Tag: 231019

Tequila, whiskey, gin and more

10th annual Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits

By Mya Blanchard
mblanchard@hippopress.com

Whether you like gin, whiskey, vodka or tequila, there is something for everyone at the 10th annual Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits, the main event of New Hampshire Distiller’s Week, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Manchester on Thursday, Nov. 2, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. to benefit the New Hampshire Food Bank.

“I’ve been with the Commission just over 30 years and … I attended the Winter Wine Spectacular,” said Mark Roy from the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. “As I walked around the event and took in the scenery and how things were running, I said, ‘Why can’t we do this for a spirits event?’ … We had 225 guests our first year, and every year since then it has seen significant growth, with our first sellout last year.”

This year’s showcase will feature more than 600 spirits and 35 food and beverage vendors like Atlantic Grill, Fabrizia Lemon Baking Co., Tuscan Kitchen, Stark Brewing and The Press Room.

“I like to tell people to use this event as an opportunity to sample products that you normally wouldn’t try, are out of your price range, or you’re not sure if you’ll enjoy,” Roy said. “Some people don’t enjoy drinking spirits straight so they offer a signature cocktail at a lot of these tables so you can get some ideas on how to use these products and maybe get some new cocktail ideas.”

Water and soft drinks will also be available through a sponsorship with Pepsi, McDonald’s will offer food and coffee, and new this year is a water break stationed sponsored by Crown Royale. There is also a free ride home program through transportation companies like Grace Limousine Service, and the hotel offers sip and stay packages with reduced room rates. Another addition is the Penstock Room with 14 tables showcasing high-end, ultra-premium spirits such as Kentucky Ale Whiskey and Grand Patron Tequilas. Other happenings throughout the week include tastings and food pairings, seminars and bottle signings.

Returning to the showcase this year is Cathedral Ledge Distillery, New Hampshire’s only organic distillery.

“We make a variety of spirits — whiskeys, vodkas, gins — all grain-based spirits that are crafted grain to glass, so we do everything from milling all the way through bottling in our facility in North Conway,” said Christopher Burk, who owns the distillery with his wife. “Being organic means all of our ingredients are organic, so no GMOs, no artificial fertilizers, no pesticides or herbicides. A big part of what makes our distillery unique is our water. Our pristine water literally runs off Mt. Washington into our backyard. We don’t have to filter our water … and by not filtering we’re able to leave the local minerals in and that becomes part of the distinct flavor of our product.”
Burk will be bringing gins, bourbons and one of their most popular sellers, their maple liquor, to the showcase.

Also making an appearance is Charlie Moore, also known as the Mad Fisherman, Grace Gonzalez, the fourth-generation distiller from El Mayor and the current master blender from Kentucky Owl.

“The ability to have consumers come in and actually get … to meet these people and see the names behind the brand I think is huge,” Roy said. “They get the chance to meet these people that are just like you and I that spend their days doing what they enjoy and creating incredible spirits and we’re lucky enough to have a lot of them right here in New Hampshire.”

10th Annual Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits

Where: DoubleTree by Hilton, 700 Elm St., Manchester
When: Thursday, Nov. 2, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $75 general admission; $90 for 5 p.m. admission, and $120 for VIP admission that include 5 p.m entry and ultra-premium product samples.
See distillersshowcase.com

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 23/10/19

News from the local food scene

By Mya Blanchard
mblanchard@hippopress.com

  • Halloween party: Pipe Dream Brewing in Londonderry (49 Harvey Road; pipedreambrewingnh.com) hosts a Halloween costume party on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 6 to 10 p.m. with a DJ, food and drinks. The winner of the best costume award will win a gift card.
  • Fall bazaar: The annual fall bazaar held by The Assumption Greek Orthodox Church ladies Philoptochos Society will be on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the church hall (111 Island Pond Road, Manchester). Enjoy homemade Greek cuisine like roast chicken, lamb shanks, spinach and cheese peta and meatballs as well as a variety of Greek pastries. There will be 50/50 and basket raffles as well as vendors. Visit assumptionnh.org.
  • Charcuterie class: Theresa from 603 Charcuterie will hold a charcuterie board making class at Pipe Dream Brewing (49 Harvey Road, Londonderry) on Sunday, Oct. 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. All charcuterie supplies will be provided including a New Hampshire-made wooden serving board for you to keep. Two pints of beer will be included and local cheese and salami samples will be offered during the class. Tickets are $124. Buy them now at 603charcuterie.com.
  • Holiday cocktails and dinner: Save the date for the holiday cocktail class and five course dinner at Ya Mas Greek Taverna (275 Rockingham Park Blvd) on Wednesday, Nov. 1, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The dinner package includes a five course dinner and cocktail pairing, gift bag and recipe cards in addition to the class. On the menu is pan seared scallops paired with a grapefruit whiskey and ginger cocktail; herb crusted lamb chops with a cinnamon whiskey, honey liqueur and apple juice blend; seared Moulard duck with a peach cocktail; braised short ribs accompanied by a cherry whiskey cocktail; and lastly Metaxa pumpkin cheesecake with a peanut butter espresso beverage. Tickets are $135 per guest and can be purchased via eventbrite.

Treasure Hunt 23/10/19

Hi, Donna.
A friend in New Hampshire who owns an antique restoration business gave me your contact. Is there anything you can tell me about this chair and its value? I was told it may be one of the 12 chairs created from the original. Thank you for your help.
Pamela

Dear Pam,
Your chair appears to be in great shape. Even though there is history behind this style, it’s tough to get the JFK recognition for it. When you do research you find that one of the original ones that JFK used brought a high value. But even though you were told this could be one of the original 12 made, it doesn’t carry the same value.

It did, however, get the P&P Chair Co. a boost in business. Out of North Carolina the company produced many rockers of quality. This style is not just theirs but other companies’ as well.

Yours, being in good clean condition and still usable today, would have a value in the $200 range. The days of being able to relax in a rocker!
I hope this was helpful, Pam.

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton, NH where she is still buying and selling. She is a member of The New Hampshire Antiques Dealer Association. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at footwdw@aol.com, or call her at 391-6550.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo

Tips for growing great garlic

It’s the easiest vegetable — and tasty too

By Henry Homeyer
listings@hippopress.com

If you lean toward lazy (or have kids, dogs and a job), growing garlic may be just the ticket. It is the easiest of all vegetables to grow. Once planted and mulched, it requires little or no work until harvest. A good harvest is guaranteed if you follow my instructions. Even with all the strange weather we’ve seen, I’ve never had a bad crop in the past 25 years or so of growing garlic.

Now is the time to buy garlic for planting — unless you have some from your own garden saved for that purpose, as I do. You’ll want to get your garlic planted a month before the ground freezes, so depending on where you live, you may want to plant some soon. Garlic needs to establish roots now and is not generally planted in the spring.

There are two categories of garlic: hard neck and soft neck. Both will grow in New England, but hard neck is the type grown by most farmers and is the most cold-hardy. It produces a stiff scape or stem each summer that is edible. Soft neck garlic generally comes from California and is good in the kitchen; it is also the type braided and hung from the ceiling in Italian restaurants as decoration. Hard neck garlic generally has more flavor; a wide variety of flavors is possible, depending on the type you grow.

Garlic does best in rich soil that drains well. If you have a heavy clay soil (soil that is sticky when wet), you will need to add plenty of compost to your soil. Adding sand will not help, as sand added to heavy clay produces something like concrete that hardens up in dry times.

If you have poor soil, you may want to build a wood-sided raised bed and add plenty of compost and topsoil that you purchase in bulk or in bags. I find Moo-Doo brand composted cow manure and topsoil are good soil additives that are sold in bags in many garden centers. A 50-50 mix of your soil (or purchased topsoil) and compost should work well.

