Monadnock Region Thrive Guide 2024 / 2025

THRIVE GUIDE 2024 / 2025

WORK, PLAY, THRIVE IN 34 COMMUNITIES

EXCEPTIONAL ARTS ON FULL DISPLAY

DELICIOUS DISHES FOR EVERY TASTE

FOUR SEASONS OF ADVENTURES

A CULTURE OF COLLABORATION

We believe in the power of YOU, and our supportive community fosters a place where you’ll discover your potential. Our #1 ranked undergraduate teaching puts you first. Explore your interests within a wide range of majors and discover your purpose with hands-on learning and personalized guidance. Become part of a community that empowers you to succeed.

Orthopedic EXCELLENCE IS HERE

Joint Pain? Arthritis? Injury?

You need care you can trust to address your problem and regain your strength, independence, and good health. Monadnock Orthopaedic Associates is here. The care you need, close to home.

Orthopedic Surgery • Sports Medicine

Pain Management • General Orthopedics

EXPERIENCE MATTERS. YOURS. OURS.

The Monadnock Orthopaedic Associates team has been providing orthopedic care in the Monadnock region for more than 25 years. We have board-certified specialists who have trained at some of the most respected hospitals in the country, including the Mayo Clinic, and Tufts New England Medical Center.

Monadnock Orthopaedics Associates offers more personalized, focused care. We take the time to get to know you, your challenges, and your personal goals. Should your continued care require an overnight stay, you’ll be ensured a private room at Monadnock Community Hospital. Our outpatient practice is located in the Bond Wellness Center directly above the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation department for convenient and coordinated care.

SPORTS MEDICINE/PHYSIATRY

Shawn Harrington, MD, FAAPMR

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

W. Bradley White, MD, FAAOS

Vache Hambardzumyan, MD

Kevin Costello, USAF, PA-C

Thomas Quinn, PA-C

PAIN MANAGEMENT

Terrence McNamara, DO, FAAPMR, FABPM

Sarah Neal, APRN

Pictured above left to right, back to front: Dr. Bradley White; Dr. Terrence McNamara; Dr. Shawn Harrington; Kevin Costello, PA-C; Thomas Quinn, PA-C; Dr. Vache Hambardzumyan; Sarah Neal, APRN

WELCOME TO NH’S MONADNOCK REGION!

Welcome to the newest issue of New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region Thrive Guide, your premier gateway to one of the most beautiful regions in the state. I am Luca Paris, President/CEO of the Greater Monadnock Collaborative, and I am so excited for you to discover the spirit of connection and engagement that our region is renowned for. Our magazine, alongside our website MonadnockNH.com, serves as your personal invitation to explore the communities, landscapes and opportunities that define the Monadnock region. Each page offers a glimpse into the unique experiences and enduring bonds that we share as residents and visitors alike.

Through the stories of local leaders, the triumphs of our businesses, and the shared celebrations of our traditions, you’ll discover the myriad ways our region thrives. You’ll read about Dr. Vache Hambardzumyan, an orthopedic surgeon at Monadnock Community Hospital, who found his way to Peterborough after searching for a family-friendly community with ample outdoor activities. Jenni Wu, the chief of staff at MacDowell’s artist residency, shares her love of Toadstool Bookshop, where she and its owner share in the thrill of a brand-new book all about BTS. Winonah LeVine, a care coordinator at NH Care Collaborative, shares how her amazing professors at Keene State College helped set her on a path to working with those who need her skills most. She also rightly shares her love of Burdick’s Tea Room in Walpole, a must-visit while in the area. Julianna Dodson, deputy director of the Hannah Grimes Center, shares how she turned a bedtime story into a real-life fairy adventure in Freidsam Forest for her three children. Magical moments like that are easy to create here. This magazine serves as your guide to a region that is not only connected but deeply engaged in crafting a rewarding experience for everyone. It’s a feeling you can’t miss, whether you’re just visiting for the weekend or establishing your home here. Either way, we can’t wait to welcome you. Enjoy the experience!

The 2024/2025 Thrive Guide is published by the Greater Monadnock Collaborative Regional Chamber of Commerce.

GREATER MONADNOCK COLLABORATIVE

Luca Paris, President & CEO

Julie Schoelzel, Project Manager

EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION SERVICES

Yankee Publishing Inc.

Ernesto Burden, Publisher

Mike Cote, Editor

Sarah Pearson, Managing Editor

Jodie Hall , Creative Services Director

Nicole Huot , Senior Production Artist

AD SALES

Pamela Wilder, Silver Direct Inc.

PRINTING

Cummings Priing

Greater Monadnock Collaborative Regional Chamber of Commerce 48 Central Square Keene, NH 03431 603-352-1303

GreaterMonadnock.com MonadnockNH.com

Copyright 2024; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publisher disclaims all responsibility for omissions or errors.

Luca Paris, President and CEO GreaterMonadnock.com

Paid in part by:

Cover photo by Dirt and Glass

PHOTO BY KELLY FLETCHER

rp[-0/’,

CONTENTS

20 /// Tapestry of Towns

Local places to eat, stay and shop are part of the fabric of the region.

30 /// Wander on the Wild Side Connect with the great outdoors.

38 /// Creative Community

Music and movement, theater and movies, visual art and history — we’ve got it all.

49 /// Businesses of Today Building Tomorrow

Monadnock region innovators are on the cutting-edge of manufacturing and technology.

54 /// Fun for the Family

When it comes to making memories, the Monadnock Region is where they’re made.

62 /// Monadnock Calendar

From downtown festivals to farm tours and open studios, there’s always something exciting to do in the Monadnock Region.

Hikers make their way to Mount Monadnock’s bald summit, where the reward is a stunning 360-degree view of the region.

THE MONADNOCK REGION

Not only is New Hampshire a perennial Top 10 pick overall in U.S. News and World Report’s Best States rankings, but it’s also the No. 1 pick in the category of “Opportunity.” And that’s exactly what newcomers will find in the Monadnock Region, where history and rural beauty meet a spirit of innovation in business, education and the arts. The area has an estimated 100,000 residents, with the greatest number living in the city of Keene, home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England. America’s oldest arts colony can be found in Peterborough, said to be the inspiration for Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.” Harrisville boasts National Historic Landmark status as one of the best-preserved historic industrial villages, while Swanzey is known for its wealth of covered bridges (four in all!). Sitting at the foot of Mount Monadnock, Jaffrey draws hiking enthusiasts from around the world; when winter arrives, ski buffs head to Bennington to hit the slopes at Crotched Mountain. In Rindge, Franklin Pierce University has been educating students since 1962. To discover what it’s like to Live, Learn, Visit and Work here, visit MonadnockNH.com.

In the southwestern corner of New Hampshire, newcomers will find diverse and exciting opportunities to work, stay and play in our region’s 34 welcoming towns.

Community people. Community bank.

Switch to the bank that cares about you and our community.

Truly FREE Checking—no minimum balance, no monthly service charges.

FREE online banking & bill pay.

FREE instant-issue debit card.

All the services and technology you’d expect from a big bank.

Voted “Best Bank” in the Keene Sentinel’s Choice Awards for 17 years in a row.

7 convenient branches in the Monadnock Region.

The Monadnock Region’s local bank— your money stays here, reinvested in our local economy.

Ready to switch? Call (603) 352-1822, stop by and see us—or open an account online at walpolebank.com.

The Kwon Family | Peterborough

The Pipp Family | Keene

Deepening roots and branching out. BY

The conditions around Mount Monadnock support trees like spruce, birch and oak, and shrubs like mountain cranberry, wild blueberry and sheep laurel. Eight rare species can be found amid the fens and forests. Their roots intermingle, sharing water and nutrients from the soil. That connection gives strength. A tree on its own might not withstand a heavy gust, but when rooted within the forest, its neighbors keep it grounded despite the gales that come. That variety of plant life contributes to the health of the woods. Biodiversity enhances the resilience of ecology, providing food sources for wildlife, converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and filtering the snowmelt that feeds a trio of major rivers and over a dozen refreshing lakes.

SARAH PEARSON

Much like the natural environment, a confluence of conditions has grown a strong community of people in the shadow of the mountain.

It’s a phenomenon so noticeable here that two of the foremost thought leaders on “social capital” have made the Monadnock Region their home.

