Category: Cover Stories

Treat yourself to some soft serve ice cream

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

Soft serve is more than just ice cream. It’s a memory maker. What exactly is soft serve in a literal, non-metaphorical sense? Well, to start, it’s all down to butterfat and machines.

Kaitlyn Witts started working at Arnie’s Place in Concord around 20 years ago. She was basically hired on the spot when she was 16 and now owns the place.

“I bought it from my old boss and now I’m running it,” Witts said.

Anrie’s has a great soft serve setup.

“We have two soft serve machines and we make over 50 flavors of ice cream right in house here,” Witts said.

So what is the difference between soft serve and other ice cream?

“It’s butterfat. Different places will use different butterfats…. The soft serve can be a 5 percent or a 10 percent butterfat whereas a hard ice cream has a 14 or 16 percent butterfat. … It’s a lower-fat option if you will. Lower — not non-fat, but lower-fat.”

Traditionally, soft serve comes in standard flavors.

“One [machine] has vanilla, chocolate, and vanilla chocolate twist, at all times,” Witts said. “[On] the other machine, we switch between flavors like … black raspberry, coffee, maple … Every week and a half or so we try to put in a new flavor.”

Witts has her own favorites. “I would probably go with just a regular vanilla chocolate twist. The maple is really good, though, if you use a maple syrup in it and that’s really, really good, especially if you put some blueberry on top of it — it kind of reminds you of a blueberry pancake.”

Arnie’s is the last stop for local third-graders from Broken Ground School when they do a little field trip around Concord. “They make three lines…. They get a little kiddie cone of vanilla, chocolate, or vanilla chocolate twist. That’s always a really fun field trip that I look forward to coming here every year,” Witts said.

Arnie’s has stayed pretty much the same since the beginning, she feels: “I wouldn’t say it’s changed too, too much.”

But they also serve flavors that are harder to come by nowadays. “People come for flavors they can’t really get a lot of other places. We get requests for frozen pudding, rum raisin, and butter pecan. Flavors that you just don’t see a lot of times at other restaurants,” Witts said.

The soft serves are very customizable, especially with the flurry option.

“We definitely do a lot of soft serve because people really like it,” Witts said. “We definitely go through a lot of soft serve.”

The largest size, she said, is around seven to nine swirls — “We’re not going for the whole gigantic cone thing here.”

This does not mean that soft serve here is any less fun. In fact it’s the opposite. “We have the ability to play around. We tell everyone all the time what we have on the board are just like suggestions as far as flurries go,” Witts said.

So what type of device makes the soft serve? “There are different kinds of soft serve machines. Some you load the soft serve on the top. That’s a gravity soft serve machine. Some you put the mix on the bottom and that’s a pump system because you have to pump it up and into the machine,” Witts said.

The soft serve machines at Arnie’s have seen a lot of swirls. “They’ve been here as long as I’ve worked here, so they’re over 25 years old,” Witts said. The ice cream machine at Arnie’s has been there over 45 years. “That’s pretty cool, that’s my baby.”

On top of daily maintenance and cleaning, these machines go through a deep clean.

“Regularly, once a week, I clean each machine. It takes about two hours to flush the whole thing, pull the entire, all the pieces and o-rings and stuff apart. Like, an hour and a half I’d say for each machine to clean those each week,” she said.

At Arnie’s they have one of the pump machines. Once the machine is sparkly clean, the fun begins. “Pretty much, you put the mix in on the bottom, right, and when you hit the pump button, it pumps it up. It pumps it up through a tube, into the machine, into the barrels of the machine, and once it’s up in there, that’s where it freezes,” Witts said.

After the freezing comes the churning.

“There are blades in there. There’s a big giant metal piece that has these plastic, they’re now plastic blades. They used to be metal blades but they realized they were way too expensive to make, so now they’ve gone to more plastic blades. That thing spins, and as that thing’s spinning, the blades are scraping the barrel of the machine and pushing out the soft serve into the cone or dish,” Witts said.

This machine of tasty delights is complex, she noted. “If you put one tube in the wrong spot and you go to turn the machine on, all of the sudden you’ll have an explosion of soft serve everywhere. … There’s a lot of moving parts in there.”

The human element of making the twists itself is an art.

“Being able to drop the hand that has the cone or dish in it and swirl it at the same time as putting the right amount of pressure on the handle to get it to come out at the right speed — it definitely takes some practice for sure,” Witts said. “Different people have different ways…. There definitely is a learning curve.”

Witts has fond memories of ice cream and as a kid would head to Tee Off at Mel’s to grab some scoops.

“I used to rollerblade down there on the way to my friend’s house,” she recalls. “I’d get a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of Oreo with rainbow sprinkles on it. That was always my go-to. I actually had somebody order that exact thing the other day and it brought all the memories back.”

Since soft serve ice cream is the darling of summer, there are many locations across the Granite State where you can catch that memorable taste.

Soft serve is definitely a star at Golick’s Dairy Bar in Barrington and Rochester. “That is our speciality,” said Alan Golick, who owns the two shops.

“I loved soft serve as a kid,” Golick said. “When I moved up to Dover in the ’70s I used to go to the Princess Dairy Bar.”

In 1986 Alan bought the Princess Dairy Bar and that shop had three or four soft serve machines. “I’ve always considered soft serve to be my specialty because to do it right is not particularly easy. You have to do a good job of maintaining the machines or what you get isn’t always going to be so good.”

Shops do have a choice when it comes to soft serve machine brands.

“Taylor is a very common machine. I run six soft serve machines between my two shops; most of them are Taylors,” Golick said. He also has an Electro Freeze model at the Barrington location.

On a macro level, a standard soft serve machine has a particular build.

“All my machines are what they call a triple head machine…. Each machine is basically two machines in one. The vanilla and chocolate is made side by side so there are three dispensing heads on the machine. One is just straight vanilla, one is straight chocolate, and the middle one does the twist,” Golick said.

That standard chocolate vanilla swirl is joined by other refreshing swirls at Golick’s.

“I have a product called Princess Twist … which was a twist of black raspberry and vanilla, and I continue that to this day and continue to call it a Princess Twist because that was kind of the original,” Golick said.

An almost endless amount of flavors can be found at Golick’s.

“I have a system that allows me to flavor the vanilla soft serve with one of, I think I carry 50 extracts, so just about every flavor under the sun I can create with this system. There’s a pretty good variety there.”

No matter how it’s scooped or swirled, soft serve and hard ice cream are not enemies. In fact, they’re good buddies. “I sell soft serve and hard ice cream side by side in my shop and I honestly can’t say that one sells better than the other on any kind of particular weather day; I think it’s just dependent on what somebody’s in the mood for, you know.”

If soft serve is your treat of choice, getting a proper cone takes experience.

“It’s an acquired skill. It’s not rocket science, but to make a cone look good it takes some technique that we have to teach. The idea is to stack it up nice and tall. The ice cream has to come out from the machine firm enough for that to happen. That involves making sure the machine is adjusted correctly. The product has to come out at a proper temperature, which is usually 17, 18 degrees … when it comes out of the machine.”

A particular favorite is a dip cone, which involves a coating, like chocolate.

“I remember getting those as a kid,” Golick said, “and that involves tipping the cone upside down, which if you didn’t put the ice cream on the cone right it will fall off, but if you do it right, you dip it and turn it right side up and the coating hardens with the temperature of the ice cream cooling it down and you end up with the ice cream coated with chocolate. That’s kind of a classic thing that people like with soft serve.”

Soft serve

Here are some of the local ice cream spots offering soft serve, with information according to their websites and social media. Call ahead to check out current offerings and flavors. Know of one not mentioned here? Let us know at [email protected] and we’ll publish ice cream scene updates in upcoming Weekly Dish columns.

• Arnie’s Place (164 Loudon Road, Concord, 228-3225, arniesplace.com) offers vanilla, chocolate and twist soft serve, as well as a rotation of other flavors such maple, black raspberry and coffee.

• Axel’s Food and Ice Cream (608 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-2229, axelsfoodandicecream.com) offers soft serve in cones as well as soft serve sundaes and “The Dirt Dessert,” which features chocolate soft serve mixed with crushed Oreo cookie pieces and gummy worms.

• The Beach Plum (3 Brickyard Square, Epping, 679-3200; 16 Ocean Blvd., North Hampton, 964-7451; 2800 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, 433-3339; thebeachplum.net) offers soft serve in various sizes.

• The Big 1 (185 Concord St., Nashua, thebig1icecream.com) offers vanilla, chocolate and twist soft serve, as well as “Nor’easters,” which feature your choice of any of the three flavors mixed with toppings like M&Ms, Oreo cookie pieces, peanut butter cups, gummy bears, chocolate chips and more.

• The Brick House Drive-In Restaurant (1391 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 622-8091, bhrestaurant.net) features soft serve as well as hard serve ice cream, sundaes and more.

• Cremeland Drive-In (250 Valley St., Manchester, 669-4430, find them on Facebook) offers soft and hard serve in cones and in sundaes.

• Devriendt Farm Stand and Ice Cream Shoppe, cash only (178 S. Mast St., Goffstown, 497-2793, devriendtfarm.com), offers soft serve — vanilla, chocolate and twist, and as Razzles, blended with your choice of toppings including, when in season, their own strawberries.

• Dudley’s Ice Cream (846 Route 106 N, Loudon, 783-4800, find them on Facebook) offers vanilla and chocolate soft serve, plus a variety of flavor swirls, like “blue goo” (cotton candy) bubble gum, tropical orange, banana and pistachio.

• Findeisen’s Ice Cream (297 Derry Road, Hudson, 886-9422; 125 S. Broadway, Salem, 898-5411; find them on Facebook) has the traditional soft serve offerings of vanilla, chocolate and the twist as well as more than 40 flavors of ice cream, slush and yogurts

• Frekey’s Dairy Freeze (97 Suncook Valley Road, Chichester, 798-5443; 74 Fisherville Road, Concord, 228-5443; frekeysdairyfreeze.com) offers chocolate, vanilla and twist soft serve as well as sundaes and flurries with a variety of mix-ins.

• Frosty Soft Serve Ice Cream Truck (Londonderry, 892-2888, find them on Facebook) offers soft serve ice cream, sundaes, root beer floats and frappes.

• Funway Park Country Ice Cream (454 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield, 424-2292, melsfunwaypark.com) has lots of ice cream options, and patrons can now add flavors to their vanilla soft serve such as mango, bubblegum, black raspberry, strawberry, blue goo (cotton candy), butterscotch, cheesecake and pistachio.

• Goldenrod Restaurant Drive-In (1681 Candia Road, Manchester, 623-9469, goldenrodrestaurant.com) offers chocolate, vanilla and twist soft serve as well as otherhard serve, frappes and desserts.

• Golick’s Dairy Bar (683 Calef Highway, Barrington, 664-9633; 17 Sawyer Ave., Rochester, 330-3244; golicksdairybar.com) offers dozens of unique flavors of soft serve ice cream at both locations, including black raspberry, banana, strawberry, grape, pina colada, pomegranate, red velvet, espresso and more.

• Greaney’s Farm Stand (417 John Stark Highway, Weare, 529-1111, find them on Facebook) offers soft serve ice cream.

• Hawksie’s Ice Cream Fac-Torri (144 Main St., Salem, 890-0471, find them on Facebook) has vanilla, chocolate and twist, as well as 24 flavors of syrups to mix with the vanilla soft serve.

• Hayward’s Ice Cream (7 DW Highway, Nashua, 888-4663; Merrimack 360 Shopping Plaza, DW Highway, Merrimack; haywardsicecream.com) has the traditional vanilla, chocolate or twist, and many other hard ice cream flavors.

• High Tide Takeout (239 Henniker St., Hillsborough, 464-4202, hightidetakeout.com) has soft serve on the menu along with Gifford’s Hard Ice Cream, soft serve, frozen yogurt, sundaes, frappes, banana splits, flavor bursts, fruit smoothies and tidal waves.

• The Inside Scoop (260 Wallace Road, Bedford, 471-7009, theinsidescoopnh.com) serves soft serve options featuring two frequently changing flavors creating twists such as the recent orange and vanilla, and black raspberry and pineapple, according to their Facebook posts, as well as Richardson’s Ice Cream.

• Jay Gee’s Ice Cream (327 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-1167, jaygees.com) has soft serve available in vanilla, chocolate and the twist as well as hard ice cream flavors.

• King Kone (336 DW Highway, Merrimack, 420-8312; kingkonenh.com) boasts “the best soft serve you’ve ever had” on its website and features a chocolate, vanilla and chocolate vanilla twist option as well as a changing line-up of other soft serve flavors including, recently, peanut butter and black raspberry, which could be swirled together as PB& J; orange and vanilla, which could be swirled to create a Creamsicle, and pineapple and coconut, which could be swirled into a piña colada. The menu also features sundaes, Razzles and more.

• Lang’s Ice Cream (510 Pembroke St., Pembroke, 225-7483, langsicecream.com) offers traditional soft serve and many other ice cream flavors and desserts.

• Lix Ice Cream Parlor (55 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield, 438-4797; find them on Facebook) offers Dole Whip soft serve in flavors such as pineapple, strawberry and watermelon.

• Memories Ice Cream (95 Exeter Road, Kingston, 642-3737, memoriesicecream.com) offers chocolate and vanilla as well as rotating vegan flavors, such as raspberry and lemon, which can be swirled.

• Moo’s Place Ice Cream (27 Crystal Ave., Derry, 425-0100; 15 Ermer Road, Salem, 898-0199; moosplace.com) offers a variety of soft serve flavors, like orange, black raspberry, cheesecake, pina colada, peanut butter, root beer and more.

• Pete’s Scoop (187 Rockingham Road, Derry, 434-6366, petesscoop.net) offers chocolate, vanilla and the twist along with soft serve selections from Dole with flavors like watermelon, cherry, lime, pineapple and more.

• Sissy’s Sweets & Ice Cream (1 Suncook Valley Road, Barnstead, find them on Facebook) offers vanilla, chocolate and swirl soft serve and flavor burst options as well as soft serve-based treats such as Sissy’s Flurry, Jumbo Cookie Sandwiches and more.

• Sundae Drive (346 Route 13, Brookline, 721-5209, find them on Facebook) offers a variety of soft serve ice cream flavors in addition to vanilla and chocolate, like strawberry, coconut, cheesecake, bubble gum, pistachio, salted caramel, orange and black raspberry.

• Twin Lanterns Dairy Bar (239 Amesbury Road, Kensington, 394-7021, find them on Facebook) offers coffee, black raspberry and coffee and black raspberry twist soft serve, in addition to vanilla, chocolate and vanilla and chocolate twist.

Recommendations for summer reads

Whether you’re headed for a beach vacation or just a porch with a cool breeze, summer is the perfect time to lose yourself in a good book.

What to read? Here are recommendations from local libraries, book sellers and others for books to keep you entertained through Labor Day.

GENERAL FICTION

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride
From the author of the modern classic memoir The Color of Water.
Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds in Warner. “This is storytelling at its very best. A wonderful mix of Jewish immigrants and African Americans in the 1920s, forming bonds of loyalty in the poorest part of an emerging Pennsylvania city.”

Margo’s Got Money Troubles, by Rufi Thorpe
The publisher’s description starts, “As the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, Margo Millet’s always known she’d have to make it on her own.”
Recommended by: Erin Pastore, operations coordinator at Water Street Bookstore in Exeter. “Just absolutely hilarious. … Very heartwarming story of a young mom.”

By Any Other Name, by Jodi Picoult
A novel about two women, centuries apart, one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays.
Recommended by: Tanya Ricker, library director at Whipple Free Library in New Boston.
“Jodi has been my favorite author since I was in high school and saw her speak at a journalism conference. … This book, she has said, is the book of her heart, the book she feels she was meant to write. You can tell how deeply she feels about it when you read it. I loved the details, the research, the way it made me think and question things I thought that I knew.”

Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
A charming novel about a woman who works the night shift at an aquarium.
Recommended by: Jo Flynn at Bookery in Manchester. “It’s a restore-your-faith-in-humanity type of read.” Also recommended by Susan S., Library Director at Seabrook Library.

All Our Yesterdays: A Novel of Lady Macbeth, by Joel H. Morris
A debut novel set 10 years before the events of Shakespeare’s play.
Recommended by: Jan Locke at Balin Books in Nashua. “Definitely for fans of Hamnet! There is still a love story intertwined, but the times are much more visceral. Lady Macbeth’s character development from young girl to queen is quite powerful. Of course, there are witches!”

The Women, by Kristin Hannah
Young nursing student goes to Vietnam to follow her brother and joins the Army Nurse Corps.
Recommended by: Andy Richmond, director of Rye Public Library. “[Because Vietnam] from a female perspective is not really addressed anywhere else in novel form … [this book] opened a lot of people’s eyes I think.”

Night Watch, by Jayne Anne Phillips
Pulitzer-winning novel about a mother and daughter surviving war and its aftermath.
Recommended by: Ken Kozick, proprietor of Sheafe Street Books in Portsmouth. “Like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest but 100 years before Cuckoo’s Nest, just after the Civil War.”

Recommended by Zachary Lewis, Hippo features writer:
Welcome to the Monkeyhouse by Kurt Vonnegut “is a collection of really cool, absurd stories. Each one is great. Breakfast of Champions is my favorite of his novels but The Sirens of Titan is a close second. Vonnegut is one of the most sincere and authentic writers.”

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon “is an awesome tale about the creation of comic books, escape artists from pre-war Europe, and the connection of family in all its iterations.”

1666, by Lora Chilton
A story about Patawomeck women living through the decimation of their tribe in Virginia.
Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “Historical fiction at its best. … Told through the eyes of two women, it is a piece of our history that is finally being discovered and told.”

Long Island, by Colm Tóibín
An Irish woman living on Long Island in the 1970s faces an unexpected situation.
Recommended by: Andy Richmond, director of Rye Public Library.

American Spirits, by Russell Banks
The final collection of stories by the author before his death in 2023.
Recommended by: Liz Ryan, adult programming coordinator at Derry Public Library. “[Banks] was an incredible creative voice in fiction.”

North Woods: A Novel, by Daniel Mason
A story about a house in New England, told through the lives of its inhabitants over the centuries.
Recommended by: Emerson Sistare, owner of Toadstool Books in Peterborough. “Flat out, one of the best books I have read in the last number of years. Mason’s prose and ability to weave and bounce between genres elevate this book to lofty heights. A triumphant anthem to the beauty of New England and its people.”

