Grizzly ghouls from every tomb may be closing in to seal your doom, but participants can forget their woes at the thrilling Halloween Howl on Main Street in Concord on Friday, Oct. 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Sarah Glaude, Chair of the Halloween Howl Committee and a member of the acting board of directors for InTown Concord, talked about what visitors can expect to find that evening.
“It’s usually the Friday before Halloween and it’s essentially a trick-or-treating kind of event,” Glaude said. “So all of the downtown businesses participate and they hand out candy in front of their storefronts. The kids kind of go in a circle throughout all the downtown businesses. The streets close down. And it’s just a really nice family-friendly activity.”
Candy hander outer-ers can win prizes too. “We have a Trunk-or-Treat where we give a prize out to the best trunk. So people park on the end of Main Street near Loudon Road,” Glaude said.
The trunks will be tricked out. “A lot of people just kind of usually will stick with a theme,” Glaude said. “I think last year somebody did mythological creatures, they did a dragon-themed trunk.”
This year Glaude is introducing Quick Bites Corner to the Howl. It’s a spot downtown where a variety of food trucks will park. “On Pleasant Street we’re going to have Wicked Tasty, Pours & Petals and Teenie Wienies. We’re really excited about that because we know that parents are bringing their kids to go trick-or-treating [and] they’re probably hungry because it’s around dinner time, so we were thinking that we would have some food options.”
Music will be in the air.
“In Bicentennial Square we have Wandering Souls; they’re a group that is putting together Halloween music. That’s our kids’ zone,” Glaude said.
Meanwhile, over in front of the Capitol, local DJ Nazzy will be cranking tunes. “He is kind of like our emcee for the night,” Glaude said. “… So he’ll announce the costume contest. There’s multiple different categories that people can sign up for ahead of time. We also have Nazzy’s Not So Scary Dance Party Parade. … We’re going to have a couple of flash mobs, too, throughout Main Street,” Glaude said. Flash mobs will be performed by Creative Dance Academy and The Wicked Witches of the Lakes Region.
The treats continue with a bunch of games for the little tricksters. “We’re going to have two games run by the Girl Scouts in Concord, and then three games run by InTown for us to facilitate for the kids. We’re going to have face painting by Salon Lotus, and that’s going to be in Capitol Plaza.” Look for bowling and spin the wheel, plus giant Jenga, cornhole and more, she said.
“It’s a big event. Usually between 3,000 and 5,000 people show up.” Glaude said. And yes, the Chair of the Halloween Howl Committee will join the festivities Friday evening too. “I’m excited to be a bumblebee this year,” she said.
Halloween Howl When: Friday, Oct. 25, 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Where: Main Street in Concord; Main Street will be closed to traffic from Centre Street/Loudon Road to Hills Avenue from 4 to 9 p.m. Info: intownconcord.org
Schedule of events 5:30 p.m. – Wandering Souls live music in Bicentennial Square 5:45 p.m. – Nazzy’s Not So Scary Party/Parade 5:45 p.m. – Creative Dance Academy flash mob 6 p.m. – costume contest (signupgenius.com/go/904094BA5A722A7FF2-50945177-halloween#) 6:30 p.m. – The Wicked Witches of the Lakes Region flash mob 7 p.m. – Spooky performance (music & stories) in Eagle Square
Fun, food and a little spookiness at The Witch of Weston Tower
By Zachary Lewis zlewis@hippopress.com
From Friday, Oct. 25, to Sunday, Oct. 27, Granite Staters will witness the Witch of Weston Tower at McIntyre Ski Area in all her spooky glory. Aly Coakley, Marketing Director for McIntyre Ski Area, was excited to talk about it.