In their book “The Upswing,” Shaylyn Romney Garret and Robert Putnam unpack the changing trends of the early 20th century that increased greater human connectedness. Civic groups like PTAs, bowling leagues and religious organizations brought communities together, with their impact peaking in the 1970s. Since that peak, social capital has been on the decline nationally, for a myriad of reasons. Romney

Garret made the decision to move her family here after writing this book with Robert at his family’s home in the region. With the decline of social capital very much on her mind, she was struck by the level of neighborliness.

“There are a lot of initiatives across the nation to kick-start community again,” Romney Garrett says. “Civic groups have begun to clue into this to ... reweave the social fabric.”

“It’s not an accident that Bob and I chose to live in the Monadnock Region,” she told the Keene Sentinel in 2022. “The social capital numbers in this region are very high. And you can feel that, not just see it on the charts.”

The region has several factors contributing to this.

There is proximity to the brain trusts of Boston and New York, but the rural atmosphere lends itself to a more human pace of life.

“It’s a unique level of cultural effort in a rural area,” Romney Garrett says.

Additionally, the New England style of governance, where many decisions are made at the town level, rather than county-wide, means that the community is more attuned to the issues that most directly impact them. New Hampshire is also politically diverse, which means residents are having conversations with neighbors who may have viewpoints that are different than their own.

Romney Garrett says economically diverse neighborhoods are another way to build social capital and that it’s important to not only be

this page: Shaylyn Romney Garret; Downtown Peterborough; Racers take on the Demar Marathon

surrounded by people who are like each other. It’s something she’s seen in her neighborhood where there are large single-family homes near multi-unit buildings.

The Monadnock area population has a high education level and is home to Keene State College, Franklin Pierce University, River Valley Community College and Antioch University.

Research into social capital shows a link between education and civic participation and New Hampshire “earns high marks at all levels of education” according to NH BEA.

Just as Mount Monadnock’s flora and fauna have created an environment of symbiosis, the people here are working to create a stronger community.

Possibly the largest display of community volunteerism happens every year in September, when Keene’s Elm City Rotary Club and a crew of some 400 volunteers come together each fall to organize the Clarence Demar Marathon and Half Marathon. That’s just about one volunteer per racer, so runners will get a lot of care.

The race is truly a community effort, and now also offers kids and seniors wellness runs. The 46-year-old race honors former Keene resident Clarence Demar, the only runner to win the Boston Marathon seven times. Racers can take in the beauty of the Monadnock’s fall foliage as they run through the woods, past Surry Mountain Lake and into downtown Keene, with the finish line near Keene State College, where Demar coached runners.

A hiker makes his way up to Mount Monadnock’s rocky summit.

Throughout the region, you’ll find fans coming together to root for the home team. Recently, Keene State’s men’s basketball team became the first in 29 years to win three straight Little East Conference championships, and Franklin Pierce University men’s soccer has been champions for the last two years. You won’t just find students and staff in the stands, alumni and a wider audience of neighbors are there, cheering and connecting with the collegiate community.

Some members of the community liaise at contra dances. The Monadnock Folklore Society organizes two options: weekly dances on Mondays in Nelson and a monthly dance on the first Saturday in Peterborough. Meeting new neighbors is at the heart of these community dances. They say if you can smile and walk, you can contra dance.

Together in times of celebration, together in times of grief — Cathedral of the Pines offers an open-air, non-denominational sanctuary to honor the military service of American men and women. Community events, like a writer’s group or a butterfly release, are held throughout the year, and it is also available for private gatherings, like weddings or celebrations of life.

Civic groups throughout the region are rooted in service. Scouting groups, Lions and Rotary clubs and other groups weave the social fabric of the region. Organizations such as the United Way, The Community Kitchen and Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter work to make sure neighbors’ basic needs are met.

Personal and entrepreneurial advancement is also a community endeavor. MAXT

top left: Julianna Dodson and MaryAnn Kristiansen at the Hannah Grimes Center; top right: Build something at the MAXT Makerspace. bottom: Nelson Town Hall has been called the world capital of contra dance, a style of American folk dancing similar to square dancing that dates back to colonial times.

DAVE WHITE, KELLY FLETCHER, KENDAL J. BUSH

Makerspace in Peterborough offers a gathering point for people to share resources, tools and knowledge, allowing people to work on projects and build up businesses. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs supported by Keene’s Hannah Grimes Center on average see success about triple that of other New Hampshire startups.

Some of those growth efforts are focused on connecting with those who have historically been left out. Through the Keene YMCA, the Monadnock Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Coalition is working on making the region a welcoming place for all individuals.

History has shown that people do better when they are part of a strong social network.

“Community ties have value,” Romney Garrett says.

Together, the people of the Monadnock community have built a vibrant and ideal place to visit, live, learn and work. It’s both exactly what you’d expect to find in rural southwestern New Hampshire — beautiful nature, local farms and quaint towns — and also full of surprises, like high-tech innovative companies; events like Keene Pride Week, the International Festival, Picklefest and Radically Rural; or emotional live performances, where the talent may be the New York Theatre Ballet or a restaurant owner who choregraphed a dance with other parents to raise money for the arts. At the end of the day, what matters most here is that we’re all in this together.

“There is something really special in the Monadnock region,” Romney Garrett says. “You can really feel it.” n

top: Cathdral of the Pines bottom left to right: Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship and Keene State college students outside Brewbaker’s

Winonah LeVine

KEENE

CFI Care Coordinator at the Monadnock Collaborative

Hometown vibe: A sense of community was instilled in my values from a very young age. Because this is a small region, I have remained closely connected with a lot of my childhood friends. Both of these things have given me a great sense of security.

Hangout spot: Burdick’s Tea Room in Walpole is a personal favorite especially in the fall and winter. In the spring and summer, any place by a river. We have plenty. I enjoy the quiet, and my idea of a hangout spot has always been a place where I can sit and read without too much distraction.

Community spirit: My connections for work include many care agencies and medical equipment companies in addition to some designated agencies for mental health. Because I have a young son, my other affiliations have to do with his interests and activities. Right now, he is involved in Cub Scouts, which he has been enjoying. On the calendar: I always loved Keene Pumpkin Fest growing up. Helping hands: I have seen local fundraisers and events, dinners, car washes to support a family with sick family members. It’s heartwarming to see this happen for people when they need it most. You can really sense that this community doesn’t want families to worry about medical bills and how they will live during those times.

Connecting with care: I have noticed that there seems to be a lot of support from family, friends and neighbors that help with anything from taking out trash for them to caregiving. With my job, we support Choices for Independence-eligible individuals to identify caregivers, homemakers and to get necessary medical equipment. We also try to support them in identifying natural supports that might be available to them, like meal programs for those that are homebound and need more nutrition, or might be unsafe using stoves and other kitchen appliances.

Keene State alumna: I didn’t live on campus, so I didn’t have the traditional college experience. I had friends who were in a similar situation, commuters like myself, and we spent a lot of time together in the student center or the library. A lot of my college classes in my major ended up being with a lot of the same students which was nice. The professors were amazing when I was there; that really was the best part. I enjoyed learning from them. I am a proud second-generation graduate from KSC. Both of my parents went there: My father graduated from there when it was Keene Teachers College in 1961, and my mom graduated in 1987.

HIKING I GARDENS | BELL TOWER EVENTS I MUSEUM Gentle Trails & Scenic Views “For All To Enjoy!” 603.899.3300

info@cathedralofthepines.org www.cathedralofthepines.org

10 HALE HILL ROAD | RINDGE, NH 03461

Honor - Celebrate - Reflect

Bringing world class entertainment to two great venues in downtown Keene!

COLONIAL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Become a Member! Members get early ticket buying and discounts!

