Granite State Comic Con celebrates comic books, sci-fi, games and more
By Katelyn Sahagian
ksahagian@hippopress.com
What started as a small gathering of friends and fans of comics in Manchester snowballed into a three-day event that celebrates comics, sci-fi, fantasy, cartoons, gaming, wrestling and more. Now, 20 years after it began, Granite State Comicon grabs attention from people around the world.
“The craziest thing is hearing people say, ‘We are traveling from California,’ but now people are coming internationally,” said Chris Proulx, the director of the con.
This is the 20-year anniversary of Granite State Comicon. Proulx is also one of the owners of Double Midnight Comics, the shop that hosts the convention. The con’s first year, Proulx said, it was just a group of people who loved comic books and tabletop games like Magic the Gathering.
Two decades later, the con has meet-and-greets with stars like actor Julian Glover (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Star Wars: Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back), WWE wrestling hall of famer Mick Foley, and co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Kevin Eastman.
Families that cosplay together stay together. Courtesy photo.
“I never dreamed it would be this big event,” Proulx said. “We’re using every conceivable space and we still had a waiting list for people wanting to set up booths in artist alley.”
This year, the con is bigger than it’s ever been. Proulx said the convention was struggling to find space to accommodate everyone who wanted to be a part of the con. This year, the artist alley alone has over 100 artists, the vast majority of whom come from New England.
The mutant turtles are very near and dear to New Hampshire, said Proulx, since they were created right in Dover.
Eastman agreed to pose with fans for photographs on a set built to mimic the sewer lair the teenage superheroes hang out in. Proulx said this would be the second year Eastman has come to the con.
“Turtle fans travel from all over the country to come to the home of the turtles,” Proulx said. “Whenever [Eastman] is in town, we always make a big deal of them.”
The different guests doing meet-and-greets will be on panels talking about a variety of topics. Voice actors will talk about how they got into their industry, and professional cosplayers will talk about how to start building cosplay costumes.
Proulx said it was super important to him to have events that kids might be more excited about. So when Emily Drouin, one of the creators of Kids Con New England, reached out to Proulx in 2014 about setting up a booth at the Granite Con, he was thrilled.
This year Drouin is offering activities that range from learning to draw Pokemon and Nintendo characters to meet-and-greets with princesses and superheroes. This is in addition to the kids’ costume contest put on every year by Granite Con.
Drouin’s advice for parents who are unfamiliar with comicons is to just take some time and take it all in.
“There’s something for everyone,” Drouin said. “Don’t be intimidated or shy that you’re not too familiar. This is a great way to meet creators firsthand and you’ll be surprised at all the neat things you find.”
Drouin will be in the expo center’s concourse area, and this year she’ll be dressed up as Merida from the Disney Pixar movie Brave.
Proulx said that the Granite Con has been designed to be a place where families can go for a day of nerdy fun. He said that there is no judgment on the type of content people like. Everyone from anime lovers to Trekkies is welcome.
“It’s a celebration of all things fun and geekty,” Proulx said. “Whether it’s the [Marvel Cinematic Universe], Star Wars or The Walking Dead, there’ll be stuff to see.”
Featured photo: Granite State Comicon Costume Contest 2021 Winners. Photo by David Lockhart.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• Part of your world: The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) kicks off its season with Disney’s The Little Mermaid, which will have its opening night Friday, Sept. 16, and run through Sunday, Oct. 2. This professional production will be presented Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. throughout its run as well as Thursday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for youth and $15 for adults.
• Call for artists: The Beaver Brook Association (beaverbrook.org, 465-7787) is looking for artists to participate in the Fall Festival & Art Show on Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25. The theme this year is “untouched beauty.” The call is open to amateurs and professionals who would like to enter photography, paintings, collage and mixed media. Awards will be presented. The entry fee is $10 for one work, $15 for two and $20 for three works. Find the application form and the dropoff dates online; the dropoff deadline is Monday, Sept. 19, at noon.
• Ode to NH: Symphony New Hampshire also opens its season this weekend with “Ode to NH” on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). The program, which kicks off the 100th anniversary season, will feature historical and modern pieces written about or in New Hampshire, including Oliver Caplan’s Lunastella Fuga, John Adams’ “Shaking and Trembling” from Shaker Loops, Amy Beach’s Bal Masque and Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite. Tickets cost $10 for youth ages 13 to 17 and full-time students age 29 and under and range from $20 to $60 for adults and from $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up. Admission is free for youth under age 13. See symphonynh.org.
