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Crafting the written word

Manchester market hosts author event

A collection of new books written by local authors isn’t something one expects to find in a crafts store, but the Manchester Craft Market is not typical. Along with titles like S.M. Stevens’ award-winning novel Beautiful and Terrible Things and a history of New Hampshire’s soda industry called Granite Fizz by Dennis Sasseville, the store also offers food, delicacies like artisan granola and charcuterie board meats. There’s even fresh sourdough bread for sale.

How does this explain the upcoming “Meet Our Local Authors” event, where writers will gather to discuss their many varied books?

“They’re creating something, and they’re local,” store owner Jessica Moores said in a recent phone interview. “A lot of their titles are based in New Hampshire. We have a few different guides for things to do in the area, that sort of thing. There are some history books…. It’s bringing all that local creativity to the written word.”

Moores opened the store in 2016 with a mission to sell only items made locally. She’s stayed true to it.

“I don’t let anyone bring in imported things or resell stuff. No antiques. All handmade in New England. They pay a membership fee to get a space in the store. They get their own section on our website. They can teach classes in our classroom. We have an online shopping group with close to 18,000 followers … lots of little perks and bonuses.”

Among the wares on offer are home décor products, clothing, jewelry, food items, arts and crafts, beauty products, crafting kits, greeting cards and stationery, pet items, toys and more. The store also features regular crafting classes and workshops led by its artisans and artists, like a recent Paint Your Jenga event.

Originally it was located in an empty storefront on the outside of the Mall of New Hampshire. By 2023 it had moved inside, a couple of doors down from Macy’s. It also evolved, from a humble shop to something that resembles Etsy on steroids, or at least a three-dimensional version of the online superstore that allows customers to touch the merchandise.

That aspect is reinforced on MCM’s website, which recreates the store so customers can virtually walk through it, stop to inspect things, and click to learn about vendors. In the case of the book section, located in a corner next to the register, it’s possible to find out about a title, glance at a few pages, and read the author’s biography.

“That was a big goal of mine to get done one day; that was a lot of work,” Moores said, adding that the effort was a blend of envisioning and delegating. “I can see what tech can do, and I’ll say to someone, ‘This is what I want’ and then connect with the right person to help me. I added logos and links … someone else did the actual footage.”

Most sellers have dedicated spots, but when Moores introduced her “Read Local” section last year around the holidays she took a different approach.

“The model of renting a space doesn’t work as well for someone who only has one or two things to offer,” she said. “So I kind of combined all of our authors into one area to give them a shared space so they didn’t have to worry about that.”

Authors participating in the event include Stevens and Sasseville, along with Karen Coulters, Stefanie Jolicoeur, Dawn Reno Langley, John Clayton, Darcy Cates, Marti Suerst, Connie Evans, Jennifer Hallock, Walker Hound, Emily Kordas, Ellen H. Reed, David Rouleau, Killarney Traynor and Jim Wilcox.

For Moores, one of the benefits of running the store is being able to read new writers when their wares arrive. She expects the Meet Our Local Authors event will include a few new titles.

“I come to know and appreciate them through the store,” she said, “There’s definitely a lot to choose from…. I get to check them all out and find something new all the time.”

The book corner is a relatively new initiative at the store. Moores is encouraged by the initial response.

“It’s growing,” she said. “We’re getting a lot of interest in new authors coming in to join us. So I think once it’s grown a little bit more it will be almost like your little bookshop in the mall.”

Meet Our Local Authors
When: Saturday, May 24, 11:30-1 p.m.
Where: Manchester Craft Market at the Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., Manchester
More: manchestercraftmarket.com

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Summer Guide 2025

Fairs, festivals, food, fun and more events to look forward to this season

Summer is here!

OK, maybe it’s more like “summer” is here, that time between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, when we’re all in summer mode with our sunglasses and our shorts and our iced coffees and a desire to get out and enjoy the next three-ish months. Looking for some summer fun? Here are some of the big happenings — the festivals, fairs, sporting events and more — to put on your summer calendar.

Fairs and festivals

• The annual Mill Falls Memorial Weekend Craft Festival is happening Saturday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, May 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday, May 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mill Falls Marketplace (312 DW Highway, Meredith). More than 100 New England-based juried artisans will gather to sell their foods and crafts. Admission is free. Visit castleberryfairs.com.

• Celebrate Hillsborough, an event by History Alive, will take place Saturday, May 31, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Hillsborough Center. The day will feature tours, music, activities, demonstrations, student art, workshops and more focused on Hillsborough history, according to historyalivenh.org.

• MakeIt Labs will hold MakeIt Fest 2025 on Saturday, May 31, from noon to 5 p.m. at 25 Crown St. in Nashua. This free outdoor festival will bring together local craftsmen, artists, makers and makerspaces with demonstrations, exhibits and more. See makeitfest.com.

• The Northern New England Book Fair, a book and antiques fair with the New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association, will take place Sunday, June 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Admission costs $5. Find the book fair on Facebook.

• Anheuser-Busch (221 DW Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, budweisertours.com) will host the 2nd Annual Fire Truck Pull and Festival on Sunday, June 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Teams will work to pull a full-size fire truck and compete on time at this event, which will also include vendors, a car show, food and drinks for sale and more. See budweisertours.com/mmktours.

• Milford Pride 2025 will take place Sunday, June 1, from noon to 4 p.m. at Keyes Park (45 Elm St., Milford) and will feature live music, food, vendors and more. See “Milford NH PRIDE” on Facebook.

• First Fridays in downtown Concord are an event, with food trucks, live music, pop-ups and more from 4 to 8 p.m. On Friday, June 6, the theme is Beach Party with food trucks Batulo’s Kitchen, Kona Ice and Wicked Tasty and music from DJ Nazzy at City Plaza and The Wandering Souls Band in Bicentennial Square. On Friday, Aug. 1 (there’s no July event), the theme is “Dog Days” with an outdoor movie from Red River Theatres. See firstfridayconcord.com.

