This Week in Concord History
March 13, 1782: The Legislature meets in Concord for the first time. The site is “the Old North,” the First Congregational Church. The building will burn in 1870. It was on the site of the former Walker School. March 13, 1852: For the third time in three years, local voters reject a plan to turn Concord from a town to a city. The vote is 458 in favor and 614 against. March 13, 1855: Edward H. Rollins of Concord and his American...
Luthier Steve Marcq to demonstrate guitar-making skills at Traditional Craft Days
Everyone has seen guitars before, and many of you have played them. But how often do you get to see a guitar built by hand, completely from scratch? If you’ve never seen it done, you owe it to yourself to check out Traditional Craft Days at Canterbury Shaker Village on Sunday to watch luthier Steve Marcq in his natural habitat. Marcq is in his 60s now, but he’s been playing guitar since he was 15. A lifelong love of the instrument...
What’s the deal with Concord’s five college campuses, anyway?
We were sitting around the office one day recently trying to think of issue ideas when a random thought popped in to someone’s head – “Hey, doesn’t Concord have a bunch of college campuses? We should do an issue about it.” And now here we are, in the middle of the Higher Education Issue. Concord, though never mistaken for a true “college town” like Boston, is actually home to five college or university campuses or satellite campuses,...
Flint knapper George Leduc to demonstrate arrowhead making at Traditional Craft Days
Ever heard of a flint knapper or have any idea what one is? Hint: it’s not someone who steals flints from their homes while they sleep.“Original flint knappers were guys who made gun flints in Europe,” said George Leduc, a flint knapper himself who will be demonstrating at Traditional Craft Days at Canterbury Shaker Village. “They would get some local flint and sit there and chip away at it and shape it into appropriate size and shape...
Concord’s college campuses have a wealth of offerings to, well, offer
We all know that schools are for learning and that an education is the most important thing we can arm ourselves with in today’s world. We also know that college is supposed to be fun.Luckily, some of Concord’s college campuses understand this important balance of work and play and offer plenty of programs that blend the two – and some that even ditch the work element entirely. As institutions of higher learning, colleges are kind of...
Scenes from Intown Concord’s 45th Market Days
Despite some sketchy weather early on, the 45th annual Market Days festival went off without a hitch and saw thousands pass through over the course of the three-day street fair. We dropped by on Saturday to take in the sights.
OLLI at Granite State College provides learning opportunities for older adults
Usually when people think about continuing and higher education, they think of recent high school grads and 20-somethings.But there’s a whole other subset of the population that can – and indeed does – take advantage of post-high school academia: grown adults. For this demographic, there’s the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Granite State College.Known as OLLI, the program provides educational opportunities to those in the...
Food Snob: Fried chicken and all the fixin’s at Georgia’s Northside
Georgia’s Northside, the barbecue joint inhabiting the former Korner Kupboard location on North State Street, is not open yet, but given the massive power of the Food Snob, we were allowed in early for a sneak peek at what’s to come. While the carry-out restaurant awaits its beer permit, it will open for a few hours each Friday night for folks to get a little taste of chef and owner Alan Natkiel’s take on Southern fare. Last Friday,...
Food Snob: Nothing says college like all-you-can-eat lunch
It’s no secret that we like to eat. We pretty much write about food any chance we get.So when we decided to do a Higher Education Issue, it was a golden opportunity to take a trip down memory lane to a time when the simple swipe of a meal plan card could get us all the food we wanted. But it’s not like we could afford anything else anyway. And since NHTI’s Capital Commons Cafeteria is open to the public and we can loosely pass for...
Mark your calendars for all of the free summer concerts coming up
We’re officially into summer now, which can only mean one thing in the capital city – it’s summer concert season.There’s never any shortage of live music in Concord, but when the weather heats up, so does the music scene. There are several long-running outdoor music series that offer free concerts at various locations throughout the city, and there’s even a new series starting this year. We pulled together as many schedules as we...
