Fishing for smallies

Smallmouth bass provide an angling experience like no other

“Make him go where he doesn’t want to go,” fishing guide Mark Beauchesne said as I tried to reel in what could only be described as an aggressive fish on the Merrimack River in Concord a few years ago.

The fish in question, a smallmouth bass, dove under the boat and then suddenly sprinted toward the surface, leaping from the water, shaking its head from side to side feverishly. Then it was diving again in relentless, explosive bursts. It felt like it took all I had to keep hold of the rod, never mind figuring out how to make the fish go anywhere.

But as I reeled it closer to the boat, Beauchesne calmly and expertly slid a net into the water, securing the fish and ensuring this would not be a story of the one that got away.

While I was certainly pleased with the size of the fish — probably four pounds or so, Beauchesne guessed — it was more the sheer ferocity and energy the fish exhibited when hooked that I’ll never forget.

“Inch for inch, pound for pound, the gamest fish that swims,” wrote Dr. James Henshall in his 1881 book, The Book of the Black Bass.

“They just don’t have any quit,” said Beauchesne, who, in addition to being a fishing guide, is advertising and promotions coordinator at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. “They spend a lot of time airborne. They’re just a very exciting fish to catch.”

The smallmouth bass, also referred to as black bass or a “smallie,” is the most popular game fish in New Hampshire, recently surpassing trout, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, which surveys its license holders, Beauchesne said.

“The accessibility that we have to them and with the tackle that’s available here now that’s accessible and easy to use, it just makes it easy for anybody to get into bass fishing,” Beauchesne said.

New Hampshire historian Jack Noon, who wrote the book The Bassing of New Hampshire, noted smallmouth bass were introduced in New Hampshire in 1864 in Rust Pond in Wolfeboro, which is right next to Lake Winnipesaukee. New Hampshire fisheries commissioners began stocking smallmouth four years later, ultimately introducing smallmouths to 140 lakes and ponds in New Hampshire, Noon said.

“The immediate reaction was incredibly positive,” said Noon, who also noted smallmouths had a less than positive impact on native trout populations upon introduction. “Smallmouths were very popular in New Hampshire, as they were a species that could be caught in summer when tourists were present and had leisure time. They were just very important for the tourist season.”

They still are, anglers agree, and the species can be targeted with a variety of tactics.

Stick baits, which are torpedo-shaped lures that mimic small fish, are popular lures for targeting smallmouth, as are soft plastic lures that take a variety of forms, including worms and crayfish. (I caught my smallmouth with Beauchesne right up against a cement piling with a plastic worm the fish hit as it dropped to the bottom.)

While live bait is effective for both largemouth and smallmouth bass, using live bait to target largemouth or smallmouth bass is prohibited from May 15 through June 15. Anglers must use artificial lures during that time period.

“They eat a variety of foods,” Beauchesne said. “Crayfish are common, the young of the year, yellow perch, sunfish, insects are often overlooked. People catch them with frogs coming out of their mouths. They take advantage of available food sources.”

Smallmouth bass thrive in rivers, lakes and ponds, though they prefer hard-bottomed areas, whereas the abundant largemouth bass tends to prefer softer, muddier bottoms, Beauchesne said.

An average smallmouth bass comes in at about 1.5 pounds and 15 to 16 inches. The state record is 7 pounds, 14.5 ounces. That whopper was caught on Goose Pond in Canaan in 1970.

Smallmouth bass are a warmwater fish and tend to be most active when the water temperature is between 55 and 75 degrees. Beauchesne notes rivers tend to stay in that range throughout the summer.

Beauchesne suggested using a 6-foot spinning rod with medium or medium-light action with eight-pound monofilament line.

Noon recalled fishing for smallmouth as an early teenager.

“I was fishing at night with a jitterbug, [which is a type of hard plastic topwater lure that chugs along right on the surface],” Noon said. “You just get a huge kick out of casting it out. It makes this glug, glug, glug sound and then all of a sudden [when the smallmouth hits the lure] it sounds like someone just threw a 20-pound rock into the lake.”

Be Prepared
As soon as you make that first cast, you need to be prepared and ready to handle fish, said Mark Beauchesne, advertising and promotions coordinator at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Beauchesne shared some advice:
Have needlenose pliers handy for removing hooks; don’t be digging them out of a tackle box once you’ve landed the fish.
Handle fish as little as possible; don’t let them flop around on the ground.
If the fish is deeply hooked, it’s better to cut off the line at the hook. It has a better chance of surviving with the hook in its mouth than if anglers cause more damage trying to remove it. “Smallmouth bass are set up to eat fish that have spines, like crayfish and other fish, after all,” Beauchesne said.

Featured photo: Mark Beauchesne with his catch. Photo by Mark Beauchesne.

Fireworks, festivals, parades and naturalization ceremonies

Events happening in New Hampshire on and around the Fourth of July

By Katelyn Sahagian

ksahagian@hippopress.com

Independence Day is a time for cookouts, fireworks, parades and parties, as people say happy birthday to America.

One museum, Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, has been taking it a step further for the past 20 years by holding a naturalization ceremony in conjunction with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the United States District Court – District of New Hampshire.

“I’m so very much looking forward to it,” said Veronica Lester, the spokesperson for the museum. “The joy that radiates from the new citizens will be something quite special to witness.”

Strawbery Banke was settled by British colonists in 1623; they named the area for either wild strawberries that grew along Piscataqua River or an estate in England. Sometime later, it was given the name Puddle Dock and went from wilderness outpost to newcomer neighborhood. People lived in the area until the 1950s, when Portsmouth officials closed the neighborhood for urban renewal.