When making a wood-sided bed, I don’t recommend treated lumber. Even though most treated lumber is safe to handle and much less toxic than 20 years ago, I don’t want any chemicals leaching into my soil. I use rough-sawn lumber from a local sawmill, preferably hemlock. It generally lasts about 10 years. Eight-inch-wide planks are wide enough to make a nice box.
Plain pine boards will work, too, and metal corners are readily available at garden centers or from catalogs like Gardener’s Supply and Lee Valley Tools. The corners make constructing a garden box easy even for non-carpenters. All you need is a cordless drill to drive the screws. Carrots and other root crops do well in garden boxes, so you can alternate them with garlic in subsequent years if you build two or more boxes.

I generally use my own garlic for planting, as it has adapted to my soil and climate over the years. But if I see big, fat bulbs of garlic at a farmers market, I sometimes buy some. I don’t recommend buying garlic for planting at the grocery store as most has been treated to prevent it from germinating and so it will last longer.

Where can you get garlic for planting? If there is none at your local farmers market, you can get organic garlic from Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Maine (877-564-6697 or www.johnnyseeds.com). But don’t wait too long — they sell out most years.
Once the soil is loose and weed-free, I plant. I take a CobraHead weeder, a nice single-tined weeder, and make furrows in the soil of my raised bed. I keep the furrows about 8 inches apart. I sprinkle some organic bagged fertilizer into each row and stir it in.

I break the garlic bulbs apart, separating the cloves — there are usually five to 10 cloves per head. I push the cloves into the loose soil, pointy end up, about 3 inches deep and 4 inches apart. I cover with soil and then pat it gently.
The last step is key if you want a weed-free garlic bed: Put a foot of fluffy mulch hay or straw over the planted garlic. The straw will pack down over the winter and make a nice mulch that will keep most weeds from growing, but the garlic will push through it. It will be ready to harvest next July.
Depending on when you plant, the soil temperature, and when real cold weather comes, your garlic may send up a few green shoots this fall. Don’t panic! It won’t hurt your garlic. When cold weather comes, it will go dormant and do just fine next spring.

I believe that garlic is a healthy and tasty addition to my diet. It may even be medicinal — it has been used that way for centuries.
And this winter if you chew on a clove of garlic before going to the store, you’ll never get a cold — because people will stand back from you in line!

Henry lives in Cornish Flat, NH. He is the author of four gardening books and is a UNH Master Gardener. His email is henry.homeyer@comcast.net.

Featured photo: Place your garlic cloves on the soil to establish spacing before planting. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Ceramics, signs and everything nice

The Great New England Craft and Artisan Show returns to the Hampshire Dome

By Mya Blanchard
mblanchard@hippopress.com

Jewelry, upcycled lamps, books, sports apparel, jams, candles and more handmade products will be on display and for sale at the eighth New England Craft and Artisan Show on Saturday, Oct. 21, and Sunday, Oct. 22, at the Hampshire Dome in Milford.

Jody Donohue created the event back in 2016.

“My children were playing sports [at the Hampshire Dome] … and I had been helping out with that for years,” she said. “My youngest aged out of the program and they … [wanted me to] stay on and do other [events] there.”

After talking with the owner, she set up tables in the function room to promote the products of the venue’s members, an event so successful they decided to do it again the following year, this time bringing in outside vendors and opening up the event to the public.

“It blew up. It was packed,” Donohue said. “The owner, Rick, and I were sitting down afterward talking about it … and he said, ‘I dare you to fill the Dome next year.’ I said ‘Game on.’ He said, ‘No, you’re kidding.’ I said, “No, I’m not kidding.’ … That next October, the Great New England Craft and Artisan Shows was born.”

In addition to the crafts, there will also be live music, food trucks, including Carla’s Coffee and Yahso Jamaican Grill, and raffles. Cathedral Ledge Distillery will be providing samples, and Renaissance Massage will offer messages.

Returning to this show this year is Dana Selliken, an artist originally from Washington who does wall painting as well as chainsaw carved wall art.

“I’ve always been intrigued by chainsaw carvers,” she said. “They have a lot of that kind of stuff there. When I met my boyfriend, I talked about how intrigued I was, and it was fun especially when you saw women doing it.”

Nine years ago, in the town she and her boyfriend were living in, there was a chainsaw carver who sold carved bears on the side of the road who was happy to teach her the craft.

“I was always good at art at school [and] I always loved art classes,” Selliken said. “I’ve tried a different variety of things to do, but this is my niche now.”

Her carvings range from loons, cardinals and flowers to pumpkins and ghosts. She also makes figurines and Halloween and Christmas ornaments using the clay she makes from the sawdust.

While multiple shows are held throughout the year and at different locations, Donohue says that the Milford show features the highest-end products.

“We change it up,” she said. “My motto is ‘Never the same show twice, but always just as nice.’”

Products include painted gourds, chocolate, ceramics, natural photography, cards with designs made from aluminum cans, pet products, furniture and upcycled lamps made from various materials like a pipe from a sink, a piece of a railroad track, or a handle from a dresser.

“What makes us different from your local craft fair is the quality of the products [and] the intricacy that goes into creating [them].” Donohue said. “I think that’s why people keep coming back year after year.”

The Great New England Craft & Artisan Show
Where: Hampshire Dome, 34 Emerson Road, Milford
When: Saturday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Featured photo: Art by Dana Selliken. Courtesy photo.

Fun for big kids

Adult Halloween options abound

By Michael Witthaus
mwitthaus@hippopress.com

If you’re a grownup who wishes trick-or-treating were an all-ages affair, you can still have fun on Halloween. This year most parties will happen before the official day. The good news is that options run the gamut, from a sober party preceded by an AA meeting to drag shows, decades-themed parties and lots of live music. Here’s a day-by-day rundown of area gatherings.

Friday, Oct. 20

  • The Red Rivers Theatres (11 S Main St., Concord; redrivertheatres.org) will show the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show (R, 1975) on Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 20 through Oct. 28, at 10 p.m. Costumes and audience participation are encouraged and tickets are $25 for this 18+ event.
  • Catch the Live Dueling Pianos Halloween Party at 8:30 p.m. at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com).

Saturday, Oct. 21

  • MV Mount Washington (211 Lakeside Ave., Laconia, cruisenh.com) Annual masquerade ball on a three-hour cruise with buffet dinner, entertainment, seasonal snacks and beverages, and a costume contest. $70. 6 p.m. • The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R, 1975) will screen on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 9 p.m. at all three area Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com). Props allowed and dressing up encouraged; tickets cost $10.
  • The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R, 1975) will screen on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 9 p.m. at all three area Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com). Props allowed and dressing up encouraged; tickets cost $10.

Wednesday, Oct. 25

  • Beetlejuice (1988) Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com) will have a 21+ screening Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 26

  • To Share Brewing (720 Union St. in Manchester; tosharebrewing.com) will be offering a Beer & Candy Pairing today through Sunday, Oct. 29 (the brewery will close at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28), according to its website.

