Time to lace up those skates for a few laps
So far, it’s been a pretty good season for winter activities.Between the cold snaps, plentiful snowstorms and the fact it’s still only January, cold weather enthusiasts have been reaping the benefits of what has been the most wintry winter in recent memory.It seems like we’re usually well into the first month of the year before things really start to kick into gear on the winter fun schedule (if we even have snow), but people have...
Get the lowdown on the Concord Theatre project
After sitting vacant and forgotten for many years, the Concord Theatre is set for a monumental comeback, which around these parts we’re getting quite used to – at least when it comes to the hometown football team. Last year, it was announced that the Capitol Center for the Arts was planning to renovate the longtime downtown movie house into a multi-purpose entertainment venue. A story in Monday’s Monitor detailed the purchase of the...
The Harlem Wizards are coming to Concord
Any time the Harlem Wizards come to town, they always put on a good show.So that’s reason No. 1 why you should buy a ticket to Wednesday’s game at Bishop Brady High School. The other? It’s a fundraiser for Jeremy Woodward and his effort to bring in lots of money for Tedy’s Team, which he will be running with for a fourth straight Boston Marathon in April.This will be the third year that Woodward and a group of locals will take the...
Big night for the N.H. theater community
For the last 15 years, the New Hampshire theater community has come together to recognize its own. This Saturday night will make it an even 16. The Capitol Center for the Arts is once again home to the N.H. Theatre Awards – where they honor the best production, best director, best actor – and actress – among others, for youth, community and professional productions that wowed audiences during the last year. Not only is it a night...
Art & Bloom will help brighten up your week
Right about now, we could all use a splash of spring. And do we have just the thing: The Concord Garden Club’s 16th annual Art & Bloom.It’s an art show like no other, as members of the garden club and local designers use a piece of creative work as inspiration for a floral arrangement. The interpretation can be literal or completely abstract. That’s the beauty of the show – you never really know what the designer is going to come...
There’s plenty to look forward to in 2018
Concord has seen quite a bit of change over the past few years.There was the whole Main Street project that spanned two summers and has turned the downtown area into a destination. Selfishly, there was the complete overhaul of the Sewalls Falls Bridge that now allows us Monitor/Insider folks to turn right out of the parking lot.The city is now home to a pair of breweries (Lithermans Limited and Concord Craft Brewing) that has greatly...
SOCK Club joined the Holiday Card Challenge
For as long as Laura Landerman-Garber can remember, she had a simple rule when it came to Thanksgiving dinner in her house: If you wanted to eat, you had to make a card for a member of the military.So her kids would draw pictures and write little notes. Depending on how many people attended the holiday meals, they would have at least 20 cards to distribute.It’s been a long-standing tradition that has sent cards all over, with...
Robbie Lakeman is a Donkey Kong master
Robbie Lakeman knew it was going to take just about a perfect game to reclaim the world record. But having already broken the all-time high mark for Donkey Kong on six occasions, Lakeman knew it was possible – albeit a tall task. It had been more than a year and half since he owned the best score in history for the classic arcade game, but the goal to be back on top was always in the back of his mind. It didn’t matter he had taken a...
It’s clear that Tim is no Donkey Kong genius
I understand that scoring more than 1.2 million in any arcade game is worth celebrating, especially when it results in a world record.But after watching Robbie Lakeman showcase his Donkey Kong skills last week, it didn’t look all that difficult to score some major points. In no way am I saying I could come anywhere close to Lakeman’s record – the one he just set, or any of the previous high marks he reached.Yet, the 1981 Nintendo game...
This is not your child’s kind of dollhouse
Like most homes, the one Rae Edmunds and her daughter Lonna Abbott are building is constantly changing.They like to make little tweaks here and there, in order to get each room just right.But this isn’t a house that the mother-daughter duo will be living in, selling or renting out. That’s because it’s a dollhouse – a replica of Edmunds’s childhood home on Mountain Road to be exact. They began building it in September, and got the roof...