• The Goffstown Rotary Club’s Car Show is returning for its 11th year on Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Parsons Drive in Goffstown. Check out the classic vehicles along with the food trucks and vendors. See goffstownrotary.org.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, childrens-museum.org) will hold its annual New Hampshire Maker Fest on Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 per person. This family friendly event will showcase the all-ages engineers, arts, scientists, chefs, hobbyists and more and their inventions, experiments and projects, according to the website.

• The Windham Pride Festival will take place Sunday, June 8, from noon to 4 p.m. at Windham High School, according to a post on the Windham DEI Facebook page. This free, family-friendly event will feature live entertainment, food trucks and more, the post said.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire will hold its annual Father’s Day Weekend Fly In Barbecue on Saturday, June 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nashua’s Boire Field, with the event taking place at Nashua Jet Aviation (Nashua Airport, 83 Perimeter Road). Pilots, especially with vintage planes and home-built aircraft, are invited to fly in, according to aviationmuseumofnh.org. The public can come to check out the planes and enjoy the meal. Tickets to the barbecue cost $30 for adults and $10 for ages 6 to 12; kids 5 and under are free, the website said. Check out the planes without the food for $10 per person, kids 5 and under are free, the website said. Purchase tickets at the website or by calling 669-4877.

• This year’s Laconia Motorcycle Week runs from Saturday, June 14, through Sunday, June 22, and will include music, vendors, contests and more around Weirs Beach in Laconia. See laconiamcweek.com.

• Plaistow’s Old Home Day returns on Saturday, June 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a parade and activities on the Town Hall green (145 Main St., Plaistow). See plaistow.com for updates.

• Wilton Main Street Association will hold its annual Summerfest on Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring live music on two stages, food, street vendors, a pancake breakfast, a duck drop and a fireworks display in the evening on Carnival Hill. See visitwilton.com/summerfest.

• Juneteenth New England, hosted by Black Womxn In New Hampshire Collective, will take place Saturday, June 21, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Crossway Christian Church, 33 Pine St. in Nashua, according to givebutter.com/juneteenthne. “It’s a free community celebration in downtown Nashua honoring Black American culture, history, and joy. The event will feature live performances, cultural exhibits, music, games, and more. Everything is free, including the food, thanks to the support of community members and sponsors,” according to an email from organizers.

• The Nashua Pride Festival and Parade will run Saturday, June 21, from 3 to 6 p.m. The parade will kick off at Nashua City Hall on Main Street and conclude at the festival grounds at the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St., according to a Facebook post about the event. The festival will feature art, health information, activism, food trucks, music and more, the post said. Find “NashuaPideFestival” on Facebook for more.

• Concord’s annual Market Days Festival runs from Thursday, June 26, to Saturday, June 28, in downtown Concord from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with local vendors, live entertainment, family-friendly activities, maybe an in-festival wedding on Friday, June 27, and more. Visit marketdaysfestival.com.

• Manchester Pride 2025 will take place Saturday, June 28, with the theme “Picture Our Future.” The day will start with a parade on Elm Street at 11 a.m. headed to Veterans Park for a festival that runs from noon to 6 p.m. with entertainment, food, vendors and more, according to a Facebook post from Manchester True Collaborative about the event. See manchestertrue.org/pride-2025.

• The next New England Reptile Expo is scheduled for Sunday, June 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester). The show features more than 200 vendor tables full of reptiles, pet supplies and more. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for kids ages 7 to 12 and free for kids ages 6 and under. Visit reptileexpo.com.

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

• The Raymond Town Fair, its 50th according to the group’s Facebook page, will take place Friday, July 11, through Sunday, July 13, at the Raymond Town Common (Epping and Main streets, Raymond). It will feature live music, children’s activities, a fireworks display, games, vendors and more. See “Raymond Town Fair” on Facebook.

• The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter) will hold its American Independence Festival on Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Exeter. The day will feature the arrival and live reading of the Declaration of Independence, historical reenactments and colonial-era artisan demonstrations as well as colonial-era games, music and dances. Visit independencemuseum.org

For the kids
Got kids to entertain over the many weeks of no school? Be sure to pick up our Kids’ Guide to Summer issue, slated to hit stands on June 12.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org) will hold its annual Classic Car Show Saturday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• The Stratham 4-H Summerfest returns on Saturday, July 19, at the Stratham Hill Park Fairgrounds (270 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature animal shows, agriculture exhibits, competitions and more. See extension.unh.edu/event/2025/07/2025-stratham-4-h-summerfest.

• Organized by the Merrimack Valley Military Vehicle Collectors Club, the Weare Rally will run Thursday, July 24, through Saturday, July 26, at Center Woods School (14 Center Road, Weare). The rally features military vehicle displays, scenic rides, demonstrations, food and more. The cost is $5 per family. See mvmvc.org.

• The Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo runs Friday, July 25, to Sunday, July 27, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester). The event features tattoo artists, contests, vendors, live music, food 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 cost in advance $20 for a weekend pass ($25 at the door), according to livefreeordietattoo.com.

• The Canterbury Fair is, as always, the last Saturday in July — Saturday, July 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Canterbury Center (Baptist and Center roads) with live music, demonstrations from local artisan and antique vendors, children’s activities and more. Admission is free. See canterburyfair.com.

• Find music, art, food, kids activities and more at the Nashua Summer Stroll on Saturday, July 26, from 3 to 8 p.m. in downtown Nashua. Find details and updates on the event’s Facebook page.

• Coppal House Farm (118 N. River Road in Lee; nhsunflower.com) will hold its Sunflower Festival Saturday, July 26, through Sunday, Aug. 3, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily plus sunrise hours on Sunday, July 27, from 5:30 to 7 a.m. The festival also features kid events, a craft fair, music, food and more. See the website for information on tickets and happenings on specific days.

• The Suncook Valley Rotary’s Hot Air Balloon Rally will be held Friday, Aug. 1, through Sunday, Aug. 3 at Drake Field, Barnstead Road in Pittsfield. See nhballoonrally.org for updates on this year’s schedule.