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, by Robert Dugoni
A coming-of-age story about a boy born with red pupils, called “Devil Boy” by his classmates.
Recommended by: Diane C., circulation assistant at Seabrook Library. “This book is very inspiring!”

Fire Exit, by Morgan Talty
The story of a young man who grew up with his mother and stepfather on a reservation in Maine but must move away when he turns 18 because he is not native.
Recommended by: Erin Pastore, operations coordinator at Water Street Bookstore in Exeter. “It’s a really deep family story. Wickedly funny at times while also being very serious about issues of native reservations.”

All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr
Pulitzer-winning novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in France during World War II.
Recommended by: Mary Kennedy, interlibrary loans and circulation, Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “I always enjoy historical fiction books in general and this book was captivating . You are reading the viewpoints of two main characters and then you see how their worlds collide. It took a little bit to get into but then I was hooked at one point. The descriptives and the author’s writing style have you imagining the characters and scenes easily.”

How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
A novel about unlikely friendships and second chances.
Recommended by: Jo Flynn at Bookery. “Another restore-your-faith-in-humanity book.”

The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles
A story of two brothers in 1950s America.
Recommended by: Marcia de Steuben, circulation assistant at Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “It’s 1954 and Emmett Watson has just been dropped off at his home in Nebraska by the warden of the work farm where Emmett served a year for involuntary manslaughter. Out of the trunk of the warden’s car pop two friends from the work farm. So begins a 10-day adventure for the teenagers and Emmett’s 8-year-old brother Billy. On their journey they meet lots of interesting characters and have humorous and memorable experiences. This is an entertaining read.”

Table for Two, by Amor Towles
Six stories and a novella.
Recommended by: Ben Brown, director of Harvey-Mitchell Library in Epping. “He’s very popular, he only writes a book every four to five years…. He does… historical fiction.”

Recommended by Hippo Features writer Micheal Witthaus:
Beautiful & Terrible Things, by S.M. Stevens (July 18)
“This novel explores the personal and political lives of six city-dwelling twentysomethings, using romantic entanglements and professional challenges to explore issues like environmentalism, social justice, mental health and identity. It’s written by a New Hampshire author and the fictional group’s favorite gathering spot is inspired by Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord.”

Mayluna, by Kelley McNeil
“A great read for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six. Its story revolves around a fictional chart-topping rock group but is more focused on the emotional lives of its two main characters: the band’s lead singer and creative force, and the music journalist who becomes their lover and muse. For music industry geeks, Mayluna provides an informative look at its pre-Napster days; the author was once a tour manager.”

MYSTERY

How to Solve Your Own Murder, by Kristen Perrin
A cozy mystery in which a woman tries to prevent her foretold murder.
Recommended by: Jan Locke at Balin Books. “This is a lovely chick-lit cozy about the bonds of female friendship. Read it in a single bite!”

The Kamogawa Food Detectives, by Hisashi Kashiwai (translated by Jesse Kirkwood)
A bestseller in Japan with a sequel due in October.
Recommended by: Tracy Kittredge, customer services, Nashua Public Library. “It was the cover that made me pick up this book; I cannot resist cats or noodles. And then I discovered that it’s a cozy mystery, only the ‘detectives’ aren’t investigating crimes. Instead, they bring food memories to life by recreating a dish from their clients’ past. At 208 pages, it’s a delicious, lighthearted read, and the personal stories resonate.”

Lightning Strikes the Silence: A Lane Winslow Mystery, by Iona Whishaw
No. 11 in a series.
Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds in Warner. “Wonderful writing and pure escapism. Lane Winslow is back as the former English WWII spy, needing to escape to the quiet of a pastoral little town in British Columbia. But murders happen, and her keen sensibilities are needed at every turn. Caution: you must read them in order, so get started.”

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, by Janice Hallett
Stylistically innovative mystery in which a true crime journalist who revives an old case.
Recommended by: Jaclyn at Nashua Public Library. “I really loved all the different ways we were fed information. Emails, texts, voice recordings that were transcribed made me feel like I was there with the main character putting all the pieces together. If you like a good mystery and want to help figure out what happened to the fictional cult of the Alperton Angels this is the book for you!”

The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
Recommended by: Andy Richmond, director of Rye Public Library. “It’s a novelization of Martha Ballard’s diaries as a midwife in Maine” with the addition of a murder mystery.

Recommended by Corinne Robinson, Hippo production designer:
The City of Brass, by S. A. Chakraborty (the first in a trilogy). “It’s a fantastic read! It has absolutely fantastic worldbuilding and the author does a great job of gradually building political and emotional tension. Also the characters have such dynamic relationships with one another and each character you meet plays a significant role in the overall storyline. I love all three books!”

ROMANCE AND ROM-COM

Pride, Pancakes, and Paris, by Emmie J. Holland
Boy needs plus-one for a wedding, girl reluctantly agrees to pose as his girlfriend because trip to Paris!
Recommended by: Emily St. Louis at Bookery. “Trope of best friend’s brother and enemies to lovers, perfect beach read.”

Happy Medium, by Sarah Adler
A rom-com involving a fake spirit medium and an actual havoc-wreaking ghost.
Recommended by: Tammy McCracken at Balin Books. “A reluctant con-woman, a sexy farmer … and a ghost feeding the con-woman…. Plus, baby goats! It’s a fun romp.”

The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee
The book that spawned the Prime video starring Anne Hathaway.
Recommended by: Amy Hanmer at Manchester City Library. “You’re a 39-year-old mom dating the lead singer of a boy band, whom your daughter loves. Lee’s book is much better than the movie.”

HORROR

The Angel of Indian Lake, by Stephen Graham Jones
Book 3 in a trilogy of horror novels centered on generational trauma in Idaho.
Recommended by: Ben Brown, director of Harvey-Mitchell Library in Epping. “Really gory but it’s really good if you like Stephen King or something like that. It has a more unique flavor because of the Native American perspective.”

Horror Movie, by Paul Tremblay
A chilling twist on the “cursed film” genre.
Recommended by: Tammy McCracken at Balin Books. “The only remaining cast member of a never released 1993 horror film is approached 30 years later to be part of a big-budget Hollywood reboot. What are people willing to do to get this made?”

Recommended by Jennifer Gingras, Hippo production designer:
The Women of Weird Tales, stories by Everil Worrell, Eli Colter, Mary Elizabeth Counselman, and Graye La Spina, introduction by Melanie Anderson
“13 classic tales of fantasy and horror written by women who were influential in developing the modern genre. Including vampires, ghosts, curses, corpses and other horrors, the stories are fun, imaginative and — most importantly — weird!”

EDGE OF YOUR SEAT

The Exchange: After the Firm, by John Grisham
Another legal thriller from the prolific bestselling author.
Recommended by: Andy Richmond, director of Rye Public Library. “A follow-up on the big hit The Firm,” filled with international intrigue.

The Guest, by B.A. Paris
A psychological thriller about unpredictable friends and dangerous secrets.
Recommended by: Jess H., adult services librarian at Seabrook Library. “This book will keep you guessing right up until the last chapter. All of our patrons who read this book rate it as 4 out of 4 stars!” and “This is a book that you will not be able to put down. I read it in a day!”

SCIF-FI

Service Model, by Adrian Tchaikovsky
“A delightfully humorous tale of robotic murder,” says the publisher.
Recommended by: Sue Harmon, information and technology librarian at Manchester City Library “[Tchaikovsky’s] signature style is deep philosophical takes and meandering story-lines. … A refreshing take on AI-based stories.”

Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Humans battle on a terraformed planet. Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award.
Recommended by: Michael Joachim at Balin Books. “Epic sci-fi adventure spanning time and space. [Tchaikovsky] world-builds with great imagination and details. Big themes and great characters.”

FANTASY

Road to Ruin, by Hana Lee
Gritty fantasy with motorcycles, magic and monsters.
Recommended by: Lex Hetrick, library technician at Manchester City Library. “I felt like I was hanging onto the back of Jin’s magebike through this sandstorm ride! You can see the twists coming but that doesn’t make the road any less fun.”

The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, by Brandon Sanderson
A fantasy adventure where a man wakes up in medieval England with no idea where he came from.
Recommended by: Jo Flynn at Bookery. “A fun, lighthearted immersive fantasy with lots of breaking the fourth wall.”

Recommended by John Fladd, Hippo features editor and food writer:
A Deadly Education: A Novel (The Scholomance, Book 1), by Naomi Novik
“This is a fantasy about a school of magic. Unlike the one you’re thinking of, it is deliciously dark, with an intricate plot. Imagine Hogwarts, if 60 percent of the students died before leaving. “

Ninth House, by Leigh Bardugo
A magical murder mystery set among secret societies at Yale University.
Recommended by: Natalie Lapointe, cataloging and technical Services, Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “This is a must-read, can’t-put down kind of book. If you love this, be sure to check out Hell Bent, the second installment of the Alex Stern series. Book 3 will be coming out within the next year (hopefully).”

Threads that Bind, by Kika Hatzopoulou
A descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders.
Recommended by: Kirsten Rickershauser at Balin Books. “This one reminds me a lot of the paranormal fantasy I read in high school. Io is a private investigator and third sister of fate, able to see and cut the threads that bind people to their loves and lives. Here she is pushed in investigating how women with their life threads cut are murdering others instead of being dead themselves. With a lot of mirror mythology and world-building, this YA (Young Adult) book is fun for teens and adults alike.”

A Court of Thorns and Roses (the whole series), by Sara J. Maas
Wolves, beasts, immortal faeries — oh, and romance.
Recommended by: Emily St. Louis at Bookery. “A viral favorite, worth the hype for both fantasy and romance lovers.”

A Touch of Darkness (series), by Scarlett St. Clair
Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever.
Recommended by: Emily St. Louis at Bookery. “(Surprisingly) a good spicy romance retelling of Hades x Persephone, as well as a modern aspect of Greek gods. It’s a restore-your- faith-in-humanity type of read.”

Child of a Hidden Sea (Hidden Sea Tales #1), by A.M. Dellamonica
A fantasy tale of adventure and adversity.
Recommended by: Sue Pellerin, adult services, Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “The book opens as biologist Sophie Hansa crashes into an unfamiliar ocean, suddenly and mysteriously transported there from present-day San Francisco. What follows is a novel full of adventure, political intrigue, magic, and family. The island-world of Stormwrack is fascinating — I loved learning about the various island nations and floating cities as the series progressed. And I adored all the characters, from the unfailingly curious Sophie to her genius brother Bram to the various inhabitants of Stormwrack we meet. The three books in this series are not enough for me — this is a world I could happily return to over and over again!”

Vassa in the Night, by Sarah Porter
A dark modern fairy tale.
Recommended by: Sue Pellerin, adult services, Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “A modern retelling of the Russian fairy tale ‘Vasilisa the Beautiful.’ Porter’s Brooklyn setting is at once familiar and fantastically alien, and her depiction of Baba Yaga (or Babs Yagg as she’s called here) as a sadistic convenience store owner is nothing short of inspired. Both hauntingly beautiful and deeply unsettling, this gorgeously written book had me hooked from the first page.”

A Broken Blade, by Melissa Blair
Fast-paced fantasy about power and resistance.
Recommended by: Jaclyn at Nashua Public Library. “If you want a fantasy book with a strong female lead character Keera is your girl. This book is mainly a fantasy but does have some romance. Book 3 just came out and Book 4 is set for next year and I can’t wait to see what the author does with the story!”

POETRY

Good Monster, by Diannely Antigua
A 2024 collection from the Poet Laureate of Portsmouth.
Recommended by: Ken Kozick, proprietor of Sheafe Street Books in Portsmouth. She “represents her role as Poet Laureate well.” Kosick said.

In the Hour of War: Poetry from Ukraine, edited by Carolyn Forché and Ilya Kaminsky
An anthology of current poetry of Ukraine.
Recommended by: Ken Kozick, proprietor of Sheafe Street Books in Portsmouth.

NONFICTION

Building: A Carpenter’s Notes on Life & the Art of Good Work, by Mark Ellison
Winner of the Inc. Non-Obvious Book Award.
Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “This is a lovely meditation on finding the vocation that matters to you and learning its disciplines over time. It is now out in paperback, and makes a great read on finding and living a life that matters.”

Recommended by Hippo features writer Michael Witthaus:
Hot Dog Money: Inside the Biggest Scandal in the History of College Sports, by Guy Lawson
“Nonfiction that reads like a crime thriller, it begins with the fall from grace of a financial advisor to student athletes on their way to the big leagues. To stay out of prison, he cooperates with federal law enforcement to root out corruption in college basketball, with astonishing success. It turns out that the money involved with keeping amateurs playing for free is irresistible to many.”

The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
592 pages on a slice of Civil War history.
Recommended by: Michael Joachim at Balin Books. “A riveting moment-by-moment account of the tense months between Abe Lincoln’s election and the attack on Fort Sumter by a renowned historian.” Also recommended by Ben Brown, Director of Harvey-Mitchell Library in Epping.

Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet, by Ben Goldfarb
A Smithsonian Staff Favorite and a Science News Favorite of 2023, about the 40 million miles of roadway on Earth.
Recommended by: Prudence Wells at Balin Books. “Road ecology affects all of us: turtles, moose, butterflies, humans, etc. Habitat destruction, migration confusion and loss of life (man and beast) occur on account of roads. We can get to where we want to go without damaging our ecology. Here’s how….”

Recommended by John Fladd, Hippo features editor and food writer:
No Applause — Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, by Trav S.D.
“I’ve always been fascinated by Vaudeville, the traveling variety shows of the late 1800s and early 1900s. I was hoping to learn more about some of the odd acts that toured the Vaudeville circuits, like Swain’s Rats and Cats, where cats dressed in racehorse livery would race around a track, mounted by rats dressed as jockeys. There was a little of that, but No Applause was more about the business model of Vaudeville, which I would have bet anything I wouldn’t care about. Instead, I was fascinated.”

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs, by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
“This is the most useful book in my kitchen. And my office. And on my phone, so I can consult it while I’m shopping. It is nothing more or less than a comprehensive series of lists of which ingredients go well together. Creative typography lets the reader know if a pairing is a widely recognized one, or one passionate chef’s guilty pleasure. I use this book to develop new recipes for main dishes, desserts and cocktails. This could be a life-saver for those times when you find yourself shouting to your kitchen ceiling, ‘What am I going to do with all these kumquats!’”

The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family, by Ron and Clint Howard
Ron Howard and his brother, Clint, who were both child actors, recount their lives in alternating chapters.
Recommended by: Anne P., circulation assistant at Seabrook Library. “This is a memoir about growing up in Hollywood. It is very interesting and well-written.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan Haidt
The latest offering from the social psychologist who wrote The Happiness Hypothesis.
Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “An important book for our times as California’s governor calls for smartphones to be banned in schools and the U.S. Surgeon General urges a warning label on apps that their use can be addictive to children.”

Who’s Afraid of Gender, by Judith Butler
Recommended by: Liz Ryan, adult programming coordinator at Derry Public Library, who called the book “accessible” and said she’s impressed by how Butler puts discussions of gender in terms everyone can understand.

Recommended by Zachary Lewis, Hippo features writer:
Me Talk Pretty One Day and Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris “are the gold standards for humorous creative nonfiction. I recommend the audiobook for Me Talk Pretty One Day with Sedaris narrating.”

The Ancient Engineers by L. Sprague De Camp “goes through how civilizations from ancient Egypt, Babylon, etc. could have built their cities in a real, non alien-influenced way. He wrote a lot on debunking claims of the occult and pseudoscience despite also being a fantasy and sci-fi author.”

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening, by Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda
“An original fantasy epic for mature readers,” according to the publisher at imagecomcis.com.
Recommended by: Sue Pellerin, adult services at Whipple Free Library in New Boston. “This is the first volume in an ongoing graphic novel series. It’s set in a matriarchal fantasy Asia, highly inspired by Art Deco and steampunk aesthetics. The world-building is lush and incredibly detailed, and Takeda’s artwork is a feast for the senses. The storytelling is complex, dark and fiercely feminist with political machinations, warring factions and banished old gods. Volume 9 comes out this fall, so there’s plenty of story to catch up on!”

My Favorite Thing is Monsters: Book Two, by Emil Ferris
The follow-up to the 2017 graphic novel My Favorite Thing is Monsters, full of mysteries and B-movie horror vibes and set in 1960s Chicago.
Recommended by: Liz Ryan, adult programming coordinator at Derry Public Library. “I’ve been waiting for this book for seven years, so I am extremely excited to finally continue the story. … it’s an amazing piece of art.”

Watership Down: The Graphic Novel, by Richard Adams, adapted and illustrated by James Sturm and Joe Sutphin
Beloved story of a group of rabbits on an epic journey in search of home.
Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “[A] gorgeous interpretation, yet true to the original. After 50 years, something to engage and delight the younger readers.”

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS

Something About the Sky, by Rachel Carson, illustrated by Nikki McClure
What do you know about clouds?
Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds.“What happens when you combine the beautiful writing of environmentalist Rachel Carson with the exquisite art of Nikki McClure and roll it into a picture book for children? You get this gem!”

Where is Little Stripe’s Daddy? by Deborah Bruss, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright
Turns out zebras are not the only animals with black and white stripes.
Recommended by: MainStreet BookEnds. “Concord’s own Deborah Bruss has a new children’s book out and it is perfectly delightful. … Designed graphically so the child has a window to anticipate the next page’s surprise, there are so many things to see and learn throughout.”

Recommended by Zachary Lewis, Hippo features writer:
The Monk by Matthew Lewis “is a great traditional gothic horror, bodice-ripper, silly creepy spooky novel.”

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, “got me to put down my Nintendo 64 controller when I was in third grade.”

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley “is wonderful, secretly funny, and absurd in all the right places.”

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino “is truly a unique book. Anything by Calvino is what you want when you want magical realism.”

Now that school is out, it’s time to get serious about having big summer fun.

Looking for places to go and things to do with the kids? Here are some ideas for events, sports, live performances of both music and theater, arts events, library fun and movies that are great for kid and family fun.

Need more? Check out hippopress.com for our e-editions of some past guides to help plan summer excitement. In the June 6 issue — “Berry Delicious” — we look at some places to pick your own strawberries, blueberries and raspberries as they come into season and offer a list of farmers markets, which can make for a tasty family outing. In the Feb. 29 issue — “Summer of Adventure” — we run down a list of area day camps. Sure, many of those required sign-up back in January, but plans change and openings may be available.

Did we miss your favorite bit of family summer fun? Let us know at [email protected].

