• Local wine tour: Fulchino Vineyard (187 Pine Hill Road, Hollis) will host the make-up dates of its commemoration of National Drink Wine Weekend during the weekend of Oct. 24 and Oct. 25. For $20 each, ticket holders can visit up to five participating local wineries throughout the weekend and taste four different wines, including at Fulchino but also at Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline), Moonlight Meadery (23 Londonderry Road, Londonderry), Appolo Vineyards (49 Lawrence Road, Derry) and Winnipesaukee Winery (458 Center St., Wolfeboro). All ticket holders also receive an event tasting glass and a chance to win gift packages of bottles from each participating winery. Purchase tickets online at fulchino-vineyard-inc.square.site.
• Gourmet flavors: Dozens of local specialty food vendors and food trucks will be on hand during the Great New England Fall Craft & Artisan Show, a two-day event happening on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Hampshire Dome (34 Emerson Road, Milford). The show will feature vendors from New Hampshire and other New England states selling items like baked goods, maple syrups, honeys, fudge, salsas, specialty dips, jams and jellies, in addition to handmade crafts, apparel and personal care products. Food trucks will be parked outside the venue with outdoor seating, and a schedule of live local music is planned as well. Tickets are available online at ticketleap.com or at the door for $5 each (your ticket is good for both days) and children ages 12 and under are admitted free of charge. Visit gnecraftartisanshows.com.
• An Able-bodied dinner: Join The Grand at the Bedford Village Inn (12 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford) for an Able Ebenezer beer dinner on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 6 to 9 p.m. The multi-course dinner will feature various selections from Able Ebenezer Brewing Co. in Merrimack. Food options will include hors d’oeuvres like artisan cheeses and crackers with house-made seasonal spreads (paired with the Victory Nor Defeat double IPA); a fall salad with apple, butternut squash, Boursin, Swiss chard, microgreens, hazelnut, ginger and pomegranate (paired with the La Mere Marianne culinary ale); crispy confit duck leg with poblano pepper hash (paired with the Burn the Ships smoked IPA); salumi Bolognese stuffed delicata (paired with the Homecoming Harvest pumpkin ale); and caramel apple cake (paired with the Glory Not the Prey New England IPA). Tickets are $70 per person and must be purchased in advance. Visit bedfordvillageinn.com.
Summer has faded and gone. Autumn’s bright foliage does compensate, somewhat, for the dearth of flowers, but a few of my trees and shrubs (and several perennials) bloom in October, and I treasure them. Let’s take a look.
Starting in early September but varying greatly from year to year, my Seven-Son Flower Tree blooms. This year in early October its white flowers were in bloom, despite four hard frosts. Some years even one frost will ruin the blossoms, but not this year. The flowers are white, small (half-inch in diameter), and borne in clusters of flowers mostly near the top of the tree.
After the blossoms finish, the tree will often display small, purplish-red fruits (half-inch drupes) crowned by very showy rose-pink sepals that elongate after bloom and can last into late fall. But frost usually interrupts that display in colder parts of our region.
The Seven-Sons Flower tree is typically a small one. Most sources refer to it as 15 to 20 feet tall and eight to 10 feet wide. But it is fast-growing and can produce branches five to eight feet long in a single season once it is well-established. It has interesting bark: gray and dusty brown, variegated and exfoliating. In winter the bark stands out well against the snow.
Although this small tree was introduced to the United States from China in 1907, it was not readily available until it was reintroduced in 1980. I’ve had mine for more than 15 years and have not noticed any seedlings or root sprouts. I am always on the lookout for invasive tendencies for newly introduced species, but this one has given me no reason to worry.
A lesser-known shrub that blooms for me in October is disanthus. This shrub likes rich moist slightly acidic soil in part shade to full shade. It is a polite shrub — it does not spread out and take over the area, and rarely needs pruning. During the summer it has nice dark green leaves similar to those on a redbud tree. But in fall the leaves turn an intense reddish purple and hold on well into the fall. I think the leaf color is better than that on burning bush, which is invasive and is no longer sold.
The blossoms on disanthus are tiny, and I didn’t even notice them for a couple of years after planting mine as they are right on the branches and obscured by leaves. But it is fun to have something special to look for now, in autumn, and to show to friends. Mine haven’t appeared yet but should soon.
Then there is the witch hazel tree. I remember the first time I encountered one. I was hiking in late October and came upon a native tree covered in yellow blossoms. Although the blossoms were small, it had petals that were curly and bright — and I was not expecting anything to be blooming.
So of course I had to have one. The foliage turns yellow in September and holds on, obscuring the blossoms a bit. But eventually the leaves drop, exposing the flowers. There are also early spring-blooming varieties as well. Arnold’s Promise is a nice one with red and yellow flowers.
Although I have never seen pollinators on the flowers, they are fragrant and brightly colored, so I assume they are trying to attract something. The only source for information I have found on this comes from Bernd Heinrich in a 1987 Scientific American article. He witnessed the night-flying owlet moth feeding on the nectar and pollinating the flowers in November when most other insects are no longer around.
Of the garden flowers blooming now, you must have seen big, bold New England asters and perhaps some of the more shy wild woodland asters. Some of my phlox are still blooming, as are some black-eyed Susans. Of those, a rudbeckia called ‘Henry Eiler’ is the most dramatic. Over five feet tall, it will bloom all month in a huge clump. I just wish I didn’t have to tie it up to keep it from flopping.
I have an absolutely stunning goldenrod, a cultivar called “Fireworks.” It is one I purchased several years ago and it is now a nice tight clump four feet across and three feet tall. The blossoms arch over gently and point in different directions, creating a stunning display, a little like the finale of a good fireworks display. Unlike wild goldenrod, it does not seem to spread quickly by root or seed.
Also in bloom for me now is Knautia macedonia with deep wine-red flowers reminiscent of scabiosa or pincushion flower. It has been blooming for months and is a delight. The stems are thin and tend to bend over a bit when blooming, but the blossoms never seem to fall to the ground. It is not a good cut flower but earns its place in the garden because of its long bloom time.