• The Belknap County Fair is set to return on Saturday, Aug. 2, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Sunday, Aug. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 174 Mile Hill Road in Belmont. 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 New Hampshire Antiques Show, hosted by the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Association, returns to the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester) Thursday, Aug. 7, through Saturday, Aug. 9. 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 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.

• Hudson’s Old Home Days will take place Thursday, Aug. 7, to Sunday, Aug. 10, on the grounds of the Hill House (211 Derry Road, Hudson). There will be carnival games, live music, food, vendors, a craft fair, kids’ activities and more. Event times are Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. See hudsonoldhomedays.com.

• The Sunflower Bloom Festival will take place Saturday, Aug. 9, through Sunday, Aug. 17, at Sunfox Farm on Gully Hill Road in Concord, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m daily. Visit the farm (admission costs $12 per person, ages 10 and under are free). Also at the farm find artisan and craft vendors, live music and food trucks, according to sunfoxfarm.org/sunflowerfestival.

• Salembration!, a celebration of the 275th birthday of Salem, New Hampshire, will take place on Geremonty Drive on Saturday, Aug. 9, from noon to 5 p.m. The event will feature food trucks, craft vendors and more, according to salemnh.gov/1096/salembration, and take place in conjunction with Field of Dreams’ annual Family Fun Day.

• The Hampton Beach Comedy Festival will run Tuesday, Aug. 12, through Sunday, Aug. 17; check hampton-beach-comedy-festival.weebly.com later in the summer for tickets and details on the slate of comedians each night. According to the website, founder Jimmy Dunn won’t be at this year’s festival but you can catch him Friday, Aug. 1, at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, where he will appear on a bill with Jimmy Cash.

Summer of laughs
Looking for comedy this summer? Check out the Comedy This Week listings this week and every week in the Nite section for comedy shows at venues big and small.

• Londonderry’s Old Home Days are scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 13, to Saturday, Aug. 16. See londonderrynh.gov for updates on details.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org) will hold Planefest on Saturday, Aug. 16, featuring an exhibit about the Tuskegee Airmen and the World War II-era Woman’s Army Service Pilots, known as the WASPs.

• History Alive 2025 will present a weekend of reenactments on Saturday, Aug. 16, and Sunday, Aug. 17, at Jones Road in Hillsborough. The weekend will feature reenactments of historical battles across the centuries — including Roman and Viking battles, the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I and World War II, according to historyalivenh.org. The event will also feature other historical demonstrations as well as drawing and cartooning workshops with Marek Bennett, whose works include the Freeman Colby graphic novels about a real-life New Hampshire teacher in the Civil War. See the website for details and a schedule. Tickets cost $10 per adult, $8 for seniors and are free for kids 16 and under, the website said.

• Candia’s Old Home Day will take place on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Moore Park (74 High St., Candia). The day will feature local crafters and artisans, town community booths, games, a wildlife exhibit, food and music. See candiaoldhomeday.com.

• Pembroke and Allenstown’s Old Home Day returns on Saturday, Aug. 23, starting with a parade down Main Street in Allenstown to Memorial Field (Exchange Street) in Pembroke. A fun-filled day is planned at the field, featuring two stages of live entertainment, antique cars, children’s games, a craft area, bounce houses and a fireworks display at dusk. Admission and parking are free. See pembrokeallenstownoldhomeday.org.

• The Hopkinton State Fair bills itself as a Labor Day weekend tradition happening this year from Thursday, Aug. 28, to Monday, Sept. 1, 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. See hsfair.org.

• Cruising Downtown will return to the streets of downtown Manchester for a 23rd year on Saturday, Aug. 30, organized by the Manchester Rotary Club. The day will feature cars on display, along with food, live demonstrations, local vendors and live entertainment. Admission is free for spectators. Visit cruisingdowntownmanchester.com.

• The Exeter UFO Festival returns to downtown Exeter on Saturday, Aug. 30, and Sunday, Aug. 31 — the event commemorates the anniversary of the “Incident at Exeter” (the report of a UFO sighting on Sept. 3, 1965, in nearby Kingston) with speakers, kids events and more. See exeterufofestival.org.

Arts Events

• Watch the four sculptors 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. through Wednesday, May 28, according to nashuasculpturesymposium.org. The pieces, which will become part of Nashua’s townwide exhibit of sculptures, will be unveiled in their installation locations on Saturday, May 31, at 1 p.m.

• Meet the Local Authors on Saturday, May 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Manchester Craft Market (inside the Mall of New Hampshire, 1500 S. Willow St., Manchester). About a dozen writers are slated to attend this supersized book signing, according to a Facebook post on the Market’s page about the event. Signed books will be available for purchase, including children’s books, New Hampshire history books, mysteries and more. See manchestercraftmarket.com.

• After a Saturday of tap workshops, the Aaron Tolson Institute of Dance’s Grante State Tap Festival will present a National Tap Dance Day Show on Sunday, May 25, at 4 p.m. at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College in Manchester; tickets.anselm.edu). Tickets cost $29.50.

Art on display
Find art exhibits at area galleries and museums throughout the summer in our art listings, which appear weekly in the Arts section.

• Catch the Concord Arts Market this summer — Art in the Park, featuring 65+ artists and their works in Rollins Park in Concord from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will take place Saturday, June 7; Saturday, July 12, and Saturday, Aug. 9. Concord Arts Market will also appear at the Market Days Festival Thursday, June 26, through Saturday, June 28, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Pleasant Street in Concord. See concordartsmarket.org.

• The Currier Museum of Art and the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire celebrate Juneteenth with a program called “Never Caught: The Defiant Journey of Ona Marie Judge Staines” that brings Ona’s voice to life on Thursday, June 12, at 5:30 p.m. at the museum (150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org) through a dramatic reading of her 1845 interview, originally published in The Granite Freeman, featuring New Hampshire actress Sandi Clarke Kaddy as Ona Judge. Following the performance, Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar, author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge, will discuss Ona’s story. Admission is free but space is limited; reserve a spot at blackheritagetrailnh.org or by calling 570-8469.