Fairs, Festivals & Celebrations

• Take a trip to the coast for the 24th Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic, happening from Thursday, June 20, to Saturday, June 22. Prizes will be awarded for the best sand sculptures. The sculptures will be lighted for nightly viewing through June 26. Visit hamptonbeach.org.

• Plaistow’s Old Home Day returns for a three-day celebration beginning with a Kids Fest on Thursday, June 20, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Town Hall Green. Younger citizens and their families are welcome to participate in games, entertainment and activities centered around kids. Friday, June 21, there will be a Decades Dance from 6 to 10 pm. Saturday, June 22, celebrations will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with local vendors on the Town Hall green (145 Main St., Plaistow) as well as a beard contest, a baby contest, raffles, entertainment booths, a parade and more. This year’s theme is “Happy Birthday, Plaistow!” to celebrate the town’s 275th anniversary. Follow the town Old Home Day’s Facebook @plaistowoldhomeday for updates.

• Intown Concord’s 50th annual Market Days Festival runs from Thursday, June 20, to Saturday, June 22, in downtown Concord from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. See page 22 for details.

• Join the Wilton Main Street Association for its annual Summerfest, happening on Saturday, June 22, starting at 10 a.m. and featuring an arts market, live music, food, street vendors, a pancake breakfast and a fireworks display in the evening. See visitwilton.com/summerfest.

• Hollis holds its annual Strawberry Festival on Sunday, June 23, from 2 to 4 p.m. See page 28 for details.

• Join the New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Highway, Milton) for Fourth on the Farm, happening Saturday, June 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities include a tractor ride to see farm animals, as well as demonstrations, reenactments, a scavenger hunt, lawn games, lunch and strawberry shortcake, and live performances of songs from the 1700s and 1800s. Admission is free for members and children under 4, $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children ages 4 to 17. A family pass can be purchased for $30. Visit nhfarmmuseum.org.

• Manchester holds its annual Fourth of July fireworks on Wednesday, July 3. The annual parade in Amherst steps off at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 4. Head to Nashua for some Silver Knights baseball at Holman Stadium at 11 a.m. followed by an evening of events featuring live music and fireworks at dusk. Celebrate Independence Day at one — or more — of many area town and city celebrations.

• The Raymond Town Fair returns for its 48th year from Friday, July 12, to Sunday, July 14, at the Raymond Town Common (Epping and Main streets, Raymond). It will feature live music, family-friendly entertainment, a children’s parade, a fireworks display and more. See “Raymond Town Fair” on Facebook to keep up to date on details as they become available.

• The New England Reptile Expo is scheduled for Sunday, July 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester). The show features more than 200 vendor tables full of reptiles, pet supplies and more. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for kids ages 7 to 12 and free for kids ages 6 and under. Visit reptileexpo.com.

• The Hillsborough Summer Festival is back again this year at Grimes Field (29 Preston St., Hillsborough) from Thursday, July 11, to Sunday, July 14, with live entertainment, carnival rides, a fireworks show on Saturday night, a 5K road race on Friday and a parade on Sunday. Festival hours are 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday; noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. Visit hillsborosummerfest.com.

• Returning to the grounds of American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter) for a 34th year is the American Independence Festival, on Saturday, July 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Be transported back in time with a live reading of the Declaration of Independence, and enjoy historical reenactments and colonial artisan demonstrations as well as colonial games, music and dances. Visit independencemuseum.org.

• The Stratham 4-H Summerfest returns for a third year on Saturday, July 20, at the Stratham Hill Park Fairgrounds (270 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham). The work of 4-H volunteers and members will be on display in the 4-H building, show rings and livestock barns from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Exhibits include shows and displays on gardening, cooking, environmental stewardship, hiking and much more. For more information, visit extension.unh.edu/event/2024/07/2024-stratham-4-h-summerfest.

• There will be a Fairytale Festival in Greeley Park (100 Concord St., Nashua) Saturday, July 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with stage acts, community vendors, caricaturists, games, books and more. There will be local stage acts, a Party Palace Performance featuring your favorite fairy tale characters, and a character meet and greet. Visit nashua.gov.

• The Canterbury Fair is celebrating its 66th year. Join the fun on Saturday, July 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Canterbury Center (Baptist and Center roads) with live music, demonstrations from local artisan and antique vendors, children’s activities and more. Admission is free. Visit canterburyfair.com for more information.

• The 42nd Suncook Valley Rotary Hot Air Balloon Rally will take place from Friday, Aug. 2, through Sunday, Aug. 4, at Drake Field (17 Fayette St., Pittsfield) featuring helicopter rides, live music, midway carnival rides,and of course hot-air balloons. For a schedule of events, visit nhballoonrally.org/schedule.

• The Great New England BBQ & Food Truck Festival returns for an eighth year to the Hampshire Dome (50 Emerson Road, Milford) on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will feature a crafters’ booth and a kids’ zone in addition to eats from local food trucks, along with craft beer, live music, a cornhole tournament and more. Visit gnefoodtruckfest.com.

• The Belknap County Fair is set to return on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 4, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 174 Mile Hill Road in Belmont. The fair features live entertainment, food, exhibits and animal shows. Admission at the gate is $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens 65 and older, police, fire and EMS personnel, and free for kids under 10 and for military service members. Visit bcfairnh.org.

• Hudson’s Old Home Days return Thursday, Aug. 8, to Sunday, Aug. 11, on the grounds of the Hill House (211 Derry Road, Hudson). There will be carnival games, live music, fireworks, food and more. Event times are Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. See hudsonoldhomedays.com.

• The Town of Windham Recreation Department will host a Food Truck Festival and Car Show on the grounds of Windham High School (64 London Bridge Road, Windham) on Sunday, Aug. 11. In addition to eats from local food trucks, there will be music and games of cornhole. For details contact the Windham Recreation office at 965-1208 or [email protected].

• Don’t miss the 16th annual Hampton Beach Children’s Festival, Monday, Aug. 12, through Friday, Aug. 16. The event includes ice cream, dancing, balloons, storytelling, a magic show and a costume parade. All activities are free and open to the public. Visit hamptonbeach.org/events/childrens-events for details as they become available.

• Don’t miss Londonderry’s 125th annual Old Home Days, set for Wednesday, Aug. 14, through Saturday, Aug. 17. Details are in the works; past celebrations have included concerts, fireworks, a parade, a 5K road race, a baby contest and children’s games. See londonderrynh.gov or follow the event page on Facebook @townoflondonderryoldhomeday.

• Hillsborough’s History Alive event will be on Saturday, Aug. 17, and Sunday, Aug. 18, at Jones Road in Hillsborough. The event will focus on historical reenactments of famous battles and daily village life from times past, and will include activities, crafts and musicians. Tickets are $10 per adult and $8 for seniors. The event is free for children 16 and under when accompanied by an adult. You can purchase a bracelet on the day of the event and it will cover both days. Cash only; credit cards are not accepted in person. Visit historyalivenh.org.

• “Mahrajan” is Arabic for having an excellent time. The Mahrajan Middle Eastern Food Festival (bestfestnh.com) will take place Friday, Aug. 16, to Sunday, Aug. 18, at Our Lady of the Cedars Church (140 Mitchell St., Manchester, 623-8944, olocnh.org). The Mahrajan was started by parishioners of Our Lady of the Cedars Melkite Church to celebrate and share the rich food and cultural traditions of Lebanon. Lebanese foods such as shawarma, falafel, lamb, grilled chicken and many types of pastries will be served. Visit the Festival’s website for updated information, closer to the date.

• The New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Highway, Milton) is hosting its annual Truck and Tractor Day on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trucks, wagons, antique cars and tractors dating back to the mid 1900s will be on display, and the event will feature demonstrations on things like the two-man saw and the butter churn treadmill. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and older, $6 for children ages 4 to 17, and free for children under 4. A family pass is available for $30. Visit nhfarmmuseum.org.

• The 125th Gilmanton Old Home Day is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Smith Meeting House (Meeting House and Governor roads, Gilmanton). Details on this year’s event are still being ironed out, but previous events have included live entertainment, a puppet show, a silent auction, an antique auto parade and an art show. Visit gilmantonnh.org/organizations/gilmanton-old-home-day for details as they become available.

• Head to Field of Dreams Community Park (48 Geremonty Drive, Salem) for the park’s annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A wide variety of activities is planned, including a petting farm, face-painting, bounce houses, food trucks, photo opportunities with superheroes and princesses, and more. Visit fieldofdreamsnh.org.

• Candia’s Old Home Day will return on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Moore Park (74 High St., Candia). The event starts with a parade after a firemen’s homemade breakfast. Local crafters and artisans, town community booths, games, a wildlife exhibit, food and music will also be featured. Visit candiaoldhomeday.com.

• Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (111 Island Pond Road, Manchester, 623-2045, assumptionnh.org) will hold its 2024 Greekfest on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 25, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A full range of Greek foods will be served; there will be a loukoumades booth selling deep-fried dough balls covered in honey and powdered sugar, a gyro booth, a pastry booth and a bar. Visit the Church’s website for more information closer to the event.

• This year’s Gate City Brewfest will feature a Family Fun event on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St. in Nashua). There will be a home run derby, a wing eating contest, a kids’ fun zone, bounce houses, live music and a locked moose exhibit. See gatecitybrewfestnh.com/music-family-fun.

• Pembroke and Allenstown’s Old Home Day returns on Saturday, Aug. 24, starting with a parade down Main Street in Allenstown to Memorial Field (Exchange Street) in Pembroke. A fun-filled day is planned at the field, featuring two stages of live entertainment, antique cars, children’s games, a craft area, bounce houses and a fireworks display at dusk. Admission and parking are free. See “Pembroke & Allenstown Old Home Day 2024” on Facebook, or join its group page for details.

• Don’t miss this year’s Hopkinton State Fair, a Labor Day weekend tradition happening from Thursday, Aug. 29, to Monday, Sept. 2, at the fairgrounds (392 Kearsarge Ave., Contoocook). There will be livestock shows, a demolition derby, carnival rides, monster trucks, live entertainment, food and more. The fair hours are 5 to 10 p.m. on Thursday; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. For more details and ticket prices, visit hsfair.org.

• The Exeter UFO Festival returns to downtown Exeter on Saturday, Aug. 31, and Sunday, Sept. 1 — the event commemorates the anniversary of the “Exeter Incident” (an alleged UFO sighting on Sept. 3, 1965) by featuring in-depth talks and presentations from leading experts on UFOs, along with a variety of “intergalactic” children’s games and food, all to benefit the Exeter Area Kiwanis Club. See exeterkiwanis.com/exeter-ufo-festival.

Arts & Museums

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester) will be holding its fourth annual “Kickoff to Summer” from Saturday, June 22, to Friday, June 28. New Hampshire’s own Zach Umperovitch will build a giant Rube Goldberg machine in this weeklong celebration. The contraption will emerge over the week, with lots of test runs and tinkering, and will culminate with a final demonstration of the complete machine at the end of the week. Visitors will be able to watch Zach at work and discover techniques used to design and construct these machines, and kids will witness how trial and failure are essential parts of the engineering process, according to the website. The Kickoff to Summer celebration will also include special hands-on activities, and raffles, all included with admission. Visit see-sciencecenter.org or call 669-0400.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord) Science Playground is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day the Center is open, according to their website. Entry to the Science Playground is included with general admission; guests must enter and exit the playground through the building. A member of the Discovery Center Education staff will be present with an educational activity or demo and to monitor safety on the playground but a parent or guardian must still be present with children on the playground. Visit starhop.com or call 271-7827. The Center’s planetarium shows, each running around 25 to 45 minutes, play on the hour from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are an add-on to any general admission ticket. Film topics include a scientist hamster who builds a rocket ship, life on Mars, and the night sky. Shows are rated for those 4, 5 or 6 years or older, depending on the film, and ticket sales stop 10 minutes before each screening.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) offers a free drop-in Creative Studio on the second Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for children and families, according to their website. Reservations are not necessary for this program, and free short family tours will also be available. Admission to the museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. is free for New Hampshire residents on the second Saturday of the month.

The Currier will hold its annual Block Party on Sunday, July 14, from 4 to 8 p.m. The evening will feature art activities, live music, free gallery admission, food trucks, face painting, a beer and wine tent, a community art project and more, according to the website.

The Currier will also be hosting two sessions of their in-person three-day Mini Matisse Workshops for Kids. This workshop is intended for children of kindergarten age, according to their website. Led by instructor Larissa Barazova, students will enjoy a fun variety of methods and materials and explore the museum with guided gallery activities. The first session runs Wednesday, July 17, to Friday, July 19, and the second session is Wednesday, Aug. 7, to Friday, Aug. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon each day. Registration is $150 for non-members, $135 for members; tuition discounts are available. Visit currier.org.

Soft-front baby carriers are allowed everywhere in the museum and strollers are typically allowed although restrictions may apply during times of heavy attendance, according to the website. The museum also provides strollers on a first come, first served basis, according to the same website. Toddler cups are not allowed in the galleries but are allowed in the Winter Garden Cafe and main lobby.

• The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter, 772-2622, independencemuseum.org) is a place for people of all ages to learn about America’s revolutionary history. It provides access to historic buildings and interactive, historically accurate depictions of what life was like during the American Revolution. Guided and self-guided museum tours are offered Thursday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs range from $5 to $14. Tickets are free for children 12 and under, active or retired military veterans, first responders and museum members.

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

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, 742- 2002, childrens-museum.org) is a family museum featuring unique interactive exhibits with a focus on art, science and culture. Summer hours are Tuesday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to noon, with an additional session from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Tickets are available for either the morning (9 a.m. to noon) or afternoon (1 to 4 p.m.) sessions and cost $12.50 for adults and children over age 1 and $10.50 for seniors over age 65. Participants must register online and the Museum asks that patrons leave strollers at home or be prepared to park them in the coat room; patrons may bring baby carriers or can borrow one from the museum, according to the website.

• Mariposa Museum & World Culture Center (26 Main St., Peterborough, 924-4555, mariposamuseum.org) is a museum of art and artifacts from around the world that includes hands-on exhibits with costumes, puppets, instruments and more for children to explore. It’s open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for kids ages 3 through 16 but is free for members.

• Learn about New Hampshire marine life and science with live animals, hands-on exhibits and educational programs at the Seacoast Science Center (Odiorne Point State Park, 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 436-8043, seacoastsciencecenter.org). Summer hours are Tuesdays through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and those run until Monday, Oct. 14. General admission costs $12 for ages 12 and up, $8 for ages 3 to 11, and $10 for seniors age 65 and up and military with a valid ID, active duty or veteran. Children under age 3 are free. The Center recommends that attendees book ahead, since availability may be limited.

• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester) is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed Thursday, July 4). For those interested in all things Manchester and history, this is the place. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for children between the ages of 12 to 18, and free for children under 12; Manchester Historic Association members are admitted at no charge. The Museum has two fun games that can be printed off or picked up at the museum: the Millyard Museum Fun Book, which has word searches, drawing, and more, and Mystery Objects, which is an I Spy-type scavenger hunt. Visit manchesterhistoric.org.

• There may be no better place for New Hampshire history than the New Hampshire Historical Society (30 Park St., Concord), which has extensive exhibits, the de facto presidential library for Franklin Pierce, and a collection of more than 35,000 objects related to New Hampshire, like the esoteric Mystery Stone. The NHHS also operates “Moose on the Loose,” a social studies curriculum for the State of New Hampshire that explores the Granite State’s history, economics, geography and civic life, introducing students to the state’s rich cultural heritage, according to their website. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhhistory.org.

• The New Hampshire Telephone Museum (1 Depot St., Warner) features nearly 1,000 telephones, switchboards and other telecommunication memorabilia and history and has an interactive kids’ room. They also have programming outside of telephones; check their website for upcoming events. Summer hours are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $9 for adults, $7 for seniors age 65 and up and $6 for students in grades K through 12. There is a guided tour available for an additional $3 per admission ticket, except for kids in grades K through 12. Visit nhtelephonemuseum.com.

Live Performances

• Henniker’s Summer Concert Series brings the music on Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. until Sept. 3 in Community Park (57 Main St., Henniker). Concerts are free to the public, though donations are welcome, and each week has a new food vendor on site. The next concert, on June 25, will be Rumboat Chili. Visit facebook.com/HennikerConcert for the full summer lineup.

• Greeley Park (100 Concord St., Nashua) hosts free summer concerts each Tuesday at 7 p.m. until Aug. 20. The next concert, on June 25, is Tru Diamond, a Neil Diamond tribute act. Visit nashuanh.gov.

• New Boston Concerts on the Common take place on the New Boston Town Common (5 Meetinghouse Hill Road, New Boston) on select Tuesdays throughout the summer: June 25, July 9, July 23, Aug. 6, and Aug. 20. Concerts begin at 6 p.m. Bring a blanket or chair. The Rail Trail Grill concession stand will benefit the New Boston Rail Trail and will feature hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks and snacks. The first concert, June 25, will be by the Bedford Big Band, whose repertoire favors well-known jazz standards and more modern pop, funk and Latin selections. Visit newbostonnh.gov.

• The Londonderry Arts Council presents free concerts each Wednesday at 7 p.m. on the Londonderry Town Common (265 Mammoth Road) until Aug. 14. The next concert, on June 26, will be Brian Templeton and the Delta Generators. Visit londonderryartscouncil.org/cotc-schedule.

• Join the Merrimack Parks & Recreation Department for a free weekly summer concert series Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. at Abbie Griffin Park (6 Baboosic Lake Road, Merrimack). Each week features a different musical style. Bring blankets or lawn chairs and your dinner to enjoy a free night of entertainment; Franklin Savings Bank will give out free popcorn during the show. The next concert, on June 26, will be by children’s performers Ben Rudnick and Friends. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org/summmer-concert-series.

• Summer concerts take place on the Pelham Village Green in front of the Pelham Public Library (24 Village Green, Pelham) on certain Wednesdays throughout the summer: June 26, July 10, July 24, Aug. 7, and Aug. 21. Concerts begin at 6 p.m. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. No dogs or alcohol allowed on the Village Green. The first concert, on June 26, will be by the All Day Fire Band. Visit pelhamweb.com.

• The Impact Touring Children’s Theatre will perform The Emperor’s New Clothes on Tuesday, July 2, at 10 a.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). Emperor Thelonious loves nothing more than his collection of clothing, made of the most expensive and rarest cloths from around the world; when a mysterious peddler comes to town with a magic fabric that appears invisible to those unworthy, the emperor learns an important lesson in humility. This is a free performance. Seating for this show is mostly on the open floor. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets to sit on.

