Rock ‘N Race sure does make a big difference
When the first Rock ‘N Race was held 15 years ago, it was done to raise a little money for Concord Hospital’s soon-to-be-opened Payson Center for Cancer Care.The Payson Center opened in June of 2003, and over the last decade and a half, almost $4 million has been raised by the event that has seen participation grow from just over 800 in the first year to almost 6,000 last year. Not a bad little run for an road race that founder Steve...
Want to know why people run Rock ‘N Race?
Barbara Meighan Team: Captain of Lincoln Strong! (Originally Friends of Brian Robinson. How long have you participated in Rock ‘N Race? I have participated in the Rock ‘N Race since its inception in May 2003. I was on the planning committee and went to weekly morning meetings with Peter Ellinwood, Steve Duprey and Claudia Walker, when all anyone knew was we wanted to raise money to finish the Payson Center and assist families...
You can’t have a Rock ‘N Race without tunes
The Rock ‘N Race is a peculiar event for musicians. On one hand, it’s a great opportunity to showcase your skills in the heart of the capital city for thousands of people.But on the other hand, most of those people are running in a race and therefore won’t really be able to stop and listen to the music.For Matt Poirier, a musician who plays in Concord all the time – including the past six Rock ‘N Races and the upcoming one – that’s...
Instagram: Check out this race-ready photo we found
With the Rock ‘N Race upon us, we scoured the interwebs for a nice Instagram shot that tied into that theme, and look at what we found. Instagram user @michaelpmurphy posted this shot of his running kicks – and those killer argyle socks! It’s not too often that we see an argyle sock with the skull and crossbones emblem on it, so when we do, we must run it. Have you taken a cool shot around Concord? Put it on Instagram with the hashtag...
After 37 years, McGowan is closing the doors
If you live in Concord and happen to like art, then surely you’ve wandered around McGowan Fine Art.It’s what you’d consider an art institution in these parts, having been in business for 37 years. With a new show every month or so, the walls are always filled with something vibrant or thought provoking.But since the recession hit almost 10 years ago, things haven’t been easy for owner Sarah Chaffee. And a few weeks back, Chaffee made...
GSM to feature tributes to Bruce Springsteen
Fans of The Boss will want to take note – NEC Concord’s next installment of Granite State of Mind will be a tribute to Bruce Springsteen and all of his blue-collar charm.This Saturday, the little campus on North Main Street will turn into E Street, if you will, as some of the rocker’s biggest hits will be played by musicians from the community.The free show starts at 5:30 p.m. with doors opening at 5 – and for a show like this, you...
Dress down for ‘Big Lebowski’ at Red River
Phone’s ringing, Dude!And on the other end is Red River Theatres, letting you know that it’s time for another far-out night of The Big Lebowski.That’s right, the 1998 cult classic Coen brothers comedy is coming back to the big screen for one night only at Red River, and it’s going to be a whole event. On Thursday starting at 7 p.m., get over to Red River – you know, like, at whatever pace feels comfortable, man – to watch everybody’s...
Enjoy drinking water this week
This week is National Drinking Water Week, hosted by the American Water Works Association. The city of Concord is encouraging the community to celebrate by getting to know more about their tap water. The event theme “Your Water – to Know It Is to Love It” inspires people to learn more to better understand and appreciate their drinking water. Concord’s General Services Department provides water treatment and distribution for the...
Dress like a rock star, win tickets
At some point or another, we’ve all dreamt about being a rock star.Sadly, it’s a lifestyle that only a chosen few get to lead.And outside of Halloween, it’s not always an acceptable practice to casually walk around wearing leather pants, no shirt and big gold chains.We know, life isn’t always fair, so it’s a good thing the powers that be at Rock ‘N Race not only enjoy music, but are actually encouraging anyone and everyone taking part...
Backpack program sends kids home with food
There are plenty of important things in life many of us take for granted every day. One of the biggest ones is food. Although many of us have the luxury of choosing where we want to grab a bite whenever we want, there are a lot of families out there who don’t know when or where their next meal is coming from. That’s why volunteers with the Friends Program and Friends of Forgotten Children have teamed up with the Merrimack Valley...