If you’re planning on going to college, read up
Many moons ago, we were high school students trying to figure out the college puzzle. For one of us, it was a few more moons than the other. But that doesn’t mean we don’t remember the process of trying to come up with a list of schools, thinking about what we wanted to pursue as a major and doing all the research to ensure the school we picked was the right fit. Not to mention the whole financial side of getting a secondary...
Comic artist Amaranthia Sepia has new gallery featuring ‘Emo Bunny’ comic
Amaranthia Gitten-Jones didn’t have it easy growing up. After living in Japan for a few years, she returned to the United States at age 8, and very quickly was forced to deal with relentless bullying at school. This made her anxious, uncomfortable, stressed and depressed. It didn’t get much better over the next few years – eventually, the stress and trauma from all the bullying at school led her to withdraw from traditional school in...
Entertainment: Bar bands and stage shows aplenty in Concord this week
We’re officially into March, which is always a good sign. It’s also a good sign when there’s live music every day and three different stage shows all in the same week, as is the case this week. Check it out. Music Tuesday Mike Walsh at Hermanos Cocina Mexicana at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Walker Lecture Fund Series presents Camerata New England: “Bring it and Swing it” at the Concord City Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Bringing nationally and...
Entertainment: Live Music on the Lawn returns this week
Music Tuesday Scott Solsky at Hermanos Cocina Mexicana at 6:30 p.m. Nevers’ Second Regiment Band at Presidential Oaks at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Open mic at Area 23 at 6 p.m. Paul Donahue at Hermanos at 6:30 p.m. Club Soda outside Concord Public Library at 6 p.m. Thursday Scott Solsky at Hermanos at 6:30 p.m. Ryan Williamson at Cheers at 5 p.m. Friday Dr. Harp Blues Revue at Area 23 at 8:30 p.m. Full Throttle Band at Makris Lobster...
You’ve got two chances to see the Purimshpiel
You might not think of Temple Beth Jacob as a local hotspot for laughs and entertainment, but for at least two nights this weekend it will be.For the last two decades, (this will be the 21st straight year), it is the place to see the temple’s Purimshpiel. Now if you’re not familiar with a Purimshpiel, it’s a comical play depicting the biblical story of Queen Esther, one of only a handful of strong female figures in the Bible. But the...
Bulletin Board: Meetings, free concerts and more
Penacook Village Association meets The Penacook Village Association Annual Meeting will be held Tuesday, June 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Merrimack Valley High School Library. Special guest will be Matt Walsh of city staff who will discuss and answer your questions on TIF (Tax Increment Finance) Districts and provide updates on other ongoing projects. Refreshments will be available. Christine Miller Free concerts in Penacook United...
SouperFest is a soup connoisseur’s dream
Every year, SouperFest gets bigger and bigger – and better and better.The annual event is a soup lover’s dream, with more combinations than one person could possibly attempt to try in one sitting. And while filling up on soup on a Saturday night among family, friends, neighbors and complete strangers is alone worth the price of admission, let’s not forget what SouperFest is really all about. This is the ninth year that it will be held...
Making Good Health Simple: Make a summer fitness bucket list
For the Insider We have the whole summer ahead of us – until we don’t. With the warmer weather comes lots of traditions, outside activities and goals we’d like to accomplish. Then, out of nowhere, “reality” takes over, and forces us to focus more on our daily grind and less on stress relief and fun. Creating a bucket list can keep us in touch with these goals. Although you may not have actually taken pen to paper yet, everyone is...
Tasty Brews: Big Old Seth Airliner from Lithermans Limited
We’re pretty big fans of both craft beer and music. The two really go hand in hand, especially when the weather starts turning nicer. That’s why, in light of the relatively warm, sunny days we’ve been having lately, we stopped by Lithermans Limited, where all the beers are named after something related to music. The brew pub is somewhat buried in a strip mall-type complex on Hall Street, but any beer lover would be wise to keep it on...
The Yogi: Come as you are – farmers markets and yoga
For the InsiderThe Morris Family Band hit the road this past weekend. We packed up the old Honda CRV with our guitars, fiddles and sound system. We stuffed our “backstage” tent and assorted snacks between the seats. We even brought along a portable dance floor, a new addition this year, made by my wife and our fearless leader, Heather. The Morris Family Band does a fair amount of traveling. We bring our little show to town events and...