• Seasonal views: Two Villages Art Society hosts “Out of the Woods” at the Bates Building (846 Main St. in Contoocook; twovillagesart.org, 413-210-4372) opening Friday, Sept. 16, with an opening reception on Saturday, Sept. 17, from noon to 2 p.m.. It features a series of collaborative vignettes paying tribute to the seasonal changes of New Hampshire, created by a group of five local artists known as the 9th State Artisans. It will remain on display through Oct. 8. The gallery is open Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
Currier updates The Currier Museum of Art’s second-floor galleries have gotten a revamping, with new acquisitions mixed with old favorites, all reorganized and reimagined to provide new context to the work and space. The East Gallery now contains 19th-century collections, and the West Gallery introduces “Nature and Nostalgia,” which focuses on New Hampshire landscapes. To see the newly reworked exhibits, visit the Currier (150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144), during regular gallery hours Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Thursdays open until 8 p.m. For more information, visit currier.org.
• Buy art: The Concord Arts Market holds its second to last summer market of the season on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The market features juried artisans and artists and is in Rollins Park (33 Bow St. in Concord). See concordartsmarket.net.
• Fall classes: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, 669-6144, currier.org) has announced its fall season of adult art class offerings, beginning on Saturday, Sept. 24, including both in-person and online classes, weeks-long courses and single-day workshops. Offerings include “The White Line Woodcut and Beyond” with Kate Hanlon, an in-person workshop on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; “Art Sampler for Adults” with Robin Deary, an in-person six-week class on Thursdays, Sept. 29 through Nov. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.; “Drawing and Painting the Landscape” with Rachael O’Shaughnessy, an in-person five-week class on Thursdays, Oct. 20 through Nov. 17, from 1 to 3 p.m., and many more.
• Back to school: The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St. in Portsmouth; playersring.org) presents Seminar, a comedy from Pulitzer Prize nominee Theresa Rebeck, through Sept. 25. The show follows a series of aspiring novelists as they take classes with an unorthodox teaching style. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $27, $24 for seniors.
Sparrows The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551) will screen Sparrows, a silent film starring Mary Pickford, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, with live musical accompaniment. The classic film is a thriller following orphans who flee an evil caretaker. Local composer Jeff Rapsis will accompany the work with music. The film will start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door. For more information, visit flyingmonkeynh.com.
— Hannah Turtle
ART
Events
• BRIDGES & CONNECTIONS SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM The Andres Institute of Art (106 Route 13, Brookline, 673-7441, andresinstitute.org) hosts its annual Bridges and Connections Sculpture Symposium through Oct. 2. For three weeks, invited artists from all over the world will stay in Brookline to create sculptures for permanent installation at the Institute’s 140-acre outdoor sculpture park and trails. The public is invited to meet the artists and watch them work at designated times, TBA. A presentation of the completed sculptures at their permanent sites will take place on Sunday, Oct. 2. Visit andresinstitute.org/symposium-2022.
Opening
• “STORIED IN CLAY” The New Hampshire Potters Guild presents its biennial exhibition “Storied in Clay” at the exhibition gallery at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen headquarters (49 S. Main St., Concord) Sept. 26 through Oct. 27, with an opening reception on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Visit nhpottersguild.org.
• “FROM THE HIPPIE TRAIL TO THE SILK ROAD” exhibit fromTwo Villages Art Society will run at the Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook) Oct. 21 through Nov. 12. This is an exhibition by Kathleen Dustin that includes her original artwork, inspired by and juxtaposed with jewelry and textiles from around the world that Dustin has collected during her travels. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, Oct. 22, from noon to 2 p.m. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.
Exhibits
• “LAYERED: COLOR AND TEXTURE” runs at Art 3 Gallery (44 W. Brook St., Manchester, 668-6650, art3gallery.com) through Sept. 15. Featured works highlight the interplay between color and texture, how the tactile quality of an object’s surface appeals to the sense of touch, and how the depths of light and color appeal to the sense of sight. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 1 to 4:30 p.m., with evening and weekend viewing available by request.
