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Fast X (PG-13)

Dominic Toretto family family family car vroom boom in Fast X, a scene-setting part-one situation.

Which I knew going in. I’ve read that Fast X is the second (or maybe third, according to Vulture) to last of the Fast & Furious central-storyline movies. The result, though, is that the characters largely spend the movies segregated off in their own locations and quests building toward a cliffhanger.

But first the movie goes back to Fast Five, the entry where the gang meets The Rock and eventually steals a vault by dragging it out of a building, to do a little retcon-ing. I don’t remember all the particulars of that movie but Fast X is all “what if Fast Five’s bad guy had a son and what if that son was Jason Momoa?” After Fast Five bad guy (played by Joaquim de Almeida) bites it, his son Dante (Momoa) is left to seek revenge.

Er, eventually.

Ten years later, Dom (Vin Diesel) and the gang are barbecuing it up in Los Angeles, listening to an underused Rita Moreno, playing Toretto grandma, yada yada about family. Later that night Cipher (Charlize Theron) appears at Dom and wife Letty’s (Michelle Rodriguez) door. Cipher, an annoying villain from a few of the previous movies, has been out-villianed by Dante and now she’s on the run from her own henchmen. Trouble’s a-coming, Cipher tells Dom before he calls “The Agency” (a law enforcement group of some kind?) on her. Also, it’s likely the mission Dom’s crew — Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridge), Han (Sung Kang) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) — are on is not for The Agency, as they believe, but an elaborate trap. Somehow, Dom and Letty bend time to get to Rome like immediately (with a Dom muscle car — does he just have them stashed all over the world?) to try to warn the gang. The truck the gang steals is not full of some supercomputer thing as they’ve been told but a giant, hilarious-looking Acme-style bomb that eventually goes rolling through the streets of Rome, getting everyone involved labeled as terrorists. Letty ends up sent to a secret Agency prison, the Roman+ gang sorta wanders around Europe providing exposition and Dom heads to Rio (the setting of the Fast Five stuff) to look for Dante and provide the movie with a scene of street racing, which is the whole franchise’s origin.

Along the way, various members of the Fast family have cameo conversations with fun franchise regulars, like Helen Mirren as Queenie Shaw and her son Deckard (Jason Statham). We also get newbie Tess (Brie Larson), daughter of Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell), and Isabel (Daniela Melchior), sister of the late mom of Dom’s son, little Brian (Leo Abelo Perry), who is now old enough to be kidnappable and participate in action scenes and stuff. B, as they call him, spends some of the movie with his aunt Mia (Jordana Brewster) and some of the movie with the latest Toretto, Dom’s brother Jakob (John Cena — who gets to be a little goofier than I remember him being in the last movie).

These cameos underline a central problem with these movies, which is that everybody has more of a personality than Dom. Diesel’s gravelly voice family talk is the whole character now. He doesn’t even have a lot of menace anymore. Letty and Mia, OG characters who have also had less and less to do as the movies have gone on, are not particularly lighting the screen on fire but Letty does get some fun scenes with Cipher — ones that made me appreciate Theron’s presence. Then you have Statham, whose straight-faced over-the-top tough guy shtick just, like, sparkles. Or the very nice Cena. Or Momoa, who absolutely understood the assignment. In the trailers, there’s a shot of Dante in a silky purple shirt with some kind of shark-tooth-y looking necklace, his hair in what I’m pretty sure is a scrunchy, his fingernails painted purple and his sunglasses sporting a chain of the “grandma librarian” variety. It is perfect. It really sums up his approach to Dante, which is, like, theatrically yet psychopathically bonkers with almost cutesy flair. It’s fun but it does highlight how little fun Dom has become.

But, look, Dom turns a couple of helicopters into nunchucks with his muscle car and sorta plays the Claw arcade game with a crane to knock that Wile. E. Coyote bomb into a river. How much can you really complain about lackluster acting and character development when it is so clearly Not The Point of this? I might not care about Dom’s family and his kid and all the forgettable dialogue about these things, and this movie might have no idea what to do with all its characters at this point, but when it’s on, doing ridiculous stuff with muscle cars and acting like “jumping” is basically the power of flight, it delivers a good time. B-

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action, language and some suggestive material, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Louis Leterrier with a screenplay by Dan Mazeau and Justin Lin, Fast X is two hours and 21 minutes long and is distributed in theaters by Universal Studios.

Featured photo: Fast X

Bacon it happen

New Hampshire Bacon & Beer Festival returns

By Maya Puma
listings@hippopress.com

Unique flavors of savory bacon and smooth cold beer take center stage at the New Hampshire Bacon & Beer Festival, returning to Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Merrimackon Saturday, June 3.

The festival is a fundraiser for the High Hopes Foundation, which has raised more than $600,000 in the last seven years. It will feature 60 craft brewers — the greatest number in the event’s history, up 20 from last year — and each is expected to serve at least two to three varieties, including beers, ciders, meads and a few cocktails.

“Quite a few have been with us since Day 1,” festival organizer Jeremy Garrett said of the participating drink vendors. “We’ll have 150-plus different craft brews to pull from.”

North Country Smokehouse of Claremont, a longtime partner, provides the bacon to each of the event’s participating samplers, from food trucks to competitive barbecue teams. Samplers are then given creative freedom to craft any dish they want with the bacon. Attendees can expect to discover everything from maple bacon cupcakes and ice cream to bacon pizza, bacon macaroni and cheese, bacon-wrapped Italian sausages, fried dough with bacon and all kinds of other goodies.

Garrett said the Pulled Pork People’s Choice contest, a new feature to last year’s event that proved to be super popular, is also returning.

“These are competition barbecue teams from throughout the Northeast and Canada, so 25 of them will be doing pulled pork samples,” he said, “and again, they are going to be creative with it. It may just be samples of pulled pork with some barbecue sauce on it. I know some folks are doing things like mac and cheese with some pulled pork on top.”

New this year is a Bacon People’s Choice contest, in which attendees choose their favorite bacon samples.

“Between the bacon and pulled pork samples, everyone should leave with at least a pound of food in their bellies,” Garrett said.

Attendees receive a sampling cup and tickets they will use to vote for their favorite bacon and barbecue samplers as part of the contests. There are special perks available to VIP attendees, including a new cocktail hour from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. that will feature exclusive appetizers and drinks. According to Garrett, VIP attendees can also enter the festival an hour early, at 12:30 p.m. Live music by The Slakas will be featured.

The High Hopes Foundation, according to general board director Lisa D. Rourke, is now in its 40th year of providing life-enhancing experiences and adaptive equipment to terminally and chronically ill children in New Hampshire. As a New Hampshire-based nonprofit, Rourke said, the Foundation receives no government grants or state funding and therefore runs solely on volunteers.

Garrett said all proceeds from the festival go directly to the High Hopes Foundation, which is aiming to surpass its threshold of $110,000 in ticket sales from last year.

Seventh annual New Hampshire Bacon & Beer Festival
When: Saturday, June 3, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. (VIP cocktail hour begins at 11:30 a.m., VIP admittance begins at 12:30 p.m.)
Where: Anheuser-Busch Brewery, 221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack
Cost: General admission is $60 online and $80 onsite if available; VIP admission is $100 online and $125 onsite if available. Designated driver admission is $35 online and $50 onsite if available (food samples only)
Visit: nhbaconbeer.com
Event is 21+ only. No children, pets or outside alcohol allowed.

Participating bacon samplers

The Alamo Texas Barbecue and Tequila Bar (Brookline, alamobarbecue.com)
All Real Meal (Manchester, allrealmeal.com)
Bone Daddy’s Competition BBQ Team (find them on Facebook)
Celebrations Catering (Manchester, celebrationsmenu.com)
Clyde’s Cupcakes (Exeter, clydescupcakes.com)
Dandido Sauce (Manchester, dandiosauce.com)
Donali’s Land and Sea (Nashua, donalifoodtruck.com)
Heavenly Dogs and Catering (find them on Facebook)
Hill’s Food Service (hillshomemarket.com)
Jeannette’s Fried Dough (find them on Facebook)
New England’s Tap House Grille (Hooksett, taphousenh.com)
North Country Smokehouse (Claremont, ncsmokehouse.com)
Phily’s Good Eats (Candia, find them on Facebook)
Piggy Sue’s Steakin’ Bacon (steakinbacon.com)
Rambling House Food & Gathering (Nashua, ramblingtale.com)
R & J Texas Style BBQ on Wheels (rjtexasbbqonwheels.com)
Saucehound BBQ (saucehoundbbq.com)
Stark Brewing Co. (Manchester, starkbrewingcompany.com)
The Traveling Foodie (jrmcateringllc.com)
Uno Pizzeria & Grill (unos.com)
Welbilt (welbilt.com)

Featured photo: Scenes from the New Hampshire Bacon & Beer Festival. Photos by Celia Gatsas.

Tips for planting the vegetable garden

Some veggies like a crowd, others want space

Although there are many old sayings like, “Plant your potatoes when the oak leaves are the size of a mouse’s ear,” I would rather depend on soil temperature and calendar dates. Besides, who really knows the size of a mouse’s ear?

Mid-May is good for cool-weather crops like spinach, peas, lettuce, onions, potatoes and broccoli-family plants. Heat-loving plants like tomatoes, cukes, zukes, corn and peppers? I have a soil thermometer and I don’t put them in the ground until it is at least 60 degrees. The date for this is usually around June 10 here in chilly Cornish Flat but may be sooner depending on where you are.

Before you think about putting plants in the ground, please harden them off. That means introducing them to full sun over the period of a week. Start with morning-only sun, then add an hour of afternoon sun and work up to a full day of sun. Cloudy days allow you to keep them out all day, but watch out for rain. If they are in a flat that holds water, they can get too wet or get beaten flat.

I also consult with a biodynamic calendar that recommends when to plant the different categories of plants: flower, fruit, leaf and root. The one I use, called “Stella Natura,” uses the position of the moon, stars and planets to determine what to plant — or more importantly, when to plant nothing.

Ask at the nursery where you buy your plants if they have been hardened off. Things like cabbage and lettuce probably are already hardened off and sitting outside the greenhouses on tables. If so, they are ready to plant anytime, but no harm in asking.

While keeping your plants happy in their little plastic six-packs, you might want to water with a dilute fish fertilizer solution. At the nursery they generally are given dilute chemical fertilizer, but I find fish fertilizer works well, and they grow strong and tall. I like Neptune’s Harvest brand.

Few of us have enough garden space for everything we want to grow, so we have to make decisions. Don’t crowd your plants. Tomatoes need 24 inches between plants. Potatoes need 18 inches, onions 4 or 5 inches in rows a foot apart. Crowd them? You get more onions but smaller ones. Peppers on the other hand only need 12-inch spacing as they like to actually touch their neighbors.

A good reference guide is The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Vermont author Ed Smith. Even I use it from time to time, and I’ve been growing veggies for decades. Ed and his wife Sylvia really know their stuff and buy very few vegetables in a year.

To maximize garden space I plant quick-growing plants like radishes and lettuce between or around slower-growing things like tomatoes. Plant a tomato, put it in its 54-inch support cage (never use small cages), then circle it with lettuce starts. The lettuce will be ready to eat before the tomato is big enough to shade it. I just planted my onions and planted lettuce in the spaces between rows of onions. Don’t plant things in your asparagus patch, as asparagus hates company.

To maximize production, think about growing up. No, not you. Your cucumbers, squashes, and pole beans. If you do this, be sure to put the trellis on the north side of your garden to avoid shading out other plants. You can buy a trellis or build your own using posts with attached chicken or welded wire with square openings.

If you want to grow hot peppers or eggplants, think about providing them some extra heat. No, not blankets. Choose dark rocks the size of a loaf of bread and place them near your plants. They will absorb heat from the sun and radiate it back during the night. You can also cover them with ReMay or row cover, a light synthetic fabric made for gardens that holds in heat and keeps bugs off.

Being a good gardener takes time, but don’t be discouraged.

Henry is a lifelong organic gardener and the author of four gardening books. His website is www.Gardening-Guy.com.

Featured photo: Black stones placed near heat-loving peppers help keep them warm at night. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Summer Guide 2023

Time to dive in to summer!

Looking for events to fill your calendar from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend? Our guide has you covered with suggestions for arts, theater, food, fairs, sporting events, music and more.

Fairs & Festivals

• The 31st annual Meredith Memorial Day Weekend Craft Festival is happening on Saturday, May 27, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, May 28, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday, May 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Mill Falls Marketplace (312 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith). New England-based artisans and craftsmen will gather to sell their crafts, ranging from jewelry, up-cycled items and pottery to pies, sauces, pickles and infused oils. Admission is free. Visit castleberryfairs.com.

• Join the Manchester Firing Line (2540 Brown Ave., Manchester) for its weekly Summer Cruise nights every Monday from 5 to 8 p.m., starting Memorial Day (Monday, May 29) and continuing through Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 4). Events will feature live music, raffles, food trucks and a People’s Choice Award winner each week for the best cars, along with The Spot To Go food truck and Cedi’s Tasty Treats. Admission is free. Visit gunsnh.com.

• The Goffstown Rotary Club’s (Parsons Drive) car show is returning for its 10th year on Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include goodie bags for the first 50 registrants, along with food trucks, raffles and trophies given in 16 classes. Admission is free, and the cost to participate as a registrant is $20 per car, with all proceeds benefiting local charities. Visit goffstownrotary.org.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) New Hampshire Maker Fest ison Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is a large-scale “show and tell,” with makers of all kinds, including artists, engineers, scientists and others showcasing their creativity. Admission is on a pay-what-you-can basis, with a suggested donation of $5 per person.

• Milford’s second annual Pride Festival is happening on Sunday, June 4, at noon, at Emerson Park (6 Mont Vernon St., Milford), and will feature live music, food and more. “See Milford NH PRIDE” on Facebook for more details.

• Market Square Day in downtown Portsmouth will return on Saturday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Produced by the local nonprofit Pro Portsmouth, the festival kicks off with a 10K road race and features craft and artisan vendors, food, two live entertainment stages and more. Visit proportsmouth.org.

• It’s Children’s Day at the New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy., Milton; nhfarmmuseum.org) on Saturday, June 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Try your hand at old-fashioned games and check out storytelling, blacksmithing demonstrations, tractor rides, s’mores making and more. Admission is free for children under 4, $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children ages 4 to 17. A family pass can also be purchased for $30.

