear at Henniker Brewing Co. on Sunday, Oct. 10, during its two weekend-long Fall Fest.

Brown received training from another German-style pretzel maker while staying in Pennsylvania, a state he said is known for its pretzels and German ancestry. Now he works for himself, also selling his pretzels at farmers markets and via a few wholesale accounts.

“My pretzels are a lot darker and they tend to be more crispy than soft pretzels you might get at the mall,” Brown said. “The way I shape them, the middle is the thickest part.”

At Twin Barns Brewing Co.’s Oct. 2 event, food options will be served courtesy of The Silo, an onsite food trailer in collaboration with Osteria Poggio restaurant in Center Harbor. Options will likely include different plays on authentic items like bratwurst or pierogi.

“We’re probably going to be doing some German-style tacos, so basically like a sauerbraten taco with braised beef, and then maybe things like sweet cabbage and apple,” Osteria Poggio chef Kaylon Sweet said. “We’re just trying to find ways to make it more approachable to people.”

Pats Peak Ski Area in Henniker will have seasonal specials of its own during its annual Oktoberfest on Sunday, Nov. 7. Led by chef Guy Pelletier, its in-house kitchen team will be preparing items like bratwurst, hot German potato salad and braised red cabbage.

If you want to try German food but can’t wait to attend an Oktoberfest event, Bavaria German Restaurant in Hooksett has authentic options year-round, made fresh daily from family recipes. They also currently have Spaten Brewery’s Oktoberfest — touted as “the world’s first Oktoberfest” beer — and Weihenstephaner’s wheat beer available on tap.

The eatery has been owned and operated by Anton and Monika Berger since March 2010. Anton Berger has more than four decades of experience as a chef, including at a more than 200-seat restaurant and outdoor beer garden in Munich, Germany.

Bavaria’s schnitzel is one of its most popular items, and there are multiple varieties. The jägerschnitzel, for example, features a boneless strip of pork that’s topped with a scratch-made mushroom cream sauce. It’s then served with spätzle, or Bavarian-style egg noodles.

Bratwurst selections, according to Monika Berger, can be ordered with pork, veal, or a combination of the two. They are served with either homemade sauerkraut or a potato salad.

Specials are occasionally featured as well, like schweins haxn (Bavarian-roasted pork shank).

The first Oktoberfest

The origins of Oktoberfest can be traced back to Munich, Germany, during the early 1800s. The first event was not even organized as a beer festival — rather, it was a wedding.

According to the official Oktoberfest website, King Ludwig I of Bavaria married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on Oct. 12, 1810. The couple was wed at the site of what would later become known as Theresienwiese, the official Oktoberfest grounds in Munich. Their celebration included a large horse race and was so well-received that the demand for more events immediately grew. Soon it became an annual destination for agricultural entertainment.

A major defining year for the festival was 1841, when Spaten Brewery introduced its amber märzen at the event. By 1872 Spaten was the first brewery to call it an Oktoberfest beer.

Today the Munich Oktoberfest has grown into a massive, multi-week affair, spanning 16 to 18 days from mid-to-late September to early October and attracting more than six million visitors from around the world. Plans are already underway for the event to return in September 2022, after the pandemic forced its cancellation in both 2020 and 2021.

Stein hoisting competitions

Among the traditions of several Oktoberfest celebrations is a stein hoisting competition — or, as it’s known in Germany, masskrugstemmen (pronounced “MAHSS-kroog-stem-men”). Participants are given a stein filled to the top with beer that they must hold by the handle out in front of their bodies for as long as possible. The person who can hold it for the longest amount of time without breaking form or spilling their stein is declared the winner.

According to the U.S. Steinholding Association’s official rules, you must only grip the handle of the stein with one hand. The current national record is 21 minutes and 17 seconds, set in 2018 by Michael Tyler at the Central Park Oktoberfest in New York City.

To Share Brewing Co. in Manchester will hold a stein hoisting competition at 6 p.m. during its annual Oktoberfest on Sept. 25. The winner, co-owner Jenni Share said, will receive a Mug Club membership to the brewery, or beers out of a 22-ounce mug for the price of a pint.

“You hold your stein out at a 90-degree angle, so your body has to be straight and your arm is perpendicular, and you hold it as long as you can,” she said. “You cannot spill any beer.”

