On The Job – Crystal Murray

Campground manager

Crystal Murray is the manager at Suncook River Family Camp Resort in Suncook.

Explain your job and what it entails.

The first thing I do each day is make a drive-through to check on all the guests, say good morning and see how everyone’s doing. Then, I check the mail, voicemails, emails and get set up for my day and make my to-do list of things I need to do and people I need to get back to. Then, I meet with my co-worker — sometimes we’ll even go out on the kayaks for our morning meeting — and we go over any pressing issues we have, and we’ll schedule our [campground] events and what we’re doing on the weekends.

How long have you had this job?

We opened this campground last year, in 2021. Before that, I worked at another campground, and before that, I used to work at Camping World.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

When I started working at Camping World, that’s what set off my interest in the outdoors and got me wanting to get into camping and canoeing and all that. Then, when I started working at actual campgrounds, that brought on a love for meeting people who are actually out camping, and I realized I definitely preferred being more involved and being part of the actual camping experience, as opposed to just being in sales.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I’ve learned a lot of skills along the way, [such as] people skills, interacting with people and understanding their needs and how to give them the best experience; and definitely time management skills and scheduling.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Most days, when it’s hot, and I’m in and out of the office, running around, checking on things, I’m wearing a T-shirt or tank top and shorts or a swim skirt.

How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?

Since Covid, camping and RVing have really taken off. When we first opened, we were focused on how to accommodate guests with all of the Covid guidelines. This year, we’ve been trying to balance having more people and more activities and things for them to do.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

That it’s OK to set boundaries and have guidelines and structured rules. As friendly as I am, it definitely helps to have a backbone and to assert yourself to make sure everyone is safe and having a good time. All the rules we have in place are there for a reason, so it’s OK to make sure that everyone is following those rules and to not be a pushover.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

I hope people know that it’s more than just a day job for me; it’s something I’m very involved in and very passionate about. My whole heart is in it. I could write a book on every guest we have here; our guests are like family, and the kids here are like my kids, whether they’re just staying for a week or staying for the whole season. It’s a very family-oriented energy and atmosphere we have here.

What was the first job you ever had?

Bed Bath & Beyond, folding towels in the linens department.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

You can’t be everybody’s best friend.

Five favorites

Favorite book:
Anything by Dolores Cannon.
Favorite movie: Interstellar
Favorite music: I really like Stevie Nicks.
Favorite food: Mexican
Favorite thing about NH: The people and the seasons.

Featured photo: Crystal Murray. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 22/07/21

Family fun for the weekend

Movie Madness

• Take the teens and the Marvel-loving tweens to Merrimack’s 2022 Summer Movies in the Park which is featuring Spider-Man: No Way Home (PG-13) on Saturday, July 23, beginning at 8:15 p.m. at Wasserman Park (116 Naticook Road). The movie is free to residents and nonresidents. For more information and future movie listings, visit merrimackparksandrec.org/movies-in-the-park.

• All three of Chunky’s Cinema Pub’s locations (707 Huse Road in Manchester, 151 Coliseum Ave. in Nashua, 150 Bridge St. in Pelham; chunkys.com) are bringing back Little Lunch Date on Wednesday, July 27, at 11:30 a.m. The theater will be dimmed, not dark, and it will be a low-stress environment for kids, according to the website. The movie will be How to Train Your Dragon (PG), which follows Hiccup, the son of the chief of his Viking village, as he befriends a rare type of dragon, the night fury named Toothless. The movie is free, but reserve your seats by purchasing $5 food vouchers in advance. The doors open an hour before the start of the movie. For more information, visit chunkys.com.

• The featured movie for Manchester’s Summer Series Movies in the Parkat Veterans Park (723 Elm St.) at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27, is Encanto (PG). Encanto follows the life of the Madrigals, a magical family that lives in a small village in Colombia. When the family’s magic starts to disappear, it’s up to Mirabel, the only Madrigal born without magic, to save the day. And, of course, nobody talks about Bruno. The movie will also screen at 3 p.m. that day at the Manchester City Library (405 Pine St. in Manchester; manchester.lib.nh.us). Find more information about the outdoor series at manchesternh.gov/Government/City-Calendars/Upcoming-Events-in-Manchester.