• Laconia Motorcycle Week is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The rally goes from Saturday, June 10, through Sunday, June 18, and includes motorcycle tours, live entertainment, vendors and scenic rides around Weirs Beach in Laconia. Visit laconiamcweek.com.

• Manchester Pride week kicks off on Saturday, June 10, with “Layers of Identity: A Visual Exploration” at Mosaic Art Collective in Manchester. Events continue throughout the week — including Queen City’s A Drag on June 12, Pride Karaoke on June 14, a flag raising at City Hall on June 16 — with the Pride Festival on Saturday, June 17, from 1 to 7 p.m. in Veterans Park featuring food trucks, vendors, arts, entertainment and more. See the complete line-up of events at manchestertrue.org.

• Take a trip to the coast for the 23rd Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic, happening from Thursday, June 15, to Saturday, June 17. Prizes will be awarded for the best sand sculptures, and on Saturday a fireworks display will start at 9:30 p.m. The sculptures will be lighted for nightly viewing through June 26. Visit hamptonbeach.org.

• The Somersworth International Children’s Festival will featur live music, food, wildlife encounters, a petting zoo, vendors and more on Saturday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street and at Noble Pines Park in Somersworth. A pre-festival celebration will be taking place that night before at Somersworth High School (11 Memorial Drive, Somersworth) on Friday, June 16, at 6 p.m. with fireworks to end the night. Visit nhfestivals.org.

• Join the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire for its annual Father’s Day weekend Fly-In BBQ, happening on Saturday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Nashua’s Boire Field (83 Perimeter Road, Nashua). Attendees are welcome to enjoy a barbecue buffet lunch and get a close look at visiting aircraft on the ramp. Pilots are invited to fly in, and vintage airplanes and home-built aircrafts are especially welcome. Tickets, including the barbecue, are $30 for adults and $10 for kids ages 6 to 12. Tickets are $10 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under without the barbecue. To purchase tickets, visit nhahs.org to access the Eventbrite link.

• Plaistow’s Old Home Day returns on Saturday, June 17, and will include local vendors on the Town Hall green (145 Main St., Plaistow), as well as a beard contest, a baby contest, raffles, entertainment booths, a parade and more. This year’s theme is “Gather on the Green.” Follow the town Old Home Day’s Facebook @plaistowoldhomeday for updates.

• Intown Concord’s 49th annual Market Days Festival runs from Thursday, June 22, to Saturday, June 24, in downtown Concord from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The event includes a wide array of local vendors, live entertainment, family-friendly activities and more. Visit marketdaysfestival.com to see the full schedule, or follow Intown Concord on Facebook @intownconcord.

• Join the Wilton Main Street Association for its annual Summerfest, happening on Saturday, June 24, starting at 10 a.m. and featuring an arts market, live music, food, street vendors, a pancake breakfast and a fireworks display in the evening. A rain date is scheduled for June 25. See visitwilton.com/summerfest.

• Don’t miss the annual Nashua Pride Festival, a free celebration of diversity, acceptance and fun focused on promoting equality. The festival is happening on Saturday, June 24, in the parking lot of the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St.), and will feature a parade that kicks off at 2 p.m. from Elm Street Middle School (117 Elm St.) and down Main Street. Visit nashuanh.gov/1217/nashua-pride-festival.

• Join the New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy., Milton) for Fourth on the Farm, happening on Saturday, July 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities include a tractor ride to see farm animals, as well as demonstrations, reenactments, a scavenger hunt, lawn games, lunch and strawberry shortcake, and live performances of songs from the 1700s and 1800s. Admission is free for members and children under 4, $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children ages 4 to 17. A family pass can be purchased for $30. Visit nhfarmmuseum.org.

• The Raymond Town Fair returns for its 48th year from Friday, July 7, to Sunday, July 9, at the Raymond Town Common (Epping and Main streets, Raymond), and will feature live music, family-friendly entertainment, a children’s parade, a fireworks display and more. See “Raymond Town Fair” on Facebook to keep up to date on details as they become available.

• The next New England Reptile Expo is scheduled for Sunday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester). The show features more than 200 vendor tables full of reptiles, pet supplies and more. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 7 to 12 and free for kids ages 6 and under. Visit reptileexpo.com.

• The Hillsborough Summer Festival is back again this year at Grimes Field (29 Preston St., Hillsborough) from Thursday, July 13, to Sunday, July 16, with live entertainment, carnival rides, a fireworks show on Saturday night, a 5K road race on Friday, a parade on Sunday and more. Festival hours are from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. Visit hillsborosummerfest.com.

• Returning to the grounds of American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter) for a 33rd year is the American Independence Festival, on Saturday, July 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Be transported back in time with a live reading of the Declaration of Independence, and enjoy historical reenactments and colonial artisan demonstrations, as well as colonial games, music and dances. Visit independencemuseum.org.

• After a successful inaugural year, the Stratham 4H Summerfest returns for a second year on Saturday, July 15, at the Stratham Hill Park Fairgrounds (270 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham). Attendees are welcome to join as the work of 4-H volunteers and members will be on display in the 4-H building, show rings and livestock barns from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Exhibits include shows, displays on gardening, cooking, environmental stewardship, hiking and much more. Visit extension.unh.edu/event/2023/07/stratham-4-h-summerfest.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire’s (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) annual car show is set for Saturday, July 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and vehicles of all makes and eras are welcome. Trophies will be given out for the People’s Choice Award and the Museum Award, and the show will include a special appearance of a student-built two-seat RV-12iS light sport aircraft, completed in August 2022 by students at Manchester School of Technology. Vehicle registration is $10, or you can come as a spectator for $5 (cash only; kids ages 12 and under are free). A rain date of July 22 is planned. Visit nhahs.org.

• Organized by the Merrimack Valley Military Vehicle Collectors Club, this year’s Weare Rally will go from Thursday, July 27, to Sunday, July 30, at Center Woods School (14 Center Road, Weare). The rally features military vehicle displays, scenic rides, demonstrations, food and more. Admission is free. Visit mvmvc.org.

• Don’t miss the 15th annual Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo, happening from Friday, July 28, to Sunday, July 30, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester). The event features various tattoo artists, contests, vendors, live music and performances. Show hours are from 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday, from 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, and from noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $15 when purchased in advance for a one-day pass ($20 at the door), $20 in advance for a two-day pass ($25 at the door), and $30 when bought in advance for a three-day pass ($30 at the door). Visit livefreeordietattoo.com.

• The annual Summer Psychic & Craft Fair returns for a 12th year to Weirs Beach Community Center (25 Lucerne Ave., Laconia) on Saturday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hosted by CAYA Reiki and Healing, the event will include psychic readings, vendors and door prizes. Admission is free. See the event page on Facebook @cayahealing for more details.

• The Canterbury Fair is celebrating its 65th year — join the fun on Saturday, July 29, at Canterbury Center (Baptist and Center roads) with live music, demonstrations from local artisan and antique vendors, children’s activities and more. Admission is free. Visit canterburyfair.com.

• The Belknap County Fair is set to return on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sunday, Aug. 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 174 Mile Hill Road in Belmont. The fair features live entertainment, food, exhibits and animal shows. Admission at the gate is $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens 65 and older, police, fire and EMS personnel, and free for kids under 10 and for military service members. Visit bcfairnh.org.

• The second annual Manchester International Film Festival is set for Thursday, Aug. 10, through Saturday, Aug. 12, according to palacetheatre.org/film. The deadline for film submissions recently passed, and details on this year’s showcased films are expected to be available soon. Visit the website or follow the festival’s Facebook page @manchesterfilmfestival.

• Returning to the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester) from Thursday, Aug. 10, through Saturday, Aug. 12, is the 66th annual New Hampshire Antiques Show, hosted by the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association. Nearly 60 professional antique dealers will exhibit their collections of antique furniture, art, jewelry and more. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $15 on Thursday, and $10 on Friday and Saturday, and return visits are free. Visit nhada.org.

• Hudson’s Old Home Days return from Thursday, Aug. 10, to Sunday, Aug. 13, on the grounds of the Hill House (211 Derry Road, Hudson). There will be carnival games, live music, fireworks, food and more. Event times are Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. See hudsonchamber.com or visit their Facebook page @HudsonNHOldHomeDays for updates.

• Save the date for the Alton Bay Boat Show, returning to the Alton Town Docks on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 9 a.m. to noon, and featuring a variety of vintage boats on display. Admission is free. See the New Hampshire Boat Museum’s website at nhbm.org for more details.

• Don’t miss the Hampton Beach Children’s Festival, happening from Monday, Aug. 14, through Friday, Aug. 18. The event includes ice cream, dancing, balloons, storytelling, a magic show and a costume parade. All activities are free and open to the public. Visit hamptonbeach.org.

• Don’t miss Londonderry’s Old Home Days, set for Wednesday, Aug. 16, to Saturday, Aug. 19. More details are in the works, but the four-day event promises concerts, fireworks, a parade, a 5K road race, a baby contest, children’s games and more. See londonderrynh.gov or follow the event page on Facebook @townoflondonderryoldhomeday.

• The fifth annual History Alive event will be on Saturday, Aug. 19, and Sunday, Aug. 20, at Jones Road in Hillsborough. This year’s event will center around battle reenactments and village life experiences and will include activities, crafts, musicians and more. Tickets are $8 for adults when purchased ahead of time, and $10 on the days of the event. Kids ages 16 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Visit historyalivenh.org.

• The New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy., Milton) is hosting its annual Truck and Tractor Day on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trucks, wagons, antique cars and tractors dating back to the mid 1900s will all be on display, and the event will also feature demonstrations on things like the two-man saw and the butter churn treadmill. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors 65 and older, $6 for children ages 4 to 17, and free children under 4. A family pass is also available for $30. Visit nhfarmmuseum.org.

• The 125th Gilmanton Old Home Day is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m. outside the Smith Meeting House (Meeting House and Governor roads, Gilmanton). Details on this year’s event are still being ironed out, but previous events have included live entertainment, a puppet show, a silent auction, an antique auto parade, an art show and more. Visit gilmantonnh.org.

• Join Field of Dreams Community Park (48 Geremonty Drive, Salem) for its annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A wide variety of activities are planned, from circus acts and face-painting to bounce houses, photo opportunities with superheroes and princesses, food trucks, local vendors and more. Visit fieldofdreamsnh.org.

• Candia’s Old Home Day will return on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Moore Park (74 High St., Candia). The event starts with a parade after a firemen’s homemade breakfast. Local crafters and artisans, town community booths, games, a wildlife exhibit, food and music will also be featured. Visit candiaoldhomeday.com.

• Pembroke and Allenstown’s Old Home Day returns on Saturday, Aug. 26, and will kick off with a parade down Main Street in Allenstown and end at Memorial Field (Exchange Street) in Pembroke. A fun-filled day is planned at the field, featuring two stages of live entertainment, antique cars, children’s games, a craft area, bounce houses and a fireworks display at dusk. Admission and parking are free. See “Pembroke & Allenstown Old Home Day 2023” on Facebook, or join its group page, for details.

• Don’t miss this year’s Hopkinton State Fair, a Labor Day weekend tradition happening from Thursday, Aug. 31, to Monday, Sept. 4, at the fairgrounds (392 Kearsarge Ave., Contoocook). There will be livestock shows, a demolition derby, carnival rides, monster trucks, live entertainment, food and more. The fair hours are 5 to 10 p.m. on Thursday; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. Tickets are $9 for all fairgoers ages 3 and up on Thursday night. Day passes for Friday through Monday are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $8 for youth ages 3 to 12. Children 35 months and under are free. Five-day passes are also available for $39. Visit hsfair.org.

• One of the largest annual car shows in the area, Cruising Downtown is scheduled to return to the streets of downtown Manchester for a 22nd year on Saturday, Sept. 2, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Organized by the Manchester Rotary Club, the rain-or-shine event will feature all kinds of cars on display, along with food, live demonstrations, local vendors and two stages of live entertainment. Admission is free as a spectator, and vehicle registration is $20. Visit cruisingdowntownmanchester.com.

• The Exeter UFO Festival returns to downtown Exeter on Saturday, Sept. 2, and Sunday, Sept. 3 — the event commemorates the anniversary of the “Exeter Incident” (an alleged UFO sighting on Sept. 3, 1965) by featuring in-depth talks and presentations from leading experts on UFOs, along with a variety of “intergalactic” children’s games and food, all to benefit the Exeter Area Kiwanis Club. See exeterkiwanis.com/exeter-ufo-festival.

Food

• The town of Bennington will host a rhubarb festival from Friday, June 2, to Sunday, June 4, at Sawyer Memorial Park (Route 202) in Bennington. People can enter their own rhubarb plants and creations in a variety of contest categories, including the largest leaf, longest stalk and even a rhubarb-themed art contest. The celebration of all things rhubarb will also feature a pie contest, food trucks, vendors, live-action roleplay demonstrations, live music, petting zoos and more. Admission and parking to the festival are free. Follow the event page on Facebook @nhrhubarbfestival for more details.

• Tickets are on sale now for the High Hopes Foundation’s seventh annual New Hampshire Bacon & Beer Festival, returning to Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack) on Saturday, June 3, with general admission from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and VIP admission beginning at 12:30 p.m. See page 40 for details or go to nhbaconbeer.com.

• The 97.5 WOKQ’s annual summer kick-off chowder festival, will be at Prescott Park (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth) on Saturday, June 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Several local eateries will serve chowders and the festival will feature live music, kid-friendly activities, ice cream and more. Tickets are $20 per person and chowders will be available until the vendors run out. Visit portsmouthnhtickets.com/events/chowder-festival-summer-kick-off-6-3-2023.

• Herb & Garden Day, presented by the New Hampshire Herbal Network, returns to the Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner) on Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event features a full schedule of workshops tailored to all skills and levels, along with plant and tree identification walks, an herbal market and plant sale, food vendors, children’s activities and more. Full-access general admission is $25 in advance and $35 the day of the event. Visit nhherbalnetwork.org/herbday.

• The Friends of the Library of Windham will present their 38th annual strawberry festival and book fair on Saturday, June 3, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Windham High School (64 London Bridge Road, Windham). Homemade strawberry shortcake will be served, and the festival will have live music, raffles, local vendors, games and more. Visit flowwindham.org.

