Category: This Week

Big Events September 21, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, Sept. 21
It’s the final weekend to go somewhere over the rainbow at The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) with its mainstage production of The Wizard of Oz, which runs through Sept. 24 with shows today and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $28 to $49.

Friday, Sept. 22
Meanwhile, it’s opening weekend for the Milford Area Players’ The House on Haunted Hill at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford), which runs today through Oct. 1, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for students/ seniors. Visit milfordareaplayers.org.

Friday, Sept. 22
The Majestic Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7649) presents Great Gatsby, its 18th annual auction and performance fundraiser, today and Saturday, Sept. 23, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event features performances from Majestic’s ensemble, musicians and special guests. Attendees can participate in themed raffles and silent auctions that include art passes, electronics, restaurant vouchers and unique artwork. Refreshments will be served. Tickets cost $20 per person.

Saturday, Sept. 23
The Great New Hampshire Pie Festival will take place at the New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy. in Milton; nhfarmmuseum.org) today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $15 ($6 for kids 12 and under). Local bakeries will have pies for sampling while local pie makers will compete in a pie contest. The day will also feature a pie crust rolling demonstration, a raffle, a silent auction, tractor rides, visits with the animals, tours of historic buildings and live music from Lance Maclean and the Moose Mountain String Band.

Sunday, Sept. 24
Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road in Warner; indianmuseum.org, 456- 2600) will hold its annual Harvest Moon Festival today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will feature nature presentations, hands-on crafts, food for sale, storytelling at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and more, according to the website. Tickets in advance cost $11 for adults, $10 for seniors/students/veterans and $8 for ages 6 to 12 ($1 more each at the door), with a $35 family admission (two adults and three children). Tickets include admission to the museum.

Sunday, Sept. 24
Catch the show “The Living Forest: Uyra” on its final day on display at Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144). The exhibition features photographs and videos encompassing the works of the artist Uýra. The Currier is open Wednesday and Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (with Art After Work, when admission is free, from 5 to 8 p.m.). Admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children under age 13.

Save the Date! Saturday, Nov. 4
New Hampshire’s own Seth Meyers will bring the laughs to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester; snhuarena.com, 644-5000) on Saturday, Nov. 4, with a show at 8 p.m. Tickets, which benefit CASA of NH and Granite State Children’s Alliance, cost $105 through $255.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Big Events September 14, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, Sept. 14
The Granite State Fair held at 72 Lafayette Road in Rochester will run today through Sunday, Sept. 17, and Thursday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 24. The fair and midway open at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and noon Saturdays and Sundays. Find a ride list with height requirements at granitestatefair.com along with a schedule of events. One-day tickets cost $10 per person through Sept. 13, $12 per person Sept. 14 and beyond).

Friday, Sept. 15
The NH Highland Games & Festival celebrates Scottish music, sports and culture and runs today through Sunday, Sept. 17, at Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln. A three-day adult pass costs $99 (children ages 6 to 14 cost $10; ages 5 and under get in free); single-day adult tickets cost $35 to $59 depending on the day. The event features several food and drink events as well as concerts, each of which has its own tickets. The festival will also feature music, a clan village, Scottish living history, classes in Scottish culture, kids’ programs, Scottish-themed vendors, and Scottish and fair food. See nhscot.org.

Friday, Sept. 15
The NH Highland Games & Festival celebrates Scottish music, sports and culture and runs today through Sunday, Sept. 17, at Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln. A three-day adult pass costs $99 (children ages 6 to 14 cost $10; ages 5 and under get in free); single-day adult tickets cost $35 to $59 depending on the day. The event features several food and drink events as well as concerts, each of which has its own tickets. The festival will also feature music, a clan village, Scottish living history, classes in Scottish culture, kids’ programs, Scottish-themed vendors, and Scottish and fair food. See nhscot.org.

Saturday, Sept. 16
Pelham Old Home Day is today from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 3 Main St. in Pelham. The day will include music, fitness demonstrations, dance and martial arts demonstrations, food trucks, a pancake and sausage breakfast at the Church Fellowship Hall (7 to 9 a.m.), crafts and goods vendors, a white elephant yard sale, a 5K road race (10 a.m.), kids’ games, touch a truck, a cornhole tournament (check in at 11 a.m.; noon start), a grand parade (2:30 p.m.), Windham Community Band (3:15 p.m.), a penny sale raffle (4 p.m.) and more, according to pelhamoldhomeday.org.

