Category: This Week

Big Events July 14, 2022 and beyond

Friday, July 15

The Center for Life Management is hosting its 14th annual silent auction and concert benefit at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry). The silent auction will start at 5:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m., featuring 33 1/3 LIVE, which will perform their Killer Queen Experience. Tickets are $40 for the mezzanine, $45 for main floor, and $50 for the lower level. Find information at tupelomusichall.com.

Friday, July 15

Loudon is hosting racers for the Ambetter 301 NASCAR weekend starting today at noon at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106) and continuing through Sunday, July 17. The weekend will be filled with races, fan events, live music and more. Friday night will feature dirt duels. General admission tickets start at $20 and attendees 12 years old and under are $10. For the Ambetter 301 weekend, single adult tickets start at $59 and tickets for children 12 years old and under are $10. Visit nhms.com/events/nascar-cup-series for more information.

Saturday, July 16

The Aviation Museum (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) is rolling out vintage cars for the classic car show today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Classic cars of various makes and models will compete for the people’s choice award, and the Amoskeag Reserve Engine Co., a local chapter of the national fire apparatus preservation society, will show off restored antique firetrucks. There will be food trucks, a raffle and a yard sale. Registration will be from 9 to 10 a.m. and costs $10. Spectator tickets will cost $5 for adults; children 12 and younger are free. For more information, visit nhahs.org.

Saturday, July 16

The annual New England vintage boat and car auction is today, with the first in-person bids being placed at 10 a.m. Some of the featured items available at this year’s auction include a 1961 24-foot Chris Craft Sportsman, a 1968 20-foot Chris Craft Grand Prix and a 1947 22-foot Goodhue Race Boat. While the online auction started on July 7, there will be a showing of boats and cars on Thursday, July 14, and Friday, July 15, from noon to 5 p.m. at The Nicholas J. Pernokas Recreation Park (10 Trotting Track Road, Wolfeboro). Additional viewing before the bidding will begin at 8 a.m.

Saturday, July 16

The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter) is hosting the 32 Annual American Independence Festival starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m. The festival will have historical reenactors, an artisan village with everything from ropemaking to tinsmithing, and musicians playing traditional instruments such as clavichords, dulcimers and harpsichords. Tickets are $4 for kids ages 4 to 8, $10 for adults, and free for children under 4 years old.

Tuesday, July 19

Gibson’s Bookstore (45 South Main St., Concord) is hosting local author Sarah McCraw Crow for a paperback release party for her novel The Wrong Kind of Woman today at 6:30 p.m. The event is free to attend and does not require registration. See gibsonsbookstore.com.

Save the Date! Saturday, July 23
The Rebel Collective is performing at the Bank of NH (16 S Main St, Concord) to support Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Hampshire. The Rebel Collective is a New England-based American/Irish pub rock band that was started in 2015. CASA is a nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and supports community volunteers to advocate for children who have suffered abuse or neglect. The doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $18 and can be purchased at ccanh.com.

Featured photo. The Rebel Collective will be performing July 23. Courtesy photo.

Big Events July 7, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, July 7

Chunky’s Cinema Pub is hosting a 21-and-older screening of Thor: Love and Thunder tonight at 8 p.m. at all three locations (707 Huse Road in Manhcester, 151 Coliseum Ave. in Nashua and 150 Bridge St. in Pelham; chunkys.com). O’neil Cinemas Brickyard Square (24 Calef Highway in Epping; oneilcinemas.com) is also on the list of theaters hosting “Thorsday” evening screenings. The movie opens wide on Friday, July 8.

Friday, July 8

The 47th annual Raymond Town Fair will start up at 5 p.m. this evening at Raymond Commons. Bingo starts at 5 p.m. under the tent, live music starts at 6 p.m. and the firemen’s parade starts at 7 p.m. The fair continues through Saturday, July 10, and will include a silent auction, fireworks and sack races. For more information, contact the organizers at raymondnhtownfair@gmail.com or find the event on Facebook.

Saturday, July 9

The Warner Historical Society is hosting playwright Eugenie Carabatsos for a staged reading of her short play Seven Minutes in Heaven at Warner Town Hall (5 E. Main St. inWarner) at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Carabatsos, a professor at Dartmouth, is the first author presenting in this summer’s Tory Hill Authors series. Visit toryhillauthorsseries.com.

