Category: Featured Content

Rhythm kings

James Fernando Trio swings into Concord

Piano player James Fernando believes improvisational jazz is a conversation between musicians that begins before the first note is played. Parameters are established, relationships understood. It’s similar to two friends meeting for coffee — there’s no agenda, but they both know their talk will be more genial than a chat about the financial markets.

“I think improvisation is misunderstood, largely by people who aren’t really in the jazz world,” Fernando said in a recent phone interview. “They think there’s nothing to it because they’re just making it up as they go along, and that’s true, to an extent … but you know who you’re talking to.”

Chord changes, an established tempo and a song’s key are among the elements that provide a jumping-off point, he continued.

“The melody that we played before we begin the improvisation is the same, and all of these contextual elements make it so you’re not just starting from absolutely nothing,” he said. “There’s a lot of information surrounding it, and that makes your decision-making a little bit easier.”

Even so, one of Fernando’s most memorable shows was performed with musicians that he barely knew.

For years the pianist had wanted to start a dedicated jazz trio. Many of his favorite pianists had led their own trios, and the piano-bass-drums format is an enduring configuration in jazz. Though he’d performed with trios many times, he’d never built one of his own.

The chance came in late 2023, with an invitation to play at the Kennedy Center.

“I was asked on very short notice,” he said. “I think some Irish band had their head person get Covid or something like that … obviously, very unfortunate for them, but it was a nice opportunity for us.”

Though long based in Washington, D.C., Fernando had relocated to Philadelphia when he got the call. So he decided to kickstart the project with musicians from his new hometown.

“I called some strangers, really,” he said. “I even met the drummer on stage at the Kennedy Center that same evening.”

The show was a solid success.

“We got a nice recording and video of us at the Kennedy Center, which was very useful in booking more shows,” he said. “I was able to leverage those videos into more performances, and it went so well that I kept working with the same guys … and the rest is history.”

Earlier this year, the trio released Philly 3. Their first album together consists of eight Fernando compositions and a cover of Erroll Garner, one of his key influences.

“I composed with this band in mind, playing to their strengths,” he said, “We performed and rehearsed and kind of developed the music through live performances.”

The disc reflects Fernando’s desire to make music that’s both sophisticated and swinging, playful yet meticulous. He’s aiming for a sound that, as he told an interviewer a while back, “couldn’t have been written by just anyone with a jazz degree, and certainly not by an algorithm.”

On March 21, the James Fernando Trio will perform a fundraiser for Concord Community Music School. It’s his second visit — he did a set at the Bach’s Lunch series last April. The school, he said, “is a well-rounded beacon for music [that’s] very clearly open to people coming and expressing themselves and learning the ways that they’re most passionate about.”

In addition to performing, Fernando has taught classes for several years at D.C.-based Levine Music. He’s a frequent guest instructor, recently hosting a workshop at an Arizona high school, and he’s at UNC Pembroke for a similar event ahead of his stop in New Hampshire.

“So I’ve gotten the chance to see a lot of different programs and see the energy around the schools and whatnot,” he said. “And Concord Community Music School seems absolutely lovely.”

CCMS Jazz Night Fundraiser w/ James Fernando Trio
When: Saturday, March 21, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Concord Community Music School Recital Hall, 23 Wall St., Concord
Tickets: $80 and up includes reception, call 228-1196

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Chili, chowder, local help

Saint Peter’s holds its annual fundraising cook-off

Lee O’Connor is the chairman of the Chili and Chowder Cook-Off for Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church in Londonderry, which will take place this Saturday, March 21. O’Connor said the Cook-Off has become one of the most important events of the year for St. Peter’s.

“This is an event we’ve been having for nine years,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for people to cook chili and chowder with a chance of winning prizes and a chance to support important local programs. This year we’re supporting the Liberty House in Manchester, which helps local vets get their lives back together. [The Cook-Off] has become a big community event. We have a lot of people walk in just to have some chili and chowder and support a local cause. We probably have 100 people there and a lot of people just walk in just to support the event.”

The competition is open to anyone who wants to participate, O’Connor said. “Anybody can cook. We typically have 25 to 30 entries of either chili or chowder. People can either email our church or contact me, or in worst case, just walk in with their entry. There’s a $10 entry fee to submit a recipe, but with the opportunity to win several prizes. We’re excited to invite everybody to cook and to eat.”

While cooks are welcome at the cook-off, O’Conner said, anyone with an appetite is encouraged to come taste the entries and decide for themselves what the rankings should be. “To dine is here is the best bargain in town,” he said. “It costs $15 for all the chili and chowder you can eat.”

O’Connor said the ratio of chili to chowder varies from year to year, but there are usually more chili entrants than chowders.

“We’re encouraging folks to consider making their favorite chowder recipe,” he said, “but we’ve probably got close to 20 chili entries right now, and I think seven or eight chowders. So our judges are going to be busy.”

He said planning a strategy to appeal to the judges can be tricky.

“The judges have a judging sheet,” he said, “but these are not professional judges, so it largely comes down to their own personal taste. But the judging sheet helps them determine how much heat is in each chili. They look for meat or vegetarian flavors. Surprisingly, we have a lot of vegetarian entries that sometimes win. The winning chilis should have a distinct taste and some level of heat could be determined by the judges.” That level of heat can be pretty intense, he said. “There’s typically a couple of hot chilis that I like a lot — some five-alarm chilis.”

On the chowder side, O’Connor said, entries span the chowder spectrum.

“Clam chowder is a classic,” he said, “and so is corn, but sometimes we get … Manhattan clam chowder…. There’s some entries that border on soups that have an Italian flair; there’s some pasta in them sometimes. This is New England, so there’s seafood chowder, clam chowder, fish chowder, and corn chowder is a big one. So that’s what my wife makes.”

The secret to a winning chili or chowder, O’Connor said, will be big chunks of fresh ingredients. “I think that with chili,” he said, “having a quality meat and quality preparation is key to this. I think typically people who put time and effort into preparing meat tend to do better here.”

And it doesn’t hurt to look good.

“Contestants have to bring chili in a crock pot already heated,” he said. “And if it looks good in the pot and maybe has some condiments that you bring with it, those tend to catch the judge’s eye as well. Presentation is important.”

Ninth Annual Chili Chowder Cookoff
When: Saturday, March 21
Where: Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church, 3 Peabody Row, Londonderry, 437-8333, stpeterslondonderry.org
Cooks can register by signing up at church or emailing the church at church@stpeterslondonderry.org. There is a $10 entry fee. There is also a kids’ dessert competition, which is free to enter. Tasting tickets cost $15, $7 for ages 10 and under, according to the church’s Facebook page. The event will also include piñatas for kids and raffles, the post said.

Featured photo: Last year’s judges. Courtesy photo.

The sweet season

It’s 3.14 times as delicious as any other day

This Saturday, March 14, is one of the happiest days of the year for math enthusiasts. Written numerically, the date is 3/14, and of course 3.14 is the number pi (π) rounded to the nearest hundredth. “Pi Day,” also thought of as “Pie Day,” is a day of celebration for geometry fans, pun enthusiasts and of course pie lovers.

Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury, 783-9511, shakers.org) will embrace Pi Day this year. From 1:30 to 3 p.m. on March 14 the museum will host a Pi Day event with an informal lecture on the history of pie and its connection to Canterbury’s Shaker community — they were considered brilliant cooks and bakers. The event will allow guests to eat pie, and let pie enthusiasts mingle and share their collected passion.

“It actually is a very nice pie symposium,” said Garrett Bethmann, Manager of Communications and Engagement for the Shaker Village. “It’s just easy breezy as, you know, just like the smell [of a fresh-baked pie] coming out of your window. We just want people to have as sweet a time as pie is.”