Friday, Oct. 27

  • Hocus Pocus (PG, 1993) will screen for a 21+ audience at Chunky’s in Nashua and Manchester (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; chunkys.com) at 8 p.m.
  • Henry J. Sweeney Post (251 Maple St., Manchester, 623-9145) Dance with The Stray Dogs Band. Costumes encouraged but not mandatory. Finger foods provided; members and guests. 8 p.m.
  • Newfound Lake Inn (1030 Mayhew Tpk., Bridgewater, 744-0911) BOO’s Fest in SAL’s Birch Bar featuring DJ Jeff Lines. Prizes awarded for best couple, scariest and most creative costume. $55 at evenbrite.com. 6 p.m.
  • The Park Theatre (19 Main St., Jaffrey; theparktheatre.org) will host an 18+ Halloween dance party from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Costumes are mandatory and tickets are $10.
  • Pasta Loft (241 Union Sq., Milford, 672-2270) Grateful Dead tribute band Winterland NH performs at 8 p.m.
  • Portsmouth Elks Lodge No. 97 (500 Jones Ave., Portsmouth, 436-9606) Three Man Band plays covers, with prizes for best costume; bring an appetizer. 6 p.m.
  • Rumors Sports Bar & Bowling (22 N. Main St., Newmarket, rumorsnewmarket@gmail.com) Halloween drag show with costume contests and free giveaways. $20 at eventbrite.com. Two shows, 7 and 10 p.m.
  • Saddle Up Saloon (92 Route 125, Kingston, 347-1313) Bite the Bullet plays covers, with costumes encouraged but not mandatory. 8 p.m.
  • Shaskeen (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246) Halloween bash with DJ Myth playing the best in Top 100 and throwbacks, Jameson promo. 9 p.m.
  • Stone Church (5 Granite St., Newmarket, 659-7700) Two-day Grateful Dead bash has Stone Dead, a group of New England musicians with roots and associations going back to the Stone Church scene of the ’80s and ’90s, from acts like Percy Hill, Groove Child, Thanks to Gravity and Trade. $25 in advance, $30 day of show, $45 two-day pass. 7 p.m.
  • The Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter, 244-0202) Lullafrights – The Rough & Tumble performing spooky songs they wrote as part of an album about various monsters and creatures of lore, all created to make children obey and behave. The show will be accompanied by stories put together and told by John Herman, James Patrick Kelly, Jen Whitley, Tara McDonough and Mark Michael Adams. $16 to $25 at portsmouthnhtickets.com. 7 p.m.
  • Wally’s Pub (144 Ashworth Ave., Hampton, 926-6954) Heady Halloween presented by Granite Lion has TreeHouse, Adriya Joy, Caylin Costello and Green Lion Crew playing a free 21+ party. 6 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 28

  • American Legion Post 8 (640 Central Ave., Dover, 742-9710) Stiletto – tribute to ’80s hard rock. 21+. 7 p.m.
  • Angel City Music Hall (179 Elm St., Unit B, Manchester, 931-3654) Prospect Hill Halloween party with Red Crown, Psycle and DJ Chris Drake. 21+, $20 at ticketweb.com. 7:30 p.m.
  • Ash Cigar Lounge (92A Route 125, Kingston, 285-5174) Cigars and costume party with My Father Cigars at 6 p.m.
  • Auspicious Brew (1 Washington St., Dover, 953-7240) Tarot on Tap precedes a party with Lovesick, Catwolf and The Bumbling Woohas. Costumes encouraged; $10 at the door. 8 p.m.
  • Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165) Get some laughs with comedian Will Noonan; The Wine Bar opens 30 minutes before showtime, with more than 15 wines to choose from. Charcuterie board served with cheese, meat, nuts and crackers may be purchased ahead of time. $15. 5:30 p.m.
  • Bedford Events Center (379 S. River Road, Bedford, 997-7741) 4th Annual Witch’s Gala Monster Mash Masquerade benefit for Granite State Dog Recovery and Corey’s Closet with raffles, 50/50, DJ, dancing, grazing tables, readers, costume contest and more. 6 p.m.
  • Bonfire Country Bar (950 Elm St., Manchester) Halloween costume party has country-flavored music from Maddi Ryan. 7 p.m.
  • Bridgewater Inn (367 Mayhew Tpk., Bridgewater, 744-3518) 23rd annual Halloween party with Stray Dog playing covers and cash prizes for best male and female costumes. 8 p.m.
  • Brookline Events Center (269 Route 130, Brookline, 582-4491) Halloween DJ dance with Bernie & Bob, $10 at the door. 7 p.m.
  • Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) Family-friendly daytime experience with Laurie Berkner performing a pair of Halloween concerts. 11 and 3 p.m.
  • Chunky’s Cinema (151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 880-8055) Grab the popcorn and settle in for the seasonal fave Hocus Pocus at this 21+ viewing party; enjoy the Sanderson Sisters without having to smell the children. 8 p.m.
  • Derryfield (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880) Popular cover band Mugsy is joined by D-Comp for the Halloween Monster Bash. Come in costume; prizes will be given for best overall, most creative and honorable mention. $30 at eventbrite.com. 21+ event. 7 p.m.
  • Flight Coffee Dover (478 Central Ave., Dover, 842-5325) Music from Maine’s Lepra, NYC’s Ultor and Agenbite from Dover. Costume contest will be judged by the bands and baristas. $12 at the door; $10 with a costume ($2 refund for anyone who buys a presale ticket at eventbrite.com and shows up in costume). 8 p.m.
  • High Octane Saloon (102 Watson Road, Laconia, 527-8116) EXP Band performs at this bash, with costume prizes for sexiest, scariest, best team, funniest, strangest, best handmade, best face paint and best overall. 8 p.m.
  • Jewel (61 Canal St., Manchester, 836-1152) Hallowubs Weekend with a musical performance by Smith. Prizes for best costume.21+. Tickets $23 to $28. 9 p.m.
  • Lithermans Limited Brewing (126B Hall St., Concord, 219-0784) Halloween party with costumes, craft beer and food trucks. 7 p.m.
  • Loaded Question Brewing (909 Islington St., Suite 12, Portsmouth, 852-1396) Halloweeen party at 8 p.m.
  • Lone Wolf Brewing (36 Mill St., Wolfeboro, 515-1099) 8th annual bash has live music with Supernothing and a dance party with DJ Synths, specialty cocktails, costume contest and more. 7 p.m.
  • Lynn’s 102 Tavern (75 Derry Road, Hudson, 943-7832) Workin’ Stiffs perform, prizes for best costumes. 7 p.m.
  • Manchester Elks Lodge 146 (290 Granite St., Manchester, 623-9126) Gemstones Jukebox Jamboree playing ’50s hits, $10 per person. 6 p.m.
  • Marker 21 (33 Dockside St., Wolfeboro, 569-8668) Small Town Stranded rocks out in the Lakes Region. 7 p.m.
  • McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Court, Manchester, 622-6159) The Morning Buzz crew hosts Buzz Brews & Boos. Come in costume for this 21+ event. $35 tickets at mcintyreskiarea.square.site includes an appetizer buffet, DJ, Halloween contest, games and prizes. 7 p.m.
  • Merrimack Biergarten (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 595-1202) Wolves Halloween party at 6 p.m.
  • Newport Opera House (20 Main St., Newport, 863-2412) Masquerade dance with Last Kid Picked. Dress up in your most bewitching costume, and prizes will be awarded for the best in different categories, from boo-tiful to bone-chilling. Cash bar, 21+, $35. 8 p.m.
  • North Country Hard Cider (38 Littleworth Road, Dover, 343-2422) Mid-day Halloween Sweat & Soul (formerly Buti Yoga) throwdown. Werk it out and then enjoy a tasty cider in costume. $25 at eventbrite.com. 11 a.m. to noon.
  • Palace Theatre – Spotlight Room (96 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588) Witch, Please! Halloween dance party with Queerlective. Spooky art activities, costume contest (categories TBD), live music, dancing, cash bar. This is a safe and inclusive event. All are welcome, ages 18 and older. Costumes must be appropriate (not hateful, no nudity, etc.). Failure to comply may result in ejection from the event with no refund. 7 p.m.
  • Pasta Loft (241 Union Sq., Milford, 672-2270) Slakas play this fun Halloween party. 8 p.m.
  • Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535) Fox & the Flamingos perform at this costumes-encouraged event. 9:30 p.m.
  • Portsmouth Gas Light (64 Market St., Portsmouth, 430-9122) Halloween party in the third-floor nightclub. 8 p.m.
  • Press Room (77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, 431-5186) Crush, a Dave Matthews Band tribute act, helps get a spooky spirit started. 8:30 p.m.
  • Revolution Taproom (61 N. Main St., Rochester, 244-3022) Paint Nite: Halloween BOO-quet. Local artist Katrina Reid guides participants through all the steps of creating an original painting in less than two hours. $35. 5 p.m.
  • Saddle Up Saloon (92 Route 125, Kingston, 347-1313) Throwback Bash has All That ’90s performing and a ‘90s pop culture reference themed costume contest; come as a TV character, musician or movie icon and take home the prize for most creative costume. Costumes of all kinds (especially ‘90s-themed) strongly encouraged but optional. 8 p.m.
  • Salsa Secrets Studio (2800 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, 584-2985) Halloween dance social begins with an intermediate dance class followed by social dancing until 10:30 p.m. Starts at 7:30 p.m.
  • Salt hill Pub Lebanon (2 W. Park St., Lebanon, 448-4532) Scarey-oke with Amy Alexander. Costumes encouraged. 8 p.m.
  • Sayde’s (136 Cluff Crossing, Salem, 890-1032) Big Blue Sky provides the music at this party. Costumes encouraged but optional and there will be prizes for the best ones. 7 p.m.
  • Shaskeen (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246) Emo Night with The Black Charade. 9 p.m.
  • Strange Brew (88 Market St., Manchester, 666-4292) Son Hobbs & the Mystery Horns Halloween bash. 6:30 p.m.
  • The Bar (2B Burnham Road, Hudson, 943-5250) Crave Halloween Bash. 8 p.m.
  • The Big House (322 Lakeside Ave., Laconia, 767-2226) Drag brunch, $40 to $135 at evenbrite.com. 6 p.m.
  • The Rugged Axe (1887 S. Willow St., Manchester, 232-7846) Ax-throwing Halloween party, with costumes strongly encouraged, drinks specials and a raffle; reservation at theruggedaxe.com. Noon.
  • Triumphant Cross Lutheran Church (171 Zion Hill Road, Salem, nhscypaa.com) NHSCYPAA Halloween dance kicks off with an AA meeting at 6:30 p.m. followed by fellowship, fun, music and dance. $15 suggested donation. 6:30 p.m.
  • Veterans Club Auxiliary Post 25 (118 John Stark Hwy., Newport, 863-3945) Roadhouse rocks out with prizes for best costume and raffles. $15 per person, $25 per couple. 7 p.m.
  • Village Trestle (25 Main St., Goffstown, 497-8230) Halloween costume party with Bob Pratte. 8 p.m.
  • Wally’s Pub (144 Ashworth Ave., Hampton, 926-6954) Night of the Living Dreads with Korn and Rage Against the Machine tribute acts. 6 p.m.
  • WSCA Radio (909 Islington St., Suite 1, Portsmouth, 430-9722) Teenage Halloween performs. 7 p.m.

