Category: Featured Content

Acres of sunflowers

Find food, music and of course flowers at local farms

August is sunflower season and Greg and Amber Pollock, the owners of the 20-acre sunflower farm SunFox Farm in Concord, will host a Sunflower Blossom Festival for the next two weekends, Aug. 9 and Aug. 10, and Aug. 16 and Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.

Greg said he and his wife Amber were inspired to grow sunflowers by a trip to Italy.

“We were driving through these vast sunflower fields that were all past bloom,” he recalled. “Part of me just wanted to see that in all its glory. And then another part of me wanted to learn this new crop and new style of farming.”

The first year the Pollocks planted sunflowers, “as soon as they bloomed I was just blown away,” Greg said. “I threw a post out on Facebook and we had hundreds of people come through. That was the birth of our Sunflower Festival. It’s just grown ever since. This is our seventh year growing sunflowers.” From a simple invitation for friends to come look at the sunflowers, he said, the festival has grown quite a bit. “We just try to make it better and better every year.”

“Each day, we’ve got live musicians and food trucks and artisan vendors,” Greg said, “and paths through the field. We’ve got viewing decks to get you up high above the flowers. You can cut your own sunflowers as well and you’ll be surrounded by 500,000 blooms.”

“We’ll have over 20 vendors each weekend,” Amber added. “[Guests] can cut their own flowers. A lot of people will purchase lunch or dinner and hang out at some of our picnic tables. We set up yard games. So it’s sort of just a family day. You can go right into the field. We have the paths that are cut into the field that will get you right out into the middle of the farm. And we’ve got a nice big bridge that gets you 10 feet up, so you’re way above the flowers looking out, taking it all in and, you know, it’s truly an immersive experience.”

Ten miles away, in Canterbury, there will be a second sunflower celebration. Brookford Farm will host its annual Sunflower Soiree from Aug. 9 through Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

According to farm owner Luke Mahoney, this yearly event is a way to celebrate the short period between planting and harvesting crops.

“Every year we plant two and a half acres of sunflowers,” he said, “and we invite folks to come to the farm and enjoy the most beautiful time of the year. They can pick their own sunflowers and there is a sunflower stroll where we cut a path right through the field. There will be lots of photo opportunities and there is an observation tower that we built out of a shipping container where people can come up on top of. They’ll be standing 12 feet in the air, overlooking the sunflower field. And really, they’ll be overlooking the whole farm. We’re a 600-acre organic farm and the sunflowers are planted right in the middle of it. So from the tower you really get a good view of the whole farm.”

There will be farm-to-table food available, Mahoney said — both from the Brookford farm store, and hot prepared meals — as well as live music on the weekends, hands-on craft activities for children, a vendor market, and two cow parades daily. At 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., guests can watch the farm’s cows “marching” to and from their barn. “On the way out to pasture, and when they come back in for milking in the evening, they walk again through the event grounds,” Mahoney said.

And then, he pointed out, there is always a chance for an unexpected, value-added experience. “Last year, we had three or four calvings, live births happening during the event.”

SUNFLOWER FESTS
Coppal House Farm (118 N. River Road in Lee, 659-3572, nhsunflower.com) has ended its festival but is holding its Sunflower Variety Garden through Sunday, Aug. 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admision costs $6 per person 5+.

SunFox Farm’s (Gully Hill Road, Concord, 244-9888, sunfoxfarm.org) Sunflower Bloom Festival will take place Aug. 9, Aug. 10, Aug. 16 and Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Adult admission is $12 per day. Children 10 and under are free. Cut your own flowers, $2 per stem. Visit sunfoxfarm.org/sunflowerfestival.

Brookford Farm’s (250 West Road, Canterbury, 742-4084, brookfordfarm.com) Sunflower Soiree will take place Aug. 9 through Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. General admission tickets are $12.51 and children’s tickets are $9.31 through eventbrite.com. Visit brookfordfarm.com/store/product/sunflower-soiree.

Featured photo: Brookford Farm (courtesy).

Comedians, assemble!

Annual comedy festival brings together 31 local comedians for six days of laughs

Since it began in 2010, two constants have endured at the annual Hampton Beach Comedy Festival. Every night, two comedians contributed to the festivities: Jimmy Dunn, who created the six-night laugh fest as an excuse to have his friends come, hang out, eat barbecue and tell jokes; and ace booker Dave Rattigan.

