Category: Cover Stories

Local Eateries talk about how they’re faring,
Plus a pairing of restaurants and theater in Manchester

Running a restaurant has never been easy.

The past four years have surpassed the definition of “challenging” for the restaurant industry — from the pandemic that shut New Hampshire restaurants down in March 2020 to all the supply chain, staffing and inflation issues that have come after. So how’s it going now?

How it’s going

Less than optimal, according to Todd Roy, owner of Cheers Grille and Bar in Concord.

“It’s not great,” he said. “Everything is down; I can tell you that.”

Roy blames a combination of inflation and too many restaurants in the Concord area.

“There’s just not enough population to support all of us,” he said. But he sees inflation as a bigger challenge to his business. Rent, utilities, and especially food costs have gone up, but there are secondary effects as well. When money is tight, he clarifies, restaurant patrons have to set priorities: “Going out to eat goes farther down the list.”

“We’re all struggling. I’ve added breakfast on the weekends to raise our revenue,” Roy said.

Jeff Paige, chef and co-owner of Cotton in Manchester, is happier about business conditions. “Business has been great,” Paige said. Overall, his regulars have been very loyal.

“We’ve been able to build a relationship with our customers over the years,” Paige said. “A few of them come in so regularly that they call in to let us know if they can’t make it in.”

He agrees that staffing can be challenging. Cotton, which pre-pandemic was open weekdays for lunch, has had to drop lunch service.

“Lunch was busy; we just didn’t have the staff,” Paige said. Fortunately, most of Paige’s core kitchen staff have been with him for 20 years or more. “We make sure we take care of those people. We’re fortunate that we’ve been able to pay more than a lot of other restaurants.”

Amanda Wihby, co-owner and COO of Red Arrow, agrees that business is good. During uncertain times customers crave comfort food — something that diners like the Red Arrow specialize in.

“It’s been a tumultuous four years,” she said. “We’re finally coming out of the effects of the pandemic. Because of inflation, we’re seeing the customers coming back.”

Ready to eat?

Keith Sarasin, cookbook author, chef and owner of The Farmer’s Dinner Dining Group, sees a change in many restaurant customers, who have traditionally had conservative tastes in food. “It’s encouraging,” he said. “People are embracing foods that they aren’t familiar with — that haven’t been represented in the mainstream up until now. The education piece has been much higher for the average diner. As a chef, that’s super encouraging.”

He also sees more of a relationship between customers and individual chefs.

“I’m seeing trends where people are getting involved with the [local] chef community. I see diners following chefs from restaurant to restaurant,” Sarasin said.

Chris Viaud, the chef and owner of Greenleaf (serving seasonal, contemporary American style food) and Ansamn (Haitian cuisine) restaurants in Milford, has been surprised and gratified by the loyalty of his customers over the past few years.

“Our guests have been so supportive,” he said. “In 2019, we got off to a great start, then boom! But our customers have been supportive of both our restaurants, coming out during Covid and helping build us back up.”

Viaud, too, sees customers becoming more adventurous.

“They’re definitely more sophisticated than they used to be,” he said. “Diners do want to see different and new things. As a chef, my excitement comes from being able to adapt and change. I’m excited that there is such excitement for new and different cuisines.”

On the menu

While traditional comfort foods will always play an important role in New Hampshire dining, across the board, cuisine diversity was frequently mentioned as the biggest change in the local restaurant scene.

“I think we’re getting more international food,” said Jessica Martin, Executive Director of Intown Concord. “We’ve got our classics, but we’re getting a lot more restaurants in Concord that reflect how diverse our population is becoming.” She cited Batulo’s Kitchen, a Concord restaurant that specializes in Somali-inspired cuisine, as one example.

“There’s Buba Noodle (a Vietnamese restaurant), N’awlins Grille (Creole), and STREET, which specializes in dishes inspired by street food from around the world,” Martin said.

Sarasin agrees that the New Hampshire restaurant community is embracing diversity and food from around the world. He points to Classic Biryani, Kabab and Curry — an Indian restaurant on Manchester’s West Side.

“I travel all over the country, tasting food everywhere. As far as I’m concerned, this is the best kebab house in the country. It’s incredibly encouraging that a community like Manchester can support an Indian restaurant of that quality,” Sarasin said.

Wihby of the Red Arrow agrees.

“I’d like to see even more diversity in fine-dining restaurants,” she said. “It would be great to see more places popping up.” She expressed a fondness for Thai Food Connection, which has restaurants in Manchester and Bedford.

Viaud, whose Ansanm restaurant in Milford specializes in Haitian-fusion cuisine, feels vindicated by the expansion of offerings.

“Coming up in the industry, you get pigeonholed,” Viaud said. “I feel strongly that this is my background, and I want to share it. Customers have definitely become more sophisticated. Indian, Mexican, Italian — they’re open to it all.”

Kaji Maharjan of Kathmandu Spice, a Nepali/Indian restaurant in Manchester, said before Covid most of his business was in-house dining.

“2021 was a very bad year, though,” Maharjan said. “Now, 25 to 30 percent of our customers eat here; the rest of our business is takeout, at this point.”

He said that in addition to customers using Grubhub, UberEats and DoorDash, his restaurant has changed its online presence. “Now people can order online or call in their orders,” which, he said, translates into even more takeout business.

Maharjan said that over the past year, however, in-house dining has been on the rise.

“There are more people eating here,” he said. “It’s slowly getting better.”

What’s next

According to Jessica Martin at IntownConcord, there are some very positive developments on the horizon. She points to the Capitol Center For the Arts’ Culinary Artist in Residence program, which works with newly arrived community members who want to start a food business. The culinary residents are able to use the Capitol Center’s two commercial kitchens to develop a customer base and to work out recipes on a commercial scale.

She also points to State Street Kitchen’s incubator program, which helps provide equipment and training for prospective small food businesses. Traditional restaurant models are changing. “We’ve been working on bringing more food trucks to the area,” she said, such as the food trucks that show up for the monthly First Friday shopping events.

Jeff Paige at Cotton sees more changes to traditional service models in the future.

“I’m seeing a trend toward dinner-only service,” he said. Staffing issues and kitchen efficiencies make eliminating lunch more attractive to restaurant owners. He also points to the difficulty of staying open seven days a week.

“Tuesday through Sunday makes the most sense for most of us,” he said, “and holiday Mondays.” Paige said that although the past few years have been tough, he’s cautiously optimistic. “We’re doing really well and a few of our friends who own restaurants are doing well, too.”

Kaji Maharjan at Kathmandu Spice agrees. His restaurant has been open seven days a week for years, but has just started closing on Tuesdays.

“Being open all the time is just too hard,” he said. “My staff needs a break.”

Roy at Cheers continues to worry about rising business costs: “I just signed a three-year contract with my food reps to keep prices down.”

Sarasin sees New Hampshire’s restaurant scene as only becoming more diverse, and more focused on superior ingredients. “More small, chef-driven restaurants centered around high-quality, fresh, seasonal ingredients are going to thrive,” he said.

Viaud sees area restaurants working together to build a culinary community where restaurants play off each other. As customers at one restaurant open themselves up to new experiences, hopefully they will take that spirit of adventure with them to other restaurants.

Different restaurants with different cuisines pull together to build a common culinary vocabulary. “I’m hoping the industry continues to be collaborative,” he said.

Great Manchester Restaurant Week

Greater Manchester Restaurant Week runs through March 14. The Greater Manchester Chamber and the Palace Theatre are working together this year, to promote the Palace’s production of the Broadway musical The Prom (running weekends March 1 to March 24) by collaborating with more than 25 participating Manchester restaurants, who will have special offerings from custom cocktails to prix-fixe meals.

“Pairing a Restaurant Week with the Palace Theatre’s production of Prom is quite a creative way to experience the culinary and cultural contributions of the Greater Manchester community,” said Cole Riel, Director of Small Business and Community Development at the Greater Manchester Chamber, in a press release.

“We’ve been wanting to sponsor a restaurant week for a couple of years now,” says Kelsey Collins, the Marketing Director for the Palace Theatre. “Prom is a new show for us and we’re very excited about it, so we decided to do it now.”

The Prom is a musical comedy about four overly enthusiastic Broadway actors who try to help an Indiana teenager, who has been banned from attending her prom. Their over-the-top efforts are overwhelming to the teenage girl, who just wants to be left alone.

Many participating restaurants will be serving prom-themed cocktails and meals. Campo Enoteca has developed a pair of bespoke cocktails called “The King of Prom” and “The Queen of Prom.” The Gyro Spot is featuring an “After Prom Special” — two gyros of the customer’s choice, and a special chocolate-covered loukoumades. Current Kitchen & Bar at DoubleTree is serving a Honey Nut Cheerios ‘Prom-tini’ with Honey Nut Cheerios-infused rum, Angry Orchard hard cider and honey cinnamon simple syrup.

“A lot of theater-goers are going out to dinner,” Collins explains, “either before or after a show. This is a good way to let them know about the great restaurants in the area, and vice versa.”

The Prom is running at the Palace Theatre until March 21. For tickets and a list of participating restaurants, see palacetheatre.org/restaurant-week.

Your guide to summer day camps

The calendar says winter but when it comes to signing kids up for day camps, summer 2024 is already here.

Many camps begin sign-ups in February or even January, with previous years’ campers often getting early access to registration. (A tip for parents just entering the camp game is to take a less-than-ideal week your first year to get a foot in the door and get access to early sign-ups the next year. Another tip is to see if there is a waitlist for camps that are full — this far in advance, plans can change and spaces can open up.)

Here are some of the area day camps (camps offering at least half-day sessions) that have plans for summer 2024. Information comes from the organizations’ websites unless otherwise stated. (Some camps may also have extended care options and counselor-in-training options for teenagers not mentioned here.) Know of a camp not mentioned here? Let us know at [email protected].

General Interest Day Camp

• Amherst Parks & Recreation amherstnh.myrec.com In addition to its daylong summer camps, the Amherst Parks & Recreation department offers half-day and part-day camps on a variety of subjects including “Art Around the World” (July 8-11, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; for grades 1-5); “Creative Skill Builders Camp” (Aug. 19-22, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; grades 1-5); “Eagles Basketball Camp” (sessions vary based on age); “Mini Camp at Outdoor Discovery” (weeklong June 24 through Aug. 2, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; ages 4 and 5) and “Move More Camp” (grades 3-6; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the weeks of June 17, July 8 and Aug. 5.

• Baboosic Lake Summer Camp Baboosic Lake Beach in Amherst; amherstnh.myrec.com Camp for kids entering grades 1 through 7 will feature crafts, swimming, games and more, during weeklong sessions running June 24 through Aug. 16, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with before (as early as 7 a.m.) and after care (as late as 5:30 p.m.) available with advance registration and an additional fee. Campers need to be able to swim. $335 per week for nonresidents; $285 for Amherst residents.

• Boys & Girls Club of Central and Northern New Hampshire nhyouth.org/summer-camps Summer camps are geared to kids entering kindergarten through 8th grade (with some opportunities for older kids and counselors in training depending on the location). This Boys & Girls Club offers summer camps at 14 locations — see the website for camps in Sutton, New London, Lisbon, Laconia and Andover.

Suncook Clubhouse (8 Whitten St. in Allenstown; 210-2854) will operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; cost is $210 per week before May 1, $235 after.

Bradley Street Clubhouse (55 Bradley St. in Concord; 224-1061) will operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; cost is $210 per week before May 1, $235 after.

Christa McAuliffe School (17 N. Spring St. in Concord; 268-9568) will serve kids going into kindergarten through 6th grade and operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; cost is $210 per week before May 1, $235 after.

Epsom Central School (282 Black Hall Road in Epsom; 268-9566) will operate 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; cost is $210 per week before May 1, $235 after.

Maple Street School Hopkinton (194 Maple St. in Contoocook; 268-9562) will operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; cost is $210 per week before May 1, $235 after.

Penacook location (26 Washington St. in Penacook; 224-1061) will operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; cost is $210 per week before May 1, $235 after.

Simonds Elementary School (Church St. in Warner; 268-9561) will operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; cost is $210 per week before May 1, $235 after.

Weare Upper Elementary/Middle School (16 East Road in Weare) will operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; cost is $210 per week before May 1, $235 after.

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua 1 Positive Place in Nashua; bgcn.com/summer-camp; 883-0523 Nine weeklong sessions running June 24 through Aug. 23, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, with early-bird option as early as 7 a.m. Programs are divided by Early Learning Center Day Camp (kindergarten through 3rd grade); Ohana-Nash Summer Camp (4th through 6th grade); Tween (entering 7th grade) and Teen (8th through 12th grade). See the website for each week’s theme and for the various pricing options according to age, income and number of weeks.

• Boys & Girls Club of the Souhegan Valley 56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford; svbgc.org; 672-1002. Weeklong sessions run June 17 through Aug. 23 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily for kids ages kindergarten through 12th grade, divided in groups by ages. Activity offerings include arts, dance, science, STEAM, sports, swimming, field trips and more, according to the website. $225 per week by April 19; $250 after April 19 plus a one-time swim pass fee and club membership.

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem NH 3 Geremonty Drive in Salem; salembgc.org/summercamp; 898-7709 Camps are divided into Little Explorers (beginning at age 4), Camp FUNtastic (for 1st- through 5th-graders) and Teen Center Camp (6th grade through age 16). Campers enjoy age-appropriate activities including swimming, gym time, arts and crafts, field trips and more. Weeklong sessions June 17 through Aug. 23, 8:45 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. with extended care offerings from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. $265 per week plus $50 membership fee.

• Brainwave STEAM Camps 2nd Nature Academy, 10 Groton Road in Nashua; 881-4815; 2ndnatureacademy.com/brainwave Camps for ages 6 to 14, with some classes geared to more narrow age ranges, with focuses on arts (such as “En Plein Air” and “Brainwave Comic-Zines”), science (“Python Unleashed” and “Atomic Odyssey”), maker stuff (“Paperpalooza” and “Bling Fling”) gaming and more. Weeks of June 24 through Aug. 19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended care options 7:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. $440 for most weeks.

• Brentwood Summer Camp Brentwood Recreation Complex, 190 Route 125 in Brentwood; rec.brentwoodnh.gov/programs/youthEight weeklong sessions featuring water activities, field games, arts & crafts, team-building activities, field trips and more, grouped into Youth Camp (grades 1 through 5) and Adventure Camp (grades 6 to 8). Weeks of June 24 through Aug. 16, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with extended care 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for an extra fee.

• Camp Adventure Auburn Parks & Recreation Department; auburnparksandrec.com Four weeklong camps in July (starting the week of July 8) meeting at the Safety Complex at 8:30 a.m. and returning at 4:30 p.m. with kids in grades 5 to 8 taking field trips around the state. Registration is open now for Auburn residents and opens May 1 for nonresidents. $325 per week.

• Camp Carpenter 300 Blondin Road in Manchester; nhscouting.org/outdoor-programs/camp-carpenter Cub Scout Camp of the Daniel Webster Council of the Boy Scouts of America offering activities including archery, arts & crafts, BB gun shooting, field sports, nature, Scout skills and more. Five weeklong day camps run the week of July 8 through the week of Aug. 5, 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Camp director chats via Zoom will be held Sunday, March 31, at 7 p.m.; Sunday, April 28, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 19, at 7 p.m. Camp Carpenter also has an overnight camp program for packs. Cost is $340 for day camp.

• Camp Foster 36 Camp Allen Road in Bedford; 644-0102; operated by the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester; mbgcnh.org/programs/summer_programsTen weeklong sessions featuring traditional outdoor day camp activities — swimming, arts & crafts, field games, boating, hiking, athletics and more — and a weekly field trip. The camp runs the week of June 17 through the week of Aug. 19. Camp Foster is open to kids in grades 1-7 (in the 2024-2025 school year). Kidz Kamp for kids entering kindergarten takes place at the Union Street Clubhouse (555 Union St. in Manchester) and also features age-appropriate field trips. A “Summer Teen/Tween Program” offers a drop-in option for kids grades 6 to 12, Monday through Fridays from 1 to 7 p.m. with some pre-scheduled field trips. Camp Foster runs from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost is Boys & Girls Club membership fees plus $200 per week.