The new citizens will take their Oath of Allegiance on the museum’s lawn, Puddle Dock, named after the disbanded neighborhood. Lester said that the land Strawbery Banke is on has always been a place for immigrants, whether the first British settlers, or immigrants from across the world in the 19th century.

“It seems fitting that the naturalization ceremony occurs at the museum that is this neighborhood of newcomers,” Lester said. “It’s a special ceremony that takes place at this special location.”

In addition to the celebration at Strawbery Banke, here are some other celebrations happening in the Granite State.

Amherst Fourth of July Celebration

Two days’ worth of celebration and entertainment, featuring fireworks, a festival on the town green, and a parade with classic cars competing for awards.

When: Sunday, July 3, festivities begin at 6 p.m. with fireworks. A second day of festivities, including the parade and festival, begins Monday, July 4, at 9:45 a.m.

Where: July 3 events at Souhegan High School, 412 Boston Post Road. July 4 parade leaves opposite the Wilkins School, 80 Boston Post Road.

Visit: amherstnh4th.org

Brookline parade and fireworks

When: Monday, July 4, 10 a.m., parade will step off. The fireworks will begin shortly after dusk, around 9 p.m.

Where: South Main Street, traveling down Route 130 to Richard Maghakian Memorial School, 22 Milford St. The fireworks will be over Lake Potanipo, Max Cohen Memorial Grove, 3 Mason Road.

Visit: brooklinenh.us

Canobie Lake Park fireworks

Stick around after a day at the amusement park for fireworks over the lake. The fireworks show is timed to patriotic music and the amusement park recommends viewers to watch them by the daVinci’s Dream ride.

When: Saturday, July 2, through Monday, July 4, 9:15 p.m.

Where: Canobie Lake Park, 85 N. Policy St., Salem

Visit: canobie.com

Concord Fourth of July Celebration

Featuring food, live music, fireworks and more

When: Monday, July 4, food vendors and live music begin at 5 p.m., fireworks at 9:20 p.m. (rain date is Tuesday, July 5).

Where: Memorial Field, 70 S. Fruit St.

Visit: concordnh.gov

Derry fireworks

When: Monday, July 4, dusk.

Where: Best viewing areas are Hood Commons, Crystal Avenue and Tsienneto Road

Visit: derry-nh.org

Exeter Independence Day Celebration

The American Independence Museum is hosting its 32nd annual American Independence Festival later than the holiday. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the museum and meet with vendors, learn about cooking during the Revolutionary War, and watch military reenactments.

When: Saturday, July 16, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: 1 Governor’s Way

Cost: $10 for adults, $5 children 4 to 18, free for children under 4, veterans and active military, and museum members.

Visit: independencemuseum.org

Hampton Beach fireworks

When: Monday, July 4, 9:30 p.m.

Where: On the beach, across from B and C streets

Visit: hamptonbeach.org

Hopkinton Fourth of July Family Fun Day

Featuring a kiddie and main parade, family games, live music and a cookie bake-off

When: Monday, July 4, cookie competition drop off is from 9 to 11 a.m., kiddie parade begins at 11:30 a.m., main parade begins at noon and competition results are at 2 p.m.

Where: Parades begin at Hopkinton High School (297 Park Ave., Contoocook), then proceed through Fountain Square toward Contoocook Village Cemetery. Other festivities held at Houston Park, 41 Houston Drive, Hopkinton.

Visit: hopkintonrec.com

Laconia Celebration and Fireworks

Not only will Laconia be holding a parade and a festival full of vendors and live music, but there will be two different fireworks shows. The first will be at Opechee Park following the festival, and the second will be at Weirs Beach at midnight.

When: Sunday, July 3. The parade will start at 4:30 p.m., the band will start playing at 5:30 p.m. and fireworks will begin at 10 p.m. A second round of fireworks will start at midnight.

Where: The parade will start at the Laconia High School, 345 Union Ave., and end at Opechee Park, 915 Main St. The second round of fireworks will be atWeirs Beach.

Visit: laconianh.gov

Manchester Independence Day Celebration

Enjoy fireworks, live music, and food vendors.

When: Sunday, July 3. Live music starts at 7 p.m.; fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m.

Where: Arms Park, 10 Arms St.

Visit: manchesternh.gov

Merrimack Fourth of July festivities

A weekend-long celebration featuring fireworks, live music, a road race, a pancake breakfast and much more.

When: The Merrimack Concert Association’s annual Patriotic Concert in the Park will be held Sunday, July 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The 25th annual Merrimack Sparkler 5K Road Race will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, July 4. The Merrimack Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. A parade will begin at 1 p.m. and fireworks will begin at 9 p.m.

Where: Holiday concert at Abbie Griffin Park. Road race begins and ends at the Merrimack YMCA, 6 Henry Clay Drive. Pancake breakfast and fireworks at Merrimack High School, 38 McElwain St. The parade will start at the Commons Shopping Plaza, 515 Daniel Webster Hwy.

Visit: merrimackparksandrec.org

Milford Family Fun Day and fireworks

The holiday kicks off with a 5K, followed by a bike parade, family fun, live music and fireworks.

When: Saturday, July 2, family activities start at 1:30 p.m., concert is from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Fireworks begin at dusk.

Where: Keyes Memorial Park, Elm Street

Visit: milford.nh.gov

Nashua Fourth of July Celebration

Fireworks, live music, and hall of fame inductions.

When: Monday, July 4, children’s activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., concert at 6 p.m. featuring The Slakas. Fireworks begin at dusk.

Where: Holman Stadium, 67 Amherst St.

Visit: nashuanh.gov

New Boston Fourth of July Celebration

Featuring a parade, live music, a barbecue, ax throwing and the firing of the historic Molly Stark cannon.

When: Monday, July 4, parade begins at 10 a.m., fairgrounds will open at 4 p.m., opening ceremonies are at 5 p.m., and the fireworks will start at 9:30 p.m.

