Tag: 240620

A long road to shortcake

Strawberry Sunday in Hollis

By John Fladd
[email protected]

If you had to feed more than 1,000 guests, what would it take?

If you were part of the Hollis Woman’s Club (holliswomansclub.org), you’d start with 65 sheet pans of shortcake biscuits, 58 quarts of cream and 360 quarts of strawberries, then go from there.

For the past 80 years or so, the Town of Hollis has held a strawberry festival each June.

“The Town Band was founded in 1943,” said Ardie Henry, the Festival’s Director of Communications. “The first record we have of a strawberry festival is in 1946.” The Festival was a Town Band project until the 1970s. By that time, Henry said, “it had gotten too large to be handled by just one organization, so the Hollis Woman’s Club stepped in to help. Since 1978, it has been a combined effort of the Town Band, who play the music, and the Woman’s Club, [who] does the strawberry dessert part.”

For a small town event, the annual Strawberry Festival pulls in a lot of visitors.

“The most we’ve ever had is 1,300,” said Henry, “and last year we had 1,100, so we make a lot of shortcake, hull and cut a lot of strawberries, and whip a lot of cream. It’s a very large effort.” The Woman’s Club members make almost everything themselves.

“We don’t make the strawberries,” Henry said. “We get them locally from Brookdale Farm, right in Hollis. But we make everything else by hand. We have available strawberry shortcake, strawberry ice cream and strawberry sundaes.” The ice cream comes from Dr. Davis Ice Cream in Pepperell, Mass.

Although the festival, the band and the Woman’s Club are all centered in Hollis, the festival is a team effort spread out across many towns.

“This is one of the major fundraisers for the organizations [the Woman’s Club and the Town Band],” the Woman’s Club wrote in a recent press release, “each of which offers scholarships and supports other community endeavors. The Hollis Town Band currently has seventy members on its roster coming from eighteen different communities.” The Women’s Club is just as wide-ranging, said Ardie Henry. “It has approximately 80 members. There are women from Hollis, Brookline, Nashua, Milford, Amherst, Northwood, Merrimack and other surrounding towns, including northern Mass.” According to the press release, all members of the Women’s Club are requested to participate in some capacity. “We have several women who volunteer to bake,” Henry said, adding that other jobs include hulling, washing, slicing and sugaring more than 500 pounds of strawberries.

Henry said she personally is looking forward to good weather. Ideally, she said, “people bring their chairs and blankets, and if they want to have a late lunch and then have their strawberry shortcake, they can do that.”

The Hollis Strawberry Festival
When: Sunday, June 23, 2 to 4 p.m.
Where: Hollis Town Common, 7 Monument Square, Hollis (in the event of inclement weather, the Strawberry Festival will be moved to the Hollis Brookline Middle School, 25 Main St., Hollis)

The Weekly Dish 24/06/20

News from the local food scene

• On the grill: The Concord Food Co-Op (24 S. Main St. in Concord, 225-6840, concordfoodcoop.coop) holds a Grillin’ and Chillin’ event on Thursday, June 20, Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, in its parking lot. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m the event will feature grillin’ and chillin’. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. visitors will be able to shop with local vendors. And from 2 to 5 p.m., there will be snacks and beverages.

• Lavender: There are still tickets available for lavender-inspired Farm to Table Dinners in the Barn on Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23, at 5 p.m. at Lavender Fields at Pumpkin Blossom Farm (393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner, 456-2443, pumpkinblossomfarm.com). These will be five-course dinners with lavender-infused cuisine prepared by Chef Bryan Leary, founder of Perspective Catering, and Michael Prete, founder of Portsmouth Catering. Tickets are $150 each and available through the Farm’s website.

• Appreciating heritage foods: A family-friendly event featuring local food, drinks and entertainment, Farm-a-Q returns to Tuckaway Farm (36 Captain Smith Emerson Road, Lee) on Sunday, June 23, from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets begin at $25. Proceeds support the Heritage Harvest Project, whose mission is to promote regional heritage foods and agricultural diversity among farmers, chefs and local communities. See “Farm-a-Q” on Eventbrite to purchase tickets, which start at $25.

Treasure Hunt 24/06/20

Hi, Donna!

I read your column each week in the Hippo!! I am hoping you can help us out. We have an antique fire extinguisher. Do you know if this is worth anything? I was going to donate it to a historical society. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Donna Lee

Dear Donna Lee,

Your extinguisher makes me smile. Back in my days of owning an antique center they were very collectible and were all cleaned and polished, then either stood in a room or were made into lamps.

Not sure if they are collectible for the same reasons today. But they do have a value in the range of $100 and higher in some cases. I do think donating items to a local historical society is a great thing. Some things such as antique fire extinguishers were made en masse and there are still too many around today. You could still check to see if it is something they might want.