Saturday, July 9

The craft beer festival Keep NH Brewing is back (after a two-year hiatus) at Kiwanis Waterfront Park, 15 Loudon Road, Concord (see Matt Ingersoll’s story on page 26 in the June 30 edition of The Hippo; find the e-edition at hippopress.com). The event, which will run from 1 to 5 p.m., features more than 130 brewers from across the Granite State, plus vendors and music. The event is limited to adults age 21 and older. Tickets are $50 in advance, $55 day of, and $65 for VIP. Visit nhbrewers.org

Saturday, July 9

Catch the band Alligator Wine at the Millyard Brewery (25 E. Otterson St. in Nashua) tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. (music on the patio, weather permitting). Find more live music at more area patios (and inside breweries and restaurants), in the Music This Week listing, which starts on page 38.

Tuesday, July 12

As part of the Literary in the Lounge series, Tom Perrotta will read from his new novel, Tracy Flick Can’t Win, at the newly renamed Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St. in Portsmouth) at 7 p.m. The book follows Tracy, a character from Perrotta’s 1998 novel Election, and how her life has changed since she was in high school. Tickets cost $44 and will include a hardcover signed copy of the book, an author discussion, Q-and-A session and post-show meet-and-greet. See themusichall.org. The space, which was formerly known as “The Loft” is a 116-seat venue and is slated to reopen July 7 with comedy by Pat McGann.

Save the Date! Thursday, August 11
The Manchester International Film Festival will run from Thursday, Aug. 11, through Sunday, Aug. 14, at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St.) and the Rex Theatre (23 Hanover St.). The film festival will show movies made by independent filmmakers, directors and performers. Film listings are still being announced but so far they include the short film For Pins, the and horror film An American Werewolf in London, which will have a podcast taping with Southern New Hampshire University film professors after the showing. Call the box office at 668-5588 or purchase tickets online at palacetheatre.org/film.

Featured photo. Thor. Courtesy photo.

Big Events June 30, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, June 30

Bedford’s Family Concerts in the Park starts today at 6 p.m. at the Bedford Village Park Gazebo (off Bell Hill Road) with a performance by the Manchester Community Music School. The concert series continues with performances on Wednesdays and will run until Aug. 10. On Wednesday, July 6, catch Sixties Invasion (pictured, playing the music of the 1960s). The music will range from New Orleans jazz to rock, doo-wop, country, folk and other genres. Concerts are free to attend and bringing a lawn chairs or blankets (and a picnic dinner) is encouraged. bedfordnh.myrec.com.

Friday, July 1

The New Hampshire Boat Museum (399 Center St., Wolfeboro, nhbm.org, 569-4554) will be giving a Free Admission Day today because it will be closed for the Fourth of July. The current exhibits are “Letting Off Steam: Escaping to New Hampshire during the Golden Age of Steam” and “Who’s in the Boat? A Look at the History of the Sport of Rowing.”

Friday, July 1

Communities across the Granite State are doing Readings of Frederick Douglass’s Essay “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” The readings will all be taking place at noon today at Congregational Church of Amherst; Eagle Square in Concord; Dover Public LIbrary; Exeter Town Hall; Hopkinton Town Hall; Manchester City Hall Plaza; Nashua Library Gardens; Teixeira Park (Union Street, Peterborough); Strawbery Banke (Portsmouth); Rochester Performance & Art Center, Colonel Paul Wentworth House (Rochester), and Warner Town Hall. See blackheritagetrailnh.org/frederick-douglass-statewide-readings or call 570-8469.

Tuesday, July 5

Dover Public Library is giving Granite Staters a way to track down their heritage with a Genealogy Class beginning today at 6:30 p.m. The library welcomes everyone, experienced genealogists or newcomers, from across the state for free classes. Contact Anne Nelson at a.nelson@dover.nh.gov or call the library at 516-6050 for more information.

Wednesday, July 6

The Courtyard by Marriott (70 Constitution Ave.in Concord) is taking advantage of its patio with a nine-week lineup of live Music on the Patio, starting on July 6 with April Cushman. The music will play from 5 to 7 p.m. The series is free for anyone to enjoy. Find more live music on area decks in the Music This Week listing, which starts on page 34.

Thursday, July 7

Van Otis Chocolates is holding a Chocolate Happy Hour at its Manchester location (341 Elm St., vanotis.com, 627-1611) for chocoholics age 21 and older. Participants will get a tour of the chocolate factory and make their own special chocolate bark. Guests are invited to bring a bottle of wine to enjoy while they whip up their chocolate creations. Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased on Eventbrite at eventbrite.com/o/van-otis-chocolates-15034673134.

