The first Granite State Comicon, in 2003, was a modest affair that helped celebrate the recent opening of Double Midnight Comics.
“There hadn’t been a comic book show in Manchester in a while,” store owner Chris Proulx recalled recently, so he and his cohort decided to do one.
The one-day, one-room, no-celebrity comic book and gaming show turned out to be a big hit, and the event has experienced steady growth ever since. This year’s Granitecon, as it came to be known, is spread across the city, anchored by a slate of activities at DoubleTree by Hilton and the SNHU Arena. There’s even a Granitecon Lager, brewed by Great North Aleworks.
It begins with a preview night on Friday, Sept. 19, that includes Just Cos’ Wings, where cosplayers eat chicken wings and discuss their shared passion, and a D&D-themed show from local troupe Queen City Improv, both at the DoubleTree. Next is the 8-Bit Karaoke Bash, Granitecon’s official kickoff party, at nearby Shaskeen Pub.
The retro video game-themed title was chosen as a nod to the 40th anniversary of the Nintendo gaming console. The event is an annual fixture.
“People love karaoke, and it’s always a great turnout,” Proulx said. New to Granitecon this year is an afterparty at Harpoon Brewery, in the just-opened Queen City Center.
Among the big first full day events is an afternoon Q&A with voice actor Will Friedle to mark Batman Day, followed by an evening screening of 2000’s animated film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker at the Rex Theatre. It’s their second collaboration with the Rex. In 2024, the 40th anniversary of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was honored there.
Born in New Hampshire, TMNT is a part of every Granitecon. This year, there’s a gaming panel discussion about the next release of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG with designers Kevin Siembieda and Sean Owen Roberson, along with comic book artists Steve Lavigne, Jim Lawson and Luis Delgado.
Another Granite State-centric event is a free one, a screening of Jumanji at dusk on Sept. 20 in Veterans Park. The event is sponsored by the City of Manchester.
“I had been in touch with the department of economic development, and they were like, ‘We’d like to sponsor something,’” Proulx said. “I replied, ‘It’s Jumanji’s 30th anniversary, and it was filmed here.’”
One of the things Proulx is looking forward to is Big Dumb Robot Con, where robot builders have the chance to show off their movie-themed work. “This is the second year, and we’re giving these guys some room,” he said of the SNHU Arena meetup. “They love to build robots and talk to people about how they build their robots.”
There’s now an educational component to Granitecon. It includes panels on topics like working in game publishing (Sunday, Sept. 21, noon), the process of creating a graphic novel (Saturday, Sept. 20, 2 p.m.) and a forum that covers how to bring gaming to novels (Saturday, 11 a.m.). The idea came from Doug Shute, founder of Victory Condition Gaming.
“He brings in all kinds of different developers,” Proulx said. “Whether it’s role-playing games or board games … they want to share their expertise, and he’s built that up to taking over half the ballroom at the hotel. We’re trying to figure out how to continue to grow that.”
Far from its humble beginnings, Granite State Comicon is an event that now attracts guests from around the world.
“When we first started, we’d have been excited if somebody came from New York,” Proulx said. “Now, there are people coming from Australia, Europe and South America…. That’s really cool.”
The ripple effect is filled hotel rooms, and folks coming from out of town who are looking for great places to dine. Proulx attributes a lot of this success to the event’s inclusive spirit.
“We don’t do any gatekeeping,” he boasts. “We’re like, ‘If you’re a fan of wrestling, if you’re a fan of video games, come on in.’ Everybody’s nerdy about something.”
Granite State Comicon
When: Friday, Sept. 19, from 3 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 20, and Sunday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Downtown Manchester, including DoubleTree by Hilton, SNHU Arena, Shaskeen Pub and Rex Theatre Tickets: $20 to $125 at granitecon.com (day-of tickets sold at DoubleTree by Hilton, 700 Elm St., Manchester) Full schedule and more: granitecon.com
Staging homegrown productions in a challenging time
The history of community theater in New Hampshire is long and venerable. Community Players of Concord, for example, is preparing to mark its centennial in 2027, and the Majestic Theatre in Manchester is currently celebrating its 35th year. Co-founder Robert Dionne has been there since the beginning.
“We have a very faithful following … both the people that want to come and see shows as well as the people that want to be in them,” Dionne said when asked to explain Majestic’s longevity in an interview last spring. “That kind of makes it all worth it. We build off of that every single season.”