• “MANAGING MISCELLANEA” The Lamont Gallery at Phillips Exeter Academy (11 Tan Lane, Exeter) hosts “Managing Miscellanea,” an art exhibition that draws from the gallery’s “undefined” collection. It centers around questions of defining and maintaining collections, and showcases unseen works from the storage vault, including works by Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Motherwell. The exhibition runs through Sept. 24, available for viewing during the gallery’s normal hours: Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free but reservations are required. For more information, visit www.exeter.edu/lamontgallery.
• “COLORS OF AUTUMN” The September show for New Hampshire Art Association members runs through Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (139 State St. in Portsmouth; nhartassociation.org). The gallery is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Fairs and markets
• CAPITAL ARTS FEST The Capital Arts Fest, a free event hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25, outside on Main Street in Concord. There will be a fine art and craft fair, live music and dance performances, a historic walking tour of downtown Concord and more. Visit nhcrafts.org or call 224-3375.
THEATRE
Shows
• THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS The Winnipesaukee Playhouse (33 Footlight Circle, Meredith, winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org) professional company presents The Conference of the Birds through Sept. 17; tickets cost $29 to $39.
• MURDER FOR TWO The Winnipesaukee Playhouse (33 Footlight Circle, Meredith, winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org) runs Sept. 21 through Oct. 9; tickets cost $25 to $42. Showtimes are on various dates and times, Tuesday through Sunday.
• MAJESTIC-OPOLY The Majestic Theatre presents Majestic-opoly, its 17th annual auction and performance fundraiser, on Friday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m. at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester). The evenings will feature silent auctions, raffles and refreshments as well as performances from the company’s adult, teen and youth actors. Tickets cost $20 per person. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7649.
• MR. WOLF Theatre Kapow presents Mr. Wolf at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) with showtimes on Friday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 25, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $28 for adults and $23 for students. Visit ccanh.com.
• MISS HOLMES The Milford Area Players present Miss Holmes at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford) Sept. 23 through Oct. 2, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Visit milfordareaplayers.org.
• THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord, hatboxnh.com) will present The Government Inspector, presented by Phylloxera Productions, Oct. 7 through Oct. 23. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., and tickets cost $22 for adults and $19 for students and seniors.
• FREAKY FRIDAY Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) youth company presents Freaky Friday on Tuesday, Oct. 11, and Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for youth and $15 for adults.
• THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS The Community Players of Concord present The Wind in the Willows at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord) Friday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m., and tickets cost $15.
• DISNEY’S THE ARISTOCRATS KIDS The Peacock Players (14 Court St., Nashua, peacockplayers.org) youth theater company presents Disney’s The Aristocrats Kids Oct. 14 through Oct. 23. Showtimes are on Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
• RED RIDING HOOD Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) youth company presents Red Riding Hood on Tuesday, Oct. 18, and Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for youth and $15 for adults.
Classical
Events
• DUO BALDO The Concord Community Concert Association presents a classical concert, “Duo Baldo,” featuring violinist Brad Repp on his 1736 Testore violin and pianist Aldo Gentileschi, at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord) on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 at the door or $23 online. Call 344-4747 or visit ccca-audi.org.
• WINDS OF TIME Symphony New Hampshire presents “Winds of Time,” with performances on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the Keefe Center in Nashua and on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m. at Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord). It features 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 ages 13 to 17 and full-time students age 29 and under and range from $20 to $60 for adults and from $18 to $55 for seniors age 65 and up. Admission is free for youth under age 13. Visit symphonynh.org.
• PIANIST RICHARD DOWLING The Concord Community Concert Association welcomes pianist Richard Dowling to Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord) on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $23. Call 344-4747 or visit ccca-audi.org.
• NATURE & MYTH The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra opens its 118th year with an orchestral showcase, “Nature & Myth,” featuring music by Beethoven, Walker, Grieg and Sibelius, on Sunday, Oct. 16, at 2 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m., at the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem). Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $8 for kids. Visit nhphil.org.
Multicultural festivals celebrate the cultures of Nashua and Concord
By Hannah Turtle
hturtle@hippopress.com
This weekend, the region will host two events, one in Nashua, the other in Concord, but the celebration is a global one. Each city hosts its annual multicultural festival, Nashua’s in Greeley Park on Saturday, and Concord’s in Keach Park on Sunday. The events are part of a wider initiative, Welcoming Week.
“Our philosophy is to be welcoming to the refugees who have settled here, the immigrants who decide to resettle here. It’s about being open and welcoming to them as our neighbors, as part of our community, and making sure that the city government and the institutions here are welcoming as well,” said Jessica Livingston, the director of the Concord Multicultural Festival. “The festival is one of the ways to do that.”