This year, however, Dunn won’t be at the festival, because of a dream gig he did Aug. 1. Along with Jimmy Cash he co-headlined Casino Ballroom, a hometown venue where he’d once stood outside as a teenager, too young to get in, listening to legends like Richard Pryor and imagining a career of his own in comedy. So while its founder basks in the afterglow, the festival will carry on. Rattigan, for his part, anticipates a great time, with a few new faces appearing and a solid return lineup. His certainty is rooted as much in the mojo of the event as it is in the talent appearing at McGuirk’s Ocean View.

“Yes, there are great comedians and it’s a great lineup, but also just the vibe of the place is unlike any show I’ve been on,” he said recently. “There’s a really good connection between the audience and the comedians, and all of the comedians who come up want to come next year, and the next year, and the next year.”

Rattigan is looking forward to audiences seeing Tyler Hittner, a mobility-challenged comic who uses a walker.

“He’s incredibly likable, and really funny,” he said. “He uses his disadvantage to his advantage by making it funny, by including everybody in the joke. He laughs at the challenge, and we laugh with him.”

Kristy Kielbasinski, who was a late addition to last year’s festival, will host on Aug. 17. “She had these high heels,” Rattigan recalled. “It’s an outdoor event and she had to get up the steps at night. I kept thinking, I hope she doesn’t get one of those heels caught in the grooves between the planks on the stage. She didn’t, and had a great set.”

First-timer Jim Ruberti is another comic to be excited about. “He hosts a lot for me down the Cape,” Rattigan said, something he’ll do on Aug. 14. “We’re trying to put really good hosts on … they won’t be Jimmy, but they’ll be good. Jim Ruberti’s a really funny guy and a great host.”

Hampton Beach Comedy Festival
When: Tuesday, Aug. 12, through Sunday, Aug. 17, 8 p.m.
Where: McGuirk’s Ocean View Hotel, 95 Ocean Blvd., Hampton
Tickets: $23.18 per show at Eventbrite.com

Tuesday, Aug. 12
Jeff Koen hosts
Paul Gilligan, Will Noonan, Karen Morgan, Dave Rattigan, Ken Rogerson
Wednesday, Aug. 13
Brian Glowacki hosts
Carolyn Plummer, Nick ‘’Fitzy’’ Stevens, Dave Rattigan, Steve Scarfo, Jim Colliton
Thursday, Aug. 14
Jim Ruberti hosts
Kelly MacFarland, Mike Donovan, Paul D’Angelo, Paul Nardizzi, Dave Rattigan
Friday, Aug. 15
Steve Bjork hosts
Nick Gordon, Courtney Cronin, Mitch Stinson, Dave Rattigan, PJ Thibodeau
Saturday, Aug. 16
Jody Sloane hosts
Tony V, Dan Miller, Dave Rattigan, Tyler Hittner, Ryan Gartley
Sunday, Aug 17
Kristy Kielbasinski hosts
Dave Rattigan, Andrew Della Volpe, Ryan Ellington, Jason Merrill, Frank Santorelli of The Sopranos

Festival performers

Can’t catch them at the Festival? Many of these performers also have shows scheduled locally in the coming months.

• Steve Bjork (Friday, Aug. 15) is one of Boston’s best observational humorists and a big fan of his home base. He is known for his clean and funny style.

• Jim Colliton (Wednesday, Aug. 13) Married and raising three kids in the Boston suburbs, Jim keeps his comedy focused on dad life. Along with fellow comic Karen Morgan, he performs the theater show Lawn & Order. His DryBar Comedy special is “Please, Take the Lunch!”

• Paul D’Angelo (Thursday, Aug. 14) An ex-assistant district attorney and criminal-defense trial lawyer, D’Angelo is a fixture in A-list comedy clubs with nearly four decades of standup under his belt.

• Andrew Della Volpe (Sunday, Aug. 17) has appeared at Boston’s Comedy Attic as well as Manchester’s Shaskeen Pub and the Rex Theatre. From 2021 to 2023 he co-hosted a podcast, The Soft Boys, with HBCF favorite Will Noonan. Catch him Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Brook Showroom in Seabrook.

• Mike Donovan (Thursday, Aug. 14) is a mainstay in the Boston comedy world who’s also written several books, including one on U.S. history. “He’s not a normal guy, his head is not a casual head,” Steven Wright once said of Donovan. “He’s got like 18 Harvards up there.”