This year offers innovative productions like Cue Zero Theatre’s People Like To Be Scared: an Exploration of Fear, a “devised” work created by the company running in early October in Salem, and The Tin Woman from Nashua Theatre Guild, a play about a heart transplant recipient who decides to search for her donor.
Artistic Director Dan Pelletier described Cue Zero’s production as blending improv and therapy to write an original play. “We started rehearsals with just a concept to create a show built around fear; that was about it,” he said. “We wanted to explore what that meant … with a lot of building things, and theater exercises, to get everybody working together.”
Also unique is Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, a two-person play from Theatre Kapow about free speech and the effects when it’s stifled. “This is a show that invites you to laugh while demanding that you think,” TK Executive Director Matt Cahoon explained. “It can just be a fun night out or a chance to grapple with difficult societal questions.”
Tin Woman. Courtesy photo.
Straight-up fun can be found in many productions, beginning with two musicals: Seussical, which has been reworked with a message of inclusion by RGC Theatre for an run at the Derry Opera House Oct. 31 through Nov. 2, and Shrek from Manchester Community Theatre, opening Oct. 17 at North End Montessori School.
More onstage mirth can be had with Milford Area Players’ production of Clue — the play, not the musical — at the Amato Center for the Arts beginning Oct. 26. Director Tom Partridge stepped away from rehearsals for the show this summer to undergo open heart surgery, but he’s back and excited for the play. Partridge’s production of Clue uses large canvas screens to quickly move between scenes.
“One of the most difficult things was staging,” Partridge said. “It’s hard to put eight rooms on stage and make it effective, but I think we’ve done a good job at it.”
New to New Hampshire is Icehouse, a comedy that opens Nov. 7 at Bedford Off Broadway. The play centers on a group of fishing buddies in a small Minnesota town who conspire to build an ice chateau, as well as their clumsy and hilarious attempts to hide the project from their wives.
“One thing that’s nice about it is that everybody pretty much has an equal part — it’s quite an ensemble show,” Icehouse director Judy Hayward said recently. Hayward, well-known as a musical director, wanted to helm a show. “Although I’m a musical theater person, I do like doing straight plays, especially comedies.”
Well-timed in light of the recent movie premiere of a sequel is Ovation Theatre Company’s staging of the musical version of Freaky Friday, opening Nov. 14 at Derry Opera House. Directed by Ovation founder Meg Gore, the musical ends the company’s calendar-based season.
“It’s one of those sleepers that people don’t know as much about, but when you do, you love it,” Gore said of the show. “The music is really good, done by the people who did Next To Normal, which is an excellent score. It’s a pop rock sort of musical that’s very funny.”
Comedy continues with The Producers. The Mel Brooks musical is one of two offerings from Actorsingers in Nashua; the other is Stephen Sondheim’s Company, opening Jan. 9. The latter show is exciting for more than its content, which helped it to win a Best Revival Tony.
“It’s the first local performance at the Nashua Center for the Arts, and I think that’s going to be amazing for us,” Christie Conticchio of Actorsingers said recently. “I think that will blossom into other partnerships … maybe we’ll do something with them every year.”
Winnipesaukee Playhouse is a professional theater company with a community theater component, along with ancillary activities like Improv Olympics and a children’s group. Local actors in its Winni Players troupe will stage a dinner theater show aboard the MV Mount Washington over a few nights beginning Oct. 1.
Mutiny on the Mount was written by Bob Montana, the original artist for the characters in the Archie comic books. The nearly sold-out show is a collaboration with the Meredith Historical Society, a member of which helped Playhouse Director of Education and Community Engagement Cory Lawson unearth the play.
“He told me, ‘We found this play he wrote for the Meredith Village Players in 1952, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s cool,’” Lawson said by phone recently. “He’s like, ‘Yeah, he wrote it for a contest. He won, and they did it one time. It hasn’t been done since.’”
On the heels of the popular Netflix series Wednesday is The Addams Family Musical, running Nov. 21-23 at Concord City Auditorium. Community Players of Concord President Ellen Burger wanted the show, about a daughter introducing mom and dad to her boyfriend, for its appeal to both audiences and actors.
“The plot is almost like The Birdcage, with two very different families coming together in the Addams Family mansion,” she said. “Wednesday, the daughter, has persuaded her family, ‘Please, can we just be normal for one night?’ Because unbeknownst to almost all, the two have already decided to get married.”
The season comes with both promise and challenges. While recent cuts to arts funding in the state aren’t in and of themselves hurting community theater, the ripple effects can be felt. Organizations that relied on the now-defunded New Hampshire Council on the Arts are now competing for grants and other scarce funding.