Most species of monkshood bloom in June, but I also have one species, Aconitum carmichaelii, which blooms now with intense blue flowers on five-foot stems that do not flop. All monkshood species have poisonous sap, and some were said to be used to poison wolves in Russia.
I have always tried to expand the growing season here in my cold Zone 4 garden. I should have a few blossoms into November, and then there will be a hiatus until early March when my first snowdrops bloom. But I can buy flowers for my table in winter, and I do have plenty of houseplants.
Featured Photo: Fall blooming monkshood is a poisonous beauty Photo by Henry Homeyer.
Horror movies, costume parties and other Halloween fun
Though the list of Halloween parties isn’t as long as it would usually be for a year where the big day falls on a Saturday, there are still celebrations with live music and several spooky-themed movie screenings.
• Cinemagic theatres in Hooksett (38 Cinemagic Way; 644-4629), Merrimack (11 Executive Park Drive; 423-0240) and Portsmouth (2454 Lafayette Road; 319-8788) will present Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining(R)from 1980 starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $13.25 and can be purchased at cinemagicmovies.com.
• Join Twin Barns Brewing Co. (194 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) for a spooky pumpkin painting session on Friday, Oct. 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. There will be music, snacks and dozens of pumpkins available to paint, courtesy of Picnic Rocks Farm. Admission is free and BYO pumpkins are OK too. Visit twinbarnsbrewing.com.
• This weekend at the Milford Drive In (531 Elm St. in Milford; milforddrivein.com, 673-4090) catch some classic scares for a variety of ages. On one screen: Pixar’s 2001 animated movie Monsters, Inc. (G) featuring the voices of Billy Crystal and John Goodman, followed by 1993’s Hocus Pocus (PG), featuring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker. On another screen: 1980’s Friday the 13th (R) followed by 1996’s horror movie-dissecting horror movie Scream (R) with Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard and, extremely memorably, Drew Barrymore. Both double features start at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24. Admission costs $30 per car (for up to six people; each additional person is $5).
• Liquid Therapy (14 Court St., Unit B, Nashua) will host a Halloween Trivia Extravaganza on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2 p.m. The game will be devoted to all things Halloween and if you show up in costume you get bonus points. First-place winners get a $50 gift card and bragging rights. Visit liquidtherapynh.com.
• The Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord (448 S. Main St., ccanh.com) is holding a virtual conversation with Kathy Najimy to celebrate 1993’s Hocus Pocus (PG) on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8 p.m. Tickets to the live, moderated Zoom discussion featuring viewer questions and clips from the movie costs $20 for one device. See the website to order.
• If the recent Netflix movie Vampires vs. The Bronx left you wanting to know more about director F.W. Murnau and his connection to filmatic vampire lore, head to Wilton Town Hall Theatre (40 Main St. in Wilton; wiltontownhalltheatre.com, 654-3456) on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. for a screening of his 1922 silent movie horror classic Nosferatu accompanied by live music performed by Jeff Rapsis. Admission is free but a $10 donation per person is encouraged.
Rapsis will return to Wilton Town Hall Theatre to provide the live music accompaniment on Saturday, Oct. 31, for a special Halloween Lon Chaney double feature at 7:30 p.m. The silent film line-up includes The Unknown (1927), which features Joan Crawford, and West of Zanzibar (1928), which also features Lionel Barrymore. Admission is free but a $10 per person donation is encouraged.
• If you couldn’t make it to Wilton Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, head to the Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center (39 S. Main St. in Plymouth; flyingmonkeynh.com, 536-2551) on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 6:30 p.m. for a screening of Nosferatu (1922) featuring Jeff Rapsis’ musical accompaniment. Admission costs $10 per person.
• Chunky’s Cinema Pub will host a live, 21+ trivia night with “horror movies” as the subject on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m. in Manchester (707 Huse Road) and Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave.), as well as on Sunday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. in Manchester. Reserve a spot for your team of up to six people with purchase of a $5 food voucher.
Chunky’s is also holding 21+ screening of the 1988 Tim Burton filmBeetlejuice(PG) starring Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis at its three locations. Catch the movie Thursday, Oct. 29, at 8 p.m. in Manchester, Nashua or Pelham (150 Bridge St.). Tickets cost $4.99.
Chunky’s will also host Live 21+ “Ghouling” Pianos Halloween Party featuring dueling pianos. Costumes are encouraged. The performance will be Friday, Oct. 30, at 8 p.m. in Nashua and Saturday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. in Manchester. Tickets cost $20.
• Catch a video rebroadcast of the Northern Ballet’s production of Dracula on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; banknhstage.com, 225-1111). Tickets cost $16 (plus a $3.75 fee).
• The Statey Bar & Grill (238 Deer St., Portsmouth) is planning a scavenger hunt on Friday, Oct. 30, with participation from Brgr Bar and Dwyer’s Pub, followed by live music and a costume contest on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. Visit thestateybar.com for details.
• Instabar (61 High St., Hampton) is hosting Halloween parties on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31, at 4 p.m. featuring live music, a costume contest and more in a heated outdoor space. Visit instabarhampton.com for details.
• An Online Halloween Storytelling event hosted by the Warner and Hopkinton historical societies will take place on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. Tune in to the Zoom call and hear a few spooky historical tales about witches, ghosts and other supernatural themes. If you have a scary story of your own, you are encouraged to share it. For access to this free event, email info@warnerhistorical.org or director@hopkintonhistroy.org. Costumes are encouraged but not required.
• Halloween at The Drive-In will be held on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 4 p.m. at Cheshire Fairground (247 Monadnock Highway, Swanzey). Gates open at 2 p.m., and live music starts at 4 p.m. with Pink Talking Fish, followed by Mihali and Neighbor. One ticket is equivalent to one car pass for five people. Ticket prices start at $99 and increase depending on section selection. Secure your spot at drive-in-live.com.
• Celebrate Halloween at Area 23 (254 N. State St., Concord) on Saturday, Oct. 31, with seasonal food and beverages, a costume contest, music and more. Visit thearea23.com.
