Category: This Week

Thursday, Sept. 26

Balin Books (Somerset Plaza, 375 Amherst St., Nashua, 417-7981, balinbooks.com) is starting a new Book Club. The first meeting will is tonight at 6:30 p.m. and will be an informal get-together to discuss books readers would like to read and decide what direction the Book Club will take, according to an update from the bookstore. There may also be a discussion of the Nashua Reads book for 2024, The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts. (Elizabeth Letts will be discussing this story and her work at the Nashua Public Library on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 2 p.m.)

Friday, Sept. 27

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier will perform at the Rex Theatre (823 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) tonight at 7 p.m., with special guest Jaimee Harris. Tickets are $29.

Friday, Sept. 27

Saint Anselm College’s Geisel Library (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, 641-7300, anselm.edu) will host its 34th annual book sale Friday, Sept. 27, through Sunday, Sept. 29, featuring thousands of books across academic disciplines and genres including art, religion and theology, literature and drama, cookbooks, history and politics. Also for sale are DVDs, VHS tapes, music CDs, board games and puzzles. Hours are Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 27

The Hop Knot (1000 Elm St., Manchester, 232-3731, hopknotnh.com) will hold a Fancy Fifth Masquerade tonight from 8 p.m. to midnight to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hop Knot. Arrive dressed in your finest along with a mask of your choosing.

Saturday, Sept. 28

The Halcyon Club (11 Central St., Derry, 432-9704) will host its first ever Antiques Appraisal Day from 1 to 4 p.m. today. TV personality and appraiser John Bruno will offer verbal appraisals of antiques, collectibles, toys, art, books, ephemera and memorabilia. Admission is free; a fee of $5 per item will be collected for this service, with all proceeds donated to The Halcyon Club Community Projects.

Sunday, Sept. 29

The seventh annual Great Massabeseek family scavenger hunt will take place today at New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn, 224-9909, nhaudubon.org) from 1 to 4 p.m. to raise money for the Global Foundation for Peroxisomal Disorders (thegfpd.org). The Great Massabeseek invites participants, individually or in teams, to use clues to locate hidden objects along the trails of the Audubon. Register for $20 per person. Register at thegreatmassabeseek.org.

Sunday, Sept 29

The Busch Lumberjack Championship at the Biergarten at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 DW Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, anheuser-busch.com/breweries/merrimack-nh) will run from 11 a.m to 5 p.m. and feature food, kid activities and music from The Slakas. Watch competitors vie to become the Top Lumberjack. Tickets cost $15 online or $20 at the door; kids 12 and under are free.

Save the Date! Saturday, Oct. 12
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party will come to the SNHU Arena in Manchester on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13. The show will feature legendary monster trucks, including Big Foot and Skelesaurus, jumps, crushing competitions, and a demolition derby, according to snhuarena.com. Shows will be Saturday at 12:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets start at $35.50.

Featured photo: Mary Gauthier.

Friday, Sept. 20

Tonight the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) has a treat for Spider-Man fans. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in Concert will feature the movie of the same name showcased on a colossal HD screen and complemented by a diverse ensemble of musicians and instrumentalists performing the film’s iconic score and soundtrack, live including a full orchestra and a skilled scratch DJ on turntables, as well as percussion and electronic instrumentalists, according to the website. The show begins at 7 p.m. and tickets start at $37.75.

Friday, Sept. 20

Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St, Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) will host Gimme Gimme Disco, a DJ-based dance party playing ABBA hits plus other disco hits from the ’70s and ’80s., tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $17.60.

Saturday, Sept. 21

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (blackheritagetrailnh.org) and the Manchester Historic Association (129 Amherst St., Manchester, 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org) will dedicate a new marker today, recognizing and honoring enslaved people’s contributions to Manchester’s textile industry. The unveiling ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. The marker will be located on the south end of the Mill #3 building at 200 Bedford St., also the home of the Millyard Museum. The location of the marker is the site of a three-story picker house where bales of raw cotton were delivered.

Saturday, Sept. 21

The New Hampshire Reptile Expo will be held at the New England Sports Center (7 A St., Derry, 537-9663, nesportscenter.com) today from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The show provides everything attendees need to properly care for their reptiles, from high-quality reptile equipment to friendly vendors who assist in reptile husbandry and adoptions. General admission tickets are $10 and VIP tickets are $15 at showmereptileshow.com.