“We’ll be playing a little bit with that mathematical concept as well as showing how pie [the pastry] fits into that. We’ll look at how pie has been used in American culture over the years, and how Shakers thought about pie and how they incorporated them into their daily life. I saw recently we got some floor plans that had an integrated pie safe situated in it for one of our buildings. It was certainly on their mind. And so we’d like to showcase how that looks and how people can learn about it.”

The baking community will also be celebrating Pi Day.

“Oh, we’ve gota Pi Day menu!” said Brittani Randal, co-owner of The Sunflower Bakery and Cafe (50 Broad St., Nashua, 505-0794, thesunflowerbakerycafe.com). “Last year, the number of pies we could make was just based [on] what we could bake from our house, and now that we have our [brick and mortar bakery] those numbers don’t even count anymore. Last year we had eight to 10 [types of pie], but that didn’t include our black bottom pie, which has been our most popular pie so far, and I don’t think we were offering the strawberry dream pie either, so there will probably be at least 10 [varieties of pie].” She said one of Sunflower’s corporate clients has already ordered 250 individual-sized pies for Pi Day.

Denise Nickerson, owner of The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St., Manchester, 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com) plans to go all out for Pi Day this year.

“We’re going to have every single kind of pie you can think of,” Nickerson said. “We’re going to have probably 25-plus [types of pie], depending on what people order. People come up with some interesting ideas and we’re planning to have as many different pies as we can. Our most popular, of course, is apple or chocolate cream. We’ll definitely have those. Lime is really popular and we’ll go from there.” The Bakeshop has a reputation for outstanding doughnuts. “We’re making some kind of a pie doughnut,” Nickerson said, “but that’s still under development; my team is working on it.”

For 24 hours, from midnight to midnight, on Pi Day all locations of the Red Arrow Diner (112 Loudon Road, Concord, 415-0444; 137 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 552-3091; 61 Lowell St., Manchester, 626-1118; 149 DW Highway, Nashua, 204-5088, redarrowdiner.com) will offer all slices of pie for $3.14, according to a statement from its corporate office.

Alison Ladman, owner of Crust and Crumb Baking Co. (126 N. Main St., Concord, 219-0763, thecrustandcrumb.com), said her plans for Pi Day are simple: “All we’re doing is baking a whole lot of pies. We want to make sure we don’t run out, and we recommend that any customers who have their heart set on a particular type of pie should pre-order online to make sure we still have some for them.”

NH’s Maple Weekend
To access an interactive map of sugar houses participating in this year’s Maple Weekend, visit nhmaplemap.com.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Who can duet

A night of show tunes is a friendly competition

The Lakes Region-based Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative has won Best Community Musical honors for three years in a row at the New Hampshire Theatre Alliance Awards, most recently for The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Their upcoming Just Duet fundraiser is a chance to learn why, as a group of mostly Powerhouse company members belt out Broadway songs.

It’s the fourth year for what is a friendly competition, though its title is a misnomer.

“Last year you were allowed to bring in a ringer for one of your songs and make a trio, and this year you can supersize,” Powerhouse producer and co-founder Bryan Halperin said in a recent phone interview. “Two teams can work together on a song, to create a quartet.”

So, not just duets, but it’s a lot of fun. During the evening, a range of songs will be performed. There are Disney musicals like Beauty & the Beast, Frozen and The Lion King, along with Beetlejuice, The Book of Mormon, Hamilton, Into the Woods, and the new-ish Suffs. For Mel Brooks fans, there’s The Producers and Young Frankenstein.

Not all singers are Powerhouse veterans.

“Some of the teams,” Halperin said, “pulled in a friend who hasn’t done something with us yet. For the most part it’s our regulars, but it’s open to anyone who wants to apply, and we do have some new people this year.”

For the first three years, the husband-and-wife team of Joel and Laura Iwaskiewicz took first prize, but that won’t happen this go-round. That’s because the couple are hosting the competition. They will also perform, singing and dancing their way through “There Once Was a Man,” from The Pajama Game.

The two won last year for their rendition of Singin’ in the Rain’s “Moses Supposes.” Their performance was carried by dazzling dance breaks, Joel recalled in a Zoom interview.

“There’s always been some element of choreography we’ve challenged ourselves with,” he said. “That’s kept it really fun, but I think it also maybe gives us a little bit of an edge.”

Joel and Laura met as performers. “It feels as cliché as a musical theater romance can get,” he said. “I was a guy, she was a doll; things just took off from there.” Asked if the invitation to host this year’s Just Duet might be a strategy to prevent them from getting another win, he chuckled.

“I mean, we don’t run the show, but we can confidently say there will be a new champion.”

Proceeds from the benefit show will be split between Powerhouse programs and the Colonial Theatre Investment Fund, which provides general support for upkeep, improvements and repairs at the venue. “This is one way Powerhouse gives back to the Colonial,” Halperin said. “It’s our home base, and we try to take really good care of it.”

An overall winner will be chosen by scores on a 10-point scale from guest judges Eric Hoffman (Laconia City Council), Heather Bishop (Lakes 101.5 Radio), Katherine Switala Elmhurst (Belknap Mill) and Jared Guilmett (Colonial Theatre Advisory Board), along with audience voting (there’s also an Audience Choice award).

Voting can also be done by donation, either with cash at the event or though the Powerhouse wesite. “If people want to support the cause or their favorite duo but can’t make it, they can still contribute online,” Halperin said, “and buy votes for the team of their choosing.”

The Powerhouse season continues May 1 with the New Hampshire premiere of The Magician’s Elephant. Also upcoming is the 2026 Play Festival (May 30-31), with 14 original works from a winter playwright workshop, and a June 27 concert version of 1776 to mark the semiquincentennial, with music provided by the Lake Street Symphony Orchestra.

With Shrek: The Musical (Aug. 7-9), Big Bad (Sept. 12-13) — the wolf giving his side of Little Red Riding Hood — and a pair of Peter Pan origin stories in October, it’s a busy year.

“We’re just trying to pack our schedule with stuff that keeps people engaged, both performers and the audience,” Halperin said. “We’re excited about what we’re working on.”

Just Duet: Broadway Style
When: Saturday, March 21, 7 p.m.
Where: Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia
Tickets: $25 at etix.com

Featured photo: Joel and Laura Iwaskiewicz. Courtesy photo.

131 exciting things to do in the spring

Welcome, spring!

March 20 kicks off spring, equinox-ically speaking. The New England winter ends when mud overtakes snow as the thing getting everywhere, which happens whenever. But spring for the purposes of fun and happenings is well underway, with a season of theater, music, arts events and more filling the calendar until Memorial Day weekend, when the summer vibes begin.

Here are just a few reasons to get excited about March 19 through May 20. Know of a spring happening not mentioned here? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com. Details listed here are according to the organizations’ websites and social media (where you can find details on event tickets and admission prices) unless otherwise noted. Any phone numbers mentioned have a 603 area code unless otherwise noted.

Time to throw off a few of those winter layers and get out to enjoy the spring.

1. “All Kinds of Everything,” an exhibition of works by Lucy Mink, a painter, and Keiko Narahashi, a sculptor, is on display at Outer Space Art Gallery, 35 Pleasant St. in Concord, through May 23, according to outerspacearts.xyz. The gallery is open Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m.

2. TheBedford Village Inn in Bedford continues its special menu of burgers and fries called Burgerama, available in the Tavern through March 28. Through Saturday, March 21, it’s “Global Week” with a Wicked Desayuno Burger, a Wicked Godzilla Burger and a Wicked Mediterranean Burger, according to the menu at bedfordvillageinn.com.

