■The Concord Coachmen Chorus and Granite Statesmen delight audiences with their presentation of many timeless tunes sung in the Barbershop a cappella style on Aug. 7.
■We will repeat last year’s marvelously successful Open Talent Night during which our friends and neighbors delighted us with their talents on Aug. 14. Come and join the fun! Better yet, if you have a talent you would like to share, check out the Bow Rotary website (www.bowrotary.org) for registration information.
■Dunbarton Old Home Day (OHD) is Aug. 13. Activities and times are: OHD Parade on Route 13 (10 to 10:30 a.m.), retail vendors open (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), OHD Stage features Nevers 2nd Regiment Band (10 to 11:30 a.m.), OHD Stage Wiz Kids Magic Show (noon to 1 p.m.), OHD Stage features BJ Hickman Magician (1:15 to 2 p.m.), OHD food tent opens (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), and LizzFerdina’s performers (2 to 3 p.m.). Free ice cream served by your town officials, homemade pies will be served with ice cream after the pie contest. Donate a pie to win a prize! Face painting, games for the kids, crafting demos all day.
■The police note that traffic on Route 13 will be temporarily delayed/detoured during the Old Home Day parade.
■There’s a new Story Walk at the library. Come read Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On. Start on the north side of the front porch area and avoid the construction. Finish up on the south side. Enjoy.
■Please note the changes to the Library’s schedule: the library will be closed on Aug. 13 and Sept 3. They will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.
■Update on Town Hall Construction: our windows and doors are delayed and will not arrive until Aug 19. The subcontracted mechanical services are here, so work continues.
■The Dunbarton Congregational Church Book Club’s newest selection is Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. For any questions call Barb at 496-3253. All are welcome to join the book club.
■SAU 24 Schools Superintendent Jacqueline Coe, Ed.D, announced the appointment of Maureen Colby as an Instructional Coach; working with teachers to enhance the quality of their lessons and improve student outcomes.
■On Aug. 7 from 10:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., the Edmunds Department Store is sponsoring a Henniker Rotary Club Fundraiser–a Classic Cruise featuring classic, vintage cars, trucks, hot rods, street rods with food specials at Country Spirit Restaurant.
■Tuesday at the Henniker Concert Series is QUEEN CITY SOUL. R&B, soul and funk are hallmarks of this Manchester band. Thursday’s Music at the Market is Mary Fagan + Jock Irvine.
■Mark your calendars for the second annual free Super Scoops concert on Aug. 21 from 4 to 7 p.m. also in Henniker. This year features The Verge.
■The Henniker Historical Society is offering the Henniker’s First Murder bus tour on Aug. 14. The tour is free, but seating is limited. Please check our website at www.hennikerhistory.org for more information and available times.
■On Aug. 8, knitting, crocheting, needle felting, weaving, or bring whatever project you are working on to the Knitting Purls group at Fuller Public Library, at 1 p.m. every Monday.
■Scrabble and Cribbage are played every Thursday at Fuller Public Library starting at 1 p.m.
■Summer Reading final prizes can be picked up at Fuller Public Library on Aug. 12! If your child hasn’t finished reading they have until the end of the month! Thanks to all for participating!
■Hopkinton Human Services is holding its a nnual Back to School Program. We supply school supplies to families in need of assistance. You can help in two ways: send a donation to Hopkinton Human Services at 330 Main St. Hopkinton or shop for new school supplies and drop them at the Slusser Center (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) by Aug. 15. For supply suggestions, check out Hopkinton, NH Human Services Facebook page. For questions, contact us at humanservices@hopkinton-nh.gov or (603) 746-8244. Thank you for your support!
■With the cost of fuel oil and propane rising astronomically, more people are turning to backup cordwood. The Contoocook Carry Community Fund is looking to get a head start on building up a supply of seasoned wood for our community’s Wood for Warmth program. If you can help with a donation of cordwood, please call Mary at (603) 568-2783. For more information see - http://www.cccommunityfund.org/.
■The school’s athletic program has coaching positions open for middle school boys’ soccer and middle school girls’ basketball. If you are interested, please contact Athletic Director Dan Meserve at dmeserve@sau66.org.
■We will be celebrating Leigh (children’s librarian retirement) on Aug. 12 at 11:30 a.m.
■Grounding Stone Farm Certified Organic Blueberries is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pick your own. Optional curbside pick-up. For information, contact groundingstonefarm.com, 746-1064 or kathleenjacobs#groundingstonefarm.com.
■Blueberry season is here at Gould Hill Farm! We are picking Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contoocook Cider Company will be open on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.