“Our Witch of Weston Tower event is designed more to be spooky, not scary,” Coakley said. “Basically, it starts with a chairlift ride up to the top of McIntyre ski area and then you get on a tractor ride and that has a whole witches story,”
The haunted tractor ride is filled with not-too-creepy companions as attendees journey to the Witch’s Tower. “You’ll have a bunch of different characters in the woods, kind of spooky but not too scary, and then you get up to Weston Tower, where you’ll see the witch there and she’s greeting you with her own magical tales of what the witch is all about.”
Weston Tower is in costume for the event too. “That’s all decorated. It’s super cute and you’re welcome to go all the way up to the top of the tower. You can see the fall foliage, which is beautiful right now. There’s an attendant up there telling a little bit about the tower, some of its history.”
How did Weston Tower obtain such spookiness along with a witch?
“Next to Weston Tower there’s this quarry that was filled in by the city way back, years ago, but people used to go over to it and jump in and sometimes never appear back on the surface. One of those people was Hector Boisvert, who happens to be a relative of Ross Boisvert, the owner of McIntyre Ski Area. No one ever saw [Hector] again after he jumped into the quarry. So we weave the Witch’s story with what happened to Hector,” she said.
The festivities continue once visitors escape the Witch. “Once you’re down, we have some games right there, but then you can take the tractor ride back. There’s another little spooky story that’s told as they’re going back on the tractor ride and then the guests usually can take the chairlift back down or hike down, whichever they prefer.”
The spookiness lasts for three days but Saturday is the main event.
“Saturday is definitely our bigger day for the Witch of Weston Tower. Everything is happening from noon on. We have things like a paint night going on at 2 o’clock where people can sign up in advance and they do this nightmare painting. From 12 to 4 we have face painting and public pumpkin painting which is included with the Witch of Weston Tower ticket.”
Smaller participants will get the opportunity to vote on best scarecrow. “We’re finishing up dropping off some scarecrow kits to the schools that decided to participate. And then we’ll have all the scarecrows lined up around the ski area and people can vote on whose scarecrow is the best,” Coakley said.
Highland Mountain Bike Park will bring a wooden pump track and some bikes for kids, and even larger vehicles will be there filled with treats. There will be a costume contest with various prizes for kids from 603 Diesel.
Plenty of food trucks will be on location with different cuisine choices. “Creative Kones, Waterville Valley’s Next Level Food Truck is joining us again. This is their, I believe, third year joining us, which is really cool to have that partnership. We have Pat’s Apples,” Coakley said. Fair staples will be on hand too. “We’re also just offering popcorn and cotton candy.”
All this fun leads to the nighttime festivities. “Buzz Brews & Boos, our Halloween party, is happening Saturday as well,” Coakley said. “Typically we sell out.” McIntyre teamed with Rock 101’s Greg and the Morning Buzz, for the shindig.“There’s a costume contest, it’s just a fun night. Everybody’s dressed up in some pretty outrageous Halloween costumes. And they just have a good time. And it’s definitely Halloween-themed,” Coakley said.
The Witch of Weston Tower will still be haunting as the weekend draws to a close. “Sunday is a quieter day. We just kind of take it down a notch for those that just want to kind of enjoy Halloween season without some of the other stuff. Proceeds go to the Manchester Historical Association, so it’s all for a good cause.”
The Witch of Weston Tower When: Friday, Oct. 25, 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 26, noon to 6 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 27, noon to 6 p.m. Where: McIntyre Ski Area, 50 Chalet Way, Manchester Tickets: $5 to $22 (ticketscandy.com). Proceeds to benefit the Manchester Historic Association. Info: 622-6159, mcintyreskiarea.com
Schedule of events Saturday, Oct. 26 noon – chairlift rides begin, and Weston Tower access opens noon to 2 p.m. – hiking/walking to Weston Tower (no tractor rides during Manchester XC meet) 1 p.m. – Kids’ Costume Contest (age categories: 5 & under, 6-12, 13+) 2 to 6 p.m. – tractor rides to Weston Tower and back to chairlift 2 p.m. – Paint Nite: “Nightmare” (advance registration required) noon to 4 p.m. – face painting & pumpkin painting (included with ticket); Highland Mountain Bike Park Pump Track; 603 Diesel Touch-A-Truck/Trunk-or-Treat 5:30 p.m. – last chairlift to Weston Tower 7 to 10 p.m. – Buzz Brews & Boos Halloween Party (21+) at The Hill Bar & Grille; tickets $40
Featured image: The Witch of Weston Tower. Courtesy photo.
Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, is the weekend of Goffstown’s Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off & Regatta.
Tina Lawton is a volunteer of the organization and is currently the president of the board of directors. “It’s a two-day event. It’s been around for a long time. This will be the 23rd year,” Lawton said.
How did it get started? “We had some giant pumpkin growers and one of them had a great idea: ‘What if we turn it into a boat and race it down the river?’ And so that’s what they did. It was very popular so it’s kept on year after year,” Lawton said. This year’s theme is Pirates of the Piscataquag River. The length of the race when scaled to pumpkins is quite the journey for these nautical gourds.
“They go from where the dam starts to the bridge. They’re going up the river and there are a bit of escapades that happen where we have, you know, somebody coming out to challenge them, shoot them with water, try and get them off course. So it stretches the race out a little bit so it’s more entertaining for the people that are just all over the place trying to see this race,” Lawton said.
“This year we’ll have six boats, and that’s plenty because there’s not a lot of room. One time we had nine and it was very challenging,” Lawton said.
These pumpkin vessels are large, weighing in at “close to, if not over, 1,000 pounds,” she said, usually hailing from New Hampshire or Vermont.
“We have a tremendous amount of vendors throughout the village of Goffstown from Elm to Depot street and all the businesses are open and it’s a great time to highlight the charm of the village and to highlight the businesses and help people understand that it’s important to support the small-business owners for what they get to the community,” Lawton said.
Other competitions include a pumpkin cook-off, a dog costume contest and a pie eating contest, Lawton said.
“Then we have a pumpkin decorating contest this year,” she added. “There is a scavenger hunt that we have in the village, and that’s again to sort of get people to explore and discover some of the businesses.”
Apples do make a brief cameo. “We have ‘apple slingshots,’ which is very popular. So there’s these giant slingshots that we set up and there’s usually a very long line for usually kids and sometimes dads to slingshot apples into the river and try and hit targets.”
Especially for the kids there will also be bounce houses and some vendors will offer face painting, Lawton said.
Attendees will see a first this year. “One of my board members wants to do a parade, they want to parade the final pumpkin. So the pumpkins come down, the very early part of the first day, the giant pumpkins arrive, it’s sort of like a whole thing, they sort of arrive, unload, they weigh them, and that’s a contest in itself. Once that’s all over they take pumpkins all the way down to the other end of Main Street where they’re going to be placed to turn into pumpkin boats. People like to see the giant pumpkins moving up the street.”
What happens to all the pumpkin insides that are taken out? “That’s a big DPW sort of thing. They have a big truck. We have lots of trash cans and flat loaders. As soon as the pumpkin drops and it’s safe, the kids will run out and try and get some of the big seeds that are from that pumpkin that dropped. And then one thing is important, when they are carving the big pumpkins at the boat, those seeds from that particular pumpkin, they go back to the grower so that they can grow them next year.”
Schedule Saturday, Oct. 19 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Rummage Sale and Bake Sale St. Matthew’s (5 N. Mast St.) 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Goffstown Congregational Church Yard Sale (10 Main St.) 9 a.m. – giant pumpkins arrive at the Common 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Touch a Truck (Depot Street behind Citizens Bank) 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Friends Of GPL Library Book Sale at the Library (2 High St.) 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Apple Slingshots (Mill Street) 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – vendor booths, concessions, bounce house, GMSP Scavenger Hunt (start at 4 Main St.), live music at Rotary Park 10 a.m. – giant pumpkin carving begins 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Art Show Off at Town Hall (16 Main St.) 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Annual Quilt Challenge voting at Night Owl Quilting (4 Main St.) 11 a.m. – Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off at the Common 11 a.m. – Pet Costume Contest at Glen Lake Animal Hospital (15 Elm St.) 11:30 a.m. – Parading of the Pumpkin (starts at Elm & Main, ends at Main & Mill) 2:30 p.m. – Giant Pumpkin Boat Building on Mill Street; Pumpkin Cook-Off Contest (5 N. Mast St.)