Saturday, Sept. 16
Derryfest will run Saturday, Sept. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day features a vendor fair, performances and more. See derryfest.org. Saturday, Sept. 16
Hooksett Old Home Day is today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with fireworks scheduled after dusk. The day starts with a parade at 10 a.m. from Lambert Park to Donati Park (behind Town Hall, 35 Main St. in Hooksett). The day will feature live music, demonstrations, vendors, kids’ activities and more. See hooksettoldhomeday.org.

Save the Date! For Taylor!
Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour is coming to a big screen near you. A movie presentation of The Eras Tour will be in area theaters starting Friday, Oct. 13: Apple Cinemas (applecinemas.com) in Hooksett and Merrimack; O’neil Cinemas Brickyard Square in Epping (oneilcinemas.com); Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (chunkys.com) in Manchester, Nashua and Pelham; Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem (cinemark.com); the Regal Concord (regmovies.com) and Smitty’s in Tilton (smittyscinema.com) have tickets on sale for multiple screenings starting Oct. 13 with some offering screenings through Nov. 5.

Featured photo: Manchester City-Wide Arts Festival. Courtesy photo.

Big Events September 7, 2023 and beyond

Friday, Sept. 8

The 11th annual New Hampshire Monarch Festival continues this weekend at Petals in the Pines (126 Baptist Road in Canterbury; petalsinthepines.com, 783-0220) today through Sunday, Sept. 10. Online reservations for two-hour time slots are required; the cost is $7 for adults, $3.50 for kids, and infants (non-walkers) get in free. Time slots for this weekend are 1:15 to 3:30 p.m. on Friday; 9:15 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 1:15 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Learn about ways to help migrating monarchs and other pollinators at the festival, which will feature kids’ activities and games, monarch tagging, book readings, labyrinths, ask a master gardener, free milkweed seeds and 2 miles of woodland trails and garden paths, according to a press release. Butterfly wings and costumes are encouraged, the release said.

The curtain rises on the merry old land of Oz tonight: The Wizard of Oz at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) runs today through Sunday, Sept. 24, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays as well as Thursday, Sept. 21, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $49 for adults, $28 for 12 and under and $33 for seniors, according to the website. The show, which boasts the familiar songs performed by the cast and a live orchestra and “masterful special effects,” opens the 2023-2024 St. Mary’s Bank Performing Arts Series, according to a video posted on the Palace’s social media.

Saturday, Sept. 9

It’s a day of rubber ducks, food trucks and live music! The 2023 Auburn Day will run today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Auburn Village on Hooksett Road, with the 30th Annual Duck Race taking place at 2 p.m. $20 will get you five tickets — a “quack pack,” according to the website. Winning ducks get their ticket-holders prizes — from $1,000 for first prize through $25 for 6th through 10th place. The day will also feature an apple pie contest, a cookie baking contest for kids, a small petting zoo, music by Ray Zerkle, a climbing wall, food trucks, children’s games, local authors and more. See auburnhistorical.org.

Sunday, Sept. 10

The Nashua Multicultural Festival will be held today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library plaza and parking lot (2 Court St. in Nashua). The day will feature food from area restaurants, art, dance and a celebration of the cultures of Nashua’s residents, according to
nashuanh.gov/1237/Nashua-Multicultural-Festival.

Concorso Italian, the free Italian car show at the Tuscan Village (9 Via Toscano in Salem; tuscanvillagesalem.com), will run today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and feature live music, street food, entertainment and more than 150 exotic cars.

Wednesday, Sept. 13

Adam Berry, of the Travel Channel and Discovery+’s Kindred Spirits, will bring “Real Ghost Stories” to the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $35.75 and $48.75.

Save the Date! – Friday, Oct. 13

Pizzastock: It Takes a Village, a documentary about student and musician Jason Flood and the Pizzastock event created to spread awareness for mental health and suicide prevention, will screen Friday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, 44 N. Main St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.showare.com). Doors for the event open at 6:30 p.m. and the evening will feature live music, speeches and stories from community leaders, according to pizzastock.org. Tickets cost $15, $10 for youth.