MAKING WORLD CLASS MUSIC ACCESSIBLE TO ALL 2024

June

22, SAT, 6PM | “Bon Appetit” Supper Club - $125 (7 course dinner)

23, SUN, 3PM | Piano Trio ~ Rindge - FREE

25, TUE, 5:30PM | Member & Musician Potluck ~ Rindge - MEMBERS

26, WED, 7PM | Library Concert ~ Amherst - FREE

27, THU | 5PM, Supper Club ~ Jaffrey - $100 (4 course dinner)

7PM, Salon Concert ~ Jaffrey - $35/$30

30, SUN, 3PM | String Quartet & Baritone ~ Westmoreland - FREE

July

7, SUN, 3PM | Flute & Organ ~ Peterborough - FREE

11, THU, 7PM | Solo Violin Recital ~ Dublin - FREE

13, SAT, 12PM | Progressive Garden Party (rain date: Sun, July 14, 11am)

~ Throughout the Region - $100/$85

14, SUN, 4PM | Harp Trio ~ Francestown - FREE

17, WED | Family Concerts

12PM, Keene Public Library ~ Keene - FREE

2PM, Peterborough Library ~ Peterborough - FREE

4PM, Nelson Town Hall ~ Nelson - FREE

17, WED, 5:30PM | Member & Musician Potluck ~ Rindge - MEMBERS

21, SUN, 6PM | Soprano, Cello, Piano ~ Hancock - FREE

25, THU, 12PM | String Quartet ~ Peterborough - FREE

26, FRI, 6PM | Gil Rose Supper Club ~ Jaffrey - $100 (dinner & music)

28, SUN, 3PM | String Quartet ~ Harrisville - FREE

August

1, THU, 6PM | Members Event ~ Jaffrey - MEMBERS

4, SUN, 3PM | Vivaldi and Piazzolla Eight Seasons

Peterborough Town House ~ Peterborough - $25/$20

7, WED, 7PM | Cello & Guitar ~ Nelson - FREE

18, SUN, 6pm | Monadnock Music Summer Gala ~ Keene - $125/$100

AllvenueslocatedinNH

For full concert details, to order tickets, and for Supper Club information

Gail Somers

KEENE

Owner of Yahso Jamaican Grille

Space to grow: I moved to the Monadnock Region for a career growth opportunity. Prior to coming to the area, I lived in the Philadelphia/New Jersey area where I lived for some time after migrating from Jamaica.

Taste of home: My favorite hangout spot is the space I have created at Yahso Jamaican Grille. When I am not busy cooking in the kitchen and helping my staff, I am in the dining room enjoying the atmosphere of an island getaway. It reminds me of home and makes me think of being beachside in Jamaica. Food is a very important cultural connection and the act of preparing and sharing a meal is oftentimes an inexpensive way to show your care. Over a meal you can also share and learn about traditions. I am especially inquisitive and intrigued about people’s background and enjoy doing so in a setting where we are sharing a meal — put another way, “breaking bread together.”

Helping hands: I have made so many rewarding connections in and around my community. There are so many individuals and organizations that have supported my efforts to advance cultural and diversity engagement that I am always overcome with gratitude. From the Monadnock Coop, Hannah Grimes Center, Arts Alive to the Local Crowd Fund and others, I can’t say enough to thank them.

On the calendar: I am looking forward to the upcoming Northlands Festival. Yasho will be part of the festival as a food vendor. I am also looking forward to Keene’s Downtown infrastructure plans and how it plans to deliver on the objective of improving the area.

Gift of time: I am very involved in my local community of Keene. I have served on the board of several organizations including the YMCA and the Colonial Theatre Group and enjoy giving back my time to the community. Newcomers should get involved! Volunteer with a local organization in whatever capacity you can. You will make some great connections.

Creating a multicultural center: I want to make the region more welcoming for all, especially for individuals who are from historically marginalized groups, newcomers to the area or to the country. I do have a special place in my heart for immigrants like myself, as I can relate to the struggles and obstacles of starting a new life in a world away from what I knew as home.

TAPESTRY OF TOWNS

Local places to eat, stay and shop are part of community's fabric

MONADNOCK MYTH: There are few options for unique dining or shopping in rural New Hampshire.

FACT: A wealth of restaurants offer diverse menus, and locally owned retailers carefully curate wares to highlight the best the region has to offer.

Aldworth Manor in Harrisville is a lovely place to spend the night or have dinner with a view.

Photo by Steve Lipofsky

Much like a family, the towns that make up the Monadnock Region each have their own distinct personality but share a connection through the place they call home. Some are vibrant and bustling, others a little eccentric, and some are laid-back and relaxed. Woven through all the towns is a welcoming spirit with an invitation to newcomers to dine, shop and stay at the locally owned establishments that form the foundation of the community.

GATHER AT THE TABLE

Nothing brings together a family or a community more than sharing a meal together. As a growing number of people from diverse backgrounds continue to make the Monadnock Region their new home, they bring with them a taste of their culture.

Just a few minutes’ walk from one another in downtown Keene are restaurants serving up dishes from the Caribbean (Yahso Jamaican Grille), Asia (Thai Garden and Kurama Omakase), Mexico (Margaritas) and the Mediterranean (Luca and Granita Enoteca).

Muse Bistro defies genre with a menu ranging from cold soba noodles to goat-cheese coquetas.

In Troy, Royal Spice chef Sushant Dhuri, who grew up in Goa, India, raises herbs for fresh naan to accompany his soups, meat and vegetable curries and pakoras. Strolling through downtown Peterborough on a summer evening, you’ll spot diners sitting outside at Coopershill, enjoying the ambiance of an Irish pub as they feast on bangers and mash or Guinness stew with a side of colcannon. In Walpole, The Restaurant at Burdick’s lures foodies with its elegant dining room and French-inspired menu. Locals rave about the surf and turf fare at The Smoking Trout in Marlborough, which expanded their hours to include breakfast in

2024. (And don’t miss the crispy cheese.)

21 Bar & Grill in Keene is a staple in the community and creates a monthly cocktail with proceeds going to a local nonprofit.

And then there are those special eateries that are so established that they’ve become part of the landscape. The Stage in Keene, at the head of the town square, has been in the Benik family for four decades. Tempesta’s Restaurant in Keene has been a family eatery for 25 years and is now in its largest location yet. The Peterborough Diner began in 1949; Keene’s Lindy’s Diner in 1961.

The Hungry Diner in Walpole is a farmerowned, farm-to-table restaurant with a commitment to sustainable agriculture.

Maple syrup lovers have come to Stuart & John’s Sugar House in Westmoreland since 1975 for the always-comforting pancakes with the real stuff on top.

And when warm weather arrives, families begin making their pilgrimages to Kimball Farm in Jaffrey, home to lobster rolls, burgers and the biggest “small”-size, farm-fresh ice cream cone in the region, with flavors you may have forgotten:

The Hungry Diner in Walpole has delicious burgers and a commitement to sustainble agriculture.

buttercrunch, grape-nut and rum raisin.

New to the local food scene is Smokehaus Barbecue, which opened its Dublin location in 2023.

Sometimes the setting is so special it shares top billing with the menu. The Waterhouse in the heart of Peterborough’s Depot Square, for instance, gives you a table right beside tumbling Nubanusit Brook.

Whether you’re looking for some ingredients to make your own meal or lunch on the go, try one of the regions several general stores. Dublin General Store has great soups, sandwiches and cookies. Sullivan Country Store has cider doughnuts and sandwiches and wraps. Harrisville General Store offers a range of options from empanadas to pizza.

Morning people know there are few better ways to start a day than at a great cafe, one where you can relax with a specialty coffee and an oven-fresh treat and not feel hurried. Brewbakers Café in Keene is a microcosm of the community, where on any given day you’ll find runners post-workout, parents with kids in tow, college students and older folks settling in for conversation over coffee. Prime Roast Coffee Co. in Keene has been bringing small-batch coffee roasts, delicious muffins and good vibes to the southwest corner of New Hampshire for more than 30 years.

The Root in Temple and Hilltop Café in Wilton combine farm-to-table excellence with a bit of country-bohemian flair. In Westmoreland, Barn & Thistle offers cozy treats like cinnamon rolls and gooey chocolate chip cookies. The croissants at Keene’s

Fire Dog Breads, where the wheat is milled in-house, may be the tastiest and flakiest you have ever had — unless you’ve also sampled the ones at Flag Leaf Bakery in Antrim, where you’ll find the line snaking down the sidewalk. If you want a touch of extra sweetness with that morning espresso, Sweet Macaron in Peterborough has almond-flour French delights.

When he founded his home-based bakery, French immigrant Nicolas Papoins decided to name it simply Les Bonnes Miches, meaning “The Good Loaves.” And that’s exactly what the Peterborough resident has been bringing to Monadnock foodies, with his out-of-this-world artisanal sourdough bread made in small batches using 100% organic ingredients.

French, olive-rosemary and homestyle multigrain are just a few of the many hearty breads turned out at Orchard Hill Breadworks, which makes its home on a 1700s farm in quiet Alstead. Gardens and orchards still grace the lands, adding to the summer splendor when owner Noah Elbers cranks up the heat on his outdoor wood-fired oven to serve pizzas to his picnicking visitors.