Stein hoisting competitions have consistently increased in popularity in recent years as strength endurance contests. The U.S. Steinholding Association, founded in 2015, promotes the sport by providing training tips and resources on where you can go to compete.

Upcoming Oktoberfests and other beer festivals

Upcoming Oktoberfests and other beer festivals

Check out this list of Oktoberfest celebrations and fall-themed festivals at local breweries, as well as other upcoming beer festivals happening across the state. Do you know of an Oktoberfest event coming up soon that isn’t on this list? Let us know at food@hippopress.com.

• Friday, Sept. 24: Garrison City Beerworks (455 Central Ave., Dover) will hold an Oktoberfest from 4:30 to 10 p.m. featuring two new beer releases and a German-inspired food menu with options like pretzels and house mustard, smoked sausages and sauerkraut and potato pancakes. A stein hoisting competition is also planned. Visit garrisoncitybeerworks.com.

• Saturday, Sept. 25:Join To Share Brewing Co. (720 Union St., Manchester) for its third annual Oktoberfest, happening from 1 to 9 p.m. There will be a food special featuring a shareable snack board with meats and cheeses, bratwurst and sauerkraut, and pretzels courtesy of The Hop Knot, plus beer releases and two stein hoisting competitions (at 1 p.m. for Mug Club members and at 6 p.m. for the public). Reservations are requested for parties of four or more. Visit tosharebrewing.com.

• Saturday, Sept. 25:Daydreaming Brewing Co. (1½ E. Broadway, Derry) will hold its second Oktoberfest at 1 p.m., with several specialty beers available, including a hefeweizen brewed in collaboration with Martha’s Exchange & Brewery of Nashua. Visit daydreaming.beer.

• Saturday, Sept. 25:Northwoods Brewing Co. (1334 First New Hampshire Turnpike, Northwood) is holding its inaugural Fall Fest, featuring a trunk show from 10 am. to 3 p.m. with more than 20 New England-area businesses and live music throughout the day. Also planned are the releases of the brewery’s new Oktoberfest-inspired lager, specialty fall cocktails from its sister establishment, Johnson’s Seafood & Steak, and brewery specials, like bratwurst with homemade slaw, pretzels with beer cheese, and a savory autumn pizza. Visit northwoodsbrewingcompany.com.

• Saturday, Sept. 25: The Kingston Brewfest returns for a second year from noon to 4 p.m. at 148 Main St. in Kingston. The event will feature a variety of local beer and food options as well as live music. Tickets are $35 per person for full access to the beer tastings, or $5 for designated drivers. Donations to the Kingston Volunteer Fire Association will also be accepted. Visit kingstonbrew.com or follow the event on Facebook @kingstonbrewfest.

• Sunday, Sept. 26: Osteria Poggio (18 Main St., Center Harbor) will host an Oktoberfest from 2 to 6 p.m. featuring various German-style foods and pourings from several local breweries. Visit osteriapoggio.com.

• Saturday, Oct. 2: New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett) will hold an Oktoberfest patio event from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring a seasonally inspired food menu, a stein hoisting competition and music from The Rebel Collective, with proceeds benefiting CASA of New Hampshire. Visit taphousenh.com.

• Saturday, Oct. 2:Join Twin Barns Brewing Co. (194 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) for an Oktoberfest celebration from noon to 10 p.m. There will be live music, seasonal pourings from six guest breweries, and a German-inspired food menu courtesy of The Silo, an onsite food trailer in collaboration with Osteria Poggio in Center Harbor. Commemorative event mugs will also be for sale, with proceeds benefiting the New Hampshire Brewers Association. Visit twinbarnsbrewing.com.

• Saturday, Oct. 2:The Powder Keg Beer Festival returns to Swasey Parkway in Exeter. Ticketholders have two sessions to choose from, either from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or from 2 to 4 p.m., when samples of more than 200 different beers, ciders and hard seltzers will be available. In place of the chili, which is normally a staple of the festival, this year food trucks offering all kinds of options will be attending. Tickets are $35 per person or $10 for designated drivers. Visit powderkegbeerfest.com.