• Ryan Ellington (Sunday, Aug. 17) The new kid at last year’s festival, Ellington has a white mother and a Black dad, and he’s pale with curly red hair. He wins crowds with lines like, “I don’t look biracial, I look like I have a very complicated order at Starbucks.”

• Ryan Gartley (Saturday, Aug. 16) Gartley’s comedic style is characterized by quick, critical observations and dry, family-friendly humor. He’s appeared from Las Vegas to New York to Bangor, Maine.

• Paul Gilligan (Tuesday, Aug. 12) , aperennial Boston headliner, likes to riff on family life and his pale Irish heritage. “On summer vacations,” goes one joke, “I hide under the deck in a ski mask with 68 sunblock, wrapped in a towel.”

• Brian Glowacki (Wednesday, Aug. 13) has a secret weapon: a face that telegraphs mischief. When he pauses with a sly smirk during a joke setup, it’s like watching a Mento dropped into a bottle of Coke; audience laughter builds, then explodes.

• Nick Gordon (Friday, Aug. 15) has performed at Nick’s Comedy Stop in Boston, as well as the Vermont, the Bricks and Bridges and the Portland, Maine, comedy festivals. He’s a founding member and frequent performer at the Great Falls Comedy Club in Lewiston, Maine.

• Tyler Hittner (Saturday, Aug. 16) Suffering from viral meningitis and relying on a walker has never stopped the Rhode Island-based comic from lighting up stages. His charisma, charm and likability allow him to connect with all types of audiences.

• Kristy Kielbasinski (Sunday, Aug. 17)“Worcester’s Funniest Mom” draws from her life as a stay-at-home parent — she even wrote a children’s book. Her humor, she said a few years back, “is based on an exaggerated version of a desperate housewife who’s sick of her kids, sick of her husband, and it’s a little dark and twisted.”

• Jeff Koen (Tuesday, Aug. 12) regularly supports Juston McKinney at his shows, and performs throughout New England. Koen’s self-deprecating humor lands well with audiences. He had the role of Uncle Rick in the 2011 cult film Heavy Times.

• ​Kelly MacFarland (Thursday, Aug. 14) She’s opened for Kathleen Madigan on several occasions and launched the all-female Mother of a Comedy Show with Kerri Louise and Christine Hurley.

• Jason Merrill (Sunday, Aug. 17), a native of Lawrence, Mass., became a comedian at age 41. Getting on the bill at a few of Dave Rattigan’s Scamps shows accelerated his rise, and now he’s a regional favorite, with an act described as “one part Saturday-morning cartoon character and one part pro-wrestler.”

• Dan Miller (Saturday, Aug. 16) Boston native Miller was “born a comedian but made it official in 1992.” He’s shared stages with local and national headliners like Lenny Clarke, Dane Cook and Dave Attell.

• Karen Morgan (Tuesday, Aug. 12) is a former trial attorney who got her start as a finalist on Nickelodeon’s Search for the Funniest Mom in America. She has two Dry Bar Comedy specials and frequently can be heard on SiriusXM Radio.

• Graig Murphy (Friday, Aug. 15) began in comedy using his impressions of sports and television personalities but has now grown into a national headliner with a quick-witted act of everyday humor.

• Paul Nardizzi (Thursday, Aug. 14) A winner of the Boston Comedy Festival, Nardizzi has appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central, NESN and on Fox Sports’ Best Damn Sports Show Period. He offers observational humor about his family life, sports and more.

• Will Noonan (Tuesday, Aug. 12) Noonan, whose Live In Boston YouTube special dropped in 2024, made an impression on festival organizer Dunn at his initial HBCF appearance, and now he’s a regular. “The first time Will came up, he was wearing a suit,” Dunn recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh, I like this kid’s style already.’”

• Carolyn Plummer (Wednesday, Aug. 13) appeared at Denis Leary’s annual Comics Come Home benefit in 2022. A New Hampshire native — she grew up in Wolfeboro, a minister’s daughter — Plummer got into comedy after responding to an ad.

• Dave Rattigan (all nights) “He looks like a cross between a semi-hip banker and your mild-mannered father-in-law,” blogger Ralph Fatello once said.

• Ken Rogerson (Tuesday, Aug. 12) is a veteran of Rescue Me as well as When Standup Stood Out, a great documentary about Boston’s comedy heyday in the early ’80s. He’s a favorite of Dunn’s, who said, “I legitimately find him one of the funniest people on the planet…”

• Jim Ruberti (Thursday, Aug. 14) has appeared with headliners such as Lenny Clarke, Steve Sweeney, Paul Nardizzi, Mike McDonald, Dave Rattigan and Steve Bjork.