Museum Fun

• The New Hampshire Children’s Museum (9 Washington St., Dover) is hosting author and tap dancer Aaron Tolson on Saturday, July 30, at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tolson will read his new children’s picture book, Tiny Tap Shoes, about Steve, a tiny fairy who loves to tap dance. After the reading Tolson will lead kids in a mini tap demonstration. The event is included in registration for the museum. Register online in advance for morning or afternoon playtime and learn more about this event at childrens-museum.org.

Out in Nature

• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (Route 113, Holderness) is holding a Family Picnic Fundraiser on Saturday, July 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. Families will get to learn all about different insects, and there will also be live animal programs, live music from Green Heron, food, drink, games and even a chance to taste some insects. Ticket prices are $75 for ages 21 and older; $20 for ages 12 to 20; $10 for ages 6 to 11; free for ages 5 and under. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit nhnature.org/picnic.

• Laconia Public Library (695 N. Main St.) is hosting Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in the garden for the Wednesday Special on Wednesday, July 27, at 1 p.m. The focus of the event will be the wildlife that depends on the water in New Hampshire. This event is for children up to age 12 and advance registration is not required.

— Katelyn Sahagian

Treasure Hunt 22/07/21

Dear Donna,

We have this Peter Rabbit magician book. I thought the unusual part was that it is all complete. Not sure how it went through all my dad’s family and is still intact.

Would there be a value to something like this?

Thanks for your time, Donna,

Ken

Dear Ken,

I was chuckling as I read your letter. I don’t know how any toys ever survived till today!

The Peter Rabbit The Magician book is from the 1940s and was produced in Illinois. It has a story plus many fun tricks inside for children. How fun this must have been!

Now for a value, Ken, from low to high you can still find this out on the internet. But not many had the original box as well. Having the box and complete magic tricks I would say it’s in the $100 range. Sometimes the original box is a big bonus.

Ken, I thank you for sharing and for the smile. Sweet family toy with memories.

How to move a shrub

Early and carefully

By Henry Homeyer

listings@hippopress.com

I remember talking to a gardener some years ago who, when I mentioned that her tall pines were interrupting the view, waved a hand and said, dismissively, “Oh, yes, I’ll have someone move them.” I nearly choked. Moving shrubs is not difficult, but big trees? Though theoretically possible using a big machine called a tree spade, it’s a very expensive proposition.

I have moved several shrubs over the years. I bought a Carolina allspice or sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) which, according to the literature, can be planted in full sun or part shade. I planted it in full sun in rich, moist soil. The first year the leaves got sunburned and developed brown edges. Oh well, I thought, perhaps it had been grown in deep shade. If so, it will recover and next year it will be fine. But the next year it burned again.

So that fall I moved my shrub to a shady place that got just a little dappled sunshine. It did not burn, but it didn’t flower much the year or the year after. “Huh,” I thought. “Maybe it needs more sun.” I waited a few more years, and never got many blossoms.

Finally, like Goldilocks of Three Bears fame, I found just the right place. I moved it into dappled shade under a big pear tree. It has flowered magnificently ever since. Which shows, I suppose, that persistence is important in the gardening world. I was tempted to let it just muddle along, but was rewarded for my effort moving it.

It is much easier to move a shrub in the first year or two of its life in your garden. It takes a few years for roots to grow out and away from the root ball. Early in its life in your garden you will be able to see its original root ball when you dig it out.

When I plant a tree or shrub I generally facilitate root expansion in two ways. First, I dig a wide hole for the root ball, at least three times as wide as the root ball. If the soil is very compacted, I dig an even wider hole. All that digging is intended to leave the soil fluffier, and easier for tiny roots to penetrate.

Secondly, I loosen the roots, tugging them away from the root ball. I pull away any encircling roots. I use my CobraHead weeder to tug on bigger roots that are firmly tangled to get them loose and ready to spread out into the soil. And if I break some smaller roots? I don’t worry. It will stimulate the roots to grow.

The hole should only be as deep as the root ball, not deeper. Your tree should sit on un-excavated soil so that it will not settle in time. If soil or mulch covers the trunk flare, the trunk will rot. It is a slow process, but soil and bark mulch have fungi that will destroy the bark of a tree, slowly killing it — it takes six to 10 years.

This drain spade is good for transplanting perennials and shrubs. Photo courtesy of Henry Homeyer.
This drain spade is good for transplanting perennials and shrubs. Photo courtesy of Henry Homeyer.