• Auburn Pitts (167 Rockingham Road, Auburn) will host an outdoor Halloween show on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 4 to 7 p.m., featuring cover band Joppa Flatts. There will also be a costume contest with prizes, a bonfire, fresh food and beverages and more. The event is weather-dependent. Visit auburnpitts.com.
• Jewel (61 Canal St., Manchester) is hosting a Halloween party on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. The cost ranges from $10 to $15. Find them on Facebook @jewlnh.
• Join LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst) for a Monster Mash dinner, a 21+ plated dinner event, on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. The event will include a multi-course meal, a costume contest with prizes, a DJ and more. Tickets are sold by the table only (limit of six guests per table), starting at $167 per table of two. Visit labellewinerynh.com.
• Murphy’s Taproom & Carriage House (393 Route 101, Bedford) will host a socially distanced Halloween drag show on Saturday, Oct. 31, featuring two performances from 6 to 8 p.m. and from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. Both shows will have the same performers and performances. The first show will also have a buffet with items like chicken marsala, steak tips and vegetarian pasta primavera. The cost is $60 for the first show (buffet meals included in price) and $25 for the second show. Visit murphystaproom.com.
There are still plenty of spooky events for kids of all ages this year, following Covid-19 safety guidelines. All events are subject to change, so check before you head out for some Halloween fun.
• The Haunting of Wilton returns this year. Wilton resident Randy Koelher is displaying scary creaturesalong Main Street Park and on top of the granite walls at Town Hall now through Halloween. Families are welcome to walk through the exhibit while following Covid-19 protocols. Wear your costumes for photo ops, and don’t forget your mask. Visit wiltonnh.gov.
• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) will hold its Not So Spooky October with online offerings and make-and-take kits at the Trick or Tree-T tree inside the entrance of the museum, where you can pick up crafting kits to make Halloween-themed crafts at home. Kits are available on Thursday mornings at 9 a.m. and are distributed on a first come, first served basis. Visit the museum at any point during October and try different Spooky Muse Studio Crafts such as ghost pencil toppers and reflective spider necklaces,free with admission. Online Spooky Science Videos are available on the museum’s website and its YouTube and Facebook pages every Wednesday. Tune in on Wednesday, Oct. 28, for “Spooky Sparks.” Go online to reserve a time for visits.
• The Harvest of Haunts at Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia; 483-5623) will look a little different this year. On Saturday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 31, visitors can board a horse-drawn wagon and travel deep into the woods to hear a spine-chilling story from the farm’s storyteller. Capacity is limited this year, and wagon groups will be divided into two sections of 10 passengers (all-adult groups only seat eight). The package for 10 people is $249 and must be purchased online in advance. Complimentary hot cocoa will be provided. Reserve your tickets at visitthefarm.com.
• Children’s trick-or-treat at Charmingfare Farm is on as well and is more merry than scary. It’s a perfect event for those who want an exciting Halloween experience without being frightened, with barnyard animals, pumpkin painting and more. Children can trick-or-treat at the farm on Saturday, Oct. 24, Sunday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 31. Tickets start at $22 per person; admission is free for children 2 years old and under. Purchase tickets and view time slots online at visitthefarm.com.
• Catch Live Magic & Juggling by Robert Clark at Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave.; Chunkys.com) on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10. The show is billed as “high energy and crowd pleasing” for all ages, according to the website.
• Manchester Community Music School (644-4548, mcmusicschool.org) is hosting a free virtual haunted open house on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 2 to 4 p.m. There will be a costume contest, a scavenger hunt with a chance to win gift certificates and musical instruments, student and faculty performances and a tour of the school. Registration is required.
• In lieu of their traditional tailgate trick-or-treat event, Deerfield Parks and Recreation is hosting an Outdoor Movie Showing and Costume Contest on Sunday, Oct. 25, at Gazebo Field. The best costume for the contest will be chosen at 4:30 p.m., followed by a showing of Hocus Pocus. Reservations for a space are $10. Register online at deerfield.recdesk.com.
• The Canvas Roadshow (25 S. River Road in Bedford; 913-9217) is hosting a Kids Spooky Painting Event on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. Create a Halloween-themed canvas. The cost per canvas is $22, and purchase must be made online in advance. Visit thecanvasroadshow.com to sign up.
• The YMCA of Greater Nashua’s 13th Annual Halloween Spooktacular will take place on Sunday, Oct. 25, from noon to 4 p.m. at YMCA Camp Sargent (141 Camp Sargent Road in Merrimack). Free and open to the community, this event will feature decorated cars that will distribute candy while socially distanced. Families may register for one 30-minute time slot, and each person must have a ticket. Families can secure up to six tickets for free upon reservation. Register online at https://bit.ly/2GscT5d.
• The Mr. Aaron Band Halloween Bash is outdoors and socially distanaced this year at Kimball Jenkins School of Art (266 N. Main St. in Concord). The band is playing two shows, from 10 to 11 a.m. and from noon to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25. Tickets cost $10 per person and are available for purchase at mraaronmusic.com.
• Hopkinton Halloween Jack-o’-Lanterns is a perfect opportunity to show off your pumpkin carving skills. Bring your jack-o’-lantern to the Veterans Park wall (near the Cracker Barrel and First Congregational Church) Thursday, Oct. 29, through Saturday, Oct. 31. Place a single battery-operated votive candle in your jack-o’-lantern and the Hopkinton Recreation Department will light it each night.
• Kids are invited to go trick-or-treating at the third annual Halloween at City Hall in Manchester (1 City Hall Plaza) on Friday, Oct. 30, from 3 to 5 p.m. This year will also include Downtown Trick-or-Treat, where kids can get a treat from participating businesses. Masks are required and social distancing is encouraged. Visit manchesternh.gov.
• Kid’s World Indoor Playground of Salem (288 N. Broadway) is having Socially Distant Halloween Costume Parties on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31. The cost is $49 for a family of four, and $11 per additional person. Each person will receive a small pumpkin to decorate and prepackaged goodie bags containing five allergen-friendly candies. Hour- and-a-half time slots for both days start at 10:30 a.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. Reserve a time slot at kidsworldsalem.com.