• Sunday, Oct. 3:Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford) will be hosting its annual Oktoberfest from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dinner plates are available for $17 per person, featuring sauerbraten (German pot roast), schweineschnitzel (pork schnitzel), hunter’s stew, or spicy beef and sausage chili with cheddar cheese, along with two sides (German potato salad, sea salt chips and sauerkraut, braised red cabbage, pickled beets or applesauce). There will also be a dessert and pretzel station with additional a la carte items, like pumpkin pie, Black Forest cake, flourless chocolate torte and more. Live music will be featured from the TubaFrau Hofbräu Band, a Waltham, Mass.-based German oompah band. There is a $20 parking fee per car. The event is cash only and first-come, first-served. Visit mileawayrestaurantnh.com.

• Sunday, Oct. 3:Stripe Nine Brewing Co. will present a Brew Fest in the Orchard at DeMerritt Hill Farm (20 Orchard Way, Lee) with general admittance from 1 to 4 p.m. and VIP admittance at noon. More than 25 local breweries are expected to attend, and there will also be seasonal food options and live music from Matty & the Penders. Tickets are $45 general admission, $75 VIP admission and $15 for designated drivers. See “Stripe Nine’s 2021 Brew Fest in the Orchard” on Eventbrite to purchase tickets.

• Saturday, Oct. 9:Join the Bektash Shriners of New Hampshire (189 Pembroke Road, Concord) for an Oktoberfest from 5 to 9 p.m. featuring bratwurst, potato salad, pretzels and more. Visit bektashshriners.org or call the office at 225-5372 to RSVP.

• Saturday, Oct. 9: The New Hampshire Brewfest returns to Cisco Brewers (35 Corporate Drive, Portsmouth), with general admittance from 1 to 5 p.m. and VIP admittance at noon. Admission ranges from $50 to $65 and includes access to tastings from a variety of New England-area craft breweries. Food options from local food trucks will also be available at an additional cost. Visit nhbrewfest.com.

• Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 9-10 and Oct. 16-17:Henniker Brewing Co. (129 Centervale Road, Henniker) will hold its annual Fall Fest over two weekends this year, from noon to 7 p.m., on Saturdays, Oct. 9; Sunday, Oct. 10; Saturday, Oct. 16, and Sunday, Oct. 17. In addition to pourings from the brewery’s Wurst Bier seasonal festbier, there will be food options from The Salted Knot and The Russian Dumpling Co., plus stein hoisting competitions and live music. Visit hennikerbrewing.com.

• Saturday, Oct. 16:Anheuser-Busch Tour Center & Biergarten (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack) will host the Great Oktoberfest featuring more than two dozen fall and winter brews that will be available to taste, including several authentic German varieties. There are two sessions to choose from, either from noon to 3 p.m. or from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The festival will also feature European-style food from several local food trucks, games, live music and more. Tickets start at $45 general admission and $15 for designated drivers, with proceeds supporting the Merrimack Rotary Club. Visit greatoktoberfest.com.

• Sunday, Oct. 31: The Manchester Brewfest returns for the first time since the summer of 2019 to Arms Park (Commercial Street, Manchester) with general admittance from 1 to 4 p.m. and VIP admittance at noon. Tickets are $40 general admission, $50 VIP admission and $15 for designated drivers. Visit manchesterbrewfest.com.

• Sunday, Nov. 7:Pats Peak Ski Area (686 Flanders Road, Henniker) will host its annual Oktoberfest celebration in conjunction with its ski and snowboard sale, happening from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will feature live music from The Bavarian Brothers, plus a beer garden with Harpoon Brewery, games, a stein hoisting competition, and authentic German food options prepared by Chef Guy Pelletier and his team. Foods will include bratwurst, hot dogs with a side of hot German potato salad, and braised red cabbage with baked apple. Admission is free and foods are priced per item. Visit patspeak.com.

• Saturday, Nov. 20: Join Pipe Dream Brewing (49 Harvey Road, Londonderry) for a Fall Fest from noon to 10 p.m., when there will be a special festbier release, bratwurst and sauerkraut food specials, and live music from the reggae band Slack Tide from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Visit pipedreambrewingnh.com.

Featured photo: Aaron Share of To Share Brewing Co. in Manchester. Courtesy photo.

Get in the harvest season spirit with some pig racing and corn mazes

It’s a farm’s time to shine.

Here in the thick of the late summer early fall harvest season, farms are getting a chance to show off their hard work — from displaying animals at upcoming fairs to welcoming guests for some agritainment.