• Camp Kettleford 26 Camp Allen Road in Bedford; girlscoutsgwm.org Day camp of the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Kettleford offers weeklong sessions for girls in kindergarten through 8th grade and two-week programs for girls over 5th grade. Sessions start the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 12. Each session has themes. A virtual camp chat will be held Monday, April 8, at 6:30 p.m. and an open camp day will be held Sunday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to noon. Campers can be dropped off at 9 a.m. and picked up at 5 p.m. or ride a bus from set locations. Weeklong programs cost $350; two-week programs cost $675.

• Camp Lincoln 67 Ball Road in Kingston; 642-3361; ymcacamplincoln.org; hosted by Southern District YMCA, sdymca.org Six weeklong sessions (weeks of June 17, June 24, July 8, July 22, Aug. 5 and Aug 19) offer a traditional day camp for kids in kindergarten through 9th grade as well as specialty camps during some weeks with subjects such as cooking, survival, mountain biking, fantasy games, theater, woodworking, jewelry, movie production and adventure (field trips). There are also counselor-in-training programs. Cost varies according to program. Bus pickups are available (may vary from session to session) including stops in Windham, Derry and Londonderry. Dropoff is at 8:30 a.m., with pickup at 4:30 p.m.

• Camp Lovewell 2nd Nature Academy, 10 Groton Road in Nashua; 881-4815; camplovewell.com Nine weeklong sessions the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 19 with the camp offering team-building activities, ropes course, archery, arts & crafts, nature studies and orienteering, farm animal visits, swimming, kayaking, sports and field games, drama and skits, hiking and exploration and more, according to the website. Camp is for ages 6 to 14 and runs 9 a.m to 4 p.m., with extended care 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (for extra fees). $420 for ages 6 to 8, $410 for ages 9 to 14, plus a registration fee.

• Camp Naticook merrimackparksandrec.org Weeklong camp sessions at Wasserman Park in Merrimack starting the week of June 24 with each week themed (“Aloha Summer” is the first week) and campers participating in a variety of activities including arts & crafts, archery, boating in Naticook Lake, nature, sports & games, theater and more. A daily hot lunch is provided. Camp runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended care available as early as 7 a.m. and as late as 6 p.m. Camp is for kids entering kindergarten through 5th grade in fall of 2024; 5th-graders can choose between Camp Naticook and Camp Trek. $248 per week for Merrimack residents, $360 per week for nonresidents. Additional fees for extended care. Sibling discounts are available.

• Camp Otter 66 Hooker Farm Road in Salem; camp.mvymca.org/camp-otter A coed day camp on Captain’s Pond with “weekly themes, a swimming area for both instructional and free swim time, boating, basketball/volleyball courts, a baseball/soccer field, an archery and air rifle range, arts & crafts, ropes courses and more. Daily transportation is provided throughout the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire,” according to the website. The camp is operated by Merrimack Valley YMCA, based in Massachusetts (mvymca.org), and runs the weeks of June 24 through Aug. 26, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost varies per week.

• Camp Ponemah Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road in Milford; 673-7123, ext. 272; hampshirehills.com/camp-ponemah 10 weeklong sessions run the week of June 17 through the week of Aug. 19 featuring games, swimming, crafts and more, 7:30 a.m. (camp begins at 9 a.m.) to 4 p.m., with extended care Mondays through Thursdays to 5:30 p.m. Camp is for kids kindergarten through 7th grade. A Little Warriors program for ages 4 and 5 runs seven weeks (weeks of June 24 through Aug. 5) 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Troop T is for grades 8 and 9 and also runs those seven weeks. $359 for nonmembers, $309 for members for the main camp. Price varies for Little Warriors and Troop T. Discounts for siblings.

• Camp Trek merrimackparksandrec.org Weeklong camp sessions meeting in Merrimack for kids in grades 5-9 starting the week of June 24 and running through the week of Aug. 19. This camp is a trip- and activity-based program with daily field trips (such as, during the first week, to a ninja gym, Surry Mountain Lake, the movie theater, Canobie Lake Park and Wallis Sands State Beach). Camp runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with trips departing between 8:30 and 9 a.m. and getting back in the afternoon before camp ends. Extended care is available as early as 7 a.m. and as late as 6 p.m. $340 for Merrimack residents, $390 for nonresidents, with extra fees for extended care and sibling discounts.

• Camp Witzel bedfordnh.myrec.com Seven-week camp of weeklong sessions based in Bedford for ages 6 to 13. Each week has a theme — “Game Show Mania” for July 15-19, for example — and a field trip destination (that week is Canobie Lake Park in Salem). Sessions start the week of June 24 and run through the week of Aug. 5. The camp runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (July 1-3 only that week). $300 for a five-day week, including field trip, for Bedford residents; $315 for nonresidents. Discounts for going fewer days, for the short July 1 week and for multiple siblings registered the same week.

• Concord Parks & Recreation Adventure Camp City-Wide Community Center, 14 Canterbury Road in Concord, concordparksandrec.com , 225-8690 Open to grades 3 through 8, the camp features beach trips, hikes, theme parks, kayaking, surfing and more, with out-of-town trips generally Monday through Thursday and Friday spent in town, according to a Parks & Rec email. The cost per week is $205 for Concord residents; $215 for non-residents. The camp runs the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 12, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

• Concord Parks & Recreation Stay & Play Summer Camp City-Wide Community Center, 14 Canterbury Road in Concord, concordparksandrec.com , 225-8690 Open to 1st through 5th graders, this 8-week traditional day camp will feature swimming, arts & crafts, field games and more, according to a Parks & Rec official. The cost is $175 for Concord residents; $185 for non-residents. The camp runs the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 12, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

• Girls, Inc. of New Hampshire 340 Varney St. in Manchester, 623-1117; 27 Burke St., Nashua, 882-6256; girlsincnewhampshire.org Eight weeklong sessions of camp, starting June 24, featuring field trips, swimming, weekly themes and more for girls entering kindergarten through 7th grade. Breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner are provided. Cost is $225 — with sliding fee scales, financial assistance and scholarships available.

• Granite State YMCA graniteymca.org/camps/day-camp The Granite State YMCA offers day camps at 10 locations as well as two overnight camps — Camp Foss for girls ages 7 to 15 (campfoss.org) and Camp Mi-Te-Na for boys ages 7 to 15 (campmitena.org). See the website for day camp offerings in Somersworth, the Seacoast and Strafford County.

YMCA of Downtown Manchester(30 Mechanic St.; 437-9622) Weeklong summer programs for ages 6-11 featuring arts, sports, swimming, field trips and more, running the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 11; prices are $285 per week, with discounts for members and siblings. The camp runs from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with swim lessons offered for an extra price. The Manchester location also has a Teen Trip Camp for ages 7th grade through 11th grade, featuring daily field trips, the weeks of July 1 through the week of Aug. 12. That camp runs 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with before and after care options. The cost for most weeks is $409, with discounts for members.

YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown (116 Goffstown Back Road; 497-4663) Camp Halfmoon features nine weeklong camp sessions that run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (with before and after care options) the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 19. The camp is divided into Astros (entering 1st and 2nd grade), Cosmos (entering 3rd and 4th grade) and Explorers (5th through 8th grade). Each week has a theme. Halfmoon generally offers the traditional outdoor day camp experience with arts & crafts, archery, climbing, field games, swimming and more. The cost is $335 per week, with discounts for members. Camp Quartermoon for kids entering kindergarten also offers a similar full-day experience (the cost is $240 for non-members). Specialty camps on subjects like baking, archery, art, photography and more are also offered (with more narrow age groups and different fees). Teen Trip camp (for ages 12 to 16) features weeklong sessions with daily field trips for $409 for non-members running the weeks of July 1 through the week of Aug. 12. Teens can also join Leader In Training (for ages 13-14) and Counselor In Training (for ages 15-16), which are multi-week sessions. The Allard center also offers weeklong sessions of Ninja, Cheerleading and Gymnastics camps (ages 6 to 18, depending on the subject), with half-day options for kids 4 to 6; weeklong sessions of Adventure Camps for ages 10-11 and 12-15, and tennis camps for ages 6-16.

Camp Mowkawogan (Abbot-Downing School, 152 South St. in Concord; 228-9622) Nine weeklong sessions for ages 6 to 14 begin the week of June 24 and run through the week of Aug. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with before and after care options as early as 7 a.m. and as late as 5:30 p.m. The camp experience includes swimming and field trips. Campers are in groups divided by age and the cost is $285 per week for nonmembers. Leader In Training camps are available for ages 13-14 in three two-week sessions.

YMCA Day Camp of Hooksett (Hooksett Memorial School, 5 Memorial Drive in Hooksett; 623-3558) Eight weeklong camps run the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 12, with a traditional camp experience for ages 6-10, grouped by age (the cost is $285 for nonmembers), a teen camp for ages 11-13 (also $285 for nonmembers) and a Leader In Training program for ages 13-14 that runs for three two-week sessions ($300 per session). The camp runs 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with before and after care options and discounts for members and Hooksett residents.

Camp Pa-Gon-Ki (206 Rockingham Road in Londonderry; 437-9622) Nine weeklong sessions run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily for ages 4-5 and 6-15 the weeks of June 24 through Aug. 19. An extra three-day pre-week session runs June 19-21 for ages 6 and up. The kids are grouped by age and enjoy a traditional outdoor day camp experience including sports and swimming. An additional swimming lesson option is available, as well as before and after care as early as 7 a.m. and as late at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $325 for non-members. Specialty camps, which include fort-building, dodgeball, basketball, art, soccer and more, run for more limited age groups during specific weeks (cost is $358). Leader in Training (for ages 13-14) and Counselor in Training (15-16) run for two-week sessions.

Derry Voyager Camp (location TBD; 437-9622) Eight weeklong camps run June 24 through Aug. 12, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for ages 6-11. The cost is $270 for nonmembers. Each week is themed; campers take part in STEAM-based activities related to each week’s theme.

Windham Explorers Camp (Windham Center School, 2 Lowell Road; 437-9622) Eight weeklong camps run June 24 through Aug. 12, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for ages 6-11. The cost is $270 for nonmembers. Each week is themed; campers take part in STEAM-based activities related to each week’s theme.

• Hudson Parks & Recreation Summer Program hudsonnh.gov/recreation/page/summer-program Hudson offers a program running from the end of June through mid-August, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday for kids ages 6 to 14. Registration opens March 19.

• IMAGINE Camps New Morning Schools, 23 Back River Road in Bedford; 669-3591; newmorningschools.com Indoor and outdoor activities and clubs for kids age 6 to 12. Camp is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays with weekly and daily options. There is also a preschool camp for ages 3 to 6 who are independent bathroom users. Check with the website for updates regarding summer offerings.

• Krazy Kids 60 Sheep Davis Road in Pembroke; krazykids.com/register-for-summer-camp, 228-PLAY Nine weeklong sessions June 24 through Aug. 23 featuring indoor and outdoor play and a once-a-week field trip. Camp is for ages 5 to 11 and runs 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended care as early as 7:30 a.m. and as late as 5:30 p.m. $225, with extra fees for field trips and discounts for siblings.

• Fun in the Sun from Manchester Parks & Rec; manchesternh.recdesk.com Camp for ages 6 to 12 (must be a Manchester resident) takes place at Livingston Park, JFK Coliseum and Piscataquog River Park. The camp is free to attend and runs from July 8 through Aug. 16. Registration will be live in April.

• Manchester Police Athletic League 409 Beech St. in Manchester; 626-0211; manchesterpoliceathleticleague.org MPAL is open to kids ages 5 to 18 who are attending school. The summer program runs Mondays through Fridays, from 9 a.m. to noon. Call for details.

• My Gym Children’s Fitness Center 410 S. River Road in Bedford; 668-7196; mygym.com/bedford Two-day mini camps (Tuesday and Thursdays, 1 to 3:30 p.m.) are offered for potty-trained kids ages 4 to 9 the week of June 25 through the week of Aug. 20. Cost is $49 per session.

• Nashua Parks & Recreation summer camp nashua.recdesk.com Weeklong camps will run from the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 19. Registration will begin March 1; see website.

• North End Montessori School 698 Beech St. in Manchester; northendmontessori.com; 621-6011 The school offers summer programming starting June 17 and running through Aug. 30. This year’s theme is “Passport Around the World,” with each week having its own focus such as North America (week 1), Africa (week 5), Antarctica (week 8), International Food and Music (week 9) and more.

• Outdoor Discovery Camp Peabody Mill Environmental Center in Amherst; amherstnh.myrec.com “A fun-filled camp focused on exploring the great outdoors and encouraging an appreciation for the natural environment,” according to the website. Weeklong sessions run June 24 through Aug. 16, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday with before and after care options. Camp is for kids entering grades 1 through 6. $335 for nonresidents, $285 for residents, with daily and full summer fee options.

• Voyager Camp londonderrynh.gov/recreation Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays, June 26 through Aug. 9, for ages 11 to 15. “The program is field trip-based with campers having the option to visit 2 to 3 locations each week, which includes hiking, deep sea fishing, amusement parks, and other adventure-based destinations. In addition to the registration fee, each trip will have its own fee associated with it. The trip brochure will be available in March,” according to the website. $50 for residents, $60 for nonresidents — plus a per-trip fee.

• SummerQuest at World Academy 138 Spit Brook Road in Nashua; 888-1982; worldacademynh.comFive two-week sessions for kindergarteners through 4th-graders that offers field trips, geocaching, camping, recreational activities, sports, science experiments and more. Two-week sessions begin with June 17-28; final session is Aug. 12-23. Camp runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended care offerings from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The cost of SummerQuest is $320 (plus additional fees for extended care).

Enrichment Camp, open to grades 5 to 8, runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and begins weeklong sessions starting June 24; each week has a theme. Cost is $350.

STEAM Academy, also for grades 5 to 8, runs from 8 to 11:30 a.m. (with full day care options) and has new themes each week starting July 1. The cost for the half day is $210.

• YMCA of Greater Nashua nmyaca.org The YMCA of Greater Nashua offers camps at Camp Sargent (141 Camp Sargent Road in Merrimack); Merrimack YMCA (6 Henry Clay Drive in Merrimack); Nashua YMCA (24 Stadium Dr. in Nashua), and Westwood Park YMCA (90 Northwest Blvd. in Nashua). Camp Sargent offers traditional day camp activities such as swimming, boating, arts and crafts, hiking, games, gaga ball and more as well as specialty camps such as “Superhero Training Camp” and “Farm Camp.” At Merrimack YMCA Camp Create includes a variety of arts- and STEAM-themed camps. Both Merrimack YMCA and Nashua YMCA offer camps geared toward 3- to 5-year-olds. Merrimack YMCA and Westwood Park YMCA both offer sports camps. Camps run the week of June 17 through the week of Aug. 26, with an 8:45-to-9:15 a.m. check-in and a 4-to-4:15 p.m. dismissal with pre-camp starting as early as 7 a.m. and post-camp running as late as 6 p.m. (registration required). Cost varies according to camp; discount for siblings.

Academics

• Academic & College Prep Programs The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road in Manchester; derryfield.org/about/summer-programs Half-day “Jump Start Your College Essay” classes for rising 11th- and 12th-graders and “ACT/SAT Prep” divided into math and verbal. Registration opens in March.

• Academic Enrichment at University of New Hampshire Durham campus; unh.edu/youthprograms Academic-focused camps include “Camp Pageturner” (weeklong sessions for grades 1 to 5, the week of June 24 through the week of July 29; $275); “Writer’s Academy” (weeklong session June 24-29, grouped by age for grades 5-6, grades 7-8 and grades 9-12, and July 8-12, grouped by grades 6-8 and grades 9-12, 8:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.; $325), as well as other programs specifically for teens and high school students.

• Nashua Community College505 Amherst St. in Nashua; nashuacc.edu/about/for-the-public/summer-camps; 578-8979 Summer camp programs at Nashua Community College include “Finding My Career” for rising 6th- through 12th-graders (week of July 8) featuring “exploration of career pathways in the social and health sciences”; “Exploring the World of Public Health” (week of July 15) for 10th- through 12th-graders, and “Skills for High School and College Success” (week of July 22) for 6th- through 12th-graders. Email [email protected].

Art

• Children’s Museum of New Hampshire 6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org; 742-2002 Mini-camps run Tuesdays through Thursdays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. with art and art-adjacent themes and feature art, STEAM and other hands-on activities. A camp for ages 4 and 5 takes place July 9-11; the rest of the camps are in August. 3D Print It camp (Aug. 13-15) is for ages 8 through 11+; the rest of the camps are for ages 4-5 or 6-7. Cost is $140 per session.