Suessical The Musical by RGC Theatre. Courtesy photo.
Stephanie Moll of Nashua Theatre Guild is one of eight people running an organization that stages three plays a year; NTG also did Shakespeare in the Park during the summer. Small groups like hers have thin margins to work with; breaking even on a production can be considered a success.
“It costs so much for us to rent the theater and the lights and the rights to the play, and we don’t want to sell tickets for too much,” Moll said. She worries about the crowding field for funding, as rumors swirl about cash long expected disappearing for a variety of reasons.
Every little bit helps, Moll said, adding that she’s hopeful for a celebration of one-act plays coming next February. “This year we wanted to do all local playwrights…. We found some really nice little plays to do.” As the New Hampshire Community Theatre Association recently canceled its one-act festival, it’s a welcome addition.
Their motivation to do the event is twofold.
“One, we don’t have to pay rights, so there’s a chance that we might be able to break even, or make money,” Moll said. “Secondly, there are a lot of people out there who want to write a play but can maybe just start with one act.”
Irene Cohen is President of New Hampshire Theatre Alliance, with a mission of “Celebration, Collaboration and Promotion” on behalf of the state’s community theaters. Every January, NHTA hosts a Tony-like event to celebrate outstanding works and the people that make them happen. She views the challenges ahead with both trepidation and hope.
“Each community theater is likely to come up with a variety of different solutions…. I’m a naturally optimistic person, but it is pretty discouraging lately,” Cohen said by phone recently, adding NHTA is equally impacted. “We’re going to have to be as creative as everyone else, but I believe in the strength of our community and I believe in how special we have it here in New Hampshire.”
The Lakes Region is home to Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, a recent addition led by Bryan Halperin, who co-founded Winnipesaukee Playhouse in the early 2000s. Powerhouse is the resident theatrical company for both Belknap Mill and the Colonial Theatre in Laconia.
Collaborations like the walking production Journey Through Neverland at Prescott Farm help them thrive, and funding is, fortunately, less fraught.
“We haven’t been reliant on arts grants, so for now, we’re OK,” Halperin said recently. “If the economy affected corporate giving in the area, though, that would hurt us a lot.”
They carry on for the joy of coming together as citizens who love to perform. Like Partridge, who started when he was recruited to sing in a local show, and hasn’t stopped since. “I got the bug about 37 years ago when a friend of mine was doing the Amherst PTA plays,” he said. “One thing led to another and another.”
What has Partridge gathered from his years in community theater? “You learn to have a lot of patience, you learn to do jobs,” he replied. “You learn to adapt. You learn to use the skills that people demonstrate and try to put them in a part to succeed.”
So many shows!
Here’s a listing of community theater shows, which include plays, musicals, a “devised piece” and a dinner performance that happens on a steamboat as it glides over Lake Winnipesaukee. All are the product of local companies and performers with homegrown support.
The Tin Woman Nashua Theatre Guild (Nashua) When: Friday, Sept. 19, through Sunday, Sept. 21 Where: Court Street Theatre, 14 Court St., Nashua Tickets: $18 and up at onthestage.tickets Description: This “intimate and poignant play” began when playwright Sean Grennan’s sister shared a newspaper clipping about a heart transplant recipient’s search for her donor, and was further inspired by an interview with beloved children’s author Maurice Sendak.
Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons by Theatre Kapow. Courtesy photo.
Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Theatre Kapow (Concord) When: Friday, Sept. 19, through Sunday, Sept. 21 Where: BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord Tickets: $26 and up at ccanh.com Description: Written by Sam Steiner, the play follows two people grappling with the impact on their relationship when communication is limited. At turns funny and serious, it explores what happens when free speech is stifled and humans must reach each other through actions, body language, and the spaces between words.
Journey Through Neverland Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative (Laconia) When: Saturday, Sept. 20, and Sunday, Sept. 21 Where: Prescott Farm, 928 White Oaks Road, Laconia Tickets: $10 at zeffy.com Description: A unique interactive theater adventure through Neverland. From 1-4 p.m., small groups depart every 20 minutes. Guided by a rotating cast of Peter Pans and Shadows, each experience is a one-of-a-kind event. Dressing up in favorite Neverland character regalia is encouraged.