Both festivals will include representation from different groups and cultures that make the two cities their home.
“We have performances and vendors from many different cultures, and we also have the flag parade, which has flags from over 70 countries, and they all represent people from our own community,” Livingston said.
Since the early 1980s, more than 7,000 refugees have made New Hampshire their home, according to Livingston. She said they come from countries all over the world, but many in the area come from the Democratic Republic of Congo, fleeing civil war, or from Bhutan and Myanmar, fleeing ethnic cleansing.
“Before we started accepting refugees in the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s, Concord was a much whiter community. Bringing in people from other cultures was very new to everyone, so in the early years, it was also a way to introduce the receiving community to new cultures through food and music and art,” Livingston said. “The festival was created in the early 2000s as a way to welcome the refugees that were being settled here, and by continuing to do this we continue to show that we embrace all the new neighbors we have here. … Over the years, it’s evolved. It’s now a place for everyone to share their culture, from the various African countries who have just recently seen settlers here, as well as Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Ukraine, the indigenous communities, and all the people whose ancestors immigrated here.”
In Concord, the festival will include performances from a whole host of different groups, including Emperor T-Jiga and the Akwaaba Ensemble, a group that brings West African drumming and dance to the community; Barranquilla Flavor, a Colombian dance group that specializes in traditional Colombian folkloric dances; and performers of Irish step dance, traditional Nepali dance, Argentinian tango, and much more.
These festivals, however, have a larger purpose than just celebration.
“While it’s a celebratory event, our goal is ultimately to address the racism and intolerance that can come about when we talk about refugees and immigrants, so it’s a way to bring people together over shared values, and mitigate some of the things that pull us apart,” Livingston said.
The festivals allow local community members to get involved in welcoming efforts, support immigrant businesses, and get to know each other. For Livingston, it’s a vitally important event, as well as one of personal significance.
“I’m an event planner by trade, but this is by far my favorite event to do. It’s so much more than an event. There’s all these smaller moments, and they’re wonderful,” Livingston said. “There are some people in this community that came here as refugees and may not have felt welcome, but then seeing the way we celebrate them, it makes them feel seen. There’s a lot of beautiful connections between people.”
Multicultural Festival weekend When: Sunday, Sept. 18, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Where: Keach Park More information: concordmulticulturalfestival.org
Nashua Multicultural Festival When: Saturday, Sept. 17, 1 to 4 p.m. Where: Greeley Park More information: cgsnashua.org/events/nashua-multicultural-festival
Your guide to finding fruit and fun at the orchard
By Matt Ingersoll
mingersoll@hippopress.com
Most of southern New Hampshire continues to experience abnormally dry weather, but for local apple orchards recent rains over the past week have given the crops a much-needed boost.
Just under 48 percent of the Granite State remained under moderate or severe drought conditions, according to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor on Sept. 8 — nearly all of this has been confined to the state’s southern six counties. But a widespread 1- to 3-inch rainfall between Sept. 5 and Sept. 6 occurred at just the right time for apple growers, many of whom are in the midst of harvesting some of their most widely sought after varieties of the season.
Apple schedule For more detailed information, visit each farm’s website to get live updates on which apples are in season. • Late August to early September: Paula Red, McIntosh, Summermac • September: Cortland, Empire, Gala, Golden Delicious, Macoun, Red Delicious, Snow Sweet • October: Braeburn, Crispin, Honeycrisp, Gibson Golden, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Mutsu
“We just needed that rain so badly, and it was just the right time for it to come, so we feel very fortunate,” said Kris Mossey of McLeod Bros. Orchards in Milford, which began its pick-your-own apple season on Aug. 27 with Paula Reds, a mildly tart early season variety. “The McIntoshes and the Cortlands will benefit from the rain and size up a little bit as we go forward.”
The McIntosh apple is known for its dark red color and very crisp flavor, making it a great apple for straight eating, while Cortlands have a firmness that makes them great for baking in pies and cakes. According to Mossey, as the season moves through the end of September and into early October, other lesser-known varieties like Mutsus and Jonagolds become available.
“We usually wrap up somewhere around Columbus Day. We never know exactly for sure,” Mossey said. “In 2020, during Covid, we were actually picked out earlier than we thought, because we just had a lot of people who wanted to get outside and pick apples.”