3. Steve Blunt is John Hutchinson for a New Hampshire Humanities program on Thursday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m. — “Originally from Milford, NH, the Hutchinson Family Singers … achieved international recognition with songs advancing social reform and political causes such as abolition, temperance, women’s suffrage, and the Lincoln presidential campaign of 1860,” according to nhhumanities.org. Blunt will portray the performer in the program — “Liberty Is Our Motto!: Songs and Stories of the Hutchinson Family Singers” — at the Brookline Historical Society, 17 Meetinghouse Hill Road in Brookline. See the website or contact library.director@brooklinenh.gov for info. See the NH Humanities website for more events throughout the state.

4. The 18th annual New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival, which started on March 15, continues through Sunday, March 29, with in-person screenings at theaters across the state. As well as virtual screenings. The next two local screenings are The Road Between Us on Thursday, March 19, at 7 p.m. at Chunky’s in Manchester and Ethan Bloom on Tuesday, March 24, at 7 p.m. at O’Neil Cinemas in Londonderry. See nhjewishfilmfestival.com for the full schedule, tickets and trailers.

5. The rocking bagpipers Red Hot Chilli Pipers will play the Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St. in Nashua, on Thursday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. See nashuacenterforthearts.com for tickets. See redhotchillipipers.com for more on the band.

6. The Nashua Public Library’s Tiny Film Festival will screen 60-second films made by the community and present awards Friday, March 20, at 6 p.m. at the library, 2 Court St. in Nashua, according to nashualibrary.org, where you can find other events this spring, including a discussion with Laura Knoy, former NHPR host, about her novel, The Shopkeeper of Alsace, on Sunday, March 22, 1-2:30 p.m.

7. The DoBros — who describe themselves on their Facebook page as a “Down Home Local music project from Warner…. We specialize in FarmFunk, DirtGrass, JunkyardJazz and RedneckRock” — will play Pembroke City Limits, 134 Main St. in Suncook, on Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m. See pembrokecitylimits.com for more upcoming shows.

  1. Bedford Youth Performing Company will present Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical on Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 21, at 1 and 7 p.m., at the Derryfield School in Manchester. The school will also present Disney Alice In Wonderland Jr. on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, at 1 p.m. at the Derryfield School. See bypc.org for tickets.

9. Kids Coop Theatre will present Oliver! The Musical on Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 22, at 2 p.m. at the Derry Opera House, 29 W Broadway in Derry, according kctnh.org, where you can purchase tickets.

10. The Pinkerton Players will present Chicago: Teen Editionon Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 22, at 2 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy, 44 N. Main St. in Derry, according to stockbridgetheatre.showare.com, where you can purchase tickets.

11. Don Jovi: The Ultimate Tribute to the Music of Bon Jovi will perform on Friday, March 20, at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com. Other tribute acts bringing your favorites to you up close at the Tupelo this spring include The Phil Collins Experience on Saturday, March 21, at 8 p.m.; Evil Empire: A Tribute to Rage Against the Machine (with Lounge Fly: A Tribute to Stone Temple Pilots) on Saturday, March 28, at 1 p.m.; The Artimus Pyle Band — Honoring the music of Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd on Friday, April 10, at 8 p.m.; Bad Animals — The Heart Tribute on Saturday, April 18, at 8 p.m., and Back to the Eighties with Jessie’s Girl on Saturday, May 9, at 8 p.m. See the website for more shows and to purchase tickets.

12. It’s Maple Weekend 2026 in New Hampshire Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, March 22! See nhmapleproducers.com and our story on page 18.

13. Manchester Proud will host Spring Into Summer 2026 on Saturday, March 21, from 9 a.m. to noon at Beech Street School in Manchester. It’s an “annual community event connecting youth, families, schools, and local businesses to meaningful summer opportunities,” according to manchesterproud.org.

14. Register to attend Hobbit Fest at the Concord Public Library, 45 Green St. in Concord, on Saturday, March 21, at 10 a.m., according to concordnh.gov/1983/Library. Enjoy a movie screening along with “second breakfast and elevenses,” costumes encouraged, according to the website, where you can find other upcoming library events.

15. New England Premier Events has two expos slated for the Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road in Concord, on the March 21-22 weekend. On Saturday, March 21, it’s the Women’s Day Expo from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., featuring “vendors about career development, travel, financial planning, shopping, fashion, food, entertainment, and cosmetics,” according to the event’s Eventbrite page. On Sunday, March 22, it’s the Concord Wedding Event from noon to 3 p.m., featuring vendors offering “caterers, cake vendors, mobile bar, wedding dresses” and more, the event’s Eventbrite page said. Find ticket prices and more information on their Eventbrite pages.

16. “Mixing It Up,” featuring mixed media artists Anne Boedecker, Adele Sanborn, Becky Sawyer, Joy Malcolm, and Sandy Steen Bartholomew, will open on Saturday, March 21, and run through Saturday, April 25, at the Two Villages Art Society, 846 Main St. in Contoocook, according to twovillagesart.org. An artists reception will be held March 21 from noon to 2 p.m. The Society’s May show is “Boundless: Expansive Views of Land and Imagination,” featuring photography by William Balsam, Tom McHugh, Lindsay Holmes, Jay Fitzpatrick and running May 2-30, the website said.

17. Cheer Nashua’s Rivier University Raiders men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. The next home game for the men’s lacrosse team will be Saturday, March 21, at noon, on Joanne Merrill Field at Linda Robinson Pavilion in Nashua against Albertus Magnus College. The women’s team’s next home game is Thursday, March 26, at 5 p.m. vs. Vermont State University Castleton. See rivierathletics.com.

18. Get some Saint Anselm College Hawks lacrosse. The men’s team will play its next home game on Saturday, March 21, at noon against Franklin Pierce University. The women’s team’s next home game is Saturday, March 28, at 6 p.m. against Bentley. Both games take place at Grappone Stadium on the Saint Anselm College campus in Manchester. See saintanselmhawks.com.

19. Ballet Misha will present a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Saturday, March 21, at 1 and 6 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord. See balletmisha.com for tickets.

20. Fred Marple will appear with his book Udder Nonsense: More Tales from Frost Heaves on Saturday, March 21, at 2 p.m. at Bookery, 844 Elm St. in Manchester, according to bookerymht.com, where you can check back for more upcoming author events, book clubs, story times and other happenings.

21. Swing Into Spring Gala featuring the New Hampshire Jazz Orchestra takes place Saturday, March 21, at 7 p.m. at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, according to tickets.anselm.edu, where you can purchase tickets. Other events at the Dana Center include the Celebration of Light Tour with pianist Teresa Walters on Friday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m.; Guitar Night with Hiroya Tsukamoto on Friday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m., and Mutts Gone Nuts on Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m.

22. Comedian Juston McKinney has shows in the area this spring. Catch him at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre in Concord on Saturday, March 21, at 8 p.m.; Park Theatre in Jaffrey on Friday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m., and the Rochester Opera House on Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m., among other New Hampshire and New England dates, according to justonmckinney.com, where you can find a link to tickets.

23. New Hampshire Underground, 134 Haines St. in Nashua, newhampshireunderground.org, is slated to reopen after renovations on Saturday, March 21, with a Spring Equinox Drum Circle at Terminus Underground at 7 p.m. The event is 21+. See the website for more events.

24. Catch comedian Harrison Stebbins on Saturday, March 21, at 8 p.m. at the Headliners Comedy show at the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Manchester, according to headlinersnh.com, where you can purchase tickets and find a full line-up of comedy shows at the downtown Manchester location into May. Headliners also books comics at Chunky’s in Manchester and the website lists comedians into June at that location. See the website for tickets to those shows as well as Headliners shows at other area locations.