• If you’re heading to the beach, check out the craftspeople at the 25th Annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic, which will run Thursday, June 12, through Saturday, June 14, with the sculptures, lit up at night, on view through Monday, June 23. There will be a fireworks display on Saturday, June 14, at 9:30 p.m. See hamptonbeach.org.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org) will hold a Juneteenth Art Off the Walls on Thursday, June 19, from 5 to 8 p.m., when admission is donation based. The evening will feature music, dance, art-making and more in partnership with the Racial Unity Team, according to an email from the museum. Other Art Off the Walls programs will be held this summer on July 17 and Aug. 21.

• The 2025 Manchester International Film Festival is set for Thursday, July 24, and Friday, July 25, at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester). For tickets and an up-to-date schedule of events, see palacetheatre.org/film.

• Uncommon Art on the Common takes place on Saturday, Aug. 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Goffstown. Find participating artists and more at goffstownuncommonarts.org.

• Positive Street Arts will present OBSCURE Runway Show on Sunday, Aug. 3, at 1 p.m. (rescheduled from April). The show “represents a convergence of creativity and innovation, bringing together local artists, designers, and boutiques in a spectacular showcase. … Through the fusion of art and fashion, Positive Street Art strives to create a platform where diverse creatives can collaborate and showcase their unique perspectives,” according to a Positive Street Arts post about the event. General admission tickets cost $45. See positivestreetart.org; find Positive Street Arts on Facebook for a link to purchase tickets.

• The Greeley Park Art Show (100 Concord St., Nashua) returns on Saturday, Aug. 16, and Sunday, Aug. 17, 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.

• The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen will hold the 91st Annual Craftsmen’s Fair at Mount Sunapee Resort (1398 Route 103, Newbury) Saturday, Aug. 2, through Sunday, Aug. 10. It will feature the juried work of hundreds of members with sales booths, educational workshops, demonstrations and exhibitions. See nhcrafts.org/annual-craftsmens-fair.

• Arts Build Community will hold its Community Canvas Mural Festival Thursday, Aug. 7, through Sunday, Aug. 17, in downtown Manchester, according to a press release. Participating artists and installation sites will be announced in July, the release said. The event will include 10 large-scale murals as well as artist talks, youth paint days, storytelling events, mural tours and a block party, the release said. See artsbuildcommunity.com.

Summer theater
Find information about summer theater in our May 15 issue. Go to hippopress.com and look for the issue in our digital library. The guide to summer theater starts on page 10.

Spectator Sports

• The games continue for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester. The team began a stretch of games against the Somerset Patriots this week, with games Thursday, May 22, at 6:35 p.m. (when the Cats play as Gatos Feroces de New Hampshire); Friday, May 23, at 6:35 p.m.; Saturday, May 24, at 4:05 p.m. and Sunday, May 25, at 1:35 p.m. The next stretch of games starts Tuesday, June 3, against the Altoona Curve. Regular season games continue, with the final home game on Sunday, Sept. 14. See milb.com/new-hampshire for the game schedule, tickets and promotions.

• The Nashua Silver Knights, members of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, will host their home opener at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St., Nashua) on Wednesday, May 28, against the Worcester Bravehearts at 10:30 a.m. followed by a game Friday, May 30, at 6 p.m. against the Vermont Lake Monsters with after-game fireworks. Their last home game of the regular season will be on Friday, Aug. 9, at 6 p.m. against Vermont. See nashuasilverknights.com.

• The next home bout for NH Roller Derby at JFK Memorial Coliseum (303 Beech St. in Manchester) is Saturday, May 31, at 4 p.m. when the NH Roller Derby All-Stars take on Maine Roller Derby’s Old Port Brigade; at 6 p.m., the NH Roller Derby Cherry Bombs take on Mass Attack Roller Derby’s Bloody Bordens. Doors open at 3:30 p.m.; tickets are sold at the door: $15 for adults, $5 for veterans and NHRD vets, kids 12 and under get in for free. Future home bouts are Saturday, June 21, and Saturday, July 19. See nhrollerderby.com for updates.

• Join Special Olympics New Hampshire for its 2025 State Summer Games, the organization’s largest competition of the year for its athletes, on Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7, 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 sonh.org.

• Granite State Roller Derby has home bouts scheduled for Saturday, June 7, and Saturday, June 28, both at 6 p.m. and held at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). See granitestaterollerderby.org.

• The 2025 New Hampshire Soap Box Derby Local Championship will be held on Sunday, June 8, at 120 Broadway in Dover — check-ins begin at 7:45 a.m., with side-by-side competitions starting at 10 a.m. Spectators can cheer on the races for free. See nh.soapboxderby.org.

• The 102nd annual Loudon Classic Middleweight Grand Prix, a 1.6-mile road race, will take place at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Louon) on Saturday, June 14, as part of Laconia Motorcycle Week. See nhms.com.

• High school football players from across the state will participate in the 13th annual NH East-West High School All-Star Football Game, benefiting Dartmouth Health Children’s and the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, scheduled for Friday, June 27, at 6 p.m. at Grappone Stadium at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). General admission tickets are $15 in advance, $20 on the day. Kids 5 and under get in for free. See chadkids.org.

• New Hampshire Muscle Cars club will be hosting its Summer Sizzler car show on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Star Speed way (176 Exeter Road in Epping). It will include burnout competitions as well as slalom competitions. See nhmusclecars.com.

Nature Events

• The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Audubon are offering a Black Birders Week 2025 Tour on Saturday, May 31, from 9 to 11 a.m. in Portsmouth. The tour will start at the Black Heritage Trail’s office and head through gardens ending at the water, according to nhaudubon.org, where you can register for a spot. Registration costs $20.

• Sunday, June 1, is World Ocean Day and the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye is celebrating from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with touch tanks, tide pool tours, activity stations, an inflatable whale, a beach clean-up and more, according to seacoastsciencecenter.org, where you can purchase tickets for the event.

• New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org) will hold free Massabesic Garden Tours throughout the summer: Tuesday, June 3, at 5:30 to 7 p.m.; Saturday, June 14, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 16, 10 to 11:30 a.m., and Tuesday, Aug. 26, 5:30 to 7 p.m. RSVP online.