• Creative Ventures Gallery 411 Nashua St. in Milford; creativeventuresfineart.com; 672-2500 “Art of the Seasons” with Kristine Mancuso runs Aug. 5-8 for ages 8 to 12; “Art In Animation” with Kristine Mancuso runs Aug. 12-15, 9 a.m. to noon, for ages 8 to 12. Cost is $125.

• Currier Museum of Art 150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org; 518-4922 The theme of this year’s art camps is “Time Bandits,” with weeks focused on different eras of art and culture, starting with “Raiders of the Lost Arts” June 24-28, focusing on “paleolithic cave drawings, early marine adventurers, ancient cultures and more,” according to the website. Six weeks of camp run through the week of Aug. 19. Camps are for ages 6 to 14, with kids divided into ages 6-7, 8-10 and 11-14. Student dropoff is 9:15 to 9:30 a.m. and pickup is at 4 p.m. Thursdays there is a student exhibition at 3:45 p.m. $375 per week ($337.50 for members).

• Hollis Artspace 30 Ash St. in Hollis; hollisartspace.com/summer; 465-4300 Look for details about the coming summer after February school vacation. Summer 2023 offerings included half-day art programs and minicamps.

• Kimball Jenkins 266 N. Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com/youth-summer-camp-2024; 225-3932 Eight weeks of themed weeklong camps for ages 6 to 17, with kids grouped according to age. Campers will get to work in a variety of media including sculpture, painting, clay, printmaking, drawing and more with outdoor time and group activities. The camp runs the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 19. Dropoff is 8:30 to 9 a.m. and pickup is at 4 p.m. with extended care to 5 p.m. available for $30 per week. $320, discount for members and multi-week registration.

• Paint pARTy 135 N. Broadway in Salem; 898-8800; paintpartynh.com Four-day, three-hour-per-day sessions July 8 (for grades 1 to 4), July 15 (grades 5 to 8), July 22 (grades 1 to 4), July 29 (grades 5 to 8) and Aug. 5 (grade 1 to 4). $160.

• Studio 550 Community Art Center 550 Elm St. in Manchester; 232-5597; 550arts.com Offerings for summer 2024 so far include Tween/Teen Clay for ages 10+ with sessions June 24-28, July 22-26 and Aug. 12-16, all 2:30 to 5 p.m. Tween/Teen Illustration, also ages 10+, runs July 29-Aug. 2, 2:30 to 5 p.m. Arts Explorer for ages 8+ will run July 12-8 and Aug. 5-9, 2:30 to 5 p.m. See the website three months in advance to register and for pricing.

Aviation & Space

• Aviation Museum of NH27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org; 669-4820 The “Flights of Discovery” Aviation Educational Camp feature two-week sessions that cover aviation history, aerospace engineering, flight simulation and more, with field trips to watch aircraft take off and land, explore the Air National Guard base, experience air traffic control and more. A session Monday, June 17, through Friday, June 28, is open for ages 10 to 13. The second session runs Monday, July 8, through Friday, July 19, and is open to ages 14 through 17. Ages 10 to 13 get a second camp session Monday, July 22, through Friday, Aug. 2. Camps run 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $1,100 (financial aid/scholarships available)

• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center 2 Institute Dr. in Concord; starhop.com; 271-7827 The Center offers seven weeklong STEM camps with four focused on space or rockets — “Blast Off” for ages 8 to 11, July 8-12; “Up, Up, And Away” for ages 5 to 7, July 15-19; “Star Hunters” for ages 8 to 12, July 22-26, and “So You Wanna Be An Astronaut” for ages 5 to 7, Aug. 5-9. These camps run either 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (for ages 5-7) or 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (for older kids). $345 per week.

• Nashua Community College505 Amherst St. in Nashua; nashuacc.edu/about/for-the-public/summer-camps; 578-8979 Summer camp programs at Nashua Community College include “Aviation” for 6th- through 12th-graders, which looks at different careers in aviation, week of July 29.

• WinnAero’s Ace Academy Laconia Airport, 65 Aviation Way in Gilford; winnaero.org/registerAviation- and aerospace-related camps, divided by age groups. Half-day camps “Foundations of Aviation and Space Sciences” for ages 5 to 7 run July 8-12 and July 15-19. Middle school aviation classes (for grades 6 to 8) run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily July 8-12 and include “Pilot and Air Traffic Control,” “Pilot and Search/Rescue & Emergency Services” and “Pilot and Aerospace Engineering/Manufacturing.” A middle school (grades 6 to 8) girls-only academy with female instructors runs July 15-19. A middle school space academy (focuses on aerospace careers) runs July 15-19. Three aviation-focused high school (grades 9 through 12) sessions are available with two July 8-12 and one July 15-19; a fourth session held July 15-19 is focused on drones and unmanned aerial systems. Half-day classes for ages 5 to 7 cost $330 per session. Middle and high school full-day classes cost $600. The high school drone class costs $690.

Dance

• Alicia’s School of Dance 563 Route 106 in Loudon; 496-9762; aliciasschoolofdance.comIn 2023 Alicia’s offered a weeklong half-day camp for ages 6+ that included learning all styles of dance as well as doing crafts and playing games. Check back with the school for this year’s information.

• Allegro Dance Academy 100 Factory St. in Nashua; 886-7989; allegrodancenh.com Camps are offered for ages 3+ from July 15 through Aug. 15. The schedule will be available April 1.

• Bedford Dance Center 172 Route 101 in Bedford; bedforddancecenter.com; 472-5141 Bedford Dance Center offers a variety of summer programing, from weekly hourlong classes in July (for dancers ages 6+) to three-day half-day camps for ages 5 to 8 July 30-Aug. 1, 9 a.m. to noon and more intensive workshops such as Contemporary Workshop July 29-Aug. 2, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for ages 8-13 and 12+ (cost is $375). An Intensive Division Workshop runs Aug. 5-9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 8-13 and 12+ (cost is $395). Costs for other programs vary.

• Bedford Youth Performing Company 155 Route 101 in Bedford; bypc.org; 472-3894BYPC’s dance and movement summer offerings include weeklong preschool camps (running most weeks the week of June 10 through the week of July 29, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) for ages 3 and 6 on subjects including science, theater, superheroes and circus. For older kids, a Dance Boot Camp (ages 12+) runs June 17-21, 4 to 9 p.m., and Acro Circus Camp (ages 8 to 12) runs July 29-Aug. 2, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The school also offers summer music classes. See website for pricing.

• Broadway Bound Performing Arts Center 501 Daniel Webster Hwy. in Merrimack; 429-8844; broadwayboundpac.com Broadway Bound offers workshops and classes in August as well as camps — Musical Theatre Camp July 1-20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for ages 6 to 18, culminating in a production of Descendants The Musical ($750); Kid Dance Camp Aug. 5-9, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for ages 4 to 11 ($275), and Intensive Dance Camp Aug. 12-16, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. ($250).

• Concord Dance Academy 26 Commercial St. in Concord; 226-0200; concorddanceacademy.com Dance Camp, July 22-26, runs full day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; $275) or half day (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; $160) with early dropoff (7:30 a.m.) and late pickup (5:30 p.m.) available. A mini camp (half day) is geared toward ages 3 to 5. Recreational camp (ages 4 to 12) offers dance classes in a variety of styles as well as nature walks, arts and crafts and more. Intensive Camp (ages 8 to 13) is for dancers who want to be challenged and critiqued, the website said.

• Creative Dance Workshop of Bow 1355 Route 3A, Unit A & B, in Bow; 225-7711; nhdances.com This year’s summer camp lineup features a variety of themes for the weeks of June 24, July 8, July 15, July 22 and July 29. See the website for details and to register.

• The Dance Company 130 Route 101A in Amherst; 864-8374; thedancecompanyonline.comIn addition to classes, private lessons and one-day events, The Dance Company offers an Acro Camp July 23-25, 1 to 4 p.m., for ages 3-6 and 7-11 ($130); Camp Dance June 24-28, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for ages 5-10 ($275) and Level Up Intensive Aug. 12-16, 9 a.m. to noon for ages 6-10 ($225) and then 12:30 to 7 p.m. for ages 10+ ($485).

• Dance Visions Network 699 Mast Road in Manchester; 626-7654; dancevisionsnetwork.comLast year Dance Visions offered a mini-camp (half day) for ages 3 to 6, a three-day full-day camp for ages 7 to 15 and a dance intensive. Check back for summer 2024 information.

• Dimensions in Dance 84 Myrtle St. in Manchester; 668-4196; dimensionsindance.com “Fairy Tale Dance Camp,” pre-ballet, is open to ages 3 to 6, July 15-19, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ($230 by March 15, $260 after). Level 1-2 Dance camp is open to grades 1 to 3, July 15-19, 9 a.m to 2:30 p.m. ($325 by March 15; $350 after). Level 3-4 Junior Dance Intensive is open to ages 8 to 12, July 29-Aug. 2, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($375 by March 15; $410 after). Summer Dance Intensive for Levels 5-Adult runs July 29-Aug. 2 and Aug. 5-9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ($425 for one week, $790 for two weeks before March 15; $460 and $860 after).

• Happy Feet Dance School 25 Indian Rock Road in Windham; 434-4437; happyfeetdanceschool.bizLast year’s summer offerings included classes as well as three-day half-day camps. Check back for 2024 updates.

• Kathy Blake Dance Studios 3 Northern Blvd. in Amherst; 673-3978; kathyblakedancestudios.com Three-day mini camps, 9 to 11:30 a.m., will take place July 9-11, July 16-18, July 23-25, July 30-Aug. 1, Aug. 6-8 and Aug. 13-15, with each session split into age groups 3-5 and 6-8. The cost is $150 with a multiclass discount. The studio is also offering six-week weekly dance classes and dance team workshops.

• Martin School of Dance 288 Route 101, Suite 202, in Bedford; 488-2371; martinschoolofdance.com Dance camp offerings for ages 5 to 7 include Circus June 24-29, Outer Space July 8-12 and Magical Fantasy July 15-19, all 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring dance, outdoor activities, an end-of-week performance and more. JR Summer Dance Camp (ages 7 to 9) has themes including Taylor Swift (July 22-26) and Red Carpet (July 29-Aug. 2), both 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are two weeklong Summer Dance Intensive Sessions for ages 9 to 18, Aug. 5-9 and Aug. 12-16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Melissa Hoffman Dance Center 210 Robinson Road in Hudson; 886-7909; melissahoffmandancecenter.info A three-day mini camp is offered for ages 2 to 4 (“My FIrst Dance Camp” July 8-10, 9:30 to 11 a.m.; $75). Five-day half-day ( 9 a.m. to noon) camp sessions are offered for ages 3 to 7 (“Kitty Camp” July 15-19 and “Princess Camp” July 22-26; $230). Swiftie Camp, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., for ages 6 to 12, will run July 29-Aug. 2 and Aug. 5-9; $260. The center will also hold a series of summer parties ($45 per event).

• Miss Kelsey’s Dance Studio 2626 Brown Ave. in Manchester; 606-2820; mkdance.com One-day, three-day and full-week camps. Three-day camps include “Fashion Dolls & Dude Dreamtopia” (June 24-26, noon to 3 p.m., ages 5 to 10), “Christmas in July” (July 16-18, 9 a.m. to noon, ages 5 to 9) and “Groove and Doodle” (July 16-18, noon to 3 p.m., ages 5 to 9). The full-week camp is “Afternoon Adventures in a Magic Mouse House” for ages 5 to 10, June 24-28, 3 to 6 p.m. Prices vary according to class.

• Nancy Chippendale’s Dance Studios 49 Range Road, Building No. 2, Suite A, in Windham; 458-7730; chippswindham.com Camps for preschool through 1st grade include “Princess Power” (July 8-12 and July 15-19, 9 a.m. to noon) and “Chipp Dance Party” (July 29-Aug. 2, 9 a.m. to noon). A “Little Chipp Bootcamp” for dancers ages 2nd to 5th grade takes place Aug. 5-9, 9 a.m. to noon.

• New England School of Dance 679 Mast Road in Manchester; newenglandschoolofdance.com/summer2024; 935-7326 The school offers mini camps for ages 3 to 6 (July 23 & July 25 for “Circus Camp” and July 30 & Aug. 1 for “Teddy Bear Picnic”; 9 a.m. to noon); technique classes for ages 3 and up, and weeklong summer intensives (9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for ages 6 to 8, to 3 p.m. for ages 9 to 11 and to 4 p.m. for ages 12 and older). Cost varies depending on the class and how many classes.

• New Hampshire Academie of Dance 1 Action Blvd., No. 4, in Londonderry; 432- 4041; nhadance.com Summer 2024 information is listed as coming soon; check back for updates.

• N-Step Dance Center 1134 Hooksett Road in Hooksett; 641-6787; nstepdance.com Weeklong musical theater camps run 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 24-28 (Encanto), July 29-Aug. 2 (The Little Mermaid) and Aug. 12-16 (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). The cost is $250. The center also offers weeklong Intensive camps — Junior Intensive July 22-26 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ($350), Teen Intensive July 22-26 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ($350) and Aug 5.-9 5 to 8 p.m. ($25) — and a series of weekly classes.

• Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater 19 Harvey Road in Bedford; 637-4398; snhdt.org Princess Camp (age 3 to 5) runs June 25-27 (9:30 to 11:30 a.m. or 2 to 4 p.m.) and July 9-11 (9:30 to 11:30 a.m.). Young Dancer Workshop (age 6 to 8 or age 9-12) runs July 15-19, 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Summer Intensive (age 10 to 19) runs July 22 to Aug. 9.

• Turning Pointe Center of Dance 371 Pembroke St. in Pembroke; 485-8710; turningpointecenterofdance.com A Summer Dance Camp runs June 24-28, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., for ages 5 to 10. The cost is $165 for the week. The school also offers a weekly July class series for grades 7 through 12.

• Unbound Dance Academy 237 Londonderry Tpke. in Hooksett; 714-2821; unbounddanceacademy.com A musical theater camp culminating in a performance of Matilda runs the week of July 8 (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) for ages 8 to 13 ($275). A mini Acro camp runs July 15-17 (5 to 6 p.m., Levels 1-3, $50, and 6 to 7:30 p.m. for intermediate/advanced, $75). Princess Camp runs July 15-19, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., for ages 4 to 7 ($300). Nutcracker Camp runs July 22-24, 9 a.m. to noon, for ages 6 to 12 ($150). A Ballet Intensive for Levels 3+ runs July 29-31, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ($140). The school also offers a four-week ballet session (one class per week) in August and a series of Ballerina Tea Parties on Wednesdays in August.

Games

• Chess Wizards bedfordnh.myrec.com Morning, afternoon or full-day chess camp for grades 1-5 at Bedford Town Hall (70 Bedford Center Road in Bedford). July 15-19 at either 9 a.m. to noon, noon to 3 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. $215 for half day, $315 for full day

• Esports Summer Camp at Southern New Hampshire University William S. and Joan Green Center, 2500 N. River Road in Hooksett; [email protected] In 2023 SNHU offered an esports camp with sessions for ages 12-14, 15-18 and 12-18.

Gymnastics

• A2 Gym & Cheer 16B Garabedian Drive in Salem; 328-8130; a2gc.com Seven weeks of summer camp are open to ages 5 to 11 with full- and half-day options. Check back for 2024 details.

• Gymnastics Village 13 Caldwell Drive in Amherst; 889-8092; gymnasticsvillage.com Nine weeklong sessions (week of June 24 through week of Aug. 19) with full- (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and half-day (9 a.m. to noon) options. Gymnastics and Ninja camps are open to ages 6 to 14 with a junior half-day camp open to 4- and 5-year olds. Half-day camps are $200 per week or $45 per day; full-day camps are $305 per week or $65 per day (with sibling and multi-week discounts).

• Gym-Ken Gymnastics 184 Rockingham Road in Windham; 434-9060; gymkengymnastics.com “Wet & Wild Summer”runs July 8 through Aug. 23, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (pickup is 4 to 5 p.m.) with early dropoff as early as 7:30 a.m. and late pickup until 5:30 p.m. for additional fees. The swim and gym program is open to ages 5 to 12. $75 per day or $350 per week, with discounts for multiple weeks and siblings.

• Impact Gymnastics 301 River Road in Bow; 219-0343; impact-gymnastics.com Seven weeklong camps for ages 5 to 13 running the week of July 1 through the week of Aug. 12, each week with a theme as well as swimming, outdoor play, movie Fridays and more. Camps run 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended care as early as 7:30 a.m. and as late as 5:30 p.m. for additional fees. $285 weekly.