• Concord’s annual Wicked FIT Run is going virtual this year. This Halloween-themed family-friendly walk/run 5K will be held on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Registration starts at $10 per person and includes timing benefits and a downloadable bib. Participants are encouraged to wear their Halloween attire. Register at support.fitnh.org/2020wickedfitrun.
• Trick-or-Treat at the Concord Farmers Market (Capitol Street, Concord, next to the Statehouse) on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Some vendors have opted out this year, allowing for more room to socially distance. Visit concordfarmersmarket.com.
• Put your Halloween costumes on and participate in the CHaD Trick or Trot 3K at Arms Park (10 Arms St. in Manchester) on Saturday, Oct. 31. The event will start with a Halloween festival at noon, followed by the Primrose School at Bedford Hills Lil’ Pumpkin Runs at 1:30 p.m, and the Trick or Trot 3K at 2:30 p.m. Registration for the run costs $15 for ages 11 and under, $20 for 20 and under and $25 for 21 and over. Register online at millenniumrunning.com/trick-or-trot.
• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org) will be open Halloween weekend, Saturday, Oct. 31, and Sunday, Nov. 1. Registration is required, with visitor sessions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 2 to 5 p.m. Any visitor who is wearing a costume will get a free raffle entry. Winners will be chosen in each session. Masks are required.
From killer clowns to bloodthirsty zombies, New Hampshire haunted houses have scares for everyone.
At Spooky World in Litchfield, open weekends through the end of October, you’ll visit four frightening attractions, including Brigham Manor, an estate with a horrifying history now haunted by tormented spirits; The Colony,a labyrinth in which you’re hunted by sadistic unearthly creatures; Dreamscape, where your worst nightmares — spiders, snakes, aliens, clowns and more — come to life in a 3D experience; and the popular one-mile, 22-minute Haunted Hayride, which takes passengers through a number of scream-worthy scenes.
“You’ve got your cemetery scene, and, of course, you’ve got your creatures from the dead who attack the wagon,” Spooky World co-owner Mike Accomando said. “You’ll see an abandoned house that has been taken over by a cult, and — this one really freaks people out — an abandoned barn and campsite that has been completely taken over by spiders. It’s just littered with them.”
Fright Kingdom in Nashua also has four attractions. There’s Apocalypse Z, a military bunker that has been overrun by zombies; Bloodmare Manor, a Victorian mansion inhabited by the diabolical Bloodmare family; The Abandoned, an old abandoned farm house linked to a series of disappearances of people in town; and, finally, Psycho Circus, a 3D experience where you’re taunted by insane clowns and inundated with sensory illusions that may make you question your own sanity.
“We really try to take [visitors] out of the real world and put them into our world with everything we do,” Fright Kingdom owner Tim Dunne said. “We use animatronics; we have well over a hundred animatronic effects alone. We also use lighting. We use smells. We use video and sound effects and music — all kinds of things to create an atmosphere.”
Haunted Houses have had to make some adjustments this year to allow for social distancing and prevent the spread of Covid-19. At Spooky World and Fright Kingdom, capacity has been reduced, and tickets must be purchased for specific time slots in advance. Both parks require visitors to wear masks at all times, and Fright Kingdom is conducting health questionnaires and touchless temperature checks with all visitors and staff before they enter the park, Dunne said.
Accomando said Spooky World hired more staff than ever before to help keep the park safe.
“Because of the new regulations, there are so many more things we have to take care of,” he said. “We need [staff for] crowd control, for directing people, for sanitizing the [Haunted Hayride] wagon between rides and sanitizing all of the haunts every single night.”
Another big change is that groups from each household are ushered through the attractions in a staggered manner so that they don’t come in close contact with other groups.
“Typically, when it gets busy, we send in larger groups of people who may not know each other, because we have to move things along, but we aren’t doing that now,” Dunne said. “Now, you only go through with the people you came with, which means you’ll have to wait longer, but on the other side of the coin, it means you’re going to have a more personalized experience, and people love that.”
The scares will look much different this year. Actors won’t be able to “get right in your face” anymore, which Spooky World has “always been known for,” Accomando said, and actors at Fright Kingdom are doing their scares from behind plexiglass walls.
“It’s definitely been challenging, having to distance the actors,” Dunne said. “You’re always going to get a better scare when you come into someone’s personal space.”
But Accomando said Covid-19 has pushed Spooky World to get creative with alternative scare techniques and expand its special effects to compensate for the restrictions with the actors.
“Don’t get me wrong; it’s been challenging, but it’s also been exciting to use this new format,” he said. “It’s not going to be what people are accustomed to, but I think we’ve really stepped things up a notch to make sure that we’re still giving people a good show.”
Haunted attractions
The Dark Woods Where: Trombly Gardens, 150 N. River Road, Milford When: Fridays, Oct. 23 and Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 24, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets: $14 for adults and $10 for kids age 12 and under More info: thedarkwoodsnh.com, 465-3275 Fright Kingdom Where: 12 Simon St., Nashua When: Friday and Saturday, 7 to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 7 to 10 p.m., now through Oct. 31 Tickets: $27 per person. Must be purchased online in advance. More info: frightkingdom.com, 809-1173 Haunted Overload Where: DeMeritt Hill Farm, 66 Lee Road, Lee When: Thursday, Oct. 22, Friday, Oct. 23, and Sunday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m.; plus special events Glow Stick Night on Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m., and Lights Out Night on Saturday, Oct. 31, with start times from 7 to 9 p.m.; and family-friendly, non-scary daytime haunts on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., now through Oct. 31, and a non-scary Fright Night Lite on Thursday, Oct. 29, with start times from 7 to 8 p.m. Tickets: $27 per person for regular haunts; $7 for daytime haunts and free for children under age 3; $17 for Glow Stick Night; $16 for Lights Out Night; and $13.50 for Fright Night Lite. Must be purchased online in advance. More info: hauntedoverload.com, 868-2111
Spooky World presents Nightmare New England Where: Mel’s Funway, 454 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield When: Friday, 7 to 11 p.m., Saturday, 6:30 to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 6:30 to 10 p.m., now through Nov. 1, plus Saturday, Nov. 7, and Friday, Nov. 13 Tickets: $39.99 per person on Friday and on Saturday, Nov. 7; $44.99 on Saturday; $34.99 on Sunday; and $26.99 on Friday, Nov. 13. Must be purchased online in advance. More info: nightmarenewengland.com, 424-7999
Halloween seems like the perfect time to celebrate the fun kind of scariness — but of course it will look different this year. Check out recommendations for trick-or-treating safely, plus all kinds of happenings for kids and adults, from costume contests to haunted houses. Just remember that all events are subject to change (boo) and may have specific safety rules, so check before you head out for your Halloween fun.