Featured Photo: Courtesy photo.

Halloween for everyone

Happenings for ghosts and ghouls of all ages

Compiled by Renee Merchant
listings@hippopress.com

Check out these Halloween events that anyone can enjoy, no matter their age.

The Allenstown Economic Development (EDC) Committee presents a Halloween lighting contest. From Wednesday, Oct. 18 through Friday, Oct. 27, the Allenstown EDC, Fire Department and Police Department will choose the winners. On Saturday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m., there will be a Halloween lighting awards ceremony at Town Hall (16 School St.) where the winners will be announced. See allenstownnh.gov.

The Rochester Opera House (31 Wakefield St.) presents the musical comedy The Addams Family now through Sunday, Nov. 5, with showtimes on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Tickets range from $18 to $30. Visit rochesteroperahouse.com to purchase tickets.

J&F Farms (124 Chester Road in Derry; jandffarmsnh.com) has a Halloween-themed corn maze through October. The farm is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the farm’s website; on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the farm will also feature a food truck and cider doughnuts, according to the farm’s Facebook page. The cost is $10 per person.

Concord Parks and Recreation will show 1993’s A Nightmare Before Christmas (PG) on Friday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. in Keach Park (2 Newton Ave. in Concord). See concordnh.gov.

Hocus Pocus (PG, 1993) The original Hocus Pocus will screen at all three area Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com) Friday, Oct. 20, through Thursday, Nov. 2, with at least one screening per day and three screenings Fridays through Sundays.

The Strand (20 Third St., Dover) presents live performances of Dracula for some “Halloween fun for the whole family.” Shows on Friday, Oct. 20, Saturday, Oct. 21; Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28, are at 8 p.m. and tickets cost $20. On Saturday, Oct. 21; Sunday, Oct. 22; Saturday, Oct. 28, and Sunday, Oct. 29, shows are at 2 p.m. and tickets cost $18. Visit breakaleglegally.com to purchase tickets.

The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth, playersring.org) presents Gay Bride of Frankenstein Friday, Oct. 20 through Sunday, Nov. 5. Shows are from Friday to Sunday — 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday — and tickets are $28.

Devriendt Farm (178 S Mast St. in Goffstown; devriendtfarm.com) opens its corn maze (and its pumpkin patch) on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at its 47 Story Road in Goffstown location. The cost is $8 for ages 13 and up, $4 for ages 4 to 12; kids 3 and under get in free, according to the website.

Coppal House Farm (118 N. River Road, Lee; nhcornmaze.com) has a Flashlight Night Corn Maze on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time and are $15. Flashlights will not be provided. Additionally, there is a daytime maze that is open on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Daytime admission can be purchased at the farm stand and costs $10 for adults and $8 for children, students, seniors, and military. For both events, children under age 4 get in free. On Sunday, Oct. 22, the farm will feature Wildlife Encounters from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the website.

The Portsmouth Farmers Market (1 Junkins Ave.) will host a Pumpkin Smash on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 8 a.m. to noon. For $5, participants can choose a pumpkin to smash with a mallet, a two-by-four or “the trusty ol’ Louisville Slugger.” All pumpkins will be fed to pigs after the smash, and the proceeds will go to the Portsmouth Halloween Parade. Visit facebook.com/Market03801.

The Exeter Parks and Recreation department is hosting a Halloween Parade and Costume Contest on Saturday, Oct. 21, at Swasey Parkway. The costume contest will be judged at 10:30 a.m., and the parade will begin at 11 a.m. From noon to 3 p.m. there will be trick-or-treating downtown. Visit exeternh.gov.

Join Applecrest Farm (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls) for their Fall Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 21, and Sunday, Oct. 22, from 1 to 5 p.m. featuring live music, a corn maze, barnyard animals and more. The following weekend, on Saturday, Oct. 28, and Sunday, Oct. 29, the farm will host a Hunter’s Moon Fall Harvest Festival from 1 to 5 p.m., which will feature the Viking reenactor group Straumfjordr and the carving of an 800-pound pumpkin. Admission and parking are free for both events. Visit applecrest.com.

The Wilton Main Street Association will host The Haunting of Wilton on Saturday, Oct. 21, with various events throughout the day. At 1 p.m. there will be a costume parade down Main Street, followed by trick-or-treating with Main Street merchants until 2:30 p.m. From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., enjoy burgers, cider, s’mores and live music at the police station parking lot (7 Burns Hill Road) followed by a $5 haunted trail from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Visit visitwilton.com.

