Category: This Week

Big Events October 27, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Oct. 27

The Witch of Weston Tower will haunt McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Ct., Manchester) today through Sunday, Oct. 30. Take a scenic chairlift ride to the summit of McIntyre Ski Area and travel the treacherous trail to the Witch of Weston Tower to see some of “the most spooktacular views of Manchester,” according to a press release. On Saturday, there will be Trunk-Or-Treating, a costume contest and more. The cost for lift ride and the witch is $20 for ages 13 and up, $10 for ages 6 to 12, and free for kids 5 and under. Bring money for food trucks, face and pumpkin painting, live music and more. Visit mcintyreskiarea.com.

Friday, Oct. 28

Tonight is the Halloween Howl in downtown Concord. The event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Main Street and feature community trick-or-treating along Main Street with a “Not so Scary” dance party with Nazzy, costume contests, games and family activities. Visit intownconcord.org or see the listings starting on page 11 in last week’s issue, which includes Halloween fun for all ages.

Saturday, Oct. 29

The New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival returns to downtown Laconia today, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The one-day street festival celebrates all things pumpkin. Attendees can enjoy live music, a “pumpkin palooza” cornhole tournament and a craft and artisan show. For the kids there will be a climbing wall, face-painting, pumpkin bowling, a costume parade, jack-o’-lantern lighting and more. Visit nhpumpkinfestival.com.

Saturday, Oct. 29

The Wilton Main Street Association will hold its The Haunting of Wilton today. The event kicks off with scary stories at the Wilton Library at 11 a.m., followed by a costume parade down Main Street at noon, trick-or-treating with downtown merchants from 1 to 2 p.m., a murder mystery clue game with downtown merchants from 2 to 3 p.m., and a costume dance in Main Street Park with a DJ and more. See visitwilton.com.

Sunday, Oct. 30

Spend Halloween Eve at Spooky World Presents: Nightmare New England, which is open this weekend Thursday, Oct. 27, and Friday, Oct. 28, with available times starting at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 29, and today, Oct. 30, with available times starting at 6 p.m., and tomorrow, actual Halloween, with times starting at 7 p.m. See nightmarenewengland.com for ticket information. Find out about what it’s like to be one of the actors serving up scares at a haunted house in Katelyn Sahagian’s story in the Oct. 20 issue of the Hippo, where you can also find information about other area haunted attractions. Find the e-edition at hippopress.com and the story on page 10.

Wednesday, Nov. 2

Winemaker Amy LaBelle is hosting a decorative focaccia making class at LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111, Derry) today at 6 p.m. Learn how to make focaccia dough from scratch and how to use vegetables and herbs to create a piece of delicious edible artwork. Tickets cost $45 and can be purchased on LaBelle’s website labellewinery.com.

Save the date! Nov. 12, Salute our Soldiers Gala
The 11th annual Salute our Soldiers gala will be held in person on Nov. 12 at the Sky Meadow Country Club (6 Mountain Laurels Drive in Nashua) beginning at 5 p.m. The gala recognizes and celebrates the contribution of women in the United States military. The gala, which has been virtual since 2019, will have a cocktail reception and a surf and turf dinner, an address by Catherine Smart, a policy analyst with Applied Research Associates and veteran of the United States Army Military Police, and entertainment by nationally recognized singer and impressionist Tony Pace. Individual tickets cost $200 and a table for up to 10 people costs $2000. To purchase tickets or to learn more about this event, visit VetsCount.org/nh/nashua-gala-2022.

Featured photo. Courtesy photo.

Big Events October 20, 2022 and beyond

Saturday, Oct. 22
Manchester native and Central High School graduate Adam Sandler returns to the Queen City for a show tonght at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester; 644-5000, www.snhuarena.com) at 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. Sandler’s Manchester appearance is part of a fall tour, according to the arena website where, on Tuesday, Oct. 18, available tickets started at $75 plus fees.

Thursday, Oct. 20
Gather at the Concord High School auditorium (170 Warren St.) to hear the Marine Band National Concert Tour, a free concert being offered tonight at 7:30 p.m. The band, which according to its website is America’s oldest continually active professional musical organization, will play traditional band repertoire and marches as well as instrumental solos. Up to four tickets for this event can be reserved at marineband.ticketleap.com/concordnh22.

Thursday, Oct. 20
The Dropkick Murphys are playing the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) tonight at 7:15 p.m. Tickets begin at $39.50 plus fees.

Saturday, Oct. 22
Join Woodman Museum for voices from the cemetery today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pine Hill Cemetery (131 Central Ave., Dover). The event is a guided tour of the cemetery that will introduce local historical figures, like the first Dover woman to climb Mt. Washington. The event costs $20 for adults and $10 for children. Purchase tickets at woodmanmuseum.org.

