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Music, food and community

We Are One Festival brings together African, Caribbean and Latino communities

Sarah Georges is one of many Manchester residents who has been eagerly looking forward to Saturday’s We Are One festival. She is the coordinator of this year’s festival and said that it shows a side of Manchester many New Hampshire residents don’t see most of the year.

“The We Are One is the oldest festival here in Manchester,” Georges said. “It is literally a time when the African, Caribbean and Latino — all of Manchester’s communities get to come together and enjoy a different culture, just enjoy different people who are on the stage showing their talents, whether it is someone who is born and raised right here in Manchester and have immigrant parents, or they are from far away themselves. And then, we have food and different organizations that come out every year to share their services, let the people know what they have here to help out, whether it is for housing, whether it’s for after-school programs, whether it’s for the parents themselves.”

One of the biggest draws for the We Are One festival is the food, Georges said.

“That’s my favorite part; I’m not going to lie,” she said, ”I always show up for the food.”

“I am Haitian and African, but I was born and raised right here in Manchester,” Georges said. She said Manchester has a wealth of small family restaurants that fly under the radar sometimes.

“What I love about Manchester,” Georges said, “is the fact that there are so many different types of food here. And when you see a white person come into an African restaurant and order something like fufu [a West African dish made from cassava], or collard greens, or they’re ordering pondu [a stew from the Congo], or if they’re ordering empanadas and rice con pollo, it is so great for them, it’s so great to watch them eat, because it’s like watching a child for the first time trying food. … It’s like that experience that comes to them like an old friend.”

The event also promises art, music, dancing and live performances, according to the event’s Facebook page. According to Sarah Georges, some of the performers at We Are One will include Colombian dance troupe Barranquilla Flavor, dance group Mill Advised,singer Xyomi, and performer Kay Richie.

We Are One Festival
This is a free, family-friendly outdoor event celebrating Manchester’s multicultural, African, Caribbean and Latino communities with live music, dance, art, food vendors and cultural performances.
Where: Veterans Park in downtown Manchester
When: Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
More: Food vendors will include Don Quijote Restaurant (362 Union St., Manchester, 622-2246, donquijoteunion.com) and Soel Sistas Soul Food (30 Temple St., Suite 202, Nashua, 943-1469, soelsistas.com)

Featured photo: A previous year’s event. Courtesy photo.

Celebrating the French-speaking world

The new Franco Fest has big plans

One of the first hurdles the Franco-American Centre and organizers of next week’s inaugural Franco Fest will be addressing is the public’s idea of what it means to speak French.

“A lot of us think about France when we think of French,” said John Tousignant, the executive director of the Franco American Centre, “and of course people think about Quebec and more broadly Canada, but there are more than 90 countries of the world that are part of the international organization of La Francophonie — the French-speaking world. Many of these countries that either have French as an official language or a commonly spoken one have immigrants that are coming and becoming new residents of the state of New Hampshire.” Some of these areas are West and North Africa, Haiti, and Vietnam, he said. “French is spoken on five continents of the world. This gives us an opportunity to really focus on that cultural dynamic and the mosaic that French provides to our community.”

This is the idea behind Franco Fest 2026, a first of its kind celebration of the French-speaking world, which will be held Saturday, Aug. 22, in Concord. The event’s website describes the event as “a vibrant, family-friendly festival bringing together music, food, art, culture, and the rich traditions of French-speaking communities around the world.”

The coordinator for Franco Fest is Jessica Livingston, who also coordinates Concord’s annual Multicultural Festival. She said the long-term vision for Franco Fest includes a strong focus on the food of the French-speaking world.

“French is spoken all across the world, in many different cultures and countries,” Livingston said. “So we ultimately want to highlight the different foods from around the world that have French speaking as part of their country.”

A combination of circumstances has forced food to take a back seat to other aspects of francophone culture this year, Livingston said.

“Because this is our first year and also August being the busiest month ever for food trucks, we’ve had a little bit of a challenge,” she said. “So, just like the Multicultural Festival, having vendors from different countries around the world [will be an important focus]. We haven’t been able to do quite that this year, but we found a food vendor — a food truck [Peaks]— which has cuisine from all around the world. They do food, like street food from all around the world, which is a really good start.”