No slowing down the Holiday Food Basket Project
Mother Nature did her best to try and derail the Capital Region Food Program’s annual Holiday Food Basket Project. With snow coming down for a good chunk of the satellite/recipient pickup day and ice for the delivery day, it wasn’t exactly the most ideal weather conditions for getting food to more than 2,000 families. But with this being the 44th year of the project, a lot more needs to happen to stop all that food from going out the...
Take a trip down memory lane 2017 with us
Well, it’s just about time to close the books on another successful year of The Concord Insider.But before we officially say goodbye to 2017, we felt it was only right to take a trip down memory lane. It was a monumental 12 months for us as we experienced, covered and reported on some pretty important stories. Although instead of ranking what appeared in the Insider from one to 10, we thought it would be best to touch upon all the...
We took plenty of great photos during 2017
Over the course of 12 months, we photograph a lot of things. Whether it’s an event, for a feature or something we come across, we always have our cameras ready to capture the action. And in 2017, we had a pretty good year in the ol’ snapshot department. After spending some time last week combing through every edition of the Insider, we came up with a collection of cool, fun and quirky photos we took last year – and here’s a...
Concord makes it easy for Instagram users
Every month, we search Instagram for impressive shots of Concord to share with all of you. And since this is the Year in Review Issue, we figured why not bring a few of the best ones back for a little photo spread. You’re welcome!
Best Missed Connections from 1st half of 2017
As many of you have told us, the Missed Connections is a highlight of your Insider reading.So since this is a look back at 2017, we figured why not go through all the postings we found over the course of the year and share them once again.What we found is that there were lots of good ones, so to ensure we got them all in, we’ll print the first half of the year this week and the second half in the Jan. 2 issue.And if you happened to...
Live music, theater and movie listings for Concord
It’s the week of New Year’s Eve, which means there should be plenty going on in the entertainment world in Concord. And while there is indeed plenty of entertainment ahead this week, the stuff that’s happening on New Year’s Eve is listed separately – you (should have) just read it all on the previous two pages. Therefore, here’s the best of all the entertainment in Concord that does not have anything to do with New Year’s Eve or Day....
Bulletin Board
NHTI is hosting a winter open house Explore NHTI at our winter open house on Jan. 4, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., in the Student Center/Wellness Center Gym.Learn about our 90 academic programs, tour our 240-acre campus and find out about campus life at NHTI. Meet current and former students, academic department heads and representatives from admissions and financial aid.Contact the admissions office at 230-4011 or nhtiadm@ccsnh.edu for...
Book of the Week: ‘Furthermore’
FurthermoreTahereh Mafi2016, 401 pagesChildren’s fantasy When her 12th birthday arrives, Alice Alexis Queensmeadow lives in a town where magic is farmed, carefully controlled and turned into currency. Each child there has her own magical gift, and at the age of 12 is assigned a task that uses that gift. Alice meets Oliver, a much disliked older boy who is still on his own quest, and he convinces her to come with him to the land of...
Did you receive an unwanted Christmas gift?
It happens every year.You’re sitting in front of the Christmas tree with an unopened gift in your hand. You peel back the wrapping paper to reveal . . . something you don’t want, need or have any use for.It was a thoughtful gesture, so you politely thank the person who gave you the gift, before putting it in a closet the day after Christmas to be forgotten about until the next time you go to clean out that closet.But this year, we...
This Week in Concord History
Dec. 26, 1856: A fire reduces Concord’s Phenix Hotel to ashes. It will rise again on the same spot.Dec. 26, 1900: The police foil a murder for hire in Concord. The hitman turns in the woman who offered him $10, her rings and a pair of opera glasses to kill her estranged husband. The woman, 26-year-old Carrie Sinclair Huntoon, is a Concord belle who can trace her ancestry to the Pilgrims. She will be found insane and committed to the...