In Hollis, Brookdale Fruit Farm kicked off its apple picking season on Sept. 3 with five varieties — McIntosh, Gala, Zestar, Jonamac and Honeycrisp. A total of 32 varieties are grown in the farm’s pick-your-own operation, encompassing about 24 of the farm’s 200 acres of apples.
“There’s been an extreme drought for the last eight weeks, but we run a very aggressive water management program,” said Chip Hardy, the farm’s fifth-generation owner. “We have drip irrigation on all of our apple trees [where] we’ve been spoon feeding them with water and fertilizers throughout the summer, so it looks like we’re going to have a very good apple crop.”
Drip irrigation practices, he said, involve placing tubes underneath the apple tree that have emitters where water is regularly discharged to keep the soil of the tree moist.
“Apples are 80 percent moisture, so in order for them to size, they need available water,” Hardy said. “The nice thing about drip irrigation is … we can control the water, and instead of using conventional overhead irrigation, which takes around 24,000 gallons of water to irrigate an acre, we’re only using around 6,000 gallons of water and accomplishing the same goal.”
Visitors of Brookdale Fruit Farm’s pick-your-own orchard are given a map with directions to each of the available varieties, as well as suggestions for how to use them.
Despite the drought, some apple growers farther north were able to take advantage of some fast-moving thunderstorms that passed through the area in July and August. This was the case at Apple Hill Farm, on the northern end of Concord, according to co-owner Diane Souther.
“We picked up a few storms that went through … and the orchard is based on some soils that are pretty dense, so they’ve been able to sustain without added water,” Souther said. “[The recent rain] will actually make the apples size up quite a bit, because the later apples that are still hanging on still have growing time. So that will just make them a little bit more plump, [and] as they size up they ripen up a little bit more, so the flavors will come out a little bit stronger.”
McLeod Bros. Orchard in Milford. Courtesy photo.
Apple Hill Farm also started pick-your-own on Sept. 3 and will grow about 35 apple varieties during the season through about late October. Going forward, Souther said, the most ideal weather conditions for the crop will include bright sun with temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees, as well as cooler nights and the occasional rain shower.
“Going into the 40s at nighttime is fine, because that helps the tree know that fall is coming, and that actually forces the ripeness of the fruit as well,” she said.
Over at Meadow Ledge Farm in Loudon, second-generation owner Shawn Roberts said more than 60 apple varieties are grown. A portion of those are available for pick-your-own, while many others are sold inside the farm’s store. As at Apple Hill Farm, Roberts said Meadow Ledge Farm benefitted from passing thundershowers during the summer months, while they have also run irrigation practices to produce a healthy and bountiful apple crop.
“Every apple I’ve bitten into this year, the flavor has just been incredible,” he said. “Generally if you see a dry summer, the apples are actually going to be a little bit sweeter. … They might have a little less juice in them, but not enough to get worried about. So for the most part it’s going to be a heck of a good year.”
Hannah Turtle contributed to this cover story.
Apple pie Courtesy of Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis
1 pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie ½ cup unsalted butter 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour ¼ cup water ½ cup white sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar 8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature and let it simmer. Place the bottom crust in your pan and fill with apples. Cover with a latticework of crust. Gently pour the sugar-and-butter liquid over the crust, pouring slowly so that it doesn’t run off. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees, then continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the apples are soft.
More than apples
Find corn mazes and more at orchards and farms
By Katelyn Sahagian
ksahagian@hippopress.com
In addition to fresh-pressed cider and warm, fluffy doughnuts, orchards and farms offer activities like corn mazes and other attractions to build on the lure of the fall harvest.
“We very early on figured out that the great appeal, besides picking some apples, is what else can [we] offer to give people a true New England farm experience,” said Todd Wagner, owner of Applecrest Farm Orchards in Hampton Falls.
Coppal House Farm’s corn maze. Courtesy photo.
Wagner said that while apple season is an institution at Applecrest, it’s not the only reason families have been coming for generations. In addition to apples, people have a chance to pick the final varieties of peaches and raspberries, and it’s also the start of the harvest season for pumpkins and decorative gourds. The farm offers free hayrides to the orchard locations and even features a 5-acre maze. Every weekend from Labor Day through the end of October, Applecrest Farm Orchards transforms into a harvest festival, featuring a corn roast, a live bluegrass band, tractor rides, and cornhole and other lawn games.
