Category: This Week

Big Events September 22, 2022 and beyond

Friday, Sept. 23

Join 603 Forward and the Forward Foundation for the Forward Fest today at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) at 5:30 p.m. The event will celebrate young leaders of New Hampshire. The event will have live music, arts, community building and food. Ticket prices for adults start at $50. For more information about this event, visit 603forward.org.

Friday, Sept. 23

Mel’s Funway Park (454 Charles Bancroft Hwy, Litchfield) has undergone its annual transformation into Spooky World as of today at 7 p.m. The horror-themed amusement park will have a haunted hayride, a maze filled with a new breed of monster, a 3D nightmare attraction called Dream Scape, and a chance to escape Asylum 47. Tickets start at $54 and can be purchased at nightmarenewengland.com.

Saturday, Sept. 24

The Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis) is hosting its annual Fall Festival and Art Show today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event features artwork by regional artists, children’s art, live music, animal and birds of prey presentations, guided hikes and herbal and flower products and refreshments for sale. Amy Conley will offer children’s songs and a puppet show (at 11 a.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday), and the Flying Gravity Circus, a children’s circus troupe, will perform at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The event is free to attend and more information can be found at beaverbrook.org.

Saturday, Sept. 24

Today is the opening reception for the The New Hampshire Potters Guild’s biennial exhibition, “Storied in Clay,” at the exhibition gallery at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen headquarters (49 S. Main St., Concord). The exhibition will open on Sept. 26 and run through Oct. 27. The reception is free and takes place during the two-day Capital Arts Fest (today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) happening on Main Street in downtown Concord. Visit nhpottersguild.org for more information on the exhibit and nhcrafts.org for more on the fest.

Saturday, Sept. 24

Millyard Brewery (25 E. Otterson St., Nashua) is hosting an Oktoberfest today from 1 to 8 p.m. and tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 25, from 1 to 6 p.m. The festival will have live music, games, traditional German food, a beer stein holding contest and more. Visit millyardbrewery.com for more information.

Sunday, Sept. 25

The annual Merci train ceremony is today at 1 p.m. at the boxcar’s permanent location, on Reed Street in Manchester. The ceremony commemorates the soldiers from New Hampshire who fought and died in France during World War II, liberating the French people. The ceremony is free to attend, and more information about it is available at facnh.com.

Save the date! Saturday, Oct. 22
Adam Sandler is coming to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester) on Saturday, Oct. 22. Sandler will be performing a new stand-up comedy routine. Doors to the event will open at 6:30 p.m., and the show will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39.50 and can be bought at snhuarena.com.

Featured photo. The Flying Gravity Circus. Courtesy photo.

Big Events September 15, 2022 and beyond

Friday, Sept. 16

The New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival start today at 9 a.m. There will be traditional Scottish events, like sheepdog trials, Scottish heavy athletics and highland dancing, as well as different demonstrations and the clan village. Ticket prices range from $30 to $55 per day for adults, are $5 for children 5 years old to preteen, and are free for children younger than 5. There are bundle options available. Visit nhscot.org to purchase tickets and for a full listing of events. Other happenings include activities for kids, Try It classes, Scottish living history, Clan Village (where you can learn more about specific families), music and food (meat pies, bridies, haggis and Scotch eggs are all mentioned on the website). Special events (requiring separate tickets) include the Whisky Master Classes, beer tasting, a harp contest and Highland Brews & Bites, the website said.

Friday, Sept. 16

Celebrate Halloween early with the Fisher Cats today with Halloween Night, the theme at tonight’s game against the Harrisburg Senators at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester. Game time is 6:35 p.m. Tonight’s game comes in the middle of the regular season’s final run of home games, with the Thursday, Sept. 15, and Saturday, Sept. 17, games both featuring post-game fireworks (both games start at 6:35 p.m.) The Sunday, Sept. 18, caps the season’s home schedule with a game at 1:35 p.m. where the theme is fan appreciation and there is a winter hat giveaway. Ticket prices start at $12. Visit nhfishercats.com.

Saturday, Sept. 17

The New Hampshire Old Graveyard Association is holding its fall meeting today at 9 a.m. at the Merrimack Historical Society (10 Depot St.). The group works to restore and preserve old graveyards across New Hampshire. This is the annual fall meeting where members and non-members can attend. The meeting is free to attend; see nhoga.com.