Saturday, Oct. 22 Learn about the Celtic holiday that came before Halloween at Celebrate Samhain today at Doubletree Hilton in Nashua (2 Somerset Parkway) beginning at 10 a.m. The festival will ha ve authors of popular wicca and pagan books speaking, divination readings, live music, vendors selling witchy goods, and more. Tickets are $10 and can be bought at celebratesamhain.com.

Wednesday, Oct. 26
The lecture “Turkey, the Cradle of Civilization” is happening today at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St.) at 7:30 p.m. The event will feature Marlin Darrah, who is known as the world’s most traveled filmmaker, and show the 8,000 years of Turkish history, art, architecture and archeology. Darrah will be taking questions after the lecture. This event is free to attend.

Save the date! Saturday, Oct. 29
The New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival is back in Laconia to spread fall festivities beginning at 9 a.m. with the 5K/10K at Opechee Park. The day will feature events ranging from a craft and artisan show, Hanover Street happenings with axe throwing, pumpkin bowling, face painting and more, as well as historic train rides and showings of Halloween movies. The jack-o’-lantern lighting starts at 4:45 p.m. Visit nhpumpkinfestival.com for a full list and itinerary of events.

Featured photo. Next to Normal. Courtesy photo.

Big Events October 13, 2022 and beyond

Friday, Oct. 14

Majestic Theatre is putting on a limited production of Next to Normal starting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry) The show follows the life of a normal suburban family as they deal with mental illness, loss and family trauma. Because of the adult themes in the show, the Majestic said that the show isn’t recommended for audience members younger than 17. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 for seniors. Visit majestictheatre.net to purchase tickets.

Saturday, Oct. 15

The 25th anniversary of the Aviation Museum is today, with a celebratory fundraising gala from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Executive Court Banquet Hall (1199 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester). The gala will have a gourmet dinner, the 18-piece Bedford Big Band, auction items, raffle prizes and more. Individual tickets cost $75; a table of eight costs $500. Reserve tickets at aviationmuseumofnh.org.

Sunday, Oct. 16

The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra opens its 118th year with an orchestral showcase, “Nature & Myth,” featuring music by Beethoven, Walker, Grieg and Sibelius, today at 2 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem). The showcase will also run on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $8 for kids. Visit nhphil.org to purchase tickets.

Tuesday, Oct. 18

The Canterbury Village is holding a showing of the movie Holy Ground tonight at the Peterborough Community Theatre (6 School St.) at 7 p.m. The movie explores the history of the Shakers, a religious group that spanned from Maine to Kentucky. Tickets for the event are free and popcorn and wine will be included for the showing. After the showing, local author Howard Mansfield will read from his book Chasing Eden. Contact Rae Easter at reaster@shakers.org to reserve tickets.

Wednesday, Oct. 19

Jeff Belanger is telling ghost stories from across New England at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway) tonight at 7 p.m. Belanger, an author known for writing about the paranormal, UFOs, folklore, ledged and ghosts, is a host on the Emmy-nominated series New England Legends and is a co-host on the New England Legends podcast. Tickets can be reserved through the Derry Public Library at derrypl.org.

Save the date! Thursday, Nov. 3
The ninth annual Distiller’s Showcase is on Thursday, Nov. 3, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton (700 Elm St, Manchester). The showcase will have dozens of distillers from across the country and around the world. It’s part of New Hampshire Distiller’s Week, which begins on Nov. 1. Tickets to the showcase start at $60. For more information about the Distiller’s Showcase and more events happening during Distiller’s Week, visit distillersshowcase.com.

Featured photo. Next to Normal. Courtesy photo.

Big Events October 6, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Oct. 6

The 20th annual New Hampshire Film Festival kicks off today and runs through Sunday, Oct. 9, at several locations around Portsmouth including the Music Hall, the Lounge, the Press Room, St. John’s Church and 3S Artspace. Today’s events include a screening of God’s Country, which stars Thandiwe Newton, at 7:15 p.m. at the Music Hall, as well as several NH Shorts blocks. Festival day passes are available ($30 for Thursday and $50 for each day afterward) or you can buy a pass to the entire four-day event, which in addition to the screenings of features and shorts features panels and other happenings. See the full schedule and buy tickets at nhfilmfestival.com.