There will be three featured musical acts at Franco Fest — West African singer Senie Hunt, Zydeco Band Catfish Howl, and Quebecois singer Josée Vachon. (For more on Senie Hunt, see Michael Witthaus’s story on page 22 of the Aug. 6 issue of the Hippo, available in the digital library at hippopress.com.)

John Tousignant said that many of the festival’s activities will be directed at families. “We have a lot of activities for children planned,” he said. “Children will be able to decorate and bring home some takeaways. Among other things, we will be having people teaching some traditional crafts such as playing the spoons, which is a traditional part of French Canadian culture. We’ll also have a gigueur, which is one of these dancing dolls that people can learn how to use in conjunction with the traditional music. A jig is a type of a dance, and the dolls are called gigueur because they can do a little dance.”

“We’ll also have tables with people from different parts of the French world,” Tousignant said, “such as special guests from Quebec, from the Société des Filles du Roi, which honors a chapter in French-Canadian history. It means ‘The Daughters of the King.’ When New France was founded in North America in the 1600s, it was populated entirely by men, so they needed women to start families. The king gathered girls and women who didn’t have a lot going for them in France, and put them on a boat to send over to start North American French heritage. We’re going to have members of the Société in period costume talking with people and interacting.”

Franco Fest 2026
When: Saturday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Kimball Jenkins Estate, 266 N.Main St, Concord.
More: Thanks to a grant from the City of Concord, this event will be free to the public. For more information, visit the Franco Fest 2026 website at facnh.com/franco-fest; the Franco American Centre at facnh.com, and this year’s food vendor at peaksfoodtruck.com.

Featured photo: Josée Vachon. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 26/08/13

• New tacos in Concord: Boston-based Mexican chain Anna’s Taqueria (annas.com) has opened its first location in New Hampshire, at 50 Fort Eddy Road in Concord. According to a July 30 press release, its food and atmosphere are “inspired by San Francisco’s Mission District … bringing the homestyle flavor of Mexican street food to the people while celebrating community.” Anna’s is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• A new coffee option in Manchester: Lahālas Coffee (57 Bay St., Manchester, lahalascoffee.com) is described on its website as “a New England–based mobile coffee cart serving lattes that love you back. Every syrup is homemade with real ingredients.”

• Stuffing ravioli: Tuscan Market (Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana, Salem, 912-5467, tuscanbrands.com) will hold a ravioli-making workshop Saturday, Aug. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. Enjoy an evening of crafting your own fresh egg pasta dough, guided by an instructor through proper techniques for shaping your dough into a variety of pasta styles. Guests will also enjoy a tasting of Tuscan brand ravioli, paired with a live sauce demonstration. Tickets are $65 through the tuscanbrands website.

• Tequila, food, and tequila: Stashbox (866 Elm St., Manchester, 606-8109, stashboxnh.com) will host a G4 tequila pairing dinner on Tuesday, Aug. 18, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. This will be a one-of-a-kind five-course dinner with premium G4 Tequilas and exclusive food creations. G4 Ambassador Anthony Faletra will be on hand for an evening of knowledge, noshing and of course tequila. Tickets are $125 through the Stashbox website.

• Beer, books, and bingo: Sunstone Brewing Co. (298 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 216-1808, sunstonebrewing.com) will host an evening of Bookish Bingo on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Prizes will include special edition books, bookish merch, gift baskets, and more. Tickets are $25 through the Sunstone website.

• Better blending: Wine on Main (9 N. Main St., Concord, 897-5828, wineonmainnh.com) will host a blending seminar with acclaimed Argentinian wine producer Catena Zapata Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. Through tasting five wines, guests will learn how different altitudes, soils and microclimates affect a wine’s characteristics. Then they will be able to create their own Malbec blend and compare it to Catena Alta Malbec. Tickets are $70 through the Wine on Main website. Space is limited.

• “A good cigar is a smoke” —Rudyard Kipling: The Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001) will host its Annual Cigar Dinner on Wednesday, Aug. 19, and Thursday, Aug. 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. Enjoy a summer evening filled with exceptional cigars, expertly paired wines and spirits, live music and a thoughtfully curated three-course dinner, according to bedfordvillageinn.com/experiences. Tickets are $198 through the Inn’s website.