Hence that cover pig. Pig-related events feature on the schedule of both the upcoming Granite State Fair and the Deerfield Fair. In addition to the pig barn and some pig racing on the schedule, you can see other animals in the barnyard babies, petting zoo and cattle barn at the Granite State Fair, which kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 16. Starting Sept. 30, you can see the horses, alpacas, sheep, goats and more at the Deerfield Fair.

There are also good reasons to go visit a local farm or orchard. Local corn mazes have opened their attractions, offering a chance to spend some time in their corn fields. Apple picking season has started and growers are reporting that it’s been a good year for apples.

Feeling in the mood for some farm fun? Here are a few places to go.

Farmers at the fair

Animals are the highlight of New Hampshire’s agricultural fairs

By Angie Sykeny

From live music and amusement rides to demonstrations and delicious food, New Hampshire state fairs offer all kinds of fun, but the heart of the fair remains the same year after year.

“Agriculture is the bedrock of what fairs represent,” said E.J. Dean, fair coordinator for the Granite State Fair in Rochester. “Farmers wanting to showcase all of their hard work is how the fairs were born.”

“The largest percentage of time that a patron spends at any fairground is looking through the barns,” co-coordinator Mark Perry added. “At the end of that day, that’s why people come.”

For local farmers, the fair is a chance to engage with the public, spread the word about their farms and promote their products — like a farmers market, Dean said, but on a larger scale.

“The farmers are proud,” he said. “They love talking with people and showing off what they do.”

For fairgoers, the fair is a place to learn about agriculture in the state and see up-close how a cow is milked, how a sheep is sheared, how butter is made and more.

“When you hear that there’s 21 billion gallons of milk produced in the United States each year, it’s hard to quantify that number,” Dean said. “[The fair] sheds some light on the [agriculture] industry and puts all of the things that we take for granted in perspective.”

Putting a face to the name behind where their food comes from can encourage people to buy more local food and products, Perry said.

“People see and hear things [about food] in the news, and they want to know what is true,” he said. “Who better to ask than the farmer who produces the food?”

Another goal of the fair, Perry said, is to expand agriculture in the state by inspiring people with homesteads to take up farming, even if only on a small scale. Just half an acre is enough for a person to raise animals such as rabbits, chickens or goats, he said.

“As the number of full-time farmers decreases, there’s a need that’s being filled by part-time farmers,” he said. “We want to help champion those part-time farmers.”

But educating the public about agriculture isn’t the only mission of the fair, Perry said; making the experience fun and memorable is equally important, especially for children and families, and for people living in urban areas who don’t have many opportunities to visit farms or see live animals.

“When a kid gets to reach out and touch a calf or see a cow being milked for the first time, that’s a powerful thing,” Perry said. “There’s magic in that moment.”

Granite State Fair

Daily festivities include a cattle barn, pig barn, barnyard babies, exhibitions and displays, chickery, a petting zoo and live judging in the exhibition hall. Helicopter rides will be offered Friday through Sunday. Daily entertainment will include racing pigs, Circus Hollywood ($15 for a ringside box for up to four people) and a variety of live music. Recycled Percussion will perform on Friday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. (Tickets are $20). The horse pulling competition will take place on Saturday, Sept. 18, at 11 a.m. A mechanical bull riding competition will be held on both Thursdays, a cornhole tournament on both Fridays, and a demolition derby on both Sundays.
When: Thursday through Sunday, from Sept. 16 through Sept. 19, and Sept. 23 through Sept. 26. On Thursday and Friday, both the main fair and midway open at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, the main fair opens at 10 a.m., and the midway opens at noon.
Where: 72 Lafayette St., Rochester
Tickets: $10 per person, free for children age 8 and under. Plus $7 for parking. Wristbands are available for $25 on Thursday from 4 p.m. to close, Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., and, on the final Sunday, from 5 p.m. to close.
More info: granitestatefair.com