Clue Milford Area Players (MAP) (Milford) When: Friday, Sept. 26, through Sunday, Oct. 5 Where: Amato Center for the Arts, 56 Mont Vernon St., Milford Tickets: $15 and up at booktix.com Description: Based on the hit movie about an unusual dinner party that begins with a dead host, this whodunit is played for laughs and an expectation that audiences will be at least a little familiar with the popular board game.
Mutiny on the Mount Winni Players (Meredith) When: Wednesday, Oct. 1, through Friday, Oct. 10 Where: MV Mount Washington, 211 Lakeside Ave., Laconia Tickets: $70 and up at winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org Description: A cruise and dinner show package aboard a steamboat, they play was written by Bob Montana of Archie comics fame, a native of Meredith, and is a collaboration between the Winni Players and the Meredith Historical Society.
People Like To Be Scared: An Exploration of Fear Cue Zero Theatre Company (Itinerant) When: Friday, Oct. 3, through Sunday, Oct. 5 Where: Arts Academy of New Hampshire, 19 Keewaydin Dr., Salem Tickets: On sale soon at cztheatre.com Description: An original “devised piece” built by the company around the concept of fear. The group of actors was chosen for their willingness to “be unafraid to explore this emotional state that is inside all of us, sometimes rules us, and must be defeated.”
Blithe Spirit Stone Arch Players (Hillsborough) When: Thursday, Oct. 9, through Saturday, Oct. 11 Where: Hillsboro-Deering Middle School, 538 W. Main St., Hillsborough Tickets: $10 and up at zeffy.com Description: Noël Coward’s timeless comedy about an eccentric medium who accidentally conjures the spirit of a man’s first wife, who then refuses to leave, is “an evening of wit, mystery, and supernatural hilarity.”
The Diary of Anne Frank Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative (Laconia) When: Friday, Oct. 10, through Sunday, Oct. 12 Where: Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia Tickets: $21 and up at etix.com Description: In the Pulitzer Prize winning play newly adapted to include historical details left out from the original diary, Anne Frank “emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young girl, who confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of her time with astonishing honesty, wit, and determination.”
Dracula Break A Leg Legally Productions (Dover) When: Friday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 26 Where: The Strand, 20 Third St., Dover Tickets: $20 at breakaleglegally.com Description: Ninth anniversary production of the classic vampire tale performed by this local troupe, an audience favorite. Eight performances, two each day in the afternoon and evening.
Dracula Radio Show Epping Community Theatre (Epping) When: Friday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 19 Where: Epping Playhouse, 38 Ladds Lane, Epping Tickets: $15 and up at tix.com Description: Just in time for Halloween, the world’s most famous vampire comes to the stage in this radio play adaptation of the iconic horror movie as well as the classic original novel by Bram Stoker.
It Runs In the Family Garrison Players (Rollinsford) When: Friday, Oct. 17, through Saturday, Nov. 1 Where: Garrison Players Arts Center, 449 Roberts Road, Rollinsford Tickets: $15 and up at ovationtix.com Description: A farcical comedy set in a hospital where a doctor tries to deliver a lecture while fending off a paternity suit, an ex-wife, a daughter and other characters, all while navigating the chaos of mistaken identities, and running through doors.
Shrek the Musical Manchester Community Theatre Players (Manchester) When: Friday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 26 Where: MCTP Theatre at North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St., Manchester Tickets: On sale soon at manchestercommunitytheatre.com Description: Tony-winning Broadway musical about an ogre setting out to retrieve the deed to his swamp and the misadventures that ensue as he’s joined by a princess and a talking donkey.
Southern Fried Murder Majestic Theatre (Manchester) When: Friday, Oct. 31, through Sunday, Nov. 2 Where: Majestic Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester Tickets: On sale soon at majestictheatre.net Description: Before she can summon her kith and kin to dinner in a fancy restaurant to discuss her will, a wealthy family matriarch is killed with her walking stick, leaving her heirs on a treasure hunt to interpret her encrypted will. It’s the first show of the Majestic’s 35th season.
Seussical The Musical RGC Theatre (Portsmouth) When: Friday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Nov. 2, (postponed from Sept. 19-21). Where: Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, Derry Tickets: $28 and up at eventbrite.com Description: Weaving together favorite Dr. Seuss characters such as The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant and the Whos, director Geehae Moon “takes a fresh and powerful perspective: highlighting how imagination can be both a refuge and a revolutionary act for those whose voices are often silenced.”