25. Patricia Zube will discuss her new book Gift of the Bear, described as “a middle-grade historical novel set in 1755 during the French and Indian War,” at Balin Books, 375 Amherst St. in Somerset Plaza, in Nashua, on Sunday, March 22, at 1 p.m., according to balinbooks.com, where you can check back to find more of their upcoming author, book club and other events.

26. The Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St. in Manchester, will host an Art Talk with Wendy Edwards, whose work is on display in “Flourishing,” an exhibition of oil paintings, on Sunday, March 22, from 2 to 3 p.m. Registration is required; see currier.org. “Flourishing” will be on display through April 5. Also on display at the museum is “Spray: Jules Olitski in the 1960s,” an exhibition of spray paintings, sculptures and other pieces from the Jules Olitski Foundation, and “Painting in Color” featuring the works of four contemporary artists, Heather Hutchison, Joseph Marioni, Jane Swavely and John Zurier, according to the website, which said both of those exhibits will be on display through Aug. 9.

27. Margo Burns, the 10th-generation great-granddaughter of Rebecca Nurse, who was hanged in Salem in 1692 on the charge of witchcraft, and the project manager and an associate editor of Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt, will present “The Capital Crime of Witchcraft” presented by NH Humanities (nhhumanities.org) on Tuesday, March 24, at 6 p.m. at Manchester City Library (405 Pine St., Manchester). Find more events at the Manchester City Library at manchester.lib.nh.us, including a family-friendly Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

28. It’s a Spring Cleaning Pottery Sale and Pottery for a Purpose Fundraiser at Studio 550 Art Center, 550 Elm St. in Manchester, from Monday, March 23, through Saturday, March 28, from noon to 8 p.m., according to a post on the studio’s Facebook page. “Pottery for a Purpose: Marked at $1-20 per piece, proceeds go to The International Institute of New England,” the post said. See 550arts.com.

29. The Walker Lecture Fund presents “The Serious and the Sideshow: Two Sides of the NH Primary” on Wednesday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord. The event is free, with open seating, according to theaudi.org. The presentation will feature Neil Levesque of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and then former AP reporter David Tirrell-Wysocki, the website said. Other Walker events include “An Evening Of A Cappella with The Afternotes and Stonehenge” on Wednesday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m.; “A Jazz Celebration of African American Music and Art” on Wednesday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m.; “Life on the Seas, Life with the Bees,” in which Fred Richards leads a photo tour of his Merchant Marine experiences and father-daughter duo Jim and Katie Watt talk about turning a passion for beekeeping into the Concord Bee Company, on Wednesday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m., and Magic Play with Andrew Pinard on Wednesday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m., the Audi website said.

30. Lucy Kaplansky will perform at the Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille, 40 Andover Road in New London, on Thursday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m., according to flyinggoose.com, where you can find information on reservations, which are required. Also on the schedule are The Boneheads on Thursday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m.; Liz Longley on Thursday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m., and Sam Robbins on Thursday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m., the website said.

31. Root for the lacrosse teams at Southern New Hampshire University. The women’s next home game is Friday, March 27, at 6 p.m. vs. Franklin Pierce University at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium on the SNHU campus (the stadium is on Victory Lane in Hooksett). The men’s team’s next home game is scheduled for Sunday, March 29, at 1 p.m. versus Adelphi University. See snhupenmen.com for the full schedule.

32. Actorsingers Jr. will present Goosebumps The Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium on Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 29, at 2 p.m. at the Janice B. Streeter Theater, 14 Court St. in Nashua, according to actorsingers.org. Actorsingers will also present Shrek The Musical on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm St. in Nashua, according to actorsingers.org, where you can purchase tickets for both shows.

  1. The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts will present High School Musical Jr. at the Derry Opera House, 29 West Broadway in Derry, on Friday, March 27, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 28, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 29, at 2 p.m. The Majestic will also present Airport Encounters, described as“a hilarious romp and sometimes touching peek at an ‘Anytown Airport’ gate waiting area, as passengers interact before boarding their flights,” according to majestictheatre.net, at the Majestic Theatre, 880 Page St. in Manchester, Friday, April 17, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 18, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, April 19, at 2 p.m. See the website for tickets.

34. Catch Entrain Friday, March 27, at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com. The Tupelo’s packed spring schedule includes A.J. Croce presenting Croce Plays Croce on Sunday, April 12, at 7 p.m.; Jake Shimabukuro on Sunday, April 19, at 7 p.m.; Vanilla Fudge on Wednesday, April 22, at 8 p.m.; Soul Asylum Acoustic on Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m.; White Lion with All Sinners opening on Thursday, May 14, at 8 p.m., and Gary Hoey on Friday, May 15, at 8 p.m. See the website for more shows, updates and tickets.

35. The “Voices: Celebrating Women Together” show at Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St. in Manchester (find them on Facebook) will kick off at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 27, and feature Bella’s Bartok, Dog8Dog, DJ Amino and Wyn and the White Light, according to the post, where you can find a link to buy tickets. Check out the events tab on their Facebook page for a list of shows this spring.

36. SEE Science Center, 200 Bedford St. in Manchester, will host a regional Rube Goldberg Machine Contest on Saturday, March 28, during its regular hours — see the competition as part of regular admission, according to see-sciencecenter.org.

37. Saturday, March 28, is the final date for “Mosaic: A Collective Vision,” “an exhibition celebrating the teaching and studio artists of Kimball Jenkins,” 266 N. Main St. in Concord, according to kimballjenkins.com, where you can find viewing dates for the exhibition and updates for upcoming Kimball Jenkins exhibitions and events.

38. The New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park St. in Concord, is hosting a family program, “Redcoats and Rebels: Pick Your Path,” on Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., according to nhhistory.org. Geared toward ages 8 to 13, the program will allow kids to “immerse themselves in New Hampshire’s fight for independence from Britain,” according to the website, where you can register for this program (advance registration required).

39. Castleberry Fairs & Festivals will hold the 5th Annual Capital City Craft Festival, a juried indoor arts and crafts festival, at the Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road in Concord, on Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the event’s Facebook page. See also castleberryfairs.com.

40. The second GenXpo — described as “An expo in Nashua, NH for Generation X, Baby Boomers and beyond!” — will take place Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Nashua Senior Activity Center, 70 Temple St. in Nashua, according to the event’s Facebook page. Also on the expo schedule for spring is the New Hampshire Coin and Currency Expo Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4, at the DoubleTree By Hilton Manchester Downtown. See nhcoinexpo.com.

41. Charmingfare Farm, 774 High St. in Candia, will host an Egg-citing Egg Hunt, geared toward egg hunters ages 2 to 12, Saturdays and Sundays, March 28-29 and April 4-5, with entry times from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to visitthefarm.com, where you can purchase tickets. The egg hunt comes the weekend after Charmingfare wraps up its Maple Express event March 21-22, focused on maple sap collecting and the syrup making process. You can also hunt for eggs at the Lions Clubs of Pinardville and Goffstown’s Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 28, with 9 a.m. (for ages 1 to 4), 9:45 a.m. (ages 5 to 7) and 10:30 a.m. (ages 8 to 10) start times at Roy Park in Pinardville. Find the clubs on Facebook.

42. The New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way in Auburn, will feature “The Wildlife and Landscape of New England,” an exhibition of photography by Jason Davini, through Wednesday, April 29, and is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to nhaudubon.org, where you can find additional NH Audubon events such as the “Wildlife Friendly Gardening” event slated for Saturday, March 28 (as of March 16 it is listed as being sold out; email kwhiteman@nhaudubon.org for updates).