What is the trunk flare? That is the area at the base of the tree that flares out and often sends out above-ground roots that gently descend into the soil. It is most obvious in large trees, but some swelling in small trees should be evident at the base of the tree. That area is often buried with soil when you buy a tree, and you need to expose it.

If the flare is buried after planting, you may notice tip die-back at the top of the tree, and early fall coloring. Both are signs of trouble. Check out trees you have planted, and pull back the mulch or soil that is covering the flare. Do it now, and your tree may recover (depending on how long the flare has been buried).

If you are planting trees this summer, remove the tree from its pot or burlap covering. Expose the trunk flare before you dig the hole so you will know how deep to dig. I put a rake handle or wood stake over the hole to help me measure how deep it is before placing the tree into the hole. It is better to have the hole a little shallow than a little too deep. You can always mound the soil to bring it up to the proper amount of coverage.

For moving shrubs, the best tool to use is a long narrow shovel called a drain spade. The blade on mine is about 6 inches wide and 15 inches long. I push the blade into the soil in four places around the shrub. Each time the blade goes into the soil at about a 45-degree angle, with the idea of getting under the center of the shrub itself. I push down on the handle, and it lifts the shrub a little. After loosening the shrub I push down hard on the shovel and the shrub is ready to lift out.

The best time to move a shrub is in the afternoon of a drizzly or cloudy day, not on a hot, sunny day. Move the shrub right into a prepared hole at its new home. I generally do not add fertilizer to the new hole as I don’t want to force rapid new growth. Slow-release organic fertilizer is safe to use, but not too much, and a little compost is good, too.

Be sure to press the shrub down firmly in the hole after you have filled in the space around the root ball with soil, and to pack the soil in around it firmly with your hands. Water well at planting time, and at least every other day during hot, sunny times.

Lastly, I recommend looking at where other people have planted shrubs of the same species as yours that are doing better. And if you need to move yours to a better location? Go for it!

Featured photo: This drain spade is good for transplanting perennials and shrubs. Photo courtesy of Henry Homeyer.

A-moo-sing animals

Spend time with animals at some of the farms and zoos in New Hampshire

By Katelyn Sahagian

ksahagian@hippopress.com

It’s hard to stay upset or stressed when an animal is nearby. That’s the feeling of J & F Farms manager Melissa Dolloff.

“A lot of times it’s just people who might have had a bad day and they stop by,” Dolloff said. “[They] get a breath of fresh air and pet some of the animals and it changes their mood.”

Across New Hampshire, different farms and animal centers are open for adults and children to interact with different animals. Farms and zoos across New Hampshire help people pet, feed and play with a variety of creatures.

Dolloff grew up on J & F Farms and is raising her kids to be the fifth generation of farmers in her family. She said that people need to become more educated about farm animals. She said it’s surprising how many adults don’t know a lot about farm animals.

“Lots of adults don’t even know the difference between a sheep and a goat or an alpaca and llama,” Dolloff said. “You’d be amazed how much people don’t know.”

At The Friendly Farm, farmhand Wyatt Davis said that interacting with animals is more than just fun; it’s a form of healing.

“The affection they show, it’s therapeutic almost,” Davis said. “I think, if you see a goat running around, you can’t help but smile at that.”

He also found that learning about animals has brought him to understand the food he eats. He said that having the connection with the animals helps him feel more grateful for the food on his plate.

“Being able to know where your food comes from and have that connection, in my eyes that’s the most important part,” Davis said.

Dolloff’s kids are older now and she is happy to see them bringing their friends around to spend time walking and taking care of the different animals.

“It’s important for people to get out and visit farms and animals,” Dolloff said. “People need to get the farm-fresh air and enjoy the love animals have to give.”

Farms, Zoos and Animal Activities

Here are a few of the area farms where you can visit with the animals. Know of one not mentioned here? Let us know at listings@hippopress.com.