Sweeney Todd Village Players (Wolfeboro) When: Friday, Oct. 31, through Sunday, Nov. 9 Where: Village Players Theater, 52 Glendon St., Wolfeboro Tickets: $25 at village-players.com Description: Stephen Sondheim’s Tony-winning adaptation of the Christopher Bond play about an unjustly exiled barber whose return to London in search of vengeance against the judge who framed him leads to an unlikely partnership with a meat pie maker.
The Producers Actorsingers (Nashua) When: Friday, Nov. 7, through Sunday, Nov. 9 Where: Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm St., Nashua Tickets: $20 and up at actorsingers.org Description: The show that took Broadway to new heights, along with its ticket prices, Mel Brooks’ musical adaptation of his cult movie concerns a scheming producer and his mousy accountant, as they set out to produce the biggest flop in history. Directed by Paul Metzger, with Music Director Keith Belanger and choreographer Becca Belanger.
Icehouse Bedford Off Broadway (Bedford) When: Friday, Nov. 7, through Sunday, Nov. 16 Where: Bedford Town Hall, 70 Bedford Center Road, Bedford Tickets: $15 ($12 seniors and students) at brownpapertickets.com Description: End-of-the-20th-century comedy about a Minnesota expat now living in Florida and lonesome for the cold air and his buddies, as they try to build an epic ice chateau and keep it a secret from their wives.
The Little Mermaid Epping Community Theatre (Epping) When: Friday, Nov. 7, through Sunday, Nov. 16 Where: Epping Playhouse, 38 Ladds Lane, Epping Tickets: $15 and up at tix.com Description: The Disney Broadway musical about a mermaid who strikes a hard bargain with an evil sea witch to pursue a handsome prince in the world above the sea, with a little help from her friends.
Reefer Madness (The Musical) Dive In Productions (Seacoast) When: Friday, Nov. 14, through Sunday, Nov. 23 Where: Rochester Performance & Arts Center, 30 N. Main St., Rochester Tickets: On sale soon at diveinproductions.com Description: Who knew the so-bad-it’s-good cult movie would rise again as a musical comedy? The plot involves an impressionable all-American high school boy falling prey to the demon weed.
Freaky Friday Ovation Theatre Company (Londonderry) When: Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15 Where: Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, Derry Tickets: On sale soon at ovationtc.com Description: With the recent release of Freakier Friday, the timing of this musical is perfect. Body swapping, with updated cultural references, as mother and daughter learn to appreciate each other’s lives while trying to undo a magic spell.
Urinetown the Musical Pittsfield Players (Pittsfield) When: Friday, Nov. 14, through Saturday, Nov. 22 Where: Scenic Theater, 6 Depot St., Pittsfield Tickets: On sale soon at pittsfieldplayers.org Description: Tony-winning musical that satirizes the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, environmental collapse, privatization of natural resources, bureaucracy, municipal politics, and musical theater itself.
My Fair Lady Winni Players (Meredith) When: Wednesday, Nov. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 23 Where: Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith Tickets: $14 and up at winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org Description: In this update of Pygmalion with Tony- and Oscar-winning music, Cockney flower seller Eliza Doolittle is transformed when Professor Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can turn her into a “proper lady” in time to trick the guests at a big ball.
The Addams Family Musical Community Players of Concord (Concord) When: Friday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 23 Where: Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord Tickets: $15 and up at communityplayersofconcord.org Description: With the popularity of the Wednesday TV series, it’s a great time to see this show, which builds on every father’s nightmare: a grown-up daughter bringing home the man she’s fallen in love with and plans to marry.
Nuncrackers Majestic Theatre (Manchester) When: Friday, Nov. 28, through Sunday, Nov. 30 Where: Majestic Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester Tickets: On sale soon at majestictheatre.net Description: Presented as the Nunsense Christmas musical, the fictional show is presented as the first TV special taped in the Cable Access Studio built by Reverend Mother in the convent basement, with support from other Nunsense favorites.
A Christmas Carol: The Musical Ghost Story Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative (Laconia) When: Thursday, Dec. 11, through Sunday, Dec. 14 Where: Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia Tickets: $18 and up at etix.com Description: The holiday tradition is the Powerhouse’s most popular event, a musical adaption from Granite Stater Joel Mercier featuring a huge local cast.
It’s A Wonderful Life Radio Show Epping Community Theatre (Epping) When: Friday, Dec. 12, through Sunday, Dec. 14 Where: Epping Playhouse, 38 Ladds Lane, Epping Tickets: $15 and up at tix.com Description: An old-time radio show of the holiday classic about a man who learns what his life is worth from a friendly angel and helps his hometown in the process.