43. The Easter Bunny will arrive at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, aviationmuseumofnh.org, via student-built airplane on Saturday, March 28, at 11 a.m. with free admission to the museum and activities for kids until 1 p.m., according to a museum press release. Families are asked to arrive by 10:30 a.m. to witness Easter Bunny’s outdoor arrival, after which the Bunny will pose for photos, talk with fans and hand out candy, the press release said. The Aviation Museum will also hold its annual Run the Rail Trail 4-Miler on Saturday, May 2, at 9 a.m., open to runners and walkers, according to the website, where you can find a link to register.

44. Learn how to make Pysanky, Ukrainian Easter Eggs, on Saturday, March 28, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the New Hampshire School of Languages and Arts, 3 J Taggart Drive in Nashua. Register by emailing mariabronfine@gmail.com.

45. March 30 is the final day of “Women Wize,” the current show at the Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester, which opened earlier in March. Next up is “Clear To Me,” a show “focusing on negative space and the balance of light and dark,” running Monday, April 6, through Tuesday, April 28, with a reception on Saturday, April 11, from 5 to 7 p.m., according to mosaicartcollective.com. And check with See Saw Art, an exhibition space within Mosaic, for their offerings at seesaw.gallery.

46. Ladysmith Black Mambazo will perform at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord, on Tuesday, March 31, at 7 p.m. Tickets are free as part of the Gile Series but go to ccanh.com to reserve a spot. The Cap Center’s venues — Chubb Theatre and BNH Stage — have lots of music on the schedule this spring. A few examples include the Brubeck Brothers Quartet on Saturday, April 11, at 7 p.m.; Celtic Woman on Thursday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m.; Sad AF Emo Nite on Saturday, April 25, at 8 p.m.; Panorama: A Tribute to The Cars on Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m., and The Head and The Heart on Friday, May 8, at 8 p.m.

47. Click, Clack Moo, based on the book by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin, will be on stage at the Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy, 44 N. Main St. in Derry, on Thursday, April 2, at 10 a.m., according to stockbridgetheatre.showare.com, where you can purchase tickets.

48. Honor Patrick Swayze and Jerry Orbach by showing off your Dirty Dancing knowledge at Dirty Dancing Trivia night on Thursday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 707 Huse Road in Manchester, chunkys.com. Check out the schedule of upcoming events for more specialty trivia nights and bingo nights (with both games having family nights about once a month), live comedy, paint nights and special family screenings.

49. The Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd in Hampton Beach, kicks off its season with Melissa Etheridge on Thursday, April 2, at 8 p.m., according to casinoballroom.com. Other shows this spring include The Fools with Fortune and Captain Jack & The Strangers on April 4; Clint Black on April 9; One Night of Queen on April 17; Lita Ford on May 8; Bret Michaels on May 15 and May 16, and Avatar on May 20.

50. The Hispanic Flamenco Ballet will perform for students on Friday, April 3, at 10 and 11 a.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord, according to theaudi.org. Call 305-420-6622 for tickets.

51. Is this the actual start of spring? It’s opening day for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester. The Fisher Cats take on the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Friday, April 3, at 6:03 p.m. (nice) and then again Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5, at 1:05 p.m. See milb.com/new-hampshire for tickets. April 3 is also the home opener for the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, when they’ll play the San Diego Padres at 2:10 p.m. See mlb.com/redsox.

52. Ovation Theatre Company will present The Addams Family Musical, primarily featuring performers ages 13 to 19, on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4, at 7 p.m. as well as April 4 at 2 p.m. at the Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway in Derry, according to ovationtc.com, where you can purchase tickets. Ovation will also present 101 Dalmatian Kids with performers ages 7 to 14 Friday, May 8, through Sunday, May 10, at Ovation Studios, 61 Harvey Road in Londonderry, the website said.

53. April 3 is the first Friday of the month, which means it’s time for Super Stellar Friday at McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, 2 Institute Drive in Concord. On Fridays, catch specialty programming starting with a speaker presentation at 7 p.m., a planetarium show at 8 p.m. and, weather permitting, a sky view with the New Hampshire Astronomical Society, according to starhop.com, where you can purchase tickets for the presentation as well as the add-on tickets for the planetarium show.

54. Concord’s Giant Indoor Yard Sale will take place Saturday, April 4, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road in Concord, according to the event’s Facebook page. Adult admission costs $5, the page said.

55. Carriage Shack Farm, 5 Dan Hill Road in Londonderry, will hold an Easter Bunny Party At the Farm on Saturday, April 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to carriageshackfarmllc.org, where you can purchase tickets.

56. Southern New Hampshire Youth Ballet will present Cinderella as their spring show on Saturday, April 4, at 1 and 4 p.m. See snhdt.org for tickets; the show takes place at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St. in Manchester, whose website says the show is 75 minutes long with a 15-minute intermission.

57. Catch Cecil B. Demille’s first attempt at the Moses story when the 1923 silent film The Ten Commandmentsplays at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre on Main Street in Wilton, screened with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, on Sunday, April 5, at 2 p.m. Find more of Jeff’s upcoming silent film presentations at silentfilmlivemusic.blogspot.com/p/upcoming-silent-film-screenings.html. In other movie news, weather permitting, Friday, April 10, or possibly Friday, April 17, will be the opening weekend for the Milford Drive-In, 531 Elm St. in Milford. Keep an eye on milforddrivein.com for opening dates and double features.

58. The April 9-May 9 show at The Glimpse Gallery, 4 Park St. in Concord, opens Thursday, April 9, with a reception on Saturday, April 11, from 5 to 7 p.m., according to theglimpsegallery.com.

59. The Capitol Center for the Arts has comedy on the schedule this spring, including Mae Martin with their new show The Possum on Thursday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m. (find their 2023 show Sap on Netflix). Other comedy on the schedule includes Karen Morgan on Thursday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. and Craig Ferguson on Sunday, April 12, at 7 p.m.

60. Kids can treat their fluffy friend to a night out at Stuffy Sleepover Storytime on Friday, April 10, at Wonderland Books and Toys, Maple Valley Plaza, 245 Maple St. in Manchester, wonderlandbooksandtoys.com. PJ-wearing kids and their stuffies can come for storytime at 6:30 p.m. and then the stuffies will stay the night, with kids able to pick them up at 11 a.m. the next morning, according to the website, where you can register for April’s sleepover or for an upcoming second Friday.

61. The Flying Gravity Circus, featuring children and teen performers, will hold its spring show “Tales: A Circus Adventure” on Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 11, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 12, at 2 p.m. at the Peterborough Players Theatre, according to flyinggravitycircus.org, where you can check back for additional details.

62. The Anselmian Abbey Players will present the musical comedy Something Rotten!on Fridays, April 10 and April 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, April 11 and April 18, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 12, at 2 p.m., and Thursday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College in Manchester. See tickets.anselm.edu for tickets.

63. After a few mid-March dates in Florida, comedian Bob Marley returns to New England with dates in Maine and Massachusetts before coming to the Palace Theatre in Manchester April 10-12 and then heading to Keene (April 18) and Lebanon (May 9). Follow Marley at bmarley.com.

64. The Little Giant “Old School” Comic Show will be held Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road in Concord, featuring comic book sellers, art and artists, according to oldschoolcomicshow.com.

65. O’Neil Cinemas at 16 Orchard View in Londonderry hosts sensory-friendly screenings where house lights are higher and there are no loud noises, according to oneilcinemas.com. Next up is Super Mario Galaxy Movieon Saturday, April 11, at 10 a.m.

66. The Concord Arts Market will hold “HeARTwork: A Seasonal Artisan Market Series” at Kimball Jenkins, 266 N. Main St. in Concord, on Saturday, April 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with this month’s theme being “Life,” according to concordartsmarket.org. The event will feature kids’ activities and refreshments, according to the Market’s Facebook page.