Sunday, Oct. 20 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – pumpkin painting at Goffstown Ace Hardware 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – vendor booths, concessions, bounce house 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Art Show Off at Town Hall; Cars on Main (7 Main St.) 10:30 a.m. – Apple Slingshot on Mill Street (while supplies last); Pumpkin Decorating Contest judging (4 Main St.) Noon – Giant Pumpkin Drop (Depot Street across from the USPS) 1 p.m. – Pie Eating Contest on Mill Street 2 p.m. – Mini Pumpkin Race for the 50/50 Raffle on the River 3 p.m. – Finale: Giant Pumpkin Regatta at the River
Warner celebrates with its annual Fall Foliage Festival
By Zachary Lewis zlewis@hippopress.com
Celebrate fall in Warner Friday, Oct. 11, through Sunday, Oct. 13, for the 77th Warner Fall Foliage Festival.
“The historical part of the festival, this is the 77th year that it’s been going on. It’s a festival to celebrate the fall, number one. It’s always on Columbus Day weekend on just Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday,” said Ray Martin, a former Festival president and trove of knowledge on the Festival and how it operates. “It’s historically always been volunteer-run, volunteer-staffed with townspeople, and it raises money every year for various organizations within the town …”
Besides the beautiful scenery, what is there for visitors to do?
“It is a festival with amusement rides, a lot, I think we have almost 100 craftspeople, various sorts. It has food, a lobster and chicken barbecue and other sorts of food. It has a grand parade, a road race, a children’s race…,” Martin said.
The Warner Fall Foliage Festival is also free. “There’s no admission charge, but we do charge for parking if you go out to one of the outlying parking areas. So it’s really just a celebration of fall with the typical festival type things of food, crafts, people, amusement rides, and an oxen pull and a woodsman’s contest. The oxen pull is all day Saturday. The woodsman’s contest is all Sunday, all day. And there’s a grand parade on Sunday…,” Martin said.
The parade will celebrate Warner’s founding with leafy floats. “Every year it has a different theme. And this year people put in floats involving foliage. And the main thing is how much foliage you can use or how you use it creatively. This year is Warner’s 250th anniversary of the founding or the chartering of the town in 1774.”
Martin expects 10 to 15 floats as well as “some old cars and tractors and marching band and the Highland Scotsman bagpiping group.”
Music is a major component in celebrating the harvest season in Warner.
“There’s music at a tent right beside the Reed’s North bar and restaurant that has music … and then they’ve got a stage behind, more of a main street stage, that has an outdoor amphitheater that has the same scheduled music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” Martin said.
And then there’s the food.
“And then the other thing is the lobster or chicken barbecue that’s been going on for a long time and that drives a lot of people in. So those two things are great and consistent. It’s just one family that’s been doing [the barbecue] for 50 years, They’re on about the third generation,” Martin said.
The kids get involved too. “There’s a children’s parade, a children’s short run walk, and the activities for the kids are all the rides.”
How did Martin come to be involved with the festival in the first place? “If you live in town, you eventually will be asked to help. Most people always step up. It’s a very community-oriented event that does raise anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 a year to distribute.”
Since “foliage” is in the name, what types of tree leaves will visitors be able to view? “Oh, we have all the hardwood trees. It’s maple trees, then oak trees, maybe a few ash trees if they’re left, but all the hardwood trees will be most of it. There could be peak right, probably right about the time.”