• The 2024 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series kicks off at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) on Tuesday, July 2, and Wednesday, July 3, with a performance “Music with Miss Alli.” Shows are at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. both days. In the weeks after, shows run Tuesday through Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Friday at 10 a.m. The show schedule includes: Madagascar Jr.July 9 to 12;Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr. July 16 to 19;The Wizard of Oz Youth EditionJuly 23 to July 26; Disney’s Moana Jr.July 30 to Aug. 2;Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr. Aug. 6 to 9; Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.Aug13 to 16, and Disney’s Little Mermaid Jr. Aug. 20 to 23, according to the theater’s website. Tickets to each show cost $10 per person.

• Kidz Bop Live comes to the BankNH Pavilion (80 Recycle Way, Gilford, 293-4700, banknhpavilion.com) on Wednesday, July 3, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $49.

• Join Alice as she tries to make sense of her crazy adventure when The Palace Youth Theater Summer Camp presents Alice in Wonderland, Jr., Friday, July 5, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 6, at 11 a.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). The student actors are in grades 2 through 12. Tickets start at $12.

• See Mean Girls (High School Version) on Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6, at 7 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). Music Theatre International rates this show PG-13. Parental discretion is advised. Although the show is presented as a “School Edition,” some content may not be appropriate for school-aged audiences. Tickets are $18.75 for adults, $15.75 for students and seniors.

• Camp Encore! presents Shrek, The Musical, Jr. on Saturday, July 6, at 11 a.m. in Prescott Park (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth), as part of the Prescott Park Arts Festival (prescottpark.org). At Camp Encore!, performers, artists and aspiring technicians ages 7 to 17 come together to gain teamwork skills and experience theater arts; Shrek, The Musical Jr. is the culmination of this session. Tickets start at $5 and reservations can be made at portsmouthnhtickets.com.

• The Impact Touring Children’s Theatre presents Return to Oz on Tuesday, July 9, at 10 a.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com): Dorothy returns to the magic land in hopes of finding her friends once again, but somehow the Emerald City has lost its sparkle and a new witch is in town, ready to rumble. This is a free performance. Seating for this show is mostly on the open floor. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets to sit on.

• Many, many puppies face a great adventure in The Palace Youth Theater Summer Camp’s presentation of 101 Dalmatians Kids, Friday July 12, at 7 p.m., at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). The student actors are in grades 2 through 12. Tickets start at $12.

• Follow magical chocolatier Willy Wonka as he sets up his candy empire and looks for an heir to turn it over to in Willy Wonka Jr. on Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13, at 7 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). Tickets are $18.75 for adults, $15.75 for students and seniors.

• Watch the adventures of father and son clownfish Marlin and Nemo as they struggle to be reunited in Finding Nemo (Kids) on Saturday, July 13, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). Tickets are $13.75 for adults, $10.75 for students and seniors.

• Join Ariel, a young mermaid princess, as she struggles to learn whether her heart belongs on land or under the sea in The Little Mermaid Jr., Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 20, at 7 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). Tickets are $18.75 for adults, $15.75 for students and seniors.

• In collaboration with Leach Library, the Londonderry Arts Council Concerts on the Common series (Londonderry Town Common, 265 Mammoth Road, Londonderry) presents The Mr. Aaron Band in a concert for kids on Saturday, July 20, at 1:30 p.m. Visitmraaronmusic.com. In the event of bad weather, the event will take place in the Londonderry High School Cafeteria (295 Mammoth Road).

• Camp Encore! will stage a performance of Mary Poppins Jr. Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21, at 11 a.m. at the Wilcox Main Stage in Prescott Park (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth). Tickets start at $5 and reservations can be made at portsmouthnhtickets.com.

• The Franklin Opera House (316 Central St., Franklin, 934-1901, franklinoperahouse.org) will present a series of free concerts on Thursday evenings throughout the summer at 5 p.m. The first, on Thursday, July 11, will be the band Miles From Memphis. Bring a chair or blanket. In case of rain, the concerts will be postponed or canceled.

• An amateur brother-and-sister team of explorers have come across a lot of unusual things in their young lives, but nothing compares to a house made entirely out of candy, in The Impact Touring Children’s Theatre’s performance of Hansel and Gretel on Tuesday, July 23, at 10 a.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). This is a free performance. Seating for this show is mostly on the open floor. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets to sit on.

• The Palace Youth Theater Summer Camp presents Newsies, Jr. on Friday, July 26, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 27, at 11 a.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). The student actors are in grades 2 through 12. Tickets start at $12.

• Catch Rock of Ages, Youth Edition on Friday, July 26, and Saturday, July 27, at 7 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). Set on L.A.’s famous Sunset Strip in 1987, Rock of Ages tells the story of Drew, a city boy from South Detroit, and Sherrie, a small-town girl, who have both traveled to L.A. to chase their dreams of making it big and falling in love. Tickets are $18.75 for adults, $15.75 for students and seniors.

• The Palace Youth Theater Summer Camp presents Jungle Book, Kids, Friday, Aug. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). The student actors are in grades 2 through 12. Tickets start at $12.

• Camp Encore! presents Descendants, the Musical Saturday, Aug. 3, and Sunday, Aug. 4, at 1 p.m. at the Wilcox Main Stage in Prescott Park (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth). Based on the popular Disney Channel Original Movies, Disney’s Descendants: The Musical is a brand-new musical with comedy, adventure, Disney characters and hit songs from the films. Tickets start at $5; reservations can be made at portsmouthnhtickets.com.

• High in a tower, surprises await as a fair maiden longs for a friend, an old crone longs for an understanding daughter, and a seagull longs for some crackers in the Impact Touring Children’s Theatre’s performance of Rapunzel on Tuesday, Aug. 6, at 10 a.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). Will a passerby be able to spy the strange structure, figure out how to reach its top, and solve everyone’s problems? Only time and magic will tell as truth and honesty are tested. This is a free performance. Seating for this show is mostly on the open floor. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets to sit on.

• The Palace Youth Theatre Summer Camp presents Wizard of Oz, Youth Edition on Friday Aug. 16, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 17, at 11 a.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). The student actors are in grades 2 through 12. Tickets start at $12.

• The Palace Youth Theatre Summer Camp presents Willy Wonka Kids on Saturday, Aug. 24, at noon at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). The student actors are in grades 2 through 12. Tickets start at $12.

Outdoor fun

City swimming

• Concord’s six outdoor pools will open in late June. The City’s website says to stay tuned and check their Facebook page (facebook.com/ConcordParknRecDept) for exact opening dates and times. The pools are free for residents but they will need to show proof of residency, according to the website. Passes can only be purchased at the City-Wide Community Center, 14 Canterbury Road. Non-resident passes cannot be purchased at the pools or splash pad. A season pass is $125 per family and a 48-hour pass is $20 per family, and residents may bring a guest to the pool, so a resident family of four coming to a pool can bring up to four guests at no charge, according to their website. The pools are Rollins Pool (33 Bow St.), Keach Pool (2 Newton Ave.), Merrill Pool (27 Eastman St.), Kimball Pool (171 N. State St.), Rolfe Pool (79 Community Drive, Penacook) and Garrison Pool (31 Hutchins St.). The White Park Splash Pad (1 White St.) is now open weekends only, and updates to times will be posted on their Facebook page as well. Visit concordnh.gov/1269/Community-Pools.

• Manchester City Parks and Recreation has announced its aquatic facility schedule: Livingston Pool is open for lap swim from noon to 1 p.m. and public swim from 2 to 7 p.m.; Raco-Theodore Pool opens on Monday, June 24, and has public swim from 2 to 7 p.m., but check their website for swim meet closures; Crystal Lake is open for swimming every day of the week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m; Dupont and the Sheehan-Basquil Splash Pads are open every day of the week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The website also states that all facilities are subject to closure or hour changes due to weather or low staffing and the pool facilities operate at a 25:1 bather-to-lifeguard ratio. Visit manchesternh.gov.

• The City of Nashua Parks and Recreation departmenthas announced its swimming pool schedule. Sites include Centennial Pool (next to Holman Stadium on Sargents Avenue); Crown Hill Pool (next to Girls Inc. on Burke Street); Rotary Pool and Wading Pool (next to Fairgrounds Elementary School on Cleveland Street), and Greeley Park Wading Pool (in Greeley Park on Concord Street), which is only for small children accompanied by an adult, according to the website. All the pools follow the same schedule. On Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon there are swimming lessons; general swim is from 1 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., according to the website. Saturday has general swim from 1 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. and Sunday has general swim from 1 to 6 p.m. Visit nashuanh.gov.

State parks

Day-use fees for most state parks: ages 12 or older, $4 to $5 depending on the park; ages 6 to 11 $2; free for those age 5 and younger and New Hampshire residents 65 or older with a valid NH license. Visit nhstateparks.org.

• Pawtuckaway State Park 128 Mountain Road, Nottingham, 895-3031. This park is always open for recreation unless closed or restricted by posting, according to the website.

• Bear Brook State Park 61 Deerfield Road, Allenstown, 485-9869. A majority of Bear Brook’s trails are impassable by bicycle or horse due to downed trees, but cleanup is currently underway, according to the website. The CCC Museum is open for normal operating hours on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m to noon, but outside these hours visitors can call 485-9869 to schedule an appointment. The fee is $2 for ages 12 to 17.

• Odiorne Point 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 436-7406. When the park is unstaffed during the season, deposit payment in the self-serve paystation or at the Seacoast Science Center main desk. The Seacoast Science Center is currently open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but that is an additional fee that is not included with the State Park admission fee.

• Wellington State Park 614 W. Shore Road, Bristol, 744-2197. When the park is unstaffed during the season, deposit payment in the self-serve paystation.

• Hampton Beach 160 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 227-8722. Metered parking 8 a.m. to midnight; Haverhill Street Bathhouse open 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Marine Memorial Bathhouse (A Street) open year-round 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; North Beach Bathhouse (High Street) open year-round, 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Seashell Bathhouse (beach side) open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; South Pavilion Bathhouse (F Street) open year-round 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., according to the website.

• Clough State Park 455 Clough Park Road, Weare, 529-7112. This park is always open for recreation unless closed or restricted by posting, according to their website.

• Robert Frost Farm Historic Site 122 Rockingham Road, Derry, 432-3091. The house is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday, with the last tour starting at 4 p.m., through Oct. 14, according to robertfrostfarm.org, while the grounds and trails around the house and barn are open from dusk to dawn all year.

Lakes

• Lake Massabesic off Londonderry Turnpike in Manchester, manchesternh.gov, 642-6482

• Pawtuckaway Lake Pawtuckaway State Park, 7 Pawtuckaway Road, Nottingham, 895-3031, nhstateparks.org

• Newfound Lake Wellington State Park, 614 W. Shore Road, Bristol, 744–2197, nhstateparks.org

• Lake Winnipesaukee in Belknap and Carroll counties intheLakes Region, lakewinnipesaukee.net, which says it is the largest lake in New Hampshire

• Squam Lake in Grafton, Carroll and Belknap counties, lakesregion.org/squam-lake

Attractions

• Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13, Brookline) has a network of trails decorated with various sculptures and other artwork, and holds various events.

• Bedrock Gardens (19 High Road, Lee) is a 30-acre public garden that integrates unusual botanical specimens and unique sculpture into an inspiring landscape journey, with fun programming fun for the whole family, according to their website. It is open Tuesday through Friday and the first and third weekends of the month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the website. Visit bedrockgardens.org

• Canobie Lake Park (85 N. Policy St., Salem) amusement park is open daily. Their hours are generally Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m to 10:30 p.m.; Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m to 7 p.m., and Sundays from 10:30 a.m to 7 p.m. Starting Sunday, July 7, it will be open until 9 p.m. on Sundays, and Castaway Island is open daily as well from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, and Thursday, July 4, will operate on Saturday hours. Check canobie.com for specific hours and ticket prices.

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia, 483-5623, visitthefarm.com) is a working farm with wildlife exhibits featuring animals such as black bears, coyote and more. Charmingfare is currently open Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with special events and exhibits such as “Creatures of the Night: Nocturnal Animals in Daytime” on Thursday, June 20, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and “Scouting for Bigfoot” on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23.

Special events

• View sculptures crafted on Hampton Beach at the 24th annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic, happening Thursday, June 20, through Saturday, June 22, at Hampton Beach (180 Ocean Blvd.). The event includes award ceremonies and prizes for the greatest sand sculptures built with the theme “Sand Wars – May the Beach Be With You” in mind. The competition is by invitation only, but the sculptures will be illuminated for viewing at night until June 26. Visit hamptonbeach.org.

• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center will be hosting their StoryWalk Kickoff Reception at the Curry Place (846 Route 3, Holderness) on Friday, June 28, at 10 a.m. Attendees can stroll along the Squam channel as they read a nature-inspired story posted one page at a time along the trail. Children can participate in a craft and enjoy a snack connected to the story at the reception, according to the website. It’s free and there’s no registration required. Visit nhnature.org. The Center’s live animal exhibit trail and hiking trails are open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last trail admission at 3:30 p.m., according to the website.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) will host an all-ages workshop, “Tractor Tour: Life in the Fields,” on Saturday, July 6, at 10 a.m., where participants can watch for hawks and songbirds soaring overhead and learn how animals such as deer, bears, songbirds and turkeys depend on open fields for food and shelter, according to their website. Free for members, $15 for nonmembers.

• Pumpkin Blossom Farm (393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner) hosts Lavender U-Pick in its lavender fields on various dates between Friday, July 5, and Sunday, July 25, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Everyone is invited to wander the fields and cut and harvest bundles of lavender. Attendees are welcome to relax and have a picnic on the lawn, walk the shaded trail and visit the baby chicks. Lavender plants, products and treats will also be for sale. Discount bundles are $18 during the weekdays and $20 on weekends. Visit pumpkinblossomfarm.com.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) will hold four different Summer Polliwog programs for kids on different Wednesdays in July at 10 a.m. The first is Mudtastic and involves a mud run on July 10 for $12 per adult-and-child pair; the next is Glorious Bugs, where participants will make homes for bugs, on July 17; the third is Water Up! Water Down! Water all Around! where participants will learn about the water cycle, on July 24, and the last one, on July 31, is Acorn Was a Little Wild, which involves a puppet named Stasher and a hunt for deciduous trees. These last three are $15 for an adult and child pair.

• The second annual Capital Area New Hampshire Butterfly Survey will take place on Saturday, July 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at NH Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) and will help gather long-term butterfly data to better understand the changing ranges of butterfly species over time and support statewide butterfly conservation efforts. Visit nhaudubon.org.

• The 2024 Sunflower Festival at Coppal House Farm (118 North River Road in Lee; nhsunflower.com) takes place Saturday, July 27, through Sunday, Aug. 4, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (plus a special sunrise session on July 28). See the website for admission prices. See the blooming fields and then enjoy live music, an artisan craft fair, food and more.

• Head to Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia,prescottfarm.org) for Fireflies Light Up the Sky on Saturday, July 27, from 7 to 8 p.m. to learn about fireflies and to experience them in action. This is for ages 12 and older. The cost is $15 for nonmembers.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) presents a tasty and educational program, “Homemade Dairy and Non-dairy Ice Cream,” on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn about how to make ice cream. This program is open to youth and adults. The cost is $15 for members and $30 for nonmembers.

• The Sunflower Bloom Festival at fields in Concord will run Saturday, Aug. 10, through Sunday, Aug. 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, according to sunfoxfarm.org. The festival will feature live music, food vendors and more. Admission costs $10, kids 10 and under get in free; cut your own flowers for $2 per stem.

Sports

• The New England Revolution II professional soccer club will play their home games at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium (Victory Lane in Hooksett) on Sunday, June 23, at 6 p.m.; Saturday, July 6, at 7 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 8, at 4 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m. Tickets start at $12. Visit revolutionsoccer.net/revolutionii.

• The six-time champion Nashua Silver Knights, members of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, will be playing all summer, with their last home game on Friday, Aug. 2, at 6 p.m., when they will take on the New Britain Bees, before the playoffs begin later that week. Visit nashuasilverknights.com.

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A minor-league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, will be playing all summer. They will have fireworks from Thursday, July 4, through Saturday, July 7, after games against the Portland Sea Dogs. Star Wars Night strikes back on Saturday, July 13. On Saturday, Aug. 10, the Fisher Cats will celebrate all things ’90s with the first 1,000 fans through the gates receiving a clear fanny pack and Beanie Babies getting in free. On Saturday, Aug. 24, the team celebrates New Hampshire hockey; the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Monarchs-vs.-Fisher Cats bobblehead. On Sunday, Aug. 25, a Piggy Tea Party Brunch will be held before the 1:35 p.m. game. The final home game is slated for Sunday, Sept. 8, against the Portland Sea Dogs. Visit nhfishercats.com.

• It’s NASCAR Weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Loudon) Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23. This includes the SciAps 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race & Mohegan Sun 100 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race on Saturday and the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday. Tickets vary in price, depending on the race. See nhms.com.

• Dozens of high school football players from across the state will participate in the 12th annual CHaD NH East-West High School All-Star Football Game, scheduled for Friday, June 28, at 6 p.m. at the Grappone Stadium at Saint Anselm College (100 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester). General admission tickets are $15, with all proceeds benefiting Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD). Visit chadkids.org.

• NH Roller Derby (nhrollerderby.com) has double-headers scheduled for Saturday, June 29, and Saturday, July 27, at JFK Coliseum in Manchester.

• Granite State Roller Derby (granitestaterollerderby.org) has home bouts scheduled for Saturday, June 29, and Saturday, July 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord).

At the movies

• The Milford Drive-In Theater (531 Elm St., Milford) has two screens for movie screenings Wednesday through Sunday. Movies start at 8:45 p.m. with the box office opening at 7:15 p.m. but opening at 6:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, according to their website. Each screen shows two movies and the first film for each screen is typically a family-friendly or kid movie. Movie-goers can listen to the film on their car radio or on a portable radio and patrons can sit in lawn chairs in front of their vehicle. They have a fully stocked concessions stand where attendees can even purchase a portable radio if needed. Tickets are $33 per car (up to six people) and $6 for each additional person. Tickets can be purchased online. Visit milforddrivein.com or call 660-6711.

• Movies in the Park will take place in Riverfront Park in Tilton, hosted by the Hall Memorial Library (hallmemoriallibrary.org), throughout the summer, with the park opening at 6 p.m. and the movie starting at 8 p.m. Movies are slated for Friday, June 21; Friday, July 26; Friday, Aug. 23 and Friday, Sept. 27. The June 21 film is Wish (PG, 2023).