• The Taste of Downtown Nashua, presented by Great American Downtown, returns to the Gate City on Wednesday, June 7, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. More than 30 participating restaurants, shops and other local businesses will have temporary food service set up inside their establishments, where samples will be served to ticket holders. Tickets are $45 per person and include access to samples from all of the event’s participating vendors. Visit downtownnashua.org/taste.

• Join LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111) for From Vine to Wine: Tasting New England’s Grape Varietals, an exclusive wine tasting class happening on Wednesday, June 7, from 6 to 7 p.m. Attendees will learn about the different types of grapes cultivated at LaBelle, as well as the overall winemaking process in New England. Mini cheese boards featuring locally sourced accompaniments will also be provided. Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased online at labellewinery.com.

• The Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker) will host an Italian al fresco garden dinner party on Friday, June 9 — the event will begin with an Italian antipasti station and passed appetizers, followed by a three-course dinner and an Italian dessert station, along with live music from Brad Myrick and Italian wine tables hosted by Rossi Imports throughout the night. Tickets are $130 per person and include dinner and the wines. See colbyhillinn.com.

• Join the Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester) in welcoming LaBelle Winery owner and winemaker Amy LaBelle on Sunday, June 11, from 4 to 6 p.m. — she’ll be there to present and sign copies of her debut book, Wine Weddings: The Ultimate Guide to Creating the Wine-Themed Wedding of Your Dreams. Released Dec. 16, the book offers advice on planning and hosting weddings of every size and type, covering everything from choosing invitation designs and wedding favors to creating your own menu of signature drinks and wine choices. Admission is free and the event will include a wine tasting. Visit bookerymht.com.

• Online ordering for the 26th annual New Hampshire Jewish Food Festival, presented by Temple B’nai Israel (210 Court St., Laconia), opens on Sunday, June 11, and will continue through Sunday, July 9. Menu items will include savory brisket with gravy, freshly sliced corned beef, pastrami and tongue from Evan’s New York Style Deli in Marblehead, Mass., as well as sweet creamy noodle kugel and a vast assortment of other home-cooked Jewish foods. Those who place their orders online will be prompted to select a time on either Friday, July 21, or Saturday, July 22, at Temple B’nai Israel. Visit tbinh.org/food-fest-menu to view the full menu.

• Enjoy garden-themed afternoon tea with The Cozy Tea Cart on Sunday, June 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Gatherings at the Colonel Shepard House (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford). In addition to the fine quality teas, a variety of tea breads, sandwiches and pastries will be available. The cost is $39.95 per person and reservations are required. Visit thecozyteacart.com.

• Head to Fulchino Vineyard (187 Pine Hill Road, Hollis) for Canines Uncorked, a dog-friendly event to benefit the Humane Society for Greater Nashua on Tuesday, June 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. Registration is free and 20 percent of each glass of wine sold will benefit the Humane Society. More events are also scheduled for Aug. 15 and Oct. 10. Visit fulchinovineyard.com.

• LaBelle Winery Amherst (345 Route 101) presents A Celebration of Women Winemakers, a special four-course wine dinner happening on Wednesday, June 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Amy LaBelle and winemaker Lisa Evich of Simi Winery in California will be on hand to provide commentary on their philosophies and their selected pairings throughout the evening. The cost is $99 per person — purchase tickets online at labellewinery.com, where you can view the full menu.

• New Hampshire Wine Week is a June affair this year. The week will culminate with the New England Wine Spectacular on Thursday, June 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St.). The large seminar-style showcase is the premier event of the week, which has been moved to June from its traditional timeframe in January for the first time in its nearly 20-year history. The Spectacular will feature more than 1,700 wines to try, paired with all kinds of New Hampshire-sourced foods. It’s expected to be surrounded by a week’s worth of other events like wine dinners at local restaurants and tasting and sampling events at several of the Liquor & Wine Outlet stores. General-admission tickets to the Spectacular are $65 per person (21+ only), with proceeds benefiting the New Hampshire Food Bank. See nhwineweek.com.

• The next installment in The Winemaker’s Kitchen cooking class series, presented by LaBelle Winery, will be on Wednesday, June 21, from 6 to 7 p.m. in its Derry location (14 Route 111) and will highlight various Mexican recipes. Learn how to prepare everything from homemade flour tortillas to baked enchiladas, chicken and mole sauce and passionfruit seyval blanc margaritas, and collect recipe cards from the class to take home. General admission is $40 per person and tickets can be purchased online at labellewinery.com.

• Tickets are on sale for New Hampshire magazine’s annual Best of NH Party, happening on Thursday, June 22, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Flag Hill Distillery & Winery (297 N. River Road, Lee), with an additional VIP barrel tasting and tour from 5 to 6 p.m. Visit nhmagazine.com/best-of-nh.

• Get ready for the Kingston Fire Association’s fourth annual Brewfest, set to take place on Saturday, June 24, from 2 to 6 p.m. on the Plains in downtown Kingston (148 Main St.). More than 60 different beers, ciders and hard lemonade from at least 30 pourers will be available to sample at the festival, which will also include food trucks and music. Tickets are $40 per person for full access (event is 21+ only) and $10 for designated drivers, and are available online now. Donations are also being accepted to the Kingston Fire Association. Visit kingstonbrew.com.

• Join the Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker) for a Charles Smith garden barbecue on Saturday, June 24, at 6 p.m., which will feature grilled hors d’oeuvres and wine tasting tables, followed by a four-course wine pairing dinner, and live rock music in honor of “rockstar winemaker” Charles Smith. Derek Rush of Ruby Wines will serve as a guest presenter. Tickets are $130 per person. Visit colbyhillinn.com to view the full menu.

• The Hollis Strawberry Festival, presented by the Hollis Woman’s Club, returns for a 76th year to the Town Common (7 Monument Square, Hollis) on Sunday, June 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. Enjoy strawberry shortcake and other strawberry desserts while the Hollis Town Band performs. Face-painting, games and craft vendors are also part of the festival. Visit holliswomansclub.org.

• A family-friendly event featuring local food, drinks and entertainment, Farm-a-Q returns to Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Road, Lee) on Sunday, June 25, from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person, $15 for adult drink bracelets, $25 for students and seniors and free for kids under the age of 5. Proceeds support the Heritage Harvest Project, whose mission is to promote regional heritage foods and agricultural diversity among farmers, chefs and local communities. See “Farm-a-Q” on Eventbrite to purchase tickets.

• Save the date for the annual Keep NH Brewing Festival, happening on Saturday, July 8, at the Kiwanis Waterfront Park (15 Loudon Road, Concord; behind the Douglas N. Everett Arena). General admission is from 1 to 4 p.m., with VIP admission beginning at noon. The festival is the signature fundraising event for the New Hampshire Brewers Association and features one of the largest gatherings of craft beers on tap, with more than 140 options to try and more than 50 breweries represented. Food trucks, local vendors and live music will also be featured. Tickets are $50 in advance and $55 on the day of the event ($65 for VIP ticket-holders and $20 for designated drivers over 21). All tickets will include souvenir tasting glasses, and foods are priced per item. Proceeds benefit the New Hampshire Brewers Association. Purchase your tickets online at nhbrewers.org.

• Get ready for the Great American Ribfest & Food Truck Festival, a three-day event slated to return to Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack) from Friday, July 21, through Sunday, July 23. In addition to eats from a wide array of barbecuers and food trucks, the outdoor festival boasts a full schedule of live performances throughout the weekend. New this year will be an expanded children’s area and a People’s Choice rib sampler. The event will begin with a concert on Friday night, followed by two days of festivities, all to take place rain or shine. Advance admission is $32.50 for adults and $14.50 for kids ages 10 to 16 for the Friday night concert; and $12 for adults and $10 for seniors over 60 and military service members for Saturday and Sunday (kids ages 16 and under get in free per paid adult). Free entry for all attendees is available on Saturday, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., and on Sunday, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. See greatamericanribfest.com to purchase tickets.

• Monadnock Music will host its annual Progressive Garden Party, featuring multiple tastings and performances across areas of the Monadnock region, on Saturday, July 22. A botanical tour of the region, the event features unique food and drink options and live performances at each location. Tickets are $80 ($75 for Monadnock Music members). A rain date of July 29 is planned. Visit monadnockmusic.org.

• The Spicy Shark presents the second annual New England Hot Sauce Fest, returning to Smuttynose Brewing Co. (105 Towle Farm Road, Hampton) on Saturday, July 29, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will feature more than two dozen local hot sauce companies selling and offering samples of all of their spicy products, along with bounce houses, face-painting, several food trucks, a hot wing contest and four hot pepper eating contests. General-admission tickets are $11, and proceeds will benefit the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation and the Seacoast Science Center. Visit newenglandhotsaucefest.com.

• The Cozy Tea Cart has a summertime afternoon tea tasting planned for Sunday, Aug. 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Gatherings at the Colonel Shepard House (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford). In addition to teas, there will be tea breads, sandwiches and pastries available. Tickets are $39.95 per person and reservations are required. Visit thecozyteacart.com.

• The town of Windham’s Recreation department will host a food truck festival on the grounds of Windham High School (64 London Bridge Road, Windham) on Sunday, Aug. 13, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to eats from local food trucks, there will be music and games of cornhole. For more details contact the Windham Recreation office by phone at 965-1208 or by email at recreation@windhamnh.gov.

• The Great New England BBQ & Food Truck Festival returns for a seventh year to the Hampshire Dome (50 Emerson Road, Milford) on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will feature a crafter’s booth and a kids’ zone in addition to eats from local food trucks, along with craft beer, live music, a cornhole tournament and more. Visit gnecraftartisanshows.com.

• After a successful comeback year in 2022, Gate City Brewfest will return to Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St., Nashua) on Saturday, Aug. 26, with general admission from 1 to 5 p.m. and VIP admission beginning at noon. Unique for being a family-friendly brewfest, the event also features food, live music, a cornhole tournament, children’s activities and more. General-admission tickets are $35 in advance and $50 the day of the event, while VIP tickets are $70 (limited to 200 tickets) and designated drivers and attendees under the age of 21 are $15. Proceeds benefit the Nashua Police Athletic League. See gatecitybrewfestnh.com.

• Food Truck Festivals of America presents the ninth annual Portsmouth Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival, happening at Cisco Brewers (35 Corporate Drive, Portsmouth) on Sunday, Aug. 20, with general admission from noon to 5 p.m. and VIP admission beginning at 11 a.m. In addition to food trucks, the festival features craft beer, lawn games, music and more. General admission is $10 and VIP admission is $20 (kids ages 10 and under are free). Visit foodtruckfestivalsofamerica.com/portsmouth.

Concerts

• Louis Tomlinson is playing the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) Saturday, May 27, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• See Live at the Fillmore, an Allman Brothers tribute band, at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry; tupelomusichall.com) on Saturday, May 27, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $37.

• Dave Mason is playing Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Sunday, May 28, at 7 p.m. Ticket prices range from $60 to $75.

• Tuesday, May 30, Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen, also known as Hollywood Vampires, are coming to SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, snuharena.com). Show starts at 8 p.m., tickets start at $39.50.

• Hannah Ellis with Martin & Kelly are performing at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Thursday, June 1, at 7 p.m. General admission tickets are $10.

• See Walker Hayes at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Friday, June 2, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $35.

• Umphry’s McGee is playing the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Friday, June 2, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $33.

• See 33 1/3 at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Saturday, June 3, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $39.

• The Dueling Pianos are performing at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Saturday, June 3, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $28.

• Stand Up Audio is playing at The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.com) on Saturday, June 3, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29.

• Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) is having Mike Girard’s Big Swinging Thing on Saturday, June 3, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35.

• See Voyage,a Journey tribute band, at the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Saturday, June 3, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• On Sunday, June 4, Air Supply is playing the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• Singer and songwriter Charlie Puth is coming to the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Wednesday, June 7, at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $25.

• The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.com) is hosting Debbie Gibson on Thursday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m. Prices start at $39.

• Celebrating Billy Joel is coming to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Thursday, June 8, at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $29 to $59.

• The Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) is having Killswitch Engaged on Friday, June 9, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $37.

• Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) is having Pat Methney Side-Eye perform on Friday, July 9, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $59.

• See The Subtronics at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Sunday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $19.

• The Simon and Garfunkel tribute band Forever Simon & Garfunkel is performing at The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.com) on Sunday, June 10, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29.

• See Neil Young tribute Band Broken Arrow at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Sunday, June 10, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $37.

• Sunday, June 11, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue are performing at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• The Happy Together Tour is coming to the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Sunday, June 11, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• Kidd G is performing at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Wednesday, June 14, at 8 p.m. General admission tickets cost $28, reserved balcony seating costs $40.

• Faster Pussycat is playing Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Thursday, June 15, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $40.

• See Leonid & Friends, a Chicago tribute band, at The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.com) on Thursday, June 15, at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $29.

• The Marshall Tucker Band is performing at the Chubb Theatre at Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Thursday, June 15, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $61.

• The Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) is having Russell Dickerson on Thursday, June 15, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35.

• On Friday, June 16, Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) is having Dueling Pianos play. Showtime is at 8 p.m., tickets cost $20.

• The Little River Band is playing the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Friday, June 16, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.com) is hosting The Buddha Blue Band on Saturday, June 17, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29.

• See Grace Kelly at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Saturday, June 17, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $40.

• Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) is having Martin Barre perform on Saturday, July 17, at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range from $45 to $60.

• The Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) is having Not Fade Away Band presents: Dead Zeppelin on Saturday, June 17, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $20.

• See Toad the Wet Sprocket at Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Sunday, June 18, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $49.

• Dierks Bentley is performing at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Thursday, June 22, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $34.

• See American Idol alumnus Phillip Phillips at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, casinoballroom.com) on Thursday, June 22, at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $40 to $45.

• Eric Gales is performing at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Friday, June 23, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $40.

• Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) is having Kashmir perform on Friday, June 23, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• See Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew at the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Friday, June 23, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• Chris Pinnella will be at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry) on Saturday, June 24, at 6 p.m. Tickets range from $40 to $45.

• See the classic rock group Trinity at The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. Manchester, palacetheatre.com) on Saturday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29.

• Dirty Deeds is playing the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Saturday, June 24, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $19.

• The Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) is having Cinderella’s Tom Kiefer Band on Wednesday, June 28, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $36.