Riverview Farm in Plainfield takes a much quieter approach with its autumnal celebrations. Owner Paul Franklin said that it’s less in their nature to provide festivities, like live music or haunted happenings, and more to encourage visitors to spend time outdoors and as a family.
“[The season] is busy enough as it is,” Franklin said, adding that they put the emphasis on nature and enjoying the view of the Connecticut River. “We try to keep things quiet and focus on people enjoying the scenery.”
While picking apples is a huge draw for most people visiting farms, there are lots of other farms without pick-your-own offering family fun activities. Coppal House Farm in Lee doesn’t have apple orchards or any other seasonal produce, but it has won awards for its annual corn maze. This year, the animal theme for the maze is a praying mantis, assistant farm manager Hannah Bendroth said. She added that the design is almost always an animal or insect that can be found on the farm.
At Beans & Greens Farm in Gilford, there’s more than just a fun puzzle to solve — a haunted maze is featured every Friday and Saturday night throughout the season. But that isn’t where the spookiness ends, Beans & Greens Farm owner Chris Collias said. A special haunted farm event in October will have farm hands, actors and volunteers dressed up and ready to give everyone a fright.
Collias said that what matters most is that his farm is a place where everyone feels relaxed and can have some old-school New England fun.
“We want to be the place where the community meets,” he said. “Come hang out, see a beautiful setting and gardens. It’s just a great place to escape that hustle and bustle.”
Easy slow-cooker apple cider beef stew Courtesy of Apple Hill Farm in Concord
1½ to 2 pounds lean stew beef 2 slices bacon 8 carrots, sliced thin 6 medium potatoes, sliced thin 2 apples, chopped (Cortlands or Northern Spys work well) 2 teaspoons salt ½ cup chopped onion 2 cups fresh apple cider
Cook up the two slices of bacon. Remove the bacon and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve the bacon fat to saute the beef and chopped onion. Pat the beef dry and add to slow-cooker with remaining vegetables and apple cider. Stir to mix, cover and cook on low for eight hours. Thicken juices with a flour and cold water mixture — about 1½ to 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of water.
Pick Your Own
Applecrest Farm Orchards Where: 133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: On weekends through the end of October, look for harvest festivals, which run Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. As of Sept. 12, pick-your-own raspberries, blueberries and peaches are also available. There’s also a 5-acre corn maze. Visit: applecrest.com
Apple Hill Farm Where: 580 Mountain Road, Concord Hours: Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit the farm stand for fresh produce and local food products. Visit: applehillfarmnh.com
Appleview Orchard Where: 1266 Upper City Road, Pittsfield Hours: Tuesday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit with the farm animals on site and check out the country shop, which has seasonal food products and local craft products. Visit: applevieworchard.com
Brookdale Fruit Farm Where: 41 Broad St., Hollis Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bonus activities: Pick-your-own pumpkins will be available later in the season. A corn maze is open on the weekends. Visit: brookdalefruitfarm.com
Carter Hill Orchard Where: 73 Carter Hill Road, Concord Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit the bakery for fresh treats like pies, cider doughnuts and whoopie pies. Visit: carterhillapples.com
Currier Orchards Where: 9 Peaslee Road, Merrimack Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: Try their sweet cider, made fresh on site. Visit: facebook.com/currierorchards
DeMeritt Hill Farm Where: 20 Orchard Way, Lee Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit with farm animals, check out the farm market, go on a hayride, or walk recreational trails. Visit: demeritthillfarm.com
Elwood Orchards Where: 54 Elwood Road, Londonderry Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: Elwood will offer pick-your-own pumpkins and also runs a corn maze daily (with nighttime corn mazes on Fridays and Saturdays in October). Visit: elwoodorchards.com
Gould Hill Farm Where: 656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit the orchard’s onsite restaurant or the Contoocook Cider Co., which features a line of freshly produced hard ciders. Visit: gouldhillfarm.com
Hackleboro Orchards Where: 61 Orchard Road, Canterbury Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: Enjoy hayrides, seasonal food trucks and live music. Visit: hackleboroorchard.com
Hazelton Orchards Where: 280 Derry Road, Chester Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: The orchard is home to a small store onsite with fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as other local food products. Visit: facebook.com/hazeltonorchardschesterNH
Kimball Fruit Farm Where: Route 122, on the Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., state line Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Bonus activities: Find Kimball’s at local farmers markets and even sign up for fresh fruit and vegetable delivery. Visit: kimball.farm
Lavoie’s Farm Where: 172 Nartoff Road, Hollis Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Bonus activities: Look for hay rides on weekends and a corn maze open whenever the farm is open Visit: lavoiesfarm.com
Lull Farm Where: 65 Broad St., Hollis Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: The Daily Haul fish market is on site on Saturdays (pre-order at thedailyhaul.com) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Jamaican Jerk Chicken on weekends from noon to 7 p.m., weather permitting, according to the website. Visit: livefreeandfarm.com