• Noha’s Gymnastics Academy 200 Perimeter Road in Manchester, 518-7660; 30 Pond St. in Nashua, 880-4927; ngacademy.us Full- and half-day (morning or afternoon) camps are offered in Manchester in weeklong sessions June 10 through the week of Aug. 19. Each week has a theme. Full-day camp runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; half-days are offered 8 a.m. to noon and noon to 4 p.m. Until April 1 full day is $300 and half day is $200; after, full day is $350 and half day is $250.

• Sky High Gymnastics 185 Elm St., No. 2, in Milford; 554-1097; skyhighgym.com Last year’s camps were weeklong sessions featuring theme weeks for ages 5 to 12. Check back for 2024 information.

• Southern New Hampshire Gymnastics Academy 4 Orchard View Drive, No. 11, Londonderry, 404-6181, snhga.com Weeklong camps for ages 4 and older run the week of June 24 and then the week of July 8 through the week of Aug. 19 will full and half-day options. The days will include gymnastics, arts and crafts, contests, themed activities and more. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (full day); 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (half days) Cost is $75 per day or $240 per week for full days; $50 per day or $180 per week for half days, with extra fees for extended care and sibling discounts.

• Tumble Town Gymnastics 444 E. Industrial Park Drive, No. 10, in Manchester; 641-9591; tumbletownnh.com Four weeklong camps the weeks of July 8, July 15, July 29 and Aug. 12, running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.$225 per week, with discounts for siblings and multiple classes in the same month.

Martial Arts & Ninja

• Bedford Martial Arts Academy 292 Route 101 in Bedford; 626-9696; bedfordmartialartsacademy.com Camp features field trips, dodgeball, obstacle courses, indoor and outdoor activities, playground and pool activities and more, according to the website. Contact the school for details.

• Empowering Lives Martial Arts 542 Mast Road, No. 15, in Goffstown; 978-414- 5425; martialartsnewhampshire.com Summer camp featuring themed weeks. Call for details.

• Granite State American Kenpo Karate 290 Derry Road, No. 5, in Hudson; 598-5400; gsakenpo.com Camp offers indoor and outdoor games, arts & crafts, field trips, park visits and outdoor play and more, according to the website. Contact the studio for details.

• Phoenix Fire Martial Arts 79 Plaistow Road in Plaistow; 234-8665; phnixfire.comWeeklongcampsessions run June 17 through Aug. 16, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (with early dropoff and late pickup available for an additional fee). Camp will feature martial arts as well as games, crafts, water games, free play and more, the website said. Discounts are available for siblings and for signing up for the full summer.

• The Training Station 200 Elm St. in Manchester; 505-0048; thetrainingstationnh.comCamp includes outdoor activities and water games, martial arts games, a visit from a local police officer, a field trip and more. Check back for 2024 information.

• USA Ninja Challenge 444 E. Industrial Drive in Manchester; ninjamanchesternh.com; 935-7100 Camps for ages 6 to 12. Check back for 2024 information.

Multimedia

• ConcordTV Video camps 170 Warren St. in Concord; yourconcordtv.org Camps will run again this summer; in past years, beginner and advanced video production camps were available. Check back with the website for updates.

• Londonderry Access TV Londonderry Access Center, 281 Mammoth Road in Londonderry; 432-1147; lactv.com Kids learn how to make better-quality videos, including shot composition, editing and graphic design, for short-form videos and longer TV shows in a professional studio, according to an email. For kids entering 5th through 8th grade in fall 2024. Monday, July 8, through Friday, July 19, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; kids must be able to attend all days of the camp. $85.

• NH Audubon Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way in Auburn; 224-9909; nhaudubon.org “Conservation Quest Camp” from Media Power Youth will “merge the excitement of filmmaking with outdoor adventures.” Sessions run the weeks of July 8 and July 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For 11- to 14-year-olds. $350 per session.

• SEE Science Center 200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org; 669-0400 SEE offers camps mid-July through mid-August including two sessions that have a video-making component — “Flip the Script” camp July 29-Aug. 2 for ages 10 to 14 and “Animation with LEGO” camp Aug. 5-9 or Aug. 12-16 for ages 9 to 12. Both camps run 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. $300.

Music

• Bedford Youth Performing Company 155 Route 101 in Bedford; bypc.org; 472-3894BYPC’s summer music offerings include private lessons and Kindermusik (infant through age 7) drop-ins as well as Summer Rock Band Camp — June 17-21 and July 29-Aug 2, 3 to 8 p.m. either week, for grades 4 to 6; July 8-12, 3 to 8 p.m., for grades 7+ — and Summer Recording Camp (grade 7+, Aug. 12-16, 3 to 8 p.m.).

• Concord Community Music School 23 Wall St. in Concord; ccmusicschool.org; 228-1196 Full- and half-day camps as well as classes for younger kids, workshops for teens and adults, and private music lessons. Camps include “Piano Dynamos Camp” for ages 9 to 15, June 24-28, 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Summer String Camp for ages 8 to 15, June 24-28, 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; “Summer Jam Camp” for students entering grades 5 to 12, July 8-12 and July 15-19, 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.; “Creative Arts Camp” for students entering grades 1 to 6, July 22-26, July 29-Aug. 2 and Aug. 5-9, each week with a different theme, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (extended care options available) The full-day camps cost $350 per week. “Summer Jam Camp” costs $275.

• Let’s Play Music! 145 Hampstead Road in Derry, 425-7575; 2626 Brown Ave. in Manchester, 218-3089; 136 Lowell Road in Hudson, 882-8940; letsplaymusic.com Camps for kids ages 7 to 12 include “Intro to Art And Music” and “Ready to Rock Camp,” both running Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Rock Band Camp” is available for ages 10 to 16, also Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Kidzrock Camp,” for ages 4 to 6, is Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. And there is also a Musical Theater Camp for ages 8 to 16. Go online to request information on specific camps and specific weeks in one of the three locations.

• Manchester Community Music School 2291 Elm St. in Manchester; mcmusicschool.org; 644-4548. The school will offer camps for 3rd- through 12th-graders in music exploration, piano, brass, woodwind, strings, choir and guitar that run half-day (either three hours in the morning or three hours in the afternoon) for a week. Camps will run between late June and early August. Check the website for the latest information on dates and pricing and to register.

• Nashua Community Music School 2 Lock St. in Nashua; 881-7030; nashuacms.org The school offers weeklong camps in July, including three camps (starting Mondays, July 8, July 15 and July 22) for ages 4 to 7 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (with an early dropoff option starting at 8 a.m. for an extra $50 per week) and three camps for ages 8 to 12 running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each week has a focus; for younger kids it’s “Music Around the World” (starting July 8), “Broadway Babies” (July 15) and “Latin Music Week Junior” (July 22), with the first two weeks planned to run in Greeley Park. For older kids the themes are “Broadway Week” (July 8), “Piano Camp” (July 15) and “Latin Music Week” (July 22). The school also offers classes for ages 12-17 in the evenings, 6:30 to 9 p.m., with different themes each week starting with the week of July 30 through the week of Aug. 20. Younger kid classes cost $185 per week, classes for ages 8 to 12 cost $325 per week; the evening classes cost $165 per session.

Nature & the Outdoors

• Beaver Brook Nature Camps Beaver Brook Association, 117 Ridge Road in Hollis; 465-7787; beaverbrook.orgSix weeklong camps focus on different subjects related to nature and the outdoors, divided by age. Camps start the week of June 24 with offerings for kindergarteners through 6th grade. The next session is the week of July 8 and includes camp for kids in grades 7 through 9, as does the week of July 22. Registration opens March 6 for Beaver Brook members and March 8 at 8 a.m. to the public. Camps run 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Concord Parks & Recreation Camp Wild The Lodge at White Park, concordparksandrec.com, 225-8690 For ages 9 to 12 years old, this camp use the City of Concord trail system to oexplore the natural sites around Concord. Camp runs July 1-5 (no camp of July 4); 9 am. to 3 p.m. The cost is $140 for Concord residents; $148 for non-residents.

• Concord Parks & Recreation Nature Camp The Lodge at White Park, concordparksandrec.com , 225-8690 For ages 5 to 8 years old, this camp will feature outdoor exploration , nature based crafts and more. Camps run the week of June 24 through the week of Aug. 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The cost is $175 for Concord residents; $185 for non-residents.

• Educational Farm at Joppa Hill 174 Joppa Hill Road in Bedford; theeducationalfarm.org; 472-4724 Eight weeklong sessions (starting the week of June 17 and running through the week of Aug. 12, no camp the week of July 1) that feature daily farm chores, nature walks, hands-on learning experiences, outdoor games, visits with the farm animals and more. Kids are grouped in ages 5-8 and ages 9-12. Camp day runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended day options as early as 8 a.m. and as late as 5 p.m. for an additional $75. Cost is $350.

• NH Audubon nhaudubon.org Half-day (9 a.m. to noon) camps are available for ages 4 and 5 at both the Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; 224-9909) and McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; 224-9909). Full-day camps at both locations run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and are grouped by Discovery Camp (ages 6 to 9), Explorers Camp (ages 10 to 12) and Leaders In Training (ages 13 to 15). Sessions start the week of June 24 and run through the week of Aug. 19, with each week having a focus such as “Creepy, Crawly Critters” (July 8-12) and “Wet and Wild Watersheds” (Aug. 12-16). Before care starts at 8 a.m., after care goes until 5 p.m. Cost is $220 for Wonders (the half-day camp) and Leaders In Training; $330 for Discovery and Explorers. Discounts for members.

Science & STEM

• Camp Invention Southern New Hampshire Education Center, 1E Commons Drive, #28, Londonderry, snhec.org, 818-8613A STEM camp for kids entering kindergarten through 6th grade, Camp Invention offers a week-long session, July 15 through July 19, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The cost is $295. Call about Leader In Training spots for grades 7 through 9.

• iDTech Camps at Southern New Hampshire University idtech.com/locations Day camps and overnight camps on the campus of Southern New Hampshire University in north Manchester offer robotics, coding, digital art, game design and more in classes grouped by age, with overall offerings from ages 7 to 17. Weeklong sessions run the week of July 8 through the week of July 29. Cost starts at $999.

• LetGoYourMind letgoyourmind.com/summer-program-locations LEGO-based STEM programming in weeklong sessions for ages 4 to 13 daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at locations across New Hampshire. Offerings include Amherst (Aug. 5-9), Bedford (the weeks of June 17-21; June 24-28; July 8-12; Aug. 5-9, and Aug. 12-16), Concord (the weeks of June 24-28; July 1-3; July 8-12, and Aug. 12-16), Londonderry (weeks of July 15-19 and July 22-26), Manchester (weeks of July 29-Aug. 2 and Aug. 5-9), Nashua (July 22-26 and July 29-Aug. 2), Pelham (July 29-Aug. 2), Salem (June 24-28) and Windham (July 8-12 and July 15-19). Age groups offered differ by location and week. $390 per week

• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center 2 Institute Dr. in Concord; starhop.com; 271-7827 The Center offers seven weeklong STEM camps with three focused on more Earthbound subjects — “Discover the Dinosaurs” for ages 5 to 7 June 24-28; “The Earth We Walk On” for ages 8 to 11 July 1-3, and “Codename: Robot Camp” for ages 11 to 14 July 17-21. These camps run either 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (for ages 5-7) or 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (for older kids). $345 per week (July 1 week is $210).

• Nashua Community College505 Amherst St. in Nashua; nashuacc.edu/about/for-the-public/summer-camps; 578-8979 Summer camp programs at Nashua Community College include automotive classes the weeks of July 8 and July 15; digital electronics the week of July 15 and coding the weeks of July 15 and July 22, all for 6th- through 12th-graders. Email [email protected].

• SEE Science Center 200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org; 669-0400 SEE offers camps mid-July through mid-August including multiple hands-on science and STEM-related camps — “Camp Summer Science” for ages 7 to 13 July 15-19 or July 22-26; “SeaPerch Camp” for ages 11 to 14 July 15-19; “FIRST PLACE Innovation Challenge” for ages 9-14 July 22-26 or July 29-Aug. 2; “BioTrekker’s Camp” for ages 11 to 14 July 29-Aug. 2, and “iSpy Camp” for ages 8 to 13 Aug. 5-9 or Aug. 12-16. Camps run 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. $300.

• STEM Summer Camps Manchester Community College, 1066 Front St. in Manchester; mccnh.edu/summer-camps STEM–focused four- and five-day sessions for students entering grades 6-8 including “Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs” July 15-19; STEM Camp July 22-25 and Robotics Camp July 29-Aug. 1. $175.

• Top Secret Science & Math Summer Camp bedfordnh.myrec.com Two weeklong sessions for ages kindergarten through 5th grade at the Bedford Old Town Hall (70 Bedford Center Road) where “the kids will explore 20 weird and wacky hands-on science experiments and will make and take home all the projects. The scientists are fast-paced and funny and your kids will be thoroughly entertained (they’ll even learn some interesting things too),” according to the website. July 22-26 and July 29-Aug. 2, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. $320 per week.

• University of New Hampshire STEM camps unh.edu/youthprograms UNH offers science- and math-based camps, such as robotics camps (for grades 4-6 and grades 5-7; two sessions the weeks of June 24 and July 1), a mini-half-day STEM camp July 1-3 for grades 2-4, and Tech Camp for grades 5-12. Most camps are at the Durham campus, though a Tech Camp for students grades 5-12 in the Manchester School District takes place in Manchester. Cost varies by offering.

Sports

• Amherst Soccer Club amherstsoccerclub.com Summer and pre-season camps have been offered in past years; check back for updates on 2024.

• Athletic Camps at The Derryfield School 2108 River Road in Manchester; derryfield.org/about/summer-programs Check back for information on “Strength Conditioning” and “Magic Touch Soccer” camps. A field hockey camp led by Derryfield School’s field hockey coach Katie Bulk runs Aug. 5-7, 9 to 11 a.m., for middle and high school players (cost is $150). A basketball camp run by varsity girls coach Courtney Cheetham runs June 24-28, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Registration starts in March.

• Auburn Parks & Recreation Summer Basketball Camp 483-5052; auburnparksandrec.com Coed camp for students entering grades 5 to 8 runs Monday, Aug. 12, through Friday, Aug. 16, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. $225.

• The British Are Coming Summer Soccer Camp mnsl.org/soccer-camp-in-manchesterThe camp, run by Manchester North Soccer League, will take place July 29 through Aug. 2 in Livingston Park in Manchester offering soccer instruction for kids ages 5 to 15. The cost is $250 for full day, $160 for half day (with discounts for siblings).

• Caramba Soccer Skills camp locations in Concord, Nashua, Canterbury and Chichester; 496-3579; soccerskillscamp.org Soccer skills and goalkeeping camps with full- and half-day options for the week of July 8 (in Mine Falls Park in Nashua) and July 15 (at Carpenter Fields in Chichester), a full-day-only camp the week of July 22 in Concord (Center Point Fields), an evening-only camp July 29-Aug. 1 at Center Point Fields in Concord, and a half-day camp July 29-Aug. 1 in Canterbury. The first three camps are open to ages 6 to 14. The last two camps are open to 2nd- through 12th-graders. Full-day camp costs $245, half-day costs $160

• Challenger Sports Soccer Camps various NH locations; 800-878-2167, ext. 280; challengersports.com Camps on the schedule are often connected to the town’s parks and recreation department, ages and prices vary. So far, the schedule includes Pelham (June 24-28), Weare (July 8-12), Windham (July 15-19 and Aug. 5-9), New Boston (July 15-19), Northwood (July 15-19 and July 22-26) and Hopkinton (Aug. 12-18).

• Conway Arena 5 Stadium Dr. in Nashua; 595-2400; conwayarena.com Weeklong and four-day-long hockey camps are offered starting the week of July 15 through the week of Aug. 19. Price varies according to camp. Camps the first and last week are geared toward kids age 7 to 14. The arena is also home to weekly skills classes starting as early as June 1.

• Executive Health & Sports Center 1 Highlander Way in Manchester; ehsc.com/summer-camps; 668-4753 Eight themed weeklong sessions that feature swimming, sports, games, outdoor play and more. Sessions are divided by Lil’ Tikes (ages 5 and 6), Juniors (7 and 8) and Exec (9 and 10) Sessions start the week of June 17 and run through the week of Aug. 5; camps run 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, with dropoff from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and pickup 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. $349, with discounts for members and for partial weeks.