• Also at the BVI: Tickets are on sale now for the Able Ebenezer Beer Dinner at the Bedford Village Inn on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. Beers from the Merrimack-based brewery will be paired with a four-course meal. See bedfordvillageinn.com/experiences for tickets and to see the menu.

• Save the date: Mahrajan, the annual celebration of Middle Eastern food at Our Lady of the Cedars Church, 140 Mitchell St. in Manchester, will return next weekend — Friday, Aug. 21 (5 to 10 p.m.); Saturday, Aug. 22 (noon to 10 p.m.) and Sunday, Aug. 23 (noon to 5 p.m.), according to bestfestnh.com, the celebration’s website. “Join us for all your favorites including lamb kabobs, kibbee, falafel, stuffed grapeleaves, tabbouleh, shawarma and traditional Lebanese pastries,” the website said. The event will also feature DJ Kibar playing Arabic music, kids’ games, a full bar, Hokah rentals and more, the website said.

Treasure Hunt 26/08/13

Donna,

I purchased this at a local thrift store for $5. It was on a Saturday morning when they were bringing out new merchandise. I would appreciate any information you may have.

Thank you,

Carrie

Dear Carrie,

Looks like you purchased a mid-century to 1970s-ish watercolor. The beauty of shopping thrift stores is you never know what you might find.

It’s tough to figure out values on watercolors when you can’t distinguish the artist’s signature. Sometimes you have to judge by context and detailing.

The subject of your watercolor is a pleasant relaxing one. Purchasing it for $5 was good if it fits your decor. I would say the value could be in the range of $40.

I hope this helps, Carrie. It was a tiny treasure for you.

Donna

Kiddie Pool 26/08/13

Family fun for whenever

Farm party

• Charmingfare Farm, 774 High St. in Candia, will hold a Kids Farm Party on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to visitthefarm.com, where you can purchase tickets. The day will feature the Monster Obstacle Bounce House, face painting, snow cones, cotton candy, carnival games, pony rides, the tractor train and the petting zoo, the website said. Musician Matt Heaton will perform at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., the website said.

Flying high

• Manchester Boston Regional Airport will hold Aviation Day on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to a press release. The event will feature a touch-a-truck display in Parking Lot A along with a student-built aircraft from the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire and the STEM-MoBILE, “a traveling lab with demonstrations and hands-on activities from UNH Manchester,” the release said. Inside the airport at Baggage Claim 3-5, there will be information about airport and aviation jobs, interactive games, cookies from Alltown Fresh, cake from the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (with a cake cutting at 12:30 p.m.), popcorn and slushies, MHT swag and opportunities to wine prizes, the release said. See flymanchester.com.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry) is celebrating the end of summer vacation (sorry, kids) by being open daily Wednesday, Aug. 19, through Sunday, Aug. 30, according to aviationmuseumofnh.org. The museum will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays), the website said. The museum will hold story times on Tuesday, Aug. 25, and Thursday, Aug. 27, at 10 a.m. for families as part of regular admission. “Participants will enjoy reading several aviation-themed stories as well as additional activities,” the website said. The museum will run its Elite Flight Simulator on Saturdays, Aug. 21 and Aug. 28, from 1 to 4 p.m., for ages 13 and up, according to the website, where you can find admission information.

Beach week

• The Annual Hampton Beach Children’s Festival will run Monday, Aug. 17, through Friday, Aug. 21, with a lineup of performances and events each day starting at 10 a.m. at the Hampton Beach Seashell Stage leading up to a giant costume parade on Aug. 21, according to hamptonbeach.org/events/childrens-events. On Monday, Aug. 17, events include Magician BJ Hickman at 10 a.m.; a Puppy Party with NHSPCA from 12:30 to 2 p.m.; Magician Fran Flynn at 2 p.m. and a screening of Wicked For Good at 7:40 p.m., according to the website. On Tuesday, Aug. 18, events include “magician, juggler, funny guy” Richard Clark at 10 a.m.; Lindsay and her puppet pals at 11 a.m., and touch-a-truck with vehicles from Hampton Police and Fire departments, the website said. On Wednesday, Aug. 19, events include “Shimmer & Shine: The Magic of Being You! Party Palace Show” at 10 a.m.; “Explore the Ocean World Oceanarium” at 11 a.m., and Drumatix at 1:30 p.m., according to the website, where you can download a full schedule.