Save the Date! Friday, July 15
Nashua’s Parks and Recreation department is starting Pics in the Park with a showing of Jurassic Park (PG-13, 1993) at dusk at Greeley Park (100 Concord St.). The movie will be shown on a screen in front of the bandshell and is free to attend.

Featured photo. 60s Invasion. Courtesy photo.

Big Events June 23, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, June 23

This is the last week to see the award-winning musicalLegally Blondeat the Palace Theatre (80 Hannover St., Manchester). The musical follows Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandals while attending Harvard Law School and pursuing her dreams. The high-energy musical closes on June 26. Ticket prices range from $25 to $46. Showtimes are on Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at noon. Tickets can be purchased online at palacetheatre.org.

Friday, June 24

The Canvas Roadshow Studio (25 S. River Road, Bedford) is giving people a chance to customize their sneakers at the Custom Sneaker Workshop today from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The studio will supply materials and patterns for people to choose from. Just make sure to bring a pair of canvas shoes to decorate. The workshop is for people ages 12 and older and costs $35 per person. Register at thecanvasroadshow.com/workshop-events/custom-sneaker-workshop.

Sunday, June 26

Help support the Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity by entering in their Cornhole Competition from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Budweiser Brewery Experience (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack) This is the only fundraiser this year for the Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity. Tickets for competing teams costs $75 and they have to register a team name and a T-shirt size. The top three winning teams will earn prizes for their bag tossing skills. In addition to the competition, there will be food trucks and drinks and alcoholic beverages served at the Biergarten. Sign up at nashuahabitat.org/cornhole.

Monday, June 27

Larry Gagnon is holding his fundraiser, PMC Piccola Night, at Piccola Italia Ristorante (815 Elm St., Manchester) tonight from 5 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $50 and include a buffet and drinks. All the money raised will be donated to the Pan Mass Challenge, a biking course that raises money for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Email Gagnon at larry.gagnon@comcast.net for more details.

Wednesday, June 29

This is the first night of the Free Concerts on Pelham Village Green for the summer. The green outside the library (24 Village Green) will be ready for families and music lovers to listen to music by All Day Fire Band. The Pelham Parks and Recreation department is encouraging people to bring lawn chairs or blanket, a book, ball, Frisbee, or other outdoor activities to do while they listen to the live music. The concert is free and runs from 6 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, June 29

Manchester’s “Summer Series Movies in the Park at Veterans Park” kicks off today at 8 p.m. with a screening of Black Panther (PG-13, 2018). Upcoming screenings include Jim Henson’s Labyrinth (PG, 1986) on July 13 and Encanto (PG, 2021) on July 27. The series finishes off with The Wedding Singer (PG-13, 1998), starring Manchester’s own Adam Sandler, on Aug. 10, according to a post on the Manchester Parks & Recreation Division’s Facebook page.

Save the Date! Saturday, July 2
The Fifth Annual Tree Streets Block Party will be on Saturday, July 2, from 2 to 6 p.m., on Ash Street between Central and West Hollis streets in Nashua. There will be a hot rod car show, a cookie competition, a skateboarding and BMX bike competition, and carnival games that will raise money for charity. Food vendors Los Amigos Barbecue and Soel Sistas will also be there, and live music will be featured. Admission is free. Visit involvedtoimpact.wordpress.com/home/tree-streets-block-party for more details.

Featured photo. Black Panther. Courtesy photo.

Big Events June 16, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, June 16

The 22nd annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic runs today through Saturday, June 18, with artists working on their solo creations leading up to voting for the People’s Choice Award on Saturday, June 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 8 p.m. (a fireworks display will follow at 9:30 p.m.). The sculptures will then be lighted for nightly viewing through June 26. See hamptonbeach.org.

Friday, June 17

Grab a burger at The Barley House (132 N. Main St. in Concord; thebarleyhouse.com), which is holding its annual Burgerfest to raise money for Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. See the menu of burgers (which includes options such as Brie and Chutney Bison Burger, Beef Wellington Burger, Stuffed Portabello Burger, Bourbon Steakhouse Burger and Bali Lamb Burger) at thebarleyhouse.com/burgerfest-2022. The Burgerfest started June 13 and runs through Saturday, June 18.

Saturday, June 18

The Palace Theatre will hold its 3rd annual Queen City Gardens self-guided tour today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 on the day (register at Demers Garden Center, 656 Mammoth Road in Manchester, from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday or purchase tickets via palacetheatre.org/calendar/queen-city-gardens-garden-tour).