Appleview Orchard
1266 Upper City Road, Pittsfield
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 3 to 9 p.m., Friday through Sunday, 1 to 9 p.m.
Price: Free to visit animals; farm tours are $7 for school-aged children, $8 for adults.
Info: applevieworchard.com

Beans and Greens Farm
245 Intervale Road, Gilford
Hours: Saturday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Price: Animals are free to visit; other activities are available.
Info: beansandgreensfarm.com

Beech Hill Farm
107 Beech Hill Road, Hopkinton
Hours: Daily noon to 8 p.m.
Price: Animals are free to visit.
Info: beechhillfarm.com

Carriage Shack Farm
5 Dan Hill Road, Londonderry
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Price: $8 adults, $6 children up to age 15, free for infants up to age 1, $6 seniors ages 65 and older, $6 active military and veterans
Info: carriageshackfarm.com

Charmingfare Farm
774 High St., Candia
Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Price: $22 for admission, children under a year are free, members and five guests are free.
Info: visitthefarm.com

Educational Farm at Joppa Hill
174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Price: Free
Info: theeducationalfarm.org

Friendly Farm
716 Main St., Dublin
Hours: Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: $9.50 for adults, $8.50 for children up to age 12; groups of 15 or more are $6 each
Info: friendlyfarm.com

Granite Oak Farm
227 Goffstown Back Road, Goffstown
Hours: Weekends 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: $25 for 30 minutes, $40 for 60 minutes of cow cuddling, for people 10 and older
Info: graniteoakfarm.com

Heritage Farm
15 Parker Hill Road, Sanbornton
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Price: Free
Info: heritagefarm.net

Hidden Hollow Farm
78 Depot Road, East Kingston
Hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: $20 per family
Info: hiddenhollowfarmnh.weebly.com

J & F Farms
124 Chester Road, Derry
Hours: Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: $5 per grain cup
Info: jandffarmsnh.com

Live and Let Live Farm
20 Paradise Lane, Chichester
Hours: Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m.
Price: Free
Visit: liveandletlivefarm.org

Paradise Farm
468 Center Road, Lyndeborough
Hours: Daily 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Price: Free
Info: paradisefarmnh.com

Sunnycrest Farm
59 High Range Road, Londonderry
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Price: Free
Info: sunnycrestfarmnh.com

Wildlife Encounters
270 Beauty Hill Road, Barrington
Hours: By appointment
Price: $275 for groups of 15
Info: weecocenter.com

Featured photo: Photos courtesy of J & F Farms.

The Art Roundup 22/07/21

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

Mural project for Manchester: The deadline is 9 p.m. Monday, July 25, to donate to Arts Build Community’s fundraiser to bring a mural festival to Manchester in August. The Community Canvas festival is meant to “amplify community voices rather than the individual,” according to the fundraiser page at patronicity.com. Arts Build Community is a New Hampshire-based group of artists, residents, businesses and others, and for the mural project. the artists “will engage, research, and reflect while actively listening to community members, integrating their stories into each mural,” the fundraiser page said. Find out more and donate at patronicity.com/abc2022.

Musical in the mall: The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord) presents Gutenberg! The Musical! on Friday, July 22, and Saturday, July 23, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, July 24, at 2 p.m. This musical comedy follows Johannes Gutenberg as he struggles to invent the printing press, hindered by his nemesis, The Monk, and his bumbling assistant Helvetica. Nominated for Best Musical by the Outer Critics Circle Awards, and Best Book by the Drama Desk awards, the show is only playing for one weekend. Tickets are $22, $19 for students, seniors, and Hatbox members, and $16 for senior members. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit hatboxnh.com.

Undefined art: 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.

Buster Keaton screens with live music
The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester) will present a screening of the 1926 silent film The General on Wednesday, July 20, at 7 p.m. The General follows Buster Keaton as a locomotive engineer whose train is hijacked by Northern spies during the U.S. Civil War. The film screening will be accompanied by a live musical performance led by Jeff Rapsis. Admission is $10 per person. For more information, visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.

Phil in the fall: The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra has announced its plans for its 118th year of performances, according to a recent press release. Five shows (each of which has two performances) are on the calendar for the 2022-2023 season, starting with shows on Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. and Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Most shows are at The Phil’s home performing space, the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem), the release said. See nhphil.org for ticket information, including season tickets.

Author visit and birthday hike: Mary Ellen Humphrey, author of My Mountain Friend: Wandering & Pondering Mount Major, is coming to New Hampshire to hike Mt. Major for her 70th birthday and to stop at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord; 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) on Thursday, July 28, at 6:30 p.m., according to a press release.

More authors, more books: Also appearing in person at Gibson’s are mystery writers Paula Munier (the author of the Mercy Carr mystery series, the most recent of which is The Wedding Plot, which hit shelves on July 19) and Sarah Stewart Taylor (author of the Maggie D’Arcy mystery series, the most recent of which is The Drowning Sea, which hit shelves in June). Catch them on Thursday, July 21, at 6:30 p.m. See the store’s website to order books.