Featured photo: Pizzastock banner.

Big Events August 31, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, Aug. 31

The Hopkinton State Fair starts today at 905 Park Ave. in Contoocook. The fair is open from 5 to 10 p.m. today; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, through Sunday, Sept. 3, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 4. A five-day pass costs $39. A general admission day pass costs $14 (with discounts for youth and seniors). A Megapass, which includes admission all five days and unlimited access to mechanical rides, costs $45, according to hsfair.org, where you can purchase fair tickets as well as tickets for the demolition derby (Saturday, Sept. 2, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 3, at 6:30 p.m.; tickets cost $25 in advance, $29 at the fair) and the monster truck show (Thursday, Aug. 31, and Friday, Sept. 1 — gates open at 5 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m.; see the website for ticket packages). In addition to the midway full of rides and games and the fair food offerings, the Hopkinton State Fair features agricultural exhibits and events such as livestock and horse shows, pulling competitions, a great pumpkin weigh-off, displays in the home arts building, a 4-H show and auction, educational exhibits, Charmingfare Farm petting zoo and a farmers market, the website said. The fair also features live music, including Rumboat Chili (Thursday, Aug. 31, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.), as well as magic and comedy performances.

Thursday, Aug. 31

Kick off your Labor Day weekend with some art and music. The Currier Museum of Art’s (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) Art After Work program — when admission is free from 5 to 8 p.m. — will feature a performance by J Street Extension this evening (this central New Hampshire band describes its style as blues-rock-funk-country). The museum will be open through the holiday weekend, including Monday, Sept. 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Regular admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for 65+ and students, and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (12 and under get in free).

Saturday, Sept. 2

Head to Elm Street in downtown Manchester for the 22nd annual Cruising Downtown car show held by the Manchester Rotary Club today from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Find live music, vendors, food and cars competing in several categories. See cruisingdowntownmanchester.com.

Monday, Sept. 4

Start your morning with Pac-Man and Galaga at Funspot (579 Endicott Road in Laconia; funspotnh.com). The “largest arcade in the world” continues its summer hours — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and until 11 p.m. on Saturdays — through today, Labor Day. (During the off season the arcade is open noon to 10 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.)

Monday, Sept. 4

Milford celebrates Labor Day with a parade! The parade will step off at 1 p.m. and head from Milford High School at West Street to the Milford Oval, around the Oval and then to the Harley Sanford VFW, according to milford.nh.gov. This year’s theme is “Celebration of Sports,” the website said.

Save the date: Sunday, Sept. 24
The Beaver Brook Association (Maple Hill Farm, 117 Ridge Road in Hollis; beaverbrook.org ) will hold a full moon hike on Sunday, Sept. 24, from 7 to 9 p.m. Enjoy that crisp fall evening air while a naturalist guides the group through the trail, highlighting seasonal changes and local animals, according to the website. Registration costs $22 plus fees. Find this and other fall programming at beaverbrook.org.

Featured photo: Hopkinton Fair.

Big Events August 24, 2023 and beyond

Friday, Aug. 25

Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com, 206-3888) will hold a family-friendly game of Theater Candy Bingo tonight at 6:15 p.m. Reserve a seat for $10, which includes one bingo card and a $5 food voucher for eats that night.

Friday, Aug. 25

Or play the R-Rated game show Feud Gone Wild, a Family Feud-style game with opportunities for teams and individuals, tonight at 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m., at Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $30.75. Need more competition? Check out the listing of area trivia nights on page 38.

Saturday, Aug. 26

It’s an afternoon of blues today from noon to 4 p.m. at the Londonderry town common during the 9th Annual Blues Festival. The festival is free and is slated to feature Rik-Sha Blues Band (noon), Kan-Tu Blues Band (1:15 p.m.) and Dr. Harp’s Blues Revue Band (2:30 p.m.), according to a press release. The day will feature a 50/50 raffle, local vendors, crafters, food and more, with proceeds from the raffle and vendors benefiting the Combat Vets Association, which provides assistance to veterans, veteran care facilities and other veteran organizations and registered charities throughout New England, the release said.