Prayers of Nature (33 Howard St., Wilton) will host a Bizarre Bazaar during the Haunt of Wilton on Saturday, Oct. 21, from noon to 7 p.m. Visitors will receive a free gemstone or wire wrap gemstone (while supplies last) and be entered in a raffle for a free tarot reading. From noon to 6 p.m. there will be 20-minute tarot readings by Victoria of Eye of Ethereal for $25, which can be booked at prayersofnature.com/tarotbazaar. Additionally, local jeweler Earthly Elan will host a pop-up shop and there will be spooky displays created by artist Little un Miniatures. From 3 to 6 p.m., there will be a meet-and-greet with Brittany Batchelder, author of Avian Tarot.

The American Independence Museum (1 Governer’s Lane in Exeter; independencemuseum.org, 772-2622) will host Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery, featuring a tour through Winter Street Cemetery in Exeter led by a colonial tour guide on Saturday, Oct. 21, with start times every 30 minutes from 4 to 5:30 p.m. with a family tour at 3 p.m. Tours are about 45 minutes long and guests are encouraged to bring flashlights, according to a press release. Children in costume receive a special colonial treat, the release said. Tickets cost $10 ($7 for ages 6 to 8; children under 6 get in free), family-tour tickets (the 3 p.m. event) cost $15 for a family of four — tickets include a return pass to visit the museum, the release said.

Back to the Future (1985) will screen on Saturday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m. at Cinemark Salem, O’neil Cinemas in Epping, AMC Londonderry and Regal Fox Run in Newington (as well as at 4 p.m. at Cinemark). See fanthomevents.com.

The Birds (1963) from director Alfred Hitchcock will get a 60th anniversary screening on Sunday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m. and Monday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. at O’neil Cinemas in Epping, AMC Londonderry, Cinemark in Salem and Regal Fox Run in Newington. See fathomevents.com.

The Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St., Portsmouth) presents Bat Boy on Sunday, Oct. 22, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 27, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 28, at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m. Ticket prices vary from $35 to $60 based on seating. Visit seacoastrep.org to purchase tickets.

The 17th Annual Celebrate Samhain Festival will be held on Sunday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hilton in Nashua (2 Somerset Pkwy.). The Samhain Festival is a celebration of the final harvest and of those who have passed and will feature vendors, artisans, psychic readings and a ritual led by Serenity Coven to honor the dead. Admission is $12 or $10 with the donation of a nonperishable food item. Visit facebook.com/NHSamhain.

Join Golden Dog Adventure Co. for their 3rd Annual Corn Maze & Halloween Pawty at Beech Hill Farm (107 Beech Hill Road, Hopkinton) on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon (rain date Oct. 29). Tickets are $35 for members and $50 for non-members for one dog and one human. Tickets are $10 for additional humans, but children under age 3 are free. There will be various activities, including a costume contest, visiting farm animals, a custom illustration of your dog (an additional $15) and a peanut butter licking contest for your dog. Visitors must pre-register at goldendognh.com.

Nosferatu (1922), the classic vampire tale from director F.W. Murnau and starring Max Schreck, will screen at Wilton Town Hall Theatre (40 Main St., Wilton, wiltontownhalltheatre.com, 654-3456) on Sunday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis.

Root Up & More (Concord, rootupconcord. com) is holding Guided Haunt Tours in downtown Concord on Sunday, Oct. 22; Monday, Oct. 23; Sunday, Oct. 29, and Monday, Oct. 30, beginning at 7 p.m. Sign up for a specific date via Root Up’s Facebook page.

Beetlejuice (1988) will have multiple screenings at area Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com). On Sunday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. the movie will screen with a five-course dinner from The Farmers Dinner; the cost is $75 or $110 with wine. The movie will also screen on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. in Nashua. The movie will screen at all three locations on Monday, Oct. 23, and Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. A 21+ screening will be held Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.

The Rex Theatre (Amherst St., Manchester) presents a silent film with live music on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Jeff Rapsis will provide musical accompaniment for the silent film The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) starring Lon Chaney. Tickets are $10. Visit palacetheatre.org.

Join the town of Canterbury for a theatrical presentation titled Canterbury Tales: Famous and Infamous, which is a 35-minute tour, running every 10 minutes. On Thursday, Oct. 26, and Friday, Oct. 27, the event will run from 6 to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 28, it will run from 1 to 2 p.m. at Center Cemetery (5 Center Road). Admission is $10 and all proceeds will benefit the Canterbury Cemetery Association. Tickets are available on eventbrite.com and are limited, so preregistration is recommended. Strollers, costumes and pets will not be permitted.

On Friday, Oct. 27, Saturday, Oct. 28, and Sunday, Oct. 29, Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury) will host Ghost Encounter Tours at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. The 45-minute tours will explore the evolution of spiritualism in Shaker faith and will include “firsthand accounts of otherworldly encounters,” according to the website. Tickets purchased in advance are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Tickets cost $25 day of. Register at shakers.org.

On Friday, Oct. 27, there will be a Downtown Trick-or-Treat and Zombie Walk on Main Street in Rochester. Businesses downtown will be handing out candy from 4 to 6 p.m. The Zombie Walk will feature “dozens of dancers from several local dance studios,” according to the website. The walk will begin at the Citizens Bank parking lot (90 N. Main St.) and proceed down Bridge Street to River Street and back to North Main Street.

The Majestic Theatre (880 Page St. in Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7649) presents Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play Friday, Oct. 27, through Sunday Oct. 29, with showtimes at 7 p.m. on Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for 65+ and 17 and under.

Catch the Murder Mystery Dinner: Best Laid Plans at the Bank of NH Stage (S. 16 Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Friday, Oct. 27, at 6:30 p.m. Or check out Murder Mystery Dinner: Midnight Masquerade on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 6:30 p.m.

Join the town of Merrimack for their 31st Annual Halloween Party on Saturday, Oct. 28, from noon to 3 p.m. at Wasserman Park (116 Naticook Road). There will be a costume contest and a Pumpkin Race Car Derby along with free games, crafts and face painting. Nonprofit organizations Merrimack Friends & Families and Less Leg More Heart will have food for sale. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org.

The Park Theatre in Jaffrey (19 Main St.) is hosting a Halloweenie Weekend featuring some scary movies. Tickets are $10 for adults and $9 for children, seniors, students, military and teachers. On Friday, Oct. 27, there will be a showing of the 1973 film The Exorcist (R) at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 28, Ghostbusters (PG, 1984) will play at 1 p.m., followed by a showing of the 1982 American slasher film Friday the 13th Part III (R) at 7 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 29, at 4 p.m. the theater will show What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). On Monday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m., Jeff Rapsis will perform a live music score to accompany a screening of Dracula (1931). Visit theparktheatre.org/halloweenie for event details and to purchase tickets.

Intown Concord will host a Halloween Howl on Friday, Oct. 27, on Main Street. At 5 p.m. there will be a free kids’ fun run in Bicentennial Square, followed by activities including trick-or-treating, witch hat ring toss, Trunk or Treat and a Pumpkin Photo Op from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. At 5:45 p.m. there will be a “not so scary” costume parade, and participants will gather at City Plaza in front of the Statehouse arch. Additionally, there will be a costume contest at 6 p.m. on Capitol Street. Pre-registration is required for the costume contest. Visit members.intownconcord.org.

Fritzy’s Fright Fest is a free haunted attraction located at 37 Maple Ave. in Newton. The event will run on Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. Visit facebook.com/Fitzysfrightfest.

The Witch of Weston Tower will haunt McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Court, Manchester) from Friday, Oct. 27, through Sunday, Oct. 29. Activities will run on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For a scenic chairlift to Weston Tower, tickets are $22 for adults, $15 for children and seniors, and $5 for children 5 and under. Those who do not wish to ride the chairlift to Weston Tower may purchase a witch ticket, which is a $10 donation per family. For an additional cost there will be food trucks, face painting and pumpkin painting. The proceeds from the event will benefit the Manchester Historical Association. Additionally, on Saturday there will be a touch-a-truck and a trunk-or-treat event that are free to attend. See mcintyreskiarea.com for a detailed schedule of events.