• See Metal Church at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Thursday, June 29, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $35.

• Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters are performing at The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.com) on Thursday, June 29, at 7:30 p.m. Prices start at $39.

• The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.com) is having The John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band play on Thursday, June 29, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29.

• See 3 Doors Down at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Friday, June 30, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• On Friday, June 30, Michael Franti and Spearhead are playing the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $45.

• Tribute band Magical Mystery Doors is performing at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry) on Friday, June 30, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35.

• Badfish! A tribute to Sublime is playing the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Saturday, July 1, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $27.

• On Saturday, July 1, Chicago is playing at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39.

• See John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band on Saturday, July 1, at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall). Showtime is at 8 p.m., tickets cost $45.

• Falling in Reverse is playing the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Sunday, July 2, at 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices begin at $25.

• Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) is having Tedeschi Trucks Band on Monday, July 3, at 7 p.m. General admission tickets cost $25.

• Sam Hunt is playing the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Friday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices begin at $34.75.

• The Doors tribute band Peace Frog is coming to Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Friday, July 7, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $30.

• See Barenaked Ladies at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Saturday, July 8, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• Dueling Pianos is coming to Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Saturday, July 8, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $20.

• On Saturday, July 8, the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) is having Echoes of Floyd play at 8 p.m. General admission costs $31, reserved balcony seating costs $44.

• See The Allman Betts Band on Sunday, July 9, at Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com). Showtime is at 7 p.m., ticket prices start at $39.

• Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) is having LA Guns perform on Sunday, July 9, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $40.

• The Dave Matthews Band is playing the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Tuesday, July 11, and Wednesday, July 12, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $50.

• Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) is welcoming Tab Benoit to its stage on Thursday, July 13, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) is hosting Peter Frampton on Thursday, July 13, at 8 p.m. Prices start at $35.

• Bruce in the USA is playing Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Friday, July 14, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $45.

• See Counting Crows at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Friday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• An Evening with Tom Rush accompanied by Matt Nakoa is coming to Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Friday, July 14, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• The Head and the Heart and The Revivalists will be performing at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Saturday, July 15, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $31.

• See Jake Shimabukuro on Saturday, July 15, at 8 p.m. at Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com). Tickets start at $29.

• The Kingston Trio is playing at Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Tuesday, July 18, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $52.

• On Tuesday, July 18, and Wednesday, July 19, The Music of ABBA – Direct from Sweden is coming to Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35.

• On Wednesday, July 19, Royal Bliss is performing at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $24.

• See Theo Von at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Thursday, July 20, at 8 p.m. Pricing starts at $39.

• The Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) is hosting Ghost Funk Orchestra at 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 20. Tickets for general admission cost $23.

• Matchbox 20 is playing the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Friday, July 21, at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $80.

• See Beginnings, a Chicago tribute band, at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Friday, July 21, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $37.

• The Struts are coming to the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Friday, July 21, at 8 p.m. General admission costs $27.

• The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) is hosting Bret Michaels on Saturday, July 22, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• See Martin Sexton at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Saturday, July 22, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39.

• Ruben Studdard is performing at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Saturday, July 22, at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $45 to $65.

• See Kidz Bop Kidz on Sunday, July 23, at 4 p.m. at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com). Tickets start at $29.

• The Young Dubliners are performing on Sunday, July 23, at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). Showtime is at 8 p.m., tickets cost $36.

• See Dueling Pianos at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, July 28, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $28.

• The Fab Four, a Beatles tribute band, is coming to the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Friday, July 28, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) is having Stephen Pearcy perform on Friday, July 28, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $50.

• The High Kings are performing at Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Sunday, July 30, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $39.

• See The Beach Boys on Wednesday, Aug. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com). Tickets start at $29.

• The Outlaw Music Festival is coming to the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Wednesday, Aug. 2, at 5 p.m. Tickets start at $42.

• See Foreigner on Friday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m. at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com). Tickets start at $40.

• Pointless Culture is coming to the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, Aug. 4, at 8 p.m. Tickets are not on sale yet.

• Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) is having Zach Nugent’s Dead Set perform on Friday, Aug. 4, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $30.

• The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) is having The Chicks on Saturday, Aug. 5, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $59.

• Jelly Roll is coming to the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $60.

• See Marcus King at the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $39.

• See Incubus on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at 7:15 p.m. at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com). Tickets start at $30.

• Melissa Etheridge is coming to the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $59.

• Country music star Chris Stapleton is coming to the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) for three shows, Aug. 10 through Aug. 12, all starting at 7 p.m. Ticket prices begin at $98.

• Kick – The INXS Experience is performing at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) on Thursday, Aug. 10, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35.

• The Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) is having KC and the Sunshine Band on Saturday Aug. 12, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• Govt Mule’s “The Dark Side of the Mule” tour, a Led Zeppelin tribute, arrives on Thursday Aug. 17, at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com). Showtime is at 7 p.m., tickets start at $18.

• The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) is having In This Moment and Motionless in White play on Friday, Aug. 18, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• See Blue Light Rain on Friday, Aug. 18, at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). Showtime is at 8 p.m., tickets cost $24.

• The Boston Pops are performing at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Saturday, Aug. 18, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $19.

• See Cherry Cherry, a Neil Diamond tribute band, on Sunday, Aug. 19, at 8 p.m. at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com). Tickets cost $35.

• Miko Marks is performing at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Saturday, Aug. 19, at 8 p.m. Ticket prices are not listed at the time of publication.

• The Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) is having Mary Chapin Carpenter on Sunday, Aug. 20, at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices begin at $49.

• See Disturbed at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 6 p.m. Ticket prices start at $29.

• Ann Wilson is playing the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Wednesday Aug. 23, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $24.

• See Slightly Stoopid and Sublime with Rome on Thursday, Aug. 24, at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com). Showtime is at 5 p.m., tickets start at $29.

• Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line is playing the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) on Thursday, Aug. 24, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $65.

• The Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) is having The Smashing Pumpkins on Friday, Aug. 25, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $45.

• On Friday, Aug. 25, Gabby Barrett performs at the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35.

• See Hank Williams Jr. on Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com). Tickets start at $39, show starts at 7 p.m.

• Ace Frehley is coming to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 8 p.m. Ticket prices start at $49.

• Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com) is having Metallica tribute band Four Horsemen on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35.

• See W.A.S.P. on Sunday, Aug. 27, at 8 p.m. at the Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton). Tickets start at $30.

• Rod Stewart is coming to the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com) on Monday, Aug 28, at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices begin at $50.

• The Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com) is having One Night of Queen on Friday, Sept. 1, at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range from $19 to $39.

• See The Zac Brown Band on Saturday, Sept. 2, and Sunday, Sept. 3, at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com). Both shows start at 7 p.m., ticket prices start at $64.

Comedy

• Hypnotist Frank Santos Jr. will perform an 18-and-up comedy and hypnotism show at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, chunkys.com) on Saturday, May 27, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at chunkys.com.

• Headliners Comedy Club (700 Elm St., Manchester, headlinersnh.com) will have Mark Riley on stage on Saturday, May 27, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at headlinersnh.com.

• See Marty Caproni at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, chunkys.com) on Saturday, May 27, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

• Comedian Stephanie Peters is bringing her brand of humor to Chunky’s Nashua (chunkys.com) on Saturday, May 27, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20.

• The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd. in Hampton, casinoballroom.com) is having Sam Morril on Thursday, June 1. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., and the doors open at 6 p.m. This is an 18-and-older performance. • See ImprovBoston at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester) on Friday, June 2, at 7:30 p.m. as part of its Friday Night Comedy series. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at palacetheatre.org.

• Comedian Brian Beaudoin is performing at Chunky’s Nashua (Chunkys.com) on Saturday, June 3, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

• Chunky’s Manchester (chunkys.com) is having Johnny Pizzi take the stage on Saturday, June 3, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

• James Dorsey is coming to Headliners Comedy Club (700 Elm St., Manchester, headlinersnh.com) on Saturday, June 3, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

• Peter Revello is coming to Ruby Room Comedy at the Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant (909 Elm St., Manchester, shaskeenirishpub.com) on Wednesday, June 7, at 9 p.m. Tickets cost $10.

• Friday Night Comedy at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) continues with a performance from Jim Colliton with Chris D on Friday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.

• On Saturday, June 10, Dan Crohn will be telling jokes at Headliners in Manchester (headlinersnh.com). The show starts at 8:30 p.m..

• James Dorsey is going to be telling jokes at Chunky’s Nashua (chunkys.com) on Saturday, June 10, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

• See The Prince of Mystery, a comedy and magic show by Skip Daniels at Chunky’s Manchester (chunkys.com) on Saturday, June 10, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

• A Tribute to Robin Williams by Roger Kabler is coming to the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) on Friday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.

• See Queen City Improv at the Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord, hatboxnh.com) on Friday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m. The improv group’s shows are always different, making for unique performances each time. Ticket prices range from $16 to $22.

• On Saturday, June 17, Anthony Rodia is going to be telling jokes at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). The show starts at 8 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $35.75 to $53.75.

• See Brian Beaudion at Headliners in Manchester (headlinersnh.com) on Saturday, June 17. The show starts at 8:30 p.m.; doors open at 8 p.m.

• Dan Crohn is performing at Chunky’s Nashua (chunkys.com) on Saturday, June 17, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.

• Chunky’s Manchester (chunkys.com) is having Mike Hanley on Saturday, June 17, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at chunkys.com.

• Brian Regan is performing at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) on Thursday, June 22, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39 and can be purchased at palacetheatre.org.

• Headliners in Manchester (headlinersnh.com) will have Steve Scarfo take the stage on Saturday, June 24, at 8:30 p.m. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets can be purchased online at headlindersnh.com.

• See Amy Tee at Chunky’s Manchester (chunkys.com) on Saturday, June 24, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at chunckys.com.

• Skip Daniels is performing his magic and comedy show “The Prince of Mystery” on Saturday, June 24, at 8:30 p.m. at Chunky’s Nashua (chunkys.com). Tickets are $20.

• On Friday, July 7, Lenny Clark is bringing his stand-up stylings to the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Showtime is 7:30 p.m., and tickets cost $25.

• Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St.) is putting on Glassjaw Presents: Boston’s Best Comic – A Night with Will Noonan on Saturday, July 8, at 7:30 p.m. Visit nashuacenterforthearts.com.

• Ace Aceto is bringing his comedy show to Headliners in Manchester (headlinersnh.com) on Saturday, July 8, at 8:30 p.m. The venue’s doors open at 8 p.m.

• Headliners in Manchester (headlinersnh.com) is having Mike Hanley perform on Saturday, July 15. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the show starts at 8:30 p.m.

• Chris Zito is performing at Headliners in Manchester (headlinersnh.com) on Saturday, July 22, at 8:30 p.m.

• See Robert Kelly at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Friday, July 28, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $30.

• Laugh with Amy Tee at Headliners (headlinersnh.com) on Saturday, July 29, at 8:30 p.m. The doors open at 8 p.m.

• Spend An Evening with Actor and Comedian Kevin Pollak at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Mancehster, palacetheatre.org) on Saturday, Aug. 12. Showtime is at 7:30 p.m., and ticket prices start at $39.

• The Mother of a Comedy Show is coming to Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Friday, Aug. 18, at 8 p.m. The show stars comics Kelly MacFarland, Kerri Louise and Christine Hurley. Tickets cost $32.

• Comedian Jimmy Dunn is performing on Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St, Concord, ccanh.com). Showtime is 8 p.m., with the venue opening at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale to the public on Thursday, June 1, at noon.

Theater

• The Disney Musical Newsies opens at the Seacoast Rep (125 Bow St., Portsmouth, seacoastrep.org) on Thursday, May 25, and will run through Saturday, July 8. Shows are Thursday through Sunday, with showtimes at 2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. that vary every day. Tickets start at $35.

• Join the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) for the musical The Lightning Thief, a show based on the popular young adult novel Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The show is on Friday, May 26, at 10 a.m. Tickets for the show cost $8.

• Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is opening on May 26 at 7:30 p.m. at The Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord, hatboxnh.com). The show will run through Sunday, June 11, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $16.

• The Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net) is putting on The Wild Women of Winedale, with opening night Friday, June 2, at 7 p.m. There will be additional showtimes Saturday, June 3, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 4, at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $20.

• See Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). The show opens on Friday, June 2, and runs through Sunday, June 25, with shows at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

• The Palace Youth Theatre is putting on The Music Manat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) on Wednesday, June 7, and Thursday, June 8, at 7 p.m. Ticket prices range from $12 to $15.

• See Theatre Kapow’s presentation of Tiny Beautiful Things Friday, June 9, and Saturday, June 10, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 11, at 2 p.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). Full-price tickets cost $33.75; student tickets cost $26.75.

• The comedy Menopause: The Musicalis coming to Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Saturday, June 10, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $32 to $69.

• Live forever at Palace Teen Apprentice Theater’s production of Fame on Tuesday, June 13, and Wednesday, June 14, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $12 to $15.

• Palace Teen Company is serving up all that jazz with Chicagoon Tuesday, June 20, and Wednesday, June 21, at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). The shows are at 7 p.m. and tickets cost $12 to $15.

• The 2023 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series at The Palace (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) begins with magician BJ Hickman Wednesday, July 5, through Friday, July 7. Children’s Series productions have shows Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10. The series includes Beauty and the BeastJuly 11, through July 14; RapunzelJuly 18, through July 21; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Aug. 1 to Aug. 4; The Little Mermaid Aug. 8 to Aug. 11; Frozen KidsAug. 15 through Aug. 18, and Finding Nemo Jr. Aug. 22 through Aug. 25.

• Cabaret opens at The Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord, hatboxnh.com) on Friday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. The show will run through Sunday, July 16. Showtimes are on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $16.

• The creepy and kooky musical The Addams Familyis coming to Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, July 7, and Saturday, July 8, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15.75 for students and seniors and $18.75 for adults.

• Hairis being performed at Seacoast Rep (125 Bow St., Portsmouth, seacoastrep.org). The show opens Thursday, July 13, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 27. The theater will have performances Thursday through Sunday, with curtain times at 2 and 7:30 p.m. There is one additional show on Wednesday, July. 19. Tickets start at $35.

• The Majestic Theatre is producingCatch Me If You Can at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway). The show will open on Friday, July 14, at 7 p.m. and have additional performances on Saturday, July 15, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 16, at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $20 and can be purchased at majestictheatre.net.