Friday, Oct. 7

The Milford Rotary and Lions Clubs are once again working on presenting a lineup of vendors for two nights of beer, wine and spirits tastings during the annual Milford Pumpkin Festival, on Friday, Oct. 7, and Saturday, Oct. 8, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the Community House Lawn (Union Street, Milford). More than a dozen local and regional brewers, distillers and other beverage purveyors will be pouring samples of their offerings throughout each evening. Returning vendors will include Steadfast Spirits Distilling Co. of Concord and Averill House Vineyard of Brookline, and there are also a few newcomers to the festival, like Long Blue Cat Brewing Co. of Londonderry, Liquid Therapy of Nashua, Canteen Spirits and Buena Gave Canned Cocktails. The cost is $20 per person for 10 tasting tickets, and each ticket holder also receives a commemorative glass — tickets are redeemable for a three-ounce beer sample, a one-ounce wine sample or a ¼-ounce spirit sample. Visit milfordpumpkinfestival.org/bws-tent.

Saturday, Oct. 8

The Nashua Historical Society will hold an exhibit of 150 years of Nashua bridal fashion today and tomorrow (Sunday, Oct. 9) from 1 to 4 p.m. at Abbot-Spalding House (5 Abbott St. in Nashua). Admission costs up to $12 per person.

Saturday, Oct. 8

The Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) hosts “An evening with Paula Cole” tonight at 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $55 plus fees. Known for hits “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and “I Don’t Want to Wait,” Cole released the album American Quilt in 2021 and in September 2022 a two-song collection with Jason Isobell and John Paul White called For the Birds.

Wednesday, Oct. 12

Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com ) will hold a 21+ screening of Clue (1985) at 7:30 p.m. tonight. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and attendees are encouraged to bring board games to play in the hour before the movie starts. Tickets cost $5.99 (you know, one plus two plus one plus one … plus .99).

Save the date! Saturdays, Oct. 15, and Oct. 22
The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; shakers.org) will host 5K cross-country races that are part of the Delta Dental XC Series on the Shaker Village grounds, according to a press release. Registration costs $25.

Featured photo. Milford Pumpkin Festival. Courtesy photo.

Big Events September 29, 2022 and beyond

Friday, Sept. 30

Public speaker, author, center of the Netflix docuseries Pretend It’s a City and occasional Law & Order judge Fran Lebowitz will appear at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Friday, Sept. 30, at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $45 to $65, plus fees.

Saturday, Oct. 1

Everything apple is celebrated at the Sullivan Farm (70 Colburn Ave., Nashua) today and Sunday, Oct. 2, for the annual Applefest. There will be hayrides, pony rides, apple pie, crafts, games and more for the whole family to enjoy. Tickets are priced at $1, and various things cost a different number of tickets — a hayride is three tickets, and a game is one ticket, for example. Visit nne.salvationarmy.org/nashua/applefest for more information.

Saturday, Oct. 1

The latest show by Symphony New Hampshire is “Winds of Time,” with performances today at 7:30 p.m. at the Keefe Center in Nashua (117 Elm St, Nashua) and on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m. at Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord). The concert will feature Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4, Du Puy’s Quintet for Bassoon and Strings in A minor III, Weber’s Clarinet Concertino in E-flat and Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings. Tickets cost $10 for youth from 13 to 17 years old and for full-time students ages 29 and younger, $20 to $60 for adults 18 and older, and $18 to $55 for seniors ages 65 and older. Visit symphonynh.org to order tickets.

Sunday, Oct. 2

The family fun event Toscana Fest is back today at the Tuscan Village (Route 28, Salem). The festival starts at 10 a.m. and will have pumpkin painting, gelato, carnival games, live music, popcorn and raffles with all proceeds going to the Lazarus House Ministries. More information can be found at tuscanvillagesalem.com.

Tuesday, Oct. 4

The YMCA of Downtown Manchester is starting up the second year of its Chess Club, with the first meeting today at 6:30 p.m. The club welcomes everyone at all ages and skill levels to come and practice and learn more about the game of chess. The group meets every Tuesday night. October will be a month of practice and training, and throughout November and December there will be competitions both within the club and outside of it. For more information, contact Kathy Raiche-Stephens at kraiche-stephens@graniteymca.org.

Tuesday, Oct. 4

Renowned legal scholar, civil rights advocate and former judge Margaret A. Burnham is coming to the Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth) today to present her book By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow’s Legal Executions. The book event will start at 7 p.m. Ticket cost $47 and include a signed copy of Burnham’s book. Tickets can be purchased at themusichall.org.

Save the date! Saturday, Oct. 8
The Warner Fall Foliage Festival is back for the 75th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 8, and Sunday, Oct. 9, when there will be live music and entertainment, a kids’ fun run, a 5k for adults, an ice cream eating contest, and vendors selling homemade goods from fruit jams to handmade wax candles. Visit wfff.org for more information or to register for the races.

Featured photo. The Flying Gravity Circus. Courtesy photo.

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.