Short scenes show many relationships
If you want to catch Bow High School’s students’ production of Common Ground, your sole opportunity will be at the New Hampshire Educational Theatre Guild’s festival. Common Ground is a series of vignettes featuring different types of relationships, said Director Sarah Evans. There will be scenes of friendships ending, friendships beginning, sibling rivalries and more. Evans said she chose the play because the series of vignettes...
City Manager’s Newsletter: DOT meeting, Merrimack Lodge opens and more
On Friday, Stefanie Breton, the city’s public information officer, sent out the weekly City Manager’s Newsletter. Here are some of the highlights:City, DOT public workshopThe city of Concord and the state Department of Transportation are holding a joint public workshop on the Bow/Concord Interstate 93 project on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The workshop will be held at the DOT John O. Morton Building, 7 Hazen Drive, Room 114. Everyone is...
It’s a big week for Concord High drama club
Did you know, the last time the Concord High Drama Club participated in the N.H. Educational Theatre Guild state festival, they were one of two state champions crowned? It was two years ago, and happened to be just the second time that director/ adviser Clint Klose had brought his program to perform on the festival circuit. Their performance of My Name is Asher Lev got them not only top billing in the state, but a trip to New...
Book of the Week: ‘Stardust’
StardustNeil Gaiman2012, 270 pagesFiction/Fantasy This small, radiant, adult fairy tale is truly a pearl of great price. Neil Gaiman has taken the traditional narrative of the hero’s quest, dusted it off, shined it up, and powered it with pure, straightforward and sparkling language, to create a fairy tale that can be enjoyed by anyone from teens through every age of adulthood.Tristran Thorn lives in a traditional small town named...
Sandy Wadlington takes you ‘East and West’
After one of the most successful Love, Lust and Desire shows on record, McGowan Fine Art is looking for a repeat performance with its latest show – East & West by Sandy Wadlington. The longtime McGowan artist has included oil paintings, woodblock prints and charcoal drawings into the show’s inventory, as she returns to her original medium (oil) and moves away from the pastels many of her fans have enjoyed over the years. The show...
This Week in Concord History
June 25, 1729: The proprietors of Penacook appoint a committee to find and hire a permanent Congregational minister for the settlement. The minister will be paid 100 pounds a year out of the proprietors’ treasury. A year later, the proprietors will hire the Rev. Timothy Walker for the job. June 25, 1835: A Mormon remembered only as “Mr. Green” in a city history comes to Concord looking for converts. He finds none despite two days of...
Bring your book to True Brew on Wednesday for Books & Brew
It’s that time again – time for Books & Brew. Books & Brew is Concord Public Library’s low-pressure book club that meets once a month at True Brew Barista in Bicentennial Square. It’s unlike most other book clubs in that there’s never any assigned reading. If that doesn’t seem to make sense, that’s okay – this club is meant to be different from most. The idea is you just show up and talk about whatever it is you’ve been...
Welcome to Market Days 2019!
Can you believe it’s already mid-June? You know what that means – it’s time for Intown Concord’s annual Market Days festival, three days full of live music, food, street shopping, games, contests and anything else you can think of that’s fun and summery. We’re heading into the 45th year of this gigantic festival, and it seems to get bigger and better every year. Market Days started off as a glorified sale for downtown retailers. It...
Celebrate Youth Art Month all over the city
For more than half a century, March has held a special meaning among art educators.That’s because the third month of the year has long been designated as Youth Art Month – giving teachers and students across the country a chance to show off all that creative work being made during the school day. And Concord is no stranger to showcasing all that impressive art from someone who just might turn into the next big thing in the art...
Ed Balloon to get the Bank of NH Stage party started on Saturday
With all the outdoor excitement of Market Days, it can be easy to overlook some things that might be going on indoors during the festival weekend. One thing you don’t want to sleep on, though, is the grand opening of the new Bank of New Hampshire Stage on South Main Street on Saturday.The former Concord Theatre, once used as a movie house, has been transformed into a modern, hip, club-like music venue that aims to attract a younger...
