Insider staff
Mark your calendars: The Kiwanis Spring Fair, one of the hallmark spring events in Concord, is right around the corner. That is, if you live right around the corner from Everett Arena.
Everybody’s favorite parking lot party is coming back for a 61st year starting Thursday and lasting until Sunday.
If you’ve been before (which there is a good chance of, given how long the fair has been running), you know what to expect. If not, well, that’s what we’re here for.
The spring fair is the Kiwanis Club of Concord’s largest fundraiser, with proceeds used to support the mission of Kiwanis, which is to serve the children of the world. Proceeds go to things like scholarships, local food programs, summer camps, youth sports teams and three area high school Key Clubs.
The fair will feature a variety of games, rides and food vendors, and it will also coincide with the season opener of Granite State Roller Derby, which will take place inside the arena during the fair Saturday. And don’t worry about the rides – they will all be freshly inspected for safety, said Ken Georgevits, immediate past president of the Concord Kiwanis.
Admission to the fair will be free, but games and ride ticket prices vary.
Although the rides and games in the parking lot might be the main draw, there’s activity inside, too.
“We’ve tried different things inside, from battle of the bands to motorcycle shows to what we do now, which is the roller derby, which is a very interesting thing because it’s a flat track, and I don’t know how your ankles do the corners,” Georgevits said. “These women actually pay to be in these clubs, and they just go down and have a good time with it.”
Because the roller derby participants have to pay to play, there’s a small fee to watch the derby – which will be Saturday at 5 p.m. – usually less than $10, Georgevits said. He didn’t have the exact price as of last week because GSRD sets the price.
There are some deals to be had, though. For $25, you can get a wristband that gets you on all the rides. There are also coupons available at Sanel Auto Parts, Merrimack County Savings Bank by the Holiday Inn and AAA on Fort Eddy Road that get you a wristband for just $20. There’s a limit of one per person. Parking is free right at Everett Arena.
The fair will run from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