In Hancock, Fiddleheads Café is a space for locals and a destination for travelers alike and where the kale salad is nothing short of legendary. Interested in one of their Thursday night dinners? Reservations are highly encouraged, as spots fill up fast.

Sisters Courtney and Beth Hodge operate Echo Farm in Hinsdale, where they use the milk from their own cows to produce from-scratch puddings that include vanilla, chocolate,

In addition to coffee and sandwiches, Brewbaker’s hosts performances and artists’ wares.

Brewbaker’s (above) and Prime Roast (below) are favorite gathering spots for cofee and conversation.

butterscotch and rice, as well as seasonal flavors such as maple and spiced pumpkin. Their tasty treats can be found at several local groceries as well as stores across the Northeast.

After some experimentation with surplus milk at the TempleWilton Community Farm and some study from away, Benjamin Meier and Andrew Kennedy launched Abbot Hill Creamery, which makes over a dozen cheese options from its Abbot Hill Blue to a raclette, plus yogurt. All the while, its trained more than 10 apprentices in the delicious art of cheesemaking.

You might have spied L.A. Burdick’s Chocolatiers in Chicago, Cambridge or Washington, D.C., but its Walpole location is the second oldest after the New York flagship store. Don’t miss an opportunity to shop from impeccable handcrafted chocolates.

If Willy Wonka dealt in maple rather than chocolate, he might look a little something like Ben Fisk. A fifth-generation sugarmaker, Fisk was 5 when he became obsessed with making syrup, winning Best in State when he was 15. His newly opened Maple Station Market in Temple — a 16,000-square-foot wooden-beamed emporium — offers shelves laden with Fisk’s own syrup and treats made with his syrup including cotton candy, popcorn, barbecue sauce, maple creamees and fresh maple doughnuts.

When evening falls, craft beer enthusiasts can also get their fill here. In the mid-1990s, Keene’s Elm City Brewing Company had the brewery scene practically to itself; today, it’s still going strong but it’s now joined by The Outlaw Brewing Company in Winchester, West LA Beer Co. and Frogg Brewing in Swanzey, Modestman and Branch & Blade in Keene, Post & Beam Brewing in Peterborough, Granite Roots

Brewing in Troy, Hornburg Brewing Co. in Hancock and Brewers of Nye Hill Farm in Roxbury.

For those that would rather sample a serving of wine, diVine on Main in Peterborough offers wine by the glass, flight or bottle and a secret beer menu, plus a selection of savory and sweet snacks.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

When the sun sets during your days in the Monadnock Region and it’s time to turn in for the night, there is a solid selection of brand hotel chains in Keene and the Riverhouse by Weekender in Peterborough.

The tranquility and grace of the Monadnock Region’s small towns extends to its historic inns and B&Bs. Cranberry Meadow Farm Inn in Peterborough is a luxurious eight-room B&B set on 80 rolling acres with an outdoor pool, trout pond and miles of hiking trails nearly on the doorstep. Harrisville Inn offers a traditional bed and breakfast experience.

Whether you come for a meal or book a stay at the spectacularly sited Aldworth Manor in Harrisville, you’ll likely be sending photos to everyone you know: A historic mansion set on 170 rolling acres, it makes travelers feel like English royalty in a New Hampshire village.

To the west of Keene, the Chesterfield Inn welcomes pets to romp with you on its 10 acres, including a wildflower-filled meadow. At the base of Mount Monadnock, in Troy, the Inn at East Hill Farm has hosted families for 76 years. In Walpole, one of the country’s prettiest villages, the Inn at Valley Farms lets you awaken on a 105-acre working farm that has endured for 250 years and ranks as one of the most romantic stays in the state.

Modestman Brewing

Looking to sleep out under the stars? There are numerous great camping options for RVs and tenting. In addition to state parks, Spacious Skies Seven Maples in Hancock, Woodmore Family Campground and RV Park in Rindge and Shir-Roy Camping Area in Richmond are some family-friendly options with lots of amenities.

For more lodging options, visit MonadnockNH.com/visit.

ONE-OF-A-KIND SHOPPING

In a region famous for outdoor recreation, it’s fitting that Eastern Mountain Sports has long had a flagship store in Peterborough, a town that also caters to sporty types at Hubert’s Family Outfitters. Just down the road, Depot Square’s riverside shops invite browsing for treasures. Toadstool Bookshop, one of the best independent bookstores in New England, anchors the square (there’s a second shop in Keene). Bowerbird & Friends is where you’ll find that antique butcher’s block, perfect linen-covered chaise or vintage Scandinavian hutch in hushed shades of gray. Across the street, Alice Blue is an eclectic boutique (think woven scarves from Japan, cotton sundresses, chunky jewelry). Another fabulous spot for vintage finds is Grove and Main Antiques in Peterborough, where you’ll find pieces for the home as well as jewelry, skincare and even gifts for kids.

Keene’s famous wide Main Street makes walking and window-shopping an outdoor outing of its own. The standout among the myriad inviting storefronts here is Hannah Grimes Marketplace, where you’ll find the work of more than 250 local artists and makers, housewares and home decor as well as New England-made foods. A host of gourmet treats await you at Monadnock Oil & Vinegar with locations in Dublin and Amherst. And you won’t shop many places like Frye’s Measure Mill, a National Historic Landmark in Wilton: Its rooms are filled with folk art, artisans’ wares, colonial- and Shakerstyle boxes, antiques and the classic wooden measuring vessels once essential to merchants in the 1800s. Shadow and Soul Emporium, a metaphysical gift shop and tea lounge, has had a place on Main Street since 2018.

FARMS AND ORCHARDS

Alyson’s Orchard in Walpole was founded more than 40 years ago. Take in the hilltop views of neat rows of apple trees — more than

Shadow and Soul Emporium

Toadstool Bookshop

50 varieties in all — and sweeping views of the Connecticut River Valley. Bring a picnic, and top it off with a pie from the orchard’s store. Want to spend more time here? Book an event or a getaway stay in their lodges or glamping tents.

A luxury experience is blended with an agrarian focus at the Farm Wolf Pine Hollow, where they raise flowers; tree fruits like apple, pear and peach; vegetables and berries; eggs and boil maple syrup.

Luscious veggies and home-raised chickens, pigs, rabbits and lambs are at the center of Blackfire Farm in Hancock’s offerings. You can find their agricultural goods at the Hancock Farmers Market throughout the summer, while the weekends feature Blackfire’s made-from-scratch, wood-fired pizzas at Post & Beam Brewing in Peterborough.

First-generation farmers Sarah Costa and Sam Canonica of Manning Hill Farm in Winchester keep a unique dairy herd of heritage Dutch Belted cows renowned for their sweet, super-premium milk, which you can buy at the farm store — the chocolate milk is a must-try. They also raise and sell pastured meats including beef, pork, chicken and eggs — and yes, maple syrup, too.

A place of hilly pastures lakes, and forests lined with old stone walls, Mayfair Farm sits just up the road from Harrisville Pond. Like many successful family farms in New England, it’s an amalgam of businesses: an orchard, a vegetable garden, an Airbnb cottage, and a farm store that sells maple products, prepared meals and baked goods. There are pigs in pens and lambs up on the hill. There’s also an Instagram-ready event space that hosts

weddings and community farm dinners from spring through autumn.

Wandering the apple orchard in search of the perfect fruit has been a tradition at Washburn’s Windy Hill Farm in Greenville for over 25 years. When you’re finished your collection, treat yourself with something from the farmstead bakery.

There are few better ways to spend a late summer morning or afternoon than picking blueberries, raspberries and other fruits at Monadnock Berries in Troy, with Mount Monadnock rising to the northeast and the green hills seeming to float above the fields. Long after you have enjoyed the berries’ sweetness, you’ll recall the feeling of a day passing slowly on this hillside, feasting on what you pick and what you see. n

Alyson’s Orchard updated its Bridal Suite last year.

Windy Hill Orchard

Supplying New England with Standby Power Solutions.

Need a generator? We’re in your backyard with expert, turnkey installation of generators and energy storage systems. Plus custom service options to guarantee reliable power—and peace of mind.

Highest-quality generator brands

Expert technicians

Teresa Morris

HARRISVILLE

Cook at Harrisville General Store

A world away: Peru was my home. In 2006, I moved to Peterborough (where my first husband was from). In 2010, I moved to Harrisville. I stayed in Harrisville because I love the community. I made my own family here, and all the townspeople have been so kind and nice to me.