Sergei Novikov on piano
Sergei Novikov,
who once won praise from former President George H. W. Bush, will perform Friday, July 22, at 7 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem). Tickets cost $45 for adults, $40 for seniors and children and are available at speakingmusic.com. Find out more about Novikov’s career path, which took him from Russia to Kennebunkport and beyond, in the story on page 15 of the June 30 issue of the Hippo. Find the e-edition of the paper at hippopress.com.

Authors inspiring authors: Authors Kelsey Gallant and Kate Spofford, both from the Nashua area, will be at the Toadstool Bookshop (375 Amherst St., Nashua; toadbooks.com, 673-1734) on Sunday, July 24, at 1 p.m. to discuss their journeys in self-publishing, according to the Toadstool website. The event is geared toward people who are also looking to have their manuscripts published, the website said.

An author, artist and naturalist: The Warner Historical Society’s Tory Hill Author Series will present artist-naturalist and writer David Carroll on Saturday, July 23, at 7 p.m. at the Warner Town Hall, according to a press release. Carroll, who won the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (the Genius Grant) in 2006, has written and illustrated the natural histories The Year of the Turtle, Trout Reflections and Swampwalkers Journal as well as a memoir called Self-Portrait with Turtles and a fifth book called Following the Warner, A hydromancer’s Notebook, the release said. His natural history drawings and watercolors have been on exhibit at the Currier Museum of Art, according to the release. Tickets cost $10 each (or three for $24) and can be purchased at toryhillauthorsseries.com or at the door (and via the Warner Historical Society and MainStreet BookEnds), the release said. A dessert and a book signing will follow the readings.

Hannah Turtle


ART

Exhibits

• “WARHOL SCREEN TESTS” In the mid-1960s, American multimedia artist Andy Warhol had shot more than 400 short, silent, black-and-white films of his friends at his studio in New York City. Warhol referred to the films, which were unscripted and played in slow motion, as “film portraits” or “stillies.” The exhibition will feature 20 of those films, provided by the Andy Warhol Museum, in loops across four large-scale projections. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through July 24. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “ARGHAVAN KHOSRAVI” Artist’s surrealist paintings explore themes of exile, freedom and empowerment; center female protagonists; and allude to human rights issues, particularly those affecting women and immigrants. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On display now through Sept. 5. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and is free for children age 12 and under and museum members. Current museum hours are Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday through Wednesday. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org for more information.

• “THE PEOPLE’S SCULPTOR: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF JOHN ROGERS” Exhibit celebrates the art of American sculptor John Rogers, who came to Manchester in 1850, and explores the influence that Manchester had on Rogers’ life and work. Presented by the Manchester Historic Association. On view now through September. Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester). Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors age 62 and up and college students, $4 for youth ages 12 through 18, and is free for kids under age 12. Call 622-7531 or visit manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum.

• “WOOL: CONTEMPORARY FIBER ART EXHIBITION Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) through Sept. 2. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com or call 975-0015.

ROBIN CORNWELL The New Hampshire Boat Museum will feature local artist Robin Cornwell in the museum’s gallery (399 Center St. in Wolfeboro; nhbm.org) in July. Cornwell produces art quilts as well as bark paper paintings and woven placemats and rugs. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. To learn more about Cornwell, visit robincornwellembellishments.com.

• “PIXELS, WOOD, CLAY” Two Villages Art Society presents an exhibition of work by artists Tony Gilmore, Rick Manganello and Caren Helm. The Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook). Aug. 12 through Sept. 9. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. There will be an opening reception on Sat., Aug. 13, from noon to 2 p.m. Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibition in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@concordnhchamber.com for more information.

SUMMER MEMBERS SHOW Two Villages Art Society presents a mixed media art show at the Bates Building (846 Main St., Contoocook) from July 1 through July 30.Visit twovillagesart.org or call 413-210-4372.

Fairs and markets

CONCORD ARTS MARKET The juried outdoor artisan and fine art market runs one Saturday a month, June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Market dates are July 30, Aug. 20, Sept. 17 and Oct. 15. Rollins Park, 33 Bow St., Concord. concordartsmarket.net. The first market will be held on Saturday, June 11. Visit concordartsmarket.net/summer-arts-market.html for more information.