Deerfield Fair

Daily festivities include agricultural shows like a horse pull, pig scramble, cattle pull and more, as well as agricultural demonstrations, exhibits and competitions; tractor pulls and demonstrations; children’s shows and activities; magic shows; a variety of live music on multiple stages and strolling performers. Special events include a woodsman contest on Thursday at 10 a.m., a pumpkin weigh-off on Thursday at 6 p.m., Granite State Disc Dogs on Saturday at 2 and 4 p.m., a truck pull on Saturday at 5 p.m., and a women’s frypan toss on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Where: 34 Stage Road, Deerfield
When: Thursday, Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 3. Hours are 8 a.m. to 10 pm., Thursday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Sunday.
Tickets: $12 for adults ($10 if purchased online before Sept. 27), free for kids age 12 and under and for active military and veterans. $9 for seniors age 65 and older on Thursday and Friday at the gate only. Premium parking is available for $10. Midway wristbands are available for $30 on Friday (valid through 6 p.m.) and for $35 on Sunday (valid through closing).
More info: deerfieldfair.com

Mazes of maize

Lose yourself in a corn maze this fall

By Matt Ingersoll

Traversing through a corn maze is a uniquely fall activity at the farm — most of them are open to the public from early to mid-September through about Halloween. From family-friendly mazes to spookier nighttime outings, there are all kinds of unique features and experiences you can discover as you make your way through the cornfields trying to get out.

At Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn in Hopkinton, there are two different 4-acre corn mazes with their own distinct themes that are never repeated after each year. Co-owner Holly Kimball, who was an elementary school teacher for more than 20 years, said she has a lot of fun designing the mazes and implementing various educational aspects into each theme.

“It’s a great outdoor activity that appeals to all ages,” Kimball said of the mazes. “This is our 24th year doing the mazes … and [they have] become a fall tradition for many people. … We get field trips from elementary school students right up through high school, [and] it can be a fun date activity or an outing for workplace team building.”

This year happens to be the 250th anniversary of the nine-generation Beech Hill Farm, a milestone Kimball has integrated into one of the corn mazes. People are given a crossword puzzle with different clues to the answers they must search through the maze to find. Each clue has to do with a different fact about farming history.

The other corn maze activity at Beech Hill Farm is what Kimball calls a “Clue-Dunnit,” featuring a corn maze mystery twist on the popular board game. Attendees are tasked with finding the “suspect” who stole the weather vane off the top of the farm’s barn.

“It’s a cornfield scavenger hunt, where you go through with a checklist and find the ‘suspects,’ which are all farm animals,” she said. “They are all signs people have to find in the maze.”

Animals are also regularly used corn maze themes at Coppal House Farm in Lee. Owner John Hutton said they will usually focus on a different animal or bird each year that you’re likely to find in your backyard. As you make your way deeper into the maze, you’ll come across different facts about that animal — this year, he said, it’s all about red foxes.

“The different facts you find … help you navigate your way through the maze,” Hutton said, “so on top of learning about the fox, it’s a scavenger hunt. … It’s something fun that the whole family can do together, and it’s very interactive with no electronics involved.”

In Milford, Trombly Gardens has a corn maze that’s open to the public from dawn to dusk, with four wooden farm animals each maze-goer is challenged to find. According to business manager Alicia Kurlander, a Halloween-themed “haunted” corn maze with actors is currently in the works for each weekend throughout the month of October.

Where to find a local corn maze

Check out this list of local farms and orchards with corn mazes to discover this fall. Many of them feature their own unique themes, often with clues you must find to navigate your way out.

Applecrest Farm Orchards
133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: $7 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 the weather conditions, according to Applecrest Farm Orchards owner Todd Wagner. Visitors who want to traverse it during the week are encouraged to check in at the farm market, as the maze entrance is only staffed on the weekends.

Beans & Greens Farm
245 Intervale Road, Gilford, 293-2853, beansandgreensfarm.com
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; a night maze is offered Thursday through Saturday, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., with a final sweep of the maze at 10 p.m.
Cost: $14 for adults and $10 for kids; the cost for the night maze ranges from $18 to $22 (tentative)
According to Cheyenne Patterson of the farm’s management team, the corn maze will open for the season on Sept. 17 and will conclude with a special Halloween-themed maze on Oct. 31.

Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn
107 Beech Hill Road, Hopkinton, 223-0828, beechhillfarm.com
Hours: Daily, noon to dusk
Cost: $6 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under
Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn has two 4-acre corn mazes, and one applied rate gives you access to both. Co-owner Holly Kimball said the farm has been offering them for more than two decades, with a different theme each year that has never been repeated. This year’s mazes include a cornfield-sized “crossword puzzle” in celebration of the farm’s 250th anniversary in 2021, as well as a “Clue-Dunnit” corn maze inspired by the popular board game.