Another Very Pittsfield Players Christmas Pittsfield Players (Pittsfield) When: Friday, Dec. 12, through Sunday, Dec. 14 Where: Scenic Theater, 6 Depot St., Pittsfield Tickets: On sale soon at pittsfieldplayers.org Description: Celebrate the joy and enchantment of the holiday season with the local theater company’s unique and spectacular production.
Company Actorsingers (Nashua) When: Friday, Jan. 9, through Sunday, Jan. 11 Where: Nashua Center for the Performing Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua Tickets: $20 and up at actorsingers.org Description: A Tony winner for its recent Broadway revival, the Stephen Sondheim/George Furth musical comedy explores marriage and relationships through the eyes of a 35-year-old confirmed bachelor. The 1970 concept musical is considered a groundbreaking work.
What The Constitution Means To Me Theatre Kapow (Concord) When: Friday, Feb. 6, through Sunday, Feb. 15 Where: Winnipesaukee Playhouse, 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith Tickets: On sale soon at tkapow.com Description: A timely work from playwright Heidi Schreck, who earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate contests. She resurrects her teenage self to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.
Featured photo: Journey through Neverland by Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative. Courtesy photo.
The Amoskeag Quilters Guild meets tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. at Emmanuel Baptist Church (14 Mammoth Road, Hooksett). There will be show & tell, signups for various guild activities, and light refreshments. Visit amoskeagqg.org.
Thursday, Sept. 18
Vocal act A Girl Named Tom will perform at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St, Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m., with supporting act Torri Weidinger. This is the only group to ever win a season of The Voice. Tickets start at $33.
Friday, Sept. 19
This year’s NASCAR Weekend kicks off today at 1 p.m. with a Hauler Parade. Forty NASCAR Cup Series haulers will parade through downtown Concord on Main Street. The hauler parade will finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; Gov. Kelly Ayotte will wave a green flag from the Capitol, and fans are encouraged to line the Main Street sidewalks to cheer for the NASCAR race team haulers. Visit nhms.com.
Friday, Sept. 19
Hollis Old Home Days are today and tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 20, with events including the town parade (10:30 a.m Saturday), an artisan market, rides, a heritage and demonstration tent, fireworks Saturday evening, tethered hot air balloon rides on Saturday afternoon, youth art activities, a petting zoo on Saturday and more, according to hollisoldhomedays.org.
Saturday, Sept. 20
There will be a New England contra dance tonight at the City-Wide Community Center (14 Canterbury Road, Concord, concordnhcontra.wordpress.com) with caller Don Veino and music by Here on Hill, from 7 to 10 p.m. Beginners, singles and families are welcome. Visit concordnhcontra.wordpress.com.
Saturday, Sept. 20
“A Taste of Ireland” – The Irish Music and Dance Sensation makes a tour stop in Manchester at the the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, tickets.anselm.edu) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Performed by former world Irish dance champions and featuring dancers from Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, this promises to be a night to remember. Tickets start at $49.50.
Saturday, Sept. 20
The Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com) will host Tupelo Night of Comedy with Chris Pennie, Joni Grassey, Wayne Russell and Ethan Printz tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $25.
Saturday, Sept. 20
Derryfest takes place today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Derry’s MacGregor Park. The day will feature a fair, a line up of live performances and vendors, including Kona Ice, Sweet Dreams Confections and more, according to derryfest.org. Live performances for the day include Kids Coop Theatre (11:20 a.m.), Pro-Martial Arts Academy (12:15 p.m.) andWild Life Encounters (1 p.m..), as well as other dance, music and martial arts schools. Find the booth map and vendors on the website as well.
Save the Date! Thursday Sept. 25 through Sunday, Sept. 28 The Deerfield Fair will take place at the fairgrounds, 34 Stage Road in Deerfield. The event features rides, live music, the Flying Wallendas high wire act, horse shows and agriculture events (including pig scrambles), magic shows, dog demonstrations and more. Visit deerfieldfair.com.
As noted by WMUR in a Sept. 11 online report, New Hampshire is very, very dry. According to the report, a small portion of Grafton County, about 7 percent of the state, is suffering from conditions of “extreme drought.” Conditions in much of the rest of the state are classed as “severe drought.” “Just three months ago,” WMUR reported, “100% of the state was not considered to be even abnormally dry, but the situation has progressively worsened since the end of May.”