• Fisher Cats Baseball & Softball Camps Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive in Manchester; 641-2005; nhfishercats.comHalf-day camps (8:30 a.m. to noon) for ages 6 to 15 that focus on stretching and warmups, throwing and catching, infield and outfield tips and drills, swing mechanics, pitching and base-running, according to the website. June 17-21; July 22, 23, 24 and 26; Aug. 19-23. Cost is $175 for the first and third weeks, $150 for the second week.

• Foster’s Golf Camp Dropoff and pickup location is Derryfield Park, 581 Bridge St. in Manchester; 622-1553; fostersgolfcamp.com Campers travel to three different par-3 courses each week to participate in practice clinics and play nine holes of golf. Camp is for kids ages 7 to 16 of all abilities. Bus arrives at Derryfield Park at 7:30 a.m. and leaves at 8 a.m.; campers return at 4 p.m. Sessions are a week long and begin the week of June 17 and run through the week of Aug. 26 (no camp the week of July 1). $325 per week.

• Jack Perri Basketball Camps jackperribasketballcamp.com Co-ed weeklong basketball camps for kids in grades 3 to 10 held at Southern New Hampshire University and run by Jack Perri, head coach of the SNHU men’s basketball team. The program also runs a high school showcase for grades 9 to 11 (check the website for updates). Sessions are July 8-11 and July 15-19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. $255 per child until March 1, $325 per child after March 1 (discounts for siblings).

• JT Soccer Training info.abcsportscamps.com/jtsoccer A weeklong full-day camp at Penmen Stadium on the Southern New Hampshire University campus in north Manchester featuring soccer fundamentals, team play and more, for kids ages 5 to 14. July 8-12, with full day 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon on Friday or a half-day option 9 a.m. to noon daily. $225 for full-day camp, $150 for half-day with discounts for siblings and SNHU employees.

• Longfellow New Hampshire Tennis & Swim Club 140 Lock St. in Nashua; 883-0153; longfellownh.comLast summer the club offered 10 weeklong sessions of Hammel Tennis Camp, with full-day and half-day options. Check back for updates on 2024.

• NH Climbing & Fitness 10 Langdon Ave. in Concord; nhclimbinggym.com/camp; 715-9171 Weeklong indoor climbing camps for ages 6 to 12 start the week of June 24 and run through the week of Aug. 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (with early dropoff and late pickup available for an extra charge if pre-arranged). NH Adventure Camp with a mix of indoor and outdoor climbing for ages 10+ runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. those same weeks. $295 for indoor camp; $495 for Adventure Camp

• NH Hoop Skills nhhoopskills.com Two weeklong (Monday through Thursday) sessions led by Karen Pinkos, head coach of the Southern New Hampshire University Women’s Basketball team, for girls in grades 2 through 10, taking place at Stan Spiro Field House on the SNHU campus in Manchester. Sessions run June 24-27 and July 29-Aug. 1, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. $295 per week if you register before May 1, $325 after.

• NH Hoop Skills HS Elite nhhoopskills.com Clinics for girls in grades 9 through 12, dates TBA in June and July. See the website for information.

• NH Tomahawks nhtomahawks.com The Tomahawks have summer offerings for boys and girls. Half-day girls camps (for ages 5 to 17) run in Bedford at Joppa Fields (July 8-11 and July 22-25, 9 a.m. to noon) and on Back River Road (June 24-27, 9 a.m. to noon); cost is $195. Half-day boys camps run at Joppa Fields in Bedford for ages 5 to 17 June 24-27, July 8-11 and July 22-25, 9 a.m. to noon; cost is $195. There is also a league that meets weekly.

• Nike Baseball Camp ussportscamps.com/baseball/nike Held at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, the camp is run by Southern New Hampshire University’s Head Coach Scott Loiseau for ages 6 to 12, grouped by age and ability. Sessions run Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 15-18 and July 22-25, with check-in 30 minutes before start time. $365 per session.

• Nike Basketball Camps Locations in Manchester, Nashua and Hampton, 800-645-3226, ussportscamps.com/basketball/nike In Manchester, four weeklong sessions of the camp take place at Saint Anselm College the weeks of June 24, July 8, July 15, July 22 and July 29, running 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Fridays. In Concord, the camps take place at Capital City Sports & Fitness the weeks of July 15 and Aug. 5, running 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon with a half-option throughout the weeks. In Derry, the camp is at SportsZone; check back for dates and times.

• Paul Hogan Basketball Camp hogancamps.com Basketball camps held at NHTI in Concord including three-day camps for point guards and post players in grades 5 through 12; four-day Rip City Basketball Camps that “provide advanced individual offensive and defensive instruction” for grades 4 through 10; Shooter’s Gold Basketball Camp (taking place in multiple locations including Bow July 8-11) for kids in grade 1-4 (from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.) and grades 5 to 8 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), and Specialty Basketball Camp for grades 5 to 12 July 28-Aug. 1. Prices vary based on camps.

• Seacoast United Soccer seacoastunited.com Seacoast camps held in New Hampshire include in Epping (full- and half-day camps the week of June 24 for 6-14 and 8 to 15 goalkeeper; half-day goalkeeper the week of July 15; full and half days the week of July 29 Bedford (full day the weeks of June 24 and July 17, full and half days for the week of July 29, for ages 6 to 14). Prices vary by camp.

• University of New Hampshire summer sports camps unh.edu/youthprograms UNH hosts camps (both day and overnight) related to basketball (a boys and a girls camp), field hockey, football evening camp, gymnastics camp, girls ice hockey, Wildcat Hockey School, girls soccer, track and field, volleyball camp, boys soccer and girls lacrosse. See the website for details and availability.

Theater

• Bedford Youth Performing Company 155 Route 101 in Bedford; bypc.org; 472-3894BYPC’s summer theater offerings include Jungle Book Kids musical theater production camp (June 24-28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for kindergarten through 4th grade; $325), Little Mermaid Jr. musical theater production camp (June 24-28, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for grades 5 to 9; $325), Seussical the Musical Kids Musical Theater Production camp (Aug. 5-9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for kindergarten through 4th grade; $325), and Alice in Wonderland Jr. Kids Musical Theater Production camp (Aug. 5-9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for grades 5 to 9; $325).

• Community Players of Concord 435 Josiah Bartlett Road in Concord; communityplayersofconcord.org A one-week musical theater camp that would run Sunday through Friday in August at the Community Players Studio and then culminate in a camp show at the Concord City Auditorium for kids ages 8 to 14. Check the website in early April for camp information or subscribe to the Players’ monthly newsletter.

• Derryfield Repertory Theatre The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road in Manchester; derryfield.org/about/summer-programs Two two-week sessions where campers, grouped by age, learn improvisation, acting, singing, scriptwriting and dancing and are in productions of junior versions of We Are Monsters, Shrek The Musical, Rock of Ages, 101 Dalmatians, Finding Nemo and Legally Blonde The Musical Rising 4th- through 12th-graders Sessions are July 8-19 and July 22-Aug 2, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. $660 per session, includes lunch; discounts for siblings of multiple sessions.

• Kids Coop Theatre Londonderry; [email protected], kids-cooptheatre.org A two-week session July 8-19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is open to ages 7 to 13. Show title is TBA. $550.

• Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts 880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net; 669-7469 Themed half-day weeklong camps for ages 5 to 7 and full-day week- and two-week-long camps for ages 8 to 14. Camps teach acting, movement, improvisation, music and other aspects of theater. Half-day camps include Green Eggs & Ham (stories and songs of Dr. Seuss; June 24-29) and Video Zone (July 15-20); full-day camps include “Imagine a Dragon” (July 8-13) and “Kokonut Island” (July 22-Aug. 3). Showcases are held on the Saturdays at the end of each camp. $160 for half-day camps; $225 for full-day camp, $325 for two-week full-day camp.

• Merrimack Summer Stage Theater Program merrimackparksandrec.org This weeklong program for ages 8 to 15 takes place at the Wasserman Park Theatre July 15-19 and culminates in a production of Disney’s 101 Dalmatians Kids. Camp runs 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. $285 for Merrimack residents, $295 for nonresidents.

• Palace Youth Theatre Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org/pyt Weeklong and two-week camps focus on a particular production, with performances at the end of the sessions. Camps start with a two-week session on June 24 and alternate two and one weeks with the final camp a one-week session Aug. 19. The camps are open to grades 2 through 12 and run Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Two-week camps cost $599, one-week camps cost $299.

• Peacock Players 14 Court St. in Nashua; 886-7000; peacockplayers.orgFive weeklong sessions each on a theme for grades 1 to 9 — Legendary Composers (July 15-19), Getting Spooky (July 22-26), All About the Mouse (July 29-Aug. 2), Rock & Roll Week (Aug. 5-9) and Hollywood Week (Aug. 12-16). 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (pickup is 4 to 5 p.m.). $350.

• Triple Threat Theater Camp Londonderry Dance Academy, 21 Buttrick Road in Londonderry; 432-0032; londonderrydance.com A Triple Threat Film Camp for ages 7 to 17 runs June 24-28, 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. A Triple Threat Theater Camp for ages 6 to 17 runs July 8-26, 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. A Triple Threat Theater Camp Jr. for ages 5.5 through 9 runs July 8-12 and July 15-19, 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. The weeklong camps cost $325 per week; the three-week camp costs $850.

• University of New Hampshire Theatre & Dance Stars unh.edu/youthprograms UNH offers a theater camp July 8-12 for grades 3 through 12, divided in different sessions by age, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as well as a camp from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for grades 1 through 3. A camp for grades 5 to 12 runs July 15-19 runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Full-day camps cost $400, half day is $250.

Winter farmers markets offer a taste of sunnier seasons

Farmers markets aren’t just for the warmer months; some continue to operate through the winter, featuring a variety of vendors selling everything from fresh produce to artisanal crafts.

Via email, organizers and vendors discussed how these markets adapt to the colder season and what unique offerings they bring to the community.

Concord Farmers Market

Brenda White, with input from her fellow organizers for the Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market, discussed how this season is going.

How has this year’s winter farmers market differed from previous years in terms of vendor participation and customer attendance?

This year, our fledgling market has grown in visibility through our social media advertising and new signs that are more visually appealing and draw the attention of passersby. We worked with a local Concord artist, RS Creative, who designed our fresh, new logo. Attendance is up from an average of 275 customers to roughly 425 customers. We have gained some wonderful vendors to add to a diverse offering. The produce and products that you can find range from fish, meats and eggs to fresh microgreens, root veggies, fresh baked treats and bread. We have vendors who make wonderful soaps, lotions, candles and dog treats. We even have a vendor with fresh cut winter flowers … and microbrews and wine. There is such a wide variety of local goodness.

What unique challenges does operating a farmers market in the winter present, and how have you and the vendors adapted to these conditions?

Finding a location that works for all patrons and gives us enough space to set up. We are grateful for the generosity that Stephen Duprey has gifted this market in its early years by giving us a location to have a market to provide easy access for customers to obtain amazing local products. 7 Eagle Square is a bright, beautiful open space with two levels of shopping. It is a great location for folks who are either choosing to walk around downtown or park close by for quick easy in and out.

Can you share some success stories or particularly popular initiatives from this year’s winter market?

Manus Basket: Every Saturday we have a basket set up to gather donations to support families in need of food. So we have partnered with The Boys & Girls Club of Central and Northern New Hampshire. How it works is that each market Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market purchases food from vendors at the market to place in the cooler or basket for the Boys & Girls Club. We have budgeted a certain amount a week to spend. In addition to that, customers and vendors purchase or donate items to add to the basket and cooler as well while they shop. This supports the vendors as well as helping our local community.

We were excited to host a sing-along with Santa in December this year. It was well-received and fun for the customers’ children and families. … As always, the Merrimack County Conservation District has continued to offer its Granite State Market Match and Veteran Value Bucks programs. Through the Granite State Market Match, SNAP/EBT recipients can double the amount they are spending on food items offered at the market. For example, if $20 is charged to a SNAP card, the recipient will receive $40 in vouchers to spend on food items. The Veteran Value Bucks program provides $20 to veterans and active service members once a month to shop for any items at the market. These programs allow more customers to visit our market, while also keeping more dollars local. It’s a win for everyone.

How important are winter farmers markets for the vendors’ businesses, and what role do they play in the local community during the colder months?

There are very few markets in the winter months, and it is not easy for vendors to get their products out to consumers on their own during the winter months without this farmers market community. The market provides a central location with easy access for the public to get all their needs in one location. We have a variety of meats including traditional beef, pork, lamb, chicken, fish and now a new vendor who provides ostrich. We have cheeses, yogurt, beer, soaps, bread, pastries, gluten-free pastries and bread, vegetables, syrup, honey, jams, eggs, beef chips, mushrooms, coffee, microgreens, dog food, popcorn, nuts, soft pretzels, rolls and flowers. These amazing vendors are local and love to support and help their communities and provide fresh locally grown/made products.

What measures have you implemented to encourage community engagement and ensure a safe, enjoyable experience for visitors during the winter season?

We are fortunate that we can use the Storr Street parking garage’s top level to park and use the ramp to bring products down to 7 Eagle Square easily for setup. Customers can use the garage’s top level as well during business hours of the market. The building has an elevator so that patrons can access both floors of the market easily if they prefer not to use the stairs. Walkways and the courtyard are maintained well to be sure that the area is free of ice and snow so customers have easy and safe access to the building. We also have local musicians who are scheduled by NH Music Collective to entertain at the market to add another family-friendly feel to the experience.

Looking forward, are there any new plans or ideas you’re excited to introduce to the winter farmers market in future seasons?

We hope to have a new permanent location in the future that will give us more space and make it even more convenient for customers to join us.

Joyberry Farms

Amy Joyce and Brad Ikenberry of Joyberry Farms, based in Mason, joyberryfarms.com. Find them at the winter Salem NH Farmers Market.

Can you tell us about yourself and what you offer at the winter farmers market?

We are the owners of Joyberry Farms, a small family-owned and -operated farm in Mason. We cultivate fresh mushrooms and create unique mushroom products. At the markets you can find a variety of fresh mushrooms each week, as well as a variety of dried products like mushroom coffee, teas, dried mushroom soups and risotto. We also make wellness mushroom powders.

How has this year’s market been for your business in terms of customer attendance and sales trends?

The sales in the winter tend to drop a little bit, due to attendance and weather. However, each year, as we grow, we also see a rise in our sales trends from repeat and new customers that love our products.

What unique challenges and opportunities does the winter market present for you?

The cold weather definitely makes farming a lot harder, but it also gives us time to slow down and be more creative.

How do you adapt your offerings or business strategy for the winter season?

Mushrooms, like vegetables, grow differently in each season. We offer different ‘cold weather’ mushrooms in the winter than in the summer, but some varieties grow all year-round.

What are the main benefits of participating in the winter market for your business?

Although our summer season is packed with farmers markets, we do attend a few winter markets which helps keep our business running year-round.

What is a popular item or service that draws customers to your stall at the winter market?

Our fresh mushrooms remain our top seller; however, in the winter we get an influx of sales from our soups, risotto, coffee and teas.

Blakeney’s Bakery

Brenda White, Blakeney’s Bakery, based in Contoocook, blakeneysbakery.com. Find them at the Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market.

Can you tell us about yourself and what you offer at the winter farmers market?

Blakeney’s Bakery has a large variety of breads, scones, cookies, soft pretzels, whoopie pies, lemon bars and cookies.

How has this year’s market been for your business in terms of customer attendance and sales trends?

Each year has grown in customers and sales.

What unique challenges and opportunities does the winter market present for you?

Weather can be a challenge, especially if it keeps customers from coming out.

How do you adapt your offerings or business strategy for the winter season?

Really don’t have to do much. We make seasonal products and create new flavors of bread sometimes just from customer suggestions. We don’t make as many products during the winter market as the customer base is significantly smaller due to summer guests and residents who leave for the winter.

What are the main benefits of participating in the winter market for your business?

Being able to provide a great product for our customers and to … work with other vendors to support them by pairing their products with ours when possible.

What is a popular item or service that draws customers to your stall at the winter market?

Our variety of bread flavors and scones. We strive to have savory, sweet and salty options to meet a variety of needs that our customers have.

HorseFeathers Ostrich Farm

Monte and Alison Cossette. HorseFeathers Ostrich Farm, based in Webster, horsefeathersostrichfarm.com. Find them every other Saturday (next date March 2) at the Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market.