Trick-or-treat safely
State offers suggestions
Though the CDC is calling traditional trick-or-treating a “higher risk” activity, state public health officials have created a safety tip sheet for families that want to trick-or-treat and people who want to give out candy. The tip sheet was provided to most municipalities and is available to view online at readynh.gov. It offers suggestions like wearing a mask or face-covering when handing out candy, and bringing a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer with you while out trick-or-treating. “Certainly the things we’ve been saying all along … remain true for Halloween,” said Paul Raymond Jr., a spokesman for the state’s Covid-19 Joint Information Center. “Everybody needs to be aware and take preventative measures, including practicing six-foot social distancing, covering their nose and mouth and practicing good hand hygiene.” Designated trick-or-treat times for Halloween have historically been set at the local level, usually either by a town or city’s board of selectmen or police department. A majority of communities are carrying on with the same days and times they normally do each year, but with the caveat that they could be subject to change based on the rate of positive Covid-19 tests in the days leading up to Halloween. Some towns, like Exeter and Mont Vernon, have moved up the trick-or-treating times to earlier in the day as a way to better enforce regulations before the onset of darkness. Officials of other towns, like Chester, Fremont and Gilford, have decided not to set any hours at all. Some cities and towns are recommending creative methods of handing out candy to promote social distancing. Officials in Nashua, for example, which will observe trick-or-treating from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31, are suggesting people individually wrap goodie bags and line them up for trick-or-treaters to grab at the end of their driveway or edge of their yard. Others are strongly recommending against trick-or-treating altogether, especially in popular communal areas like town commons, and instead recommend some type of stay-at-home Halloween activity, like a family scavenger-style hunt in your backyard. If you are going to go door to door, many towns recommend you do so in small groups and stay within your neighborhood as much as possible. A Halloween costume mask, Raymond said, is not a substitute for a cloth mask or face-covering and should not be worn underneath. Instead, the CDC recommends using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.
Neighborhood trick-or-treat times
Friday, Oct. 30 Barrington: 5 to 7 p.m. Boscawen: 5 to 8 p.m. Dover: 5 to 7 p.m. Durham: 5 to 7 p.m. Hampton Falls: 5 to 7 p.m. Lee: 5 to 7 p.m. Newmarket: 5 to 8 p.m. North Hampton: 4 to 7 p.m. Penacook: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Rollinsford: 5 to 7 p.m. Seabrook: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Strafford: 5 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31 Allenstown: 6 to 8 p.m. Amherst: 6 to 8 p.m. Antrim: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Atkinson: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Auburn: 1 to 4 p.m. Bedford: 6 to 8 p.m. Belmont: 5 to 8 p.m. Bennington: 5 to 7 p.m. Bow: 5 to 8 p.m. Bradford: 5 to 8 p.m. Brentwood: 5 to 8 p.m. Brookline: 6 to 8 p.m. Candia: 5 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31 Canterbury: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Chichester: 5 to 8 p.m. Concord: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Danville: 6 to 8 p.m. Deerfield: 4 to 7 p.m. Deering: 5 to 8 p.m. Derry: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dunbarton: 5 to 7 p.m. Epping: 5 to 7 p.m. Epsom: 4 to 8 p.m. Exeter: 3 to 6 p.m. Franklin: 4 to 8 p.m. Goffstown: 6 to 8 p.m. Greenland: 3 to 6 p.m. Hampstead: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Hampton: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Henniker: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Hillsborough: 5 to 8 p.m. Hollis: 5 to 7 p.m. Hooksett: 6 to 8 p.m. Hudson: 6 to 8 p.m. Kingston: 5 to 8 p.m. Laconia: 5 to 7 p.m. Litchfield: 6 to 8 p.m. Londonderry: 6 to 8 p.m. Lyndeborough: 5 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31 Manchester: 6 to 8 p.m. Milford: 6 to 8 p.m. Mont Vernon: 3 to 5 p.m. Merrimack: 6 to 8 p.m. Nashua: 6 to 8 p.m. New Boston: 6 to 8 p.m. New Castle: 3 to 6 p.m. New Ipswich: 5 to 7 p.m. New London: 4 to 6 p.m. Newton: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Northfield: 5 to 8 p.m. Nottingham: 5 to 7 p.m. Pelham: 5 to 8 p.m. Pembroke: 5 to 8 p.m. Pittsfield: 5 to 8 p.m. Plaistow: 5 to 7 p.m. Portsmouth: 3 to 6 p.m. Raymond: 5 to 7 p.m. Salisbury: 5 to 8 p.m. Sanbornton: 4 to 7 p.m. Sandown: 6 to 8 p.m. Stratham: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tilton: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Weare: 5 to 8 p.m. Wilton: 5 to 7 p.m. Windham: 5 to 8 p.m.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
Rachael Longo stars in Theatre Kapow’s virtual production of Natural Shocks. Photo by Matthew Lomanno.