• O’neil Cinemas Brickyard Square (24 Calef Highway, Epping, oneilcinemas.com) will run a kids series starting Monday, June 24, with shows on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. The schedule features Migration (PG, 2023) on June 24 and June 26; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (PG, 2023) on July 1 and July 3; Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse (PG, 2023) on July 8 and July 10; Jumanji: The Next Level (PG-13, 2019) on July 15 and July 17; Wonka (PG, 2023) on July 22 and July 24; Trolls Band Together (PG, 2023) July 29 and July 31; Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (PG, 2023) Aug. 5 and Aug. 7, and Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (PG, 2018) Aug. 12 and Aug. 14.

• Chunky’s Cinemas (707 Huse Road, Manchester) will be hosting “Little Lunch Dates” and “Sensory-Friendly Showings” throughout the summer. A Little Lunch Date screening ofThe Super Mario Bros. Movie (PG, 2023) occurs on Tuesday, June 25, at 11:30 a.m and a similar screening of Shark Tale (PG, 2004) will occur on Tuesday, July 9, at 11:30 a.m. A Sensory-Friendly Showing of The Garfield Movie (PG, 2024) will occur on Wednesday, June 26, at 12:30 p.m. and a similar screening of Despicable Me 4 (PG, 2024) will occur on Wednesday, July 10, at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 plus online fees (and come with a $5 food voucher) for the Little Lunch Dates and $6.99 plus online fees for the Sensory-Friendly Showings. Visit chunkys.com or call 206-3888.

• Cinemark Rockingham Park (15 Mall Road, Salem, cinemark.com) will screen kid-friendly films on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. The upcoming schedule includes Shrek (PG, 2001) on June 26; Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (PG, 2023) on July 3; The Lego Movie (PG, 2014) on July 10; Trolls Band Together(PG, 2023) on July 17; How To Train Your Dragon (PG, 2010) on July 24; Migration (PG, 2023) on July 31; Hotel Transylvania(PG, 2012) on Aug. 7, and Paddington 2 (PG, 2017) on Aug. 14.

• Downtown Summer Series Movie Nights will feature screenings in Veterans Park (723 Elm St. in Manchester), with movies beginning at dusk. Concessions will be available for purchase. The schedule features Shrek (PG, 2001) on Wednesday, June 26; Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (PG, 1989) on Wednesday, July 17; Monsters, Inc. (G, 2001) on Wednesday, July 31, and School of Rock (PG-13) on Wednesday, Aug. 14, according to a post on the Manchester Economic Development Office Facebook page.

• The Park Theatre in Jaffrey will hold its Kids Summer Movie-Rama with showings of six different movies throughout the summer on Tuesdays and Saturdays; all of the films are rated PG, according to their website. Tickets are $7 and a six-ticket bundle is $36. The schedule is as follows: Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (2022) on Saturday, June 22, at 10 a.m.; Peter Rabbit (2018) on Tuesday, June 25, at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday, June 29, at 10 a.m.; Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) on Tuesday, July 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 6, at 10 a.m.; The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019) on Tuesday, July 9, at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 13, at 10 a.m.; Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) on Tuesday, July 16, at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 20, at 10 a.m.; The Smurfs (2011) on Tuesday, July 23, at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 27, at 10 a.m. Visit theparktheatre.org/kids or call 532-8888.

• Prescott Park Arts Festival Movie Nights in Prescott Park in Portsmouth will feature a mix of classics, newer movies and family films with a suggested donation of $5 per person and an 8:30 p.m. start time. Concessions will be for sale. Family friendly films on the schedule include Frozen Sing Along(PG, 2013) on Monday, July 8; Wish (PG, 2023) on Monday, Aug. 12; E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982) on Thursday, Aug. 22, and Wonka (PG, 2023) on Thursday, Aug. 29.

• Movie Night Mondays On the Beach at Hampton Beach will feature screenings on Mondays at dusk on the large screen next to the playground weather permitting (rain date is Tuesdays). Admission is free. The schedule is Under the Boardwalk (PG, 2023) on July 8; The Swan Princess: Far Longer Than Forever (PG, 2023) on July 15; Migration (PG, 2023) on July 22; Mummies (PG, 2023) on July 29; Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (PG, 2023) on Aug. 5; Kung Fu Panda 4 (PG, 2024) on Aug. 12, Mavka: The Forest Song (PG, 2023) on Aug. 19, and Wish (PG, 2023) on Aug. 26. See hamptonbeach.org/events/movies for approximate dusk times and updates.

• Apple Cinemas in Hooksett and Merrimack and O’Neil Cinemas in Epping will be participating in Ghibli Fest 2024 with select showings of subtitled and English dubbed Studio Ghibli animated films starting with Princess Mononoke (PG-13, 1997) on Saturday, July 13, and Sunday, July 14; Ponyo (G, 2008) on Saturday, Aug. 3, and Sunday, Aug. 4; Whisper of the Heart (G, 1995) on Sunday, Aug. 25, and Tuesday, Aug. 27; and The Cat Returns (G, 2002) on Monday, Aug. 26, and Wednesday, Aug. 28, according to their website. Most films appear to screen at either 3 or 7 p.m., depending on the day, and this pattern goes until December and will include other Studio Ghibli films like Kiki’s Delivery Service (G, 1989) and My Neighbor Totoro (G, 1988), among others, according to their website. Ticket presales are open; specific showtimes can be found online and are subject to change. Visit tickets.applecinemas.com or oneilcinemas.com or fathomevents.com to find other theaters screening these films.

• Fathom Events has other kid-friendly movies on its schedule (see fathomevents.com for local theaters screening these movies and movie times): The Neverending Story (PG, 1984) on July 21 and July 22, and Coraline (PG, 2009) Aug. 15 through Aug. 22.

• The Nashua SummerFun program has a “Pic in the Park” scheduled for Friday, Aug. 2, at dusk when The Marvels (PG-13, 2023) will screen at the Greeley Park Bandshell (100 Concord St., Nashua). See nashuanh.gov.

Libraries

Many area libraries offer storytimes, sometimes geared toward specific ages, often weekly throughout the summer. See specific libraries for registration information. Here are some of the stand-out events this summer at area libraries.

Allenstown: Allenstown Public Library (59 Main St., Allenstown, 485-7651, allenstownlibrary.org) has passes to Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. The library membership pass is valid for up to four tickets at the member rate of $13 per ticket (half off the regular price) for Allenstown Public Library patrons per day during the 2024 trail season (May 1 to Nov. 1). The Summer Reading Program runs from June 24 to Aug. 8.

Amherst: The Amherst Town Library (14 Main St., Amherst, 673-2288, amherstlibrary.org) summer reading program for children, teens, and adults started Monday, June 17, and will continue until Friday, Aug. 9. Participants can earn raffle tickets and “Book Bucks” to purchase books. Other activities include a Mike Bent Magic Show on Monday, June 24, a Science Heroes treasure-hunting adventure on Wednesday, July 24, and a Teens vs. Adults Trivia Night on Tuesday, July 30.

Auburn: Griffin Free Public Library’s (22 Hooksett Road, Auburn, 483-5374, griffinfree.org) summer reading program began on Tuesday, June 18. Participants earn prizes for reading books and completing challenges. In addition, the Library will host classes in necklace making on June 20, toy binocular making on Thursday, June 27, and other craft projects. There will be a Try-It Night!: Foodie Edition on Tuesday, June 25, where children can try challenging new foods, and a tie-dye class on Tuesday, July 9.

Bedford: Bedford Public Library’s (3 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford, 472-2300, bedfordnhlibrary.org) summer reading program is themed around the state of New Hampshire. Additionally, there will be a Junior Librarian program; a family trivia night on Monday, June 24; a fiber arts club on Wednesdays, and Wildlife Encounters on Monday, July 15.

Boscawen: In addition to Boscawen Public Library’s (116 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-8576, boscawenpubliclibrary.org) summer reading program, which begins Monday, June 24, the Library will feature activities including preschool story times on Wednesdays, Legos on Saturdays, and a free concert with Mr. Aaron on July 15.

Bow: Summer activities for children at Baker Free Library (509 South St., Bow, 224-7113, bowbakerfreelibrary.org) will include summer story time on Tuesdays, a comics workshop with Marek Bennett on Thursday, June 27, a Wildlife Adventure with Squam Lakes Science Center on Monday, July 8, and a Cozy Campout stuffed animal sleepover on Monday, July 29.

Brookline: In addition to Brookline Public Library’s (16 Main St., Brookline, 673-3330, brooklinelibrarynh.org) summer reading program, which begins Thursday, June 20, the Library will feature summer activities such as Table Game Mondays, a Teen Ice Cream Party on Friday, June 28, and Lego and Video Game Afternoons on Fridays. There are also passes for reduced entry to museums, parks and zoos.

Candia: Smyth Public Library (55 High St., Candia, 483-8245, smythpl.org) will kick off its summer reading program with Our Amazing Butterflies, a presentation by Jerry Schneider, creator of the award-winning Butterfly Game, on Thursday, June 27. Other summer activities include tie-dying, a dog show and free summer concerts.

Canterbury: The Elkins Public Library (9 Center Road, Canterbury, 783-4386, elkinspubliclibrary.org) will host the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (childrens-museum.org) on Thursday, June 27, for Adventure all Around: Earth, Sea and Sky. The library will also have a nature scavenger hunt this summer, as well as story times and tumbling sessions for very small children.

Chichester: The Chichester Town Library (161 Main St., Chichester, 798-5613, chichesternh.org/town-library) summer reading program starts on Saturday, June 22, with a magic show and free tote bags. Later in the summer there will be free concerts, and the Library has passes for discounts at family destinations like the Currier Art Museum, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, the USS Constitution and the Wright Museum.

Concord: In addition to its summer reading program, which kicks off on Saturday, June 22, the Concord Public Library (45 Green St., Concord, 225-8670, concordnh.gov/1983/Library) has a summer of activities for children, including a hands-on Mad Science presentation, board game nights, Dungeons & Dragons for tweens, Lego sessions and story times, as well as passes to institutions like the New England Aquarium and the Museum of Fine Art.

Deerfield: The Philbrick-James Library (4 Church St., Deerfield, 463-7187, philbrickjameslibrary.org) began its summer reading program Tuesday, June 18. Other summer activities will include Smokey Bear’s Reading Challenge, Veasey Park story times, drop-in fiber arts, a Lego club, PokeMondays and a tie-dye week.

Derry: The Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway, Derry, 432-6140, derrypl.org) kicked off its summer reading program this past Tuesday, June 18. Other summer activities for kids include a rodeo day, a pirate adventure day, bedtime stories, a magic show, a guided Walk Through Time, a glow party and more.

Dunbarton: The Dunbarton Public Library (1004 School St., Dunbarton, 774-3546, dunbartonlibrary.org) summer reading program began Tuesday, June 18. In addition, the Library will offer a variety of summer activities, such as a reading to dogs program, storywalks, an open STEM/toy-making space and touch-a-truck activities.

Epping: The Harvey-Mitchell Memorial Library (151 Main St., Epping, 734-4587, eppinglibrary.com) will host many children’s activities this summer, including a science/magic show on Friday, June 21; a puppet show; and a wildlife encounter with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. The Library’s summer reading program will take place during July.

Epsom: The Epsom Public Library (1606 Dover Road, Epsom, 736-9920, epsomlibrary.com) will host drop-in STEAM events on Thursdays throughout the summer, as well as movie matinees, a fairy house-making workshop, a teddy bear sleepover, a 4-H babysitting class, wildlife encounters and more. The summer reading program will begin with a picnic on Saturday, June 29.

Francestown: The George Holmes Bixby Memorial Library (52 Main St., Francestown, 547-2730, francestownnh.org/bixby-library) started its summer reading program last Saturday, June 15. There will be an ice cream social on Thursday, June 20. Contact the Library’s staff to learn more about upcoming kids’ events.
Goffstown: The Goffstown Public Library (2 High St., Goffstown, 497-2102, goffstownlibrary.com) will host many children’s and teen activities throughout the summer, including a Pokemon Passion club, Legos, painting, tie-dying, reading with Candy the reading therapy dog, cooking, crafting, teen to-go projects and more.

Hollis: The Hollis Social Library (2 Monument Square, Hollis, 465-7721, hollislibrary.org) summer reading program starts Saturday, June 22, with lawn games, water balloons and snow cones. Some of the other activities this summer include a henna tattoo workshop (Thursday, June 20), a puppet show, acrylic paint-by-numbers, beading classes, squirt gun painting, Legos, and a Charmingfare Farm petting zoo.

Hooksett: The Hooksett Public Library (31 Mount St Mary’s Way, Hooksett, 485-6092, discover.hooksettlibrary.org) summer reading program starts Thursday, June 20, with a concert on the lawn with Mr. Aaron (mraaronmusic.com). Other activities for children and young adults this summer include a free Role Playing Game day, tie-dying, Legos, family movie nights, cooking classes and wildlife encounters.

Hudson: The George H. and Ella M. Rodgers Memorial Library (194 Derry Road, Hudson, 886-6030, rodgerslibrary.org) started its summer reading program on June 15. Some summer activities to look forward to include Dungeons & Donuts, drop-in stitching sessions, teen candy bar bingo, a visit from the Silver Circus (andrewsilver.com), Dino the Therapy Dog, a tween Mario Kart tournament, and polymer clay classes for teens.

Kingston: The Kingston Community Library (2 Library Lane, Kingston, 642-3521, kingston-library.org) will start its summer reading program Saturday, June 22, with a performance by Flying High Dogs (flyinghighdogs.com). Other summer events will include movies, a kids’ science club, storytimes with Jack the Dog, and a karate and reading adventure.

Lee: The Lee Library (9 Mast Road, Lee, 659-2626, leelibrarynh.org) will kick off its summer reading program on Thursday, June 27, with music by Steve Blunt (steveblunt.com) and Marty Kelly. Other summer activities will include a British high tea, a Salad and Sandwich Social, clay crafts, wildlife encounters and more.

Litchfield: The Aaron Cutler Memorial Library (269 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield, 424-4044, acmlnh.blogspot.com) summer reading program starts on Tuesday, June 25. Other summer activities will include Fourth of July lantern crafts, beading, a tween Lego club, concerts on the lawn, an escape room, and a guiding eye dogs meet and greet.

Londonderry: The Leach Library (276 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 432-1127, londonderrynh.gov/leach-library) summer reading program began June 1 and will continue until Saturday, Aug. 31. Children and teens can look forward to a summer of learning to draw comics, crafts, a DIY spa day, movie matinees, a cupcake decorating contest, a potluck dinner and more.

Loudon: The Maxfield Public Library (8 Route 129, Loudon, 798-5153, maxfieldlibrary.com) will kick off its summer reading program on Saturday, June 29, with a magic show by Jason Purdy (jasonpurdymagic.com). The Library will also have Music and Movement classes, a Lego club, “crafternoons,” summer storytimes, and an Evil Genius club.

Manchester: The Manchester City Library (405 Pine St., Manchester, 624-6560, manchester.lib.nh.us) summer reading program began Monday, June 17. Other kids’ and teen events this summer include a gaming miniature painting class, a Black history walking tour and more.

Merrimack: The Merrimack Public Library’s (470 DW Highway, Merrimack, 424-5021, merrimacklibrary.org) summer reading program begins Wednesday, June 26. Other summer events will include a baby and toddler summer kickoff, free concerts, storytimes, a Pokemon club, a summer Bluey party, Life-Size Monopoly, a Pokemon scavenger hunt, a shark party and more.

Milford: The Wadleigh Memorial Library (49 Nashua St., Milford, 249-0645, wadleighlibrary.org) summer reading program began Friday, June 14. Children and teens can look forward to a teen murder mystery event, a scratch-off map making class, Big Truck Day, a giant paper airplane-making workshop, a Lego contest, a cryptozoology workshop, a police dog demonstration and much more.

Mason: The Mason Public Library (16 Darling Hill Road, Mason, 878-3867, masonnh.us/library) will host Nature Adventure activities through July, including “Take a Tromp Through the Swamp,” star-gazing, recycled sounds, Smokey Bear’s birthday, and Claudia and Snoopy the Bunny.

Mont Vernon: The Daland Memorial Library (5 N. Main St., Mont Vernon, 673-7888, dalandlibrary.com) began its summer reading program Tuesday, June 18, and it will run through Sunday, Aug. 4. Contact the Library’s staff for information about children’s activities this summer.

Nashua: Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua, 589-4600, nashualibrary.org) begins its summer reading program Thursday, June 20. The library will hold many activities for children, tweens and teens over the summer, including sunprinting, topography and map-making, classic movie matinees, ukulele classes, a Taylor Swift party, culinary explorations, board game sessions, crystal mining and more.

New Boston: The Whipple Free Library (67 Mont Vernon Road, New Boston, 487-3391, whipplefreelibrary.org) summer program began this past Monday, June 17. Summer activities for children and teens include a Teen Survivor Fun Night, a teen open mic night, movie matinees, a teen field trip to Canobie Lake Park, and karate for kids.

Pelham: The Pelham Public Library (24 Village Green, Pelham, 635-7581, pelhampubliclibrary.org) will start its summer reading program on Wednesday, June 26, with a free concert and free ice cream. Other events include reading to a dog, storytimes, rocket ship crafting, candy bingo, treasure chests for kids and tweens, a magic show from Magic Fred the Magician (magicfredshow.com), and sand castle painting.

Pembroke: The Pembroke Town Library (313 Pembroke St., Pembroke, 485-7851, pembroke-library.org) kicks off its summer reading program Wednesday, June 26, with ice cream and live entertainment with Miss Julianne (missjulieann.com). Other summer events include movie matinees, a STEAM club and family storytimes.

Plaistow: The Plaistow Public Library (85 Main St., Plaistow, 382-6011, plaistowlibrary.com) began its summer reading program last Thursday, June 13. Other summer activities for children and teens include free movies, friendship bracelet-making, Dungeons & Dragons, hiking, yarn crafting, a production of Treasure Island, a puppet show and storytimes.

Raymond: The Dudley-Tucker Library (6 Epping St., Raymond, 895-7057, raymondnh.gov/dudley-tucker-library) will kick off its summer reading program Monday, June 24, on the Town Common with live music by Steve Blunt (steveblunt.com). Other summer children’s events will include a Lego club, an origami class, storytimes, popcorn tastings and teen/tween game nights.

Salem: The Kelley Library (234 Main St., Salem, 898-7064, kelleylibrary.org) began its summer reading program on Monday, June 17. Ask the Library’s staff for information about summer events for children and teens.