Summer reads
Meet your favorite authors at author readings and other events this summer. Find listings of author events, book sales and more literary fun this week and every week in the Books section.

• Saturday, June 7, is New Hampshire Fish and Game’s summer 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.

• Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire will celebrate National Trails Day by maintaining the trails at Stonehouse Forest in Barrington on Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to noon. Register to participate at seltnh.org.

• The New Hampshire Audubon will hold its annual Native Plant and Craft Sale on Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the McLean Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord). The event will also include the sale of fresh flower bouquets, a fair featuring more than 15 local artisans, the pizza-serving Greenhouse Food Truck, music from Junk Drawer, guided tours of the gardens, animal ambassadors and more. See nhaudubon.org.

• If you enjoy watching the peregrine falcons and their chicks at the Brady Sullivan Tower in downtown Manchester (you can view them in three different live streams via nhaudubon.org/education/birds-and-birding/peregrine-cam) you can learn more about them at a falcon fan meet and greet (for humans) and supply- and fund-raiser for Wings of the Dawn Rescue & Rehab on Saturday, June 21, at 10 a.m. at the Brady Sullivan Tower, according to the daily log. Keep an eye on the cams for falcon updates and to see the daily log.

• The New Hampshire Audubon Nature Challenge will run Sunday, June 22, through Saturday, June 28, when participants can help to “document the birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, amphibians, flowers, trees, mosses, mushrooms, and everything that either stops at our sanctuaries or calls [the NH Audubon’s wildlife sanctuaries] home!” according to nhaudubon.org, where you can see the list of sanctuaries and get more information about how to participate.

• New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org) will hold an Art Walk in the Garden event on Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a guided tour with the garden team from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (register online for the tour). The event will showcase the newly installed All Persons Trail in the Center’s gardens and sanctuary fields, according to the website. Original, local artworks will be placed through the gardens, with some piece available for purchase, the website said. Greenhouse Pizza Truck will be on site selling lunch and there will be an indoor art exhibit as well, the website said. Register on the site by July 5 for free transportation to the center from Veterans Park in Manchester.

• At the Harris Conservation Center for Conservation Education in Hancock, the SuperSanctuary Butterfly Club will hold a Butterfly Count on Saturday, July 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Register to help with the survey, whose information will be submitted to the North American Butterfly Association and the New Hampshire Butterfly Monitoring Network. See harriscenter.org.

• The New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; nhaudubon.org) will serve as the home base for the NH Butterfly Monitoring Network Capital Region Butterfly Count on Saturday, July 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants can register online to receive more information about the locations in the Concord area that will be part of the count, according to the website.

Music Festivals

• The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus spring concert series “Celebrations” will be performed at four locations: the Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (22 Fox Run Road in Newington) on Saturday, May 31, at 7 p.m.; The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester) on Sunday, June 1, at 3 p.m.; First Baptist Church of Nashua (121 Manchester St. in Nashua) on Saturday, June 7, at 7 p.m., and the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord) on Sunday, June 8, at 3 p.m. See nhgmc.com/tickets for links to tickets at each venue.

• The Northlands Music and Arts Festival will offer three days of music this year — Friday, June 13, and Sunday, June 15, at the Cheshire Fairground in Swanzey, plus music on Thursday as fans show up at the campground. Headliners include The String Cheese Incident on Friday; Cory Wong and Moe. on Saturday, and Umphrey’s McGee and Lotus on Sunday. Food vendors will be at both the concert and the campground as will arts and craft vendors. The weekend will also feature kids’ activities, wellness activities and more. See northlandslive.com for festival, camping and parking passes as well as for the complete music lineup.

• The “Country by the Coast” Country Music Festival takes place Tuesday, July 8, through Thursday, July 10, with music and line-dancing (with Nashville Line Dance at 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday and 5 p.m. on Thursday) each evening. The music line-up includes Red Solo Cup (Toby Keith tribute) on July 8 at 7 p.m.; Stefanie Jasmine Band on July 9 at 7 p.m., and David J. followed by Niko Moon on July 10 starting at 7 p.m., according to hamptonbeach.org. All shows are free.

• Brews & Blues ’25 will feature music from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, including Clandestine Funk, Johnny A. & James Montgomery Band at Anheuser-Busch, (221 DW Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, budweisertours.com). Tickets to this 21+ event cost $35.

Summer of concerts
Michael Witthaus is cooking up a big guide to summer concerts. Look for that issue in June.

• Hillfest 2025, billed as “New England’s Christian Music Festival,” will take place Saturday, July 19, from 1 to 10:30 p.m. at The Lord’s Valley, 100 Locke Road in New Ipswich. The line-up includes Jeremy Camp, We Are Messengers, Ben Fuller, Terrian, Leanna Crawford and Megan Woods. See hillfestevents.com.

• Pizzastock 9, a family community music event featuring 13 music acts on two stages as well as information on mental health, physical health and suicide prevention, will take place on Saturday, July 26, from noon to 6 p.m. at Pinkerton Academy in Derry next to the football field, according to a post on the Jason R. Flood Memorial Facebook page. The event will also feature kid activities, a teen/young adult “tailgate” game area, food trucks and of course pizza from Kendall Pond Pizza, the post said. Entrance to the event is free. See pizzastock.org or find them on Facebook.

• The Granite State Blues Festival will take place Saturday, Aug. 2, in Veterans Memorial Park on Elm Street in downtown Manchester from noon to 6 p.m. See granitestateblues.org for details.

• The Outlaw Music Festival will come to the Bank NH Pavillion in Gilford on Sunday, Aug. 3, at 3:45 p.m. featuring Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, Wilco, Lucinda Williams and Waylon Payne. Other Brother Darryl plays on the Hazy Little Stage at 3 p.m. See banknhpavilion.com.

• The New Hampshire Irish Festival is slated for Saturday, Aug. 23, at 5 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). The line-up on stage is scheduled to include The Spain Brothers, Ronan Tynan, Screaming Orphans, Mick McAuley and Eileen Ivers, according to the website, where tickets starting at $43 are on sale now.