Brookdale Fruit Farm
41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Cost: $3 per person
The corn maze, set to open soon, is among several of the family-friendly activities that will be available at Brookdale Fruit Farm this fall, along with hayrides and apple picking.

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: $9 for adults, $7 for kids ages 5 to 12 and for students, seniors and active military service members, and free for kids ages 5 and under
Coppal House Farm features two corn mazes, with a different theme every year centered around a bird or animal you might see in your backyard.
This year the theme is red foxes — maze attendees will learn various facts about the red fox that help them navigate their way out of the maze. Coppal House Farm co-owner John Hutton said the mazes are typically open through the last weekend of October, after which the corn is harvested for grain. There are also three upcoming nighttime maze dates that are open to the public, scheduled for Sept. 18, Oct. 9 and Oct. 23 (general admission is $12 per person; online ticketing only). Bring your own flashlight.

Elwood Orchards
54 Elwood Road, Londonderry, 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entrance is at 5 p.m.)
Cost: $10 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 through the first weekend of November, owner Wayne Elwood said. Throughout the month of October, there is also a nighttime maze on Fridays and Saturdays that runs until 10 p.m. (last entrance is at 9 p.m.). Bring your own flashlight.

Emery Farm
147 Piscataqua Road, Durham, 742-8495, emeryfarm.com
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 2 and under
This corn maze, featuring an educational pollinator theme, will be open daily through Oct. 31. Tickets can be purchased inside the farm’s market and cafe.

J & F Farms
124 Chester Road, Derry, 437-0535, jandffarmsnh.com
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $8 per person
One of several available family-friendly activities, the corn maze at this longtime family-run farm is open to the public now through the end of October.

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 with a pick-your-own apple or pumpkin purchase.

Riverview Farm
141 River Road, Plainfield, 298-8519, riverviewnh.com
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 4 and under
Artist and illustrator Emily Zea comes up with all kinds of unique themes each year for Riverview Farm’s corn maze. The theme of this year’s 3-acre maze is Ghosts and Monsters of New England.

Scamman Farm
69 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 686-1258, scammanfarm.com
Hours: Monday, and Wednesday through 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.)
Cost: $9 for adults, $7 for kids ages 5 to 12 and for seniors and active military service members, and free for kids ages 4 and under with a paid adult
At more than 6 acres, Scamman’s Farm’s corn maze features a different theme every year. This year’s theme is “Fantasy Land.”

Sherman Farm
2679 E. Conway Road, Center Conway, 939-2412, shermanfarmnh.com
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Varies from $12 to $15 per person, depending on the day, and free for kids ages 2 and under
Known simply as “The Maize,” this year’s 12-acre corn maze was designed with help from students at Pine Street Elementary School in Center Conway. It’s due to open for the season on Sept. 18 and will welcome visitors every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 24.

Trombly Gardens
150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net
Hours: Daily, dawn to dusk
Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under
Four wooden animals hidden throughout this corn maze for attendees to attempt to find. Trombly Gardens business manager Alicia Kurlander said a Halloween-themed haunted nighttime maze with actors who will try to jump out and scare you is also being planned for each weekend throughout the month of October. You can receive a discount to enter the corn maze if you bring a non-perishable canned food item to donate to the local food bank.

Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard
66 Mason Road, Greenville, 878-2101, find them on Facebook @washburnswindyhill
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 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 through the end of October, according to owner Timothy Anderson. A nighttime maze will also be hosted from Friday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Oct. 31, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. each night.

Macs and Honeycrisps

Where to load up on apples

By Amy Diaz

The McIntoshes are ready.

Over Labor Day weekend, Apple Hill Farm in Concord kicked off its season of pick-your-own with its trees heavy with McIntoshes. The rain, rough on ground crops, has been good for apples, helping them to get big and juicy, said Diane Souther, owner at Apple Hill.

“The apples are plentiful,” Souther said on Sept. 7, when she expected Cortlands to be ready for picking in a few days and then Macouns soon after that, followed by Empires, with other varieties expected more toward the third and fourth weeks of September. Souther’s farm has more than 60 varieties of apples, some in PYO and some that the farm picks, some of them for eating and baking and some for hard cider.