The Park Theatre (19 Main St., Jaffrey; theparktheatre.org) will host a free costume contest for adults, kids and pets on Saturday, Oct. 28,, at 2:45 p.m. The contest will be judged on stage, and participants are asked to arrive by 2:30 p.m. in the lobby, according to the website.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (PG, 2001) will screen at all three area Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com) Saturday, Oct. 28, through Monday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m.

CAKE Theatre (12 Veterans Square, Laconia, 677-6360) will host a Spook N’ Groove hangout and dance party with mixed drinks, root beer floats, doughnut ice cream sundaes and more on Friday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m.. The theater level dance party has a DJ and laser lights. Kids 12 and under free with a paid adult. Teens and adults 13+ are $10 per person. Costumes welcome but not required.

The 17th Annual Dover Zombie Walk will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m. The walk will begin at the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce (550 Central Ave.) and activities include eating Jell-O brains and a costume contest. Dress in a zombie costume or another Halloween costume. Visit facebook.com/doverzombiewalk.

• The City of Nashua will host its Halloween Boo Bash on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Greeley Park (100 Concord St.). Activities include hay rides, pumpkin decorating, a haunted house and a bonfire. Costumes are encouraged and admission is free. Visit nashuanh.gov.

The Amherst Orthodontics Trick or Trot 3K will be held at Arms Park (10 Arms St., Manchester) on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 11 a.m. Participants ages 9 and up are welcome to participate in the race and preregistration is encouraged. 21+ adult tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 on race day. Youth (ages 12 to 20) tickets cost $20 in advance and $25 on race day. Kids (ages 9 to 11) cost $15 in advance and on race day. Admission includes a T-shirt for the first 850 registered participants, refreshments, free race photos and a finish line video. For participants over the age of 21, registration includes a beer ticket. Additionally, at 9:30 a.m. there will be a Kids Halloween Festival featuring vendors, magic and animals. At 10:15 a.m. children ages 8 and under can participate in the 100-meter dash Stonyfield Lil’ Pumpkin Fun Runs for $10. Visit millenniumrunning.com/trick-or-trot to register. Bibs can be picked up on race day from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at Race Day HQ in Arms Park or on Friday, Oct. 27, from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Millennium Running Retail Store (138 Bedford Center Road, Bedford).

The 2nd Annual Halloween Howl Hustle for Housing is a 5K that will benefit Fellowship Housing Opportunities. The adult 5K costs $30 and will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 28, at Masonic Lodge (53 Iron Works Road, Concord). Registration will end on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 11:59 p.m. To register, visit runsignup.com/halloweenhowlhustle5k.

The Groovy Witch is hosting Dover’s Second Annual Witches Market (288 Central Ave.) on Sunday, Oct. 29, from noon to 5 p.m. The market will feature more than 50 local vendors who specialize in witchcraft, spiritual readings and handmade goods. There is no admission fee. Visit groovywitch.com.

On Monday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m., Lane Memorial Library (2 Academy Ave., Hampton) will host presenter Margo Burns for a presentation titled “The Capital Crime of Witchcraft: What the Primary Sources Tell Us,” which focuses on the colonial witch trials in New England. The event is free to attend and registration is available via hampton.lib.nh.us/calendar.

The Portsmouth Halloween Parade will take place on Halloween, Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. Visit portsmouthhalloweenparade.org for the parade route and details.

More pumpkins, more patches
Still looking for that perfect pumpkin to turn into a jack-o’-lantern?
Check out the story about pumpkins in the Oct. 12 issue of the Hippo for a list of area pumpkin patches. See hippopress.com for the e-edition; the story is on page 21. Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com) — whose expert Rick Hardy spoke about pumpkins for last week’s story — offers its picked pumpkins daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the farm stand, where you can grab a photo with the large “pumpkin man” (and on weekends, check out Brookdale’s corn maze, open from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays). Here are some farms where you can go into the patch to choose your gourd. Know of any not mentioned here or in our story? Let me know at adiaz@hippopress.com.

Devriendt Farm (178 S. Mast Road in Goffstown; devriendtfarm.com, 497-2793) offers pumpkin picking and a corn maze at its 47 Story Road location in Goffstown on Saturday and Sundays, starting at 10 a.m. with the last entry into the maze at 4:30 p.m. Take a free hay ride to the pumpkin patch; admission to the maze costs $8 for adults (13 and up), $4 for ages 4 to 12 and kids under 3 get in free.

Elwood Orchards (54 Elwood Road in Londonderry; 434-6017, ElwoodOrchards.com) is open daily from 9 to 6 p.m. and offers a pumpkin patch as well as a 15-acre corn maze

McQuesten Farm (330 Charles Bancroft Hwy. in Litchfield, 424-9268) offers free hay rides to its pumpkin patches on weekends — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to a Facebook post.

Featured Photo: Courtesy photo.

A little spookiness

Special events for the younger crowd

Compiled by Angie Sykeny
askyeny@hippopress.com

Here are some Halloween happenings geared specifically at kids and families.

Kids special events

Hotel Transylvania (PG, 2012) will screen on Friday, Oct. 20, at 3:30 p.m., a “Little Lunch Date” screening at all three area Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com). Admission is free but reserve a seat with a $5 food voucher.

The New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; nhaudubon.org, 224-9909) will hold its annual Enchanted Forest Friday, Oct. 20, and Saturday, Oct. 21, with admission times from 5 to 7:45 p.m. Follow a trail in the forest illuminated by jack-o-lanterns, watch skits, hear stories by the campfire and more, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets for $15 per person.

Kids age 12 and under are invited to the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) on Saturday, Oct. 21, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when they can meet the ghosts of aviation past, enjoy Halloween treats and receive their “Broomstick Pilot License.” The experience is free with admission to the museum; admission costs $10 for visitors age 13 and up. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org or call 669-4820.

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover) hosts its Not-So-Spooky Spectacular on Saturday, Oct. 21, with sessions from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes and explore the museum’s exhibits. The event will feature interactive science experiments, crafting in the STEAM Lab, photo opportunities with a moonlit backdrop and a pumpkin scavenger hunt that offers a special prize. A highlight of the afternoon session includes a concert and dance party with kids’ musician Mr. Aaron at 2 p.m. No candy will be given out. Admission is covered by the regular museum entry fee, which is $12.50 for adults and children over age 1 and $10.50 for seniors age 65 and up. Register in advance online at childrens-museum.org.

Charmingfare Farm (774 High St., Candia) will offer its Children’s Trick-or-Treat experience on Saturdays, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28, and Sundays, Oct. 22 and Oct. 29, with start times available on the hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. In addition to trick-or-treating, families can meet a friendly witch, see wildlife exhibits and barnyard animals, take a horse-drawn wagon ride, decorate pumpkins, ride a pony and watch a juggling show. Tickets cost $29 per person — admission is free for children under age 2 — and must be purchased online in advance. A Harvest of Haunts offering spookiness that’s not too scary (geared toward ages 12 and under) will take place on the evenings of Saturday, Oct. 21, and Saturday, Oct. 28. Visit visitthefarm.com.

LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111, Derry) hosts its Kids’ Halloween Bash on Sunday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will feature a performance by kids’ musician Mr. Aaron. Attendees are invited to wear costumes and can expect treats, crafts and games suitable for the entire family. Tickets cost $35 for adults, $29 for children ages 2 through 12 and are free for children age 1 and under. Visit labellewinery.com.

The 2nd annual CPL Comic Con at the Concord Library (45 Green St.) is set for Monday, Oct. 23, from 6 to 7 p.m. Teens and tweens ages 11 through 17 are invited to dress as their favorite comic characters and enjoy an evening of snacks, crafts and art. Costumes should be library-appropriate, and no weapons are allowed. Registration is required at concordnh.gov.