“We usually get three or four thousand [visitors] a day. And the event is held, it’s right in downtown Warner, so it encompasses the village, the very downtown part of Warner,” he said “If you want to come enjoy a real community festival down to earth, small-ish, no admission charge, and very well-rounded in many different kinds of events that are happening,” Martin said.
Spellbound When: Begins Monday, Oct. 7, with opening reception Saturday, Oct. 12, at 4 p.m. Where: Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201 (second floor), Manchester More: mosaicartcollective.com
Featured image: Music performance at a previous festival. Courtesy photo.
League of New Hampshire Craftsmen celebrates return of its annual fair
After a year without an in-person fair, artisans from the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen overwhelmingly agree about one thing: They can’t wait to see the crowds and their fellow artisans at this year’s annual fair at Mount Sunapee Resort.
“The craftspeople are as excited to be back at the mountain as you can possibly imagine,” said Laury Nichols, a woodcarver from Chichester.
Lisa DeMio of Hampstead, who makes fiber wearables, echoed that sentiment.
“The artists are super excited to be back there,” she said. “It’s one of those places where I feel very at home. … This particular show has so many amazing artists. I’m looking forward to being able to see and touch and feel everything and connect with friends.”
The 88th Annual Craftsmen’s Fair is happening Saturday, Aug. 7, through Sunday, Aug. 15, and is one of the few arts events of its scope and size this year, according to Miriam Carter, executive director of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen.
“We’re in New Hampshire and we’ve gotten through Covid in a way that a lot of states haven’t,” Carter said. “I’m expecting a great response from the public.”
The fair will look a little different, with booths spaced farther apart and fewer artisans, and visitors are encouraged to buy their tickets online to get through the gate quickly. But beyond that, the fair should be everything it has been in past years — and then some.
“[The artisans have] had a year off to create work, so I’m really excited to see what they’ve done in that time,” Carter said.
She said she’s already seen some of the work that will be in the Art, Craft & Design Exhibition — a gallery that’s set up in the middle of the fair — and it’s some of the best she’s seen.
“I think they took advantage of their time off the road to … be creative and innovative,” Carter said.
There will be demonstrations this year, Carter said, following Covid precautions. Instead of the more intimate clay turning booth, for example, they will have precreated clay tiles, which people can use to create a textured piece that they can bring home and paint. Many of the demonstrations and hands-on activities are free, Carter said.
There’s also the Art, Craft & Design Exhibition and the Sculpture Garden, plus new food offerings, and, for the first time, alcohol will be available for purchase on the fairgrounds. The Adventure Park at Mount Sunapee Resort will be open, and the lift will be running for people who might want to ride up and hike down. But that’s all gravy.
“The best part of the fair is you get to meet the artists and you get to see what they’ve been up to,” Carter said.
Meet five of those artists, who talked about their work, what’s new this year and why they can’t wait for the fair.
Clay
Pottery by Michael Gibbons.
Michael Gibbons of Derry
What he makes: Functional stoneware for everyday use, like coffee mugs, bowls and teapots. “I’ve been making pottery since about 1980 and I love doing it,” Gibbons said. “I love the fact that it starts off as almost nothing and transforms into something nice and functional.” Gibbons’ work focuses on nature, with mountains adorning many pieces and a line of products made with white clay that look like birch bark.
What’s new this year: With a year off from fairs, Gibbons said he focused on producing, and he developed some new glazes. “My color palette is much broader than it was two years ago,” he said. “I have a red raspberry glaze, and I have a green glaze that I introduced. … I came up with a different glaze for my birch [products] too — less shine and more matte.”
Why he can’t wait for the fair: “It’s the highlight of my year just being around so many talented, great people,” he said. “I’m also excited to see how well-received the new colors are.”
Fiber wearables
Lisa DeMio of Hampstead
Bag by Lisa DeMoi.