Leigh Hardy, pick-your-own manager at Brookdale Fruit Farm, agreed that this year’s crop is large — big apples and lots of them. Brookdale has 32 varieties for pick your own as well as other varieties available in the farm stand. On Sept. 7 she said Jonamacs, Galas, McIntoshes and Honeycrisps were ready, with Cortlands and Empires coming soon.

“They’re coming in a bit earlier,” Hardy said, estimating that crops were available about 10 days or so earlier.

While some varieties like the McIntoshes and Galas will go all season long some apples have shorter seasons of three or so weeks when they are available, so Souther recommends that pickers be flexible if their favorite variety isn’t available at the moment and try something new. She recommends, at pick your own or at farm stands and farmers markets, asking farmers about varieties you may not have seen in decades past, such as Ambrosia, a yellowish apple with a red tinge that is sweeter and can last a while in the refrigerator.

Hardy said some people are becoming “apple connoisseurs” and interested in new varieties as well as some of the older New England varieties, such as the Baldwin apple, which is harder and stores well but has a great flavor when you cook with it, she said. Empire (a cross between a Red Delicious and a McIntosh) has a good flavor as does Spencer (a cross between a Golden Delicious and a McIntosh).

“Those are really good,” Hardy said.

Others to look for later in September are the Snow Sweet (a mild apple that doesn’t turn brown when you cut it), a Ruby Mac (a McIntosh variety that is sold red and a little bit tarter) and some new Honeycrisp varieties that are available later, like Pink Luster, Firecracker and Crimson Crisp, Hardy said.

At Brookdale they offer both a paper map and a version you can get on your smartphone via a QR code that will help direct you toward trees that are ready for picking and help you find the varieties you’re interested in.

For apples you don’t eat right away, Souther and Hardy recommend putting them in a refrigerator at as close to 33 degrees as possible for future eating. Sweeter apples especially need refrigeration, Hardy said, and if you store apples in a cool basement or garage, don’t leave them directly on cement, where moisture will get into the apple and speed rot; elevate them a little. Souther also suggested that apples you don’t eat now can go toward a future pie: Make a pie filling and freeze to use later in the winter when you want a fresh taste of fall.

Apple Grower of the Year

Brookdale Fruit Farm, which has been operated for 174 years by seven generations of the same family, received special recognition this year: Chip Hardy and sons Trevor Hardy and Tyler Hardy were named 2021 Apple Growers of the Year by American Fruit Grower and Western Fruit Grower magazines, according to a story on GrowingProduce.com. (Tyler Hardy, who died in 2019, was called “one of New Hampshire’s up-and-coming agricultural stars” in the story.) The farm is only the second farm in New Hampshire to receive the award, the website said.

Where to get your apples

Here are a few of the local apple orchards offering pick-your-own. On the day you plan to head out, call ahead to check that the varieties you’re interested in are available. Most of these farms also sell apples at their farm stands (along with other goodies) if you’d rather pick up than pick your own, and many of the websites (which, along with the farms’ and orchards’ social media, is where most of the pricing and hours listed here come from) list varieties available at the orchard (including, in some cases, what’s currently available for picking). Is your favorite pick-your-own farm not on this list? Let us know about it at food@hippopress.com.

Apple Annie
66 Rowell Road East in Brentwood; 778-3127, appleannienh.org
Hours open for PYO: Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Email for reserving group times Monday through Wednesday)
Cost: Bags priced at $1.75 per pound

Applecrest Farm Orchards
133 Exeter Road (Route 88) in Hampton Falls; 926-3721, applecrest.com
Hours open for PYO: daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $15 for half a peck, $30 for a peck, $40 for half a bushel
Also: In September, PYO raspberries and peaches; into October, pumpkins and gourds. On weekends look for harvest festivals, which run Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can feature live music, tractor rides, eats for sale and more.

Apple Hill Farm
580 Mountain Road (Route 132) in Concord; 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com
Hours open for PYO: daily, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Cost: Peck is $15, half bushel is $25.
Also: As of Sept. 3 Apple Hill still had PYO seedless grapes.

Appleview Orchard
1266 Upper City Road in Pittsfield; 435-3553, applevieworchard.com
Hours open for PYO: daily, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (earlier as the sun sets earlier)
Cost: Call for pricing.
Also: Free hayrides on weekends, weather permitting.