N.H. Federal Credit Union wants to teach you
Do you struggle when it comes to spending money you don’t necessarily have?Are you looking to buy a house or a car, and don’t really know where to begin?Is your credit score not quite where you want it to be?Well, N.H. Federal Credit Union wants to help. It’s been almost two years since they turned their 47 N. Main St. branch into the Center for Finance & Education. That’s where they hold free classes on the topics we just...
Stop by a gallery or two this week
Concord is home to lots of great locations to see some incredible art.So that means at any given time, there will be a wide range of work on display all over the city.It’s hard keeping track of all the shows, hours you can view them and how long they’ll be around. So we’ve compiled this trusty list for you, so you can concentrate on checking out the art.McGowanIntermission Show: New and Old WorkThrough Jan. 27Hours: Tuesday through...
There are more great finds outside downtown
As you probably know, shopping in Concord is really defined by two areas: downtown and everywhere else.And since it’s way too big of an area for one person to cover, we split up our search for the places in the city where you might find some good last-minute Christmas shopping. If you missed it, Jon gave you ideas for the downtown area (mostly Main Street), so this piece will provide options for outside of that area.Now, before we get...
Take a guided tour of the N.H. Historical Society
As one of the original 13 colonies and the first state to have its own constitution, New Hampshire is rich in history.Plus, it’s a pretty awesome place to live, so it’s no wonder the New Hampshire Historical Society is filled with fun, interesting and educational artifacts spanning hundreds of years.If you grew up in the Granite State, odds are you took a school field trip to the state historical society, but even if you’ve been there...
Interested in learning how to home brew?
Have you ever wondered how your favorite beers are made? Or what is required to take all those ingredients and combine them in a way that produces a delicious tasting adult beverage?And is it possible to replicate it at home?Well, you’re not alone in that line of thinking. And it just so happens there is a club that will help answer any and all questions you may have when it comes to making beer yourself in the comforts of home.The...
It’s quite the process to make a batch of beer
Since opening the doors in April of last year, Lithermans Limited has seen its fair share of milestones.They have graduated from only being able to serve flights – small tasters of their beers – to offering up full pints of their tasty creations. They now serve food and recently expanded their tap room.And just last week, Lithermans brewed a double batch for the first time, using their brand new seven barrel fermenter.The fermenter is...
We like having choices when it comes to beer
For the longest time, one of the biggest knocks on Concord was that there were not any local breweries to frequent.Well, that has greatly changed all within the last two years thanks to the addition of not one, but two local spots that make some pretty tasty beers. Lithermans Limited opened its doors at 126 Hall St. Unit B in April of 2016, while and Concord Craft Brewing Co. became a new addition to the downtown scene at 117 Storrs...
Play in a mini tournament at Beaver Meadow
If you’re someone who likes to spend your warm weather days wandering around a golf course hitting tiny white balls, you might be going through a little withdrawal right about now.It’s going to be several long and cold months until the snow clears and the ground thaws where you can get back out on the links – unless you take a vacation to a much warmer climate.But we’ve got a solution to your golf blues that won’t adversely affect...
Go Try It: Make some art for Love, Lust and Desire
Are you an established artist or someone who merely likes to create paintings or drawings in your free time?Have you always wanted to be a part of a really cool exhibit that tons of people look at, but don’t really know how to get involved?Well, might we suggest submitting your work for McGowan Fine Art’s 10th annual Love, Lust and Desire show.It’s a community grab bag of a show that is ever changing. And you don’t have to be an...
Get in the giving spirit
We’re probably a lot alike in the fact that we can’t wait for Christmas morning to come.There’s nothing quite like walking up to the ol’ tree all sleepy-eyed and seeing a pile of presents all neatly wrapped, waiting to be torn open.But unfortunately, there are many out there not as fortunate to have more than a single present to open. Some families don’t have the ability to buy anything to go under the tree.It’s sad, but there’s a way...