No matter what you decide, Donna Lee, you have an interesting piece of history. Thanks for sharing.

Kiddie Pool 24/06/20

Family fun for whenever

Summer party

• The YMCA of Downtown Manchester will host its Rock the Block event on Mechanic Street on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Activities at this free event include games, crafts, music, a bounce house, food and drink and a free swim (bring a bathing suit and towel if you’re interested), according to the website. In addition, if you join the YMCA on that day you’ll pay no join fee. Visit graniteymca.org.

Search for adventure

• This weekend, Charmingfare Farm (744 High St., Candia) holds a “Scouting for Bigfoot ” event on Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23, with entry times from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a guided tour through the serene woodlands of the farm, a perfect setting for Bigfoot sightings, according to the website. This family-friendly excursion blends education with excitement, offering interactive activities and engaging discussions, the website said. Tickets range from $23 to $33. Visit visitthefarm.org.

Game time

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A minor-league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball, is in the middle of a home stand at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester) until Sunday, June 23, at 1:35 p.m. against the Reading Fightin Phils. On Thursday the Fisher Cats get ferocious as they transform into Gatos Feroces de New Hampshire and battle for Copa de la Diversión (The Fun Cup!), according to their website. On Friday, June 21, they present the Oral Health Challenge from Northeast Delta Dental, who want to reward children under 12 who brush and floss their teeth for seven days straight with two free tickets (they’ll need to fill out a form online). There will be fireworks following the game on Saturday, June 22, and a Super Bros. inspired brunch before the 1:35 p.m. game on Sunday, June 23. (tickets to the brunch come with tickets to the game). Vist milb.com/new-hampshire.

• NASCAR Weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106, Loudon) Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23, includes the SciAps 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race and Mohegan Sun 100 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race on Saturday and the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday. Tickets vary in price, depending on the race. See nhms.com.

• The Major League Soccer team the New England Revolution II will play this Sunday, June 23, at 6 p.m. at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium (Victory Lane in Hooksett) against Crown Legacy. Tickets start at $12. Visit revolutionsoccer.net/revolutionii.

• The six-time champion Nashua Silver Knights, members of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, will have three home games in a row at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St., Nashua) starting on Friday, June 21, against the Worcester Bravehearts, then on Saturday, June 22, against the Norwich Sea Unicorns, on Sunday, June 23, against the Westfield Starfires. First pitch on Friday and Saturday night is scheduled for 6 p.m. and first pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., according to their website. Visit nashuasilverknights.com.

Music, beer and bounce houses

Find fun for everyone in the family at Concord’s annual Market Days

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

The 50th annual Market Days Festival in Concord, put on by the nonprofit group Intown Concord, runs from Thursday, June 20, to Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the city’s downtown with more than 160 vendors, live music, games, food, crafts, goodies and of course beer.

“We have a lot of really interesting, diverse vendors this year,” said Jessica Martin, Executive Director of Intown Concord.

There will be three beer gardens and they all accept cash and cards. The Main Street Beer Tent will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. all three days of the festival and they will have Bud Light, Market Haze, or 603 Summatime ale on tap as well as two varieties of seltzers from 603 and a non-alcoholic IPA from Athletic Brewing Co., with prices ranging from $5 to $9. One dollar from every purchase of Concord Craft Brewing Market Haze IPA will go to support Intown Concord — they made this beer specifically for the festival.

“It’s a delicious, very drinkable, ‘summer vibes’ beer,” Martin said.

Penuche’s Outdoor Beer Garden in Bicentennial Square will be open from noon to 10 p.m. all three days right next to the HomeGrown music stage. They will have five beers on tap, as well as cans. And the Capitol Center for the Arts Beer & Wine Garden will offer a wide selection of local, craft, and microbrewery beers; red and white wine; non-alcoholic beers, soft drinks, and bottled water, with alcoholic beverages ranging from $7 to $11, and water and soft drinks for $3, according to their website.

Music will be blasting all three days from the Main Stage, in front of the Concord Food Co-op; the Home Grown Stage, near Bicentennial Square, and the Eagle Square Stage. Notable performances include Mr. Aaron, Andrew North and the Rangers, Faith Ann Band, R&B Dignity, Mary Fagan and the Honeybees, Heist, Duo Del Inferno, Llava Llama, Superbug, Supernothing, Modern Fools, Donaher and Boomsoss.

“When I first started, the performers were not compensated,” Martin said. This will be the second year when the musicians will be paid for their work through grants and donations. “We’re very proud to be able to do that and support the artists in our community.”

The Eagle Stage will have the Tandy’s Idol Competition every night from 7:30 to 10 p.m., where Concordians will be able to belt out some tunes.

The movie Dazed and Confused will be screened at the Main Stage on Thursday night and there will be a ’70s theme costume parade on Friday at 3:15 p.m. starting at Capitol Street.