• ArtWeek continues: City Arts Nashua’s ArtWalk Weekend has been reimagined as ArtWeek, with virtual programming on social media and local television going on now through Sunday, Oct. 25. It features around 30 Nashua-area artists and performers through a series of spotlights on social media and video segments, professionally filmed in partnership with Access Nashua Community Television, in which artists give tours of their studios, show their artistic processes and provide an in-depth look at some of their works of art. The videos are being broadcasted on Access Nashua (TV channel 96, see accessnashua.org for programming times) and City Arts Nashua’s YouTube channel. “You can learn about the artists and see the work they’re creating [and hear about] how the pandemic has impacted them and how you can support them,” City Arts Nashua project manager Wendy Fisher told the Hippo earlier this month. “It’s just like meeting them in person, except instead of walking through downtown Nashua you tune in [virtually].” Videos and photos submitted by young artists and performers showcasing their talents and pandemic-era creations are also being featured. There is a scavenger hunt with clues posted on social media where kids can find art kits hidden around Nashua, then watch a YouTube video with instructions and inspiration for projects they can do with the art kits. On Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25, Access Nashua will air the presentation of the Meri Goyette Arts Awards, which was recorded over the summer. The awards recognize three non-artist community members who have made outstanding contributions to the arts. Visit cityartsnashua.org.
• Virtual plays: Manchester-based theater company Theatre Kapow presents Natural Shocks, the second production in a series of three virtual one-person plays, Oct. 23 through Oct. 25, with livestream showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. The play by Lauren Gunderson is based on the famous “To be or not to be” monologue from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and follows a woman alone in her basement riding out a tornado as she reflects on other threats in her life. Rachael Longo performs, and Wanda Strukus directs. The virtual series is part of Theatre Kapow’s 13th season, titled “We Can Get Through This,” and explores themes like isolation, resilience, courage and conviction. The third and final play, A Tempest Prayer by Peter Josephson, will run Nov. 20 through Nov. 22 and is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest for today’s times. The plays are being shot in a small studio space in Manchester and are full theater productions with sets, costumes, props, lighting design and sound effects. “It’s still theater, not film,” Theatre Kapow artistic director Matt Cahoon told the Hippo in September. “If people were here watching [in the studio], it would look like a regular live theater performance.” Tickets cost $10 per streaming device. Ticket holders will be sent the link to watch the show. Visit tkapow.com.
• Music and poetry: The Poetry Society of New Hampshire has three virtual events coming up. Poet, essayist and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib will do a reading on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. New England musicians Wendy Keith, Tara Greenblatt and Libby Kirkpatrick will present a night of music and discussion about writing lyrics on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. Poet Jennifer Militello will give a talk, “Language as Immediacy Instrument and Mystery Machine: Images/Metaphor/Music,” on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. Events will be held over Zoom. Visit poetrysocietynh.wordpress.com or email psnhevents@gmail.com.
• Supporting youth arts: The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester has established a new fund to support art education for young people, according to the museum website. The Tomie dePaola Art Education Fund honors the late New Hampshire children’s author and illustrator, who died in March at the age of 85. Tomie dePaola wrote and illustrated more than 270 children’s books during his 50-plus-year career, including the popular Strega Nona series, and nearly 25 million copies of his books have been sold worldwide. The museum featured his illustrations in a special exhibition in 2018. “Art is an important avenue of discovery and growth, as Tomie himself found,” the website said. “Tomie had a great affinity for bringing art to children of all backgrounds, a mission shared by the Currier Museum Art Center.” You can make a donation to the fund at currier.org.
Exhibits
• “POSSESSED” Six artists explore the ideas of possessions and obsessions through their personal relationships with things, both physical and conceptual. Twiggs Gallery, 254 King St., Boscawen. On view now through Nov. 1. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Call 975-0015 or visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com.
• “MANCHESTER’S URBAN PONDS: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE: A CELEBRATION OF THE MANCHESTER URBAN PONDS RESTORATION PROGRAM’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY Through its cleanup efforts, the Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program has helped restore the city’s ponds to their historic uses. The exhibit provides a look at the history of some of those ponds, including Crystal Lake, Dorrs Pond, Maxwell Pond, Nutts Pond, Pine Island Pond and Stevens Pond. State Theater Gallery at Millyard Museum, 200 Bedford St., Manchester. On view through Nov. 28. Museum 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.
• “PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT” Exhibit features photography from the Civil Rights protests in the 1950s and 1960s. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. On view now. Museum hours are Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Monday through Wednesday. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and free for children under age 13. Reserve in advance online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “OPEN WORLD: VIDEO GAMES & CONTEMPORARY ART” Exhibit explores how contemporary artists have been influenced by the culture of video games, through paintings, sculpture, textiles, prints, drawings, animation, video games, video game modifications and game-based performances and interventions. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. On view now. Museum hours are Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Monday through Wednesday. Museum admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and free for children under age 13. Reserve in advance online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “SMALL WORKS – BIG IMPACT” Creative Ventures Gallery’s annual holiday exhibit featuring small works of art in various media, priced affordably for gift buying. Virtual. Nov. 1 through Dec. 31. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.
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.
Theater
Shows • NUNSENSE The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Oct. 25 through Nov. 8, 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 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $48. Visit seacoastrep.org.
• NATURAL SHOCKS Theatre KAPOW presents. Virtual, live stream. Oct. 23 through Oct. 25, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit tkapow.com.
• THE SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY The Players’ Ring Theatre presents. 105 Marcy St., Portsmouth. Oct. 23 through Nov. 1, with showtimes on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $18 to $24. Visit playersring.org.
• THE BRITISH ROCK EXPERIENCE The Palace Theatre presents. 80 Hanover St., Manchester. Oct. 23 through Nov. 14, with showtimes on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon and 5 p.m., with an additional show on Wed., Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults, $30 for seniors age 60 and up and veterans and $25 for children. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.
Classical • “POPS FOR PIPES IX” Presented by the First Music Concert Series, featuring organist Brink Bush. The First Church, 1 Concord St., Nashua. Sun., Nov. 8, 3 p.m. Visit first-music.org.
Books
Discussions • LANGUAGE AS IMMEDIACY INSTRUMENT AND MYSTERY MACHINE: IMAGES/METAPHOR/MUSIC A discussion with poet Jennifer Militello. Virtual, via Zoom. Tues., Oct. 27, 7 p.m. Visit poetrysocietynh.wordpress.com.
