March
March 11
Ice Out Contest sponsored by Whitefield Lions Club
“Ice Out” Contest on Lake Forest. Guess the correct date and time that the ice will thaw and the weight will go through the ice. Tickets will be sold until April 1. Submit your guess on the exact time and date the ice will go out; this date can be past April 1. Tickets can be purchased from any Whitefield Lions Club member or contact Don at 837-2600. Submit the correct guess through a $1 donation or 6 tickets for $5 by April 1. All guesses must include date and time to win the 50/50 raffle.
March 14
Friday Gliders at Jackson Ski Touring
Friday Gliders, a two-hour ski tour at Jackson Ski Touring Foundation led by ski school instructors and friends, beginning at 1 p.m. Technique tips offered. After skiing the group gathers in the Touring Center for refreshments and socializing. $10 per person for the day, plus pass or annual members can join for the season for $45. For more information and to register email info@jacksonxc.org or call 383-9355 or visit http://www.jacksonxc.org.
March 15
Nature Tour on Snowshoes
Two-hour instructional nature tour on snowshoes with expert guide starting at 10 a.m. Jackson Ski Touring Foundation guides will show you places along the trails and off the system that most people would never get to find. This is a fun and interesting tour led by snowshoeing experts who will also give technique tips along the way. Pre-registration suggested. Tour price $10. Tours start at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Rentals available for just $12. For more information or to register email raetha@jackson.org or call 383-9355 or visit http://www.jacksonxc.org.
Spring Mania: Mullet Mayhem 80’s Weekend
Bust out the neon jackets, jeans and hair spray for Mullet Mayhem 80’s Weekend! Visit the website for more details. Attitash Mountain Resort, Bartlett. 800-223-7669, attitash.com.
March 16
Ski with a Naturalist
Every Sunday join a naturalist from AMC to really get to know Pinkham Notch. You will learn about the flora and fauna, scout for animal tracks, listen for bird calls, and identify trees in the Glen. You truly begin to understand how the ecosystem works in Pinkham Notch. Free with a trail pass. 1 Mount Washington Auto Road, Gorham. 466-2333, greatglentrails.com.
March 22
Pond Skim at Pats Peak Ski Area
This is a great event for participants and spectators. Participants ski or snowboard across a man-made pond or take the icy plunge on their skis or snowboard. Registration is from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Valley Lodge. Entry fee is free but the purchase of at least a Bluster Area lift ticket (or Pats Peak season pass) and a costume is required to enter the contest. Event starts at 1 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for best costume, best splash and best skim. There will also be a live band and a Pabst Blue Ribbon beer garden. 1 p.m., 686 Flanders Road, Henniker. 428-3245, patspeak.com.
Spring Craft & Specialty Food Fair
The 17th annual Spring Craft and Specialty Food Fair will be held indoor at the Rockingham Park Racetrack in Salem on March 22 and 23. Over 175 of New England’s finest craftsmen and women will display and sell their American made arts, crafts, and specialty foods. Admission $7 adult, under 14 free. One admission is good for both days. Directions: From Route 93 take Exit 1, “Rockingham Park” Salem. Festival Hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free parking. For more information, call 332-2616 or print a discount admission coupon at castleberryfairs.com.
Maple Weekend 2014
Over 110 sugar houses statewide were open for the 19th annual New Hampshire Maple Weekend on March 23 and 24 in 2013. Join the fun and learn why we are celebrating the sweetest season of the year when it comes around again. Maple Weekend 2014 will be March 22 and 23. A list of participating sugar houses will be available online. nhmapleproducers.com.
Howl at the Moon – Big Air Under the Lights
The park will be lit up as both skiers and riders take their turns flying over the jump in Exhibition Terrain Park. The competition will kick off at 7 p.m. with warm ups, followed by the main event at 7:30 p.m. $6,000 in cash and prizes is being awarded to athletes. It is free for spectators get in on the action by walking up to the jump zone to enjoy the tunes pumping from the Red Bull MTX truck and get an up close and personal view. Restaurants open until 10 p.m., shuttle until 10:30 p.m. Spectators are welcome to partake in the on-hill sampling from Coca-Cola, popchips, Core Power, Illy, Honest Tea, Zico, and more! T-Bars and Buckets Restaurants will be open with full food and beverage options available until 10 p.m. Grab a Blue Moon on special at both locations and pick up some Blue Moon swag from the promo girls! The shot skis will be flowing with Smirnoff and Gopa Dark Chocolate. 1 Ski Area Road, Waterville Valley. 236-8311, waterville.com.
March 29
Home Brew Contest and Farm to Table Dinner
Come celebrate the beginning of spring with delicious local foods prepared in our farmhouse and taste a variety of home brewed beverages. Help select the favorite beverage and the brewer will receive a special prize. Bring a six pack of your own brew to enter into the contest and receive $5 off your ticket. Proceeds benefit Cumings Conservation Center. $25/ members, $30/ nonmembers. 7 p.m. 126 South Road, Deerfield. 463-3086, cumings.org.