Community’s cook: I have been at the Harrisville General Store since 2015, mostly making food. I started making sandwiches and helping customers. Now I cook the majority of the meals and come up with ideas on dishes that make the community happy. We try to provide good food at the store. I’ve also worked at Aldworth Manor during events season, like for weddings, since 2016.

Serving up smiles: I think about community; you feed their stomachs, you also feed their hearts. We have so many people that are allergic to some food — no gluten, or vegan — so they go so excited when I come up with something they can have. You will find gluten free. You will find vegan. This is the reason for all the changing menus, and people are so excited about it. It’s also delicious and healthy for them. All we use is local products. We think so much about what they ask for and try to make it possible. That makes me happy when I get all this feedback and gives all this energy. The general store provides everything they need. I didn’t understand what a general store was before, but now I understand.

Time to gather: Everybody just gets together to enjoy this delicious food at the store. Also, we have these events: Apple Hill Music comes a few times a year to play at the store. The whole community looks forward to it, and the store is packed.

Bestsellers: They love our eggs, all from Harrisville. Also, maple syrup and honey. Local meat, bread and craft beer are also really popular.

Sunny sites: After my long days working at the general store, I love hanging at Sunset Beach on Harrisville Pond. My other favorite spot is the summit of Mount Monadnock. I love seeing the sunset, or sunrise, climbing up very early in the morning

Making memories: In Harrisville, we have all these craft fairs, especially at Old Home Days. We have this event in February for the Superbowl that’s a chili contest at the church. You get to try all these amazing types of chilies. Two years ago, Harrisville General Store took second place. I won first place this year. There is also an open mic on Wednesdays where local artists do poetry and music. It’s nice and relaxing, and nice to see so much local talent in this little town.

Comprehensive service

WANDER ON THE WILD SIDE

Connect with the great outdoors

MONADNOCK MYTH:

You have to be a rugged mountaineer to fully enjoy the beauty of the region.

FACT: Sure, there are options for challenging hikes if that’s what you’re looking for, but there are also more casual trails to explore, including paths designed to be accessible to wheelchair users and strollers.

Crotched Mountain’s hiking options include an assessible trail.

right: Chesterfield Gorge

Part of what makes Mount Monadnock so striking is not its elevation but its relative isolation. As the centerpiece for the region, its naturally a gathering place. It is considered to be the most popular mountain to hike in North America with some 125,000 visitors annually. Routes to hike or cycle crisscross the neighboring landscape. Rivers and streams find their ways to glistening ponds. Adventurers can plan multi-day camping trips, test their speed running along hiking and biking trails, or take a leisurely walk before kicking back with a locally crafted drink. Speed down a mountain in winter on skies or a snowboard. Or keep an eye out for fowl while canoeing on a lake or river this summer. Whichever way you wish to interpret the call of the wild, there’s an outdoor option for you.

In true Yankee fashion, many of these options serve more than one purpose depending on the season. Many trails for hiking, running or biking are used for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or even downhill/ backcountry skiing when the snow falls.

HIT THE TRAIL

Mount Monadnock offers hiking trails that get you to the summit (3,165 feet) in less than two hours with views of all six New England states. Different routes in Dublin and Marlborough will lead you to the top, but the best starting point for newcomers is Monadnock State Park, whose 6,000 acres spread across parts of both Dublin and Jaffrey. The grounds include a visitor’s center, campground and more than 35 miles of trails, including the White Dot, the mountain’s most direct route.

If you’re looking to take in the scenery with less company, to the east of Mount Monadnock are North Pack in Greenfield and Pack Monadnock in Peterborough. The pair are the tallest and most northern peaks on the Wapack Trail, which travels over 20 miles south into Massachusetts. Pack Monadnock is part of Peterborough’s Miller State Park, where a summit fire

tower offers sweeping views that can stretch all the way to Boston.

The region’s grand hiking route is the MonadnockSunapee Greenway, which runs from Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey nearly 50 miles north to Mount Sunapee in Newbury. The trail puts the Monadnock

Region’s beauty on full display as it winds across the Monadnock Highlands, through historic villages and past many rivers, lakes and ponds. Along the route is Pitcher Mountain, known for its legendary blueberry picking. The MonadnockSunapee Greenway Trail Committee oversees the route and maintains backcountry campsites and lean-tos for backpackers.

You’ll find more walks to remember in the region’s many state parks, which rank among the best New Hampshire has to offer. At Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, get an up-close view of the property’s namesake via a halfmile stroll around a 16-acre rhododendron grove. Pisgah State Park is New Hampshire’s largest state park, whose 13,300 acres stretch across the towns of Hinsdale, Winchester and Chesterfield; it’s a popular year-round destination not only for hiking but also for mountain biking, ATV riding

and snowmobiling.

Woven throughout Cathedral of the Pine’s 236 acres, two trail systems offer a mix of hiking, exploring things like “dinosaur egg” and the “peace monument.” You can also cross-country ski them in the winter.

Trails departing from the Harris Center in Hancock will lead you to Skatutakee Mountain or Thumb Mountain, a pair of peaks just under 2,000-feet elevation. Explore boulders, rocks, minerals and more at Bears Den Natural Area and Gilsum Gorge in Gilsum.

In the spirit of opening the outdoors to everyone, Distant Hill Trails in Walpole and the Dutton Brook and Gregg Trails on Crotched Mountain were made to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers, creating a natural but accessible hiking experience for people of all abilities. Emerson Brook Forest in Gilsum also offers accessible trails.

Cool off in one of the region’s many lakes and ponds.

Skiers head down Crotched Mountain’s slopes.

ANIMAL ACTION

While wildlife watching is a perk for any outdoor sport, it’s worth making the effort to head up Pack Monadnock for the autumn Hawk Watch run by New Hampshire Audubon and the Harris Center for Conservation Education. As raptors pass overhead on their way to southern wintering grounds, it’s a spectacle of migration not to be missed. An all-terrain wheelchair is available at the center as they work to make accessibility improvements to the grounds.

CYCLE THE SIGHTS

The Monadnock Region is laced with miles of biking trails, many of which have been restored and maintained by crews of volunteers in the Monadnock Region Rail Trails Collaborative; the group’s website is an excellent place for new bikers to get their bearings.

Take in a bit of history during your ride by following the Bike the Bridges Tour, a 12-mile route starting in Swanzey that will take you to some of the region’s romantic covered bridges.

In Keene, you’ll find the Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail, a 21-mile trek over trestle bridges and past farms that concludes in Winchester. The 42 miles that compose the Cheshire Recreational Rail Trail also runs through Keene, as well as the neighboring towns of Fitzwilliam and Troy, on its way into Massachusetts. For a shorter but no less scenic jaunt, the nine-mile Fort Hill Recreational Rail Trail in Hinsdale is a river-focused ride along the Connecticut River.

There’s also two-wheeled fun to be had right in the heart

of town, thanks to a pair of facilities that allow riders of all ages to catch some air as they hone their mountain-biking skills: Peterborough Bike Park at Adams Playground, and Keene Bike Park in Wheelock Park. Mountain bikers can challenge themselves at Granite Gorge.

If you don't have a bike of your own, you can rent one from Alpine Bike Works in Keene.

TAKE A DIP

You could build an entire summer vacation around exploring the Monadnock Region’s pristine ponds, lakes, reservoirs and rivers. A number of these waterways make for exceptional canoeing and kayaking, but for our money, Powder Mill Pond in Bennington is right up at the top. There are different inlets and eddies to explore, and if you go far enough, you’ll paddle under a beautiful covered bridge on the Greenfield-Hancock town line. (Don’t have a watercraft of your own? Fitzwilliam’s Monadnock Paddle has kayak and canoe rentals at the ready.)

Crossing the line between Hancock and Nelson, you can paddle a longer loop on Nubanusit Lake and with a short portage also check out Spoonwood Lake. Nubanusit is partially surrounded by conservation land, so be on the lookout for wildlife, especially eagles and loons.

The same waters that attract paddlers can also offer a proper cool-down when the temperature begins to soar. Among the 200 or so ponds and lakes within the Monadnock Region, there are many gems open to both visitors and residents, such as

Spofford Lake in Chesterfield and Surry Mountain Lake in Surry.

A bonus of moving to the Monadnock Region: the chance to access the lovely residents-only swimming spots, too, like Cunningham Pond in Peterborough and Thorndike Pond in Jaffrey. While you’re out there enjoying the water, you might catch sight of the Harrisville Mermaids, a group of women who swim on Harrisville Pond (who engage in recreational pursuits on land, too.)