Tilton: The Hall Memorial Library (18 Park St., Northfield, 286-8971, hallmemoriallibrary.org) summer reading program starts Monday, June 24. Ask the Library’s staff for information about summer events for children and teens.

Warner: The Pillsbury Free Library (18 E. Main St., Warner, 456-2289, warner.lib.nh.us) will begin its summer reading program Tuesday, July 9. Ask the Library’s staff for information about summer events for children and teens.

Wilton: The Wilton Public Library (7 Forest Road, Wilton, 654-2581, wiltonlibrarynh.org) summer reading program began Sunday, June 16. Ask the Library’s staff for more information about summer events for children and teens.

Windham: The Nesmith Library (8 Fellows Road, Windham, 432-7154, nesmithlibrary.org) will begin its summer reading program Monday, June 24. Summer activities for kids and teens will include a comic workshop with Marek Bennett, chalk drawing, scavenger hunts, storytimes, Legos, craft and yoga nights for teens, a boba workshop, wildlife encounters and tween escape rooms.

The enduring appeal of a light, effervescent brew

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

Aaron Share, brewer and co-founder of To Share Brewing Co. in Manchester, is excited about all things lager.

He always hears “that the tide is shifting back to lager every year. I hope this is the year. I prefer drinking lagers over IPAs,” Share said.

Lagers are “the most popular beer style in the world,” according to a June 6, 2023, article at Wine Enthusiast, which cites the beers from Budweiser, Coors Light, Corona and Michelob Ultra as examples of lagers.

“Lagers are actually relatively new” in the timeline of beer and emerged “in like the last five, six hundred years. What makes lagers unique is, one, that it’s a different type of yeast strain,” Share said. Ales have a different yeast strain and contain many variations. Also, ales are brewed at a much higher temperature.

“Lager strains prefer colder temperatures, so [they’re] a little bit more finicky…. With lagers you’re typically fermenting in the high 40s to mid 50 degrees [Fahrenheit]; if they’re not fermented in that range you’re going to get some unpleasant aromas and flavors from that beer,” Share said.

Lagers are all about being stored.

“Lagering is the German word for storage, so they cold-store this beer, and originally it was done in caves where they could keep cooler, constant temperatures,” he said.

Another brewing difference is that “ales will ferment at the top of one of our vessels … while lagers, they ferment at the bottom.” The two need different amounts of time to produce.

“An ale, for instance, I could get one of our IPAs out, between the time I brew it to the time we package it, somewhere between 14 and 21 days. … I’ve got two lagers over here going, these will be in the tank for, after fermentation is completed this will probably be in the tank for another four weeks. I haven’t even started lagering it yet,” Share said.

Basically, lagers take a lot longer to brew but are well worth the wait.
“You’re looking at anywhere from four to eight weeks on a typical lager. If you’re talking about your Octoberfest beers that come out, most folks start to brew those in spring and they let them lager … until Octoberfest,” Share said.

To Share has four lagers on tap at the moment. They have an American Light Lager. “Ruth, that’s our hoppy lager, our Pink Boots beer,” which is a beer brewed by the women at To Share. They also have a German spring lager and a Mexican-style lager.

Mexican lagers typically have an adjunct like corn, or flecked maize added, and the same can be said for the American lager, although those could also have rice as an added adjunct. The German and more international style lagers are typically just with malted barley. Other ingredients include hops, water and yeast.

The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP, bjcp.org) outlines the specifics of each type of lager. Lagers all typically run the range of 4.5 to 5 percent ABV.

Nicole Carrier, co-founder and President of Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, is another fan of lagers, although she wasn’t always.

Annette Lee, the other co-founder and Head Brewer of Throwback, helped Carrier find joy in lagers.

“At the time, I was just a dark beer drinker,” Carrier said. “I said to Annette, ‘If you can make a lager I like, I think we’re going to be successful.’”

That lager was one of the first beers Lee designed. It was named ‘Love me For a Long Time’ and was a Bohemian-style Pilsner with an ABV of 4.8 percent.

“I love it,” Carrier said. “This is so good and I quickly became a convert. Once you get a really nice craft lager, for me, it’s hard to go back.”

Lagers could be considered a sort of tabula rasa.

“As a foodie I feel like it’s really easy to pair a lager with a lot of different foods. It’s almost like a blank slate…,” Carrier said. “It helps cleanse the palate, and the other thing is that they’re just ridiculously refreshing.”

Throwback has four lagers on tap at the moment. A standout is a Mexican-style lager called Cabra Dorada.

“It’s super approachable, especially for those who are just getting into craft and may not like the bitter, more hoppier, more traditional Pilsner,” Carrier said. “It puts a smile on my face every time I have a pint of it.”

Even among lagers there are large enough variations to never get bored.

“Lagers can really be a good entry point…. We’ve had a ton of success opening up people’s minds to a whole different style of beer,” she said.

Henry Vance, the owner and man in charge of brewing operations at The Czar’s Brewery (2 Center St. in Exeter and 10 Pierce St. in Dover), spoke highly of his team who expertly craft his recipes, which include both ales and lagers. They have about five different lagers they rotate.

“We have some lagering tanks in Dover that we use that allow us precise temperature control,” Vance said. “It allows us to cold-age our lagers, allows them to develop the full lager flavor profile.” It’s a patience game.

The result is a more relaxed drink.

“Lagers are typically softer. It depends. Modern IPAs are all hop-forward beers for the most part and lagers are just more nuanced, more subtle. It’s really a question of taste preference. Modern IPA drinkers, for the most part, enjoy the hops profile and lager drinkers enjoy the nuances of lager. They’re softer,” Vance said.

As Share and Carrier had noted, there is more than one kind of lager.

“There are definitely a segment of craft beer drinkers that are looking for Old World lagers and there’s a segment that are looking for modern interpretations of those Old World lagers,” Vance said.

What types can one expect at the Czar’s Brewery?

“We do a Bohemian Pilsner which uses Noble Hops and is somewhat traditional but it probably is a little bit more hop-forward than a European brewer would make. … We do a honey lager where we add some local New Hampshire honey to it — that’s going to change the profile,” Vance said.

Lagers are pretty cool, especially in a hot summer.

“The popularity of lagers has come back some. The category is definitely growing,” Vance said.

Mike Neel, Head Brewer at Candia Road Brewing Co. in Manchester, is all in on a lager revolution.

“I do love how complex and a little bit more process-driven it is to make. They are a lot more fun to make than ‘turnin’-and-burnin’’ just a regular IPA, which we do still make plenty of,” Neel said.

Neel has a bunch of horizontal tanks at Candia Road. They have three lagers on tap.

“Technically, you don’t really need different equipment” for lagers, Neel said. Breweries that don’t have these types of tanks still make some tasty lagers.

“Horizontal is the preferred method for conditioning,” he said, because “there’s a lot less strain on the bottom of the yeast bed.” Imagine choosing between holding 50 pounds of books on top of your head while you’re standing or having the 50 pounds of books distributed evenly across your back while you’re lying on your stomach.

“It could have a dynamic impact on what you’re trying to get as an overall outcome,” Neel said.

Lager is not new.

“It’s been the preferred beer style in the world for the last, what, 700 years? And that’s not really changing. It seems like the IPA fad is dominating the beer market right now, which it is in our area, but globally it’s always been lager and will always be lager,” Neel said.

All of Candia Road’s lagers are poured from side-pull wicker faucets made in the Czech Republic. These faucets have a tiny screen inside the nozzle that helps impart air into the beer, resulting in a creamier drink. Neel took a three-day course in Plzeň in the Czech Republic from Lutkr, the manufacturer of the faucet, to get ‘tapster’ certified.

“The Czechs believe that the brewmaster makes the beer but the tapster actually presents and rounds it out — the tapsters are just as important,” Neel said.

Craft brewers in the Granite State are passionate about their profession and often view brewing beer is art. “It’s trying to make the most complex liquid out of the simplest of ingredients…. It’s no thrills but still thrilling at the same time,” Neel said.

Paul St. Onge is Brewmaster at Backyard Brewery in Manchester and also welcomes the wave of lager love.

“We make a lot of different beer here, but we’ve definitely noticed lager is on the rise, so to speak, in terms of consumption and interest,” St. Onge said.

St. Onge has a hunch that someone might choose a lager over an IPA because IPA’s can be “super aggressive [with] bold flavors and I do believe that palate washout is a thing.”

It’s all about preference. Some drinkers are just “looking for something a little more approachable and drinkable and refreshing,” he said. “That’s sort of what I would think is happening, I know that’s how it gets for me.”

In terms of brewing, lagers claim a distinct feat.

“Because the flavors are more subtle and balanced, there’s really nowhere to hide imperfections or flaws in the beer, so you really have to keep a sharp eye and thumb on the pulse to create a good lager. I’m not saying that making IPA is easy, it’s just that making good lager is a challenge…. Really small changes to a recipe can make pretty large drinkability differences,” St. Onge said.

Backyard “usually [has] at least two, most of the time three, lagers on tap at all times. One of our flagships is Lawnmower, which is a Munich-style Helles Lager…. We make a broad spectrum of lagers ourselves…. It’s kind of been a passion project of mine to develop a lager program here,” St. Onge said.

Lots of lagers

Generally, malts and water are very important to lagers, and most lagers have ABVs around 5% or lower, are lighter in color and have a high drinkability quality. Dan Ward, Store Manager of Greg and Jane’s in Epping (63 Main St.), provided the Hippo with the nuances of different styles of lagers.

American lager: Anything that is usually lighter-bodied with American malts, middle range in color, possibly caramel, excluding Boston lager, which is typically darker, more on the malty side. Super drinkable, almost “crushable.” A beer for when “it’s a nice day outside, doing yard work, drinking beer throughout the day,” Ward said. Crisp and refreshing.

Czech-style lager: Originated from the Czech Republic. These lagers are almost exclusively very light, but there are exceptions. They are typically yellow in color, and you should be able to see through them. This is a light, sipping-type beer but more complex with different flavor profiles from American lagers, because of the hops and mineral content in their water. A lager but more complex.

Festbier: More Americanized than Marzen, lighter than Marzen, this has more of a pale ale quality. Similar crushable quality to American lager.

Helles: Paler, popular German style of lager. No different than a typical lager except the body has more of a floral quality. Helles means “pale” or “light” in German. Almost a pale ale but not quite.

India pale lager: Hybrid of lager and IPA. Tastes like an IPA but is usually going to be a little bit darker than a lager. A hoppy lager.

Märzen: Darker than a festbier and looks more like a Boston lager. A more rich and fuller-bodied beverage, caramel in texture and taste, resulting in slightly sweet back notes with a roasted quality. More flavor and aroma than a festbier.

Mexican lager: Think lime or sea salts. Tastes like a Corona that doesn’t need a lime. Pale and typically see-through with a lighter body and lower alcohol. Typically less than 5% alcohol, crushable but better paired with food and also refreshing.

New England lager: Most likely hazy in color and hoppier than a typical lager.

Pilsner: This is a blank canvas of a beer, with tons of different offshoots possible. It’s versatile and dependent on ingredients. Bud Light is technically a Pilsner. Pilsners are light, crisp, clean and clear. No bells or whistles and has typically less than 5% ABV; if alcohol content is higher it is typically labeled as an ‘Imperial.’

Vienna lager: As with the Helles or Czech Pilsner, the style is region-specific but, like with all the other imports, can be mimicked. The Vienna lager can range from light brown to pale in color. A tad maltier, typically, and pairs well with grilled veggies, meat and cheese.

Where to enjoy LOCAL lagers

Here’s some local craft breweries in that offer their own lagers, Check out their tap lists for the most up-to-date availability of each brew. Know of one not mentioned? Let us know at [email protected].

603 Brewery & Beer Hall
42 Main St., Londonderry, 404-6123, 603brewery.com
Try this brew: The Range Hoppy Lager, an American-style lager, 5.2% ABV (Alcohol By Volume). One of four lagers on tap, it is described as “clean, crushable, and just enough hoppy flavor to put a smile on your face without wrecking your palate. Blazing yellow in color with a pillowy white head, bursting with notes of grapefruit zest, lemon peel, guava, and a kiss of New Hampshire pine.”

Able Ebenezer Brewing Co.
31 Columbia Circle, Merrimack, 844-223-2253, ableebenezer.com
Try this brew: Revuelta, a Mexican-style lager, 4.8% ABV. One of two available lagers, it is described as “a traditional Mexican yeast and grain bill (flaked maize) combined with New Zealand hops that give it a hint of fresh lime zest flavor.”

Backyard Brewery & Kitchen
1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545, backyardbrewerynh.com
Try this brew: Junior Service Lager, an American-style lager. One of two lagers on tap, it is described as “crisp and well balanced … approachable.”

Candia Road Brewing Co.
840 Candia Road, Manchester, 935-8123, candiaroadbrewingco.com
Try this brew: Dark Lager, a dark lager, 6% ABV. It is described as “a dark lager. Real dark.”

Canterbury Aleworks
305 Baptist Hill Road, Canterbury, 491-4539, canterburyaleworks.com
Try this brew: Gemütlichkeit, a Munich-style Helles lager, 5% ABV. Its flavor is described as “a sublime, sweet malty ‘je ne sais quoi.’”

Concord Craft Brewing Co.
117 Storrs St., Concord, 856-7625, concordcraftbrewing.com
Try this brew: Logger Lager, a maple Marzen, described as “a full-bodied amber-colored marzen style lager that spent the dark days of winter in the cool fermenter. The generous malt blend finishes smooth and crisp with a touch of New Hampshire maple syrup.”

The Czar’s Brewery
2 Center St., Exeter, 583-5539; 10 Pierce Street in Dover, 842-4062; theczarsbrewery.com
Try this brew: Vienna Wait…, a Vienna-style lager, 4.6% ABV.

Daydreaming Brewing Co.
1½ E. Broadway, Derry, 965-3454, daydreaming.beer
Try this brew: Chissà (kee sah – “Who knows?” in Italian), an Italian-style lagered Pilsner, 4.8% ABV. It is one of two lagers Daydreaming will have this summer and is described as having “a biscuity malt with a hint of orange and crisp, dry finish.”

Earth Eagle Brewings
165 High St., Portsmouth, 502-2244, eartheaglebrewings.com
Try this brew: Piscataqua American-style lager, 4.2% ABV.

Feathered Friend Brewing Co.
231 S. Main St., Concord, 715-2347, featheredfriendbrewing.com
Try this brew: Backyard Birds smoked lager, 5.3% ABV. One of three lagers available, it is described as “a nice light lager with smoked malts.”

The Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille
40 Andover Road, New London, 526-6899, flyinggoose.com
Try this brew: Simulacrum Rauchbier, a Helles-style lager, 5.7% ABV. One of five lagers on tap, it is described as “a pale lager brewed with a touch of German applewood smoked barley and ‘noble’ hops.”

Great North Aleworks
1050 Holt Ave., No. 14, Manchester, 858-5789, greatnorthaleworks.com
Try this brew: Marzen Rover, a Marzen-style lager, 5.2% ABV, described as “lightly hopped with a blend of malts creating a bready, honey-like flavor.”

Great Rhythm Brewing
105 Bartlett St., Portsmouth, 430-9640, greatrhythmbrewing.com
Try this brew: Great Life, an American-style lager, 4.6% ABV. One of two lagers available this summer, it is described as a,”golden, full-flavored premium lager with a clean, crisp finish.”

Henniker Brewing Co.
129 Centervale Road, Henniker, 428-3579, hennikerbrewing.com
Try this brew: Squint pale lager, 5.1% ABV. One of five seasonal lagers, it is described as “an easy drinking brew that goes great with sunny days, peanuts and crackerjacks.”

Kelsen Brewing Co.
80 N. High St., No. 3, Derry, 965-3708, kelsenbrewing.com
Try this brew: Spacetown, a light lager, 4.8% ABV. One of four lagers available, it is described as “full-flavored and highly drinkable. The bright citrus flavors from the hops and bready flavors from the grains lead to a well-rounded, crisp finish.”

Kettlehead Brewing Co.
407 W. Main St., Tilton, 286-8100, kettleheadbrewing.com
Try this brew: Whey Loco Mexican-style lager, 5.5%. One of three lagers on tap, it is described as a “light & crisp Mexican corn lager that features hints of lime with a smooth and refreshing character.”

Liar’s Bench Beer Co.
159 Islington St., No. 4, Portsmouth, 294-9156, liarsbenchbeer.com
Try this brew: Slurp’s Up beach-style lager, 4.8% ABV, one of five lagers on tap.

Liquid Therapy
14B Court St., Nashua, 402-9391, liquidtherapynh.com
Try this brew: Cali Love steam lager, 4.9% ABV, described as “an ode to Anchor Steam. Bready malt meets lager. Totally crushable all year long.”

Lithermans Limited Brewery
126B Hall St., Concord, 219-0784, lithermans.beer
Try this brew: Forty Days, a Czech-style lager described as “light in body, slightly roasted malt flavor, with an approachable alcohol content for a warm summer night.”

Loaded Question Brewing Co.
909 Islington St., Suite 12, Portsmouth, 852-1396, loadedquestionbrewing.com
Try this brew: Rustikal rustic-style lager, 5.1% ABV. One of two lagers on tap, it is described as a “golden-hued lager [that has] a crisp, clean taste with a smooth malt character and a subtle hoppy finish.”

Long Blue Cat Brewing Co.
298 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 818-8068, longbluecat.com
Try this brew: Granite State Lager, a German-style pale lager, 4.3% ABV.

Lost Cowboy Brewing Co.
546 Amherst St., Nashua, 600-6800, lostcowboybrewing.com
Try this brew: Lost Cowboy, an American-style lager, 4.5% ABV. Available on tap in regular and light versions, it is described as “a gently hopped, beautifully balanced, delicate lager with high drinkability.”

Martha’s Exchange Restaurant & Brewery
185 Main St., Nashua, 883-8781, marthas-exchange.com
Try this brew: Beyond the Stars, a German-style dark lager, 5.3%, described as having notes of “toasted malt, dark chocolate, caramel, and malted milk balls.”

Northwoods Brewing Co.
1334 First New Hampshire Turnpike, Northwood, 942-6400, northwoodsbrewingcompany.com
Try this brew: Kung Fu Crab, a Mexican-style lager, 5.3% ABV. This is one of three lagers on tap.

Odd Fellows Brewing Co.
124 Main St., Nashua, 521-8129, oddfellowsbrewery.com
Try this brew: Intrigue, a Vienna-style lager, 5.1%. This is the only lager on tap.