Trunks teach students about Abbot-Downing
What do you remember about some of your history lessons from elementary school? There were probably some glossy-paged textbooks, straight-to-VHS (and poorly acted) educational videos and the occasional puppet show or two, if your experiences were anything like ours.But the kids at Beaver Meadow, Christa McAuliffe and Deerfield Community schools get to learn about the past in a very different, creative and fun way, thanks to a couple...
Don’t miss Herb & Garden Day signups
On June 17, herbal educators and seasoned growers from all walks of life will come together to share their unique knowledge and build upon a tapestry of age old wisdom about herbs and natural medicine, native plants, organic gardening, permaculture, traditional homesteading practices, fermentation, brewing and the power of nature to heal. If you are a curious seeker, intrepid plant lover, herbal entrepreneur, earth lover or natural...
Say hello to the new CYPN ambassadors
The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Concord Young Professionals Network (CYPN) introduces you to our “Young Professionals of the Month,” Katie Mosher and Amanda Winders. Both were recently selected to help launch CYPN’s new Ambassador Program. CYPN ambassadors will play an important role at future networking events by welcoming and assisting guests, and by helping YPs build relationships in the community. Katie Mosher How old...
We won another award from the Grange
Every year, the Concord Grange #322 holds a big to-do to honor many members of the local community – and that includes us. Unfortunately, we were unable to make the annual Community Recognition Night, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t add a shiny new plaque to our collection that now totals eight over the last two-plus years. That’s a pretty impressive haul if you ask us. The Concord Grange is a big fan of the work we do at the Insider,...
On Display: A little splash of color to brighten your day
McGowan Fine Art wants you to enjoy all the excitement that spring brings, and what better way than with a new exhibit called Color Play. It features the work of Natalie Blake, Cathy Chin and Amy Goodwin, and it will be on display through June 2.
Brady Players to stage ‘Little Shop of Horrors’
The Bishop Brady Players are making a comeback this spring.With a new director and head of music leading the operation, the drama club is set to take the stage this weekend for a spring musical – the first show since 2015.“The drama club has been dormant for about a year,” said musical director Ben Greene. “But we’re confident were going to bring back the program.”And it all begins this weekend with three performances of Little Shop...
Students to perform ‘Into the Woods’ at Concord High this week
If you know the stories of Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Jack and the Beanstalk, then you’ll be right at home in the Christa McAuliffe Auditorium this week, beginning Thursday. That’s because the Concord High School drama club is putting on four performances of Into the Woods, a musical that intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales into one big show. The story centers around...
Sign up for your free swim lessons
As the old saying goes, some of the best things in life are free.So it’s kind of a big deal that Concord Housing and Redevelopment is once again footing the bill for children in Concord and Penacook to take swim lessons at no cost.This is the third straight year that Concord Housing and Redevelopment has sponsored Concord Parks and Recreation swim lessons, which should mean there’s going to be a lot of good swimmers in this area in...
Bulletin Board
Check out the Spring Fling Fair Join the fun at the Spring Fling Fair being held at East Congregational Church on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fair will feature a silent auction, crafts, plants, baked goods, gently used clothing, books, “Grandma’s Attic” and more. A wide variety of themed raffle baskets will be offered, as well as tickets for an expertly made double/queen size quilt. Be sure to stop by the East Church cafe for a...
This Week in Concord History
May 9, 1944: The woman who played the title role in Cover Girl, the current feature at the Capitol Theater, is living on Court Street in Concord. She is Susann Foster, a blonde who stands 5-foot-8 in high heels. Foster’s husband, Private Ralph Foster, was a flight instructor at Concord Airport but has been reassigned to the Midwest. Susann Foster stayed behind temporarily to see through her pregnancy. She is due in two weeks. The...
Book of the Week: ‘Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives’
Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives Tim Harford 2106, 294 pages Nonfiction We are asked to clean our rooms as children, and later on to have a neat desk at work, but are there times when being “messy” actually helps matters? Or when things don’t go according to plan, can the messiness of life sometimes provide better, unexpected outcomes? Tim Harford shows how being messy or messy situations can produce amazing...