“Because this is our 50th anniversary, we’re leaning into the ’70s nostalgia,” Martin said.

Continuing on that theme, the headlining performance of the Festival, taking place on Friday on from 8 to 10 p.m. the Main Stage, is The Ultimate Queen Celebration, a tribute to Queen.

Besides music and beer, there will be plenty of other activities. The KidZone will feature twobounce houses, which require tickets. All other activities on the lawn, like cornhole, hula hoops, and more, are totally free.

There will also be ax throwing, and an arcade on recycling by The Casella Resource Rover. Concord Arts Market will have lots of local artists on Pleasant Street showcasing their wares.

“I’m excited about all the different types of vendors we’ve been able to bring in this year in addition to some of the ones that have been with us for a long time…,” Martin said.

Starting off the shindig on Thursday, June 20, at 10 a.m. will be a music and movement class held by Miss Heather and Miss Heidi from Concord Community Music School for children 5 months to 8 years old on the Statehouse lawn, underneath the tree closest to the capitol, according to the website. This will be followed by storytime in the same location offered by the Concord Public Library, and there will be some iteration of this until 4 p.m., when The Bee Skep Puppet Theatre presents “Marionette Melodies” for kids between ages 3 to 12.

Over by the City Plaza before the arches, The Flying Gravity Circus from Wilton will perform tricks and will also be hosting a circus workshop for novice jugglers and tight-rope walkers in training. They will perform in the street throughout the festival too. “What they are going to be teaching will be cool,” Martin said.

Friday, June 21, starts off in a similar vein with music, movement and story time for the little ones under the Statehouse lawn tree, and the puppet show too, with the addition of reptiles from Tanglewood Hollow, like Clemintine the Snake, around 1 p.m.

Worthy Mind and Movement will be presenting a ’90s music themed yoga class at noon at the Statehouse lawn, and 2 Home Fitness will lead participants through agility and strengths drills by City Plaza before the arches.

Friday also has jazzercise from Thrive Fitness as well as their POP Pilates/UBEAT Barre, which they describe as a powerful fusion of music strength, and choreography fun for all ages. Attendees can also enjoy a Zumba Class with Sindy Chown from Barranquilla Flavor.

On Saturday, June 22, similar events will be held but there will also be new additions to the festivities. From 10 a.m to 5 p.m. local scouts from Scouting America Pack & Troop 90 & Pack 270 will be on the Statehouse lawn for fun activities and classes and the Boys & Girls Club will have kids’ activities on a different area of the lawn from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mr. Matt from Concord Community Music School will lead a drum circle and Miss Audrey will head a folk jam session; those will take place from noon to 2 p.m. at the Statehouse.

At 2 p.m. the 501st and Rebel Legions – The Star Wars Fan Costuming Group arrives at the Statehouse lawn next to the bounce houses from a galaxy far, far away; they will be there until they get their hyperdrive fixed around 6 p.m. There is also a roller derby presentation, balloon animals, and a traditional Newari dance and from 7 to 11 p.m., and the Capitol Center for the Arts will be hosting a silent disco.

Concord is excited for the upcoming Market Days Festival. “They look forward to it. It’s a staple of Concord at this point…,” Martin said. “It’s definitely a beloved community event for sure.”

Market Days
Where: Downtown Concord, Main Street
When: Thursday, June 20, through Saturday, June 22, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day
Info: marketdaysfestival.com

KidZone Bounce House Tickets
$3 for 1 ticket/ 1 bounce
$5 for 3 tickets/ 3 bounces (all proceeds support Intown Concord)

Market Days Eats

According to the event’s website, marketdaysfestival.com, here are some of the scheduled food vendors with the site’s descriptions:

Artisan Hill Treats: Small batch marshmallows, chocolates and sweets
Batulo’s Kitchen: Somali-inspired cuisine
Brother’s Cortado: Coffee and beverages
Buba Kitchen: authentic Asian noodle dishes
Bubble Bee Milk Tea: Bubble tea and dumplings
Bueno Burrito: burritos, tacos, quesadillas and salads
Cali Arepa NH: authentic Colombian street food
Canterbury Kettle Corn
Carolyn’s Creamee: Ice cream
Chubba Wubba’s Sweets, Snacks & Refreshments: bubble tea, slushies organic smoothies, and smoothie bowls.
Curry Leaf: the flavors of India’s many regions
Deadproof Pizza Co.
Dudley’s Concessions: ice cream, fried dough, funnel cake and fried Oreos
Gina Foods: pasta, pizza, paninis, salads, desserts
Holly Fried Dough
Kona Ice
Let the Dough Roll: donut ice cream cones
Live Juice
Maddy’s Food Hub: authentic African flavors, jollof rice, plantains
Phily’s Good Eats: poutine fries, Italian sausage, steak & cheese & gluten-free arepas
Pours & Petals: beverages and desserts
Puppy Love Hot Dogs
Revelstoke: coffee and tea
Roadside Diner
Rubins Hot Sauce
Sandi’s Concessions: cotton candy, candy and caramel apples & more
Sillie Puffs: Gourmet Cotton Candy
Simply Cannoli: cannolis and espresso
Tea Garden Restaurant: traditional Chinese cuisine
Teatotaller: bubble tea and food
Tommy’s Pizzeria
Wicked Tasty: lobster rolls, ice cream sandwich, desserts, sandwiches, burgers and poutine loaded fries
Yankee Farmer’s Market: Buffalo-Buffalo burgers, Buffalo cheesesteaks, Buffalo sausage & more