The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford) will host Halloween on the Farm on Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to come in costume to enjoy a bonfire, scavenger hunt and Halloween music. The event is free, and fireside treats such as s’mores, apple cider, hot cocoa and hot dogs will be available for purchase at the farm stand. Each child will receive a complimentary Halloween treat. Visit theeducationalfarm.org.

Downtown trick-or-treating in Manchester will take place Friday, Oct. 27, from 3 to 6:30 p.m. The afternoon will feature family-friendly activities, treats and more, according to a press release from Mayor Joyce Craig’s office. Craig will hand out books to kids, who are encouraged to dress up, and visit participating businesses. Stanton Plaza will feature children’s activities, a live DJ and more, the release aid.

Join kids’ musician Laurie Berkner for a Halloween show at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord) on Saturday, Oct. 28, with performances at 11 a.m.and 3 p.m. Laurie will blend her hits with Halloween tunes. Attendees are encouraged to wear dancing shoes and bring a stuffed animal. Tickets cost $31.75 to $86.75 at ccanh.com/show/laurie-berkner.

Join the Kiwanis Club of Manchester at the Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester) on Oct. 28, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for a Trick-or-Treat-themed storytime and craft session. Visit bookerymht.com to register.

• Families with children of all ages are invited to participate in the family costume parade at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St.) on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 11 a.m. to noon. Attendees are encouraged to don their costumes and parade around the building. Each department of the library will offer a special treat for the participants. Visit nashualibrary.org.

Trick-or-treat/trunk-or-treat events

Amherst: Trunk-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 4 p.m. in the Clark-Wilkins School parking lot (80 Boston Post Road). Visit amherstnh.gov.

Auburn: Trunk-or-treat on Tuesday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Safety Complex (55 Eaton Hill Road). Visit auburnparksandrec.com.

Barnstead: Trunk-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 4 to 8 p.m. at T.L. Storer (1513 Province Road). Visit barnsteadnhparks-rec.com.

Bedford: Trunk-or-treat on Sunday, Oct. 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Murphy’s Tap Room parking lot at 393 Route 101. See bedfordnh.myrec.com.

Boscawen: Trick-or-treat on Monday, Oct. 30, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Elektrisola (126 High St.). Visit boscawennh.gov.

Bow: Trunk-or-treat on Sunday, Oct. 29from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Bow High School parking lot (55 Falcon Way). Visit bownh.gov.

Brookline: Trunk-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 3 to 4 p.m. at Brookline Public Library (16 Main St.). Visit brooklinenh.gov.

Canterbury: Trick-or-treat on Friday, Oct. 27, from 5 to 6 p.m. at Canterbury Woods (15 West Road; on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., in the Town Center; and on Sunday, Oct. 29, from 3 to 5 p.m., at Sherwood Forest. Visit canterbury-nh.org.

Concord Farmers Market: Wear costumes and trick-or-treat at vendors at the Saturday, Oct. 28, market, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Capitol Street (next to the Statehouse).

Concord: Trunk-or-treat (part of the Halloween Howl event) on Friday, Oct. 27, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Main Street. Visit intownconcord.org.

Deerfield: Trick-or-treat on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m. at the Deerfield Fairgrounds (34 Stage Road). Visit townofdeerfieldnh.com.

Derry: Trick-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 28, from noon to 3 p.m. downtown. Visit derrynh.org.

Epping: Brickyard Scare Trick-or-Treat on Thursday, Oct. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the town’s Brickyard Square. Visit brickyardsquarenh.com.

Exeter: Trick-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 21, from noon to 3 p.m. downtown. Visit exeternh.gov.

Hudson: Trunk-Or-Treat on Sunday, Oct. 29, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Hudson Mall (77 Derry Road in Hudson; thehudsonmall.com)

Manchester: Trick-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 28, from noon to 2 p.m. at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive). Visit milb.com/new-hampshire/events/trick-or-treat-at-the-ballpark.

Milford: Trick-or-treat at the Oval on Friday, Oct. 27, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. downtown. Visit milford.nh.gov.

Newton: Trunk-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. behind Memorial School (31 W. Main St.). Visit newton-nh.gov.

Northwood: Trunk-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Northwood Athletic Fields (611 First NH Turnpike). Visit northwood.recdesk.com.

Tilton: Trunk-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Main Street. Visit tiltonnh.org.

Wilton: Trick-or-treat on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. on Main Street. Visit visitwilton.com.

Trick-or-Treat Times

Sunday, Oct. 29
New London: 4 to 6 p.m.
Sanbornton: 4 to 7 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 30
Barrington: 5 to 7 p.m.
Lee: 5 to 7 p.m.
Newington: 5 to 7 p.m.
Penacook: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Strafford: 5 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 31
Atkinson: 5:30 to 7:30 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.
Brentwood: 6 to 8 p.m.
Brookline: 6 to 8 p.m.
Candia: 5 to 8 p.m.
Chester: 6 to 8 p.m. on Chester Street
Danville: 6 to 8 p.m.
Derry: 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Dunbarton: 4 to 7 p.m.
Epping: 5 to 7 p.m.
Goffstown: 6 to 8 p.m.
Hampstead: 6 to 8 p.m.
Henniker: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Hill: 6 to 8 p.m.
Hollis: 6 to 8 p.m.
Hooksett: 6 to 8 p.m.
Hopkinton: 5 to 7 p.m.
Kensington: 5 to 7 p.m.
Kingston: 5 to 8 p.m..
Litchfield: 6 to 8 p.m.
Londonderry: 6 to 8 p.m.
Manchester: 6 to 8 p.m.
Merrimack: 6 to 8 p.m.
Milford: 6 to 8 p.m.
Mont Vernon: 6 to 8 p.m. on Main Street
Nashua: 6 to 8 p.m.
New Boston: 6 to 8 p.m.
Newfields: 5 to 7 p.m.
Northfield: 5 to 8 p.m.
Nottingham: 5 to 7 p.m.
Pelham: 5 to 8 p.m.
Pittsfield: 5 to 8 p.m.
Plaistow: 5 to 7 p.m.
Raymond: 5 to 7 p.m.
Salem: 6 to 8 p.m.
Stratham: 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Warner: 5 to 8 p.m.
Wilton: 6 to 8 p.m.
Windham: 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Featured Photo: The Aviation Museum. Courtesy photo.

Find your Halloween fun!

Parties, spooky attractions and more for Halloween fans of all ages

Enter, if you dare

New Hampshire’s favorite haunted attractions

By Mya Blanchard
mblanchard@hippopress.com

Halloween is just over a week away and what better way to get into the spooky spirit than visiting a haunted house? New Hampshire is home to many haunted trails, woods and houses, such as The Dark Woods in Milford, open now through Sunday, Oct. 29, and the award-winning Fright Kingdom in Nashua, now open until Saturday, Nov. 4, for its 19th year.

The Dark Woods at Trombly Gardens in Milford, an offshoot of The Dark Crop haunted corn maze in Hollis, is back for its fourth season.

“It’s got a little bit of everything out here in the woods,” said Willard, The Dark Woods’s hospitality manager. “It’s creepy, it’s really dark, it’s got some jump scares, but most of all it’s got a collection of really unique characters [who] interact with the guests and make jokes. We’ve been [told] we’re just as funny as we are creepy and that’s what sets us apart.”

In addition to the regular walk-through show there is a trauma-free tour with music and theatrical lighting. New for this year is The Darker Woods, an even darker version with only a flashlight provided and the chance of being touched by the trained actors. You can also stop by the farm stand for apple crisp, kettle corn and other treats.