• Up, up and away at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) for the Palace Youth Theatre’s version of Peter Panon Friday, July 14, at 7 p.m. Tickets begin at $12.

• See Mary Poppins Jr.at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, July 14, and Saturday, July 15, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the show cost $18.75 for adults, $15.75 for seniors and students.

• On Saturday, July 15, at 2 p.m., RB Productions is putting on Annie Kids at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). The show starts at noon. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for students.

• Head Into the Woods with RB Productions at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, July 21, and Saturday, July 22, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $18.75 for adults, $15.75 for students and seniors.

• See Big Fishat The Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord, hatboxnh.com) for its three-day run, starting on Friday, July 21, at 7:30 p.m. The other shows are on Saturday, July 22, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, July 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $16.

• The youth performers with RB Productions are putting on Newsies Jr. at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, July 28, and Saturday, July 29, at 7 p.m. Tickets to the shows start at $15.75.

• Celebrate Christmas in July with Elf Jr.by Palace Youth Theatre on Friday, July 28, and Saturday, July 29, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palace theatre.org). Tickets range from $12 to $15.

• The Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord, hatboxnh.com) will have the show Private Lives open on Friday, Aug. 4, and run through Sunday, Aug. 20. The show will be on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Ticket prices start at $16.

• See Snow White by the Palace Youth Theatre at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) on Friday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $12.

• See Nunsense IIat The Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net) opening night, Friday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. with three other shows on Saturday, Aug. 12, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 2 p.m. Tickets to the show range from $15 to $20.

• Palace Youth Theatre presents High School Musical Jr. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) on Friday, Aug. 18, and Saturday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $12.

• For three days only, Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord, hatboxnh.com) will be showing performances of Masked. The show will run Friday, Aug. 25, and Saturday, Aug. 26, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 27, at 2 p.m. Ticket prices begin at $16.

• Grab some honey and see The Palace Youth Theatre’s performance of Winnie the Pooh Jr.at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) on Aug. 26 at noon. Tickets for the show start at $12.

Art Events

• See the four artists participating in this year’s Nashua International Sculpture Symposium at work on their pieces at Picker Artists (3 Pine St. in Nashua), where they are working Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on this year’s pieces. The artists are Anna Rasinska from Poland, Parastoo Ahovan from Iran, Tanya Preminger from Israel and Jim Larson, who grew up in New Hampshire and now lives in Maine, according to nashuasculpturesymposium.org, where you can sign up to donate to or pick up a meal for the artists. The pieces, which will become part of Nashua’s townwide exhibit of sculptures, will be unveiled in their installation locations on Sunday, June 3.

• The 31st Annual Memorial Weekend Craft Festival at Mill Falls Marketplace (312 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) will be held on Saturday, May 27, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, May 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday, May 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Explore a wide variety of crafts, including handmade jewelry, pottery, woodwork, textiles and more. Admission is free. Visit castleberryfairs.com.

• 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.

• The Concord Arts Market, an outdoor artisan and fine art market, will run one Saturday a month from June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Market dates are June 3, July 15, Aug. 19, Sept. 16 and Oct. 21. Visit concordartsmarket.net.

• View jaw-dropping sculptures crafted on Hampton Beach at the 23rd annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic, happening Thursday, June 15, through Saturday, June 17, at Hampton Beach (180 Ocean Blvd.). The event includes award ceremonies and prizes for the greatest sand sculptures built. The competition is by invitation only, but the sculptures will be illuminated for viewing at night until June 26. Visit hamptonbeach.org.

• The Hampton Falls Liberty Craft Festival takes place on Saturday, July 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, July 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hampton Falls Town Common (4 Lincoln Ave.) This event is free to the public. More than 75 juried artisans will feature their work. Discover pottery, pillow quilts, wind chimes and more. Visit castleberryfairs.com.

• The Craftsmen’s Fair, an annual nine-day outdoor craft fair hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, returns to Mount Sunapee Resort (1398 Route 103, Newbury) from Saturday, Aug. 5, through Sunday, Aug. 13. There will be hundreds of craftspeople with vendor booths, plus special craft exhibitions, demonstrations, hands-on workshops and more. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org.

• The 2nd annual Manchester Arts & Crafts Fair takes place on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Manchester. The event features more than 30 booths, food trucks, the Manchester City Library Bookmobile, and an interactive art wall for kids run by Unchartered Tutoring. Visit manchesterartsandcraftsfair.com.

• The Greeley Park Art Show (100 Concord St., Nashua) returns on Saturday, Aug. 19, and Sunday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., both days. The annual outdoor juried art show hosted by Nashua Area Artists Association features a variety of artwork for sale. Visit nashuaarts.org/greeleyparkartshow.

Art Exhibits

• The Women’s Caucus for Arts’ New Hampshire Chapter presents the exhibit “Head’s Up: The Many Hats Women Wear” at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). The exhibit, showcasing a wide variety of works including paintings, sculptures, artist books, installations, photography, and mixed media pieces, runs through Saturday, May 27. The gallery is open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Call 975-0015 or visit twiggsgallery.org.

• Natalia Yuresko-Belous’s exhibit at The Gallery at West Pearl Street (100 W. Pearl St., Nashua) will be on display until Tuesday, May 30. Natalia, a Ukrainian guest artist and a new member of the Hollis Arts Society, showcases her works in landscapes, still life, portraits and mural paintings. Visit hollisartssociety.org.

• The “Just Above a Whisper” exhibit, on display through May at Seacoast Artist Association (130 Water St., Exeter), showcases Lynn Krumholz’s paintings and small books, which were created using the relatively new process of oil and cold wax, resulting in a hard, durable surface with a velvety, matte finish. The gallery is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Visit seacoastartist.org.

• The New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) presents “Element,” on display throughout the month of May. The exhibit features works from member artists, exploring the connections and influences of the elements of life. The gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• The exhibit “Thirteen Moons — An Abenaki Child’s Year” is on display at the Children’s Museum of NH (6 Washington St., Dover) in its Gallery 6 until the end of May. This exhibit showcases photographs, drawings, diagrams, scale models and stories that depict the daily life of a child in an Abenaki village before the arrival of Europeans. The gallery is open during the museum’s operating hours, and you can visit the gallery at no extra charge. Museum admission costs $12.50 for everyone over 12 months and $10.50 for individuals aged 65 and above. The museum is open on Sundays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon, and Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Visit childrens-museum.org.

• The Gallery at 3S Artspace (319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth) presents “Somewhere Around There,” an exhibition showcasing the ink paintings of abstract landscapes by Nishiki Sugawara-Beda, on display until June 11. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visit galleryat3s.org.

• See “Celebrating the Artist Next Door,” presented by Two Villages Art Society at the Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook) through June 17. The exhibition features works by more than 30 New Hampshire artists representing various media. The gallery is open Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

• “Seeing Is Not Believing: Ambiguity in Photography” is on view at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) through June 25. This exhibition challenges our perception through still lifes, abstract images and manipulated photographs, heightening our sense of wonder. The museum is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for members and children under age 13. Visit currier.org or call 669-6144.

• “All My Friends Are in This Show,” curated by Yasamin Safarzadeh, is on view until July 1 at the Carolyn Jenkins & Jill C. Wilson Galleries at Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St., Concord). The exhibit showcases innovative artists who actively shape their communities. Gallery hours vary weekly. Visit kimballjenkins.com.

• “rest/ROOM” exhibit at the New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) is on view until July 2. The exhibit is the first showcase in the W.C. Gallery. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• “A Garden Story Photography Exhibit” at The New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) is on view until July 5. The center is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhaudubon.org.

• Michelle Peterson, a New Hampshire Art Association artist, presents her paintings in the exhibit “Threads and Where They Lead” at the Concord Chamber of Commerce (49 S. Main St. Suite 104, Concord) through July 7. The artwork depicts strings in patterns and shapes inspired by the game of cat’s cradle. According to Peterson, the use of symbols like water bottles, rocks, birds, and hands intertwined with visible and invisible strings helps create a personal psychogeography. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit concordnhchamber.com.

• “In Full Bloom: Floral Still Life & Garden Paintings from the 19th Century to the Present” is on display at the New Hampshire Antique Co-op (323 Elm St., Milford) through Thursday, Aug. 31. The gallery is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhantiquecoop.com or call 673-8499.

• Discover “A New Scheier Medium” at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester), on view through the summer. Curated by Lorenzo Fusi, this showcase explores the connection between the renowned ceramic artists Mary and Edwin Scheier’s sculptures and tapestry work and the complexity of their artistic practice through drawings, textiles and sculptures, highlighting the relationship between cultures and the natural world. The museum is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for members and children under age 13. Visit currier.org or call 669-6144.

• “The Living Forest: UÝRA” is on display at Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) through Sept. 24. The exhibition features a comprehensive selection of photographs and videos encompassing Uýra’s entire artistic trajectory, with work from many of their past performances and recent appearances. The museum is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for members and children under age 13. Visit currier.org or call 669-6144.

• Don’t miss the “NEST” exhibition at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen), on view June 3 through Sept. 1. Juried by Pam Tarbell, this showcase features the works of New Hampshire artists exploring the literal and metaphorical dimensions of the concept of “NEST.” The gallery is open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. A reception will be held on Saturday, June 3, from 1 to 3 p.m. Call 975-0015 or visit twiggsgallery.org.

• “Biennial One” will be on display at the New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) from Aug. 31 through Oct. 1. The exhibit invites artists to showcase their best work that takes creative risks and explores abstract expression, contemporary environmental and social justice issues and new media, with no specific theme. The gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• Nancy Josephson’s exhibit featuring mixed media sculptures is on display at the Mariposa Museum (26 Main St., Peterborough) through October. Visit mariposamuseum.org.

Nature

• Join Chris Martin, NH Audubon Senior Biologist, on Thursday, June 1, at 6:30 p.m. for a presentation on tracing peregrine falcons across the state. Hear stories of individual falcons and the dedicated people who monitor them. The hybrid presentation can be attended in person at the Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn, nhaudubon.org) or virtually via Zoom. Registration is required by May 31. The cost is $15.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) presents an indoor educational program for adults, “A Year in the Life of the Honeybee,” on Thursday, June 1, at 7 p.m. Learn about the activities of honeybees throughout the year, similarities and differences between honeybees and other species of bees and how non-beekeepers can support the health of honeybees. The cost is $15.

• Go for a guided walk at Pickering Ponds (Pickering Road, Rochester) with the NH Audubon on Saturday, June 3, at 7 a.m. to observe nesting birds and their breeding evidence along the trails. Space is limited, and registration is required. Visit seacoastchapter.org.

• Saturday, June 3, is New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Free Fishing Day, when state residents and nonresidents are allowed to fish any inland water or saltwater in New Hampshire without a fishing license. Visit wildlife.state.nh.us.

• Join NH Audubon on Saturday, June 3, at 10 a.m. at Keach Park (Newton Avenue, Concord, nhaudubon.org) for a special guided nature hike in honor of Black Birders Week. The hike, free and open to all, celebrates and supports Black appreciation of and connection with nature and will focus on bird watching and highlight all aspects of nature within the park. Registration is required.

• Join the Seacoast Science Center for the annual Piscataqua Riverfest at Strawbery Banke Museum (14 Hancock St., Portsmouth) on Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature sailing trips and tours, local food, a beer garden, live music entertainment and more. Visit seacoastsciencecenter.org.

• Discover the impact of invasive plants and learn how to manage them at the invasive plants workshop at Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) on Saturday, June 3, at 10 a.m. Led by the Belknap County Forester, the free program will provide insights into the non-native plants that disrupt the balance of local ecosystems.

• Southeast Land Trust (SELT) is hosting a National Trails Day on Saturday, June 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to celebrate the opening of the Spruce Swamp Conservation trail systems in Fremont. Explore hiking trails with forester Phil Auger, enjoy a picnic, and volunteer for trail work afterward. Visit seltnh.org to register.

• NH Audubon and NH Fish and Game will host free field training sessions on New Hampshire butterfly monitoring and conservation on Saturday, June 3, at 10 a.m. and Thursday, June 15, at 11 a.m. at the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, nhaudubon.org). Participants will learn how to identify butterflies in various habitats and contribute to long-term data collection to monitor changes in species’ ranges. All skill levels are welcome. Space is limited, and registration is required.

• Explore the world of birds on a guided birding walk with NH Audubon and local birder Joe Mahoney at Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn, nhaudubon.org) on Saturdays, June 3 and June 17, at 8 a.m. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Binocular rental is included. The cost is $8 for NH Audubon members and $10 for non-members. Register by June 2.

• A native plant sale and spring craft fair will be held at the NH Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, nhaudubon.org) on Sunday, June 4, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• The Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis, beaverbrook.org) will have a 10-week adult aerobic trail walking class held every Monday from 9 to 11 a.m., from June 5 through Aug. 7. The class will include moderate- to fast-paced hikes, providing cardio exercise and outdoor exploration. The total cost is $100.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) will host a workshop, “Homegrown Wellness: Making Plantain Oil to Soothe the Sting,” on Saturday, June 10, at 10 a.m. Discover the healing properties of plantain, a common weed found in lawns and fields. The cost is $25. Visit prescottfarm.org.

• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (534 Route 3, Holderness, nhnature.org) has its annual Breeding Bird Census on Saturday, June 10. The public is invited to listen for and document the territorial songs of male birds, which indicate probable nesting. The early session, from 5:30 to 8 a.m., will cover two forested zones including Mt. Fayal while the later session, from 8 to 9:30 a.m., will cover fields, exhibit areas and Kirkwood Gardens. There is no cost to participate, but registration is required.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) will host a workshop, “Wilderness Skills: Geocaching – The Nature Treasure Hunting Game,” on Saturday, June 10, at 1 p.m. The workshop is open to youth and adults and costs $15 per person.

• Join the Seacoast Science Center (570 Ocean Blvd., Rye) for World Ocean Day, Sunday, June 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature hands-on games, educational activities, naturalist-led tide pooling sessions, food trucks, a beach clean-up and a life-size inflatable whale. Visit seacoastsciencecenter.org.