What she makes: Accessories, predominantly for women, like handbags, totes and cosmetic bags. They feature hand-printed linen, leather, cotton and waxed canvas. DeMio started sewing years ago, and as her four children got older, she became interested in fabrics and textiles. She found a handbag pattern and made one for herself, then was promptly asked by one friend after another to make bags for them. “It’s one of those things that everybody needs,” she said. “Everybody needs to [carry stuff], and you might as well look good doing it.”
What’s new this year: “I have some new hand-printed fabrics that I’m really excited about,” DeMio said. She said one of the artists that she admires has started to make hand-printed fabrics again, so she’s been able to create some of her products using those. “I have a very limited number of those bags,” she said.
Why she can’t wait for the fair: “Just seeing people again — this is the first live event I’ll have done since February of 2020,” she said. “It’s one of those places where I feel very at home — with my products in my booth and [on the fairgrounds].”
Fine jewelry
Kristin Kennedy of Concord
What she makes: One-of-a-kind jewelry pieces made with precious metals and gemstones. Her inspiration is based on nature and her outdoor experiences, like hiking the mountains and swimming in the ocean.
What’s new this year: Kennedy has a few new collections, including the Everlasting collection that features pieces with rose-cut emeralds and London Blue topaz, and a Nuevo Deco collection that features pieces with rose-cut aquamarines, step-cut chocolate diamonds and champagne diamonds.
Why she can’t wait for the fair: “I’m definitely looking forward to seeing lots of familiar faces, being able to celebrate being together, enjoying art together,” she said. “Most of my customers I’ve had for 20 years, so it’s fun to see them.” Kennedy said she typically checks out the fair herself on the last day. “It’s fun to get to know the artists and handpick some of their special designs,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to support local artists and appreciate some of the finer things.” This is Kennedy’s 20th year at the Craftsmen’s Fair, and she said it’s the only one she participates in. “I think it’s one of the most highly acclaimed art shows in the country.”
Wood carvings
Laury Nichols from Chichester
Badger by Laury Nichols.
What she makes: Whimsical woodland animal characters and custom woodcarving projects. The carvings are mainly characters she designs herself, and she has a few characters from children’s books like The Wind in the Willows and Beatrix Potter’s tales. With the carvings just inches tall, Nichols said she’ll be bringing about 500 of them to the fair.
What’s new this year: Nichols said she always has new carvings, and this year her booth itself is brand new. She took an online wooden puppet making class during the pandemic, so she’ll have a few puppets and will be taking orders for them. She has also created cards with pictures of her woodcarvings, but since she’s juried as a woodcarver, she’s not allowed to sell anything but woodcarvings. So instead, she’s giving away a free pack of “Celebrate” cards to anyone who asks.
Why she can’t wait for the fair: “I’m so excited to see everyone again, and I know the public is excited to be back to the fair,” Nichols said. “I [especially] love it when children come into my booth. They are so great. … I make free stuff for kids — I was an art kind of kid, and talking to real artists was very inspirational and influential.”
Wood sculptures
Donna Zils Banfield of Derry
What she makes: Sculptural art made out of wood. “Most of my work will appeal to about 10 percent of the people who will be at the fair,” Zils Banfield said. “It’s sculptural art — it’s not utilitarian, it’s not functional.” One example is her Wood Ffolkkes, a community of sculptural wood people that come in various shapes and sizes, with different moods, personalities, wardrobes, loves and hates, but all created from the same core. “At our basic core, we’re all the same,” she said. Zils Banfield started participating in the Craftsmen’s Fair in 2012 as a bowl turner. “I’ve slowly moved into the more nonfunctional artwork,” she said. “I knew early on that I had to be more than a bowl turner.” Zils Banfield said this kind of work is much more intricate, taking days, weeks or months to complete one piece, so she usually has several pieces going at a time. “Nothing is done quickly, which is unusual for the wood turning world,” she said.