Oddball Brewing Co.
6 Glass St., Suncook, 210-5654, oddballbrewingnh.com
Try this brew: Oddlite, a light American Lager, 5.0% ABV.

Ogie Brewing
12 South St., Milford, 249-5513, find them on Facebook @ogiebrewing
Try this brew: Friar’s Purse, a copper lager, 5.4% ABV. One of four lagers on tap this summer, it is described as a “light, crisp lager [with] fantastic copper color and malty hints of biscuit, nuts, & honey.”

Pipe Dream Brewing
49 Harvey Road, Londonderry, 404-0751, pipedreambrewingnh.com
Try this brew: IPL India pale lager, 5% ABV. One of two lagers on tap, it is described as having a “cold fermented lager base with a clean, hoppy presence. Crushable and tasty.”

Post & Beam Brewing
40 Grove St. in Peterborough, 784-5361, postandbeambrewery.com
Try this brew: Blackfire, a Schwarzbier dark lager, 4.6% ABV. One of three lagers on tap, it is described as “light-bodied and dry, with a touch of roasty bitterness.”

Rockingham Brewing Co.
1 Corporate Park Drive, No. 1, Derry, 216-2324, rockinghambrewing.com
Try this brew: Mulefoot, a lime and ginger lager, 5.5% ABV. This is one of two lagers on tap.

Sawbelly Brewing
156 Epping Road, Exeter, 583-5080, sawbelly.com
Try this brew: Schwarzbelly, a Schwarzbier-style, medium-bodied lager, 4.7% ABV. One of two lagers on tap, it is described as “black in color with a toasty, chocolate nose and gentle noble hop bitterness.”

Smuttynose Brewing Co.
105 Towle Farm Road, Hampton, 436-4026, smuttynose.com
Try this brew: Smuttynose Lager, a Helles-style lager, 4.7% ABV. One of three lagers on tap, it is described as having “a soft aroma with a balanced bite and floral character.”

Spyglass Brewing Co.
306 Innovative Way, Nashua, 546-2965, spyglassbrewing.com
Try this brew: Cubist, a Helles lager, 4.8% ABV. One of two lagers on tap, it is described as, “a traditional German Helles lager with floor-malted Pilsner malt, hopped with Saaz and Saphir hops.”

Throwback Brewery
7 Hobbs Road, North Hampton, 379-2317, throwbackbrewery.com
Try this brew: Cabra Dorada, a Mexican-style lager, 4.7% ABV. One of two lagers on tap, it is described as “a bright, crisp golden lager with a balanced bitterness of Citra hops and lime zest and a slight salinity to the dry finish.”

To Share Brewing Co.
720 Union St., Manchester, 836-6947, tosharebrewing.com
Try this brew: Tiny Maracas, a Mexican-style lager, 5.5% ABV. This is one of three lagers on tap.

Twin Barns Brewing Co.
194 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-0876, twinbarnsbrewing.com
Try this brew: Pitou Pale Lager, a Vienna-style lager, 4.3% ABV.

Vulgar Brewing Co.
378 Central St., Franklin, 333-1439, vbc.beer
Try this brew: Down to Huck, a Helles-style lager, 5.2% ABV, described as “clean, crisp, and refreshing like a dip in the Winni. Soft & bready malt character with a touch of sweetness. Low bitterness, with slightly floral notes.”

Berries!

Almost time for strawberry and blueberry seasons

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

‘Tis the season where farms invite ordinary people to come onto their land to take part in the berry harvests.

Although last summer may have been a slight disappointment for berry aficionados, this year’s harvest is appearing to be much better.

Samantha Fay, Farm Stand Manager at Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com),is positive about this year’s crop of berries.

“Everything seems to be going really well this year. Last year was pretty devastating due to the late frost that we had … strawberries last year with the rain was really bad,” Fay said.

It was the worst of yields but now it’s the best of yields in this tale of two berry seasons.

“This year, everything looks good. We haven’t had a frost and we haven’t had the really really cold temperatures, so all the crops thus far look really good,” Fay said.

Future pickers should keep an eye on the weather.

“As long as we don’t get too much rain, the strawberries should look great,” Fay said. “Right now, fingers crossed, everything looks great.”

Not all berries grow the same way, though, and depending on foraging style, certain berries may be more fun to pick than others.

“Your strawberries are really low to the ground, so you’re more down on your knees harvesting them, where[as] raspberries, they’re a higher bush, so people can walk through those and pick at their height, which is nice,” Fay said. Since Sunnycrest only has a few rows of blackberries, visitors will only be able to pick these up at the farmstand when they do ripen.

The schedule typically flows from strawberries to blueberries and cherries to raspberries, then peaches and finally apples. A family could pick berries all summer long at the many farms and farm stands in the state.

“I think that it’s a really nice family activity for people to do and it’s really important for people to be able to have access to fresh fruit,” Fay said. “It’s nice to be able to harvest your own fruit and bring that home, because you have the satisfaction of seeing where it grows and being able to take it home and have it yourself.” But how much of the tasty reward can one bring home? A few ounces? A couple pounds?

“Maybe like 80 pounds at once just for a regular customer that comes in because we have some people come in that like to jam, so they’ll buy a good amount for jamming,” Fay said. “I’d say like 80 to 100 pounds for some people. But it’s not like an everyday thing…. That’s their one pick for the season when they make their batch of jam.” Ten to 20 pounds is a more typical amount for people to acquire in a single visit.

The delicate dance of berry harvesting is not for the faint of heart, but it is worth the effort. “They’re definitely a difficult crop to grow. They take a lot of care and the weather definitely plays a huge factor because they don’t like too much rain. It’s very rewarding when you get a great crop but it does take a lot to grow them. And we enjoy it,” Fay said.

Where to pick your own berries

Here’s a list of local farms that plan to offer fresh berries for pick-your-own throughout this upcoming season — we’ve included those that will have everything from strawberries and blueberries available for picking to raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and even peaches at some locations. Do you know of any in our area that we may have missed? Tell us about it at [email protected].

Apple Hill Farm

580 Mountain Road, Concord, 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com

What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black currants, apples

When: Projected opening date is around mid to late June, starting with pick-your-own strawberries, then blueberries from early July to early September, raspberries from mid-July to early August, black currants from late July to early August, and apples from late August to mid October, according to their website.

Applecrest Farm Orchards

133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com

What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines, pears

When: The farm stand is open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; projected opening date TBA for pick-your-own strawberries will be around mid-June; followed by blueberries in early July and raspberries in mid-August; peaches, nectarines and pears early August through mid September, according to their website.

Bartlett’s Blueberry Farm

648 Bradford Road, Newport, 208-270-0466, bartlettsblueberryfarm.com

What: blueberries

When: Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the picking season is from mid-July to August; the self-service farm stand is open now from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. daily, or by appointment, offering items like blueberry jam, local maple syrup and honey, according to their website.

Bascom Road Blueberry Farm

371 Bascom Road, Newport, 359-7703, bascomroadblueberryfarm.com

What: strawberries and blueberries

Expected hours: The farm store is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The farm is offering pick-your-own strawberries for limited days in June to early July. Pick-your-own blueberries are expected to happen from July through September, according to their website. 2023 pricing, according to their website, was $12 for a small bucket, around 3 pounds, or $22 for a large bucket, which was around 6 pounds.

Beaver Pond Farm

1047 John Stark Hwy., Newport, 543-1107, beaverpondfarm.com

What: blueberries and raspberries

When: Daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting, call on the day for conditions. Their season usually begins between July 1 and July 10 and typically runs through July and into early August, according to their website. They charge by the pint, not the pound, and offer free containers as well as water to pickers, according to the website.

Berry Good Farm

234 Parker Road, Goffstown, berrygoodfarmnh.com

What: blueberries

When: Anticipated to be open Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. as well as Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Their pick-your-own blueberries will likely start around mid-July, according to their website.

Berrybogg Farm

650 Province Road, Strafford, 664-2100, berryboggfarm.com

What: Blueberries

When: Pick-your-own blueberries will likely start sometime shortly after the Fourth of July, according to last year’s dates. Last year’s prices were $3.50 per pound (seniors 65 and older and military $3.40 per pound), and if participants pick 10 or more pounds the price will be $3.25 per pound, according to their website.

Brookdale Fruit Farm

41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com

What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black raspberries and blackberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries are expected to be available around mid to late June, followed by blueberries and raspberries by early July and blackberries and black raspberries into August, according to their website.

Carter Hill Orchard

73 Carter Hill Road, Concord, 225-2625, carterhillapples.com

What: blueberries

When: Pick-your-own blueberries will likely start sometime in July, according to their website.

Devriendt Farm Products

178 S. Mast St., Goffstown, 497-2793, devriendtfarm.com

What: strawberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries expected around the second or third week of June and they will have Pick Your Own boxes at a cost of $1 for you to pick into if you do not bring your own container, according to their website.

Elwood Orchards

54 Elwood Road, Londonderry, 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com

What: cherries

When: TBA; pick-your-own cherries are expected to be available around early July.

Gould Hill Farm

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

What: Blueberries, peaches

When: Farm stand is closed until mid-July. Pick-your-own blueberries will likely start around mid-July and will run into early August; peaches typically start in early August and run to early September, with peaches available in the store from late July to early September, according to their website.

Grandpa’s Farm

143 Clough Hill Road, Loudon, 783-5690, grandpasfarmnh.com

What: blueberries

When: Daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. They offer blueberries from the middle of July to the middle of August and their new Lower Field has three varieties, Duke, Spartan and Bluecrop, which will ripen in that order, according to their website.

Grounding Stone Farm

289 Maple St., Contoocook, 746-1064, groundingstonefarm.com

What: blueberries, Certified Organic by the NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets & Food, according to their website

When: Open July 6 through the third week of August.

Hackleboro Orchards

61 Orchard Road, Canterbury, 783-4248, hackleboroorchard.com

What: blueberries

When: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; pick-your-own blueberries are expected between mid-June and late August, and will be $3.29 per pound, according to their website.

Kimball Fruit Farm

Route 122, on the Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., border, 978-433-9751, kimball.farm

What: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries are projected for the middle of June, blueberries from July to early August (best picking usually mid-July), raspberries from July to early October, and blackberries from August to early October. The farm stand is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to their website.

Lavoie’s Farm

172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.wordpress.com

What: strawberries and blueberries

When: Their hours vary by season but they are normally open June 1 until Oct. 31, according to their website.

McKenzie’s Farm

71 Northeast Pond Road, Milton, 652-9400, mckenziesfarm.com

What: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and peaches

When: Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; strawberries are expected to be ready by the middle of June, followed by raspberries around July 4 and blueberries also in early July, with peaches available in August, according to their website.

Norland Berries

164 N. Barnstead Road, Center Barnstead, 776-2021, norlandberries.com

What: blueberries

When: Berries will likely be available by early to mid-July, according to last year’s dates.

Saltbox Farm

321 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 436-7978, saltboxfarmnh.com

What: blueberries

When: The farm stand is open only during seasonal hours during their berry picking season and typically runs from early July to early September, according to their Facebook page.

Smith Farm Stand

15 Smith Farm Road, Gilford, 524-7673, smithfarmstand.com

What: raspberries and blueberries

When: The farm features three raspberry beds and one blueberry field, according to their website. Raspberries are expected to be ready for picking around the second week of July, followed by blueberries in mid-July. If their supply allows, one night each year they stay open late for twilight picking with special discounts, according to the same website.

Spring Ledge Farm

37 Main St., New London, 526-6253, springledgefarm.com

What: strawberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries expected in June, and their picking field address is 985 Pleasant St. in New London, according to their website.

Sunnycrest Farm

59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com

What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries and peaches

When: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily for pick-your-own strawberries beginning in June, with cherries starting around June 15, followed by blueberries and raspberries around the start of July and peaches in August if supplies allow, according to their website.

Trombly Gardens

150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net

What: strawberries and blueberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries are expected later in June, followed by blueberries in early July.

When are they ready?
Sources: agriculture.nh.gov and extension.unh.edu
• Strawberries: early to mid-June
• Blueberries: early to mid-July
• Raspberries: early to mid-July
• Cherries: early to mid-July
• Blackberries: mid to late July or early August

Lavender fields forever

2024’s hot flavor gets its own harvest season

By John Fladd
[email protected]

Get acquainted with lavender by starting at the source — a field where it’s grown.

“We have generations that come here together, and it’s really a lovely sight,” said Missy Biagiottie, owner of Lavender Fields (393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner, 456-2443, pumpkinblossomfarm.com), a farm where families can pick their own lavender. “You see mothers, grandmothers and granddaughters all picking together. It’s a really nice experience.”

If you’re imagining groups of women in sundresses and straw hats, Biagiottie said, that’s pretty much what she sees. “Our target market is women. I’d say 95 percent of the people who visit us are women. It’s a nice, family, low-key event. It’s meant to be serene.”

Lavender is a perennial plant — meaning that it continues to grow, season after season — but requires year-round maintenance to be at its peak for a two- to three-week harvesting season in mid-July. This year, Biagiotti estimated her farms will be open for “U-Pick” customers between July 5 and July 21. When the farm’s staff harvests lavender, they use old-fashioned sickles, bundle the stalks, and hang them to dry in the farm’s barn to dry until it is needed.

“Of course, we give our U-Pickers nice little garden snips,” she said, “and give them instruction on how to cut the lavender so it might generate another bloom later in the season.”

She said most customers are not looking to take a lot of lavender home with them.

“They’re usually looking for a perfect stem,” Biagiotti said. They take it home and make lavender lemonade or lavender cookies. They might use it decoratively or for craft purposes. Most people will take it home for a memory and hang it up to dry like another herb. The scent lasts for a very long time, she said.

Biagiotti and her team harvest the rest of the lavender to distill into lavender hydrosol — a lavender-infused water — and lavender oil, both of which they use as a base for lavender products that they sell at the farm and online. They sell bath and body products but also lavender food products and cooking ingredients, such as lavender simple syrup, lavender honey, lavender-infused vinegar and oil, white hot chocolate with lavender, a blueberry lavender drink mixer and culinary lavender buds.

Inspired to cook with your lavender? According to pastry chef Emilee Viaud, owner of Sweet Treats by Emilee and pastry chef for Greenleaf Restaurant in Milford, lavender is not an ingredient you can throw into a recipe on a whim; it needs a bit of planning.

“With lavender, it’s not really enjoyable to eat in itself,” she said. “In pastry, infusing it into pastry cream is what I like to do, because the floral soapiness complements the creaminess of the pastry cream really well. They kind of balance each other out.”

Viaud said lavender often works best as a supporting flavor.

“Lemon and lavender work well together. The spices I like to add to that is cardamom or fennel. With fennel seed, you can grind it up and infuse it into the pastry cream, and when you strain it, you’ll remove all those extra components you don’t really want to eat,” Viaud said.

“My husband [chef Chris Viaud] uses it in one of his cocktails,” she said. “He infuses it into a simple syrup and uses it that way.”

He is not the only one to do that. For the past several years, as bartenders have experimented with more and more nontraditional flavors for cocktails, lavender has become a go-to flavor to play off more orthodox ingredients.

“We do a couple of lavender drinks,” said Niko Kfoury, bartender at Firefly Restaurant in Manchester. “Under the Favorites section of our cocktail menu, we’ve got a lavender-blueberry lemonade. We’ve got a lavender gin gimlet as well. The Favorites never change; those are always on the menu. I think it [lavender] has a floral quality. It’s just a really calming, soothing flavor that’s really complementary with a lot of different ingredients. It adds a calmness to a flavor profile.”

Lavender!

Lavender to pick

Lavender Fields at Pumpkin Blossom Farm
393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner
456-2443, pumpkinblossomfarm.com

Tentative dates for picking lavender are Friday, July 5, through Sunday, July 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Lavender to taste

Sweet Treats by Emilee
facebook.com/EmileesSweetTreats

Greenleaf
54 Nashua St., Milford
213-5447, greenleafmilford.com
Open Tuesday through Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m.

Firefly Bistro and Bar
22 Concord St., Manchester
935-9740, fireflynh.com
Open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m; Saturday and Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday dinner 4 to 9 p.m.; Sunday dinner 4 to 8 p.m.

Market season

Farmers markets build customer loyalty

By John Fladd
[email protected]

Selling at a farmers market, meeting your customers one-on-one, letting them try your product and answering their questions is a way for farmers, craftspeople and other makers to build customer loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing.

Becca and Mindy Dean, for instance, have a passion for goat milk, and their farm, Galomime Farm Too in Mont Vernon, sells its goat products at the Bedford Farmers Market on Tuesday afternoons.

Co-owner Becca Dean said that working at a farmers market gives them the opportunity to introduce goat milk products to customers who wouldn’t normally look for them.

“We have a unique product and it may not be for everyone, but everyone who has tried our product seems to love it!” Dean said. She has noticed that the sorts of customers who shop at farmers markets seem to be open to new experiences.

“One [customer] stated that he and his family plan dinners for the week based on what they get at the market,” she said

Although some New Hampshire farmers markets open in May, most wait to open until June, when the weather is more reliable and some fresh produce is ready to pick and sell. John Blake of DJ Honey, who also sells at the Bedford market, said business will pick up significantly with the end of the school year.

“The beginning of the season seems to be normal,” he said. “We did start a few weeks earlier than usual [this year]. When school gets out the market will be in full swing. I see the rest of the season being a good one.”

If you shop at a farmers market, you will notice that many vendors there sell a variety of goods other than fruits and vegetables.

Donna Silva of Lone Willow Farms in Mont Vernon sells her farm’s products in Milford and Bedford but limits her food sales to Milford.

“This is my first year at the Bedford Farmers Market,” she said. “I don’t sell food products there because they have enough farm-to-table vendors. … This will be my fourth year at the Milford Farmers Market, where I do sell my awesome veggies, produce, herbs and edible flowers. At both markets I sell flowers and gifts [or] art I make from my flowers.”

According to Joshua Marshall, the Director of the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture’s Division of Agricultural Development, numbers and statistics for New Hampshire’s farmers markets can be elusive.

“New Hampshire has a pretty vibrant farmers market industry and the interesting thing is we don’t have any sort of centralized registration that they [farmers markets] are required to do, so it’s hard to get a big picture of how many are out there,” he said. The Agriculture Department keeps a voluntary publication on its website where farmers markets can publish their events, but submitting information to it isn’t mandatory.