Food Events

• The Friends of the Library of Windham will hold their 40th annual Strawberry Festival and Book Fair on Saturday, May 31, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Windham High School (64 London Bridge Road, Windham). The festival will feature homemade strawberry shortcake, live music, raffles, local vendors and games. The Book Fair will start with a preview day for Friends members, teachers and seniors at Nesmith Library on Wednesday, May 28, and then open to the public Thursday, May 29, from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m and Friday, May 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Saturday the book fair will move to the high school from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a $5 bag of books special from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Visit flowwindham.org.

• Tickets are on sale now for the Palace Theatre’s Kitchen Tour on Sunday, June 1. The tour will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature a self-guided tour at kitchens in Amherst, Bedford, Hollis and Manchester, with a lunch offered at Baron’s Major Brands in Manchester. Tickets cost $55 in advance, $65 on the day. See palacetheatre.org.

• Herb & Garden Day, presented by the New Hampshire Herbal Network, returns to the Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner) on Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event features workshops tailored to all skill levels, along with plant walks, an herbal market and plant sale, food vendors and more. Admission is $35 in advance. Visit nhherbalnetwork.org/herbday.

• The Rhubarb Festival at Sawyer Memorial Park (148 Route 202 in Bennington) will take place Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will feature rhubarb eats as well as food trucks, a craft fair, vendors, children’s activities, a petting zoo, a story walk, music, plants and more, according to townofbennington.com/rhubarb-festival.

• The 97.5 WOKQ Chowder Festival Summer Kick-Off takes place Saturday, June 7, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Prescott Park in Portsmouth. Tickets cost $20 per person. See prescottpark.org/event/97-5-wokq-chowder-festival-2025.

• The New Hampshire Bacon & Beer Festival will take place Saturday, June 7, 1:30 to 5 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch (221 DW Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, budweisertours.com). This 21+ event will feature 60+ brewers as well as barbecue and bacon vendors as well as live music by The Slakas, according to nhbaconbeer.com. Attendees will get beer and bacon samples and can purchase additional items, the website said. General admission tickets cost $70.90 in advance.

• The St. Nicholas Greek Festival will return on Friday, June 20, and Saturday, June 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. both days, at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church (40 Andrew Jarvis Drive, Portsmouth, 436-2733). This year’s Greek Festival will feature fresh lamb, moussaka, spanakopita (spinach pie), gyros and Greek pastry. Visit stnicholasgreekfestival.com.

• The Hollis Strawberry Festival, presented by the Hollis Woman’s Club, will bring strawberry shortcake and other strawberry treats to the Town Common (7 Monument Square, Hollis) on Sunday, June 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. Visit holliswomansclub.org.

• The NH Beer Trail Basecamp Festival on Saturday, June 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Tuckerman Brewing in Conway is a new event from the New Hampshire Brewers Association and a kickoff to the relaunched NH Beer Trail Guidebook, according to nhbrewers.org. The event will feature nearly 40 New Hampshire craft breweries, live music, food trucks, local vendors and more, according to the website, where you can buy general admission tickets for $50 each, VIP tickets (with a noon admission time) for $75 and designated driver tickets for $20 each.

• Farm-a-Q, a celebration of local farmers, chefs and brewers,returns to Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Road, Lee) on Sunday, June 29, from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets start at $20. The event is billed as family-friendly and supports 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.

• The Spicy Shark presents the New England Hot Sauce Fest, returning to Smuttynose Brewing Co. (105 Towle Farm Road, Hampton) on Saturday, July 26, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event features local hot sauce companies selling and offering samples of their spicy products, as well as with bounce houses, food trucks and more. General admission tickets are $15 in advance; VIP tickets are $20 in advance and give you a 10 a.m. admission time. Proceeds will benefit the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation and the Seacoast Science Center, according to newenglandhotsaucefest.com.

• Southern New Hampshire Food Truck Festival will take place on Saturday, Aug. 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hampshire Dome (34 Emerson Road in Milford). Tickets cost $8 each or two for $15; kids age 14 and under get in free. The fest will feature live music, craft beer and cocktails, more than 50 vendors, a whoopie pie eating contest and a kids’ zone, according to a post at facebook.com/GreatNEFoodTruckFest.

• The Mahrajan Middle Eastern Food Festival (bestfestnh.com) will take place Friday, Aug. 15, to Sunday, Aug. 17, at Our Lady of the Cedars Church (140 Mitchell St., Manchester, 623-8944, olocnh.org). Lebanese foods such as shawarma, falafel, lamb, grilled chicken and many types of pastries will be served. The fest will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

• Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (111 Island Pond Road, Manchester, 623- 2045, assumptionnh.org) will hold its 2025 Greekfest on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 24, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit the Church’s website for more information closer to the event.

News & Notes 25/05/22

Volunteer Fair

The United Way of Greater Nashua will hold a Greater Nashua Volunteer Fair on Thursday, May 22, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Chandler Wing of the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua; nashualibrary.org), according to a press release. The event will feature more than 30 local nonprofits representing a variety of volunteer opportunities including “youth development, food security, environmental sustainability, or supporting older adults,” the release said. See unitedwaynashua.org.

New at MSD

Last week, the Manchester School District Board of School Committee approved the hiring of an assistant superintendent and principals at Highland-Goffe’s Falls Elementary School and Manchester School of Technology High School, according to a district release. Ryan Roth, currently working in a California school district, will serve as the assistant superintendent of middle schools and student services, the release said. “Longtime District administrator and current Assistant Principal Keith Puglisi was selected as the next Principal at Manchester School of Technology,” succeeding the retiring Principal Tim Otis, the release said. And Tim Larney, an administrator at the Nashua School District, will be Highland-Goffe’s Falls principal, the release said, succeeding the retiring Principal Sue Matthews. All the new positions are effective July 1, the release said.

New executive director

Liberty House, a Manchester-based program from Catholic Charities NH that provides “transitional housing and a community pantry for New Hampshire veterans,” has announced that Ashley Kitchell is the organization’s new executive director, according to a press release. Kitchell has worked at Liberty House for nearly a decade and was most recently the assistant director, the release said. See libertyhousenh.org.