QOL score: -2
Comment: The New Hampshire Department of Forests and Lands said on its X, formerly Twitter, feed (@NHForestRangers) on Sept. 11, “The predicted Fire Danger in all FDRAs [fire danger rating areas] is HIGH.” See a map of the different fire danger rating areas at
nhdfl.dncr.nh.gov; click on “Daily Fire Danger” under “Forest Protection.”
But there are lots of falcons
According to a Sept. 15 online report from NH Audubon, the number of peregrine falcons in New Hampshire has risen dramatically since last year. “NH Audubon staff and volunteers confirmed a record-high 37 territorial pairs statewide,” the report read, “up a remarkable 30% from 28 pairs found in 2024. This is the largest single-season jump for NH’s state-threatened Peregrine pairs in the last half century!”
QOL score: +1
Comment:NH Audubon counted a slightly smaller number of peregrine hatchlings in 2025 (44, as opposed to 50 in 2024), “but NH recovery data suggests that rebounds often follow down years,” the report continued, so more territorial pairs now could lead to more fledglings next year.”
Ending the season with a W (6 Ws)
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats have wrapped up their 2025 season in triumph. A Sept. 14 Fisher Cats press release game recap said, “The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (27-41, 56-81) ended the 2025 season with their first six-game sweep in franchise history by taking down the Chesapeake Baysox (28-41, 59-77) at Delta Dental Stadium on Sunday afternoon, 7-3.”
QOL score: +1
Comment: The Fisher Cats will open their 2026 season with a home game in Manchester on April 3 against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
QOL score last week: 72
Net change: 0
QOL this week: 72
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?
The Big Story – AL Playoff Chase: The Red Sox left Yankee Stadium on Aug. 24 1.5 games behind NY for the top wild card spot. They went on a 16-game slate against three last-place teams and two sub-.500 teams where they went a good but should have been better 10-6. It was a missed opportunity, as the Yanks held pace against a tougher schedule, where after winning two of three vs. Boston last weekend NY kept same 1.5-game lead over their rivals. When you read this on Thursday, the Red Sox have 10 games left, the Yanks 11. So the sprint to get into the playoffs is on. Enjoy.
Sports 101: Who is the only NFL player to win the MVP in his rookie season?
Observations from Pats’ 33-27 Win Over Miami: (1) Been watching football since around when CalvinCoolidge was president and I’d never seen a punt and kickoff returned on consecutive plays until MalikWashington and AntonioGibson did it Sunday in Miami. (2) With MiltWilliams basically ending Sunday’s game with a sack of Tua Tagovailoa, it was the first dividend on his monster free agent contract. (3) Loved the OL’s surge when it overpowered Miami’s D-Line on the two-point conversion they badly needed after two missed extra points. (4) I like when RhamondreStevenson and TreVeyonHenderson are in the same backfield because it gives them more options.
News Item – Drake Maye: While the stats — 19-23, 230 yards with two TD passes while running for a third TD — weren’t gaudy, it was arguably Maye’s best game as a Patriot, because he had no TO’s, led a crucial fourth-quarter TD drive to take the lead back and was cool throughout in a place that was often a chamber of horrors for TomBrady.
News Item – Quinn Priester: It appears the former Pittsburgh pitcher they dumped to Milwaukee for lunch money in spring training was a keeper. He’s now 13-2 with a 3.25 ERA and the first-place Brewers won 15 straight games he’d started before losing to Texas last week.
News Item – Connelly Early’s Debut: The Sox’ seventh-ranked prospect pitched five shutout innings vs. Oakland in a 6-0 win on Tuesday, when he allowed five hits and a walk and had a whopping 11 strikeouts. The k’s tied Don Aase’s rookie debut record set in 1977.
And likely it wasn’t luck, as Early’s 2025 minor league record was 10-3 with 132 strikeouts in 100 innings with ERAs of 2.83 and 2.53 in AAA and AA respectively.
The Numbers:
28 – stolen bases in 28 attempts by Trevor Story to become the fifth player to start a season with that many steals without being thrown out.
279 – passing yards with three TDs and no picks by Mac Jones while filling in for starter BrockPurdy as SF downed NO 26-21.
362 – career homers for Aaron Judge after hitting one Friday against the Red Sox to move him by JoeDiMaggio into fourth place on the Yankee’s all-time homer list behind Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Lou Gehrig.
… Of the Week Awards
Thumbs Up – Red Sox: For having the foresight to keep Aroldis Chapman away from free agency after his spectacular season. He agreed to a one-year deal worth $13.5 for 2026 with a vesting option to keep him in 2027 if he meets a certain level. Exactly the kind of deal you want for a 37-year-old closer.