67. Safe Haven Ballet will perform Don Quixote this spring with shows at the Capitol Center for the Arts Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord, on Saturday, April 11, at 4:30 p.m.; at the Music Hall Historic Theatre in Portsmouth on Sunday, April 12, at 4:30 p.m., and at the Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St. in Nashua, on Saturday, April 18, at 4:30 p.m. See safehavenballet.org.

68. The Palace Theatre presents its Short Play Fest featuring six new short plays on Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in Manchester. See palacetheatre.org. Other shows at the Palace include Cabaret, wrapping up March 22; Footloose April 17-May 10, and a few Palace Youth Theatre productions including 9 to 5 Jr. on March 19. The Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., and Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., in Manchester, will also feature several musical tribute shows this spring, including one honoring four ladies of country music. Catch Legends Live On: A Tribute to Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Reba McEntire and Tammy Wynette on Friday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 16, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. See palacetheatre.org for tickets.

69. The Concord Community Concert Association will present “Here Come The Judds — A Tribute” on Saturday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord, according to theaudi.org. Purchase tickets in advance at ccca-audi.org or for cash or check at the door.

70. Kids Con New England — a celebration of comic books, comic book creators, comic book readers, superheroes and more — will take place Sunday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sheraton in Nashua. See kidsconne.com for tickets and for a list of artists and authors scheduled to attend as well as activities and programming scheduled throughout the event.

71. ArtHub, 98 Main St. in Nashua, will hold its Spring EAST Show (Emerging Art Student Talent)on Sunday, April 12, where kids from ages 6 to 18 can display their works, according to nashuaarts.org, where you can find registration information. Works will be awarded prizes, and First Place and Best in Show winners will be displayed at ArtHub for a month, the website said. ArtHub currently has a spring exhibit on display; see the website for upcoming events.

72. 815 Cocktails and Provisions, 815 Elm St. in Manchester, will hold The Daiq Off, a Tiki party and daiquiri competition, on Sunday, April 12, from 3 to 7 p.m., according to a post on its Facebook page, where you can find a link for tickets. See 815nh.com.

73. The Millyard Museum, 200 Bedford St. in Manchester, will open the new exhibition “Reflections of the Revolution: The Derryfield Perspective” on Wednesday, April 15, according to an email from the museum. “This exhibit will feature stories, portraits and artifacts from several influential characters in America’s Revolution,” the email said. See manchesterhistoric.org.

74. The Joshua Tree Concert: U2’s Premier Tribute Band will perform on Thursday, April 16, at 8 p.m. at LaBelle Winery Amherst. Other shows on the Amherst location’s spring schedule include Redneck Castaway Band: A Tribute to Kenny Chesney on Thursday, March 26; Bridgerton-Inspired Dinner Party with String Quartet on Saturday, March 28; Sci-Fi Murder Mystery Dinner Party on Saturday, April 18, and Studio Two: The Beatles Tribute Concert on Thursday, April 23, according to the website, labellewinery.com, along with several other food and craft events.

75. The Made in NH Expo will take place Friday, April 17, from 1 to 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown Hotel, 700 Elm St. in Manchester. See madeinnhexpo.com for tickets and a link to the event’s Facebook page, where you can see some of the vendors slated to appear.

76. Epping Community Theatre will present Matilda Jr. Friday, April 17, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.; and Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, at 2 p.m. at the Epping Playhouse, 38 Ladds Lane in Epping, according to eppingtheater.org, where you can purchase tickets. The Epping Playhouse will also host Roland’s Basement ’80s Night on Saturday, May 9, at 7 p.m.

77. Catch Adam Ezra Group at the Flying Monkey, 39 Main St. in Plymouth, on Friday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m., according to flyingmonkeynh.com, where you can purchase tickets and find the full rundown of upcoming events, including movie screenings such as 1980’s Caddyshack on Wednesday, April 8, at 6 p.m.

78. See comedians Brian Glowacki and Jeff Koen at the Tupelo Night of Comedy on Friday, April 17, at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com.

79. The Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival will take place at the University of New Hampshire, Hamilton Smith Hall in Durham, Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, when there will be a small press fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See unhpoetry.com for more details including a schedule, which should be posted in March.

80. Saturday, April 18, is Record Store Day, a celebration of your local vinyl purveyors with special releases and limited-edition albums. See recordstoreday.com to find a participating store. At Pitchfork Records in Concord, they plan to open at 8 a.m., according to pitchforkrecordsconcord.com. Metro City Records, 691 Somerville St. in Manchester, will be open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  1. The Woman’s Service Club of Windham will hold its Spring Craft Fair on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Golden Brook School, 112B Lowell Road in Windham, according to womansserviceclubofwindham.org.

82. Bring Back the Trades will hold a Skills Expo Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Londonderry High School (295 Mammoth Road in Londonderry) featuring local trades organizations, according to bringbackthetrades.org.

83. Discover WILD New Hampshire Day is Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the NH Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive in Concord, according to wildlife.nh.gov/dwnh. This family-friendly event features live animals, a food truck alley, exhibits, hands-on activities and more, according to the website.

84. The Derry Author Fest will take place Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Derry Public Library, 64 E. Broadway in Derry, according to an email from the library. This year’s theme is “Pathways to Publication.” The day will feature a book sale and a series of panels and workshops, including a keynote with authors Rebecca Rule and Adi Rule. See derryauthorfest.wordpress.com. Rochester will also host an authors event: The Rochester Writ- ers Night will hold its third annual Rochester Area Authors Fair on Saturday, April 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the covered pavilion at Hanson Pines Park, 68 Dominicus Way in Rochester, featuring keynote speaker J.R. Rainville, author of the Ungifted fantasy series, according to a press release. See facebook.com/rochesterNHwriters.

85. Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main St. in Concord, will screen The Biggest Little Farm (PG, 2019), a documentary about Apricot Lane Farms in southern California, on Saturday, April 18, at 10 a.m., according to redrivertheatres.org, where you can purchase tickets and find more upcoming screenings.

86. The Luna Moth Zine Fest will take place Saturday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 72 Concord St. in Manchester. The event is all-ages and free, according to lunamothzinefest.com where you can see a list of participating vendors.

87. Duncan Watson, manager of Keene’s solid waste program, will talk about his book, Everyone’s Trash: One Man Against 1.6 Billion Pounds, on Saturday, April 18, at 1 p.m. at the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, 224-9909). Register at nhaudubon.org/event to attend. Watson will also discuss his book at the Manchester City Library on Thursday, April 9, at 6 p.m., according to manchester.lib.nh.us.

Also at the McLane Center, the exhibition “Party Animals,” a show of handprinted linocuts by Bethany Clarke, runs through Saturday, May 2, and the gallery is open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to nhaudubon.org, where you can find additional NH Audubon events at the McLane Center.

88. The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra will present Antonio Vivaldi, Four Seasons and Ralph Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 5 with special guest soloist David Kim from The Philadelphia Orchestra on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, at 2 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center in Salem, according to nhphil.org, where you can purchase tickets.

89. Brooklyn composer Sunny Jain, described as having “a dynamic fusion of South Asian classical music, jazz, and funk,” will bring his show “Love Force” to Stockbridge Theatre at Pinkerton Academy, 44 N. Main St. in Derry, on Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m., according to stockbridgetheatre.showare.com, where you can purchase tickets.

90. Symphony NH music director finalist Tianhui Ng will present “New Hampshire Passions” on Saturday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. at the Keefe Auditorium, 117 Elm St. in Nashua, in a show that will feature a collaboration with Black Hole Symphony as well as a pre-show talk at 6:30 p.m., according to symphonynh.org, where you can purchase tickets. Also on Symphony NH’s spring schedule is a Chamber Concert featuring Symphony NH musicians on Saturday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. also at the Keefe Auditorium.