Saturday, June 18

Get 20 acts on three stages at today’s Pizzastock 6, the annual tribute concert held by the Jason R. Flood Memorial. The event runs from noon to 8:30 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club in Derry (40 E. Derry Road) and will feature family activities, community service tables, food trucks, pizza and musical acts including More Than Jake, The Nostalgics, The Hasbeens, Cozy Throne (the Pizzastock 4.5 winner) and Second To Last Minute (the Pizzastock 5.5 winner; pictured), according to pizzastock.org. Admission is free.

Saturday, June 18

The Nashua Parks and Recreation department kicks off its SummerFun schedule with Celebrating DPW Day today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Greeley Park (100 Concord St. in Nashua), featuring live music (including Joe Birch at 10:15 a.m.), BJ Hickman Magic Show at 11:15 a.m., local stage acts, a bounce house, vendors and more. See nashuanh.gov for more on today’s event and the summer line-up of entertainment and activities. For more family fun, check out this week’s cover story (starting on page 10).

Sunday, June 19

Treat Dad to some strawbereries (today is Father’s Day). Beaver Brook Association is hosting Strawberry Station: A Family Event at Brown Lane Barn (52 Brown Lane in Hollis) today from 1 to 3 p.m. Learn about wild strawberries and make strawberry shortcake, according to beaverbrook.org where you must register for the event in advance. The cost is $45 per family.

Monday, June 20

The SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org) will hold its Kickoff to Summer today 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.

Featured photo. Second to Last Minute will perform at Pizzastock 6. Courtesy photo.

Big Events June 9, 2022 and beyond

Saturday, June 11

The Concord Arts Market, an outdoor artisan and fine art market, kicks off its season (it will run one Saturday a month from June through October) today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Rollins Park (33 Bow St. in Concord). See concordartsmarket.net.

Saturday, June 11

Get ideas for your garden by touring the public gardens maintained by the Milford Garden Club today from 10 a.m. to noon. See milfordnhgardenclub.org/gardentour.html for a map of the 11 spots where club members maintain gardens.

Saturday, June 11

A week of celebration begins today for 2022 Pride Week in Manchester. Queen City Pride will host an event honoring Mona’s 440 Club with a ladies night drag show at Strange Brew (88 Market St. in Manchester) featuring live music, a DJ and pole dancer Andrew Alvarado starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets to this 21+ show cost $15. A Pride brunch will be held Sunday, June 12, starting at noon at Gauchos; the cost is $25, no preregistration required. George Cox hosts Pride karaoke at Stark Brewery on Wednesday, June 15. Find the complete Pride Week schedule at queencitypridenh.org.

Saturday, June 11

Laconia Motorcycle Week returns for its 99th year and is slated to run through June 19 with a variety of motorcycle tours, vendors, daily scenic rides, live entertainment and more, all centered around Weirs Beach in Laconia. See laconiamcweek.com. Today, after the Peter Markis Memorial Ride, you can catch the Kan-Tu Blues Band and the Brassholes from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Naswa in Laconia, followed by Blue Matter from 6 to 10 p.m. For more live music this weekend and beyond, see the Music This Week listings on page 34.

Sunday, June 12

New Hampshire Audubon McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord) will hold a native plant sale today from noon to 4 p.m. Native perennial farm Bagley Pond will sell a wide selection of native plants and shrubs, according to a press release. NH Audubon staff and Pollinator Garden volunteers will be on site to answer questions about gardening, pollinators, native wildlife and native plants (such as the bee balm pictured above), the release said. See nhaudubon.org.

Sunday, June 12

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire will hold a walking tour in Milford called “Not a Slave, Yet Not Free: Harriet Wilson and the Abolition Movement.” The tour will meet in the Milford Oval at 2 p.m. Registration costs $20 per person, $15 for seniors and military and $10 for students. An author (the first African American to publish a novel in North America) and lecturer, Wilson was born in Milford, where a sculpture of her is in Bicentennial Park. See blackheritagetrailnh.org.

Sunday, June 12

Get some classic cinema today when What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) screens in celebration of its 60th anniversary at Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem and Regal Fox Run in Newington at 1 p.m. The Bette Davis/Joan Crawford-fronted film (the subject of the first season of Feud) will also screen Wednesday, June 15, at 7 p.m. at Cinemark Rockingham Park and O’Neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square in Epping. See fathomevents.com for tickets.

Save the Date! Thursday, June 16
WineNot Boutique (25 Main St. in Nashua; winenotboutique.com, 204-5569) will hold a tasting of rosé wines on Thursday, June 16, with times at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $20 (plus a fee) and get you samples of more than a dozen wines from around the globe, the website said.

Featured photo. Bee Balm. Courtesy photo.