Poetry
• HANIF ABDURRAQIB Poet, essayist and critic reads. Virtual, via Zoom. Fri., Oct. 23, 7 p.m. Visit poetrysocietynh.wordpress.com.
• A NIGHT OF MUSIC AND LYRICS DISCUSSION Featuring New England musicians Wendy Keith, Tara Greenblatt and Libby Kirkpatrick. Virtual, via Zoom. Sat., Oct. 24, 7 p.m. Visit poetrysocietynh.wordpress.com.
There’s still time to register for the New Hampshire Forest Society’s 5 Hikes Challenge! Get outside and enjoy fall while challenging yourself to complete five trails and earn a hiking patch. When you register (the deadline is Saturday, Oct. 31), you can choose five hikes from an extensive list, including Buxton Simons Forest in Weare, Monson Village in Hollis/Milford, McCabe Forest in Antrim and the Merrimack River Outdoor Education & Conservation Area in Concord. According to the society’s website, registration will get you a Forest Society buff, plus paper trail maps with directions for the hikes you choose. The fee is $8 per hike (free for anyone under 18), and the goal is to complete the hikes and submit photos by Nov. 15.
Score: +1
Comment:Tag the Forest Society on Facebook (@ForestSociety) and Instagram (@ForestSociety) with #5HikesChallenge as you hit the trail, then email your five hikes selfies to 5hikes@forestsociety.org to earn an embroidered patch and a sticker. To register, visit forestsociety.org/5-hikes-challenge.
Potentially frigid, extra snowy winter on the way
With parts of northern New Hampshire getting plowable amounts of snow last weekend and a couple of frosty mornings around here, there’s no denying that winter is coming, and the Farmers’ Almanac is predicting a cold, snowy season for New Hampshire. Words that QOL was not excited to read on farmersalmanac.com: “If you love the cold of winter, you’re going to love our forecast if you live in the northern half of the country.” The Almanac also predicts a potential blizzard during the second week of February and says there’s the potential for a major storm in March too.
Score: -100 (Just kidding. It’s not that bad.)-2
Comment: QOL gets that some people love New Hampshire for its winter sports opportunities, but shoveling, driving through snowstorms and braving below-zero temps just to get groceries or gas will never be fun.
A weekend of weeding and planting wildflowers
A disabled veteran homeowner’s Manchester property has been transformed after the Boy Scouts of Hooksett Troop 292 teamed up with Hooksett-based startup Wildline Solutions to clean up her yard, which had become overgrown and unusable after 20 years of the homeowner being unable to care for it, according to a press release. Scouts, their parents and volunteers from Wildline (a self-sufficiency and sustainability consulting company, according to the release) spent last weekend clearing the property of weeds, foliage and debris, and planted wildflower seeds that will bloom in the spring — a low-maintenance alternative to a traditional lawn that will help prevent other plants and weeds from growing.
Score: +1
Comment:The homeowner, who wishes to remain anonymous, was overjoyed with the transformation, according to the release.
Praise for contact tracing efforts
As schools and the Department of Health and Human Services grapple with the complexities of contact tracing as more and more people test positive for Covid-19, QOL would like to give a shout out to the Bow School District and DHHS for how they’ve handled contact tracing. On Friday morning, the high school closed immediately after it was informed that a student had tested positive; by the end of the day, the school had called the parents of about 60 students who had come into contact with that student and very nicely explained to these stressed out parents what protocols needed to be followed. This was followed up by a phone call from DHHS two days later to reiterate the procedures and set up a daily text to check on symptoms.
Score: +1
Comment:QOL wants to thank all state, city, town and school officials who are doing the best they can to keep New Hampshire residents safe.
QOL score: 60
Net change: +1
QOL this week: 61
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at news@hippopress.com.
Baseball 2020 entered the final act of its pandemic-affected season when the World Series began earlier this week. It did not include the Red Sox, nor did the playoffs. But the irony of the Sox’ least relevant season since 1964 is that the Series opens with a major subplot for Red Sox Nation. Actually it’s three mini-subplots that merge into a major one that gives the brass a guide to follow as they work to get things back on track.
First, if you haven’t noticed, the symbol of Boston’s speedy descent from admirable world champs just two Octobers ago to the embarrassing joke they became in 2020 is playing in the Series with his new team. Seeing Mookie Betts trot out to right field this week will raise the ire of those who hated seeing the Sox trade their best player rather than signing him for life as the Dodgers did. It does even for me, who believes they had to do it, though mine is aimed at the baseball gods who created a system that let Mookie force that move because he just didn’t want to be here.
Second is seeing the team Red Sox Nation fears their Sox may be modeled after since its newbie GM Chaim Bloom learned his team building skills in Tampa Bay. Because the thought of seeing a parade of faceless relievers and stat-geek no-personality baseball nightly at Fenway sends shivers down the back of all traditional baseball fans. Hey, I like winning as much as the next guy, but I want it done the way I want it done. And I don’t want to see the infield pulled in with runners on second and third, in the fifth inning while leading 2-1 by a panicked manager, like TB’s Kevin Cash did in Game 6 against all common sense because the data said so. Especially since it also said put the shift on with righty George Springer coming to bat. The problem was the oh-so clutch Springer saw the gigantic hole it created on the right side that the data apparently didn’t. So he shortened up and sent a dribbler through said gigantic hole to knock in two, instead of the one that might have scored if the fielders had been in their proper spots. Which ignited the Houston blow-out that forced Game 7. The geeks never mention stuff like that when they tell you how “advanced” their analytics are.
And finally, while the third offers the optimism of a lesson to learn from, it’s still bothersome because that present comes wrapped in the uniform of the hated L.A. Dodgers. It’s how their GM Andrew Friedman has effectively merged the stat geeks crazed approach developed out of necessity when he had no money as GM in Tampa Bay with (prudent) big market spending techniques that’s built the best top to bottom organization in baseball. That began incidentally with chopping L.A.’s monstrous payroll below the luxury tax line upon his arrival after they foolishly had taken on the titanic contracts of Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez from Boston in 2012. All of which has led to eight straight NL West pennants and being in the World Series three times in four years. Which brings us back to Mookie, as after re-investing that money into player development, it made sending lesser prospects from a deep farm system to get him a no-brainer.