SNOW MOTION

When winter hits, the skis come out, as many of the Monadnock Region’s paths transform into prime Nordic terrain. Cross-country fans gravitate toward the trails at Stonewall Farm in Keene and Shieling Forest in Peterborough, but the best of the best can be found in Dublin, courtesy of the 20

kilometers of professionally groomed trails at the Dublin School Nordic Center. Even better: The dedicated crew that oversees the network posts daily updates on the center’s website, so you know the conditions before you’ve even clicked into your skis. While southwestern New Hampshire is within an easy day’s drive of several famed New England downhill skiing destinations, it’s also home to two family-friendly mountains that will keep your crew going the whole day. At Crotched Mountain Ski and Ride in Bennington, 25 trails, 80 acres of glades and two terrain parks round out the scene. Night skiing makes the days wonderfully long, and on select nights Crotched runs its lifts all the way till midnight. Granite Gorge Mountain Park in Roxbury offers skiing, snowboarding and tubing. Don’t miss the pond skim skiing come springtime. n

Biking and multi-use trails, often maintained by volunteers, criss-cross the region.

Dr. Vache Hambardzumyan

KEENE

Orthopedic surgeon at Monadnock Community Hospital

Finding home: When exploring job opportunities, I sought a familyfriendly community with ample outdoor activities. The Monadnock Region perfectly fits the bill, instantly feeling like home for my wife and me.

Reaching out: During my time at Monadnock Community Hospital over the past year and a half, I’ve cultivated strong community ties. Engaging with groups like the Rotary Club and Lions Club has allowed me to share MCH’s vision and our commitment to enhancing community health care.

Care in connection: Working in a small community hospital has its perks; personalized care ensures no patient gets lost in the system. In our close-knit community, every patient feels like family, fostering a deep sense of care and connection. We’ve introduced new services like spine surgery and pediatric orthopedics, with tremendous support from hospital administration and colleagues. Together, we’re making a tangible difference in community health care.

Richness in diversity: Having traveled extensively and practiced in diverse communities, I value the unique perspectives and experiences gained. This richness keeps me empathetic and receptive to others’ concerns — qualities I believe enhance my role as a physician.

Wealth of restaurants: Peterborough and Keene boast numerous charming restaurants where I consistently enjoy spending time with friends and colleagues. While I hesitate to pick a favorite spot since I frequent many, these eateries always offer a great experience. On your calendar: The Peterborough Night Market, typically held in August, is a highlight for me. MCH also excels at organizing events for both employees and the community, which I actively participate in and always enjoy.

Planning route: My go-to jogging route is the old Street Road from MCH to Route 101 — a familiar five-mile loop that I often take after work or during lunch breaks to recharge and refresh.

Monadnock Voices

Jenni Wu

PETERBOROUGH Chief of staff at MacDowell

City transplant: I started working in MacDowell’s New York office in 2013 and moved to Peterborough in 2020. Even before the pandemic started, I’d been thinking about leaving the city and had enjoyed visiting Peterborough on work trips. Being able to keep my job and my connections to my co-workers made this major life transition feel much less intimidating.

Roles: I’ve had a few different positions at MacDowell, where I’m currently the chief of staff. I also serve on the Peterborough Town Library Art Committee and am a member of the Monadnock Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Workplace Resources Group. Shared purpose: MacDowell was founded in 1907 and has a rich history. Both new and long-tenured staff are committed to stewarding the organization and dedicated to MacDowell’s mission of serving artists. Having this shared purpose leads to a natural sense of community. In my position, I focus on the workflow processes that underpin these relationships and the personnel policies that serve as formal expressions of MacDowell’s values.

Listening and learning: Like many organizations, we’ve done a lot of reflecting and learning in recent years. We’ve gotten a lot of generous, invaluable feedback from our artists, which we’ve used to make improvements to our program, policies and physical campus. Most recently, we worked with Adar Cohen — a conflict resolution specialist whose international practice is based in Peterborough — to create Community Agreements for artists and to train staff on careful, empathetic listening. MacDowell doesn’t want to rest on its legacy. We know that we need to keep learning from artists and our peers in the field about what equity and inclusion should look like in the arts.

Book nook: I’m at the Toadstool in Peterborough multiple times a week. When the BTS book was announced last year, Emerson special ordered it for me and was almost as excited as I was when it came in. I’ve always loved bookstores, but having a local bookseller who knows me and is so genuinely enthusiastic about what I’m reading is a dream come true.

Granite State authors: I’m looking forward to reading more from Kayla Min Andrews, who grew up in Plymouth and recently completed a posthumous novel by her mother, MacDowell fellow Katherine Min.

Visible diversity: My favorite local event is the Keene Pride Festival! As lovely as this region is, it’s very different from New York and the diversity that exists isn’t always visible. Going to the first Keene Pride Festival in 2022 made me think, “Okay, I can live here.”

Perfect day: Hiking Beech Hill followed by a cookie at the Dublin General Store.

603.354.4059 | nhtrust.com

CREATIVE COMMUNITY

Music and movement, theater and movies, visual art and history — we’ve got it all

For over a century, creators of national renown have found artistic inspiration in the shadow of Mount Monadnock. American composer Edward MacDowell found a muse in the nature of Peterborough. In sharing his vision to bring more artists to the area, his pianist wife Marian helped create the artist-in-residency program at MacDowell where thousands have been supported to focus on honing their crafts.

MONADNOCK

FACT: Professional and

Each year, some 300 creatives work quietly at the property’s studios, and their attendance is largely unpublicized. The exception is MacDowell’s annual Medal Day event, when the public is invited to walk the property’s wooded pathways from studio to studio, meeting the artists and seeing (or hearing) their work. This year’s event, on July 21, will honor Yoko Ono. But Medal Day is not the only opportunity to interact with MacDowell’s tenants. From March through November, MacDowell Downtown offers free public presentations at area venues by artists in residence.

Elsewhere in the region, other venues continue a rich history of fostering artistic expression in the community. These spaces provide a home for traveling performances, film screenings, live acts and gallery displays. Great artists from near and far have found audience and inspiration in the Monadnock Region.

The Colonial Performing Arts Center in Keene celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Originally opened as a venue for film, opera, theater and vaudeville before becoming

The public gathers for 2016’s Medal Day honoring novelist and Nobel Prize-winner Toni Morrison.

MYTH: You have to head to a metropolitan area to find a variety of highquality art.

amateur artists are creating impressive works right here.

a dedicated movie theater in the 1950s, the restored Colonial has reclaimed its place at the center of the region’s performing arts scene. The three-stage Redfern Arts Center at Keene State College also hosts a diverse array of artistic performances, both by students and visiting artists.

Down the road in Jaffrey, the Park Theatre reopened in 2021, nearly a century after the launch of its namesake predecessor, which had closed in 1976. The venue has two theaters for the presentation of movies, concerts and stage shows. And for an extra layer of arty interest, its four WPA-era murals depicting The Four Seasons of Mount Monadnock are being restored and readied for a new generation’s spotlight.

Based in a converted 18th-century barn just three miles from downtown, the Peterborough Players is a professional theater company that has been operating since 1933. Main Stage programming ranges from world premieres to classics, while Second Company shows are geared toward younger audiences.

Speaking of younger audiences, Andy’s Summer Playhouse, a youth theater based in an 1860 former town meeting house in Wilton, has been mentoring and training local actors, stage designers, directors and playwrights in the creation of innovative plays since 1971. A more recent addition to the scene is Project Shakespeare, founded in 1994, which is based in Jaffrey but whose young actors perform classic drama at locations throughout the Monadnock Region.

If alternative theater is your thing, it just doesn’t get better than Peterborough’s Firelight Theatre Workshop, founded

top: MoCo Arts presented “The Addams Family.”

bottom: Fellow June Edmonds speaks with visitors who have come to view her work during Medal Day’s Studio Tours.

in 2017. Whether performing at its own converted space or taking its show on the road, Firelight specializes in creating site-specific and immersive theater in intimate spaces.