Memorial Day commemorations

The Manchester VA Medical Center (718 Smyth Road in Manchester) will host a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon outside the Eagle entrance of the center, according to a press release.

Bedford holds its annual Bedford Memorial Day Hometown Parade on Sunday, May 25, at 1 p.m. The parade will run up Meetinghouse Road from Bedford Center Road to the Town Hall, followed by a celebration at Bedford Village Common Park, according to a post on the Bedford Parks & Recreation Facebook page.

The Concord Memorial Day Parade will take place Monday, May 26, at 9 a.m. and run from the Christ the King Church parking lot on Thorndike Street and wind toward the City Plaza, according to concordnh.gov.

Indie Lens Pop-up, a series featuring screenings of films from PBS’s Independent Lens, will present Free For All: The Public Library followed by a discussion with Susan Drisko Zago, Law Library Director and Professor of Law at UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law, on Saturday, May 31, at 11 a.m. at Red River Theatres in Concord, according to a Red River Theatres Facebook post, where you can find a link to reserve a seat for this free event.

Tickets are on sale now for the Palace Theatre’s Kitchen Tour on Sunday, June 1. The tour will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature a self-guided tour at kitchens in Amherst, Bedford Hollis and Manchester, with a lunch offered at Baron’s Major Brands in Manchester. Tickets cost $55 in advance, $65 on the day. See palacetheatre.org.

The Peterborough Town Library (2 Concord St. in Peterborough; peterboroughtownlibrary.org) will hold a two-day craft supplies swap Friday, May 23, from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 24, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring in new or gently used art supplies to exchange.

Shirley Phillips will discuss her book How Not To Fly An Airplane: A Female Pilot’s Journey on Saturday, May 24, at 2 p.m. at Balin Books (Somerset Plaza, 375 Amherst St. in Nashua; balinbooks.com).

Boss man

Ward Hayden & the Outliers bring Springsteen tribute to Pembroke

By Michael Witthaus

mwitthaus@hippopress.com

When Pembroke City Limits scheduled its grand opening last year, owner Rob Azevedo had Ward Hayden & the Outliers booked to play, but the debut of the Suncook music bar and restaurant was delayed. Instead, the Boston country stalwarts performed in Azevedo’s barn, the place that gave him the idea to start his own club.

Hayden will finally make it to PCL on May 17, to do a trio show with bass player Greg Hall and guitarist Tyler Marshall. His latest project is two albums of Bruce Springsteen songs done in Outliers style. The first, Little By Little, arrived last month, and the next, Piece By Piece, is due for release in October.

Little By Little is a mix of familiar hits like “Dancing in the Dark” and “Cadillac Ranch” alongside deep cuts, such as the brooding “Youngstown” and “Two Faces.” One track, “Promised Land,” bubbled up after Azevedo gave Hayden a book on tape of Bruce’s autobiography when he complained about not having time to read his hard copy.

“It’s a driving song that Springsteen wrote before he even really knew how to drive, which — I think that is so cool when it comes to creative writing,” Hayden said by phone recently. The episode happened when his band lost a car and driver on its way west. “He has to learn how to drive, but he can’t shift … to be in that moment, and put that song together.”

One bit of inspiration came about when Hayden patiently endured a drunken fan’s attempt to tell him about two stripped down concerts Springsteen did in 1990. “He wasn’t giving up on trying to try to communicate with me, so I put my hand on his shoulder, looked him in the eye and said, ‘Tell me what you’re saying.’”

“Ward, you gotta hear the Christic shows,” came the reply. So he found them on YouTube. “I was blown away.”

For the same reason Springsteen’s Nebraska is revered by many as his best album, the music is spellbinding; it’s raw and revealing. But a story Springsteen told to introduce “My Father’s House,” about asking a therapist to help him understand why he drove around late at night looking at places he once lived and being told he was trying to make a bad thing right is what closed Hayden.

“The value of that song became clear to me at that point, I was so moved,” he said. “I don’t know if that song is going to be a single or anything, but I think it’s my favorite.” That and another song from Nebraska, “Reason to Believe,” will be on the Piece By Piece collection. The latter almost didn’t get recorded.

“I wanted to rock that song … but it just was not coming together in our very last day in the studio,” Hayden said. They got unstuck by reducing the backing track to Hall’s upright bass, a bit of strumming and tambourine. “All it really needed was a very steady and driving bass to tell the story. I was trying to bring it somewhere it didn’t need to go.”

The effort, its names drawn from “Racing in the Street,” came about for a strange but fitting reason. While Hayden and his band were driving to a show in the Midwest a couple of years ago, an interview came on the radio. A former rocker, a tick away from Nickelback, was attempting to jump-start a new country direction by urging people not to listen to The Boss.

“Everyone’s trying to find an angle and work it, it’s the nature of the entertainment business,” Hayden said. “But I felt he was trying to take away something that shouldn’t be taken away. Springsteen’s music has been such a huge part of so many people’s lives, myself included. I think there’s some things of value that should be sacred, or at least protected.”

What followed was “a project without an endgame,” he continued. The initial plan was to record two songs. “The first day we turned two into three … we ended up doing about a week more of recording a little later that month, and then we just didn’t stop. We chipped away, little by little, piece by piece, for about two years and ultimately ended up with 16 songs.”

Along with all the Boss’s songs, he wrote enough original material for a new album. His last was 2023’s introspective South Shore. On his website, Hayden said his Springsteen reinterpretation helped him “say some things that I’ve not been able to say myself yet in my own work.”

Asked to elaborate, he replied, “Some subjects … are hard to face … and not always easy to share. He had a challenging relationship with his father; the autobiography really laid that out. It was important to do a couple songs like ‘My Father’s House’ and ‘Walk Like a Man’ [that] really hit home. There are things I haven’t been able to dive into yet myself, but he did it so well.”

Ward Hayden & the Outliers (Trio)

When: Saturday, May 17, 6 p.m.
Where: Pembroke City Limits, 134 Main St., Suncook
More: wardhaydenandtheoutliers.com

Featured photo. Courtesy photo.