Where: Parade begins at the top of High Street and will end at the grounds of the Hillsborough County Youth Center Foundation, off River Road.

Visit: newboston4thofjuly.org

New London Fireworks

When: Saturday, July 1. Flares are at 9 p.m., fireworks will start at 9:30 p.m.

Where: Pleasant Lake

Visit: plpa.net

Portsmouth fireworks

When: Sunday, July 3, 9:15 p.m. (rain date is Tuesday, July 5)

Where: South Mill Pond, Junkins Ave. (across from Portsmouth City Hall)

Visit: portsmouthnh.com

Raymond Fourth of July Celebration

20th annual Fourth of July parade will have floats, horses, antique cars, clowns and more

When: Monday, July 4, parade at 9:30 a.m.

Where: Parade proceeds from Route 27 (Epping Street) down to the Raymond Town Common, onto Old Manchester Road and to Wight Street.

Visit: raymondareanews.com

Rye July 4th Celebration

When: Friday, July 1, live music will start at 7 p.m., fireworks will start at dusk.

Where: Parsons Field

Visit: town.rye.nh.us

Salem Independence Day Celebration

Featuring live music, food trucks, face painting, fireworks, a beer garden and more.

When: Saturday, July 2. Yappy Hour starts at noon, live music and face painting will be from 4 to 8 p.m., food and the beer garden will be open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., and fireworks will start at dusk.

Where: The event this year is taking place at Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana.

Visit: townofsalemnh.org

Silver Lake Fireworks

When: Sunday, July 3, at dusk.

Where: Silver Lake, Hollis.

Visit: facebook.com/SilverLakeFireworks

Strawbery Banke Naturalization Ceremony

Come and celebrate Independence Day by welcoming new citizens in one of the oldest neighborhoods in New England.

When: Monday, July 4, 10 a.m.

Where: Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth.

Visit: strawberybanke.org

Suncook River Family Resort Live Music and Fireworks

Live music featuring Nicole Knox Murphy and Mystical Magic will accompany a celebration with games, kayaking, a bonfire and fireworks.

When: Sunday, July 3. Music starts at 3 p.m.; fireworks start at 9 p.m.

Where: 2 Fanny Drive, Suncook

Cost: $8 for people ages 12 and older.

Visit: campsuncookriver.com

Featured photo: Photo courtesy of the Strawbery Banke Museum.

Pride on display in Nashua

Gate City to host pride festival, parade

By Katelyn Sahagian

ksahagian@hippopress.com

The city of Nashua will show love and support for LGBTQ individuals, supporting family members and straight allies with Nashua’s 2022 Pride Festival on Saturday, June 25, from 2 to 6 p.m.

“It’s important to [Mayor Jim Donchess] that everyone feels welcome and part of the community,” said Kathleen Palmer, the communications and special projects coordinator for the office of the mayor.

Before the festival starts, there will be a Pride parade, said Palmer. Attendees who want to walk in the parade can register online in advance at https://hipaa.jotform.com/200574115477151. At the festival grounds, Daunchess will give a speech and religious leaders will hold an interfaith blessing.

Live music will feature transgender artists Who.iAm and St. Blair, the New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus, and the local rock band Venom & Mayhem Twins. The Nashua Community Music School will preview their evening concert with music by nonbinary composer Aiden Feltkamp.

Food trucks from Kona Ice, Jeannette’s Concessions, and Soel Sistas will offer Hawaiian-style shaved ice, classic festival deep-fried candies and hand-cut french fries, and tender barbecue and soul food. Stonyfield Yogurt will be handing out free yogurt cups.

A free drag show will be held inside the Court Street Theatre from 3 to 4 pm. The show is geared toward an older audience and wouldn’t be appropriate for children, Palmer said. She added that the Peacock Players Youth Theatre will have games and activities for younger festival goers on the lawn between the library and the Court Street Theatre.

After the festival officially ends, some Nashua businesses want to keep the party going. Martha’s Exchange is hosting an adults-only drag show with Pandora Boxx from Ru Paul’s Drag Race as a special guest. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $35 for VIP, and the doors will open at 7 p.m. There will be a free open mic night from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Vibe Yoga (182 Main St.) and a 5 p.m. concert at the Nashua Community Music School (2 Lock St.).

Palmer said that the Office of the Mayor had wanted to introduce an after-festival event for people too young to attend adult-only events but who want to still keep the party going.

“We discovered after the first few years of Pride that there was a big need for things for the youth of the community to do,” Palmer said. They partnered with the Gender and Sexualities Alliance at Nashua Community College and the Unitarian Universalist Church to host an after-festival dance party.

The party is for youth ages 14 to 20 and free. It’s being held at the Unitarian Universalist Church and will start at 7 p.m.

Palmer said that the fun-filled day is one that the mayor’s office hopes emphasizes the message that Nashua is a friendly place for LGBTQ people.

“The event is important to Mayor Donchess,” Palmer said. “We want everyone to know that Nashua is a welcoming city for the LGBTQ community.”

Nashua Pride Festival
When: Saturday, June 25, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Where: Parade will kick off at Elm Street Middle School, 117 Elm St., and the festival will be at the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St.
Cost: The festival is free; afterparty events prices vary.
Visit: https://hipaa.jotform.com/200574115477151 to sign up to walk in the parade.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Keep it local

Consider native shrubs for your yard

Many of the “cast iron” shrubs that no one can kill are now deemed invasive: barberry, burning bush, multiflora rose and bush honeysuckle. And many others, while not invasive, have been overused: lilacs, rhododendrons and spirea, for example, are nice but not too exciting. Today I’d like to share some nice native shrubs that support wildlife and add beauty to your landscape. These are arranged here roughly in order of season of interest (for flowers, bark, berries)

close up of flower on branch
Calycanthus or sweetshrub is a shade-loving shrub I love. Photo courtesy of Henry Homeyer.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin): I grew up chewing on the twigs and leaves of this small native with a distinctive flavor that I like. It grows in dry shade and has yellow flowers early in the spring, and red berries in the fall. But to get berries you have both males and female plants (and they are not sexed the way winterberries are). The leaves can be used to make a spicy tea. It tolerates some drought, but prefers moist rich soil.