Looking to catch a movie? The Peterborough Community Theatre opened as the 500-seat Gem Theatre in 1914. Now a 95-seat theater with an adjoining restaurant, it screens movies and documentaries ranging from new releases to local works and timeless classics. In Keene, the Putnam Theater, aka the Putnam Arts Lecture Hall, is home to the Keene State College Film Society, and its state-of-the-art projection and sound systems make it a slightly off-the-radar gem. If it’s the current blockbuster you seek, Keene Cinemas 6 is a throwback strip-mall theater, complete with video games in the lobby. For something more offbeat, watch for the Monadnock International Film Festival, which offers free community screenings and showcases high-quality independent cinema, both local and international. And movie-history buffs will love the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, located in an 1886 Main Street building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. First opened as a silent-movie house in 1912, it’s known for a well-curated lineup of classics and art-house favorites.

Established as the Moving Company Dance Center in 1991, MoCo Arts in Keene offers classes in dance and theater and multi-arts camps for children ages 18 months to 18+ years, as well as professional-quality performances by those students, both at their own facility and other local venues.

Founded in 1966 and originally based at the Nelson Meeting House, Monadnock Music has a simple goal: to make exceptional music accessible, and to connect people through musical performances and educational programs. As evidenced by their dedication to bringing chamber music performances to area schools, the musicians behind Ashuelot Concerts also believe that great sounds matter. Watch for their “grownup” concerts at Stonewall Farm in Keene, Alyson’s Orchard in Walpole and the Park Theatre in Jaffrey. The Peterborough Folk Music Society brings a diverse lineup of singer-songwriters — including the likes of Barnstar, Antje Duvekot and Kenny White — to stages in Peterborough and surrounding towns. In Hancock, Music on Norway Pond has been presenting one-hour classical and world music performances at the town Meeting House since 2008. Electric Earth

Concerts, meanwhile, takes its show on the road, offering affordable classical music experiences at smaller venues.

On a beautiful summer day in Nelson, a concert at the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music can be the centerpiece of an idyllic day. Apple Hill hosts about 300 students from diverse backgrounds each year for its Summer Chamber Music Workshop, and produces more than 50 concerts. Bands and performers like Bill Orcutt, Duncan Pelletier and Nan Macmillan can be found at Nova Arts Block in downtown Keene, where two stages feature eclectic shows in a venue that is also home to a café, a coffee roaster, a flower shop, a record shop and an open art studio. For 50 years, the Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery at Keene State College has hosted public exhibitions and programs featuring a wide range of contemporary and historical art, as well as lectures, artist talks, workshops and tours. First conceived as a museum of folk art, Peterborough’s Mariposa Museum and World Culture Center now explores contemporary human experience and culture through a range of media, while just around the corner, the Monadnock Center

top: See items from around the world at the Mariposa Museum. bottom: Nova Arts hosts live musical acts.

for History and Culture presents events, performances and exhibits showcasing the region’s historic and artistic culture.

The brainchild of Jordana Korsen, former head of the glassblowing program at Franklin Pierce University, Hot Glass Art Center is a state-of-the-art glassblowing studio that not only showcases her own work and that of other local artisans, but it also acts as an education center that offers glassblowing lessons, workshops and demonstrations.

Nature’s beauty is at the center of every pot, instrument and sculpture that Shana Brautigam, a member of the League of NH Craftsmen, churns out at her home studio, Rooted in Clay in Rindge. Visitors can watch the artist at work, take a spin through her retail shop or try their hand at the wheel to make their own keepsake.

New England’s history as a manufacturing and textile hub comes into full focus at Harrisville Design, whose restored brick mill buildings make it the only 19th-century industrial community in the country that still exists in its original form. It’s here you’ll find Harrisville Designs, which beautifully links the past to the present by continuing the tradition of spinning 100% virgin-wool yarn. The internationally recognized textile center offers classes on felting, knitting and weaving, while its retail shop provides just the colorful incentive you need to start work on that next blanket, rug or tapestry.

Lastly, if you’re hoping to gain a fuller appreciation for the region’s diverse artists and just how integral they are to our communities than the annual Monadnock Art Tour and the Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour. Between both events, more than 120 artists will open their studios to visitors over during the long weekend of the Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day holiday. n

ETHAN ABITZ, SCOTT HUSSEY

top: MoCo Arts is a family-centered nonprofit arts education organization offering classes in dance, theater and more. left: Nova Arts in Keene

Going Beyond Business Insurance.

At Hilb Group of New England, we share a passion for service and creative problem-solving to help clients in today's dynamic and competitive business environment.

From traditional offerings to specialty and custom programs, we help our clients thrive to achieve new heights of success.

Let us tailor an insurance program that best suits you! Contact us today.

102 Main Street • Keene, NH • 603-352-2121 • hilbgroupne.com Offices in Claremont & Keene, NH; Barre, Bradford, Richmond & Waitsfield VT

Revitalized to Thrive

Crotched Mountain School and Village, a program of Seven Hills New Hampshire, hosts innovative, residential and day programs for children on the autism spectrum and/or who have disabilities and other challenges better supported in an alternative, least-restrictive environment. Our sprawling campus offers a therapeutic setting for students to explore and thrive. For referrals or to visit, call Admissions at 603.547.3311.

Our

Scan the QRC or visit sevenhills.org/donate.

1 Verney Dr., Greenfield, NH 03047 • 603.547.3311 • sevenhills.org

Size Inclusive Bra Fitting

THE TOADSTO OL BO OKSHOPS

Paul Dubois

KEENE Founder and owner of Safety Made

Fresh air: Keene was a great place to grow up. I had friends all over town and was able to bike-ride anywhere I needed to go. The schools had great athletics programs with wonderful coaches and support, and Keene features great outdoor spaces and trails where I could spend the days exploring freely. I didn’t appreciate it much when I was young, but Keene is a great size and environment to grow up in. Next generation: My kids are still young (4 and 6) but are starting to enjoy biking around town, tubing at Granite Gorge, and downtown events. It’s great to be in a place where you feel safe and comfortable with young kids.

Dining time: My family and I eat out way too much … so my favorite spots are The Stage, 21, Fireworks, Papagallos, Lucas, Thai Garden and more! Keene has a lot of great restaurants and in my opinion could use even more. I love that the town takes pride in its downtown and has a great centralized area for shops and restaurants.

Save the dates: The fireworks and (Fourth of July) Boat Parade at Spofford Lake are great. Also, I enjoy the Ice and Snow Festival downtown every year (February).

Business connections: As a business owner, I greatly appreciate the tightness of the business community. There are a lot of events and the fellow business owners tend to put a lot of effort into staying connected and offering resources and ideas. The business I started does not have local customers, but the network in Keene proved invaluable during my startup process. The people in the Monadnock region are very willing to share ideas and expertise and truly want to see others succeed.

Supporting staff: I put a lot of effort into culture, and I think it is one of the big reasons for our success. As everyone knows, it has been very hard to hire since 2020. We experienced explosive growth during that time period and needed to attract and retain employees in what has been the hardest employment market I have experienced in my lifetime. I feel that employees seek a reasonable wage for their skill set, but they stay for the culture. At Safety Made, we have implemented some great perks including free-lunch Fridays (we order lunch from a local business for the entire staff each week). The Friday lunches have become a beacon that we are known for, and employees tell their friends and people love it. It’s an inexpensive way to build culture, connections and a little bit of fun each week. Looking ahead: I have been getting more involved in some of the boards and planning committees in the region, and it’s great to see the forward-leaning initiatives that are being worked on. New England has a strategic disadvantage for business due to climate and transportation costs to West Coast customers. We need to do everything in our power to attract business to this region and create jobs and growth opportunities. TURN A GREAT WEEKEND INTO A GREA

Juliana Dodson

WESTMORELAND

Deputy Executive Director at the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship, Radically Rural Director

Building a home: In 2012, my partner and I were pursuing an antique bookstore in Charlottesville, Va. They picked up a couple of books about timber framing written by Tedd Benson, who revived timber frame in modern America back in the ’70s. After reading the books, my partner found a local timber frame company where we lived and started their career in that field. After four years of working for that company, we decided to move to NH to work for Tedd himself at Bensonwood in Walpole.

Business network: The Center for Entrepreneurship has a coaching roster of over 30 professionals who donate their time to supporting our nonprofits and small businesses. When we graduate the cohorts of our 8-week Business Lab classes, we celebrate with food, drinks and short pitches from the graduating businesses. We always get an incredible turnout from the community, including local businesses who literally cheer them on.

Favorite event: Well, the event that I plan of course! But really Radically Rural is a fantastic event on every level. Outside of that, I always look forward to Keene Pride’s festival or anything that incorporates dancing.