Brookdale Fruit Farm
41 Broad St. in Hollis; 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com
Hours open for PYO: Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (call for information on group outings on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Cost: $35 for half a bushel or $1.75 per pound.
Also: PYO pumpkins later in the season, according to the farm’s website. On weekends, check out the corn maze and hayrides.

Carter Hill Orchard
73 Carter Hill Road in Concord; 225-2625, carterhillapples.com
Hours open for PYO: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Currier Orchards
9 Peaslee Road in Merrimack; 881-8864, find them on Facebook @currierorchards
Hours open for PYO: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $15 for a 10-pound bag; $30 for a 20-pound bag.
Also: The store is open until 6 p.m.

DeMeritt Hill Farm
20 Orchard Way, Lee; 868-2111, demeritthillfarm.com
Hours open for PYO: Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m; Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Purchase one peck bag to pick: $18 for a peck bag.
Also: PYO pumpkins. Visit farm animals and on weekends take a hayride ($2 per person), weather permitting. The farm also has several upcoming events including a Harvest Weekend (Sept. 25 and Sept. 26) and a Pumpkinfest (Oct. 2 and Oct. 3) and Haunted Overlook, a haunted attraction that opens Oct. 8.

Elwood Orchards
54 Elwood Road in Londonderry; 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com
Hours open for PYO: Open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Call for pricing.
Also: Elwood will offer pick your own pumpkins and runs a corn maze daily (with nighttime corn mazes on Fridays and Saturdays in October).

Gould Hill Farm
656 Gould Hill Road in Contoocook, 746- 3811, gouldhillfarm.com
Hours open for PYO: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (plus Monday, Oct. 11)
Cost: Quarter peck (which is about two or three pounds depending on the apple) is $7, half peck is $12, peck is $18, half bushel is $28.
Also: Gould Hill operates Contoocook Cider Co., which has a tasting room open weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for flights, tastings and light food (such as cheese plates) and live music from 1 to 4 p.m., according to the website. Cider doughnuts on weekends.

Hackleboro Orchards
61 Orchard Road in Canterbury; 783-4248, on Facebook
Hours open for PYO: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: By the page $6 half peck, $10 peck and $20 a half bushel
Also: Every weekend they offer burgers, hot dogs, cider doughnuts and ice cream.

Hazelton Orchards
280 Derry Road in Chester; 493-4804, find them on Facebook @hazeltonorchardschesternh
Hours open for PYO: Daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Call for pricing.

Lavoie’s Farm
172 Nartoff Road in Hollis; 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.com
Hours open for PYO: Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Cost: $1.99 per pound.
Also: PYO pumpkins. Look for hay rides on weekends and a corn maze open whenever the farm is open.

Lull Farm
65 Broad St. in Hollis; 465-7079, livefreeandfarm.com
Hours open for PYO: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Peck for $15, and half bushel for $30.
Also: Food on weekends and The Daily Haul fish market Saturdays (preorder at thedailyhaul.com).

Mack’s Apples
230 Mammoth Road in Londonderry; 432- 3456, macksapples.com
Hours open for PYO: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Purchase bags for picking as you enter the orchard.
Also: PYO peaches and pumpkins.

McLeod Bros. Orchards
735 N. River Road in Milford; 673-3544, mcleodorchards.com
Hours open for PYO: Monday through Friday from 1 to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (also 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Columbus Day)
Cost: Buy bags or baskets before picking — $16 for peck bag, $27 for a half bushel bag; $24 for a peck basket, $35 for a half bushel basket.
Also: For groups larger than 7 people, make a reservation online.

Meadow Ledge Farm
612 Route 129 in Loudon; 798-5860, meadowledgefarm.com
Hours open for PYO: Daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Also: Look for the farm’s Harvest Festival on Columbus Day weekend, with games for the kids, music and entertainment. After Thanksgiving they sell Christmas trees and wreaths among other items.

Sullivan Farm
70 Coburn Ave. in Nashua; 595-4560, find them on Facebook
Hours open for PYO: Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard
66 Mason Road in Greenville; 878-2101
Hours open for PYO: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: $12 for a peck, $24 for a half bushel. Purchase apple bags inside the farm stand or reusable baskets.
Also: PYO pumpkins. The orchard also has a corn maze and free hayrides on weekends.

Featured photo: Corn maze at Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn in Hopkinton. Courtesy photo.