Common sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus): This can be a fussy plant — I have moved mine twice to find just the right amount of sun. I have it growing under a tall, sparse pear tree and right now it is loaded with wine-red blossoms, each a bit like a miniature peony. Allegedly fragrant, but mine is not, so buy in bloom and sniff first if fragrance is important to you. Reference books generally say it does best in full sun with moist soil, but mine burned in the sun, even with wet soil. Native to the south, but hardy to Zone 4.

Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia): This is a native that often plants itself — with the help of birds — in semi-shaded places. Its structure is fabulous — it often has 2 feet of stem between horizontal branches arranged in tiers. It prefers part shade, but I do have it in full sun growing out of a high rock wall. It grows 15 to 25 feet tall. Birds love the berries (drupes, actually) in August. White, subtle flowers in June. Not often sold in nurseries, but try it if you can find it. Avoid the variegated-leafed variety; it is not nearly as tough a plant and often fails to thrive

small tree with dark red leaves, in large garden
Pagoda dogwood showing fall color and interesting branching patterns. Photo courtesy of Henry Homeyer.

Blueberries: So many gardeners avoid blueberries because “the birds will just eat them.” Well, why not plant some for them? They have lovely white blossoms in June, nice fruit for feeding the birds and lovely red foliage in the fall. The trick to success? Test your soil, and then add sulfur or a fertilizer-containing sulfur designed for hollies and such. You need the soil pH to be between 4.5 and 5.5 to get good fruit production. And who knows? You might get a few berries yourself — even without netting. (I avoid netting as birds get tangled in it and die).

Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica): New to me. I just bought one at Spring Ledge Farm in New London, New Hampshire, when I saw one in bloom. It was gorgeous, and although it’s rated as a Zone 5 plant and I’m a little colder than that some years, I had to try it. It has bottlebrush white flowers in June and red fall foliage. Best of all, for me, it does well alongside water or in wet places in full sun to part shade — and I have plenty of that. It stays 3 to 4 feet tall, but can spread by root. Full sun to full shade.

Smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens): Along with oak-leafed hydrangea, this is a native that grows wild in the forest as an understory shrub. It is stoloniferous (it spreads by roots) and only gets to be about 3 feet tall, but can form large clumps. I recently read an article about these on research done that cites a named variety called ‘Haas Halo’ that is said to be the best of all hydrangeas for pollinators. Fortunately, I had already purchased some last fall. It is, however, attractive to deer. They got eaten last fall, but came back from the roots vigorously this spring.

Rosebay rhododendron (R. maximum): This is another understory shrub, but can get quite large. I like it because it grows in shade or sun, and blooms (for me) in July. It is native to Appalachia, and large specimens dug in the wild are often sold in the nursery business. It can have either white or pink blossoms. Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, is worth a visit in July — there are 16 acres of rhododendrons and mountain laurel.

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia): This is an August bloomer, fragrant and handsome. It blooms well in light to moderate shade, and thrives in moist soils (where full sun is tolerated). The bottlebrush flowers are upright and range from white to pink to red. Many selections are sold as named varieties.

Red-twigged dogwood (Cornus sericea): Common in the wet places in the wild and in roadside ditches. Its best attribute is the bright red bark in winter of first- or second-year stems. To keep it looking bright, cut back older stems each year. It can grow new stems up to 5 feet tall in one year!

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata): Common in nurseries, these bear bright red berries in winter that are great in wreaths — and for hungry birds. In the wild they grow in standing water, but once established they will do fine in most gardens. Buy a male cultivar for every five or so females.

So visit your local nursery, talk to someone knowledgeable, and buy some new shrubs. Ask for native shrubs that are good for our birds and pollinators. There are plenty of others not mentioned here that are nice, too!

Featured photo: Sweetspire grows alongside my stream and has nice fall color. Photo courtesy of Henry Homeyer.

Kiddie Pool 22/06/23

Family fun for the weekend

Wild days at the YMCA

• The YMCA of Downtown Manchester (30 Mechanic St.; 623-3558) is bringing back Rock the Block, after a two-year hiatus, for its sixth year. The party will be from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, and will shut down Mechanic Street. It’s free for all families to attend. There will be a DJ, different games and activities, a coloring competition, cornhole, a bounce house, arts and crafts, temporary tattoos, giveaways and more. There will also be an assortment of food, ice cream and drinks. Thrive Outdoors, an organization dedicated to teaching people and children about wilderness preparedness and survival skills, will be holding wellness activities. Admission is free. Register for the event on the YMCA’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ymcafun.

• The Greater Londonderry YMCA (206 Rockingham Road, Londonderry) will be holding Kids Night at the Y, a pool-party themed activities night for 4- to 12-year-old kids on Saturday, June 25, from 5 to 8 p.m. The YMCA’s trained child care staff will be taking care of the children, so parents can take time to themselves. In addition to active play, there will be different arts and crafts projects and a STEM workshop for kids wanting to do some science. A pizza dinner will also be served. Tickets are $25 for one child and $10 for each additional sibling. Register at https://bit.ly/ygl-kids-nights.