Spring Mania: Attitash Pond Skim
Don’t miss the closing weekend at Attitash Mountain Resort featuring the annual Attitash Pond Skim. Attitash Pond Skim registration is from 8 to 9:45 a.m. in the South Wing. Free. Event held at base of Attitash. 12 p.m., awards: 2 p.m. in the South Wing. Attitash Mountain Resort, Bartlett. 800-223-7669, attitash.com.
The Magickal Marketplace & Psychic Faire
Join us for a full day of family fun with New England’s best live entertainment, psychic readers, magickal merchants, and much more! Catch live performances ranging from Celtic rock to classical harp on the main stage. Get a reading from one of our talented psychics- Not just tarot and palm readings, but such perse forms as runes, guardian angels, bone casting, tea leaves, and shamanic counseling. With nearly 20 psychics using over a dozen methods, You’re sure to find just the right match. Shop dozens of merchants for everything from bath and beauty products to original artwork, unique handmade clothing and jewelry, herbal and apothecary products, books and CDs, musical instruments, crystals, ceremonial tools, incense, candles, and tons of other amazing wares. Attend a class on astrology, fairy magic, or Qigong healing. Get a temporary henna tattoo, Reiki healing, or massage. Enjoy a panel discussion, or just explore everything the marketplace has to offer. Returning to the Radisson Hotel in Nashua for our third annual event. $6 Admission, or just $4 with the donation of a nonperishable food item to help those in need. 12 p.m. Radisson Hotel, 11 Tara Boulevard, Nashua. 986-9200, themagickalmarketplace.com.
Lakes Region Spring Craft Fair
Don’t miss this fabulous arts and craft fair with a variety of juried exhibitors including glass art, quilts, clothing, jewelry, wooden items, birdhouses, garden art, plants, folk art, seasonal floral arrangements and lots more. Buy American made arts and crafts. 10 a.m., Saturday and Sunday. Free. Opechee Conference Center, 62 Doris Ray Court, Laconia. 528-4014, joycescraftshows.com.
April
April 3
Signs of Spring
(Fishways Funday)
Spring is in the air – as days get longer and the weather gets warmer, life along the river starts to wake up. Discover this for yourself as we explore the outdoors and search for the many signs of spring. Fundays are for children ages 4-5 accompanied by an adult. Programs include fun outdoor exploration and indoor craft making. 9:30-11 a.m. or 12:30-2 p.m. Call 626-3474 to register. $8 per family. Advance registration with payment required. Amoskeag Fishways Learning and Visitors Center, 4 Fletcher St., Manchester. 626-3474, amoskeagfishways.org.
April 5
Wildcat Trail 80th Anniversary
Join us this spring to commemorate the Wildcat Trail and it being the catalyst for the eventual development of Wildcat Mountain ski area. Free. Wildcat Mountain, Pinkham Notch. 888-754-9453, skiwildcat.com.
April 6
Spring Family Farm Day
Bring your family to the farm for a day of fun for everyone. Join us for a day of fun activities that include cow milking, making butter, egg collecting, pony rides, hay jumping in the hay loft, sheep shearing, arts and crafts and more. Don’t forget to bring your bathing suits and towels for swimming in the indoor pool. The rowboats and paddleboats, swings and sandbox, tennis, shuffleboard and volleyball courts will be available for use all day. Rates include all activities, lunch, tax and gratuity. 9 a.m. $25 age 16-adult; $20 per child age 2-15. 460 Monadnock St., Troy. 242-6495, east-hill-farm.com.
April 12
Ospreys
The Little Nature Museum presents “Ospreys” with senior naturalist, Dave Erler, of the Squam Lakes Science Center. Join us for a rare opportunity to meet a live osprey up close and discover how this once threatened fish-eating raptor is doing today. This program examines the natural history of ospreys and the current research using satellite transmitters for tracking. Library directions: hopkintontownlibrary. org. Free; donations appreciated. 1:30 p.m., Community Room, Hopkinton Town Library, 61 Houston Drive, Contoocook. 746-6121, littlenaturemuseum.org.
Spring Festival
Join us at Cumings Conservation Center for spring crafts, outdoor and garden activities, petting barn animals and baby chicks. We’ll have an Easter Egg hunt (weather permitting) and reservations can be made with Christine Driscoll (christinedriscollphotography.com) for an Easter photo shoot. Take a walk to the beaver pond and bring a picnic lunch. Suggested donation $20/ family – free if you reserve a photo shoot with Christine. 10 a.m. 126 South Road, Deerfield. 463-3086, cumings.org.
April 20
Seacoast Bike Swap
Sell a bike or buy a bike or both at the region’s largest annual used bike sale. There will be hundreds of used bikes for sale under the big tent in the Papa Wheelies parking lot. If you want to sell a bike in the swap you must bring it in the week leading up to the event. You set the price. 11 a.m. 653 Islington St., Portsmouth. 427-2060, papa-wheelies.com.