Mack’s Apples Where: 230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit the ice cream shop or the market for a variety of local treats. Visit: macksapples.com
McLeod Bros. Orchards Where: 735 N. River Road, Milford Hours: Monday through Friday, 1 to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit the farm stand for extra fresh produce, or sign up for their CSA program. Visit: mcleodorchards.com
Meadow Ledge Farm Where: 612 Route 129, Loudon Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: Look for live music on Saturdays and Sundays in the early afternoons. Also on weekends, hot doughnuts are served until 4:30 p.m. During Columbus Day weekend, there will be games for kids. Visit: meadowledgefarm.com
Poverty Lane Orchards Where: 98 Poverty Lane, Lebanon Hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bonus activities: Hard cider and sweet cider tastings are available at the orchard, and trailer rides are held on the weekends. Visit: povertylaneorchards.com
Riverview Farm Where: 141 River Road, Plainfield Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Bonus activities: Artist and illustrator Emily Zea comes up with all kinds of unique themes each year for Riverview Farm’s corn maze. The theme of this year’s 3-acre maze is Ghosts and Monsters of New England. Visit: riverviewnh.com
Smith Orchard Where: 184 Leavitt Road, Belmont Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit the store for a variety of local food and hand-crafted items. Visit: smithorchard.com
Stone Mountain Farm Where: 522 Laconia Road, Belmont Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit the farm stand for local produce and maple syrup. Visit: stonemtnfarm.com
Sunnycrest Farm Where: 59 High Range Road, Londonderry Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bonus activities: Visit the market and bakery for sweet treats as well as a variety of local food products. Visit: sunnycrestfarmnh.com
Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard Where: 66 Mason Road, Greenville Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bonus activities: Lose yourself in the orchard’s 5-acre corn maze or in the store for local treats, including frozen apple cider. Visit: washburnswindyhillorchard.com
Corn Mazes
In addition to the orchards in our pick-your-own list with mazes, here are some other farms that offer live-sized puzzles. Know of a corn maze or pick-your-own opportunity not mentioned here? Let us know at listings@hippopress.com
Beans & Greens Farm Where: 245 Intervale Road, Gilford Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The farm has both a daytime maze and a nighttime spooky maze, which will be open from Sept. 17 through Halloween. Cost: Tickets for the maze cost $14 for adults and $10 for kids. The cost for the night maze is $22. There is also a harvest festival this year starting on Oct. 9. As of Sept. 13 ticket prices to that event have not yet been announced. Visit: beansandgreensfarm.com
Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn Where: 107 Beech Hill Road, Hopkinton Hours: Daily, noon to 7 p.m. (last time to enter the maze is 30 minutes before dusk), through Oct. 31 Cost: $7 per person (free for kids ages 3 and under) Beech Hill Farm’s 8-acre cornfield is split into two separate mazes, with several scavenger hunt activities that correspond with various themes. This year’s themes are “Ice Cream Jeopardy” and “NH Eco-Spy.” Visit: beechhillfarm.com
Charmingfare Farm Where: 774 High St., Candia Hours: Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 8, through Sunday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $22 per person and children ages 2 and younger are free. Every year, the farm hosts a Pumpkin Festival with tractor rides, pumpkin picking, characters in costume and other activities. Visit: visitthefarm.com
Coppal House Farm Where: 118 N. River Road, Lee Hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a..m. to 5 p.m. (last entrance is at 4:30 p.m.). Columbus Day hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $9 for adults, $7 for kids ages 5 to 12 and for students, seniors and active military service members, and free for kids ages 5 and under In addition to their regular daytime corn maze, there is also a flash night maze. There’s also horse-drawn wagon rides on Saturdays and Sundays starting on Sept 17. Visit: nhcornmaze.com
Emery Farm Where: 147 Piscataqua Road, Durham Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 2 and under, $9 for a combination with wagon ride. The farm features a family friendly, educational corn maze that the farm states takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. The wagon rides take visitors on a tour of the farm, around the cornfields, pumpkin patches, honeybee hives, and more. Visit: emeryfarm.com
J&F Farms Where: 124 Chester Road, Derry Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $8 per person In addition to the petting farm and sweet treats at the farmstand, J&F Farms has a seasonal corn maze with different themes. Currently, there’s a fall theme to the maze and when the month changes to October, then it’ll be a Halloween maze. Visit: jandffarmsnh.com
Sherman Farm Where: 2679 E. Conway Road, Center Conway Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: Varies from $12 to $15 per person, depending on the day, and free for kids ages 2 and under While the goats, play area, and ice cream are available, there is also “The Maize,” a corn maze that was designed this year with help from students at New Suncook Elementary School in Lovell, Maine. It’s due to open for the season on Sept. 24 and will welcome visitors every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 30. Visit: shermanfarmnh.com
Trombly Gardens Where: 150 N. River Road, Milford Hours: Daily, dawn to dusk Cost: Prices vary per activity. The corn maze is open and ready for people to enjoy. In addition to the maze, there are pick-your-own pumpkins, farm animals to feed and visit, hayrides and more. Visit: tromblygardens.net
Featured photo: Apple Hill Farm in Concord. Courtesy photo.