• Frank Santorelli (Sunday, Aug. 17) Best-known for playing the recurring role of “Georgie the Bartender” in The Sopranos and acting in numerous movies, including No Reservations, Meet the Parents and Crooked Lines.

• Steve Scarfo (Wednesday, Aug. 13) came up in the Boston club scene and once took part in a funny mashup of Survivor and Last Comic Standing that still gets YouTube hits. He started doing standup almost 30 years ago and was noticed by The Boston Globe on his first performance.

• Jody Sloane (Saturday, Aug. 16) is a regular at Headliners throughout New England, Gotham Comedy Club in New York City, Nick’s Comedy Stop, plus roadhouses, Elks Clubs and dives from Portland to New York.

• Nick “Fitzy” Stevens (Wednesday, Aug. 13) Well-known for his drive-time show on WEEI Sports Radio in Boston, Stevens’ passion for his teams, comedy and seeking the approval of strangers led him to create an alter ego named, Fitzy, a satire of and love letter to the foul-mouthed fans he attended Boston sports with growing up.

• Mitch Stinson (Friday, Aug. 15) Ex-Navy jet pilot with more than 200 carrier landings during his career, he’s now a comedian. He appears at venues all over New England.

• P.J. Thibodeau (Friday, Aug. 15) Rhode Island-based comedian known for quick wit, blue-collar charm and sharp observational humor.

•Tony V. (Saturday, Aug. 16) A national headliner who’s appeared on late night television and shared the stage with everyone from Steven Wright to Adam Sandler, he’s a Boston comedy legend, and also Jimmy Dunn’s best friend. Catch him Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Brook Showroom in Seabrook.

Season of laughs

Where to find inland comedy

Thursday, Aug. 7
R-Rated Hypnotist Frank Santos Jr. LaBelle Derry, labellewinery.com

Friday, Aug. 8
Jerry Seinfeld at BankNH Pavilion in Gilford, banknhpavilion.com)
Brad Williams (2 shows) at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com

Saturday, Aug. 9
Steve Sweeney & Friends at Beans & Greens in Gilford beansandgreensfarm.com

Saturday, Aug. 16
Vic DiBitetto at Nashua Center for the Arts in Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com

Friday, Aug. 22
Tom Cotter at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Jody Sloane, Rob Steen & Greg Boggis at Peterborough Community Theatre, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Aug. 23
Ken Rogerson & Friends at Averill House in Brookline, averillhousevineyard.com
Jody Sloane at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Sept. 6
Steve Hofstetter at Rex Theatre in Manchester, palacetheatre.org

Saturday, Sept. 13
Matt Berry at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Bob Marley (2 shows) at Flying Monkey in Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com
Tim McKeever at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Queen City Improv at Rex Theatre in Manchester, palacetheatre.org

Wednesday, Sept. 17
Jody Sloane, Pat Napoli, Rob Steen at Stark Brewing (500 Commercial St., Manchester, headlinersnh.com)

Friday, Sept. 19
Nurse Blake at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com
Piff the Magic Dragon at Nashua Center for the Arts, nashuacenterforthearts.com

Saturday, Sept. 20
Lenny Clarke & Tim McKeever at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Mark Scalia at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com

Friday, Sept. 26
Matt Friend at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com
Peter Lui & Rob Steen at Liquid Therapy in Nashua, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Sept. 27
Stand Up Dads – Mike Koutrobis & Steve Bjork at Averill House in Brookline, averillhousevineyard.com
Kevin James (2 shows) at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com
Funny Women of a Certain Age w/ Carole Montgomery, Leighann Lord and Julia Scotti at Flying Monkey in Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com
James Dorsey at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Kerri Louise, Christine Hurley, Kathe Ferris at Rex Theatre in Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Mark Riley at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Oct. 4
Jimmy Cash at Flying Monkey in Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com
Mark Riccadonna at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Oct. 11
Steve Bjork at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Jody Sloane at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Friday, Oct. 17
John Cleese of Monty Python at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com

Saturday, Oct. 18
Frank Santorelli at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Juston McKinney (2 shows) at Palace Theatre in Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Mark Scalia at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Christopher Titus at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry, tupelohall.com