April 27
Color Me Rad 5K
Color Me Rad is coming to Manchester on April 27. New Horizons will be the beneficiary of this fun run. Color Me Rad is a 5K with the sole purpose of helping people smile. The event is not competitive and not timed. Walkers and runners are both welcome. Every .62 of a mile there are “color stations” where volunteers throw colored cornstarch on the participants, turning them into lovely, colorful running works of art. Registration is open at colormerad.com. Please use promo code: HORIZONS so we receive a portion of the registration. The race starts at 10 a.m. at Veteran’s Park in downtown Manchester. $40 until March 28; $45 until April 18. 300 Elm St. at Merrimack and Center Streets, Manchester. 668-1877, colormerad.com.
April 29
2014 Fish Festival
Line up and cheer on United States Fish and Wildlife biologists when they deliver adult broodstock salmon, or other trout species, to stock our fish ladder at 10 a.m. The wild fish have yet to swim up the Merrimack River, but the ladder is running and there will be fish in our window for up close and personal viewing while we wait. Fish stocking will be followed by fish crafts, fish hats, fish games, and fish fun – lots of fishy fun. $3 per person or $6 per family. (Fee does not cover extended family). No registration necessary. 4 Fletcher St., Manchester. 626-3474, amoskeagfishways.org.
May
May 4
Cycle the Seacoast
Cycle the Seacoast will celebrate it’s 5th annual ride in 2014. This fundraising cycling event brings beautiful views of the historic Seacoast in Portsmouth. A variety of route options make this event family friendly for all ages. Don’t delay, register today to support the American Lung Association in New Hampshire. At Little Harbour School in Portsmouth. Route options: 25, 50 or 100 miles Registration is $35 (non-refundable & non-transferable). Registration fee does not count toward fundraising minimum. Fundraising requirements: $250 minimum ($125 for ages 7-17). $35. 7 a.m. Little Harbour School, Portsmouth. 624-0302, biketreknewengland.org.
May 10
38th Annual N.H. Sheep and Wool Festival
Over 100 vendors featuring fiber, wheels and spinning equipment, sheep, alpacas, breed displays, herding dog demos, fleece show and sale, children’s make and take, food vendors, workshops. $8. 9 a.m. Deerfield Fair Grounds, 34 Stage Road, Deerfield. 895-4281, nhswga.org.
Spring into Healthy Living Street Fair
At the Concord Co-op. All your favorite vendors from the Co-op will be participating with samples and information. There will also be lots of family friendly activities including a petting zoo! Free for all our customers and friends! 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
May 16
Strafford Wind Symphony Spring Concert
Historic Rochester Opera House performance. Catch the thrills of rhythmic and challenging compositions that will take you on an eclectic journey. “Carmina Burana” by Carl Orff, one of the most recognizable classical music pieces ever written will set the stage for an evening of melodies you won’t soon forget. “Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann” is based on The Happy Farmer, and encompasses all manners of rhythm and melody. The Strafford Wind Symphony is also thrilled to feature two of its own as soloists: Concerto for Saxophone in three movements, an original composition by local artist, Dr. Morton Gold, will be played by alto saxophonist Deb Gardell, who is a music educator in Berwick, Maine. The talented percussionist, Retired USAF David Long, will be featured on Peter Tanner’s Sonata for Marimba. Put a spring into your step at our annual spring concert. $12/ adults, $7/children under 12. 7 p.m. 31 Wakefield St., Rochester. 335-1992, rochesteroperahouse.com.
May 17
Full Moon Hike – The Flower Moon
Join us for stories and a walk in the woods along easy paths that accommodate people of all ages. Bring a flashlight to help you navigate uneven terrain. This guided hike will end with a bonfire and cider in cold weather and candles and lemonade in warm weather. Please register ahead of time so that we know how many to expect. $8 Amherst resident, $10 nonresident; $20 Amherst resident family, $25 nonresident family. 8 p.m. Peabody Mill Environmental Center, 66 Brook Road, Amherst. 673-6248, amherstrec.org.
May 25
Wildquack Duck River Festival
Jackson celebrates the 25th anniversary of the “Wildquack” Duck River Festival. 2014 is the 25th running of the ducks and it promises to be even more exciting this year. The fun begins at 8 a.m. as we offer great local and visiting food vendors, kids games and challenges, the Jackson Fire Department obstacle course, 5 Minutes of Fame Wildquack Duck Stage, Jackson’s Cake Boss Competition and more surprises as we celebrate our big 25th Anniversary. “Wildquack” the Duck will be there to welcome you to Jackson Village. With no admissions fee anyone can cheer, laugh and feel the excitement as more than 3,108 ducks bob and splash their way to the finish line. Your Duck Race ticket could win you more than $1,000 in cash or one of more than 60 other valuable prizes. Every year more than $10,000 in cash and prizes are won. Jackson Village Park, Rt. 16A, Jackson. 383-9356,.jacksonnh.com.