“Between the summer and winter markets, we have just over 40,” Marshall said. “That is a little bit down over previous years, which has been closer to 50, but I know that there are a lot more out there.”

Marketeers

Galomime Farm Too
60 Old Amherst Road, Mont Vernon
facebook.com/GalomimeFarmToo
Sells at Bedford Farmers Market

DJ’s Pure Honey
facebook.com/djspurehoney
Sells at Bedford Farmers Market and Nashua Farmers Market

Lone Willow Farms
70 Tater St., Mont Vernon
731-0611, lonewillowfarms.com
Sells at Bedford Farmers Market and Milford Farmers Outdoor Market

Tribute bands tackle the music of the 1990s

Gen X didn’t see it coming, despite the harbingers: internet reminders that the first Lollapalooza Festival was closer in years to the Kennedy assassination than to today, or Pearl Jam getting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. As they were reeling from reeling in the years, the arrival of ’90s tribute bands was to many of them a hard (blue) pill to swallow.

Some of the acts that formed weren’t surprising. With Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley and Scott Weiland all dead and gone, Priceless Advice and Sick Season, devoted to Nirvana and Alice In Chains respectively, and Stone Temple Posers hella made sense. And Oasis likely won’t reunite anytime soon, so it’s not trippin’ to cover “Wonderwall” in the interim.

But what of those still performing, like Dave Matthews Band, Foo Fighters, Radiohead and the aforementioned Pearl Jam, each of which boasts one or more doppelgangers? Even Smashing Pumpkins; a band called Recent History does them. Apparently, all these objects of affection take it in stride and are unbothered about losing any business.

Collective Soul is on the road with Hootie & the Blowfish, with a tour stopping at Fenway Park and Bank of NH Pavilion before the summer ends. In an interview to advance the upcoming shows, their front man Ed Roland was surprised to hear about the existence of Reflective Soul, based in Dallas, Texas — but grateful.

“You can’t help but love it. I’m so honored,” Roland said. “Just being here 30 years and on top of that somebody thinks enough of you to go, all right, we’ll play some of their catalog. It boosts the ego up when you walk in a bar, and somebody is playing one of your songs. You’re like, ‘Wow, I really did have a hit.’”

It’s a hot topic in New England that’s spawned organizations like Covering New England, a tribute-centric company with a growing roster of acts like Crush, a Dave Matthews Band tribute, and White Belts, who play emo songs by Taking Back Sunday, Blink-182 and Jimmy Eat World, among others.

Covering New England’s Tristan Law thinks the decade is having a moment for a couple of reasons.

“First, a lot of those really seminal albums are having their 25th and 30th anniversaries, so they’re in the news, and you have a lot of people like me — late 30s, early 40s — who came up in that decade and have a special nostalgia for that time,” he said. “How many people’s first CD was Dookie?’”

Law added that while a lot of ’90s stars are still touring, with tickets now costing hundreds of dollars fans are more selective about going to giant concerts.

“Now, you can go see a really good Dave Matthews Band tribute for twenty bucks and still have a great time. That, and the ’90s f-in ruled; why wouldn’t you want to go back then for a few hours?”

At TributePalooza, an all-day show in Warren on July 6, many ’90s acts will perform, including Jagged Little Thrill doing Alanis Morissette, Social Destruction playing the music of Social Distortion, and Stone Temple Posers, along with two other tribute acts that Gen X is a bit more chillax with doing Lynyrd Skynyrd and AC/DC covers.

Here are thoughts from six bands bringing back the decade that witnessed the internet’s rise and the decline of the music business, along with a lot of great and varied music.

Tributepalooza happens Saturday, July 6, at Melody Mountain Farm, 161 Lake Tarleton Road, Warren, $35 at melodymountainfarm.com

Giving 110 percent – Neon 90s

When it formed, the North Shore-based band Neon 90s wore flannel shirts and leaned into grunge. Later they switched to jean jackets and shades upon realizing there was more to mining the ’90s than Nirvana’s “Lithium.” They became an all-purpose tribute act, determined to hit every high point, from Soundgarden to Garth Brooks.

“We figured let’s take on the entire decade, and smash as many songs as we can into a set,” said John Goodhue, who sings and plays lead guitar with the band, which includes Michael Parsons on bass, drummer Steve Russo and Guy Cloutman on lead guitar.

On any given night the quartet moves from Foo Fighters’ “Learn To Fly” to Lou Bega’s “Mambo No. 5” and tosses in “Semi-Charmed Life” from Third Eye Blind for spice. Their showstopper is a gender-bending version of Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like A Woman.” They even do Meredith Brooks’ “Bitch” and “Wannabe” from the Spice Girls.

Setlists reflect Goodhue’s own tastes.

“All my favorite songs, mostly, are from the ’90s,” he said. “The Top 40 was spread so far off the different genres, you had major pop songs, country songs, grunge came into the mix, even hip-hop. It was a decade where you saw so many different kinds of music really hit the spot.”

Like a lot of similar bands, members of Neon 90s have additional musical projects. Russo plays in Mile 21, a North Shore reggae and ska group, as well as a Top 40 band called Mystery Meat. “Our guitar player Gary has been in several cover bands and original bands, as well as Mike and me,” Goodhue, who also spent a few years on the West Coast playing in different bands, said.

When Neon 90s hits the stage, one of their favorites is “Possum Kingdom” by the Toadies. “It’s a really fun song to play, and it’s kind of challenging, too,” Goodhue said. They’ll also take a shot at audience suggestions, or at least try.

“Sometimes we get requests that aren’t ’90s, like people missed the memo,” he said. “My favorite song was actually requested for us to learn for a wedding, ‘What’s Up’ by 4 Non Blondes. We’ve kept it in our set because it always goes over well, and everyone sings along.”

Neon 90s appear in Hampton Beach on Saturday, July 6 at Wally’s Pub and on Sunday, July 14 at Bernie’s Beach Bar

Worldwide Californication – Red NOT Chili Peppers

One of the longest-running ’90s tribute acts is also among the most successful. Red NOT Chili Peppers formed in 2009 in Southern California, where the Red Hot Chili Peppers rose to fame. The lineup has changed several times over the years, but the present band — Paul Moffat on bass, guitarist Greg Loman, Pete Koopmans on drums and singer David Vives — has been steady for a while. Vives is the newest member; he joined in 2021.

Red NOT Chili Peppers are unique for being a nationally touring act. Actually, they’ve performed in such far-flung places as Dubai. Much of this success is due to the quality of their act.

“The biggest undertaking with the Chili Peppers is having players who not only can learn the songs,” Loman said in a sit-down band interview prior to a show in Portsmouth. “They have to recreate the tones, the energy, the look, and the vibe.”

Beyond that, the group found its way to Providence Music Group, a Rhode Island-based agency focused on tribute bands, everything from Sublime to Johnny Cash, along with Elton John, Guns N’ Roses, and Linkin Park. When Moffat joined in the mid-2010s, he’d also taken over as manager. Koopmans, who was in the band before Moffat, became their booking agent.

Together, they realized their group didn’t fit a conventional niche, and it was impacting their ability to get gigs.

“Paul and I took a really hard look at the business, and I basically took the band to several different agencies, as our agent then had retired and we were unhappy with him anyway,” Koopmans said. Their agency at the time was “probably 90 percent original bands and 10 percent tributes, and I never felt like they quite understood what to do with us. They would just wait for offers to come in.”

Since making the change, bookings have doubled, “and we’ve watched attendance grow at shows too,” Koopmans said. “I don’t think that’s all attributed to the booking agent in general. I think a lot of that is just us finding the right places to play. But the product is getting a lot better.”

“And the name getting out there, man,” Moffat added. “It’s a good name, and people remember it.”

It’s almost too good — that’s why Moffat and Loman, who helps with the band’s graphic design, modified the logo so the word “NOT” is uppercase. “We were getting ourselves into some trouble,” Koopmans said. “Not by the real band, but by people buying tickets and being pissed all the time that they’d been duped.”

Once, when the band played New York City’s Highline Ballroom, ticket presales exploded, recalled Moffat, probably due to a hopeful case of mistaken identity. “We played the show, and the room was half full,” he said. “In all likelihood, some scalpers scooped up all the tickets when they saw it, because they didn’t look carefully enough. We thought it was a great way to get back at scalpers.”

Fans that come to see them run the gamut.

“Some want to hear Freaky Stylie, others want stuff from Stadium Arcadium,” Loman said. “You watch them all kind of light up, with whatever era or song that you’re playing. It’s just so interesting to then talk to them after and they’ll be like, ‘Oh man, when I was growing up, the most important album of my life, that blew my mind, was Blood Sugar Sex Magic.’ Then another one’s like, ‘Dude, Californication was my favorite’ and another one’s Stadium Arcadium. It goes through the generations in such a wonderful way.”

Singer Vives echoed Loman. “My favorite thing is how passionate fans of Red Hot Chili Peppers are,” he said. “It’s so easy to connect with them about the shared joy of living this music together. They’re showing up, and we all have the same goal. There’s no need convincing them to have a good time.”

Moffat is happiest when a wary fan takes a chance. “It’s like, ‘I had no expectations. It was 20 bucks, it’s a band that I love, I thought you guys were going to suck, and I came in and I was blown away,’” he said. “That’s all I really want, you know. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Red NOT Chili Peppers will appear on Friday, Aug. 9, at Wally’s Pub in Hampton Beach.

Double duty – Yellow LedVedder/Your Honor

Few bands challenge aspiring tribute acts like Pearl Jam. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are not only still performing, but the Seattle grunge heroes also released a new album this year. The record, Dark Matter, caused one critic to exclaim, “the faithful will rejoice, and the PJ fall stadium tour is completely sold out.

The latter fact is a principal reason that a band like Yellow LedVedder is even viable. In fact, one of their biggest gigs happened in a bar across the street from Fenway Park, where Pearl Jam was playing that night.

“It was one of the most amazing experiences,” Ben Kilcollins, the band’s lead vocalist, said in a recent phone interview. “We had a lot of people saying, ‘Oh, we couldn’t get tickets, so we figured we’d just come down and kind of listen outside of Fenway, then we saw that you guys were here.”

Ever the fans, Kilcollins and his bandmates had one eye on the door all night. “The whole time we’re hoping, Pearl Jam’s around here, maybe they’ll come in, but it never happened,” he recalled. “The best dream come true in the world is just to get an affirmation of, ‘Hey, guys, we see what you’re doing, keep up the good work.’ Even if it was a cease and desist, it’d just be good to hear from the band that they know you exist.”

Playing songs by a band that’s still here is a feature, not a bug.

“A lot of the other bands are paying tribute to guys who weren’t around for very long, but I think it helps that Pearl Jam is still on tour,” Kilcollins said. “Instead of guessing, like Nirvana, what would they be doing now, we already have an answer. It’s what they were playing yesterday.”

Kilcollins continued that miming Vedder, who’s near 60 and still “running around on stage, jumping on people’s shoulders and doing the exact same thing he was doing 30 years ago” also motivates his band, which includes bassist Andy Aikens, Joel Amsden and Pete Risano on guitars and drummer Jason Young. “Eddie’s leaving kids in the dust, he’s still running around the entire band,” he said. “I try to bring to our shows that aspect of their high energy.”

Lending weight to that assertion is the band’s latest endeavor.

“The day Taylor Hawkins died, we decided to put on a Foo Fighters tribute,” Kilcollins said. It was planned as a one-off, but they’ve done four or five shows in the past two years. “We try to pick and choose where we do it, because we don’t want to oversaturate…. We’ll play a full set of Pearl Jam stuff, take a break, and then do a full set of Foo Fighters, kind of opening for ourselves.”

Yellow LedVedder’s summer schedule is under construction. See @yellowledvedderband on Instagram for more.

Originalists – Crush, a Dave Matthews Tribute Band

Though the Dave Matthews Band is still out on tour, with two sold out Meadowbrook shows happening this summer, it’s not the same group that set the world on fire in 1994 with its debut album Under the Table and Dreaming. When violin player Boyd Tinsley departed in 2018, he wasn’t replaced, and DMB took on a different sound.

That’s made Crush, a DMB tribute band based in Boston, a vital link to the past. It includes a Tinsley doppelganger, sans any scandalous baggage, in the form of fiddler Abe Dewing, which keeps songs like “Ants Marching” and “What Would You Say” true to their origins. That’s just the beginning of what makes Crush a solid draw in New England. They also achieve a look and feel that sets it apart from other efforts

“I think some tribute bands will play note for note, and do exactly what the actual bands do, even on the recordings,” Matt Salito, who plays guitar in Crush, said recently. “There’s certainly a skill to that, but I think part of the fun of being in our band is we take some of those songs and we add our own style to it. We change it just enough where you know it’s Crush playing the song.”

They’re careful not to book too close to any DMB appearances, partly because there’s a decent chance they’ll be buying tickets, but also, they’re realistic. “We realize they’re going to be more of a draw than a tribute band,” he said. Besides, they wouldn’t want to miss a tailgate party. “We meet other people at those shows, and we’re like, ‘Hey, we play a lot in the late summer, in the fall, even in the winter when Dave’s not really doing his thing anymore. So come check us out.”

Salito started Crush as an acoustic duo with Brett Huntley after the two were introduced through a mutual friend in 2011.

“We met at his apartment in South Boston at the time and played a few songs, exchanged information and tried to make arrangements to play again,” Salito recalled. “Along the way, we started seeing a couple other tribute bands to Dave. We really liked what they were doing, and we [thought] we can try to give this a shot ourselves too and see how it plays out.”

After playing a high school graduation party for a family friend, the idea of a full band gained momentum. Crush played its first show in October 2011. There’s been a few lineup shuffles, but Crush has stayed the same in recent years. That’s allowed them to become a more cohesive unit, Salito continued.

“We’ve developed a little family within the band, and I think you can see that vibe on stage,” he said. “We’re really feeling like we’re in a good place as to the songs we’re choosing and the parts we’re playing, and how we’re meshing as a unit. And really being a part of the audience in a sense; even as the performers, that’s important. I think that’s part of our draw too.”

Crush, A Dave Matthews Tribute Band appears Friday, July 26, at Cisco Brewers in Portsmouth.

All in the family – Stone Temple Posers

Olaf Westphalen was a modern country music fan when his 12-year-old stepson John convinced him to listen to a few Soundgarden and Nirvana songs. The stepdad enjoyed it, and really locked into Stone Temple Pilots upon hearing them the first time. By the early 2000s, Olaf and John were playing in cover bands together, including Wretched Von Krank, The Nerve, and Cold Comfort.

Most satisfying, though, is Stone Temple Posers, a tribute to you guessed it, which played its first show in 2015 and has been a solid area draw since, with stepfather and stepson a bass/drums rhythm section, guitarist Paul Ouellette, and lead singer Hal White rounding out the group. Prior to the Posers, Olaf and Ouellette were briefly in STP tribute act Crown of Apathy; Westphalen was in Stone Temple Aviators and SiN after that.

John Westphalen began playing music when his stepdad gave him a Ludwig drum kit that belonged to his uncle, who also played in a band. “I always liked the drums, and Dave Grohl; I was a big Nirvana guy,” he said by phone recently. Though his new kit was a bit beat up, he didn’t mind. “Don’t get much more grunge than a rusty drum set.”

He stuck with it, and after his parents bought him a brand-new Tama kit, “I’ve been playing ever since.”

Before Weiland died, John Westphalen had a couple of chances to see him live with STP. “I saw them at Casino Ballroom, and it was one of the best shows,” he said. “Of course, he was an hour late, but he was engaged with the crowd, and they sounded awesome. He looked like he was enjoying himself. Then I saw him again in Gilford. He wasn’t nearly as engaged and seemed like he didn’t want to be there. I think they broke up for the final time like three months after that show.”

In addition to being a lot of fun, Stone Temple Posers is the young Westphalen’s longest-running band still boasting every member. It’s also the only one he’s in at this point.

“It used to be me, Olaf and Paul, and then we’d have a hard time finding a singer that would just show up, do the shows,” he said. “Hal, he’s been perfect, very easy-going. If we have a show coming up, we’ll practice the Monday before and just make sure we tighten up a little bit, and then we’ll play. Bang. No messing around.”

Their common bond is love for a big sound from a great decade.

“We’re a bunch of guys that really just enjoy that era in music,” he said. “We know other people do too, and we really try to give it justice by sounding like Stone Temple Pilots but also having our own little sound to it, too. So it’s not just a complete knockoff.”

Stone Temple Posers appear Wednesday, June 26, at Plaistow Town Common in Plaistow.

Straddling the Decade – White Belts

If Lollapalooza signaled the start of the ’90s, the Vans Warped Tour helped usher it out. White Belts, a band that hosts Emo Night at the Press Room in Portsmouth and plays throughout New England, aims to keep that spirit alive by reliving as much of that moment as it can.

“We consider ourselves an emo tribute band,” drummer Matt Wishnack said during a phone interview that included White Belts bass player Tom Sargent. “Emo encapsulates the rise of Hot Topic, Newbury Comics and alternative music, which kind of molded itself in that time period.”

As to the bands they cover, “you get a lot of Jimmy Eat World, Under Oath, Dashboard Confessional, New Found Glory, and we get some pop punk stuff like Blink-182,” Sargent said. “Taking Back Sunday is a main staple, as is My Chemical Romance. I think we’d all be shocked if we didn’t play one song from them in our shows.”

Wishnack added Fall Out Boy to this list of “tentpole bands.”

Audiences tend to be in their mid-20s to early 30s; a little early to start reliving their youth, but nostalgia has an odd pull that White Belts tries to honor.

“We want people to have a similar reaction to seeing us as they would actually seeing Taking Back Sunday,” Wishnack said. “Which obviously is impossible, but you can see the difference when people are reacting to you that way and when they’re just reacting to a cover band.”

When they play Emo Night at the Press Room, they’ll bring along a like-minded band, like Mall Cops or Summer Cult, who played at last year’s Boston Calling. At the next scheduled event on July 6, the Boston-based band We Demand Parachutes will appear.

White Belts includes, along with Wishnack and Sargent, lead singer Derek Bunker and guitarists Nick Grieco and Kyle Kowalsky. All true believers, which, Wishnack stressed, is what makes them unique.

“What separates us from some other bands is we feel like we really represent the music and the bands that we’re covering well. If you’re going to create a block to make you feel like you’re at Warped Tour for two hours without actually going, this is as close as you can get.”

Added Sargent, “and you won’t need sunscreen.”

White Belts hosts Emo Night with We Demand Parachutes on Saturday, July 6, at The Press Room in Portsmouth.