What’s new this year: “I have a new sculptural piece that is going to be titled ‘Cityscapes,’” she said. It features 3D images carved into the wood with small particles of 24k gold leaves and silver leaves for the skyscrapers and the stars.
Why she can’t wait for the fair: “Seeing the people that I miss, both my fellow peers and the people who come to the fair to see me and to see my work,” Zils Banfield said. She said she loves showing her new pieces to past customers. “Every year I have at least one new idea that appears in my booth.”
More than a craft fair Woodcarver Laury Nichols shared her recommendation for how to approach the fair. “If you go to the fair only to buy stuff … you miss a huge amount. If you look for only acquisition you will miss the staggering artwork and craftwork. If you go with the mindset to just marvel … it is just amazing. … If you buy something and you’ve talked to the person who made it … there’s something about knowing that it’s handmade and knowing the face of the person who made it and having the conversation with that person.”
The 88th Annual League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair
Where: Mount Sunapee Resort, 1398 Route 103, Newbury When: Saturday, Aug. 7, through Sunday, Aug. 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, rain or shine Cost: General admission for one day is $16 for adults, or $24 for two days. Seniors are $14, and children under 12 get in free. Online ticket sales prior to the event are encouraged at nhcrafts.org.
Featured photo: Wood Ffolkkes by Donna Zils Banfield. Courtesy photo.
Get some music and some art during “Art After Work: Free Thursday Nights” at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org). Admission is free from 5 to 8 p.m. (register for your spot online; the website recommends advance registration). Listen to Sold Under Sin, who will be performing tonight (next Thursday, it’s Alli Beaudry and Paul Nelson). Through June 10 you can also drop by the Open Studios to meet “Artist in the Community” Artist-in-Residence Omolará Williams McCallister.
Saturday, May 22
It’s a symphony of bird sounds in the forests these days. Get more information about local birds during a Saturday Birding with Dave Bechtel program from the NH Audubon (Bechtel is the NH Audubon president). The program is free and no registration is required for the hour-long walk starting today at 8 a.m. at the McLane Center (84 Silk Road in Concord), according to nhaudabon.org, where you can find details on this weekly event, which alternates between McLane and the Massabesic Center in Auburn.
Saturday, May 22
Buy some stuff! From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., head to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester (669 Union St., uumanchester.org) for their spring plant sale featuring perennials, annuals, shrubs, houseplants, herbs and veggies, according to the website. (The sale will also run Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) From 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the Friends of the Nashua Public Library will hold a pop-up book sale outside in the Library Plaza (2 Court St. in Nashua; nashualibrary.org). The outdoor sale will feature adult fiction and children and teens books, according to a press release, but Friends members (and you can buy or renew a membership on the day) can browse the selection of nonfiction adult books by going inside (sign up online for a time). From 1 to 3 p.m., the Bedford Garden Club will hold its annual May plant sale, featuring herbs, perennials and annuals, at the Bedford Village Common Bandstand (15 Bell Hill Road in Bedford; see bedfordgardenclubnh.org).
Sunday, May 23
Catch Stand By Me, the 1986 (R-rated) Rob Reiner-directed movie based on the Stephen King novella The Body, today at 3 p.m. during a special 35th anniversary screening at Cinemark Rockingham Park 12 (15 Mall Road in Salem; cinemark.com). The film will also screen at the Lowell Showcase Cinemas at 3 p.m.
Save the Date!
Sunday, June 6
The Capitol Center for the Arts Music in the Park series kicks off Sunday, June 6, with Joe Sabourin performing at 3 p.m. in Fletcher-Murphy Park (28 Fayette St. in Concord). Tickets cost $12, plus a $3 fee (if you can’t make it in person, you can also get an $8 ticket to a livestream of the concert), according to the website. The June schedule also features Jason Spooner on June 13 and Ms. Yamica Peterson on June 20. See ccanh.com for tickets.