Save the date

• CelebratEd welcomes Manchester students back to school with an event on Thursday, Aug. 20, from 4 to 7 p.m. in Victory Park in Manchester offering backpacks and school supplies, haircuts and clothing support, a family resource fair and school registration assistance, according to manchesterproud.org/celebrated.

• Tickets are on sale now for Cat Kid Comic Club The Musical, based on the Dog Man spin-off series by Dav Pilkey, which will be on stage at the Chubb Theatre at the Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St. in Concord, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m. See ccanh.com.

The Civil War and the Roman Empire

Battles and more reenacted at History Alive 2026 in Hillsborough

“We give people a chance to experience history, first hand,” said Traci Blain, one of the organizers of Hillsborough’s History Alive event happening Saturday, Aug. 15, and Sunday Aug. 16. “It’s like walking through a time-line.” This includes history from the Roman Empire to World War II, she said. “We [stage] different battle scenarios as well as open field cooking — how that worked during the French and Indian Wars. There are demonstrations of apple cider making, and gold panning. We have two authors coming. Marek Bennett is a comic book author who writes books about the Civil War. And we have another Civil War author coming, who writes … novels about the Civil War.”

History Alive is a yearly two-day event put on by the Hillsborough Historical Society. Re-enactors present different periods in American and European history, and guests can walk through and experience some of what life was like in those time periods.

“It’s a sort of total immersion in times that have passed us,” Blain said. “You can see the full sort of setup of a settler, what a settler might look like, who are the folks that sold to the guys on the field. The Vikings will show you how they make chain mail, and they will show you how they engaged in the battle. The company in the back, Black Spear, will show you how to shoot an arrow and what that looks like, with a bow and arrow, from medieval times. In the Civil War, they’ll show you a full battle out on the field, and we have a cannon that goes off, which is very loud across the valley. That’s pretty amazing. And this year we actually have both sides of World War II, and they’ll be doing a battle as well.”

Historical re-enactors have a reputation for meticulous attention to detail, Blain said. “It’s folks from all over the world and they’re very dedicated to each of their ‘realms,’ if you will, and they’re very accurate. They all live for the weekends when they are part of that year they’re portraying. My son and I are actually part of a Civil War unit as one of the organizers. We got involved helping to organize History Alive about three years ago when it was sort of losing steam because it had lost some volunteers. We got involved to help out, organize, and got hooked. My son fell in love with the event when we started helping with it. And it’s been great ever since. We’re part of the Third Maine [Civil War infantry unit]. They don’t generally join us this weekend, but we will be in full dress. My son is 16. He started as a drummer boy and has moved up to the infantry.”

History Alive will take place in two locations, Blain said, in Kemp Park and on Jones Road. “Our Kemp Park event will also be open on Saturday. And that is about Hillsborough history, by the river. And that’s only on Saturday. But Saturday and Sunday is the event. The $10 charge to get in — for adults only; kids are free — lasts all weekend. So you only have to pay once. And you can see all the events.”

Blain said History Alive’s immersive quality makes it different from many other historical festivals.

“It’s really fun to learn all about the different eras and that you can sort of walk through time and see things change, from tent structure to equipment, to fighting with swords to fighting with guns. You can see that progression as you walk through the event itself, which is one of the few places you can do that. The big demonstrations are mostly conflict scenarios — they are what folks like to watch. It’s a crowd-pleaser. But it’s also the smaller demonstrations about cider press and how to cook a whole chicken over a fire. It’s also really interesting to learn because there are all sorts of skills that have gone by that these folks have picked up and learned to do.”

History Alive 2026
Where: In Hillsborough, on Jones Road and in Kemp Park
When: Saturday, Aug. 15, and Sunday, Aug. 16.
More: Admission is $10 for adults, free for children. See historyalivenh.org for a schedule.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

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