■Gould Hill Farm is now picking blueberries and peaches. Lots of fruit makes for easy picking. Pick Your Own hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
■Chief Richard Schaefer was Hopkinton Fire Department’s first firefighter to die in the line of duty. Sept. 2 will mark 10 years since his passing. The Hopkinton Fire Fighters Association Memorial Committee will be erecting a fallen firefighter memorial dedicated to department members who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our community. The memorial will be erected on the river-side of the Contoocook fire station. The committee has chosen a bell to represent those who have fallen. A bell has a distinguished history in the fire service. It was the original method of communication, from ringing out alarms to communicating with other firefighters. When a bell rang 5-5-5, it was the original code to indicate a fire company has returned home. Over the years, this code has become synonymous with a firefighter who has lost his or her life, and “returned home.”
■For more information on how you can contribute to the memorial visit the Hopkinton Fire Department’s Facebook page or email Don Delude at DDelude@comcast.net, Jim Lewis at JamesLewis@TDS.net, or Joe Tristaino at Joe.Tristaino@gmail.com.
■Join us in celebrating the accomplishment of reading 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten at the Family Concert with Mr. Aaron at the Hopkinton Town Library on Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. If your child will be attending Kindergarten this September, keep reading and remember to bring in your log sheets. Children who complete the 1,000 books before Aug. 26 (even if they will not be attending Kindergarten this fall) will receive a certificate and hardcover book at the concert and lots of applause!
■The Contoocook Railroad Museum is open Friday through Sunday all summer long. Hours are Friday (noon to 4 p.m.), Saturday (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Sunday (noon to 4 p.m.). Please stop by, we would love to show you around this wonderful old building.
■HYSA will be running fall sessions for golf, soccer and field hockey. We now have PayPal on our website. For more information and to register, visit www.hysasportsnh.com.
■Pathfinders Nature Preschool at Owen Farm, 580 Brockway Road in Hopkinton. The summer session classes are held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Parents can enroll their children for the summer, or choose the weeks they would like their children to attend. Fall registration for Pathfinders Nature Preschool will be for the full school year. Pathfinders accepts children ages three, four and five who are fully potty trained. For more information, contact Deb Follansbee at (603) 228-9592.
■Calling all gardeners and local farmers - please share some of your fresh garden produce and local eggs in support of those in our community who rely on the Hopkinton Food Pantry. The drop-off dates for this summer’s Shared Harvest and egg donations are Aug. 17 and 31. Details will be posted before each donation date on our Facebook Page - Shared Harvest of Hopkinton. Thank you!
■The End of Summer Concert Series returns every Thursday for six weeks, starting on Aug. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Gazebo in Riverside Park! Bands and dates are listed on the Contoocook Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. The first concert is Senie Hunt Project. This is a free family-friendly event. A beer garden and food tent will be open. All concerts are free of charge thanks to the Town of Hopkinton Merle Dustin Fund and local company donations.
■Check out the Facebook page of the American Legion E. Roger Montgomery Post #81. Together we will work to achieve better and greater things for our soldiers, veterans and their families. Open Tuesday to Friday (2 to 8 p.m.), and Saturday and Sunday (noon to 8 p.m.). Some events are open to the public. Contact (603) 746-4495 for more information.
■The Rec Department is offering kayak and canoe rentals at Kimball Cabins. View the details at www.HopkintonRec.com . Available at specific dates and times.
■To learn more about our 50+ Active Living Programs call the Hopkinton Rec Department at (603) 746-8263 or visit us online at www.HopkintonRec.com. Feel free to stop in the Slusser Center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a tour and to pick up a full list of programs.
■The Slusser Center offers in-person dining for Wednesday Senior Lunch. For details please call the Slusser Center at 746-8265 or drop in at the center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A $5 donation is requested.
■The Police Officers Association of Hopkinton and Contoocook of Commerce announces the revival of the fireworks show, at Elm Brook Park on Sept. 24. Admission is free, and donations are welcome. If you would like to make a donation to the fireworks show, you can send the donations to Police Officers Association of Hopkinton, PO Box 499, Contoocook NH 03229, or Contoocook Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 174, Contoocook NH 03229. Write “fireworks” on the memo line and your donation will go directly to the fireworks funds.
■British Soccer is the week of Aug. 15 at Houston Park. Find information and registration at www.HopkintonRec.com.
■Writing Camp is a time for students entering Grade 3 up to high school to spend a week reading, writing and sharing their literacy experiences with others. The last session is the week of Aug. 15. We have full-day and half-day options. Please contact Trish Walton at trishrishwalton65@gmail.com or Joan Follansbee at joanfollansbee1970@gmail.com for more information and registration materials.
■Dial A Ride is open for rides for Hopkinton/Contoocook residents for medical appointments and any other errands such as shopping, banking and hair appointments. The office hours at the Slusser Center are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. Call (603) 746-4357 to schedule an appointment or to volunteer.
■The Contoocook Farmers’ Market is open Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Gazebo behind the Contoocook Train Depot. Stay up to date by visiting the Facebook page Contoocook Farmers’ Market. SNAP/EBT gladly accepted. The Farmers Market now has seafood available through a fishermen’s cooperative. Community Supported Fishery (CSF) orders for next Saturday’s Farmers Market need to be placed by the posted deadline. In addition to preorders, Blakeney’s will be bringing limited quantities of retail fish to the market. Visit https://www.nhcommunityseafood.com/ for more information.