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.
Health care workforce shortages in New Hampshire have resulted in an increased reliance on contract labor, according to a recent report released by the New Hampshire Hospital Association, which has driven expenses up and operating margins down at hospitals and health care facilities throughout the state. New Hampshire hospitals experienced a 133.1 percent increase in contract labor costs from 2021 to 2022 and are projected to spend $302.7 million on contract labor in 2022, up from $118.5 in 2019, pre-pandemic.
QOL score: -2
Comment:The New Hampshire Hospital Association is working to address the problem by calling on stakeholders to support workforce development initiatives that ensure sustainable recruitment and retention of health care workers, and is calling for state and federal resources to support hospitals at this time of high demand for hospital services.
Getting food to people who need it
Citizens Financial Group has contributed $56,000 to the New Hampshire Food Bank — funding that will support two new refrigerated food distribution trucks, ensuring reliable daily transportation to provide food to people throughout New Hampshire who are experiencing food insecurity. Approximately 7 percent of New Hampshire’s residents — and 9.5 percent of New Hampshire children — are in need of food assistance, according to a press release. There will be an unveiling of one of the new trucks on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 10 a.m., at the NH Food Bank headquarters (700 E. Industrial Park Drive, Manchester).
QOL score: +1
Comment: Citizens Financial Group is also hosting a virtual food drive throughout September to support Feeding America, which provides at least 10 meals through community food banks for every $1 donated. It has agreed to match each dollar donated up to $20,000, according to the release. Visit teamfeed.feedingamerica.org to learn how you can help.
Bike and park
Bike to the Manchester Citywide Arts Festival street fair (at the Opera Block of Hanover Street this Saturday, Sept. 17, and Sunday, Sept. 18) and the Queen City Bike Collective will provide free valet bike parking (from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday), according to a press release from the Manchester mayor’s office. Also happening downtown Saturday is the CelebratED MHT event in Veterans Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. celebrating Manchester’s schools and offering food and entertainment. Attendees of either event — or just anyone who wants to ride their bike downtown this weekend— can leave their ride with the Queen City Bike Collective in City Hall Plaza.
QOL score: +1
Comments: Manchester’s mayor’s office, Queen City Bike Collective and Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission are also hosting a Park(ing) Day event on Friday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Bookery (844 Elm St. in downton Manchester) in the outdoor dining area, the press release said.
More art returns
The New Hampshire Furniture Masters return after a two-year hiatus with their Signature Fundraising Gala, known as the Main Event, on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St. in Concord). According to a press release, the event will feature an open house during the day, as well as a reception will be held in the evening with a silent auction, live entertainment, artisanal fare and craft beer. Tickets cost $20; admission is free for individuals age 21 and under. Visit furnituremasters.org/the-main-event.
QOL score: +1
Comment: The New Hampshire Furniture Masters Annual Exhibition, on display at Kimball Jenkins now through Oct. 25, is the result of a three-month artistic partnership between 14 Furniture Masters and 28 selected artists and faculty from Kimball Jenkins and features fine furniture, paintings, photography and poems.
QOL score: 82
Net change: +1
QOL this week: 83
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