Nature on display

• Snakes, lizards, spiders and exotic pets will be on display at the New England Reptile Expo, happening at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester) on Saturday, June 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors will include everything from exotic fish and axolotl to geckos and boas. This is the largest exotic animal expo in New England and will have 180 vendor tables, featuring more than 75 breeders. Attendees are asked to leave their own exotic pets at home. Tickets are for sale at the door and cost $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 7 to 12, and free for kids younger than 6. Visit reptileexpo.com.

• Petals in the Pines’ last Spread Your Wings for this month will be on Monday, June 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event allows for infants to elementary school age kids to explore the outdoor classroom at Petals in the Pines (126 Baptist Road, Canterbury; 783-0220). Kids can choose to build a fort in the Leaf Litter Messy area, do crafts at the Indian Paintbrush Nature Art area, tend to vegetables in the Peter Rabbit Garden or build a fairy house in the Fairy Village. Reservations are required and can be placed at petalsinthepines.com. The price is $10 per adult with one child, $5 for each additional child and infants are free. The maximum price is $20 per family.

• Starting on Thursday, June 30, the New Hampshire Boat Museum (399 Center St., Wolfeboro Falls; 569-4554) is hosting Lake Discovery Family Days, in which kids can participate in activities related to boating and the water from 10:30 a.m. to noon. All the activities will take place outside of the museum. Kids can learn about lake ecology, do aquatic-themed arts and crafts, and play lakeshore games. The event is free of charge but does require registration. Visit nhbm.org.

Celebrating summer

• The SEE Science Center’s (200 Bedford St., Manchester; 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org) Kickoff to Summer continues through Sunday, June 26, with special activities, raffles and “Spinning Science into Fun” performances by Brett “Ooch” Outchcunis featuring yo-yos, spin tops, frisbees and more, according to a press release. The center is open daily at 10 a.m. (through 4 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends) and admission costs $10 per person ages 3 and up. Advance registration is recommended, the website said.

Free museum time

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover; 742-2002) is hosting Free Play Days for children from military families through Labor Day. All summer long, the children of active military members, including the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines, the Coast Guard and members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps and veterans can sign up to play for free. Mask-optional days are Wednesdays through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. Mask-required days are Tuesdays and Sundays, from 9 a.m. to noon. The museum limits the registration to five immediate family members, and military identification is required upon registration. Register at childrens-museum.org/visit/info.

Big plans for Market Days

Find live performances, family fun and shopping in downtown Concord

By Delaney Beaudoin

Market Days Festival is returning for its 48th year this weekend in downtown Concord. Located right on Main Street, the festival will run from Thursday, June 23, through Saturday, June 25, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. At no cost to attend, the festival has events scheduled for the entire family, making it an ideal and affordable way to spend a summer weekend.

This year, the festival will feature more than 160 vendors setting up tents and booths along Main Street, along with three outdoor stages of live music each day, kid-friendly activities including yoga and bounce houses, a dog-friendly park and three beer gardens. Vendors include local retail stores, restaurants and cafes, nonprofit organizations and local service providers.

Originally known as Old Fashioned Market Days, the festival was started as a way for merchants to clear out their old inventory and make room for the new season. Jessica Martin, Executive Director of the nonprofit Intown Concord, responsible for planning the festival, noted the important role that the Market Days Festival has played in the community of Concord throughout its duration.

“It’s just grown and just became this tradition. It’s kind of taken on a life of its own as far as a community event goes, I think it does a lot for bringing people downtown. We really try to focus on making it accessible for everyone,” Martin said.

In addition to playing a large role in building Concord’s community, the festival acts as an important event for the city’s arts scene. Each of the festival’s three stages will feature a wide array of live music performances throughout each day. Most notably, the nationally known band Vertical Horizon is set to perform on the main stage on Saturday, June 25, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. This performance, born from a collaboration between the festival and the Capitol Center for the Arts, is, according to Executive Director Salvatore Prizio, the first time the pair has hosted such a high-profile artist.

“This is our proof of concept. And if it works really well this year, we’ll come back next year,” he said. “We’re going to mix things up and we’re going to try new things with it and just kind of keep the audience happy and entertained. I want everybody to have a good time.”

The Concord Arts Market will also be set up at the festival, on Pleasant Street each day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. More than 30 artists and artisans will be selling their handmade work. Some of the items available to purchase include fine art paintings, jewelry, photography, handmade soaps and pottery.

“I think it’s an opportunity to bring in a wider audience that we don’t always have, or that we’re not always able to tap into for our regular market,” said Christa Zuber, producer of the Concord Arts Market. According to Zuber, the arts market, which previously operated on a weekly basis, has transitioned to monthly in recent years.

“We found that switching it to monthly from weekly … kind of gives it a little more of an event status. A little more urgency for people to come on the day that it’s there … like if you don’t come, and you’re going to miss it,” she said.

Market Days Festival
Here are some of the events planned at this weekend’s festival.

Clueless (PG-13, 1995) film screening
Where: Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main St., Concord
When: Friday, June 24, dusk
Red River Theatres will also hold its Music, Movie & Poster sale during Market Days.

Headliner: Vertical Horizon Performance
Where: The Main Stage (South Main Street, Concord)
When: Saturday, June 25, from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

KidZone presented by Vertical Entertainment
Where: Statehouse lawn
When: June 23 through June 25, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Meet the Instruments and Students
Where: City Hall Plaza
When: Saturday, 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.

Storytime Under the Tree
Where: State House Lawn
When: All three days, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Blossom Yoga
Where: State House Lawn
When: Thursday, June 23, and Friday, June 24, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Comedy and Juggling with Jason Tardy
Where: City Hall Plaza
When: Saturday, June 25, noon and 3 p.m.

Music & Movement with Miss Heather
Where: City Hall Plaza
When: All three days, 10 a.m.

