While we whipped through Henniker in one day, like one of those recent nor’easters, the one thing you should take from this issue is that there’s plenty to do and see in the town.
And that includes tons of great events coming up throughout the year.
We tried to find out as much info as possible so you can keep this page and refer back to it later when you’re looking for something new and different to do.
So without further ado, here’s a bunch of stuff you can check out in Henniker over the next few months.
Pats Peak will host a Pond Skim Contest on March 18 at 1 p.m.
Participants ski or snowboard across Pats Peak’s man-made pond or take the icy plunge on their skis or snowboard. Registration is from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Valley Lodge. Entry 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.
Prizes will be awarded for best costume, best splash and best skim. There will also be a Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Garden.
Don’t feel like participating? It also makes for a great spectator event.
The 16th annual Pats Peak Mountain Bike Festival will be held June 10-11.
You can ride 24, 12 or six hours, or cross country and downhill in many categories. Bicycle riders from all over come to participate in this exhilarating bike weekend. Online registration is available.
You may also go and watch.
Pats Peak will hold its annual Oktoberfest/Ski & Snowboard Sale on Sunday, Nov. 5
Oktoberfest, with King Ludwig’s Bavarian Band, German food, beer garden, kids activities, woodsmen show and N.H. Cowboy Mounted shooting demo, will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the ski & snowboard sale is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Pats Peak with its family celebration from 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
This New Year’s Eve celebration will feature skiing, snowboarding, snowtubing, a two-hour comedy show, dancing to a live band, tasting stations, party favors, a champagne toast and a midnight fireworks display. The slopes are open until 10 p.m.
The Henniker Rotary Club will hold its annual Cat and Dog Rabies Clinic on April 8 at the Henniker Fire Station from 2 to 4 p.m. Vaccinations will be administered by the veterinary team of the Henniker Veterinary Hospital.
Cost for the clinic is $12 each for the first two pets, $6 for each additional pet. The Henniker town clerk will be on hand to provide 2017 dog licensure for local residents. Please bring all dogs on leashes, all cats in covered carriers. If your pet has previously been vaccinated against rabies, bring the receipt with you to qualify for a 3-year vaccination.
For more information about the clinic, contact Ruth Zax at 428-7232 or rbzax@comcast.net.
The 15th annual Fire on the Mountain Chili Fest at Pats Peak will be held Aug. 20 from noon to 4:30 p.m.
Chili makers are wanted, so enter your best chili recipe for a chance to win the cash prize this year. Go to chilinewhampshire.org for more details.
There will be two contests for professional and amateur chili makers as well as loads of family-friendly activities, the car cruise-in, live music, raffles and giveaways and food and craft concessions. Cost is $12 for adults, $6 for children 10 and under.
For additional information, contact marcm@whitebirchcc.org.
On May 20, there will be a summer preview party for the Henniker Concert Series.
The concert series is held Tuesday evenings from 7 to 8:30 beginning June 13 and running through Aug. 22.
Henniker Brewing Co. hosts an Oktoberfest each year, and it’s a pretty fun time. Dates are still being finalized, but we expect it to be in October. You won’t want to miss this festival-type day of fun, music, laughs and beer.
Music On Main Street will return for another day filled with music, food and tons of family-fun activities. The tentative date is Sept. 30, but more details will be available as the event draws closer.
New England College Alumni will hold its fall festival Sept. 15-17.
Fall Festival is an opportunity for parents and family members, alumni and current students to celebrate the season in Henniker. The campus will be bustling with athletic events, opportunities to engage with faculty and staff, great food, and fun.
For more information, go to nec.edu/events/fall-festival/.
NEC will hold its commencement ceremonies on May 13. If you know anybody planning to walk in the ceremony, go out and show your support.
The new edition of Outdoor Guide to Henniker and Hillsborough is in the works and is expected out June 1.
The Henniker Rotary Club publishes the outdoor guide as one of its major service projects to acclimate visitors and new arrivals to the wealth of recreational activities available in our region. The guide includes comprehensive information on hiking, walking, biking and snowmobiling trails, as well as information on where to swim, fish, boat, eat and take photographs. It is distributed free to the public.
For more info, go to hennikerrotaryclub.com/.
Insider staff