Can you tell us about yourself and what you offer at the winter farmers market?

My husband and I started our ostrich farm several years ago. We’ve been growing our farm, breeding stock, and now are excited to be able to offer USDA ostrich meat for the first time both locally and through online sales. This is our first season participating in farmers market and we have been thrilled with this market.

What unique challenges and opportunities does the winter market present for you?

Since we are offering a product that not as many people are familiar with, the amount of customers going through the market is very important for us. The more people we can show and teach about ostrich meat, the more sales and repeat customers we can have.

How do you adapt your offerings or business strategy for the winter season?

Currently we are bringing a small amount of meat and only a few types of meat cuts; we are hoping to be part of the summer market and have more offerings.

What are the main benefits of participating in the winter market for your business?

As a new business it is amazing to have people to talk to about our product. All organizers of the group have been amazingly helpful as we get started with our farmers markets and our business.

What is a popular item or service that draws customers to your stall at the winter market?

In our booth we have a display of ostrich egg shells with a fake ostrich head. That seems to really pique interest for people and get them over to the booth. The egg shells can be used for decorations and arts, but the display is a great starting point to bring people to the table and start talking about the meat.

Arándano Farm and Gluten Free or Die Bakery

Paul Gareau and Angela Letelier, Arándano Farm and Gluten Free or Die Bakery, Belmont, arandano.farm, gfordie.com. Find them at the Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market.

Can you tell us about yourself and what you offer at the winter farmers market?

It’s our first year as vendors in Concord; generally we attend other markets in Belknap County and we’ll be running three new markets in 2024. Our farm offers organic-fed chicken, grass-fed pork, eggs, vegetables and microgreens. The bakery offers celiac-safe gluten-free baked goods.

What unique challenges and opportunities does the winter market present for you?

Our area mostly offers summer markets, so the winter market helps us sell our products throughout the winter.

How do you adapt your offerings or business strategy for the winter season?

Less emphasis on grilling, more on meal prep.

What are the main benefits of participating in the winter market for your business?

Income throughout winter months and expanded customer base.

What is a popular item or service that draws customers to your stall at the winter market?

Our main attraction is no-compromised gluten-free baked goods, and we have a following for our chicken and pork as well.

Pastry Dream

Ann and Roger Baril of Pastry Dream are based in Derry. Find them at the Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market and the winter Salem NH Farmers Market.

Can you tell us about yourself and what you offer at the winter farmers market?

We sell individually sized pastries called Dreams. Some call them small pies. Our flavor selection ranges from lemon curd and raspberry to chocolate/peanut butter to our brand new Key lime. We presently offer nine flavors — something for everyone.

How has this year’s market been for your business in terms of customer attendance and sales trends?

We have already seen an increase over last year.

What unique challenges and opportunities does the winter market present for you?

A challenge we experience each year is New Year’s resolutions and the fact that everyone eats too much over the holiday season and cuts back for a time especially in January. Our opportunity is that farmers markets allow us the opportunity to present our products to those who may not have tasted them before.

How do you adapt your offerings or business strategy for the winter season?

For the winter season we offer a pecan pie Dream and a ginger/spice cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting along with all of our other items.

What are the main benefits of participating in the winter market for your business?

Feedback from customers is a huge benefit of being at the farmers markets. We have a lemon curd and a raspberry and many customers suggested that we put the two flavors together. We did, and the lemon/raspberry is one of our best sellers. We’ve also been asked to create a Key lime dream, which we are now offering and is a great success.

What is a popular item or service that draws customers to your stall at the winter market?

We offer samples, which give new customers the opportunity to taste our flavors before buying. This makes a big difference, because once you taste the filling flavors you have to have more.

KYS Food for Dogs

Sonia Javier Obinger of KYS Food for Dogs, based in Sandown. Find them at the Downtown Concord Farmers Market and the winter Salem NH Farmers Market.

Can you tell us about yourself and what you offer at the winter farmers market?

I started preparing whole-food recipes because of my interest in providing the best nutrition for my three pugs and a Boston terrier. I began researching, taking classes and using my experience to develop whole-food recipes for them. There would even be times when my friends would come over and ask what was cooking because it smelled so good. I said it was my dog’s dinner. So fast forward 16-plus years of testing, making mistakes, re-testing and friends’ support, I started KYS Whole Food for Dogs. Our recipes are created in small batches, bone broth braised with organic ingredients sourced from local farms sold fresh/frozen in compostable packages at farmers markets, online and retail. Recipes offer seasonally harvested organic vegetables with pasture-raised chicken or grass-fed beef, organ meat, seaweed, hempseed or flaxseed, providing dogs with a nutritious, complete meal. KYS ingredients are sourced from local farms like Vernon Family in Newfields. They provide the chicken for Tilly’s Pastured Chicken recipe. The organic vegetables in this recipe are grown and harvested by Heron Pond in Hampton, Two Farmers Farm in Scarborough, Maine, and Brandmoore Farm in Rollinsford.

How has this year’s market been for your business in terms of customer attendance and sales trends?

This is my first season with Downtown Concord Farmers Market, so I am still working on brand awareness. With the Salem NH Farmers Market this is my third winter market and this market has grown, especially at its new location at LaBelle Winery.

What unique challenges and opportunities does the winter market present for you?

I think the opportunities are that they are indoors, thus providing customers access to a great variety of vendors. I think the biggest challenge is New England weather, which this year has been relatively calm.

How do you adapt your offerings or business strategy for the winter season?

Since my recipes are based on harvest availability, root vegetables — carrots, winter squash, cranberries, for example — are used in the winter. Once the spring/summer season starts we have more greens, summer squash, blueberries, etc. So all year my customers have a diverse nutritional diet.

What are the main benefits of participating in the winter market for your business?

The benefits are that we still have access to our summer customers as well as meeting new ones. Plus it is warmer than being outside.

What is a popular item or service that draws customers to your stall at the winter market?

I think both Jake’s Grass fed Beef and Tilly’s Pastured Chicken recipes are equally popular. I have recently been testing with some of my customers’ liver truffles, which are another whole food product for those who want to provide a healthy treat for the dog.

Completely, totally, mostly free and free-ish fun things to do, see and enjoy

Library, more like “free-brary”

Libraries are the kings of free fun.

1. Your local library of course offers books, magazines, graphic novels, audiobooks and other physical media free for you to borrow with only your library card, which usually requires just proof of residency (or employment in that town, if you want to load up on library memberships) like a bill or your driver’s license (some area libraries also specifically ask that you bring a photo ID). But those aren’t the only free offerings.

2. Ebooks and e-audiobooks are available, along with magazines, newspapers and more, via apps such as Libby, Overdrive and Hoopla, which are accessible once you get your library card. Depending on the app, you can check out a specific number of titles per month or at a time. Instructions on your library’s website explain how to get the title onto your device.

3. Kanopy membership is another perk offered by area libraries. A streaming service for movies and TV shows, Kanopy is a solid service for movie fans, with a selection that includes wide- and more limited-release feature films, documentaries, world cinema and relatively recent releases, such as 2023’s Beau Is Afraid and Kelly Reichhardt’s Showing Up, as well as last year’s Oscar winner Everything Everywhere All At Once. There is also currently a whole tab of A24 movies. The movies cost two tickets each to watch (for example, Bedford Library patrons get 16 tickets per month). You can watch a Great Courses class (a “Cooking Through the Ages” class costs five tickets) or a TV show (Series 1 of Luther costs four tickets).

4. In addition to things to watch and read, many local libraries also lend stuff. The Library of Thingsat the Concord Public Library (concordpubliclibrary.net) includes a ukulele, a ghost meter, a karaoke machine, a telescope and a pickleball set. The Bedford Public Library’s (bedfordnhlibrary.org) Library of Things includes a portable projector and portable screen, binoculars and more. The Manchester City Library (manchester.lib.nh.us) has telescopes, framed prints and Playaway Launchpads. Borrow an XBox, an electric guitar, night vision binoculars or the board game Exploding Kittens via the Merrimack Public Library (merrimacklibrary.org). Check out a Game of Thrones board game, a virtual reality headset or a bird-watching set at the Kelley Library in Salem (kelleylibrary.org). Like several other local libraries, the Nashua Public Library (nashualibrary.org) has a Puzzle Exchange, where you can leave a puzzle, take a puzzle.

5. Stuff also includes seeds — many area libraries have a Seed Library to help you plan and plant your garden. “Check out” seeds for veggies, herbs and other plants and get instructions on how to collect and return the seeds from that plant after the growing season. Area libraries offering seed libraries and exchanges include Goffstown Public Library (goffstownlibrary.com), Bedford Public Library, the Smyth Public Library in Candia (smythpl.org), Nashua Public Library, Manchester City Library, and the Wadleigh Memorial Library in Milford (wadleighlibrary.org).

6. And take a day trip to an area cultural site with the museum passes available to cardholders at pretty much all area libraries. What admissions are free and what admissions may be discounted vary by museum: For example, via the Griffin Free Public Library in Auburn (griffinfree.org), passes for the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire and the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center get you up to four free admissions for those locations, while the pass for the Currier Museum of Art gets you half off two adult and all youth admissions. The list of participating museums varies by libraries but often includes Boston attractions as well as New Hampshire sites.

7. As with the “libraries offer books” example, it might seem obvious to mention all the events at area libraries but it’s more than just storytimes for kids and book clubs (though pretty much all libraries do have those and the storytimes are often specific to certain ages, offering entertainment specifically geared toward, say, the youngest toddler or the wiggliest preschooler). Among the offerings: JerriAnne Boggis, executive director of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, discusses the Trail and African American history in Concord Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m. at the Concord Public Library (concordpubliclibrary.net); Nashua Public Library will screen Blazing Saddles on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 1:30 p.m., and the Manchester City Library (manchester.lib.nh.us) offers an evening with romance authors Ali Hazelwood, Nikki Payne and Denise Williams via Zoom on Monday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m.

8. You can even hold a book club, board game night or kid graphic novel club of your own at your library by using one of their meeting rooms. The rooms are often free to reserve (which you can do at many libraries online).

Arts & culture for free

Enjoy the experience of checking out some locally created and/or visual or performing arts — and then support it with donations or by purchasing works.

9. The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester (currier.org) offers free admission on the Second Saturday of each month to New Hampshire residents — the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Active-duty military and their families and veterans can also get free admission any time (Currier also has special offers for free or discounted admission for members of certain associations and for faculty, staff and students at some area colleges; see the website).

10. You can also go in depth on Currier collections and exhibitions from home on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. as part of “Art Conversations From Home.” The 30-minute Zoom registrations are free, though registration is required.

You can also check out the exhibitions in area art galleries, many of which have public hours and often hold artist receptions near the beginning of the show. Current shows include:

11. “All Heart Statuses,” an exhibition featuring works with a variety of approaches to love and emotion, on display at the Mosaic Art Collective in Manchester (mosaicartcollective.com) through Wednesday, Feb. 28. The gallery is open Wednesday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. See Michael Witthaus’ story about the exhibition in the Feb. 8 issue of the Hippo.

12. “Nature in Focus: Image of Flora, Fauna and Landscapes of New England” at the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; nhaudubon.org) Friday, March 8. The show features nature photography by Bob Fleck, a New Hampshire author and photographer, according to a press release. Visit the exhibition Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

13. “Blossoming Beyond,” an exhibition that “showcases work that embodies the resilience, strength and beauty of both the natural world and the LGBTQ+ community,” according to queerlective.com, at the New Hampshire Audubon Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn). The exhibit will be on display through Saturday, March 30; visit Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

14. Artists Brenda McDonald, Seth Dewey, Craig Michaud and Dan Splaine have works on display at the Sandy Cleary Community Art Gallery at the Nashua Center for the Arts (nashuacenterforthearts.com) through the end of March.

15. The works of Susan Rock, including pieces about Abraham Lincoln, are on display at Two Villages Art Society (Bates Building, 846 Main St. in Hopkinton; twovillagesart.org) through Saturday, March 2. The gallery is open Thursdays through Sundays, from noon to 4 p.m.

16. Check out the League of NH Craftsmen galleries in Concord (open Monday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Nashua (open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) for fine crafts by juried members on display (and available for purchase). See nhcrafts.org.

17. See the sculptures created as part of the Nashua International Sculpture Symposium installed at locations around the Gate City. Find a map to all the pieces at nashuasculpturesymposium.org, where you can get information about each of the sculptures.

18. Art and nature meet at the Andres Institute of Art in Brookline (andresinstitute.org), where more than 100 sculptures are positioned on the institute’s 140 acres, which are open daily from dawn to dusk and are free (donations accepted). Find maps to the trails, which include which sculptures you’ll find where, on the website, where you can also see the art and get information on the artists.

19. Take a drive, then take a stroll for some art. The Portsmouth downtown area hosts the Art ’Round Town gallery walk on the first Friday of every month from 5 to 8 p.m. (14 Market Square). Explore the art scene in this creative historical community by visiting different art galleries downtown. Visit artroundtown.org.

20. In Exeter, it’s the 2nd Friday Art Walk 5 to 7 p.m. — see the exhibits at the Seacoast Artists Association (seacoastartist.org), Foundation Art Space (teamexeter.com/foundation-art-space.html) and more. See teamexeter.com.

21. The Walker Lecture Series offers music, performances, lectures and more for free at the Concord City Auditorium (theaudi.org/events). Upcoming events include the Freese Brothers Big Band on Wednesday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m.; Man on the Hill, described as a two-act performance that mixes music and story, on Wednesday, March 13, at 7 p.m. and “Exotic and Tropical Asia, a Travelogue with Marlin Darrah” on Wednesday, March 20, at 7 p.m.

22. The Bach’s Lunch series at the Concord Community Music School (ccmusicschool.org) offers quick free concerts, usually 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. Next up is “A Mountain in Miniature: Exploring the Irish Musical Tradition through the Lens of a Single Tune” on Thursday, March 7.

23. The Concord Community Music School also hosts regular student recitals, which are free to attend. Next on the schedule is the Integrated Arts recital on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. where participants can display visual art they’ve created during their musical performances, according to the website.

24. The Manchester Community Music School regularly hosts free faculty concerts (online registration is required; there is also a virtual attendance option). Next up is a tribute to Nat King Cole on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. Visit mcmusicschool.org.

25. The Nashua Community Music School (nashuacms.org/recitals) has student recitals that are free and open to the public. Next up are recitals on Friday, March 22, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, March 23, with times at 2, 4 and 6 p.m.

26. The New Hampshire Historical Society offers free events, most at its 30 Park St. location in Concord (though some are held elsewhere). Upcoming events include the lecture “Late in Arriving: How Electricity Changed Rural New Hampshire” by Steve Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m.; a book talk by Alan Rumrill about his Monadnock Originals on Saturday, March 9, at 2 p.m., and a free family fun day on Saturday, March 16, from 2 to 4 p.m. that will feature games, crafts, storytelling and more, according to nhhistory.org.

27. New Hampshire Humanities holds a variety of events — book talks, history lectures, musical performances and more — some of which are in person at locations across the state, some virtual and a few hybrid. Upcoming events include “Liberty Is Our Motto!: Songs and Stories of the Hutchinson Family Singers” with Steve Blunt portraying a mid-19th century entertainer on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6 p.m. at the Canterbury Town Hall; “Songs of Old New Hampshire” presented by Jeff Warner at the Hooksett Public Library on Friday, Feb. 16, at 11 a.m., and “Banjos, Bones & Ballads” also presented by Warner on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 11 a.m. Some events require pre-registration; see nhhumanities.org/programs.

28. Slam Free or Die, an ongoing poetry open mic and slam series, takes place every Thursday night at Stark Brewing Co. in Manchester. Follow them on Facebook @slamfreeordie for updates on upcoming events and appearances.

29. The Poetry Society of New Hampshire holds regular readings, usually the third Wednesday of each month, at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord (gibsonsbookstore.com) often with an open mic following reading by a published poet. Next up is Chard deNiord at the event on Wednesday, Feb. 21, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

30. Gibson’s Bookstore also holds regular in-store author events that are free — though you can upgrade the experience by buying the author’s book and getting it signed. Next up are Margo Cooper to discuss Deep Inside the Blues: Photographs and Interviews (Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 6:30 p.m.) and Leila Philip to discuss Beaver Land: How One Weird Rodent Made America(Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 6:30 p.m). See gibsonsbookstore.com for the calendar and to sign up for their newsletter.