Zumba for the Whole Family
Where: City Hall Plaza
When: Friday, June 24, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Doggy Splash Pad
Where: By the Statehouse
When: June 23 through June 25, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Concord Pilates
Where: Statehouse Lawn
When: June 23 through June 25, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Boy Scouts Mobile Base Camp
Where: City Plaza
When: Saturday, June 25, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Concord Arts Market
Where: Pleasant Street
When: June 23 through June 25, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Visit: marketdaysfestival.com

Featured photo: Courtesy of Intown Concord.

It’s not too late to start some less common veggies

Artichokes, tomatillos and other plants that still have time to thrive

It’s not too late to plant some more things in the vegetable garden. It’s only June, and there is still time. Here are some tips for some less commonly planted veggies — for growing and/or using. It’s way too late to start most things from seed, but you can sometimes buy started plants at a good local greenhouse or garden center.

Artichokes: These are big plants, so you need a 2-foot-wide square in good, rich, moist soil in full sun. You will get one good-sized “choke” on the top of the plant, and a few more as side shoots. Grow them because the foliage and chokes are beautiful, even if not much food. They are nice in the flower garden, too.

Brussels sprouts: I get many emails complaining that the little green globes that we eat never get big. But that’s easy to fix: On Labor Day weekend, go to the garden with a sharp knife. Then, as the Red Queen of Alice and Wonderland said, “Off with their heads!” That’s right; slice off the top 4 inches or so of the plant and it will plump up the sprouts and stop putting all its energy into getting taller. They are incredibly frost-hardy, so you can harvest as late as Christmas if you wish.

Cauliflower: These guys are fussy. If they get too cold, too hot, too wet or too dry they will only produce a ”button” of a head. But if you’re lucky, you’ll get a mouth-watering delight. And they come in purple, too! But cooked, the purple turns gray — so use them in a salad where the purple will amaze your guests.

Celeriac: These are root crops related to celery but easier to grow. My home-grown celery was always stringy and attracted slugs, so I stopped growing it. But celeriac is easy — if you have soil that stays moist. I usually start seeds indoors in March but forgot this year, so I just bought some plants in a four-pack at my local nursery. Harvest late in fall to let them get as big as possible.

Kale: A favorite of the Birkenstock crew it should be grown by everyone. Why? It’s a green vegetable that is easy to grow and, unlike lettuce or spinach, it freezes well. I blanch it, and freeze it in zipper bags to use in soups, stews and smoothies all winter. Your garden center may still have seedlings, but you could start some by direct seeding in the ground for a fall crop. Each plant needs about 16 inches of space, so if starting from seed, plant several seeds in a group at that spacing, and then thin out all but one after they germinate.

Kohlrabi: These are in the cabbage/broccoli family but are an above-ground root (actually an enlarged stem). The leaves pop out of the purple or light green above-ground sphere. Some should be harvested at the size of baseballs; others are still perfect when the size of a duckpin bowling ball. The seed packet will tell you which you have. They taste a bit like broccoli and can be used raw in salads or cooked in a stir-fry or soup. Some, like “Gigante,” will store for six months in a cool cellar or fridge. These grow fast, so you can plant seeds now.

Parsnips: I usually plant by seed around June 15 because they won’t germinate in cold soil. Seeds are good for only one year, so share the seed packet with your neighbor. We “older folks” love parsnips. Parsnips grow like carrots but get bigger. I leave them in the ground all winter and harvest them first thing in the spring. I steam them and serve them with butter and (real) maple syrup (of course).

Pole beans: Unlike bush beans, they keep on producing all summer if you keep on picking them. “Kentucky Wonder” is the classic, but the tastiest I’ve eaten in “Kwintus,” which is still good when picked big. Kwintus seeds are hard to find, but they are available from Fedco Seeds.

Rutabagas: Why do people never raise their hand when I ask a group, “Other than me, who has grown these gems?”? I admit, it’s an old-fashioned vegetable, one our grandparents grew. But it’s easy to start from seed, it’s tasty and it produces a lot of food. Use it just like potatoes in a stew. Its advantage is that it won’t crumble and fall apart after reheating the stew a few times. And potato beetles aren’t a problem. Just thin them to 4 inches apart and you will get roots bigger than any of your potatoes. Start by seed now.

Swiss chard: Swiss chard is actually the same species as beets, but has been selected for big leaves, not big roots. Plant by seed (or plants if you can find them) now. Bedrock Gardens in Lee, N.H. (one of New England’s quiet gems) used purple-leafed ones in their garden last year (or was that a purple-leafed beet?). “Bright Lights” Swiss chard offers stems in red, purple, yellow, orange and green. Plant them in the flower garden, eat them raw or steamed.

Tomatillos: These are used in Mexican dishes and can be grown here. But you need two plants to get proper pollination. I didn’t know that and only planted one the first time I tried it. It made fruit capsules, but with nothing inside! Look for plants at your local greenhouse.

Thank you, John Lenat (1888 to 1967), my maternal grandfather. You not only taught me how to make a good compost pile, you taught me the joy of eating fresh vegetables only minutes after picking them. I am eternally grateful.

Featured photo: Kohlrabi. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Just plane fun

Aviation Museum to host annual fly-in barbecue

By Katelyn Sahagian

listings@hippopress.com

Along with the smoked chicken and pulled pork, something truly special is coming to Nashua for Father’s Day weekend: two fully functional World War II veteran airplanes. One of the historic planes will be selling 15- and 30-minute flights to enthusiasts.

Vintage plane owners will glide down the runway and greet families at Nashua Airport on Saturday, June 18, for the Aviation Museum’s annual fly-in barbecue.

A 10-seater Catalina, named “The Flying Turtle,” is being flown in from Aurora, Illinois, and attendees will be able to take a flight in it.