Saturday, Sept. 17

Nashua Library (2 Court St.) is holding the last library pop-up book sale today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on its library plaza. The sale will have used books, movies, music, games, puzzles and more for all age ranges costing from 25 cents to $2. In addition to the used items, there will be newly published books and gift cards that will be priced differently. Find out more at nashualibrary.org.

Saturday, Sept. 17

The Manchester Citywide Arts Festival, which started Sept. 12, culminates this weekend with events including a free street fair today (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and tomorrow (Sept. 18; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the opera block on Hanover Street. Find more information on all the Festival’s events at manchesterartsfestival.com and in our festival pullout in the Sept. 8 issue of the Hippo, starting on page 25 (find the e-edition at hippopress.com).

Wednesday, Sept. 21

Red River Theatres’ (11 S. Main St. in Concord; redrivertheatres.org, 224-4600) on-going “Hitchcock … and Trains” film series will feature the classic Strangers on a Train (1951) tonight at 6 p.m. A discussion will follow the screening.

Save the date! Friday, Sept. 23
Majestic Theatre’s 17th annual auction and performance, called Majestic-Opoly, is today and Saturday, Sept. 24, at the theater’s studio (880 Page St., Manchester) starting at 6:30 p.m. In addition to silent auctions and raffles, there will be performances by Majestic’s adult, teen and youth actors. Proceeds benefit the Majestic Theatre and the Ted Herbert Music School. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at majestictheatre.net.

Featured photo. New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival. Courtesy photo.

Big Events September 8, 2022 and beyond

Saturday, Sept. 10

Petals in the Pines (126 Baptist Road in Canterbury; petalsinthepines.com, 783-0220) will host the 10th annual New Hampshire Monarch Festival today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will include children’s activities and games, educational and nature vendors, a butterfly tagging demonstration, author readings, labyrinths, an “Ask a Master Gardner” table and free milkweed seeds to help expand milkweed habitat, which is part of monarch butterfly migration, according to a press release. Petals in the Pines also offers two miles of woodland trails and garden paths, the release said. BYO butterfly wings to wear if you have them. Admission costs $5 per adult and is free for children.

Saturday, Sept. 10

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) will hold its AerospaceFest today from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. outside the center. This free outdoor celebration of all things space will include telescope observations, hands-on science activities, ambassador animals from Millstone Wildlife Center, musician Mr. Aaron’s “Intergalactic Music Spectacular” (at 1 p.m.), the Mad Science of Maine (at noon and 3 p.m.), the new planetarium show Birth of Planet Earth and more, the website said. There will be free tickets to planetarium shows (first come, first served) as well as Center-related discounts. The galleries will be closed Saturday but the planetarium shows and restrooms inside will be open.

Saturday, Sept. 10

Celebrate Auburn by racing some rubber duckies. The annual Auburn Day and Duck Race will be held today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Auburn Village on Hooksett Road. The day will feature food, artisans, authors, a petting farm, music by Ray Zerkle, Wanda the Clown making balloon figures, a climbing wall, a medieval cooking demonstration by Allyson Szabo, an apple pie contest and a kids’ duckling cookie contest, according to a press release. At 2 p.m. head to Sucker Brook for the duck race; get your own ducks in the game by purchasing a ticket (each ticket corresponds with a duck); one duck for $5 or get a “quack pack” of five tickets for $20, the press release said. The ducks race downstream, over a waterfall and under a bridge with the first prize winner getting $1,000, the release said. See auburnhistorical.org.

Saturday, Sept. 10

The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; shakers.org, 783-9511) will hold its Artisan Market today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The day will feature craft booths (with textile, ceramic, wood, glass, jewelry and other items), Beans & Greens Taco Truck, guided tours, music from The Mink Hills Band and more, according to the website. Admission costs $15 for adults.

Sunday, Sept. 11

The Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13 in Brookline, andresinstitute.org) once again hosts its annual Bridges and Connections Sculpture Symposium, which holds its public opening today at 1 p.m. and runs through Sunday, Oct. 2. This year’s theme is “Catch ’22,” according to a press release. The Sculpture Park is open daily from dawn to dusk.