Friday, Oct. 24
Tim McKeever & Pat Napoli at Liquid Therapy in Nashua, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Oct. 25
Brian Beaudion at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com
Joey Carroll at Headliners in Manchester, headlinersnh.com
Emily Ruskowski & guest comedians at Averill House in Brookline, averillhousevineyard.com

Thursday, Oct. 30
Craig Ferguson at Nashua Center for the Arts, nashuacenterforthearts.com

Friday, Oct. 31
Tim Hayes/Teddy Smith at the Rex in Manchester, palacetheatre.org

Saturday, Nov. 1
Steve Bjork at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Nov. 8
Bob Marley at Capitol Center in Concord, ccanh.com
Will Noonan at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Nov. 15
Frank Santorelli at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Friday, Nov. 21
Matt Berry & Shawn Ruiz at Liquid Therapy in Nashua, headlinersnh.com

Saturday, Nov. 22
Joe Carroll at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Nov. 29
Juston McKinney at Flying Monkey in Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com)
Carolyn Plummer at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com

Saturday, Dec. 6
Jim Gaffigan at SNHU Arena in Manchester, snhuarena.com

This Week 25/08/07

Thursday, Aug. 7

The New Hampshire Antiques Show, hosted by the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association, returns to the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester) today through Saturday, Aug. 9. Nearly 60 professional antiques 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 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $15 on Thursday, and $10 on Friday and Saturday; return visits are free. Visit nhada.org.

Saturday, Aug. 9

The Friends of the Library of Hudson, New Hampshire will hold an “Everything Must Go” Second Hand Prose book sale today, and tomorrow, Sunday, Aug.10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Hills Library Building (18 Library St, Hudson). There will be books for all ages, from 25 cents to $2, as well as CDs and DVDs for $1. Cash or checks only. Find them on Facebook.

Saturday, Aug. 9

It’s the Second Saturday, which means free admission at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester for New Hampshire residents today 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See currier.org.

Sunday, Aug. 10

Today is the final day of the League of NH’s Craftsmen’s annual fair at Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury. The fair is open daily through today, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See nhcrafts.org/annual-craftsmens-fair or see our story on the fair in last week’s (July 31) issue of the Hippo. Digital issues of the paper are at hippopress.com; the story is on page 10.

Sunday, Aug. 10

Check out Studio Two, a tribute to the Beatles’ early career, when this quartet plays the Stark Park bandstand (550 River Road, Manchester) today at 2 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

Monday, Aug. 11

There will be an information night this evening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for anyone interested in auditioning for an upcoming production of The Addams Family Musicalby the Community Players of Concord (435 Josiah Bartlett Road, Concord, 224-4905, communityplayersofconcord.org). Auditions will be held on Aug. 17 and Aug. 18. Visit the Community Players’ website.

Tuesday, Aug. 12

Iconic rock foursome Stryper will take the stage at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) tonight at 8 p.m., on their 40th Anniversary Tour, celebrating the release of the band’s 16th studio project, When We Were Kings. Tickets are $55.

Wednesday, Aug. 13

Londonderry’s Old Home Days kick off today and run through Saturday, Aug. 16. Tonight’s happenings include Senior Night Bingo & Barbecue at Lions Hall Pavilion and, fresh from Sunday, a performance by Studio Two at 7 p.m. at the Town Commons. See londonderrynh.gov for a full schedule

Save the Date! Sept. 19
The Granite State Comic Con is just a little more than a month away but you can get tickets (as well as merch, such as a Back to the Future-style Back to Granitecon shirt) now for the event, which kicks off Friday, Sept. 19, with a preview night and an 8-Bit Karaoke Bash at Strange Brew followed by the convention itself Saturday, Sept. 20, and Sunday, Sept. 21, at DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown and the nearby SNHU Arena. Guests for the event include actors, comic creators, game creators, cosplayers and more. Find vendors and exhibitors covering all things comic book and pop culture. Advance tickets include single day admission for Saturday or Sunday, weekend admission, Friday preview only and a VIP that comes with a swag bag. See granitecon.com to purchase tickets, see the line-up of guests and to see a layout of the convention.