The Catalina served in the European theater of the war and was part of a squadron of planes that took out more than five German U-Boats. After the war, the plane worked as an airliner in Canada before being renovated into a luxurious air yacht, which was featured in Time magazine. The aircraft was refurbished with brand-new engines and parts to keep it safe for passengers in the 1980s.

“It’s pretty much the best [Catalina] around,” said Jeff Rapsis, the Aviation Museum’s executive director (and Hippo’s associate publisher). “Very few are still airworthy and this one was restored to a pristine condition.”

Historic Air Tours, the organization that maintains and operates The Flying Turtle, will sell 15- and 30-minute flights from noon to 2 p.m., for $250 and $350 per person respectively.

“Dad doesn’t need another necktie, but he could always use a ride in a World War II flying boat,” Rapsis said. “What dad wouldn’t want a ride in a Catalina?”

Jason Owen, a volunteer with Historic Air Tours, said the current owner of The Flying Turtle, John O’Connor, who purchased the Catalina in 2020, decided he wanted to share the history of this renovated wartime plane with as many people as he could.

“It’s really a piece of history,” Owen said. “It tells its own unique story of being a World War II vet, an airliner in Canada, and a luxury air yacht in the ’50s.”

The second plane on display, a PT-23 plane, a two-seater bird with an open cockpit that will be flown in from Texas, was used as a training aircraft for wartime pilots who had finished their studies in the classroom, before they could fly a bomber or fast fighter, said Rapsis.

“You have to start at the basics,” Rapsis said. “You [had] to work your way up.”

Thousands of these training planes were made during the war, but Rapsis said it’s rare to see any left because “[they] weren’t designed to last.” Attendees will be able to look inside the cockpit of the PT-23, but it won’t be giving flights.

“The main point of the event is to give families a chance to get close to aviation and up close to pilots and planes and aircrafts,” Rapsis said. “[At] this event you can … talk to the pilots and see the airport up close. We hope it helps spur interest in airplanes in young kids so there will be a next generation.”

Interested participants can also experience what world-renowned air show pilot Rob Holland, a Nashua native, encountered during a six-minute choreographed flight with a virtual reality headset.

“It’s not too often you get a chance to see what it’s like to be in aerobatics,” Rapsis said.

The museum will serve a barbecue buffet at noon, which will include smoked chicken, pulled pork, bowls of baked beans, mixed green salads, pasta, sweet desserts, and soft drinks.

“Our mission at the museum is to get kids excited about aviation so they’ll be tomorrow’s pilots, engineers, and aviators,” Rapsis said.

Aviation Museum fly-in barbecue
When: Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Nashua Jet Aviation, Nashua Airport, 83 Perimeter Road
Tickets: $30 adults; $25 museum members; $10 ages 6 to 12; free for kids 5 and under. Can be purchased at tinyurl.com/2s4jemw6 or by calling 669-4877. Flights on The Flying Turtle will cost $350 for a 30-minute flight and $250 for a 15-minute flight per person.
More info: www.aviationmuseumofnh.org

Featured photo: A young visitor gets a chance to see aircraft up close and personal at Nashua Airport during a prior Fly-In BBQ. Photo courtesy of the Aviation Museum.

Pride-packed weekend

Queen City Pride hosts arts-based events to celebrate June as Pride Month

By Delaney Beaudoin

June is pride month, and Queen City Pride, Manchester’s regional pride celebration recently turned nonprofit, is celebrating in style. Following a week of events packed full of DJs, drag and dancing, Queen City Pride has a full itinerary planned for this weekend.

Starting off with Studio 54 at the Currier, an event in collaboration with the Currier Museum of Art and Queen City Pride, on Friday, June 17, from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Currier Museum (150 Ash St, Manchester). The event, which takes inspiration from the “Warhol Screen Tests” exhibit currently on display now through July 24, will occur in the gallery’s space, which according to Corinne Benfield, Director of Membership and Community Partnerships, is something the museum has not done before.

“We’re super excited to be able to offer that to our community and utilize the museum in a different way than we have in the past,” she said. “This mission, our exhibition parties that are after hours and more loosely themed with our exhibitions, are also programmed to be more of a party. That partnership, that relationship with art, brings in a completely different audience and allows for us to open the doors to folks that may have had barriers in the past.”

The event will feature drag performances by the Marvel House of Entertainment and will be MC’ed by drag queen ChiChi Marvel. Guests can expect dancing, disco, a “best-dressed contest,” raffle giveaways, hors d’oeuvres and a full cash bar.

“We’ll have a really interesting atmosphere that is very much a nod to the Studio 54 aesthetic. So definitely bring your dancing shoes. It will be a raucous affair,” Benfield said.

The exhibit displays Andy Warhol’s “screen tests” of several recognizable celebrity figures from the ’70s and the Studio 54 scene including Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Salvador Dali, and Edie Sedgwick. The videos are projected onto the walls of the darkened gallery, creating a hypnotic effect that makes it hard to look away.

“Warhol’s screen tests are a bit eerie in that you’re kind of voyeuristically looking at an intimate moment of the subject and the camera. Because the imagery is very slowed down and very motion-heavy, you get an intimate experience with some of the time’s most prolific artists and celebrities,” Benfield said.

In addition to famous celebrities, the tests feature drag performer Mario Montez and Black supermodel Donyale Luna.

“Andy Warhol is one of the most prolific queer artists in our zeitgeist. He was very much so an advocate for other queer artists and highlighted them in his work and celebrated them in his work. The tie-in with Queen City Pride and June being Pride Month is very strong and one that the museum is so honored to be able to bring attention to and provide a celebratory platform,” Benfield said.