31. Balin Books in Nashua (balinbooks.com) regularly offers author events. Next on the schedule is Civics 101 podcasters Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice to discuss their book A User’s Guide to Democracy on Saturday, March 9, at 2 p.m.

32. Bookery Manchester (bookerymht.com) has a schedule full of author events including upcoming events with Michaela Horan to discuss Rolling Hills and the Sword of Avalon (Saturday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m.); Fox Hollow to discuss Heart Strings (Sunday, Feb. 18, at 3 p.m.) and Midge Goldberg, editor of Outer Space: 100 Poems (Friday, March 15, at 5:30 p.m.). Bookery will also host NAV Arts writers open mic on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 5 p.m.

Free in the outdoors

Walking outside your door is free — but what if you’re looking for some more specific outdoor adventures?

33. The network of more than 35 miles of trails at Beaver Brook Association in Hollis (beaverbrook.org) is free and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. Find trail maps, including to accessible trails, on the website.

34. Another stop at Beaver Brook is Maple Hill Gardens (at the 117 Ridge Road in Hollis location). The 13 themed gardens are also free and open for daily viewing, with the best season for viewing April through October, according to the website, which also said there is a natural play area, a demonstration compost court, picnic areas and a wildflower trail.

35. The New Hampshire Audubon manages 39 wildlife sanctuaries throughout the state that are free to visit and open to the public. See nhaudubon.org/lands/sanctuaries for a list of the sanctuaries, many of which, such as the Massabesic Center/Battery Point Wildlife Sanctuary in Auburn and the Ponemah Bog in Amherst, have links to trail guides, maps, birding tips and more.

36. The Manchester Cedar Swamp (nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/manchester-cedar-swamp-preserve) offers free dawn-to-dusk trails of 1.8 miles that are universally accessible including to people using wheelchairs, strollers and other adaptive devices according to the website, where you can find a trail map and more.

City parks offer spots for picnics, playtime and other recreation. A few to check out:

37. Mine Falls Park features trails from roughly a third of a mile to nearly 3 miles; see nashuanh.gov/491/Mine-Falls-Park for a map.

38. Stark Park in north Manchester features a “Walk in the Woods” trail network, an outdoor nature playspace and more; see starkpark.com.

39. Livingston Park (manchesternh.gov) is a 131-acre park in north Manchester that features a playground, a summertime swimming pool, sports fields and facilities, and walking trails around Dorrs Pond, according to the website.

40. White Park in Concord features the Monkey Around Playground, a seasonal splash pad, basketball courts, an ice skating rink (weather permitting), walking trails and more, according to concordnh.gov.

41. Watson Park in Merrimack offers a gaga pit, picnic spots, a butterfly garden and ice skating (weather permitting); see merrimackparksandrec.org.

42. The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill in Bedford (theeducationalfarm.org) is free to visit daily, dusk till dawn, and features hiking, walking and cross country skiing trails (see maps on the website) as well as farm animals to visit. Upgrade the experience by purchasing $5 grain cups or by doing some shopping at the farm stand.

43. Get state park admission for free — sort of.In this case “free” is going to cost you about $93. For an annual $85, plus a one-time $8 new license plate fee, you can get a New Hampshire State Park license plate for your car. The revenues from the plate go to the State Parks Fund, which helps pay for the operation of the parks, according to nhstateparks.org. The plates (with a current registration) get you free admission to more than two dozen state parks, including Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham and Wallis Sands State Park in Rye. See nhstateparks.org for details.

44. The New Hampshire Astronomical Society goes everywhere and they bring their telescopes. Check out their calendar (nhastro.com/calendar.php) to find a spot where you can meet up, talk telescopes and sky watching and get a look at the stars. Upcoming public appearances include a “sidewalk astronomy” session in Portsmouth on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 5 to 10 p.m. in Market Square; their monthly first Friday skywatch at the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center in Concord on Friday, March 1, from 7 to 10 p.m., and a skywatch at Benedictine Park in Bedford on Monday, March 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. The Society is also holding presentations on the April eclipse at several area libraries, including Whipple Hall in New London (Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 5 p.m.), Kelley Library in Salem (Monday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m.), Baker Free Library in Bow (Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m.), the Concord Public Library (Tuesday, March 5, at 6 p.m.), Whipple Free Library in New Boston (Thursday, March 7, at 6 p.m.) and the Goffstown library (Tuesday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m.), as well as several more libraries in March.

45. Take the NH Rail Trails Challenge! Run, bike, walk, rollerblade or otherwise explore the state’s rail trails — there are 43 of them currently — in whatever time frame or increments you’d like and then complete a form at nhrtc.org. Bragging rights are free; $10 gets you a patch to point to whilst bragging. Find out more about the challenge at an upcoming Bike Talk held by the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. via Zoom; find the link to register via the group’s Facebook page.

Free fun & free games

Here are some sports, family attractions and more free happenings.

46. Enjoy a free(-ish) movie at Chunky’s Cinema Pubs in Manchester, Nashua and Pelham with the monthly Little Lunch Date screenings of kid-friendly films in a kid-friendly screening room (lights not as dim, noise and squirming to be expected). The movies don’t have an admission per se, though you reserve a seat by buying $5 food vouchers to be used at the movie (there is also a $1.25 service fee per ticket when purchased online). Next up is 2011’s Gnomeo & Juliet (PG) on Friday, Feb. 16, at 3:45 p.m.

47. Head to winter farmers markets for some free browsing and hobnobbing with local farmers and producers (and in some cases live music) and then upgrade the experience by buying treats for now and treats for later. The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market (downtownconcordwinterfarmersmarket.com) runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 7 Eagle Square; on Saturday, Feb. 17, musician Joel Begin performers. The Contoocook Farmers Market (find them on Facebook) spends its winters at the Maple Street School on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon; on Saturday, Feb. 17, Ryan Williamson performs. The Milford Indoor Farmers Market (milfordnhfarmersmarket.com) is open for two more Saturdays — Feb. 24 and March 9 — from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Milford Town Hall Auditorium on the Oval. The Salem New Hampshire Farmers Market (salemnhfarmersmarket.org) spends winters at LaBelle Winery in Derry (14 Route 111) on Sundays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

48. Regular season Southern New Hampshire University basketball games are free to attend and both Penmen women’s and men’s teams have three home games left — Saturday, Feb. 17, (1:30 p.m. women, 3:30 p.m. men) against Pace University; Saturday, Feb. 24 (1:30 p.m. women, 3:30 p.m. men) against Assumption University and Tuesday, Feb. 27, (5:30 p.m. women, 7:30 p.m. men) against the College of Saint Rose. The games take place at Stan Spiro Field House (at the Southern New Hampshire University campus, 2500 River Road in Manchester). See snhupenmen.com.

49. Meanwhile, lacrosse season is starting for the SNHU Penmen. The men’s team has a home game against Molloy University scheduled Saturday, Feb. 17, at noon at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium on the SNHU campus (the stadium is on Victory Lane in Hooksett). The women’s first home game is Saturday, March 16, at 1 p.m. versus Presbyterian College. Regular season games are free to attend; see snhupenmen.com for the schedule.

50. Lacrosse season is also starting at Rivier College in Nashua, with the Rivier Raiders men’s lacrosse team playing UMass Boston Saturday, Feb. 17, at noon, on Joanne Merrill Field at Linda Robinson Pavilion. The men will also face Curry College in the home game on Saturday, Feb. 24, at noon. The women will play Saint Joseph on Saturday, March 9, at noon. The games are free to attend. See rivierathletics.com.

51. And then it’s baseball and softball season. The SNHU Penmen baseball team plays a home game against the Saint Anselm Hawks at Penmen Field on Wednesday, March 27, at 3 p.m. The women’s softball team will play a doubleheader against Mercy University at home on Saturday, March 23, with games at noon and 2 p.m. at the SNHU Softball Field (on Eastman Drive). The women will then play American International College on Sunday, March 24, at noon and 2 p.m. See snhupenmen.com for the schedule.

52. The first home game for Rivier Raiders men’s baseball will be Sunday, March 30, when they play a doubleheader against Norwich at noon and 3 p.m. at Historic Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St. in Nashua). The women’s softball team plays at Raider Diamond and their first home game will be against Fitchburg State on Saturday, March 23, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Games are free to attend. See rivierathletics.com.

53. Get lessons in all things maple — from the sap gathering and syrup making process to a sample of the finished product — at area sugarhouses during Maple Weekend, this year scheduled for Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17. Check with nhmapleproducers.com for a listing of sugarhouses, many of whom offer samples of maple syrup and maple products as well as tours and more. And of course upgrade the experience by purchasing some fresh local maple syrup.

Save the date for “free”

There are actually a fair number of free events throughout the year, from the music and movies presented in parks to the town holiday celebrations and parades in December. Here are a few free happenings coming up in the next few months.

54. Merrimack’s Winter Carnival takes place Saturday, Feb. 24, from noon to 3 p.m. at Wasserman Park. This free event features games and activities including, at 1 p.m., the cardboard box sledding competition. See merrimackparksandrec.org.

55. Tickets are free for the upcoming Sing-Along Piano Bar nights at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 6 p.m.; Sunday, March 24, at 6 p.m., and Sunday, April 28, at 6 p.m. Tickets are also free to the Rockstar Karaoke night on Saturday, May 11, at 7 p.m. See the website for details on these events.

56. Get an up close look at the making of kombucha at a tour of Auspicious Brew in Dover, billed as the first licensed kombucha brewery in New Hampshire, on Monday, Feb. 26, at 6:30 p.m. Register at dovernh.assabetinteractive.com.

57. Check out the installation of a “graffiti fiber art tree hugging project” at Waldron Park in Dover on Saturday, March 2, at 1 p.m., according to a post on Dover Arts Commission’s Facebook page.

58. Remember the Old Man in the Mountain at the presentation “The Old Man: His Life and Legacy” on Saturday, March 16, at 11 a.m. at the Millyard Museum in Manchester (manchesterhistoric.org).

59. This year’s Black Ice Pond Hockey Championships will take place Friday, March 22, through Sunday, March 24, at Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett. The games are free to watch. See blackicepondhockey.com and the event’s Facebook page for schedule updates.

60. Manchester’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be Sunday, March 24, at noon, marching down Elm Street from Salmon Street, according to saintpatsnh.com. Enjoy this free downtown event or upgrade your experience by participating in the Shamrock Shuffle (registration costs $25 for adults), a 2-mile run/walk that starts at 11 a.m. and includes a post-race beer for of-age participants. See millenniumrunning.com/shamrock.

61. On Monday, April 8, catch the total solar eclipse — but, like, safely. The eclipse is free but for $2 ($3 if you want it sent to you) you can get solar eclipse glasses from the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord (starhop.com). And you can head to the center for the “Great American Eclipse Viewing Party” from noon to 5 p.m. that day, with the eclipse predicted to begin at 2:15 p.m. and maximum Concord viewing at 3:29 p.m., according to the Center’s website.

62. The Manchester Community Music School will host the May Gruber Memorial Concert on Friday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m., with a special performance by cellist Aristides Rivas. Admission is free but registration is required; seemcmusicschool.org/events.

63. Free Comic Book Day — it’s right there in the name! On Saturday, May 4, you can score free comic books specially created for this day, which often means they introduce a character or storyline or otherwise help to bring in new readers. In our general area, both Double Midnight Comics locations (Concord and Manchester; dmcomics.com) participate, with Manchester doing the event up big with costume contests and more. Other locations include Merrymac Games and Comics in Merrimack (merrymacgc.com) and Collectibles Unlimited in Concord (collectiblesunlimited.biz), according to freecomicbookday.com, where you can often find previews of the books that will be available. For a Free Comic Book Day celebration that goes town-wide, check out Jetpack Comics in Rochester (jetpackcomics.com); score all the FCBD comics as well as other cool perks by volunteering to help out all day, according to the website.

How to impress with fancy eats, cozy eats and a decadent dessert

Generally speaking, as a grownup on Valentine’s Day, you have four paths open to you:

(1) Sitting alone on your couch, in the dark, eating ice cream and watching kung fu movies. This will seem very familiar, as this was probably how you spent New Year’s Eve a few weeks ago.

(2) If you are young, enthusiastic and employed, there are Champagne, jewelry and optimistically intimate undergarments. These are grand, romantic gestures. They are undeniably effective, but also set expectations for the evening uncomfortably high, and at the same time make you look bad on the next gift-giving holiday, when you aren’t so demonstrative. It’s a risk.

(3) If you are older, and somewhat trampled upon by Life, there is the panicked last-minute purchase of traditional gestures of romance — grocery store roses ($15), a heart-shaped box of chocolates from the drug store ($25 for a big one), or getting a heart tattooed on your butt, with your loved one’s name on it (around $150, plus tip).

(4) Or, if you have been with your loved one for a while, a greeting card and dinner. This has some advantages:

(a) Nobody expects anything profound on a card. You can buy a generically romantic or even blank one, then look up a poem on the internet and copy a couple of stanzas into the card. Don’t try to take credit for good poetry. Cite your source, and you’ll look classy. Alternatively, you can try to be funny. Your joke might not go over, but you will still get points for trying, even if you’ve drawn a zombie holding a bouquet of dead roses, with a caption that says, “I love you for your brain.”

(b) Dinner is a winning strategy; we all like food. Even if you’ve been arguing with your loved one and things have been a little tense, we all have to eat sometime, and your sincere cooking gesture will not go unappreciated.

So if you’ve decided to cook a Valentine’s Day dinner, again, you have a few different approaches.

A FANCY DINNER

As Valentine’s Day cooking goes, this is a big swing. If you pull it off, you will look confident and accomplished. If you and your dining companion are still getting to know one another, this will hint that you have hidden depths.

Even if things go spectacularly wrong — even if there are billows of smoke from the kitchen, even if the dog races through the living room with your main course in his mouth, even if you injure yourself dramatically in some way — you can smile gamely, wipe a tear from the corner of your eye, and ask, “How do you feel about pizza?” You will still come out ahead.

You want to cook something that is legitimately delicious, grown up, and impressive, but not actually very hard to make.

Steak

If your Valentine is a fan of red meat, this is the time to double down on a really good piece of beef. Here’s the recipe for a truly excellent steak:

Go to a real butcher. Describe how you’d like your evening to go. He or she will show you some steaks. To you, they will look like most of the meat in the case. Trust the professional. Say, “Yes, please,” then ask them how to cook it. They know meat better than you ever will. Write down their directions, go home, and do what they told you to do.

This will be a Very Good Steak.

Chicken

If you are a strong and confident cook, roast a whole chicken. Stuff the cavity with lemon quarters and thyme, and baste it with olive oil and garlic.

If you aren’t quite that confident, your best bet is Chicken Piccata.

Chicken Piccata

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half –you can buy them this way at the grocery store

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

all-purpose flour, for coating

6 Tablespoons (¾ stick) butter

5 Tablespoons (3 big glugs) olive oil

⅓ cup (75 grams) fresh squeezed lemon juice

½ cup (113 g) chicken stock

¼ cup (55 g) brined capers, rinsed

chopped parsley for garnish

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Coat them with flour, dusting off the excess.

Fry the chicken over medium heat in 4 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil, until both sides are golden brown, about three minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the lemon juice, chicken stock and capers to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the little bits of fried chicken — if you want to impress people, call this fond — and incorporate it into the sauce.

Return the chicken to the pan and give it a brief spa day in the sauce, five minutes or so.

Remove the chicken again. At this point it is probably getting confused and a little frustrated, trying to figure out what you want from it. Plate it with your apologies.

Add the last 2 tablespoons of butter to the sauce and whisk it vigorously, like it owes you money. Again, if you want to use a fancy cooking term, this is called mounting the sauce. If you tried to work that term into a joke later on, who could blame you? If you whisk briskly enough that your sauce doesn’t break, you’ll probably get away with making a mounting joke.

Pour the sauce — the piccata sauce — over the chicken, and top with the chopped parsley. Congratulations, you’ve made Chicken Piccata.

This is delicious. It is a classic but went out of style 20 or 30 years ago, so there’s a good chance your dining companion hasn’t heard of this before. The acid from the lemon juice plays off the bright, salty flavor of the capers. This would be a bit too sharp, but the butter has rounded off the edges and given the sauce a richness that complements the chicken. The effort-to-deliciousness ratio of this dish is excellent.