• UNH Cooperative Extension will host a program on the identification and role of native and non-native shrubs as habitat for birds at Pickering Ponds trails (Pickering Road, Rochester) on Wednesday, June 14, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and Friday, June 16, from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Participants will identify various shrub species, explore their roles as bird habitats and learn which shrubs are beneficial to encourage on their own land for the benefit of birds. Space is limited, and registration is required. Visit seacoastchapter.org.

• Patrick Tate, Wildlife Biologist at NH Fish and Game, presents a lecture, “Facts, Myths, and Tales Regarding Mountain Lions in New Hampshire,” at Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (534 Route 3, Holderness) on Thursday, June 15, at 6 p.m. Learn about eastern and western mountain lions, New Hampshire sighting reports, hoaxes and misidentifications and more in relation to mountain lions in New Hampshire. Registration is required. Visit nhnature.org.

• Southeast Land Trust (SELT) is hosting a Howard Swain Memorial Forest Naturalist Tour on Thursday, June 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Deerfield. Explore Pawtuckaway State Park, plant and animal species, rocky trails, ponds and more with Kim Cote, a Natural Resources Steward and Nature-Based Educator. Visit seltnh.org to register.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) will host a workshop, “Wilderness Skills: Poisonous Plants & Hazards,” on Saturday, June 17, at 1 p.m. The cost is $15.

• Pumpkin Blossom Farm (393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner) hosts Lavender U-Pick in its lavender fields on various dates between July 5 and July 23, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Everyone is invited to wander the fields and cut and harvest bundles of lavender. Attendees are welcome to relax and have a picnic on the lawn, walk the shaded trail and visit the baby chicks. Lavender plants, products and treats will also be for sale. Discount bundles are $15 during the weekdays and $20 on weekends. Visit pumpkinblossomfarm.com.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) will hold an introductory session on mindful walking on Saturday, July 8, at 10 a.m. The session, recommended for adults, involves moderate physical demand in indoor and outdoor settings. The cost is $40.

• Head to Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) for Forest Trail Games for Kids and Adults on Saturday, July 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. The cost is $15 per person.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia) will host a workshop, “Homegrown Wellness: First Aid Trail Plants,” on Saturday, July 29, at 1 p.m. Discover the power of nature’s remedies as you explore the fields and learn about the identification and uses of wild first aid plants. The workshop is open to adults and involves a moderate physical demand. The cost is $15. Visit prescottfarm.org.

• The inaugural New Hampshire Butterfly Survey will take place on Saturday, July 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the NH Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord). The collaborative effort between New Hampshire Audubon and New Hampshire Fish and Game is aimed at gathering long-term butterfly data in the Concord region and beyond to better understand the changing ranges of butterfly species over time and support statewide butterfly conservation efforts. Visit nhaudubon.org.

• Head to Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) for a special evening program, “Animals of New Hampshire: Fireflies Light Up the Sky,” on Saturday, July 29, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Learn about fireflies, then witness their emergence as dusk approaches. The program is recommended for adults and involves a moderate physical demand. The cost is $15.

• Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, prescottfarm.org) presents an educational program, “Animals of New Hampshire: Monarch Butterflies,” on Saturday, Aug. 5, at 1 p.m. Learn about monarch butterflies; their habitat, life cycle and annual migration; and ways to contribute to conservation efforts in your own backyard. This program is open to youth and adults. The cost is $15.

• Go for a beginner wild mushroom walk at Farm Environmental Education Center (928 White Oaks Road, Laconia) on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon. Led by experts from the New Hampshire Mushroom Co., this guided walk will take you along the farm’s scenic trails to search for, collect, identify and become familiar with the distinguishing features of different mushrooms. The cost is $30. Visit prescottfarm.org.

Sports

• The six-time champion Nashua Silver Knights, members of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, will host their home opener at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St., Nashua) on Saturday, May 27, against the Worcester Bravehearts, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. Their last home game will be on Sunday, Aug. 6, at 3 p.m., when they will take on the Vermont Lake Monsters, before the playoffs begin later that week. Visit nashuasilverknights.com.

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A minor-league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball, play their next home game at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester) on Tuesday, May 30, at 6:05 p.m. against the Reading Fightin Phils. That game kicks off a six-game homestand through Sunday, June 4, at 1:35 p.m. Games on Thursday, June 1, and Saturday, June 3 (a.k.a. “603 Night”), will be immediately followed by fireworks shows courtesy of Atlas Fireworks. Kids will be able to run the bases after the game on Sunday, June 4. Other events this season include a Father’s Day brunch on Sunday, June 18, at 1 p.m.; Pride Night on Wednesday, June 28; Star Wars Night with fireworks on Thursday, June 29; “Megablast Fireworks Weekend” at the games Saturday, July 1, through Monday, July 3; Manchester Chicken Tenders night on Thursday, July 27, and more. The final home game is slated for Sunday, Sept. 17. Visit nhfishercats.com.

• The Hoodkroft Open at Hoodkroft Country Club (121 E. Broadway, Derry) will feature the men’s super senior division on Thursday, June 1; the men’s senior division and the women’s division (all ages) on Friday, June 2, and the men’s division (all ages) on Saturday, June 3, and Sunday, June 4. The cost ranges from $50 to $100, depending on the chosen division, and golf carts are sold separately. Visit hoodkroftcc.com.

• Join Special Olympics New Hampshire for its 52nd annual State Summer Games, the organization’s largest competition of the year for its athletes, on Friday, June 2, and Saturday, June 3, at the University of New Hampshire (105 Main St., Durham). The games include competition in athletics, bocce, equestrian, powerlifting, unified sprint triathlons and swimming. Visit song.org.

• RelAxe Throwing (157 Gay St., Manchester) will be home to the annual Granite State Axe Tournament on Saturday, June 3, and Sunday, June 4, in celebration of the venue’s fourth anniversary. Matches begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday (big ax and dual matches) and at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday (hatchets). See relaxethrowing.com.

• AG Paintball (158 Deering Center Road, Weare) is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year — join them on Saturday, June 3, and Sunday, June 4, for the New Hampshire Paintball Classic, featuring 10-vs.-10 preliminary games and finals of Capture the Flag, with first, second and third-place cash prizes. Visit agpaintball.com.

• The 79th annual New Hampshire Soap Box Derby race will be held on Sunday, June 4, at 120 Broadway in Dover — check-ins begin at 7:45 a.m., with side-by-side competitions kicking off at 9:30 a.m. The Derby creates an opportunity for kids ages 7 and older to create a gravity-powered car and race it down a track in hopes of making the All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship, hosted in Akron, Ohio. Cheering on the racers is free, and parking is available at 73 Oak St. in Dover. Visit nh.soapboxderby.org.

• AmpSurf New England will hold a learn to surf clinic for people living with disabilities, as well as veterans and first responders, at Sawyers Beach (5 Perkins Road, Rye) on Saturday, June 10, from 7 a.m. to noon. Registration is $25 per surfer. Visit ampsurf.org.

• The final match of the Division 1 NHIAA Baseball Tournament will take place on Saturday, June 10, at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester; time TBA). Visit nhiaa.org.

• The third annual Chandler’s Ball 3-on-3 Kids Basketball Tournament is happening on Saturday, June 10, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Emmett-Sheridan Park (324 Beech St., Manchester). The cost is $15 per team, and players will be divided into age groups of 10 to 12, 13 to 17 and 18 to 21 years old. Cash prizes and trophies will be awarded. Visit chandlersangels.org.

• The Milford Community Athletic Association’s annual softball and baseball Hit-a-Thon is happening on Sunday, June 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 26 N. River Road in Milford. Visit mcaa.us.

• Join the Milford Rotary Club to play 100 Holes of Golf in One Day on Friday, June 16, at Amherst Country Club (72 Ponemah Road, Amherst), with tee-off at 6 a.m. Play is expected to be completed by 7:30 p.m., and scoring will be based on 90 holes played continuously. Prizes will be awarded for closest to the pin and hole-in-one, if made. See golf100holes.com.

• Don’t miss the 100th annual Loudon Classic Middleweight Grand Prix, a 1.6-mile road race happening at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Loudon) on Saturday, June 17, as part of Laconia Motorcycle Week. General admission is $40 and VIP admission is $70. Visit nhms.com.

• The Franklin Animal Shelter’s fifth annual charity golf tournament is happening on Monday, June 19, at Beaver Meadow Golf Course (1 Beaver Meadow Drive, Concord), with registration beginning at 7 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to the first- and second-place winning teams, and several contests are also planned. All proceeds will benefit the Franklin Animal Shelter. Visit franklinanimalshelter.com/golf.

• Registration is now open for this year’s New Hampshire Senior Games — the first local event, a candlepin bowling tournament, is happening at Boutwell’s Bowling Center (152 N. State St., Concord) on Friday, June 23, at 1 p.m. More events are scheduled to take place throughout July and August, covering everything from disc golf, archery, basketball and swimming to racquetball, table tennis, badminton, pickleball and more. See nhseniorgames.org.

• Dozens of high school football players from across the state will participate in the 11th annual CHaD NH East-West High School All-Star Football Game, scheduled for Friday, June 23, at 6 p.m. at the Grappone Stadium at Saint Anselm College (100 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester). General admission tickets are $15, with all proceeds benefiting Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD). Visit chadkids.org.

• NH Roller Derby (nhrollerderby.com) has double-headers scheduled for Saturday, June 24, and Saturday, Aug. 5, at the JFK Coliseum in Manchester. For more on the team and the sport, check out last week’s cover story; see hippopress.com to find the May 18 e-edition (story starts on page 10).

• Putts for Pups, a golf tournament fundraiser for Second Chance Ranch Rescue in New Boston, returns to Stonebridge Country Club (161 Gorham Pond Road, Goffstown) on Monday, June 26. Registration opens at 8 a.m., followed by a 9 a.m. shotgun start — the day will include 18 holes of golf, lunch, drinks, raffles, silent auctions, giveaways and more. Registration is $125 per person, or $450 per foursome. Visit secondchanceranchrescue.com/events/golf.

• It’s NASCAR Weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Loudon) from Friday, July 14, through Sunday, July 16 — weekend happenings include Friday Night Dirt Duels on Friday; a doubleheader on Saturday featuring the Ambetter Health 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, followed by the Mohegan Sun 100 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race, and the Crayon 301 race on Sunday. Tickets vary in price, depending on the race. See nhms.com.

• Monte Scheinblum’s Boston Clinic is hosted at World Cup Golf Center (4 Friel Golf Road, Hudson), where the professional golfer works with players of all skill types over the course of a few days. There will be group and individual sessions from Saturday, July 15, through Monday, July 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Search “Boston Golf Clinic with Monte Scheinblum” on eventbrite.com.

• The Milford Community Athletic Association’s third annual golf tournament is happening on Monday, July 17, at Amherst Country Club (72 Ponemah Road, Amherst), with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. The tournament will be followed by lunch and an awards ceremony and will feature several contests. Registration is $600 per foursome. Visit mcaa.us.

• The annual Fore Paws Golf Tournament, a fundraiser for the Salem Animal Rescue League, is tentatively scheduled for Monday, Aug. 14. Visit sarlnh.org.

• The next available event in the New Hampshire Golf Association’s Stroke Play Series is on Thursday, Aug. 24, at Hoodkroft Country Club (121 E. Broadway, Derry). The cost is $70 per golfer per individual 18-hole tournament. Visit nhgolfassociation.org.

Featured photo: Nicole “Punky” Mavrogeorge Wehry makes plans to evade Maine Roller Derby’s blockers as she skates into the fray. Photo by Todd Grzywacz.

News & Notes 23/05/25

Banned list

Last week, the Russian government announced the addition of New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella to its expanding list of 500 Americans permanently banned from entering the country. Formella issued a statement, saying, “Given the atrocities we are seeing the Kremlin carry out, being blacklisted by Russia is a badge of honor. I am proud to vigorously enforce New Hampshire law and will continue to do so despite attempts like this to try and intimidate America’s public officials. This ‘action’ will have no impact on me, my office, or our work.” Formella wasn’t the only Granite Stater targeted by the ban. Late-night talk show host and New Hampshire native Seth Meyers also found himself on the list, as reported by WMUR. Meyers, sharing the article on Twitter, humorously commented, “Local kid makes good?” According to the article, the ban, which Russian officials attributed to U.S. sanctions, adds to the existing list that already includes the New Hampshire congressional delegation and former senator Kelly Ayotte.

Bill postponed

New Hampshire’s proposed “parental bill of rights,” which would have mandated educators to disclose to parents whether their children are using a different gender identity or name, was not passed, New Hampshire News Connection reported. Those against the bill emphasized the importance of maintaining safe and supportive environments in schools, particularly for transgender youth, while supporters of the bill argued that it aimed to enhance transparency and communication between teachers and parents. The final vote to “indefinitely postpone” the bill prevents its reintroduction in this session. Similar “parental bill of rights’’ measures have been introduced in 24 states this year, according to the article.

Grants

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance and The 1772 Foundation have awarded grants totaling $125,000 to 16 non-profit organizations in the state. According to a press release, the grants, ranging in amounts from $4,250 to $10,000, are awarded to help the organizations preserve historic buildings and support community landmarks. Recipients include museums, historical societies, and affordable housing organizations. Projects range from roof replacements to foundation repairs. The grants will ensure the preservation of buildings dating from 1774 to 1912. The selection committee considered factors such as resource significance, community visibility and local support. The grants leverage additional funding and emphasize incremental improvements.

One Goffstown

Goffstown Public Library announces the launch of a new public education series, “One Goffstown,” aimed at fostering a more inclusive and accepting community following the distribution of neo-Nazi propaganda in local neighborhoods in March. The program consists of a series of discussions for teens and adults, designed to encourage open communication and unity among residents. Five online sessions will be held on Thursday evenings throughout June, July, and August, the first being on June 8, titled, “What are Hate Crimes and Hate Speech?” Topics to follow will include implicit bias, bullying, being an ally and having difficult conversations. The program will culminate in a special in-person event called the “Human Library” on Sunday, Aug. 13. Registration is required for the online sessions. Visit goffstownlibrary.com/one-goffstown for more information and to register. To show support and unity, participants are also encouraged to share One Goffstown on social media using the hashtag #OneGoffstown.