Save the date, laddies and lassies: Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18
The New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival will return to Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln on Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Tickets (for the whole weekend or single day admission) are available online; an adult weekend pass costs $90, a single day pass costs $30 for Friday or Sunday and $55 for Saturday. Special events (requiring separate tickets) include the Whisky Master Classes, beer tasting, Tartan Dinner & Ball, NH Scot’s “Got Talent,” a Cape Breton concert, a harp contest and Highland Brews & Bites, the website said.

Featured photo. Monarch butterfly. Courtesy photo.

Big Events September 1, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Sept. 1

Spend the holiday weekend cheering on the Fisher Cats at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Lane Drive in downtown Manchester; milb.com/new-hampshire), currently in a run of six games against the Portland Sea Dogs. Tonight’s game, which starts at 7:05 p.m. will feature post-game fireworks. The game on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 7:05 p.m. will also feature post-game fireworks and is Wizards and Wands Night, with wizard-themed events throughout the night. Friday’s theme is Margaritaville Night (game time is 7:05 p.m). For the game on Sunday, Sept. 4, at 1:35 p.m., the Fisher Cats become the Gatos Feroces with a jersey giveaway for the first 1,000 fans, according to the website.

Thursday, Sept. 1

The Hopkinton State Fair begins today at 5 p.m. (find free fair parking at 905 Park Ave. in Contoocook) and will run through Monday, Sept. 5. Throughout the long weekend get live music, midway rides, agricultural exhibits, a petting zoo, performances such as juggling and ax handlers, agricultural competitions and more. And, of course, there will be fair eats: turkey legs, sausage with peppers and onions, giant doughnuts, fried dough, cotton candy, apple crisp with ice cream and more, according to the website. Get tickets to an individual day, all five days or a megapass that includes a day’s admission and rides (additional tickets are required for some events, such as the Monster Trucks Show). See hsfair.org.

Friday, Sept. 2

Find some new wines for your long weekend. WineNot Boutique (25 Main St. in Nashua; winenotboutique.com, 204-5569) is hosting a wine tasting today from 1 to 5 p.m. featuring five or six potentially new-to-you wines.

Saturday, Sept. 3

The 21st annual Cruising Downtown Manchester classic car show runs today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Elm Street in the Queen City’s downtown, hosted by the Rotary Club of Manchester. The event will feature classic cars, muscle cars (NH Muscle Car Club will hold a rally on the bridge during the event), live entertainment, food, vendors and more. Awards for participating cars will be handed out around 3 p.m. See cruisingdowntownmanchester.com.

Sunday, Sept. 4

The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; shakers.org) is hosting Lori Diamond and Fred Abatelli with special guest Anelise as part of its Music on the Green series today from 4 to 5 p.m. Diamond and Abatelli’s music ranges from blues to pop, with Diamond playing piano and singing complemented by Abatelli on bass and guitar. The concert is free to attend. This is the second-to-last of the scheduled concerts in the series. A special memorial concert with Jan Fuller and Harel Gietheim is slated to close out the series next Sunday, Sept. 11.

Save the Date! Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18
This year’s Granite State ComiCon is calling itself the “Giant-Size 20th Anniversary Edition.” Perfect your costume and get your tickets for the Con, which will run Friday, Sept. 16, through Sunday, Sept. 18, with events largely at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown (700 Elm St. in downtown Manchester). Get tickets to individual days ($20 for Friday or Sunday, $25 for Saturday) or get a weekend pass ($55 or $125 for a VIP package that comes with a variety of goodies). There will be meet-and-greets with actors, comic book artists from New Hampshire and across the country, a costume contest, a kids costume contest, a Kids Con NE area, gaming and other comic book and pop culture fun. See granitecon.com.

Featured photo. Cruising Downtown Manchester classic car show. Courtesy photo.

Big Events August 25, 2022 and beyond

Saturday, Aug. 27

Today is the in-person Millennium Running AutoFair New Hampshire 10-miler race around Lake Massabesic, beginning at the lake parking lot (1 Londonderry Turnpike, Manchester) at 8 a.m. There will be awards for the top three male and female runners in each age bracket, relay teams, and overall runner awards. Running bib pickup begins at 6:30 a.m. See millenniumrunning.com/newhampshire10 for information on registration and course details.