91. The Littlefield Gazette Does Not End Today by Don Zolidis, directed by Alexander Slocum, will be presented by the Nashua Theatre Guild on Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 26, at 2 p.m. at Janice B. Streeter Theatre, 14 Court St. in Nashua. See nashuatheatreguild.org to purchase tickets.

92. The 2026 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors New England Regional will be held at the Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road in Concord, with its public day on Saturday, April 25, from 8 a.m. to noon and its members day on Friday, April 24. See newenglandregional.org. In other hobby news, the Hooksett Lions Club will hold its annual model train show at David R. Cawley Middle School in Hooksett on Sunday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

93. LeVar Burton is the Indie Bookstore Ambassador for this year’s Independent Bookstore Day, according to bookweb.org/independent-bookstore-day, which is slated for Saturday, April 25. Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord has the day on their schedule and last year Bookery in Manchester and Balin Books in Nashua also celebrated.

94. Springfest, held by the Goffstown Citizens Committee, will run Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sullivan Arena at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, according to goffstowncitizens.org, where you can purchase tickets. The day will feature vendors, a food court, kids’ activities and more, the website said.

95. Etz Hayim Synagogue, 1½ Hood Road in Derry, will hold a Mah Jongg Tournament on Sunday, April 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sign up by April 12 for a day featuring four rounds of game play with four games per one-hour round, according to a press release. Register and pay at etzhayim.org/mah-jongg-tournament.

96. Remix Roller Skating & Event Center, 725 Huse Road in Manchester, will offer a Vacation Skate Party on Monday, April 27, with two-hour skate blocks and a free 20-minute roller skate lesson for the 10 a.m. block, according to skateremix.com, where you can purchase tickets for time blocks and find other upcoming all-ages and adults-only skating events.

97. Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord, in conjunction with New Hampshire Public Radio and the Capitol Center for the Arts, will host author Emma Straub with her new book American Fantasy for an Authors on Main event at the BNH Stage in Concord on Tuesday, April 28, at 7 p.m. See ccanh.com for tickets. See gibsonsbookstore.com for more upcoming author and book club events.

98. The Craftworkers’ Guild Spring Fair Craft Shop at Oliver Kendall House (3A Meetinghouse Road in Bedford, behind the Bedford Public Library) will open Thursday, April 30, and stay open through Sunday, May 24. See thecraftworkersguild.org.

  1. The Manchester Vegan Chef Challenge returns May 1-31, with participating eateries featuring special vegan items, according to veganchefchallenge.org/manchester, where you can go for updates. In other Manchester-based food news, keep an eye on tacotourmanchester.com for updates on the 2026 Taco Tour Manchester. Traditionally, the celebration of tacos in downtown Manchester takes place on a Thursday in early May. In Nashua stay tuned to downtownnashua.org for details on the Nashua Food Truck Festival slated for May 2, according to the website.

100. The New Hampshire Farm, Forest and Garden Expo will run Friday, May 1, from 9 a.m .to 5 p.m. and Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Deerfield Fairgrounds with the 2026 theme “From Soil to Sawdust: How New Hampshire Makes Ag Happen” and featuring “two full days of live demonstrations, expert-led workshops, running machinery, barnyard animals, lumberjack shows, and free horse-drawn wagon rides,” according to nhfarmandforestexpo.org, where you can find a map and other details. Tickets are for sale at the gate, the website said.

101. Intown Concord’s First Friday in downtown Concord returns Friday, May 1, from 4 to 8 p.m. with the theme “Petals & Pedals,” according to firstfridayconcord.com, where you can check back for updates on participating food trucks and other activities. The Wandering Souls are slated to play City Plaza from 4 to 8 p.m. and in Bicentennial Square Chasing Ghosts is scheduled to play from 4 to 5:45 p.m. and Stray Dog from 6:15 to 8 p.m.

102. The Manchester Community Theatre Players will present You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown on Fridays and Saturdays, May 1-2 and May 8-9, at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, May 3 and May 10, at 2 p.m. at the MCTP Theatre, the North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St. in Manchester. See manchestercommunitytheatre.com for tickets.

103. The Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative will present the New Hampshire premiere of The Magician’s Elephant, based on the book by Kate DiCamillo, on Friday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St. in Laconia, according to powerhousenh.org, where you can purchase tickets.

104. The Community Players of Concord presentTo Kill A MockingbirdFriday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord. See communityplayersofconcord.org for tickets.

105. Cue Zero Theatre will present the Tracy Letts play Bug on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m., at Arts Academy of New Hampshire, 19 Keewaydin Drive in Salem, according to cztheatre.com, where you can purchase tickets.

106. Free Comic Book Day 2026 is Saturday, May 2! Celebrate comic books with free specially published issues — see freecomicbookday.com for a list of this year’s titles. Double Midnight Comics, 252 Willow St. in Manchester and 341 Loudon Road in Concord, does Free Comic Book Day up right with the Manchester store holding a comic con and a cosplay contest and featuring a food truck court and movie cars, according to dmcomics.com, where you can check back for details on this year.

107. The outdoor downtown Concord Farmers’ Market will open for the season on Saturday, May 2, from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Capitol Street next to the Statehouse lawn, according to concordfarmersmarket.com.

108. The Seacoast Cat Club will have their annual Cat Show at the Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road in Concord, on Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, according to the Everett Arena’s schedule on the city’s website. Check cfa.org/event/seacoast-cat-club for updates.

109. The Concord Chorale will perform Brahms Requiem on Saturday, May 2, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 3 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church in Concord, according to concordchorale.org, where you can check back for updates.

110. NH Roller Derby kicks off its season with a bout on Saturday, May 2, at JFK Coliseum, 303 Beech St. in Manchester, according to nhrollerderby.com. Check back to the website and the NH Roller Derby Facebook page for updated details. Interested in joining? Meet-and-Greets will be held Thursdays, March 19 and April 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Manchester Ballers Association, 3 Sundial Ave. in Manchester, according to a Facebook post, where you can find details.

111. Napoleon Dynamite Live comes to the Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St. in Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com, on Saturday, May 2, at 7 p.m. featuring a full screening of 2004’s Napoleon Dynamite and a “lively, freewheeling interactive experience with fan-favorite cast members John Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) and Efren Ramirez (Pedro),” according to the website. Other shows slated for the Nashua Center for the Arts include Better Than Ezra on March 22, The Peking Acrobats on April 1, James Austin Johnson on April 23 and The Machine Performs Pink Floyd on May 3. See the website for all upcoming shows.

112. Millennium Running will hold its annual Cinco de Miles 5K in Bedford, starting and ending near the Bedford High School, on Sunday, May 3, at 9:30 a.m. See millenniumrunning.com for details on this and other races this spring.

113. The Concord Hospital Rock’N Race will be held Wednesday, May 6, at 6 p.m., featuring live music and food on the Statehouse lawn, according to runsignup.com/Race/NH/Concord/RockNRace, where you can register.

114. The Nashua Center’s annual Taste of the Towns event will take place Thursday, May 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Sheraton Nashua, 11 Tara Blvd. in Nashua, according to nashuacenter.org/taste-of-the-towns.

115. Catch comedians Christine Hurley, Kerri Louise and Kristy Kielbasinski at Mother of A Comedy Show on Thursday, May 7, at 8 p.m. at LaBelle Winery Derry, according to labellewinery.com. Other shows slated for LaBelle Winery Derry this spring include A Pirate’s Life for Me: Murder Mystery Dinner Party on Saturday, March 21; The Eagles Experience on Thursday, March 26; Northern Cross: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Tribute Show on Thursday, April 2; Fleetwood Macked: The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute on Thursday, April 9; Completely Unchained: Van Halen Tribute Concert on Thursday, April 30, and Mamma Mania: Premier ABBA Tribute on Thursday, May 14, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets and which also lists craft- and food-related workshops.