Mental health series

Dartmouth Health’s year-long monthly webinar series about mental health, “Heads Up: A Year-Long Mental Health Awareness Journey,” concludes with the publication of its latest webinar, titled “Heads Up, A Year-Long Mental Health Awareness Journey: Looking Back and Looking Forward.” According to a press release, panelists in this segment include John Broderick Jr., senior director of external affairs for Dartmouth Health and former Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court; Brendan McQuaid, president and publisher of the New Hampshire Union Leader; Howard Altschiller, executive editor of Seacoast Media Group; and William C. Torrey, M.D., chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth Health; with Audra Burns, Dartmouth Health’s senior media relations manager, moderating. Together, they reflect on the series’ highlights and share their insights gained throughout the year. The series explored various themes such as youth mental health, the impact of social media on teenagers, mental health stigma in youth sports, the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system, guidance for parents and caregivers, challenges faced by older adults in isolation and grief, workplace mental health, the correlation between substance use disorder and co-occurring mental illnesses, state and federal mental health policies, and the mental health of veterans and active military personnel. To access the “Heads Up” series and mental health resources, visit dartmouth-health.org/mental-health.

The Putts For Pups Golf Classic will be held at Stonebridge Country Club in Goffstown on Monday, June 26, to benefit Second Chance Ranch Rescue, a nonprofit organization based in New Boston that rehabilitates and finds homes for lost, forgotten and misunderstood dogs. Registration, which includes 18 holes of golf, lunch and the chance to participate in raffles and contests, costs $125 for an individual or $450 for a foursome, according to a press release. Visit secondchanceranchrescue.com.

The Merrimack Rotary Club will host an Electronics Recycling Fundraiser on Saturday, June 3, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Merrimack Town Hall. According to a press release, participants can easily recycle their unused business or household electronics by driving up, paying the recycling fee and dropping off the items without having to leave their cars. Fees range from $5 to $50 depending on the type of electronics. Certain items, such as hazardous waste and unlisted materials, will not be accepted. Funds raised will support scholarships and community projects. Visit merrimackrotary.org.

The Nashua Regional Planning Commission will hold a Household Hazardous Waste Collection on Thursday, June 1, 3 to 7 p.m., at the Nashua City Park & Ride (25 Crown St.) for residents of Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, Pelham and Windham, according to a press release. Accepted waste includes paints, solvents, polyurethane, antifreeze, gasoline, pesticides, household cleaners, light bulbs and more. There is a fee of $15 per vehicle (cash or check), with extra charges for waste exceeding 10 gallons or 20 pounds. Contact nashuarpc.org/hhw or 417-6570.

Musical politics

Chadwick Stokes plays party at Rex

Matt Wilhelm was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2018, and became House Democratic Leader after last year’s midterms. Wilhelm’s first campaign, however, was centered on culture. In 2015 he led what turned out to be an unsuccessful effort to reopen Manchester’s Rex Theatre as Old Sol Music Hall.

He doesn’t regret failing; it launched him in politics. “It got my vision out there; I was able to connect with members of the community,” he said recently. “They understood what my values were and were willing to stick with me.” The Palace Theatre would ultimately buy the venue, and the renovated Rex held its first show in October 2019.

Wilhelm is happily throwing a birthday party at the Rex on May 18. It’s a fundraiser for Strong Circle PAC, which supports House Democrats in their efforts to retake the State House next year. Chadwick Stokes, of the activist bands Dispatch and State Radio, will perform a solo set at the soiree.

Wilhelm and Stokes are friends and colleagues. They met at UNH on Election Day in 2001, after Dispatch featured at a show there. A year later, the group began its first U.S. tour. Wilhelm, then a sophomore at Plymouth State, joined as an intern.

“Their career had kind of skyrocketed over the course of that last year,” Wilhelm said. “This was a real DIY band, a grassroots, word-of-mouth, Napster-driven, independent success story.” He did marketing, street team work, and some videography for Under the Radar, a DVD released in 2002.

This marked the beginning of a decade-and-a-half career in the music industry. Along with managing tours, lighting and concert merch, he co-directed Calling All Crows, a nonprofit organization named after a State Radio song. This felt a lot like community organizing to Wilhelm, providing a foundation for leading his party in the House.

“I’m a cultivator of that community … saying, here are our priorities, here’s how we rally around them, and here’s how we make progress on the issues that we care about,” he said. “In a lot of ways, it set me up for Old Sol, then set me up to launch a campaign.”

Wilhelm grew up listening to his parents’ Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young records and continues to believe in music’s power to affect change. “There’s a lot of folks that will say that was done in the ’60s, that music and activism went away,” he said, “but it’s pretty clear it didn’t.”

Stokes is proof of this sentiment; his music and politics are intertwined. That’s why he’s doing the benefit.

“As a musician, I want to use the platform I have most effectively to help people like Matt do the real nuts and bolts of policy change and legislation,” he wrote in an email. “My music is political like Matt’s politics are musical.”

The Rex set will likely range across Stokes’ career.

“I’ll probably be playing a lot of solo stuff, like ‘Chaska’ and ‘Pine Needle Tea’ and then a smattering of State Radio and Dispatch, and hopefully some new ones,” he wrote. He also expects to unveil one or two songs from a rock opera he’s working on, tentatively titled American Refugee.

Wilhelm is pleased to be mounting a show at the venue he once hoped to turn into an arts hub. “It’s exciting, and in so many ways a long time coming, having Chad here in Manchester at the Rex,” he said. “The campaign wasn’t initially successful, but a bunch of different partners came together, including the mayor and the Palace, and made it a reality. Now I’m working on political campaigns, and so it’s kind of fun to bring it all together.”

There will be birthday cupcakes and a cash bar at Wilhelm’s birthday bash, and benefactor packages are available. Wilhelm approaches the evening buoyed by the energy he saw from Gen Z and millennial voters last November.

“I’m more hopeful knowing that there are young people coming of age right now who aren’t willing to accept the status quo and will be pushing for progress in all sorts of different ways,” he said. “I think this next generation isn’t going to let us … rest on our laurels.”

Matt Wilhelm’s 41st Birthday with Chadwick Stokes
When: Thursday, May 18, 7 p.m.
Where: The Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester
Tickets: $50 and up at bit.ly/518concert

Featured photo: Chadwick Stokes. Courtesy photo.

The Mother (R)

Jennifer Lopez is, as the internet says, mother in The Mother, a line I’ll bet at least 60 percent of movie reviewers use when discussing this movie.

Partly because it’s true, partly because it’s right there and partly because Lopez’s character in this violent — but, aw, sweet! — Netflix movie is, as far as I can tell, just called Mother or maybe, as IMDb calls her, The Mother.

We first meet her when she is attempting to inform on some bad dudes to the FBI, who are doing a remarkably incompetent job of getting information out of this totally willing witness. Only Agent Cruise (Omari Hardwick) seems to be listening at all when she assures them that Adrian (Joseph Fiennes), bad dude No. 1, knows where they are and is on his way to kill him. No, he’s not, we’re perfectly safe, bluster bluster, says one of the other agents, right before he’s shot in the head.

But Lopez isn’t the sort of informant who just sits back and lets herself be assassinated. Despite being real pregnant, she saves Cruise when he is shot using, like, superglue and she manufactures an explosive from household products that seems to take out Adrian when he finally corners her. He stabs her in the belly before she blows him up but she makes it to the hospital and delivers a healthy baby girl.

Though Lopez is eager to hold her infant daughter, Edie Falco playing a no-nonsense FBI higher-up is all “not so fast, lady.” Because Adrian’s body was not recovered from the burning bathroom where Lopez left him and because Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal), bad dude No. 2, is also after her, the only way Lopez can keep her daughter safe is to give her up. Lopez gets the recovering Cruise to promise that he’ll make sure her daughter is adopted by good people, send her a photo of her daughter every year on her birthday and let Lopez know if her daughter is ever in trouble.

A dozen years later, Lopez’s character has made a Spartan life for herself on the outskirts of a small Alaskan town where the general store shop owner is a war buddy and where she spends her days hunting caribou for food and doing other survivalist off-the-grid activities. Then she gets a non-birthday bit of communication from Cruise, leading her to head to Ohio where her now 12-year-old daughter Zoe (Lucy Paez) lives with her adoptive mom (Yvonne Senat Jones), who gets to be an anguished protective mother as well, and a dad (Michael Karl Richards) whose face is I think always out of focus? Whatever, dads are not the point of The Mother, where either Hector or Adrian might be Zoe’s father but Lopez doesn’t want either anywhere near Zoe.

It seems the bad dudes have, however, found evidence of Zoe’s existence and whereabouts, which is why Cruise reached out. Quickly, Lopez kicks into protector mode, doing everything she can to fight the men who come to kidnap Zoe and to retrieve her when a surviving henchman manages to whisk Zoe away.

Eventually, Lopez takes the lead in hiding Zoe, even teaching her a little self-defense. What passes for humor and personality in this mostly laughs-free, character-minimalist movie comes as Zoe tweens about eating “Bambi’s mom” and hating Lopez —all with a very “gah [eyeroll], Mom” energy.

To lean further on dated slang for description, The Mother lands somewhere on the scale between “meh” and “cromulent.” This sure is a movie that exists — one might say of The Mother. It doesn’t have the Jennifer Lopez legit badassness of Out of Sight or the cheesy hysterics of Enough but it is, you know, a thing your eyes can watch. It’s fine, is I guess what I’m saying. It lacks the energy that would make it “heck yeah!” action fun but it has a whole subplot involving a Lopez and a mother wolf and the silly self-seriousness of that isn’t terrible. B-

Rated R for violence, some language and brief drug use, according to the MPA at filmratings.com. Directed by Niki Caro with a screenplay by Misha Green and Andrea Berloff and Peter Craig, The Mother is an hour and 55 minutes long and available on Netflix.

Featured photo: The Mother

Fill your cup

New England Coffee Festival returns

Last year’s inaugural New England Coffee Festival brought more than 5,000 attendees to downtown Laconia over two days to enjoy workshops, vendors, samples and even a competitive “latte art throwdown.” Now the two-day celebration of specialty coffee culture is back for a second year with new features — the event returns to the city with a kickoff panel discussion and outdoor block party on Friday, May 19, followed by a full day’s worth of coffee-related activities scheduled for Saturday, May 20.

“Last year was awesome. It definitely exceeded our expectations,” said festival organizer Karen Bassett, who also co-owns Wayfarer Coffee Roasters in Laconia. “Everyone kept saying that it didn’t feel like a first-year event, and we felt like that was one of the highest compliments we could have received about Year 1, especially where we were just kind of learning the ropes and figuring this out. … This year, we’ve consolidated it to [having] just the Colonial Theatre as the coffee education center, and then the Belknap Mill for basically like the full festival experience over there.”

Admission options include either one-day or two-day passes. The festivities kick off with a panel discussion inside the Colonial Theatre on Friday at 6 p.m., moderated by Alex Stoyle of Revelstoke Coffee in Concord and featuring five area coffee professionals.

“The discussion is called ‘How Did You Get Here?’ and it’s just going to be a super approachable conversation for anyone,” Bassett said. “I think it’s super fun to hear about different career paths in the coffee industry that you may not realize, and just to hear from a lot of these people that maybe started out as baristas and then maybe got a management position in that cafe, or maybe they got interested in the roasting side.”

That will be followed by an outdoor block party on nearby Canal Street, where there will be samples provided by six local breweries in addition to live music and a wood-fired pizza truck.

“Last year we had a welcome mixer at one restaurant and it was really jam packed,” Bassett said, “so this year, we wanted to expand that opportunity to more people to kind of add to that community feel of the event.”

Coffee Festival happenings on Saturday will then include a full schedule of panel discussions, Q&A sessions and workshops, led by local industry professionals and covering a wide variety of coffee-related topics. There will be a total of five workshop locations, all in and around the Colonial Theatre, operating in what Bassett called a “choose your own adventure” format.

“We’re hosting a lot more coffee cuppings, which are kind of like a professional coffee tasting experience, and you’ll be walked through what that all looks like,” she said.

Other workshop topics will include loose leaf teas, elevating your home coffee brewing experience, infusing coffee and spirits and the importance of water filtration. Each will welcome passholders on a first-come, first-served basis.

The last big change for this year’s festival, Bassett said, involves the “latte art throwdown” — that will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday on the main stage of the Colonial Theatre, and it’s open to the public, although passholders will have access to front-row VIP seating.

A total of 32 New England area baristas will face off in a bracketed challenge testing their latte art skills, with all kinds of prizes awarded to finalists.

“Each round will be different. There may either be a design that they need to pour, or it could be a freestyle round,” Bassett said. “You should be seeing a lot of different types of designs, and there will be a panel of judges who get to pick their favorite. It’s going to be projected up on a screen too so everybody can see. … It was a lot of fun last year. It’s a friendly and fun competition, and it’s pretty fascinating to see what these baristas can do.”

Coffee Festival tickets can be purchased online, or you can get them inside the Colonial Theatre box office on the day of the event. A vendor expo will take place on the third floor of the Belknap Mill on Saturday, and several food trucks will be set up in its parking lot.

“Now that we have one [event] under our belt and are just about ready to have two, the concept behind the coffee and community hybrid-style event is one we don’t have to explain as much anymore,” Bassett said. “It gives people a very different coffee event than a typical industry expo where you go and get inundated with products and services. … It’s being able to both interact with coffee professionals and be able to share that passion with the people who are drinking your product.”

New England Coffee Festival
When: Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20
Where: Various locations across downtown Laconia, including the Colonial Theatre (617 Main St.) and the Belknap Mill (25 Beacon St. East), as well as on Canal Street, which will be closed to vehicular traffic between Main and Beacon streets during both days.
Cost: $50 for a one-day pass or $75 for a two-day pass; tickets can be purchased online or inside the box office of the Colonial Theatre the days of the event.
Visit: newenglandcoffeefestival.com

Featured photo: Scene from last year’s New England Coffee Festival. Photos by Raya Al-Hashmi, on Instagram @rayaonassignment.

Hats off for women

Artists inspired by a once-essential part of the feminine wardrobe

Twiggs Gallery is celebrating women through the art show “Head’s Up: The Many Hats Women Wear.” The show, which features all artists from the Women’s Caucus for Art’s New Hampshire Chapter, prompted artists to use hats as inspiration, whether through making the hats, using hat imagery, or recycling hats to be used as part of the media for the artwork.

“There’s really only two hats you could actually wear,” Laura Morrison, the gallery director at Twiggs, said. “The rest are really sculptures.”