“We like to call ourselves a boutique haunt and in our world what that means is basically we aren’t looking to put through tens of thousands of people,” Willard said. “We have a very specific amount, we tend to sell out on our tickets and we try to give everybody a unique experience.”

A bit to the south is the accredited Fright Kingdom in Nashua.

“Fright Kingdom is like nothing else,” said Tim Dunne, who created Fright Kingdom along with his wife. “[It] is one of the most detailed haunted attractions on the eastern seaboard.”

Set in a 150,000-square-foot building, Fright Kingdom comprises five indoor haunted attractions, this year including Apocalypse Z, Bloodmare Manor, Psycho Circus in 3D, Grim and The Abandoned, with animatronics, more than 100 actors, and pop and theatrical scares coming from high and low.

“Every year we make changes and add all kinds of new effects, we change scares [and] we add animatronics,” he said. “We’ve had more animatronics operating at our facilities than pretty much all the haunted attractions in New Hampshire combined.”

General admission tickets grant you access to all five attractions as well as concessions, T-shirt sales and the chance to get your picture taken with some of the monsters. On Friday, Nov. 3, and Saturday, Nov. 4, is Fright Kingdom In the Dark, which you must sign a waiver to attend. Guests will be given a single light source to navigate through the houses and also face the chance of being touched by the actors. For the younger crowd is Hardly Haunted on Sunday, Oct. 22, a children’s Halloween party and haunted house tour with face painting, dancing, crafts, games, a costume parade and trick-or-treating.

“The way we decide what we’re going to add every year is from customer input,” Dunne said. “We pull from every customer that comes out. We have an area where they can write in their favorite parts. They give us all types of feedback … and we take all that data on an annual basis and decide what we’re going to do for the next season.”

The seasoned haunted house has accumulated many accolades and impressive credits over the years, including being rated the scariest haunted house in New Hampshire by WMUR, and this year will be featured in TransWorld and NetherWorld Haunted House’s Legendary Haunt Tour, a prestigious opportunity for those in the haunted house business, according to Dunne.

Dunne and the Fright Kingdom team were involved in the Adam Sandler movie Hubie Halloween, renting animatronics and props to the production team, with Dunne working as a consultant and some of the Fright Kingdom actors being hired for the film.

“Our goal is to try to scare every single person that goes through Fright Kingdom,” Dunne said. “My hope for this year is every customer that leaves Fright Kingdom feels like they just found their new favorite haunted house.”

Haunted attractions

Fright Kingdom
Where: 12 Simon St., Nashua
General admission
When: Friday, Oct. 20, through Tuesday, Oct. 31
Friday and Saturday, 7 to 10:30 p.m; Sunday, 7 to 10 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 31, 7 to 10 p.m.
Hardly Haunted
Sunday, Oct. 22, 1 to 4 p.m.
In the Dark
Friday, Nov. 3, and Saturday, Nov. 4, 7 to 10 p.m.
Cost: General admission and In the Dark tickets are $35, Hardly Haunted tickets are $10

The Dark Woods
Where: Trombly Gardens, 150 N. River Road, Milford
Scary Walk-Through Show
Fridays, Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, and Saturdays, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28, gate opens at 7 p.m., last ticket sold at 10 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 29, gate opens at 6:30 p.m., last ticket sold at 9:30 p.m.
Trauma-Free Tours
Sundays, Oct. 15 and Oct. 22, 6 to 8 p.m. $13
The Darker Woods
When: Thursday, Oct. 19, 7 to 9 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $26 for the walk-through tour and trauma free tour, $25 for The Darker Woods

Nightmare New England Presents Spooky World
Where: 454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield
When: Thursdays, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, 7 to 9:45 p.m.; Fridays, Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, 7 to 11:15 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 3, 7 to 10:15 p.m.; Saturdays, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28, 6 to 11:15 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 4, 6 to 10:15 p.m.; Sundays, Oct. 22 and Oct. 29, 6 to 10:15 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 31, 7 to 10:15 p.m.
Cost: Tickets range from $48.51 to $85.53; both general admission and VIP admission tickets are offered.

Haunted Overload
Where: DeMeritt Hill Farm, 20 Orchard Way, Lee
When: Thursday, Oct. 19, through Tuesday, Oct. 31
Main event
Fridays, Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, 7 to 9 p.m.; Saturdays, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28, 6:45 to 9 p.m.; Sundays, Oct. 22 and Oct. 29, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 26, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Friday Night Lite
Thursday, Oct. 19, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Black Out Night
Tuesday, Oct. 31, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $35 for main event, $21.50 for Friday Night Lite, $25 for Black Out Night, $12 for Day Walk

The Salisbury Woods Haunted Barn and Trail
Where: 19 Franklin Road, Salisbury
When: Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 20 through Oct. 28, 7 to 10 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $15

Screeemfest at Canobie Lake Park
Where: 85 N Policy St., Salem
When: Fridays, Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, 5 to 11 p.m.; Saturdays, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28, 3 to 11 p.m.; Sundays, Oct. 22 and Oct. 29, 1 to 9 p.m.
Cost: General admission tickets range from $40 to $64; those under 48 inches tall and 60 years or older are $36

Featured Photo: The Dark Woods at Trombly Gardens. Courtesy photo.

This Week 23/10/19

Big Events October 19, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, Oct. 19
Hear the band Decatur Creek and catch a curator tour at 6 p.m. of the exhibit “Distant Conversations: Ella Walker and Betty Woodman” (which closes Sunday, Oct. 22) tonight at Art After Work at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) from 5 to 8 p.m. when admission is free.

Thursday, Oct. 19
Catch the original stage play by Ellen Cunis and Toby Tarnow (who also directs) The Big White House on Main Street starting today at Amato Center for the Performing Arts’ (56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford, amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company). Set in Woburn, Mass., the play tells the story of an Italian family in the early 20th century; see hippopress.com to find the e-edition of the Oct. 12 issue of the Hippo, where our story about the production is on page 18. The show will run through Sunday, Oct. 22, with times at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost $15, $12 for seniors, students.

Friday, Oct. 20
Give the kids an hour of theater at tonight’s production of Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr. presented by the Community Players of Concord Children’s Theatre Project at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord; theaudi.org). Tickets to this shortened musical adaptation cost $15 at communityplayersofconcord.org and at the door. The show is tonight at 7 p.m. and tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 21, at 2 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 20
Also opening tonight is the Peacock Players’ production of James and the Giant Peach, with performances tonight at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 21, at 2 & 7 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. (as well as those times next weekend) at the Janice B. Street Theatre (14 Court St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $15 to $18 for adults; see peacockplayers.org.

Saturday, Oct. 21
Symphony NH will bring new arrangements of Bollywood favorites to its concert “Symphony Masala,” which will also feature singer Anuradha “Juju” Palakurthi tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com). Tickets cost $25 to $65 (with discounts for seniors and students). See symphonynh.org.

Saturday, Oct. 21
Get dressed up for tonight’s screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R, 1975) at 10 p.m. at Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St. in Concord; redrivertheatres.org, 224-4600), one of four screenings Red River will hold this Halloween season (the other Rocky Horrors are Friday, Oct. 20; Friday, Oct. 27, and Saturday, Oct. 28, all at 10 p.m.). The theater will provide the props for this 18+ event. Tickets cost $25. Find more screenings in the Film section, which starts on page 34.

Wednesday, Oct. 25
Catch 1923’s silent film The Hunchback of Notre Dame starring Lon Chaney and presented with live music by Jeff Rapsis tonight at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $10.

Save the Date! Friday, Oct. 27
See Le Vent du Nord — billed as “hopping Francophone folk” — on Friday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester; tickets.anselm.edu). Tickets cost $45.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

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