News & Notes 25/08/07

Opioid abatement

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, on behalf of the NH Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, has selected Granite United Way to manage the statewide Opioid Abatement Community Grants Program, according to a press release. “This program … will provide $10 million in funding over the next two years to support projects that help communities combat opioid misuse and its effects. Granite United Way will work closely with a Community Advisory Team — made up of experts, community members, and people with lived experience — to design and advise this grant program,” the release said. The program will award short-term grants of up to $15,000 for one-time costs (“ technology, equipment, training, or events that meet immediate community needs”) and up to $75,000 per year for up to three years for multi-year projects “that address local needs and involve strong community partnerships,” the release said. See dhhs.nh.gov or graniteuw.org.

Senate race check-in

Dan Innis, the Republican state senator for District 7, announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate in 2026. Innis, who lives in Bradford, announced his candidacy on July 16, according to a press release. Republican Scott Brown announced his candidacy in late June, according to the Boston Globe. U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, a Democrat, announced his campaign for the seat in early April.

Radiation oncology

Dartmouth Cancer Center opened a new radiation oncology center at Dartmouth Health’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics Manchester (100 Hitchcock Way in Manchester) with a July 28 ribbon-cutting, according to a press release. “Patients can now see their oncologists, get test results from the in-house lab, and receive any of the primary cancer treatment modalities — radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery — all in one location, the release said. See cancer.dartmouth.edu/hematology-oncology.

Foto Fest

The New Hampshire Center for Photography will hold its second annual FotoFest on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kimball Jenkins School of Art in the Carriage House, 266 N. Main St. in Concord, according to an email about the event. “Come hang out with your fellow New Hampshire photographers, talk shop and browse the market for film and digital cameras, lenses, darkroom equipment, studio lighting, expired film, assorted gear and Photographic Art! Don’t miss NHCP’s table “Make me an Offer” (that we can’t refuse),” the email said. Admission is free. See nhspa.wildapricot.org.

Monday, Aug. 11, is the final day to see “Keeping Faith: Commemorating 250 Years of Shakerism in America” an exhibit of some of the “oldest and rarely displayed artifacts” at the Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury. The exhibit is open Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See shakers.org.

The Delta Dental/Elliot Corporate 5K Road Race will take place Thursday, Aug. 7, at 6:20 p.m. in downtown Manchester, starting on Elm Street at Stark Street and heading north to make a loop that ends at Veterans Park, according to millenniumrunning.com/corporate5k, where you can register online until noon.

The Derry Public Library (derrypl.org) will hold a West Broadway Historical Walking Tour on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. “We’ll see where William Hobdy played ragtime and where C.H. Gordon styled hair and sold burial vaults,” according to the event description. Register via the library’s website.

Southern Rock

Atlanta Rhythm Section at Tupelo

Known for ’70s hits like “So Into You” and “Imaginary Lover,” Atlanta Rhythm Section began as the house band at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia. It would be where Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” and a diverse group of artists ranging from Ronnie James Dio’s pre-Sabbath band Elf to Journey and Joe South all made albums.

Rodney Justo was one of the musicians there when Studio One opened in 1970. His association with the others stretched back to the Candymen, a group that included future star Bobby Goldsboro. It was formed to play with Roy Orbison when the British Invasion shifted the focus from solo singers to bands like The Beatles.

If you believe the internet, the Candymen backed Orbison on his biggest hit “Oh Pretty Woman,” but in a recent interview Justo countered the legend. “That’s not true,” he said by phone, but added, “it’s not a rumor we try to stop, you know what I mean? We have lied so much about being on that set that we almost remember the session.”

The rest of ARS was drawn from the Classics IV, whose song “Spooky” would later go Top 10 for them. With Justo on vocals, guitarists Barry Bailey and J. R. Cobb, Dean Daughtry on keyboards and a rhythm section of bassist Paul Goddard and drummer Robert Nix, the group began working on its own music soon after the studio opened.

When their first album failed to dent the charts, Justo left for session work in New York City.

“I had a daughter that had some physical problems, and like all stupid musicians in those days, none of us had insurance,” he said. “I left because I didn’t see anything happening, and I had opportunities in New York. But so you understand, I didn’t leave on bad terms.”

The proof is that he readily helped out in 1983 when asked to sing on a few dates and did it again a few years later. He’d be back permanently in 2011, always feeling he belonged.

“The fact is the band was built around me and Barry Bailey; it’s that simple,” he said. “So I never came back feeling like a stranger.”

That said, there is a line in Atlanta Rhythm Section’s first chart hit, “Doraville,” that could be a comment on his departure. “Singing, ‘Friends of mine say I should move to New York / New York’s fine but ain’t Doraville,’ I thought they might be taking a little shot at me,” Justo said. “But I didn’t care. We were friends to begin with, and I didn’t leave as enemies.”