Wednesday, Sept 25

The Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, 228-2793, theaudi.org) will present A Feast of Words with Richard Lederer tonight at 7 p.m. Lederer is a former Concord Monitor columnist and the author of 60 books including his best-selling Anguished English series and his current title, A Feast of Words. Free and open to the public.

Wednesday, Sept. 25

The Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway, Derry, 432-6140, derrypl.org) presents “The Language of Leaves: The Not-So-Secret Science Behind Fall Foliage” this evening at 6:30 p.m. There will be a lecture as well as hands-on activities.

Wednesday, Sept. 25

The Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org) will hold a behind-the-screens community event tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Learn how community support keeps the Theatres going. There is no cost to attend this event but attendees should register on the Red River website by Monday, Sept. 23, to reserve a seat.

Save the Date! Sunday, Sept. 29
The Busch Lumberjack Championship comes to the Biergarten at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 DW Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, anheuser-busch.com/breweries/merrimack-nh) Sept. 29, 11 a.m to 5 p.m. Enjoy a day of music, food, kids activities and more. Watch competitors vie to become the Top Lumberjack. Tickets are $15 online, $20 at the door; kids 12 and under are free.

Featured photo: Oliver at the Palace Theater.

Friday, Sept. 13

Telluride by the Sea film festival at The Music Hall in Portsmouth (themusichall.org) begins tonight with a screening of Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, at 7 p.m. Other screenings at the festival include Memoir of a Snail on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m.; Nickel Boys on Sept. 14 at 3:30 p.m.; Saturday Night on Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m.; The Seed of the Sacred Fig on Sunday, Sept. 15, at noon, Will & Harper on Sept. 15 at 4 p.m. and Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight on Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for the entire festival or for individual screenings.

Thursday, Sept. 12

Catch Choir! Choir! Choir! tonight at 7 p.m. at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). This fully interactive, participatory show turns the audience into performers. All voices welcome, no experience necessary. This time, Choir! Choir! Choir! presents: “Hallelujah: An Epic Anthems Sing-Along!” Tickets start at $43.74.

Saturday, Sept. 14

The Thank You Project (thankyouproject.org) will hold its annual Water Walk today at 9 a.m. The mission of the Thank You Project is to bring a clean and reliable source of water to communities in rural Nigeria. Participants in this fundraiser will walk a 2-mile loop from Greeley Park in Nashua to the Concord Street Bridge. Visit thankyouproject.org/waterwalk.

Saturday, Sept. 14

Kelley Stelling Contemporary and the New Hampshire Potters’ Guild will hold a ceramics exhibition today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to celebrate the inaugural firing of the Guild’s new anagama kiln. The show will feature works by 18 ceramics artists and a silent auction The event will be at Al Jaeger’s property and location of the kiln, 20 Perry Road, Deerfield. This event is free and open to the public.

Saturday, Sept. 14

The Londonderry Historical Society (140 Pillsbury Road, Londonderry, 432-2005, londonderryhistory.org) is sponsoring a Cemetery Walk at the Pleasant View Cemetery (Mammoth Road, Londonderry) today at 2 p.m. The tour will begin and end at the south side of the cemetery, and will take approximately an hour and 15 minutes. Register via email at [email protected].

Sunday, Sept. 15

Less Leg More Heart (lesslegmoreheart.com), which supports amputees, will host a Firetruck Team Pull at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 DW Highway, Merrimack) today, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Teams of up to 12 have two attempts to pull a 40,000- to 60,000-pound fire engine 50 feet. The top three teams will win trophies. Individuals can also pull a 1938 antique fire truck weighing nearly 11,000 pounds. The top three individuals will win trophies. Registration is free for teams with a pledge to raise $250 in fundraising; individual registration is $25. Register at lesslegmoreheart.com/events.

Save the Date! Friday, Sept. 20
Granite State Comicon will take place Saturday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 22 (with a sneak preview night on Friday, Sept. 20; tickets for Friday night only cost $20), at SNHU Arena and the Doubletree by Hilton in downtown Manchester. Saturday night there will be a screening of the live-action 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with a cast Q&A at the Rex Theatre in Manchester (tickets cost $30). Tickets are available for a single day ($30 for Saturday, $25 for Sunday) or for a weekend pass ($45); a VIP ticket ($125) gets entry for all three days plus perks. See granitecon.com.

Featured photo: Oliver at the Palace Theater.

Friday, Sept. 6

Oliver!, the musical based on Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, kicks off the St. Mary’s Bank 2024-2025 Performing Arts Series at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) which offers a steampunk version of Victorian England for its production, according to a post on the theater’s Facebook page. The show runs tonight through Sunday, Sept. 29, with shows Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. as well as Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $45 to $59.