Guava & Goat Cookies

These cookies are adapted from a recipe in Bodega Bakes by Paola Velez. The idea of cheese in a cookie might be somewhat revolutionary to traditionalists, but fruit and cheese go well together.

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter

1 cup (200 g) brown sugar

1/3 cup (66 g) white sugar

Zest of 3 limes

1 egg

2 2/3 cups (370 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup (120 g) soft goat cheese

1 cup diced guava jam (240 g, about half a tin) – Guava jam is really popular for Caribbean people, especially Cubanos. It comes in a very short, very wide tin. Look for it near the fruit cocktail at your supermarket. You don’t have to dice it very finely, maybe chunks half the size of your thumb.

Beat your butter, sugars and lime zest with your mixer. Start at a slow speed, then bring it up to Wicked Fast, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Add the egg to the butter mixture, and beat it on high for another minute or so.

If you have a kitchen scale, place your mixing bowl with the butter/egg mixture on it, then add the dry ingredients: the baking soda, baking powder and flour. Otherwise, mix the dry stuff in a medium bowl, then add it to the mixture, about a third at a time. Beat everything until it comes together.

Add the goat cheese and guava jam, and mix for just a few seconds, until the guava breaks up a little. If there are still streaks of goat cheese, rejoice and do a goat cheese dance. If not, don’t worry; these cookies are not a reflection on your character.

Chill the cookie dough for at least half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. If you are a rational person and don’t own that many baking sheets, you’ll have to slide the parchment or mats off the baking sheet between batches.

Place six golf-ball-sized balls of dough on each baking sheet per batch, about 2 inches apart. This should make a total of 18 cookies. There would almost certainly be more cookies than this, but we both know that you’re going to eat some of the dough during this process. Flatten them slightly, then bake for 15 minutes or until they look toasty on the edges.

Conveniently, these cookies take about 15 minutes to cool.

Like almost all their brethren, the G&G cookies are excellent with a glass of cold milk, especially when they are warm. There is a background flavor of limes, and small pops of guava, especially when the cookies have cooled. The goat cheese adds a savory quality to the operation. If you are brave, you might want to use an especially tangy goat cheese.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Exposing gyros’ secrets

Sometimes lamb, sometimes pork

By John Fladd

jfladd@hippopress.com

Alex Lambroulis would like to clear up a couple of misconceptions about gyros.

Greek people pronounce gyros “YEE-rose” but most Americans pronounce it “JYE-rose.” Either way, it refers to spit-roasted meat served on pita bread with shredded lettuce, tomato, thin-sliced onion and cucumber, topped with a garlicky yogurt sauce called tzatziki.

Lambroulis is one of the owners of Karv Greek Kouzina in Windham.

“Traditionally, a common misconception,” he said, “is that a gyro is always made with lamb and beef. But growing up in Greece, every street corner has a gyro place and they’re all actually pork. We pretty much save lamb and beef or lamb in general for special occasions on the rotisserie and things like that. But that being said, we do offer it here [at Karv]. The lamb and beef is a good combination of how lamb can sometimes be an acquired taste for Americans and can be a little bit more on the gamey side if there’s too much of it. And also truthfully, obviously, the price point of it is important, too. Lamb is way, way, way more expensive, so in order to make it affordable for customers, [we use] layers of lamb and beef together.”

Another lamb-y misconception is how big a part it plays in a Greek diet.

“I think it’s just important to know that we don’t truly eat lamb all the time in Greece,” Lambroulis said. “It’s more reserved for special occasions. And also, the farmers like to save sheep for the milk that they produce.” Feta cheese is usually made from sheep’s milk, for example.

Another misconception Lambroulis would like to clear up is that gyros are not the same as shawarma, which also comes from the Mediterranean and is made with spit-roasted meat.

“The pita bread first off is different,” he explained. “Shawarma is more like a pocket pita and then they kind of roll it in it. Whereas gyro is a pocketless pita, it’s a little fluffier and it’s a little bit more round. And then the sauce, you know, the tzatziki versus whatever shawarma, which would be more tahini-ish. So there’s that and the flavor of the spices and the meat itself, you know, how we marinate it.”

Karv’s name comes from a play on words, Lambroulis said.

“The word ‘karvouno’ means charred or broiled or charcoal-cooked,” he explained. “We cook the meat on a rotisserie and it’s broiled. So that’s kind of like half of that word. Plus obviously, we actually carve the meat off the rotisserie.”

Lambroulis was one of the original owners of the Gyro Spot in Manchester.

“I originally opened the Gyro Spot on Elm Street back in 2012 with my mom,” he remembered. “And that was very successful for us. About three and a half years ago I sold it just because I needed a break; my wife and I had our first son and I wanted to be present for him, and him not growing up in the back of a restaurant. Now that he’s started day care I’ve partnered up with a business partner and we decided to do a similar concept as before but something a little bit more. [Karv] still has counter service, but we have runners bringing the food out, and it’s a little bit more of an expanded menu.” In addition to six types of gyros, the new menu includes Greek favorites like falafel, spanakopita (a spinach and feta dish made with phyllo dough), and a variety of main courses, bowls and sides.

“We have smoothies,” Lambroulis added. “We have a whole Greek bakery section, with pastries that are imported from Greece. Our pita bread is imported and it literally only has four ingredients, so that makes it a little bit more on the health-conscious side. Don’t get me wrong, we have french fries and we have fried dough balls and super fun stuff.”So it’s just, I don’t know, it’s fun being creative and coming up with these wacky kinds of twisted flavors.”

Karv Greek Kouzina

Where: 1 Delahunty Drive, Windham, 377-5278, karvgreek.com
Hours: open seven days a week, 11 a.m to 9 p.m. Eat in, or order takeout online over the phone or in person.

Featured photo: Three gyros. Photo courtesy of Karv Greek Kouzina.

Category: Featured Content

Crafting the written word

Summer Guide 2025

News & Notes 25/05/22

Boss man

Guava & Goat Cookies

Exposing gyros’ secrets

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