There are approximately 30 different hat-inspired pieces on display at the gallery. The goal with the show was to display many of the ways women exist in both modern and older societies. The artwork is on display until May 27, and most of the artwork is for sale.

There weren’t any strict rules to interpreting the theme, Morrison said. Some of the artwork on display takes inspiration from iconic women and their hats, like Carmen Miranda, who famously danced with a pile of fruit on her head.

Morrison said that the majority of the pieces are sculptures, with a handful of hanging pieces that were photography or mixed media. The artwork includes paintings and photos, sculptures using flowers and nature, and one piece that incorporates sound.

large oblong shaped hat hanging from ceiling, woman standing under had covered down to shoulders — “Negative Hat with a Positive Attitude” by Donna Catanzaro. Courtesy photo.

That piece, titled “Negative Hat with a Positive Attitude,” by Donna Catanzaro, turns photo negatives from Catanzaro’s youth into the structure of a bell-shaped hat that is suspended so viewers can stand inside. The audio aspect comes from a short monologue Catanzaro recorded, explaining how she became empowered by the old reels of negatives and the girl she once was.

“We asked the artists to broadly interpret the theme,” Morrison said. “Some of [the art] is nature, like Mother Nature, or about a woman’s work, or self-image, agency and power. We try to offer themes that can be broadly interpreted. It’s giving visual representation of thoughts and ideas that [the artists] have.”

This is the third installment from the partnership Twiggs has with WCA/NH that Morrison has inspired. The first was “Busting Out: Powerful Women” also known as “The Bra Show,” and the second was “Kick-Start” or “The Shoe Show.” Morrison said she isn’t sure what other piece of uniquely feminine clothing could be used to inspire art, but hopes to figure one out.

Morrison wants people to experience the show as a serious celebration of women but also to see it as something amusing.

“Whoever comes in will come out with something to think about, with what women are thinking about, and what challenge they have,” Morrison said. “Also, it’s just fun, too. I’ve heard people laugh a few times while they’re in there because they enjoy the show so much.”

Head’s Up: The Many Hats Women Wear
Where: Twiggs Gallery, 254 King St., Boscawen
When: During gallery hours, Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m.
Visit: twiggsgallery.org

Featured photo: “Forest Guardess Headgear” by Kathleen Lovett. Courtesy photo.

Granite skate

New Hampshire’s teams lace up for roller derby season

Game time at JFK Coliseum means something different in the spring and summertime than in the winter months. Spectators still flock to the stadium seats, but they also set up lawn chairs down on the concrete of the melted ice rink.

Officials in referee jerseys with names like “Tugboat,” “Doomsday Llama” and “She-Rantula” press neon pink tape over ropes that make up the flat track. Dozens of women roller skate around in black and pink or white and blue team tank tops. Some have on yoga pants, some have on bright colored skirts, all wear heavy-duty helmets and pads.

Music blasts through loudspeakers as fans, friends and family hold up homemade signs and scream their favorite player’s name.

With the first whistle on April 29, the roller derby season has officially started for New Hampshire Roller Derby’s travel teams.

NHRD was the first flat track roller derby organization in the Granite State. Its first season was 15 years ago. The sport has gained popularity throughout the country and locally. New Hampshire has four leagues, with varying numbers of teams. NHRD has two travel teams, three home teams and one recreational team.

Jena McClary, derby name Pixie Bruiser, has been a part of NHRD since 2008. She skates for the All Stars, the highest-ranked travel team, and for the home team Nightmares on Elm Street.

roller derby players on the rink — Kelsea “Terror Nova” Thom checks how far back her competition is after she breaks away and wins lead jammer. Photo by Katelyn Sahagian.

“It’s taken over my whole life,” McClary said. In addition to running the team’s public relations, she met her husband through the sport, and now he coaches the All Stars, and their kids also have played and worked as officiants as well.

McClary said it’s the best way to exercise, in her opinion, and also a great way to relieve stress.

“For me, it’s an outlet,” McClary said. “It’s an outlet I enjoy and the main thing that keeps me going is the challenge of it.”

Between the first whistle and the last introduction by the emcee, the skaters on New Hampshire Roller Derby’s A and B travel teams take a brief second to set up for the first jam of the night.

McClary and three other skaters stand in formation. She and two other blockers make a triangle, with the pivot standing close by. A few feet away, the first jammer of the night, Terror Nova, crouches down behind her line, waiting for the whistle.

When it sounds, it’s a race between Nova and Maine Roller Derby’s jammer to see who will control the match. Despite pushing and bobbing and weaving, the MRD jammer breaks out of the pack first. While Nova lost lead jammer this time, the friendly bout was only just beginning.

Roller derby is a sport that takes time, and someone who plays explaining it, to understand. It can be complex and confusing, especially if you’re learning in the middle of a game, where the seven officiants are keeping track of points and penalties, coaches and teammates are shouting suggestions, fans are cheering and skates are squealing on concrete while bodies are slamming into each other.

That being said, once the rules are laid out, it becomes easy to get wrapped up in the energy.

“It’s a combination of rugby and NASCAR,” said Raven Makenzie “Smackenzie Phillips” Ladao. “Many people refer to it as like the non-sporty sport. If you don’t fit in in other sports, this is your sport.”

Ladao said the easiest way to learn the game is to watch it. She has played all three of the positions on a roller derby team: jammer, pivot and blocker. She’s favoring the blocker position the most these days.

Ladao is a long-time veteran of roller derby. She’s played in several different states, as well as in Japan, which she represented in the 2018 World Championship in Manchester, England. Now she coaches NHRD’s junior league, which her kids either play in or officiate for.

NHRD will have a sign that says, “Ask me about roller derby” with an arrow pointed down to the person holding it. Ladao was the sign-bearer at the bout against Maine.

“Many people ask, ‘Where’s the ball?’ There is no ball in the sport,” Ladao said. She pointed out the two players with helmet covers on. “The person with the star on is essentially the ball, because that’s the only person on the track who can score the points.”

She explained that they are called jammers, and they have to start behind all the other players. Once the jammers make it past everyone on the track, one will be named the lead jammer and she’ll have the power to end the match early.

Jammers have to make it through the blockers. The blockers have to stay within 10 feet of each other, and try to keep the other team’s jammer from passing. It sounds easy enough, until you learn that they can’t use their forearms to block or hold onto the opposite team, as well as a plethora of other body parts they can’t make contact with.

The only form of punishment is a penalty, basically a time-out where the player has to sit in the penalty box for 30 seconds. The box has three chairs, one for a jammer, two for everyone else. There are plenty of different penalties that derby players can commit. Even coaches can be subject to penalties, and the team’s captain would have to sit it for the coach if that was the case.

“So the most basic penalty is a track cut,” Ladao explained. “That’s where someone hits you out of the track and you have to come in behind them. They can run back … but if you’re not paying attention and you jump back on the track before them that’s going-out-of-bounds penalty. So like going out of bounds, you have to come back in behind the person who bumped you out.”

Penalties are usually sat for 30 seconds; 20 of them the player has to be seated, the last 10 they can stand up and get ready to rejoin the game. Ladao said she’s never seen it happen before, but an entire team could be penalized at the same time, between two standing members and three seated ones.

Penalties are designed to keep players safe. The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, the governing body for women’s roller derby around the world, is constantly updating its rules to make sure that players are safe.

Having clear rules makes it possible for NHRD to have players of all ages, shapes and sizes, said Emily “Blitzy Borden” Chebook, who was the captain at the bout and skates for All Stars as well as the home team Granite Skate Troopers.

“I think there’s a place for almost anybody, whether it’s on the track or not,” Chebook said. “With skating, you can be tall and wide, you can be short and lanky. It doesn’t really matter.”

roller derby team standing in line and cheering for team mate standing in front with her hands positioned to form a heart shape — “Slick Tracy” (Brittany Duffy) is cheered on by her teammates after winning Most Valuable Blocker for NHRD against Maine. Photo by Todd Grzywacz.

Chebook has a unique history with NHRD. She saw her first derby bout at NHRD when she was in elementary school and immediately fell in love. She had wanted to play but she said there were no youth leagues back then.

She did a training session with NHRD before realizing she couldn’t commit the time to the sport. When she and her husband moved to the Midwest, she found a community because of roller derby.

“Some of the people I’ve met through derby are the sweetest teddy bears,” Chebook said.

Rachel “Jagged Little Kill” Smith, a new member of NHRD, who plays for the B travel team, The Cherry Bombs, and Nightmare on Elm Street, said that a lot of people have misconceptions about the people who play roller derby.

“I think when you roll derby, you kind of have an idea of the kind of person that plays,” Smith said. “You have a stereotype of, ‘Oh, you play derby, you must have piercings and face tattoos or live an “alternative lifestyle.”’ And we do have those people, but we have moms and nurses and accountants and grandparents.”

Smith said that the derby of the 1970s is not the derby of today, that it’s not just a bunch of women trying to hurt each other. Smith actually joined NHRD only five months ago after completing the training camp that started in September. She said that everyone on the team has been like having a second family.

“It is a little nerve-wracking to walk into this big group of people who are very close-knit,” Smith said. “We see each other two or three times a week in practice. A lot of people hang out socially outside of those times, and everybody is going to welcome you with open arms. It has been a completely incredible, welcoming community.”

Despite the players’ off-track personalities, their on-track personas were fiercely fighting to get ahead against MRD. Early in the bout, NHRD’s hard work paid off and they scored ahead in the leaderboard, and kept the pressure on for the rest of the bout. By the time the game had ended, they had won by close to 150 points.

After the game, the teams congratulated each other with high fives and cheers, as each group took a victory lap. It was as if they hadn’t spent the last hour tripping, pushing, shoving and body-checking each other.

Both teams amassed, standing and waiting for an announcer to say who won the most valuable jammer and blocker for each of the teams while the officiants counted up the final scores. Both sides cheered when the players were called forward, not caring about the rivalry they had just shared.

“People in derby are way nicer than we appear when we play,” Smith said. “We like to put on a good show for the audience. You know, be a little bit showboaty. But when it comes down to it … we’re normal people who just like to get together and sweat and push around our friends a little bit and then give each other high fives before we go home.”

Roller derby organizations and upcoming games
Granite Skate Roller Derby
Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road, Concord, granitestaterollerderby.org
When: June 10, July 15, times to be determined.

Monadnock Roller Derby
Lee Clement Arena, 38 Grove St., Henniker, monadnockrollerderby.com
When: Saturday, Aug. 12, time to be determined.
Price: Online pre-orders are $10

New Hampshire Roller Derby
JFK Coliseum, 303 Beech St., Manchester, nhrollerderby.com
When: Saturdays, May 20, June 24, and Aug. 5, all at 4:30 p.m.
Price: $12 adults, free for children 12 and younger, veterans and NHRD veterans
How to join: Email the league at join@nhrollerderby.com for adult players. Youth skaters can sign up for the current session at nhjuniorrollerderby.com.

How to play

Rules come from the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, wftda.com:

The game of Flat Track Roller Derby is played on a flat oval track. Games are divided into two 30-minute periods. Within each period there are play sessions called jams, which last up to two minutes. There are 30 seconds between jams.

During a jam, each team has up to five skaters on the track. Four of these skaters are called blockers (together, the blockers are called the pack) and one is called a jammer. The jammer wears a helmet cover with a star on it. One of the blockers wears a helmet cover with a stripe; they are called the pivot and can be an alternate for the jammer.

The two jammers start each jam behind the pack and score a point for every opposing blocker they lap, each lap. Before they can start scoring, they must get through the first pack and skate around the track before they can score points on opposing blockers.

Roller derby is a full-contact sport but skaters cannot use their heads, elbows, forearms, hands, knees, lower legs or feet to make contact with opponents. It is illegal to attack a player’s head, back, knee, lower leg or feet.

Play that is unsafe or illegal may result in a skater being penalized. Penalties are served by sitting in the penalty box for 30 seconds of jam time.

The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Derby lingo

All terms and definitions come from the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, wftda.com:

Apex jump – when a jammer jumps out of bounds but lands back in bounds to break away from the pack.

Bank track – the traditional roller derby track from the 1970s. The track is sloped inward. Only a few are used in the United States.

roller derby players from 2 teams crowded on rink as they skate around each other — Kelsea “Terror Nova” Thom quickly maneuvers around a MRD blocker. Photo by Todd Grzywacz.

Blocker – one of the three positions in a derby game. Their job is to block the other team’s jammer and help their own jammer accelerate through the jam.

Bout – the name for a roller derby game.

Falling small – the ability to keep arms and legs contained when falling to avoid further injuries.

Flat track – the more common style of derby track. This one is made by taping rope down on a hard surface, indoors or outdoors.

Jam – a round of the bout. Can last up to 2 minutes, but can also be called off by the lead jammer.

Jammer – the player who scores points for the team; they wear a star helmet cover.

Lead Jammer – the jammer to break through first; they have the ability to call off the round by tapping their hips four times.

Pack – blockers and pivot must form one by being within 10 feet of each other.

Pass/earned pass – how points are tallied. A jammer can score up to four points each time they lap the other team.

Pivot – a blocker that can receive the star helmet cover and become the new jammer if needed. They wear a striped helmet cover.

Power jam – only one team’s jammer is on the track.

Star pass – where the jammer passes the star helmet cover to the pivot. If the jammer was the lead jammer at the time, they forfeit that position and the full two-minute round is played.

Track – an oval-shaped loop that derby is played on.

Safety gear

This is the gear that NHRD requires each of its players use.

• “Quad” style roller skates (inline skates are not allowed) — There are places that specialize in selling roller derby equipment, like Bruised Boutique (522 Amherst St., Nashua). Wear the skates that fit best, because improperly fitting skates can hold a player back and increase risk of injury.

• Dual certified helmet — Because while there isn’t a helmet that can prevent concussions, good helmets can help minimize injury.

• Mouth guard — The brand SISU is one that is easy to breathe through and allows the wearer to communicate with teammates.

• Hard protective shell/insert elbow pads — They should have a snug, comfortable fit, because elbow pads often last longer than other protective gear.

• Hard protective shell/insert knee pads— Get ones that are cushioned for function over fashion, because skaters land most of their falls on their knees.

• Hard protective shell/insert wrist guards — They should provide good palm and stable wrist protection, because hand and wrist injuries are fairly common due to players’ catching themselves.