Saturday, Aug. 26

The Four Horsemen, billed as the “ultimate Metallica tribute band,” will perform tonight at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35. Find more concerts this weekend and beyond in our Concert listings on page 38.

Sunday, Aug. 27

The silent film The Divine Lady (1929) will screen today at Wilton Town Hall Theatre (Main Street in Wilton; 654-3456, find them on Facebook) at 2 p.m. featuring live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis.

Monday, Aug. 28

Catch a screening of the 2009 movie Coraline (PG) featuring behind-the-scenes footage of the making of this stop-motion animated film based on a Neil Gaiman novella tonight at 7 p.m. at AMC Classic Londonderry, Regal Concord, Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem or Regal Fox Run in Newington. The movies will also screen at the Regals in Concord and Newington and Cinemark in Salem on Tuesday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. See fathomevents.com for tickets to those shows. O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square in Epping will also screen the movie today at 7 p.m.; see oneilcinemas.com.

Save the date: For Comics!
Granite State Comicon, the celebration of all things comics and pop culture, will take place Friday, Sept. 15, through Sunday, Sept. 17, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown in Manchester. Ticket options include a $110 VIP three-day pass (which includes early entry, a limited-edition print and a goodie bag), a $55 three-day pass, a $40 pass for Saturday and Sunday, and day passes ($10 for Friday, $25 for Saturday, $20 for Sunday). Kids 8 and under get in free with adult admission, according to granitecon.com, where you can purchase tickets and find a schedule of the weekend’s events.

Featured photo: Granite State Comicon

Big Events August 17, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, Aug. 17

Enjoy a little “yes, and” at the Queen City Improv performance today at 7:30 p.m. at the Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com). Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for seniors and students. The event is byob or w, according to the website. Find more places to do some serious chuckling in the Comedy This Week listing on page 41.

Saturday, Aug. 19

Arts Alive invites local artists and art enthusiasts to the renovated mill building at 71 Main St. in Harrisville to learn about the history of the town and the building from local history experts and artists in an event that runs from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $10 per person. See monadnockartsalive.org/artist-field-trips to register.

Saturday, Aug. 19

So good! So good! Catch Cherry Cherry, a Neil Diamond tribute band, today at 8 p.m. at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com). Tickets cost $35. Find more concerts this weekend and beyond in the Concert listings on page 42.

Saturday, Aug. 19

The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4877) will hold PlaneFest! today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside of the museum. The day will include cake at 1 p.m. to celebrate Orville Wright’s birthday, flight- and airplane-related activities and crafts (geared at elementary and middle school-age kids), an opportunity to meet aviation-related professionals, airplanes on display and more. Admission to the fest is free; admission to the museum costs $10 per person, $5 for ages 6 to 13 and seniors and veterans (free for children 5 and under). Rain date is Saturday, Aug. 26.

Tuesday, Aug. 22

A six-day stretch of games between the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies starts today at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester with a 7:05 p.m. game. Games on Thursday, Aug. 24, and Saturday, Aug. 26, will feature post-game fireworks. Friday, Aug. 25, will feature a free hat giveaway, and the game on Sunday, Aug. 27, at 1:35 p.m. will feature a pencil pouch giveaway and a Princess Brunch at 10 a.m. for $26. See milb.com/new-hampshire.

Save the date for monsters: Saturday, Aug. 26
Studio 550 Community Art Center (550 Elm St. in Manchester; 550arts.com, 232-5597) will hold its 11th annual Monster Hunt in downtown Manchester on Saturday, Aug. 26, starting at 11 a.m. until the monsters are found — which happens pretty quickly, according to a press release. Studio 550 makes and hides 100 monster medallions in the downtown with each monster finder asked to keep only one monster to spread the monster-finding fun to as many people as possible, the release said. Bring the medallion to Studio 550 to trade in for a red clay monster. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Studio 550 will also host several low-cost hands-on activities, the release said. There will also be a kids-only hunt at DoubleTree Hotel at 10:30 a.m. for kids 5 and under with 25 monsters available and monster stickers for all kids who search, the release said. See 550arts.com/about/monsterhunt. Photo courtesy of Studio 550.

Featured photo: A vintage PT-23 training plane will be on display by the New England Wing of the Commemorative Air Force during this year’s PlaneFest! Courtesy photo.