Justo is now the last remaining ARS member and has no plans to retire.

“A lot of people are very grateful that I’ve kept the band going, including the band members when they were alive,” he said, “Barry was happy, and J.R. was happy, he said, ‘Man, that’s so great you’ve come back, and you keep doing it.’”

On Saturday, Aug. 2, the band will return to Tupelo Music Hall, where they have a strong following. The current lineup consists of Justo, guitarists David Anderson and Steve Stone, keyboard player Lee Shealy, along with Justin Senker and Rodger Stephan on bass and drums, respectively.

There’s no typical ARS show, though Justo is quick to point out one obvious fact.

“You’ve got to understand that there’s probably six or seven songs we have to play,” he said, “In addition we do some deep tracks, and we finally have learned enough songs that we can play any type of venue. We change the show based on where we’re playing, but they’re going to get the six or seven hits.”

Atlanta Rhythm Section
When: Saturday, Aug. 2, 8 p.m.
Where: Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry
Tickets: $60 and up at tupelohall.com

Featured photo: Atlanta Rhythm Section. Photo credit: Courtni Meadows.

Food trucks & big cookies

The Southern New Hampshire Food Truck Festival

There is a mystery surrounding this weekend’s Food Truck Festival at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, and it has to do with cookies.

Jody Donahue is the founder and director of Great New England Food Truck Festivals and the organizer of the event, which will be held Saturday, Aug. 2, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. She said food trucks will not be the only attractions at the festival. “There will be 50 vendors participating inside and outside the dome,” Donahue said. “We will have a kids’ zone, with a couple of free bounce houses. There will be chalk play, bubble play, and hula hoops. We will have live music with local musicians. We’ll have three different [acts] playing on Saturday and two different ones on Sunday. They usually play for about two hours each.”

And, of course, there will be the food trucks — 20 of them in all.

“We have a wide variety of food trucks,” Donahue said. “We have Hawaiian and Jamaican food. We’ve got a cannoli truck. We have barbecue. We have Cousin’s Lobster coming with all of their seafood, their lobster rolls and lobster chowder.” Other food trucks will include Bubble Bee Milk Tea, Teenie Wienies, the Deadproof Pizza Co., The Burstin’ Kernel kettle corn, and Big Al’s Grill and Fresh Squeezed Lemonade.

Donahue said that for her the best thing about this festival is the sense of community it brings with it.

“About an hour or an hour and a half in,” she said, “things are settled in and I just stand there and I look around and I think, ‘Wow, this is fun. Look at the people dancing. They’re having such a good time.’ People are eating. They’re challenging each other to see how many trucks can they eat off of. Because the event is two days this year, they can come back on Sunday for free and eat off of another truck. It’s really apparent that people are having a good time.”

But there’s still the mystery of the cookies.

In previous years, the Food Truck Festival featured a whoopie pie-eating contest. Donahue said that the whoopie pies, provided by Maggie’s Munchies (therealmaggiesmunchies.com), were intimidating. “They were amazing,” she said. “Each one was, I think it was a 12-inch whoopie pie. It was huge — HUGE! And they actually finished it. There were people who actually finished their whoopie pie!”

This year, Donahue said, there will be a change. “I didn’t realize, but since she submitted her application, she [Maggie] has switched products and she’s gone from whoopie pies to cookies. She wanted to host the Jumbo Cookie Eating Contest. She makes these giant, jumbo cookies. She’s going to make a 5-pound cookie. Whoever can eat their 5-pound cookie the fastest, or whoever eats the most of their cookie in a set time, will win a T-shirt and a $50 gift certificate.”

Maggie Josti is the owner of Maggie’s Munchies. She said the specifics of the cookies in the Jumbo Cookie Eating Contest are still up in the air. “I still have to confirm that,” she said. “We’re definitely doing a cookie eating contest, but I don’t know if they’re going to be jumbo cookies or if the number of cookies people can eat in a certain amount of time is what will be jumbo.”

The Southern New Hampshire Food Truck Festival
When: Saturday, Aug. 2, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Hampshire Dome, 34 Emerson Road, Milford
Admission: Admission is $6, which allows guests to visit for both days. Parking is free. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets.
More: gnefoodtruckfest.com.

Featured photo: Cookies from Maggie’s Munchies. Courtesy photo.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!