Vegetarian

Your best bet here is an omelet or roasted portabella mushrooms. The mushrooms will have a rich flavor and a meaty texture. The eggs are dependably delicious and look good on the plate. If you mess them up it will only take a couple of minutes to redo them.

Grilled Asparagus

Some people find asparagus intimidating. Cooked properly it is probably the easiest vegetable to cook. It looks good on the plate. It tastes good and establishes your grown-up credentials.

Buy a bunch of baby asparagus, the pencil-thin ones.

Rinse the stalks, then break off the woody base of each spear. Bend it like you are going to break it in half. Surprisingly, it won’t actually break halfway across the spear, but toward the end, where it starts to get woody.

Soak the stalks in bottled balsamic vinaigrette for about an hour.

Spread the asparagus on a baking sheet, then broil it in the oven under high heat for about four minutes, until it looks cooked and the vinaigrette looks foamy.

That’s it. It is incredibly easy. The asparagus actually tastes like something, unlike when you were a child and one of your relatives boiled it for an hour or so. This is a sophisticated side dish.

Your Starch

Two straightforward side dishes are mashed potatoes and couscous.

The secret to excellent mashed potatoes is boiling the potatoes until they start to fall apart. Drain them, then return them to the pot and stir them to dry them out. They will continue to fall apart. When they look dry — well, drier — mash them with a potato masher, then add a truly injudicious amount of butter and cream. Season it, and again you look like a pro. If nothing else goes right tonight, good mashed potatoes will save you.

On the other hand, there’s couscous. It looks like rice. It’s faster and easier than rice. It’s not rice. Mix dry couscous with an equal amount of boiling water or broth and a little butter. Cover it and leave it alone for seven minutes. Stir it with a fork and boom, you’ve cooked couscous, baby!

A COMFORT FOOD DINNER

Valentine’s Day comfort tastes delicious, is bad for you and doesn’t have to be paired with anything. However, here are some notes.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Don’t believe what anybody has told you: Do not spread mayonnaise on the bread instead of butter. No, it is not “just as good.” Try to remember to leave butter out in the morning to soften up. Make sure you thoroughly butter each exterior side of the sandwich before you grill it in a pan. Fancy cheese doesn’t make for a better grilled cheese. Don’t let anyone shame you out of using American, if that’s how you roll. Cheddar or pepper jack are always good. Edam is about as fancy as you want to go. Serve your sandwich with a crunchy pickle.

Tater Tots

Don’t try to save time or energy by using your air fryer. That’s fine 364 days a year, but on Valentine’s Day, actually bake your Tater Tots in the oven. Cook them on a wire cooling rack that you’ve placed inside a baking sheet. This will let the hot air get to all sides of the Tots, and you won’t have to flip them halfway through cooking.

Toasted Ravioli or Pierogi

Don’t worry about thawing or pre-cooking them. Fry them — frozen — in butter over medium-low heat. By the time they are golden brown on both sides, the insides will be warm and creamy. If you’re making pierogi, spend 20 minutes beforehand and caramelize some onions to go with them.

Buttered Noodles

Follow the instructions on the box. Boil the pasta for that long; don’t depend on your memory. Drain it and add real, full-fat, salted butter. I recommend radiatori, but you know what kind of noodle your loved one likes. If you don’t, you need to do some hard thinking about your place in the World.

A DECADENT DESSERT

Maybe you want to make some kind of romantic gesture but you’d really rather not make a huge production out of it. There is a middle ground: a decadent dessert — something rich and chocolatey. You want it to be a celebration, just not with trumpets and confetti — maybe something you can share with the lights low and the music romantic.

Ultra-Rich Brownies with Malted Ice Cream & Homemade Chocolate Sauce

The Brownies

6 ounces (1½ of the big bars you find at the supermarket) 99 percent dark or unsweetened chocolate, broken up

18 Tablespoons (2¼ sticks) butter

4 eggs

2½ cups (495 g) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Butter a 9”x 9” baking pan, and line it with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave. Heat them in a plastic or glass bowl for 30 seconds, stir, then microwave them for another 20 or 30 seconds, stir, then another 15 or so, until they have melted and combined. Set aside.

With an electric beater or in a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt at high speed for three minutes, until the mixture is extremely light and creamy. There isn’t any leavener in this recipe, so the air you beat in now will do any raising these brownies get.

Turn down the speed on your mixer, and blend in the chocolate mixture. Wish it luck and Godspeed. Salute it, if you feel so inclined.

At very slow speed, add the flour, a couple of spoonfuls at a time. More flour or a higher speed will cover you with flour.

When the flour is completely mixed in, stop the mixer. Stir the mixture once or twice with a rubber spatula to make sure everything gets combined thoroughly, then pour the batter into your prepared pan.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Set aside to cool.

The Ice Cream

Plain, store-bought vanilla ice cream is just about perfect for this dish. If you wanted to go a step further — make a semi-grand gesture, perhaps — homemade malted milk ice cream might be 10 percent more delicious.

3 cups (680 g) half-and-half

¾ cup (106 g) malted milk powder

3 egg yolks

½ cup (99 g) sugar

¼ cup (53 g) brown sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Heat the half-and-half and malted milk powder, stirring, over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.

In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks and sugars together.

When the cream has come to a simmer, very, very slowly pour it into the egg mixture, stirring vigorously. You’re adding the cream slowly to keep it from scrambling the eggs.

When everything is mixed together, return it to the saucepan and heat it again until it has thickened slightly. If you are keeping track of the temperature, this will be at around 175ºF.

Remove your ice cream base from the heat, and strain it into a one-quart container. Let it cool, then stir in the vanilla, and store, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. It has had a traumatic day. Say something comforting to it as you close the refrigerator door.

When the ice cream base has thoroughly chilled, churn it in your ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer the soft ice cream to a container, then put it in your freezer to harden up.

This is a delicious, fairly subtly flavored ice cream that will complement the rich chocolate in the brownie and the chocolate sauce.

The Chocolate Sauce

1 cup (250 g) water

½ cup (160 g) corn syrup

½ cup (100 g) sugar

¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

⅓ cup (2 ounces, 55 g) chocolate chips

In a small saucepan, combine everything but the chocolate chips. The cocoa is hydrophobic, which makes it sound like it has rabies, but that just means that it doesn’t like to mix with water. It will take some energetic whisking and a stern look to bring everything together.

Keep whisking the sauce over medium heat, until it just starts to boil. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the chocolate chips. They will melt and incorporate within a few seconds.

Let the sauce sit for an hour or two to thicken and for the ingredients to get to know each other. Let’s face it; you forced the issue with your whisking. It’s only fair to give everyone time to calm down and settle in.

This is not an overly sweet chocolate sauce. It’s definitely a dessert sauce, but there’s a seriousness about it. It tastes like chocolate, not like candy. You may have noticed that there is no vanilla in the ingredients; that would have rounded out the edges of the chocolate and given it a mellowness. Without it, this sauce is a handsome man in a dark suit.

Putting It All Together

It’s pretty straightforward. Plate a brownie, top it with slightly more ice cream than you might think, and spoon your homemade chocolate sauce on top. You might want to heat the brownie for a few seconds in the microwave, but just until it is gently warm, not hot and gooey. That’s for another occasion.

This dessert is all about contrast. There are chocolate purists who insist that you should use all chocolate — the brownie, the ice cream and the sauce — chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. That would be too much here. The brownie and the sauce are two shades of very serious chocolate. They need vanilla or malted ice cream to stand out and show off their depth.

A note: These are extremely dense and rich brownies. For Valentine’s Day, especially if you’re sharing, go ahead and plate a conventional-size serving. Even the two of you might not finish it — it’s that rich — but this dessert is a Medium Dramatic Gesture (MDG), so now is not the time to start being practical. When you eat the rest of the brownies over the next few days, you’ll probably want to cut them into 1½-inch squares.

A ROMANTIC COCKTAIL

In the end, love is tricky.

Sometimes it sneaks up on you; you wake up one morning and realize that you’ve fallen like a 50-pound sack of cement. Sometimes it hits you between the eyes instantly — again, like a sack of cement. Sometimes it consumes you, filling every cell with fire and bubbles. But not cement.

So how do you express that? Love letters? Fighting a duel? A prenuptial agreement?

This year Valentine’s Day falls on a Wednesday. That doesn’t leave much opportunity to express what’s in your heart.

But a good cocktail might be a good symbolic gesture.

Unnamed Valentine’s Day Cocktail

3 ounces dry gin – a botanical gin might seem like an obvious choice for this, but you don’t want to muddy the other ingredients; a crisp London-style gin like Fords is just right for this

1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

1 ounce elderflower liqueur – I like St. Germain

3 drops rose water – as you add this, it won’t seem like enough, but three drops is just about exactly the right amount; you just want a subtle back-note of roses, you don’t want this to be too perfumey.

Several ounces of Asti spumante – you’ll be tempted to go up-market on this, to break out your expensive bubbly, but the spumante brings a sweetness that really adds to the finished cocktail. If this cocktail goes over well enough, you can save the Dom for another occasion.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, lime juice, elderflower liqueur, and rose water over ice. Shake for 30 seconds.

Strain into two cocktail glasses, and top with spumante.

Drink together while listening to Frank Sinatra’s cover of “Fly Me to the Moon.” Warning: This might lead to dancing.

The gin is the driver of this particular limousine. The spumante and the elderflower are the couple in the back seat saying, “Keep your eyes on the road, Fords.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Fords says.

The wine is what you notice in the front end, but with a floral aftertaste. This is not an overly boozy cocktail. (With that said, three of these could lead to questionable decision-making, which in a Valentine’s Day context might be just what you’re looking for.)

After all, isn’t that what Love is? The triumph of the heart over common sense?

A look at a new roller risk and advice on picking your perfect skates

A New spin

Remix Roller Rink offer all-ages fun

By: Michael Witthaus

With the opening of Remix Skate and Event Center in December, New Hampshire now has a commercial roller rink, its first since 2019, when Great View Rollerskating in Enfield closed. The new business, however, isn’t a throwback, even if their logo’s stripey lettering evokes the ’70s roller disco craze. Rather, it’s a modern take on the concept, aimed at multiple demographics.

Along with a capacious hardwood rink, Remix offers several swankier touches, like upscale pub food, craft beer and a machine that makes design-etched cotton candy. Children’s birthday parties are a staple, but Remix also hosts things geared to an older crowd, like an 18+ R&B Night held Jan. 6, and similar ’90s and Latin events.

Matt and Kelly Pearson were rollerbladers in high school but haven’t skated much since. They’re also entrepreneurs, who tend to start businesses that align with their lives at a given moment. Before they met, Matt was a wedding DJ. After marriage and kids, they opened Cowabunga’s Indoor Kids Play & Party Center on Huse Road in Manchester.

Their oldest child, a son, is now 16 and has outgrown jungle gyms. Rather than buy him a minibike or snowmobile, the Pearsons began eyeing the now-vacant space next to Cowabunga’s and thinking about a solution for other teenagers like theirs. They considered opening a bowling alley, which didn’t particularly excite them, then thought about expanding the indoor playground, but soon the two began conceiving Remix.

“That kind of vibe is ingrained in me. There’s no better place for a hang than a roller-skating rink,” Matt Pearson said. “There’s not really any places for teens to hang out … so we were like, alright, if we make a roller rink, what would that look like in 2023? Would it be neon floors and birthday parties … a roller-skating rink of the ’80s and ’90s? No, it would be what those kids would want in modern times.”

Finding a way to make it work was the first and biggest challenge, beginning with the size. Matt called the Huse Road location “a little bit of a boutique venue.” Poles and an odd floor layout meant the skating area would only be around two-thirds the size of a regulation rink. The Pearsons turned this liability to their advantage.

“We learned through Covid that we can capacity control,” Matt said. “With back-end ticketing, we have limits. The rink was smaller than others we were accustomed to, but at the same time, we don’t have to pack it with that many people. That’s how you find a sweet spot of capacity, seating space and other amenities to make the whole thing jive.”

On the other hand, the idea of hosting roller derby matches had to be scrapped. “We worked with the New Hampshire Roller Derby Girls, had them in early to take a look at the space, to see if an opportunity was there,” Matt said. “They said, ‘it’s great and we love it … for dinner and drinks, but we can only use this maybe for practice.”

A few of the Derby Girls, however, work at Remix as servers and rink hosts. “It’s a relationship that’s worked out pretty well,” he said, adding, “one thing we learned is we weren’t necessarily bringing roller skating back to New Hampshire, because there is an underground scene with a lot of skaters.”

Remix has enough space for live music, when the time comes.

“Roller rinks of old just needed a DJ booth, but we’re trying to remix this idea, so we made the stage a little bit bigger,” Matt said. “Maybe an ’80s cover band that we love will come over and do a night with us, with pro skaters…. It’s an amazing opportunity for really fun nights.”

For now, skaters can reserve two-hour slots Tuesday through Sunday, with either classic quad skates or rollerblades included in the $20 cost. Skaters can switch from one to the other midway as well. Initially, more patrons are opting for old-style wheels.

“Blades are the minority,” Matt said, “but for my generation, I think we’re a rollerblade crew.”

The Pearsons are pleased to offer wholesome fun for all ages.

“It’s still a family entertainment venue,” Matt said. “All the little characteristics that we brought to Cowabunga’s, we’re bringing here. There’s no better place to do a birthday party than a roller rink, and we can execute that on the weekends. But the after-work scene, 18-plus and 21-plus nights out, is the unspoken opportunity.”

Deciding what to call this new place turned out to be the easiest piece of the endeavor.

“It’s really a remixed version of roller skating in modern times,” Matt Pearson said. “What better name to call it than Remix?”

Find your skates

Expert help for picking your new set of wheels

By: Angie Sykeny

Eric Jones, manager at Bruised Boutique Skate Shop in Nashua, discussed the essential considerations and tips for new and experienced roller skaters, emphasizing the importance of proper fit, safety gear and skating etiquette.

What should beginners consider when choosing roller skates?

Beginners should prioritize finding skates that best fit their foot shape. Budget is an important consideration, but the trickier aspect is ensuring a good fit. Since people’s feet come in various shapes, it’s recommended to visit a store, like us — we’re the only one in New England, though — to try on different skates. This approach helps in finding a pair that is best suited to the individual’s foot shape, whether they are kids or adults.

How do you determine the right size?

In a store, it’s a matter of guess and check to find the right fit. Online it’s more challenging, and exchanges might be necessary if the fit isn’t right. However, most introductory-level skates are designed to accommodate a wide variety of foot shapes, making it less likely to get the wrong fit. … For adults, most roller skate brands size their skates close to men’s shoe sizes as a standard. Generally, using your men’s shoe size should give you a relatively safe fit. For women, that’s typically about one-and-a-half sizes down from their shoe size. Children’s roller skates are made in kid sizes, which should match their shoe size. Sizes range from Junior 10 through 13 and then size 1 and 2. It’s advisable to consider room for growth, so kids often leave with a size larger than their measured size.

What safety gear is necessary for skating at a roller rink?

At roller rinks in our area, safety gear is optional, so you don’t necessarily need anything. However, for kids it’s common to use knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards and sometimes helmets, especially if they’re going to be skating outdoors. Combo packs that include knees, elbows and wrists are available and affordably priced for kids. For adults, they usually opt for knee pads and wrist guards, skipping elbow pads. Wrist guards are particularly smart to have since falls can impact the wrists. While safety gear is not strictly necessary for rinks, it is recommended for activities like roller derby, skating in skate parks, and outdoor skating, where helmets are advised.

What types of helmets are available for skating?

The helmets available for skating are mostly derived from skateboarding styles. There are basic helmets designed to be cushy and cost-effective for general use. For those engaged in more practical purposes like skating outdoors or activities like roller derby, certified helmets are available. These certified helmets have the same safety certifications as bike helmets and are made of a hard foam that can crack under a significant impact to provide better protection.

What additional protective gear would you recommend for people who are prone to accidents?

Besides the standard ensemble of knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards and helmets, we also recommend padded shorts, often referred to as butt pads. These padded shorts are especially useful for those engaged in roller derby, skatepark activities and outdoor skating. They provide extra protection for falls and are a good option for anyone who feels they might be prone to falling a lot at the rink, especially for adults who are just learning to skate.

What tips would you give to first-time skaters for a safe and enjoyable experience?

Go slow and wear safety gear while learning. It’s also important to be aware of the unwritten rule at roller rinks: fast skaters should stay on the outside, while slower skaters should stay closer to the middle. This helps maintain safety and order in the rink.