Beyond that, I don’t have much interest in the Series, so here are a few more thoughts before I doze off somewhere around the fourth inning most nights.
Proving baseball has a stat for everything were breathless reports that when 22 years and 293 days Ronald Acuna led off Game 1 between Atlanta and Miami he was the youngest ever to lead-off a playoff game.
Almost fell out of my chair when Dave Roberts went against the “go to the closer” code to let Julio Urias pitch the ninth after blowing Atlanta away in the seventh and eight innings of Game 7. Common sense in baseball – amazing!
Did Zach Greinke really tell a reporter he “really enjoyed baseball with no fans because there’s no one to stalk you or ask for an autograph and want pictures and all that stuff”? Honest and clueless at the same time.
After hitting two more this year, Springer now has 19 homers in 63 postseason games – a 50-homer regular season pace. All-Time World Series leader Mickey Mantle hit his 18 homers in 65 games, though Springer had more at-bats, 260 to 230.
With Mookie gone and JBJR likely out the door next, if the Sox are going to spend big money on a hitter in free agency, Springer is the guy I’d like to see them get. Clutch, tough, versatile and smart. Guessing the per year will be affordable, but I wouldn’t go over six years on the contract.
The playoff’s all-name team moment was Dodgers catcher Will Smith hitting a monster three-run homer off Braves reliever Will Smith in Game 5 of the NLDS. Could be a plot point to revolve in the Battle of Will Smiths, my proposed major Hollywood motion picture. The only question left for the attached A-List star: Which Will Smith will Will Smith play?
Yes, that Manuel Margot playing for Tampa Bay was one of the prospects given San Diego for Craig Kimbrel. But before you go postal on Dave Dombrowski, he first flunked out in SD after hitting .248 and averaging 11 homers and 44 RBI over four seasons. However, he did have five homers and 11 RBI in his first 13 postseason games, so the jury may still be out.
Finally, wouldn’t it be ironic if the fans expecting a world title coming to Tampa Bay since the day Tom Brady signed with the Bucs got one but it came from the team no one goes to see or cares about in the regular baseball season?
Windham author Renee Mallett (reneemallett.com) has penned a number of books and articles on New England’s folklore, legends, ghosts and hauntings. She talks about her newest book, Wicked New Hampshire, where she explores some of the Granite State’s darkest history.
How did you start writing about odd history and paranormal encounters?
It all kind of happened accidentally. I was writing a travel article about the bed and breakfast where the Lizzie Borden murders happened. It’s been turned into this lovely little inn, and it’s supposedly haunted. … When I went to go write the article … there was this sort of psychic who … walked me through the house, and it was just so interesting and fascinating. … So, after I wrote this sort of quirky travel article about it, the publisher actually contacted me and said, ‘Do you think you could write a whole book of ghost stories?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ And they said, ‘What city do you want to focus on?’ and I said ‘Manchester.’ I have no idea why I said that. It just sort of came out. So my first book was Manchester ghosts. It was popular, and it was so much fun to write, so I just sort of kept on writing them.
Have you always been interested in the paranormal?
I’ve always been interested in history and folklore, and that’s sort of the fun thing about these ghost stories. A lot of times they share parts of history that you wouldn’t normally learn about. Usually the things that make it into the history books are about generals and wealthy landowners, but a lot of these ghost stories actually tell about the day-to-day life of everyday people.
What kinds of stories are in Wicked New Hampshire?
I’ve spent so long researching and writing about the paranormal side of New Hampshire, and all the time I would find these really amazing stories and scandalous bits of history … so I wanted to collect all of those things in one kind of quirky and fun book about the darker side of New Hampshire history. We have a lot of characters and quirky people in our past. We have scandalous authors. … We have H. H. Holmes, who is known as American’s first serial killer, and a lot of people have no idea that he was born and bred here in New Hampshire. … We have witches, like Goody Cole. … I tried to pick a variety of stories. I didn’t want to focus on just one kind of wickedness or one point in history.
So, do you believe in ghosts?
I am a skeptic. … I’ve had experiences that people who are hardcore believers look at and say, ‘Yeah, you saw a ghost.’ I’m not ready to say that yet. I think I’m still waiting to see that one thing that makes me go, ‘Yes, that’s definitely a ghost.’ But with each book, I’m a little bit less of a skeptic. I’ve seen some weird stuff that I can’t explain. I’ve talked to so many people at these places who do not know each other but have had similar [paranormal] experiences. … Another big thing is ‘orbs’ in photos. A lot of times, if you take photos at a place where there is supposed to be a ghost, you get these fuzzy little dots in the photos. People who are big believers say that’s the manifestation of the ghost, and people who are skeptics say, ‘Well, that’s just dust on your camera lens.’ I will say that, going to a lot of places that are supposed to be very haunted, I get a ton of orbs in my photos, and I’m a pretty good photographer. I mean, my photos have been shown in art galleries. I don’t get those orbs in any of my other photos.
Why are these stories worth telling?
For me, the stories are really about the people. We think of these people who lived so long ago as being completely different from us, but at the end of the day, people today are not that different from people hundreds of years ago. A lot of the stories are about people who made poor choices in spouses or people who drank too much and it affected their jobs. People are people no matter what the time period or the situation.
Who are your readers?
I do a lot of book signings and talks in a year, and I’m continually amazed at how these stories seem to appeal to different people in all different ways. I’ve had everyone from middle schoolers up to little old ladies ask me to sign their books. … I think it’s the local history that appeals to them, because at first they think, ‘Oh, New Hampshire — we’re just like everywhere else; it’s not that interesting here,’ but then they’re like, ‘Oh, no, wait. Look at these wacky people who have been here and all these things that have happened.’
What are you working on now?
I’m actually writing two books right now. … I’m writing one book that’s about abandoned towns throughout New England, and that’s been another fun kind of road trip book. … I’m also writing my first true crime book; the Peyton Place novel was actually based on a crime that happened here in New Hampshire, so I’m writing about that.