Friday, Sept. 6

September’s First Friday tonight from 4 to 8 p.m. in downtown Concord is all about Back to School. Find food trucks, yoga on the Statehouse lawn, a Children’s Entrepreneur Market run entirely by children, pot painting, face painting, wine-tasting and outdoor dining. Visit intownconcord.org.

Saturday, Sept. 7

There will be a Thunder Run (thunderrunnh.com) today at 446 Raymond Road, Candia (the former site of Candia Springs). This race features more than 20 different obstacles and 5K of varied terrain. It bills itself as the best obstacle run experience in New Hampshire. Registration is $75 for adults and $40 for children. Group discounts are available. Register at the event website.

Saturday, Sept. 7

This year’s Monarch Festival (petalsinthepines.com/monarch-festival) concludes this weekend at Petals in the Pines (126 Baptist Road, Canterbury, 783-0220, petalsinthepines.com). 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. 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, according to the website.

Saturday, Sept. 7

Today marks the 19th annual Pedaling for Payson Bike Event at Elm Brook Park (2097 Maple St., Hopkinton). This community event annually attracts more than 300 cyclists who help to support Concord Hospital Payson Center for Cancer Care. Choose from various routes: 50-mile, 30-mile, 16-mile, mountain bike, 22-mile gravel and 45-mile gravel rides. New this year is the P4P Spin Ride; sign up for a 40-minute wave, either as an individual or as a team, and spin for a good cause. Visit runsignup.com/Race/NH/Hopkinton/PedalingforPayson for registration costs and information.

Sunday, Sept. 8

Granite State Antique Shows (506-9848, gsashows.com) will stage an antique show today from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Granite Town Plaza (185 Elm St., Milford). General admission is $5 per person; early admission (beginning at 7 a.m.) is $30 per person.

Sunday, Sept. 8

Second Chance Ranch Rescue (secondchanceranchrescue.com) in New Boston is hosting its 4th Annual Poker Ride today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The participants (cars and motorcycles) must visit five checkpoints, drawing a playing card at each one to create a poker hand. Having the best hand and winning is purely a matter of chance. Begin at Manchester Harley-Davidson (115 John E. Devine Drive, Manchester, 836-4997, manchesterharley.com) at 9 a.m. and show your hand at the Auburn Pitts (167 Rockingham Road, Auburn, 622-6564, auburnpitts.com) by 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 12

The BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) will host Choir! Choir! Choir! tonight at 7 p.m. This is a fully interactive, participatory show that turns audience members into performers as they sing their hearts out with hundreds of other music-lovers. It’s like a big birthday party for the greatest songs of all time. General admission tickets are $43.75 in advance; balcony seats are $10 more. All tickets will cost an additional $5 at the door. Visit ccanh.com.

Wags to Whiskers Festival
Saturday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 DW Highway, Merrimack, 595-1202, anheuser-busch.com/breweries/merrimack-nh). It will be a day of fun, featuring vendors, food trucks, demos, games and raffles. There will be an adoption tent on site with puppies. Visit hsfn.org/wags-whiskers-festival. Tickets are $15 for adults 21 and up, $12 for ages 17 to 20. Ages 16 and younger attend free.

Featured photo: Oliver at the Palace Theater.

Thursday, Aug. 29

Don’t miss this year’s Hopkinton State Fair, a Labor Day weekend tradition happening today through Monday, Sept. 2, at the Fairgrounds (392 Kearsarge Ave., Contoocook). See hsfair.org and check out the Kiddie Pool column on page 18 for more details.

Thursday, Aug. 29

Get an early start on the last (unofficial) weekend of summer with some “Piano Man” at Scenes: A Billy Joel Experience tonight at 7:15 p.m. at LaBelle Winery in Derry. Tickets cost $40; see labellewinery.com.

Friday, Aug. 30

Monstersongs presented by Actorsingers opens today in Nashua. “Monstersongs puts audiences in a synthesized world of graphic novels, rock musicals, live performance and new technology. … Monstersongs flips the switch on the monster narrative, inviting audiences to explore the humanity that binds us all,” according to actorsingers.org. The production runs today and Saturday, Aug. 31, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 1, at 2 p.m. at Janice B. Streeter Theatre (14 Court St., Nashua). Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for students (plus online fees).

Friday, Aug. 30

Tribute band Marcus Rezak’s Gumbo Live Phish Experience will perform at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) tonight at 9 p.m. Tickets cost $24 in advance, $5 more at the door.