116. Friday, May 8, is the closing day of the exhibit “Still Waters, Deep Reflections: The Art of Evelin Bodfish Bourne” at the Alva de Mars Megan Chapel Art Center at Saint Anselm College in Manchester. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., plus 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday. See anselm.edu/about/offices-centers-institutes/centers-institutes/alva-de-mars-megan-chapel-art-center.

117. The Great New England Spring Craft Fair will take place Friday, May 8, from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111 in Derry. See gnecraftartisanshows.com.

118. The New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival will take place Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, May 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Deerfield Fairgrounds, 34 Stage Road in Deerfield, and feature workshops, lectures, a youth sheep show, a fleece sale and more, according to nhswga.org, where you can purchase tickets and check for updates.

119. New Hampshire Renaissance Faire will take place Saturdays, May 9 and May 16, and Sundays, May 10 and May 17, at 80 Martin Road in Fremont, according to nhrenfaire.com, where you can check back for updates and purchase tickets.

120. The Granite State Trading Card and Collectibles Show will take place Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road in Concord, according to the Facebook page for Jimmy’s Place Sports Cards and Memorabilia in Tilton. See jimmysplacesportscards.com.

121. Kick off plant sale season! The Amherst Garden Club will hold its plant sale on Saturday, May 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Wilkins School, 80 Boston Post Road in Amherst, according to amherstgardenclub.org/plant_sale. The Milford NH Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale on Saturday, May 16, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Community House Lawn, according to milfordnhgardenclub.org. The Bedford Garden Club will hold its plant sale on Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill, according to bgcnh.org/plant-sale-2026.

122. Catch Monster Jam “Freestyle Mania” at SNHU Arena in downtown Manchester on Saturday, May 9, at 1 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 10, at 1 p.m., according to snhuarena.com, where you can purchase tickets.

123. The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus will present its spring concert series “Love, Pride & Hope” with scheduled dates including Saturday, May 9, at 7 p.m. at BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St. in Concord, ccanh.com. See nhgmc.com for additional performances which include May 3 in Hanover; Saturday, May 16, 7 p.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Nashua and Sunday, May 17, at 3 p.m. at Rex Theatre in Manchester.

124. Cosmic Blossom will bring their “funk, soul and rock & roll” to the Andres Institute of Art, Big Bear Lodge, 106 Route 13 in Brookline, on Saturday, May 9, at 7 p.m. Other Andres shows this spring include Portrait in Jazz on Sunday, March 22, at 6 p.m.; Aces and Eights on Saturday, April 4, at 7 p.m., and Jamdemic and Mighty Colors on Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m., according to the website.

125. Sunday, May 10, is Mother’s Day! Instead of bringing flowers, you can take the mom in your life to The Friends of the Audi and Concord’s General Service Department Perennial Exchange on Sunday, May 10, at 8 a.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, according to theaudi.org.

126. 1991’s Fried Green Tomatoes gets its 35-year anniversary screening via Fathom Entertainment on Sunday, May 10, and Wednesday, May 13. See fathomentertainment.com for locations and times. Other screenings this spring include 1991’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze on March 19; 1959’s Ben-Hur on March 29, March 30, April 1 and April 2, and 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs on April 26 and April 29, as well as productions of the Royal Ballet and The Metropolitan Opera.

127. The 2026 Nashua International Sculpture Symposium will begin with its opening celebration on Thursday, May 14, at 5:30 p.m. at the Picker Artists building, 3 Pine St. in Nashua, with a closing ceremony and visit to the sculptures’ installation sites on Saturday, June 6, at 1 p.m. During the symposium you can watch the sculptors work at the Pine Street site. See NashuaSculptureSymposium.org.

128. The Kiwanis Club of Concord will hold its annual Spring Carnival May 14-17 at the Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road in Concorde. See k01213.site.kiwanis.org or find the club on Facebook for updates.

129. The Northeast Coffee Festival will run Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16, in downtown Concord with workshops, a community market and a latte art throwdown, according to northeastcoffeefestival.com.

130. Come for the gyros, stay for the baklava! St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church, 500 W. Hollis St. in Nashua, stphilipnashua.com, will hold its annual Greek Food Festival Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16.

131. Joppa Hill Educational Farm, 174 Joppa Hill Road in Bedford, will hold a Star Gazing and Sky Watching event on Friday, May 15, from 8 to 10 p.m., according to jhef.org/events-at-the-farm. The farm has other events on its spring schedule, including “Frogs and Salamanders!” on Sunday, April 19, from 5 to 7 p.m. for ages 6 and up, which includes a hike to the pond, and the Woolly Wonder Fest on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where you can see the sheep get shorn and learn about the wool preparation process, according to the website, where you can register for the event.

News & Notes 26/03/19

Slow down

Penalties for driving 100 miles per hour or more went up on Jan. 1 and could also result in higher insurance premium costs, according to a March 9 press release from the State of New Hampshire Insurance Department. A first offense for driving 100 miles per hour or greater has a minimum fine of $750 “plus penalty assessment and a mandatory 90-day license suspension,” the release said. “A subsequent offense carries a minimum $1,000 fine plus penalty assessment and a license suspension ranging from 90 days to one year,” the release said. The press release also warns that “a conviction involving extreme speed may result in higher premium costs or changes to underwriting carrier.” See the law, RSA 265:79, at gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXI/265/265-79.htm.

Good bugs

The Garden Club of Deerfield will hold a presentation on “Beneficial Insects: Good Bugs, Bad Bugs and the Truth About the Rest” on Saturday, March 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Deerfield Town Hall, according to an email from the club. The event is free to attend. See deerfieldgardenclub.com.

Old tech

The United Way of Greater Nashua is looking for old, working smartphones and laptops for its Tech Connect United digital access program, according to a Feb. 26 press release. The United Way is collecting unlocked Android or iPhone smartphones in working condition, preferably with a charger, and working laptops, Windows or Mac, that have a charger and are less than eight to 10 years old, the release said. Drop off items at United Way of Greater Nashua, 20 Broad St. in Nashua, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See unitedwaynashua.org/digital-literacy for more about the United Way’s digital programs.

Historic sites

Eight properties across the state have been added to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic places, according to a Feb. 25 press release from the New Hampshire Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. The newly added locations are the Baptist Meeting House in Salisbury (built in 1794), United Methodist Church in Alexandria (built in 1819), the Brookline Community Church (1838), Riddle House in Manchester (circa 1844), the Deerfield Historical Society Museum (circa 1850), the South Weare Union Church (completed in 1876), Camp Kuwiyan on Lake Winnipesauke (buildings date from 1905 through 1930) and the Littleton Regional Hospital (main building constructed in 1906), the release said. Find the State Register of Historic Places as well as information on how to nominate a property at nhdhr.dncr.nh.gov.

“Mixing It Up,” an exhibit featuring art by Sandy Steen Bartholomew, Anne Boedecker, Joy Malcolm, Adele Sanborn, and Becky Sawyer, will open Saturday, March 21, and run through Saturday, April 25, at Two Villages Art Society, 846 Main Street in Contoocook, with an opening reception featuring the artists, refreshments and music by pianist Craig Fahey on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. See twovillagesart.org.

NH Roller Derby will hold a meet and greet for those interested in checking out the sport on Thursday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Manchester Ballers Association, 3 Sundial Ave. in Manchester, according to nhrollerderby.com.

Tickets are on sale now for Spooky World’s Halfway to Halloween, slated for Saturday, May 2, starting at 7 p.m. at Mel’s Funway Park in Litchfield. The event features haunted houses, DJ and dancing, festival food, jousting competitions and more, according to an email about the event. See melsfunwaypark.com.

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