CRAFTSMEN’S FAIR The annual nine-day outdoor craft fair hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen features hundreds of craftspeople with vendor booths, plus special craft exhibitions, demonstrations, hands-on workshops and more. Sat., Aug. 6, through Sun., Aug. 14. Mount Sunapee Resort, 1398 Route 103, Newbury. Call 224-3375 or visit nhcrafts.org for more information.

GREELEY PARK ART SHOW The annual outdoor juried art show hosted by Nashua Area Artists Association features a variety of artwork for sale. Greeley Park, 100 Concord St., Nashua. Sat., Aug. 20, and Sun., Aug. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit nashuaarts.org/greeleyparkartshow.

Tours

NASHUA PUBLIC ART AUDIO TOUR Self-guided audio tours of the sculptures and murals in downtown Nashua, offered via the Distrx app, which uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provides audio descriptions at each stop on the tour as tourists approach the works of art. Each tour has 10 to 15 stops. Free and accessible on Android and iOS on demand. Available in English and Spanish. Visit downtownnashua.org/nashua-art-tour for more information.

Workshops and classes

ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.

DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org or email arthousejb@gmail.comfor more information.

GENERAL ART CLASSES Weekly art classes offered for both kids and adults of all skill levels and cover a variety of two-dimensional media, including drawing and painting with pastel, acrylic, watercolor and oils. Classes are held with small groups of three to eight to five students. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Kids classes, open to ages 10 and up, are held on Thursdays and Fridays, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Adult classes are held on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuition is pay-as-you-go at $20 per student per class, due upon arrival. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.

THEATRE

Classes/workshops

STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS Monthly workshop series hosted by True Tales Live storytelling showcase. First Tuesday (except November), from 7 to 8:30 p.m., virtual, via Zoom. Registration is required. Visit truetaleslivenh.org for more information.

Shows

•​ ANYTHING GOES The Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St., Portsmouth; seacoastrep.org, 433-4472) presents the musical through July 23, with showtimes on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $32 to $52.

FOOTLOOSE Prescott Park Arts Festival (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth; prescottpark.org , 436-2848) presents this outdoor musical through Aug. 14, with showtimes on most Thursdays and Sundays at 7 p.m., and most Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with some matinee showtimes TBA. General admission costs $5, and reserved seating tickets cost $55 to $150.

RAPUNZEL presented by the 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Seriesat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) through Thursday, July 21, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday, July 22, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

MATILDA JR. musical presented by RB Productions Theater Company at the Capitol Center for the Arts Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Friday, July 22, and Saturday, July 23, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors (plus fees).

GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL produced by the Community Players of Concord at the Hatbox Theatre (inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) Friday, July 22, and Saturday, July 23, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 24, at 2 p.m. TIckets cost $22 for adults, $19 for seniors and students.

PETER PAN presented by the 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Seriesat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Tuesday, July 26, through Thursday, July 28, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday, July 29, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD presented by North Country Center for the Art’s IMPACT Program, a Touring Children’s Theatre Troupe, Tuesday, July 26, at 10 a.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets are free but must be reserved online.

MARY POPPINS JR.presented by Palace Youth Theatre summer camp at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Friday, July 29, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 30, at 11 a.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for kids.

LEGALLY BLONDE JR. musical presented by RB Productions Theater Company at the Capitol Center for the Arts Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Friday, July 29, and Saturday, July 30, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors (plus fees).

CINDERELLA presented by the 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Seriesat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Tuesday, Aug. 2, through Thursday, Aug. 4, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 5, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

RETURN TO OZ presented by North Country Center for the Art’s IMPACT Program, a Touring Children’s Theatre Troupe, Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets are free but must be reserved online.

JACK AND THE BEANSTALKpresented by Palace Youth Theatre summer camp at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Friday, Aug. 5, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for kids.

BEAUTY & THE BEAST presented by the 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Seriesat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Tuesday, Aug. 9, through Thursday, Aug. 11, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 12, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK presented by North Country Center for the Art’s IMPACT Program, a Touring Children’s Theatre Troupe, Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets are free but must be reserved online.

NUNSENSE, the musical that has been updated with new jokes, will be presented by the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7649) on Fridays, Aug. 12 and Aug. 19, at 7 p.m.; Saturdays, Aug. 13 and Aug. 20, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 21, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 to $20.

SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS presented by the 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Seriesat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Tuesday, Aug. 16, through Thursday, Aug. 18, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL JR.presented by Palace Youth Theatre summer camp at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Friday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 20, at 11 a.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for kids.

THE GREAT ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC SHAKESPEARE COMPANY presented by Granite Playwrights at the Hatbox Theatre (inside the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) from Aug. 19 through Aug. 28, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members and $16 for senior members.

DISNEY’S FROZEN KIDS presented by the 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Seriesat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Tuesday, Aug. 23, through Thursday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

•​ LES MISERABLES presented by the Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St., Portsmouth; seacoastrep.org, 433-4472) teen company from Aug. 25 through Sept. 4, with showtimes on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for students and $30 for adults.

CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ’90s MUSICAL presented by the Actorsingers at the Janice B. Streeter Theatre (14 Court St., Nashua; actorsingers.org) Friday, Aug. 26, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 27, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 28, 2 p.m. TIckets cost $20 for adults, $18 for 62+ (plus fees).

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL JR.presented by Palace Youth Theatre summer camp at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Friday, Aug. 26, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for kids.

SHREK THE MUSICAL presented by the Riverbend Youth Company at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford; svbgc.org/amato-center) from Friday, Aug. 26, through Sunday, Aug. 28.

CLASSICAL

Events

SERGEI NOVIKOV PIANO RECITAL The NH Philharmonic’s Summer Concert Series will host accomplished pianist Sergei Novikov on Friday July 22 at 7pm at the Seifert Performing Art Center, 44 Geremonty Drive, in Salem. Part of ticket sales will go to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to help assist Ukraine. Tickets are available online at speakingmusic.com or by calling (800) 595-4849.

PROGRESSIVE GARDEN PARTY Monadnock Music’s summer festival presents a botanical tour of Jaffrey set to classical music, performed live by soloists in 3 separate gardens, and featuring unique food and drink at each location, Saturday, July 23, noon to 5 p.m., location TBA. Tickets cost $100. Visit monadnockmusic.org.

FAMILY CONCERTS Monadnock Music Summer Festival hosts three family concerts on July 27, titled “Moonstrike: Tellings of American Indian Legends.” The program features a string quartet with a narrator. The first is at noon at George Holmes Bixby Memorial Library, Francestown Old Meeting House, the second at 2 p.m. at Peterborough Library, 1833 Room, Peterborough, and the third at 4 p.m. at Olivia Rodham Memorial Library, Nelson Town Hall. Performances are free and open to the public. For more info, visit monadnockmusic.org.

TITANIC THE MUSICAL Presented by the Manchester Community Theatre Players. Manchester Community Theatre Players Theatre, located at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester; manchestercommunitytheatre.com, 327-6777). Showtimes on Fri., Oct. 14 and Oct. 21, and Sat., Oct. 15 and Oct. 22.

TRUE TALES LIVE Portsmouth-based storytelling showcase. Monthly, last Tuesday (no shows in July and August), from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Shows will be held in person (Portsmouth Public Media TV Studio, 280 Marcy St., Portsmouth) starting in April, and returning to the Zoom format for the winter, starting in November. Each month’s showcase is centered around a different theme. The series is free and open to all who want to watch or participate as a storyteller. Pre-registration for attendees is required for Zoom shows but not required for in-person shows. Visit truetaleslivenh.org and email info@truetaleslive.org if you’re interested in being a storyteller.

THROUGH THE FIRE The Village Players present Oscar-winner Estelle Parsons’ and Victor Almanzar’s newest production, Through The Fire, on Friday, July 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Village Players Theater in Wolfeboro. The show follows Almanzar’s own life, including his immigration from the Dominican Republic to New York City, and his time serving in the U.S. Marine Corps in Kosovo and Iraq. Tickets $25 each, on sale at www.village-players.com and at the door.

Open calls

THE RHYTHM OF NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOW CHORUS Women’s a cappella chorus is looking for female singers in the region to join. The group, an affiliate of the North American singing organization Harmony, Inc., performs a wide variety of music, including Broadway musical songs, patriotic songs, pop, jazz and seasonal pieces, for community and veterans’ events and private functions. Rehearsals are held weekly on Thursdays from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 W. Broadway, Derry. Masks are required for singing, but both vaccinated and unvaccinated singers are welcome. Visit rnhchorus.org or email info@rnhchorus.org for more information.

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