Saturday, Aug. 27

The New England Racing Museum (922 Route 106 in Loudon) is bringing back the Hot Rods, Muscle and More Car Show today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be 21 awards handed out for categories like best Ford, best custom, best restored original and more. To enter a vehicle costs $20, spectators cost $5 and children 12 and younger are free. Visit nemsmuseum.com for more information about the car show.

Saturday, Aug. 27

The Capital Mineral Club is hosting the 58th annual Concord Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show today at The Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The show will continue Sunday, Aug. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be fossils, gems, carvings and more on display, as well as demonstrations from experts in geology. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and younger who come in with an adult. Tickets are purchased at the door. More information is available at capitalmineralclub.org.

Sunday, Aug. 28

Celebrate Gen. John Stark’s 294th birthday today at Stark Park (550 River Road, Manchester) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. After the celebration, Compaq Big Band will give a performance at the bandstand. Compaq Big Band specializes in swing music with a large brass horn section, vocalists and dancers. The event is free to attend. Visit starkpark.com.

Tuesday, Aug. 30

Starting today, with a game at 7:05 p.m., the Fisher Cats play the Sea Dogs for six days straight at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester). Each day features a different highlight, like Bark in the Park (where pups are welcomed to the games), fireworks, Fan Friday and more. Game times and prices vary. See a full schedule and buy tickets at milb.com/new-hampshire.

Save the Date! Saturday, Sept. 3
The 57th annual Exeter UFO Festival begins today at 8:45 a.m. at Exeter Town Hall (9 Front St, Exeter). The event will feature expert speakers on the extraterrestrial, a trolley ride from 10 Front St. that covers the locations where a famed UFO sighting happened nearly 60 years ago, an alien costume contest, events for kids, and more. While the festival is free to attend, pricing for different events varies. Visit exeterufofestival.org to learn more about the events.

Featured photo. Millennium Running AutoFair New Hampshire 10-miler race. Courtesy photo.

Big Events August 18, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Aug. 18

Londonderry’s Old Home Days, set for Wednesday, Aug. 17, through Sunday, Aug. 21, coincide with the town’s 300th anniversary celebration this year. In addition to a parade, there will be local vendor booths, games, food and an assortment of daily activities. Times and locations for different events vary throughout the week — a full schedule can be found on the Facebook page @townoflondonderryoldhomeday.

Friday, Aug. 19

The Toadstool Bookshop and Andy’s Summer Playhouse (582 Isaac Frye Hwy., Wilton) are hosting a Q&A with Tom Moore today at 5 p.m. about his book Grease: Tell Me More, Tell Me More. The book has stories from the cast and crew that helped build the show Grease into the classic it is today. To reserve a spot, visit andyssummerplayhouse.org.

Friday, Aug. 19

The Great Atlantic and Pacific Shakespeare Company opens at the Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord) today at 7:30 p.m. The play is written by local playwright Alan Lindsay and will be the first multi-act production from his playwriting group. The show follows actors who are swindled out of money by a greedy director, and hilarity ensues. The show does contain adult themes, so parental discretion is advised. To purchase tickets and to see other dates the show is running, visit hatboxnh.com.

Sunday, Aug. 21

Tuscan Village (9 Via Toscana, Salem) is hosting its annual exotic car show Concorso Italiano today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The show will feature one-of-a-kind cars and motorcycles and live music. The restaurant’s bar will also be open all day. To register a car, visit tuscanvillagesalem.com.

Tuesday, Aug. 23

The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) is hosting a student plane-building open house today at 7 p.m. The open house is to get high school age students interested in aviation and to sign up for the 2022-2023 school year program. The open house will have a flyby by the first completed student-built plane, as well as information sessions. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org.

Wednesday, Aug. 24

The Movies in the Summer Park Series at Veterans Memorial Park (723 Elm St., Manchester) continues with a showing of Black Panther (PG-13, 2018) tonight at 8 p.m. The film follows T’Challa, the new king of Wakanda, as he is challenged for the throne by a long-lost relative. The movie is free to attend.

Save the Date! Saturday, Aug. 27
The Capitol Center of the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord) is hosting Ladysmith Black Mambazo today, with doors opening at 7 p.m. The five-time Grammy-award winning group from South Africa is known for its vocal harmonies, signature dance moves and charming onstage banter. Tickets start at $35.50 and can be purchased at ccanh.com.

Featured photo. Londonderry’s Old Home Days. Courtesy photo.