    Featured Photo: Market Days Festival in Concord. Courtesy photo.

    The Art Roundup 24/06/20

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

    • Curtain calls: The Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) production of 42nd Street offers five shows in its final weekend: Thursday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 22, at 2 & 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $38 to $59. See Michael Witthaus’ look at the production in the June 6 issue of the Hippo on page 14 (hippopress.com to find the e-edition).

    • On stage:Sleuth is presented by The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts on Friday, June 21, at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 22, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 23, at 2 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net, 669-7469). As described on the website, the show presents the ultimate game of cat and mouse played out in a cozy English country house owned by ca elebrated mystery writer whose guest is a young rival who shares his love for games. Tickets are $15 and $20.

    • Craft: Hall Memorial Library (18 Park St. in Northfield; hallmemoriallibrary.org, 286-8971) will hold a Summer Craft Show on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    • Premiere:The Nashua Historical Society at The Florence H. Speare Memorial Museum (5 Abbott St., Nashua) will be hosting the premiere of the documentary ​At Home and Abroad: Nashua and World War II on Saturday, June 22, at 11:30 a.m. and at 1 p.m., according to their website. The documentary chronicles the stories of civilians, veterans and Holocaust survivors as Nashuans share personal and family World War II stories. The film was created by local filmmakers John Sadd and Jeremy Frazier. The showing is free and open to the public. Doors open at 11 a.m. Visit nashuahistoricalsociety.org.

    • Fest in the Clouds: Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough is hosting its second annual Community Arts Festival on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival will feature more than 100 booths with the works of local crafters, artists and community organizations and attendees can look forward to a scavenger hunt, art activities for kids, and other events, according to a press release. Seecastleintheclouds.org.

    • Symphony Saturday: The Boston Civic Symphony with Conductor Fransico Noya and Pianist Frederick Moyer will perform Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor Op. 22, Chevalier de Saint-Georges – Symphony Op 11 No. 2, and Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor at Colby-Sawyer College’s Sawyer Center Theater (541 Main St., New Boston) on Saturday, June 22, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for students. Visit summermusicassociates.org or call 526-8234.

    • Outdoor theater: The annual mainstage production for the Prescott Park Arts Festival in Portsmouth opens Friday, June 21, when Legally Blonde The Musical hits the stage at 7 p.m. The show runs most Thursdays through Sundays until Aug. 11, all at 7 p.m. with matinées on Sunday, June 30 and Sunday, July 28 at 1 pm, according to prescottpark.org where you can find information on reservations.

    WHAT IF? SHAKESPEARE
    Cue Zero Theatre Company at the Arts Academy of New Hampshire (19 Keewaydin Drive, Salem, onthestage.tickets/cue-zero-theatre-company) presents William Shakespseare’s Long Lost First Play (Abridged) on Friday, June 21, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 22, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15. In this play, an ancient manuscript proves to be the long-lost first play written by none other than 17-year-old William Shakespeare from Stratford, according to the company’s website, which says they “are totally not completely making this up.”

    MUSICAL HORROR PUPPETS
    Puppeteers for Fears, Oregon’s only dedicated puppet musical horror troupe, will perform their original show Cthulhu: the Musical!on Wednesday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m. at CapitolCenter for the Arts BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) as part of the company’s 2024 summer tour, according to a press release. As described in the press release, the play is adapted from the 1929 short story “The Call of Cthulhu” by H.P. Lovecraft and tells the story of his most famous creation, Cthulhu, a giant, malevolent, octopus-faced elder god who hibernates beneath the ocean, communicating to humans through their dreams, slowly driving them mad. In a statement, PFF Artistic Director Josh Gross said, “We are always looking to turn classic themes on their head instead of rehashing tired storylines…. When I said, ‘Cthulhu: the Musical,’ for the first time, a bunch of heads immediately turned in my direction, and strangers started asking where they could see it. So I knew we had to do that as a show, even though the challenge of turning something so dark into musical comedy was pretty daunting. … There was a lot of comedy to be found and this show is so much fun to perform.” Tickets are $25 and the show is intended for those 18 and older since the material is R-rated, according to the press release.

    —Zachary Lewis

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