Friday, Aug. 30

Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St., Manchester, 819-9336, jewelmusicvenue.com) hosts Leathal Weekend 7, a shredding Labor Day weekend event, through Sunday, Sept. 1. Seventeen intense bands will take to the stage over three days, including Kottonmouth Kings, First Jason, Dr. Gigglez, Problemattik, and Lex the Hex Master. This is an 18+ event; ID is required. Single-day passes are $35; weekend passes are $90. Tickets are available through eventbrite.com.

Saturday, Aug. 31

Labor Day weekend is a big weekend for paintball. Paintball companies throughout the region are holding special events this weekend, including AG Paintball (158 Deering Center Road, Weare, 529-3524, agpaintball.com) and OSG Paintball (1053 North Barnstead Road. Center Barnstead, 800-707-7529, osgpaintball.com).

Saturday, Aug. 31

There will be a Taylor & Olivia Dance Party at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) tonight at 7 p.m. Vampires and Lovers should be ready to spill their guts and shake it off on the dancefloor to Taylivia faves. This is an all-ages event. Tickets are $21.75 and are available at ccanh.com.

Save the Date! Sunday, Sept. 15
Less Leg More Heart (lesslegmoreheart.com), which supports amputees, will host a Firetruck Team Pull at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 DW Highway, Merrimack)h) on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Teams of up to 12 get two attempts to pull a 40,000- to 60,000-pound fire engine 50 feet. The top three teams will win a trophy. Individuals can also pull a 1938 antique fire truck weighing nearly 11,000 pounds. The top three individuals will win a trophy. Registration is currently free for teams with a pledge to raise $250 in fundraising; individual registration is $25. Register at lesslegmoreheart.com/events.

Featured photo: Hopkinton State Fair.

Friday, Aug. 23

The two-day New Hampshire Irish Festival begins today, with shows tonight at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 24, at 6 p.m at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St. in Manchester. Each night will feature six bands: The Spain Brothers, Ronan Tynan, Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones, Reverie Road, Seamus Kennedy and Screaming Orphans. Meanwhile, at the Spotlight Room, 96 Hanover St., catch Marty Quirk (5 p.m.) and Black Pudding Rovers (6:30 p.m.) on Friday and, on Saturday, Speed the Plough (3 p.m.), Marty Quirk (4:30 p.m.), Black Pudding Rovers (6 p.m.) and Erin Og (7:30 p.m.). The Spotlight Room shows are free. Reserve tickets online. Palace Theatre show tickets start at $49 for one day or $79 for a weekend pass. See palacetheatre.org.

Saturday, Aug. 24

The second annual Wildflower Festival will take place today from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in downtown Milford. Walk around and check out the art market, grab a bite to eat from one of the food vendors and support local artists. Then head into town for a drink at one of Milford’s local businesses. Music will be from 6 to 9 p.m., with live performances from Winkler, Sneaky Miles and Rigometrics. Proceeds from the festival will be dedicated to the creation of pollinator gardens and bee hotels throughout the town of Milford.

Saturday, Aug. 24

The New England Racing Museum (New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 922 Route 106, Loudon, 783-0183, nemsmuseum.com) will host its annual Hot Rods, Muscle and More Car Show today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event will feature more than 250 vehicles with proceeds to support the mission of the Museum. The cost for spectators is $5 per person with kids under 12 admitted free. To learn more, visit nermuseum.com.

Saturday, Aug. 24

The 11th annual New Hampshire Monarch Festival (petalsinthepines.com/monarch-festival) begins this weekend at Petals in the Pines (126 Baptist Road, Canterbury, petalsinthepines.com, 783-0220). 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. 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, according to the website.

Saturday, Aug. 24

The Capital Mineral Club (capitalmineralclub.org) will host the 60th Annual Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord). There will be gems, jewelry, minerals, fossils, carvings, displays, demonstrations, and more. Admission for adults is $5 and free for children under 12.

Save the Date! Friday, Aug. 30
Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St., Manchester, 819-9336, jewelmusicvenue.com) will host a shredding Labor Day weekend with 17 intense bands taking the stage Friday, Aug. 30, through Sunday, Sept. 1, including Kottonmouth Kings, First Jason, Dr. Gigglez, Problemattik, and Lex the Hex Master. This is an 18+ event; ID is required. Single-day passes are $35; weekend passes are $90. Tickets are available through eventbrite.com.

Featured photo: Screaming Orphans.