■Wild Ones Farm is now open at 258 Dustin Rd Contoocook on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Local cheese is available - long aged hard cheese and classic soft cheeses.
■Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn is open every day from noon to 8 p.m! We have delicious ice cream, adorable baby farm animals, colorful flowers, and exciting new products in our farm stand store.
■Reserve your time to Read with Zeke at the Hopkinton Town Library. He loves sitting and listening to a good story. Register for 15 minutes of reading at - hopkintontownlibrary.org.
■Summer Day camp at Back in the Saddle Equine Therapy Center for ages five to 12. Weekly. Contact 746-5681, info@bitsetc.Hopkintonorg or www.bitsetc.org for more information.
■RedHawks Annual Cow Plop fundraiser will be held on Aug. 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn. Each ticket is $35 and this gives you your cow plop square as well as ice cream. Tickets must be purchased or reserved (then pay on the day of the event with cash or check) online at http://www.cowplop.eventbrite.com. Possible $500 winner if the cow plops on your square!
■Aug. 23 and 24 is Move Up Day and PTA sponsored ice cream social at the Harold Martin School. Students and families will meet on the playground at their assigned time. Students will join their teacher for a 20-minute move-up day activity in their classrooms, and they will then rejoin their families on the playground for ice cream. Aug. 23 will be for Kindergarten (5 to 6 p.m.) and 3rd Grade (6 to 7 p.m.). Aug. 24 will be 1st Grade (5 to 6 p.m.) and 2nd Grade (6 to 7 p.m.).
■Girls on the Run is a 10-week program for girls in 3rd and 4th Grades of all fitness abilities. Practice times are on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m.The program starts the week of Sept. 12 at HMS. To learn more about Girls on the Run, registration and financial assistance please visit https://www.girlsontherunnh.org/.
■On Aug. 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. is the Warner Area Farmer’s Market second Annual Summer Arts and Crafts Festival on the Town Hall lawn.
■On Aug. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Warner Town Hall – Warner Historical Society’s Tory Hill Authors Series presents terrestrial ecologist and conservation biologist Tom Wessels, who will join the discussion remotely. Wessels will interpret the history of natural settings by viewing photos submitted by the audience. Send photos of interesting forest features or former agricultural landscapes to info@warnerhistorical.org. Please include your name and the photo location. Tickets are $10 and available at Warner Historical Society, MainStreetBookEnds, online, and at the door. For more information, visit https://www.warnerhistorical.org.
■On Aug. 7 at 4 p.m. – Reed’s North Acoustic presents Chris Bonoli.
■On Aug. 7 4 p.m. the MainStreetBookEndsBookGroup will discuss Untamed by Glennon Doyle.
■On Aug. 10 at 1:30 p.m. the Pillsbury Free Library Book Group will discuss The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren. Copies are available at the library.
■Need infant/toddler childcare? The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central NH will be offering full time care at the Warner Community Center. Pre-enrollment has already begun, and Warner residents will have priority until Aug. 8. Applications will be processed on a first come-first served basis. For more information, visit https://www.nhyouth.org/early-learning-centers/. Highly-skilled ECE educators are also being sought.
■On Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum presents “Warner Palooza!” Showcasing the people and businesses of Warner. For more information, email deputydirector@indianmuseum.org.
■On Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon, the Kearsarge Center for the Performing Arts will hold auditions for its winter show, The Wizard of Oz. To audition, prepare a one-minute song and be prepared to read from the script and learn some dance combinations. Possible call backs are scheduled for Aug. 21 from 3 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.NHPerformingArts.org.
■On Aug. 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Riverside Park – come for a summer night of dancing and family fun to benefit Warner Connects NH. Featuring high energy rock ‘n rollers Nick’s Other Band. WCNH, a volunteer organization, provides food, clothing, and related services each month to over 300 families within 13 towns. Donations to WCNH may be sent to Warner Connects NH, PO Box 402, Warner, NH 03278. For more information, call (603) 456-2053. No pets, please.
■The Family Closet Thrift Boutique always has new stock! Spring and summer jackets, sale on shoes starting at $1, bathing suits, summer dresses, and more. Open Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 49 W. Main Street, Warner. All sales support the Warner Connects NH Food Pantry and Community Resource Center.
■The new 988 Suicide and Mental Health Crisis Hotline is now live! Just dial 988 to reach the NH Rapid Response Access Point. Or, visit https://www.nh988.com for live text chat and a link to call or text the hotline.
■The Pillsbury Free Library has free passes for Library cardholders available to many state parks and museums. Visit https://www.warner.lib.nh.us/books-more/museum-passes/ for more information or call the Library at (603) 456-2289 to request a pass.
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