Record of the Week – Cal Raleigh: Seattle’s catcher set one record and tied another. His 54th homer on Sunday tied Mickey Mantle’s record for most in a season by a switch hitter. It was also his 43rd homer hit while catching, which passed Javy Lopez’s all-time record of 42. And with Seattle surging, can you say MVP?
Random Thoughts: Yes, that was Pats alum Tyquan Thornton who actually caught a deep ball that was thrown over his head on Sunday night. It was the kind of great catch he never made here, which is why he no longer calls Foxboro home. And it went for an important 49-yard TD that let KC close to within three points in its 20-17 SB rematch loss to Philly.
Sports 101 Answer: Jim Brown became the only NFL rookie to be named MVP in 1957. Which, for his encore, he won again in 1958.
Final Thought – Questionable Patriots Personnel Decisions:
(1) Joe Milton: Unless Maye is so soft that he couldn’t deal with competition, why would you give up a back-up QB with the tools, second year salary and one-game resume he has for a sixth-round pick in next year’s draft?
(2) Not being in on MicahParsons when put on the trade market by Dallas is F-thinking.
(3) Disappointing 2024 second pick Ja’lynn Polk was already out for the year. So unless they’re convinced he’s an unsalvageable draft mistake, why trade him now for less than a sixth-round pick rather than wait to see how the next year goes?
NH Navigator, a program from the nonprofit Foundation for Health Communities that “provides free, unbiased assistance to help people in New Hampshire identify the right insurance options available to them,” will cut its in-person services starting this month due to a 92 percent reduction in federal funding, according to a Sept. 11 release from the foundation. The NH Navigator team based in Concord will be dissolved and services will shift to support via phone and virtual appointments, the release said “Assistance is available by calling 1-877-211-NAVI (6284) Monday [through] Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or one can visit acanavigator.com/nh/home,” the release said.
Parking survey
The City of Concord is conducting a study of downtown parking needs, according to the Intown Insider weekly newsletter from Intown Concord. The survey, which you can find via the City of Concord New Hampshire Parking Facebook page, asks about parking habits and experiences. It will be open through Sept. 30, the newsletter said.
Sun Day, Saturday
This Saturday, Sept. 21, is Sun Day in Concord — an event from noon to 4 p.m. on the Statehouse lawn “providing information, resources and opportunities to take action with others who want to be part of clean energy solutions,” according to a press release. The event is being organized by Third Act NH with support from Clean Energy NH and others, the press release said. The event is billed as family friendly and will feature music, speakers and activities including opportunities to learn how solar works, the release said. See thirdact.org/new-hampshire.
Clean Energy NH also will hold its annual Local Energy Solutions Conference on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DoubleTree in downtown Manchester featuring panels about solar energy, electric vehicles and more. See cleanenergynh.org for tickets.
New cookie
Girl Scouts will sell a rocky road ice cream-inspired cookie called Exploremores during the 2026 cookie season, according to a press release from the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. The Exploremores are described as “[f]illed with delicious flavors of chocolate, marshmallow and toasted almond–flavored crème,” the release said. Cookie season runs Jan. 1 through March 15 in New Hampshire, the release said. See girlscoutcookies.org for cookie information and girlscoutsgwm.org for more on local Girl Scouts happenings, such as the Girl Scout Expo at the NH Sportsplex in Bedford on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $10.
Tickets are on sale now for the annual holiday show The Greg and the Morning Buzz Ball featuring the Greg and the Morning Buzz radio show team as well as a line-up of musicians, performers, comedians and more, taking place Thursday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord. See ccanh.com.
An exhibition by the Women’s Caucus for Art, New Hampshire Chapter, called “Inflection Point: Thirty Years of WCA/NH,” is on display at The Art Center, 1 Washington St., Suite 1177, in Dover, through Friday, Oct. 31, with an artist reception on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m., according to a press release. See theartcenteronlinegallery.com.
The Manchester Artists Association has selected its winning September artists, which will have work on display at locations in Manchester and Bedford through Oct. 6: Cindi Chagaris at Triangle Credit Union, Deb Currier at Day’s Jewelers, Fern Daigle at Bedford Public Library, Sandee Nichols at Creative Framing Solutions, Cindi Peterson at St. Mary’s Bank on Hooksett Road, Rollande Rousselle at St. Mary’s Bank on McGregor Street, Joe Sweeney at Manchester Health Department, and Jim Wong at Triangle Credit Union, according to an email from the Manchester Artists Association.