Randall Neilsen, the Art Committee Chair for this year’s Queen City Pride Festival, commented on the collaboration, “There are a lot of elements about Studio 54 and about the fact that they’re debuting this party in the Andy Warhol exhibit that really lends itself to the queer experience. … What we have here is a great opportunity to use Studio 54 to represent the bigger community that we have here in Manchester, especially the queer community. … It’s very exciting to be able to collaborate with them to help put that together,” he said.

woman painting message on wall with colorful paints
Courtesy of Queen City Pride.

Queen City Pride will also be hosting a Pride Parade on Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to noon on Commercial Street in Manchester. Following the parade, there will be a Pride Festival from noon to 6 p.m. Nielsen, who was in charge of coordinating arts events for the festival, noted the large expected turnout for this year’s festival,

“Queen City Pride has become much bigger than it has been in the last couple years. We’re expecting over 5,000 people this year,” he said.

As part of the festival planning, Nielsen helped execute an “artists alley,” a space where more than 25 artists will be showcasing and selling their work.

“[It is] a place for people to come meander and enjoy the arts that we have here in Manchester…. There will be other fun interactive things, like a live painting and some other stuff that some of our artists are putting on,” he said.

The festival will offer events for all ages, including a youth tent that will feature interactive activities being sponsored by FIRST Robotics. Other activities include a beer garden, a food truck area, over 120 local vendors and live entertainment including drag performances.

Queen City Pride is also hosting an after-party following the festival, at 8 p.m. for VIP entrance and 9 p.m. for general admission at the Masonic Temple (1505 Elm St., Manchester). The event will feature live performances, food, drinks and dancing.

Nielsen highlighted Queen City Pride’s recent transition to a nonprofit, saying, “We’re definitely going to be much more involved in the community going forward, especially with organizations like the Currier. … This is really just the start of a lot of fantastic opportunities for us, [both] with them and other organizations going forward.”

Pride-packed weekend

Studio 54 at the Currier
Where: The Currier Museum (150 Ash St, Manchester)
When: Friday, June 17, from 7 to 11 p.m.
Tickets: $50 general admission
Visit: currier.org

Pride Parade
Where: Commercial Street, Manchester
When: Saturday, June 18, 10 a.m. to noon
Visit: queencitypridenh.org

Pride Festival
Where: Arms Park in Manchester
When: Saturday, June 18, noon to 6 p.m.
Visit: queencitypridenh.org

Pride After-Party
Where: Masonic Temple (1505 Elm St., Manchester)
When: Saturday, June 18, 8 p.m. (VIP entrance), 9 p.m. (general admission)
Tickets: $15 general admission, $25 VIP
Visit: queencitypridenh.org

Featured photo: Courtesy of Queen City Pride.

Kiddie Pool 22/06/09

Family fun for the weekend

Trucks and eats

• The Touch-a-Truck and Food Truck Festival in the parking lot of Hopkinton High School (297 Park Ave. in Hopkinton) will feature trucks to check out (fire truck, police cruiser, etc.) and trucks selling eats on Saturday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for kids, with proceeds benefiting the Library of Things at the Hopkinton Public Library. See hopkintonpubliclibraryfoundation.org.

Grow gardeners

• New Hampshire Audubon McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord) will hold a “Buds & Blooms: Beginner Botany” program geared toward kids and families, all about native plants and pollinators, on Saturday, June 11, from 10 to 11 a.m. The event is free but register in advance at nhaudubon.org. Head back to the McLane Center the next day, Sunday, June 12, from noon to 4 p.m. for a native plant sale.

Game on!

• Concord Skate Park (15 Loudon Road, Concord) will host its second annual Rumble in the Rubble Skate Jam on Saturday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to skating, there will be prizes, raffles, food, music and more. Skaters of all experience levels are welcome. See concordskatepark.com.

• The 78th annual New Hampshire Soap Box Derby race will be held on Sunday, June 12, at 120 Broadway in Dover, with races running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free for spectators. Kids ages 7 and older can create a gravity-powered car and race it down a track in hopes of making the All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship. See soapboxderby.org/new-hampshire.aspx.

• The next home games of the Nashua Silver Knights (a team in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League) at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St. in Nashua) are Tuesday, June 14, at 6 p.m. against the New Britain Bees and Thursday, June 16, at 6 p.m. versus the Brockton Rox. See nashuasilverknights.com for tickets.

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats will return to Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester with a game on Tuesday, June 14, at 6:35 p.m., the first of six days of games against the Somerset Patriots. Wednesday, June 15, will feature two games, with the first starting at 5:05 p.m. See nhfishercats.com.

On with the show

• Catch the first of nine movies the Prescott Park Arts Festival has on the schedule for screening in Prescott Park in Portsmouth this summer with the screening of Pixar’s Soul(PG, 2020) on Friday, June 10, at 8:30 p.m., screened in collaboration with the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. A $5 per person donation is suggested to make a reservation (with other options for a table or blanket). See prescottpark.org/events/category/movie or blackheritagetrailnh.org/events.

• Get your little dancers excited about taking some lessons. The Martin School of Dance in Bedford is presenting its recital Toy Story on Sunday, June 12, at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) at 2 p.m. Doors open at 1 p.m. Tickets cost $33; see martinschoolofdance.com for more about the school.

And speaking of kid fare on the Cap Center stage, Blippi the Musical, based on the Blippi educational character that got its start on YouTube (according to Wikipedia), will come to the Cap Center on Friday, June 17, at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. and tickets start at $39.50 plus fees (an extra $50 gets you the photo experience package), according to the Cap Center website.

• The Palace Teen Apprentice Company, which features student actors ages 12 through 18, will present Seussical Jr. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Wednesday, June 15, and Thursday, June 16, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 to $15.

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