Thought exchange: Radically Rural uses simple actions like gathering and sharing ideas and models that work to collectively strengthen the work that we all do. We share as freely as possible and likewise the relationship with our local, regional and national community is truly reciprocal. Together, we have a much better chance of making progress on challenging issues like housing, child care, climate change, land stewardship, creating vibrant towns, supporting local news, entrepreneurship, the arts, agriculture and more.

Making magic: There are so many sweet places tucked away that are super accessible and can be hiked in a relatively short amount of time. One time, I took a few weeks of bedtimes, night after night, to tell my kids an extended story about the adventures of some fairies, which I set in Friedsam Forest, a natural area with trails right off of Route 63 in Chesterfield. I followed that up with taking all three of them in the forest when they were only 2, 4 and 6 and we spent almost all day wandering the trails and finding “evidence” of the fairies and events in the story. It was truly a magical day, so we’ll always have a special place in our hearts for that forest.

Bites to try: For daytime food, my favorite hangout spot is Brewbaker’s in Keene or Barn & Thistle in Westmoreland. For the night scene, I feel really at home at 21 Bar and Grille.

Giving Back.

BUSINESSES OF TODAY BUILDING TOMORROW

Monadnock Region innovators are on the cutting edge of manufacturing and technology

Companies in the Monadnock Region are working to build a brighter future through more efficient manufacturing, sustainable construction and supportive medical advancements. International leaders in research, engineering and technology have found a home attractive to employees with strong community bonds, pristine recreational opportunities, and great dining and artistic establishments.

NANOTECH, SWANZEY

With a vision toward excellence, Moore Nanotechnology Systems was founded in 1997 as a subsidiary of Moore Tool Company. Since then, they’ve installed more than 1,000 ultraprecision machining systems in 30 countries. They develop, design and manufacture machines for single-point diamond turning, deterministic grinding, micro-milling and glass press molding. Their processes contribute to the manufacturing of advanced optical components in consumer electronics, defense, aerospace, lighting, medical and automotive sectors. Their equipment and the software that runs it can be used to make lenses, mirrors and even mechanical components with precise measurements down to the nanometer.

MONADNOCK MYTH: Careers in advanced technology are only possible in urban areas.

FACT: Cutting edge innovation is the backbone of the Monadnock Region's economy.

NEW HAMPSHIRE BALL BEARINGS, PETERBOROUGH

The New Hampshire Ball Bearings (NHBB) HiTech Division specializes in the design and manufacture of complex bearing assemblies for the aerospace industry. As an employer of more than 500 employees that’s always welcoming new talent, NHBB is a mainstay in Peterborough, having been in business since 1946. Advanced manufacturing principles, combined with automation technologies, ensure the continued improvement of both procedures and processes. NHBB’s elite machinists, engineers and product assemblers maintain the high-quality standards that NHBB’s aerospace industry customers have come to trust and appreciate.

BENSONWOOD/UNITY, WALPOLE/KEENE

The traditional building techniques that Bensonwood was founded upon have been around for generations, but the company is achieving them through ever-evolving innovations. Much of the construction work for their energy-efficient, sustainable homes is done in a controlled environment in their Keene factory, with additional timber frame and woodworking shops in Walpole. Prefabrication allows for higher quality control and reduces the likelihood of weather delays. Advanced technology and precision engineering create detailed 3D models that connect directly with their CNC machinery with the goal of minimizing errors and unexpected changes during construction.

MARKEM IMAJE, KEENE

Markem-Imaje delivers intelligent marking, coding and traceability solutions, services and expertise to empower manufacturers with the right information across the supply chain — keeping products authentic, safe and connected. As a leading company with more than 40 years of expertise, MarkemImaje offers identification and packaging solutions including a proprietary software to fit any special need or integration situation. Whatever the size of your business, from startups and local producers to large global manufacturers, all share the common goals of optimizing operations, compliance with local and international regulations and standards, brand protection, improving ESG metrics and offer an outstanding consumer experience. Its solutions unlock the power of intelligence in codes to help brands achieve it all.

MILLIPORESIGMA, JAFFREY

MilliporeSigma provides scientists and researchers across the globe with state-of-the-art tools and expertise to perform experiments and engineer new products. Their staff work to develop novel approaches to new and age-old challenges, investing millions into research and development to support new innovations in the life sciences and biopharmaceutical industry. Products include those for clinical diagnostics, labware, mRNA development and manufacturing, filtration, protein biology and more. n

DAVE WHITE, COURTESY

Phone: 603-352-5433 www.masiello.com/keene-nh/

Peterborough

95 Grove Street , Peterborough, NH 03458

Phone: 603-924-8373 www.masiello.com/peterborough-nh/ Keene 69A Island Street , Keene, NH 03431

www.masiello.com

steelesstationers.com 603.924.7203 40MainStreet

Jan Ziegler

WESTMORELAND

Owner of Wunderkind Marketing

Lots to offer: My partner grew up in the Monadnock Region, and I relocated here. It wasn’t on my radar before that and has become dear to me for all it has to offer.

Amplifying locals: As a marketing agency focused on supporting businesses, Wunderkind’s goal is pretty ambitious. We aim to help local businesses have access to the tools typically available solely to larger enterprises and franchises. New Englanders want to support local businesses, and we help to get businesses out in front of the competition both online and in person.

Community minded: The businesses I’ve interacted with really value their community and know it benefits their businesses when they cultivate experiences, goods and services that enrich the people of the Monadnock area.

Outside the office: I’m a member of a Business Network International chapter and have networked with fantastic business people. I’m hoping to play soccer at The Fieldhouse this fall. Youth movement: I’d like to help find various ways to attract and retain more young people in this area. It would help promote new ideas, generate more types of business and add a little diversity to the culture of our community.

Where you’ll find me: Brewbaker’s is my go-to for coffee, to get some work in, meet friends and clients. It’s bright and lively and has a great overall atmosphere.

Don’t miss it: Taste of Keene is awesome. I love a food festival! Hit the trail: I’m an avid cyclist and I love all the small windy roads between Walpole and Surry; an abundance of climbs and descents with very little car traffic and it leads through some really beautiful farmland.

OPEN Monday thru Saturday 9am to 5 pm

Exhibitions Walking Tours Concerts Events

Exploretheregion’s richhistory,artsandculture.

Open Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. MonadnockCenter.org 19 Grove Street, Peterborough

Gift Shop Living History Family Events Talks Museum & Archives

FOLK MUSIC

28 Years of bringing the best Americana and Folk musicians to the Monadnock Region! Attend a Concert!

Tom Rush Barnstar! Cheryl Wheeler John Gor ka

FAMILY FRIENDLY

When it comes to making memories, the Monadnock Region has you covered

MONADNOCK MYTH: Getting the kids away from screens and outside is too much work.

FACT: Thousands of kids, and we mean little kids, hike Mount Monadnock every year, and beyond hiking, we have tons of opportunities for one-of-a-kind activities to create core family memories together.

Get an up-close look at

the friendliest animals at the Friendly Farm. The Cheshire Children’s Museum (right) offers settings for imaginative play.

Parents know that when the children are happy, the whole family is happier. With so many kidfriendly activities available in the Monadnock Region, you’re sure to find something to bring a smile to those little faces (and yours, too). Connect with the outdoors on a beginner-level hike or follow a tale down a stroller-friendly trail. Have some hands-on learning of the natural world or get the competitive juices flowing. Any season, indoors and out, there’s something for everyone.

NATURAL CURIOUSITY

See small wonders at The Caterpillar Lab. This Marlborough-based education and research nonprofit hosts special open hours for the public, when you can come see what happens behind the scenes and get an up-close look at caterpillars of all stripes.

Play and learn at the Cheshire Children’s Museum. Hands-on exhibits and imaginative play spaces — including a kid-size grocery store, post office and radio station — will delight young visitors while also giving them some prime bonding time with their parents, all right in the heart of Keene.

Founded in 1965, The Friendly Farm in Dublin is home to “some of the most agreeable animals you’ll ever meet,” from bunnies and chicks to goats and horses, and most are happy to eat right out of your hand.

EXPEND SOME ENERGY

The brand-new GraniteWorks Gym in Keene invites climbers to try indoor bouldering. The gym features approximately 1,200 square feet of climbing, consisting entirely of adjustable walls and boards in addition to hangboards, peg boards and fitness equipment. Also in Keene is Climb Monadnock, which offers many routes for wall climbing and has a kids’ climbing club. Kids under 3 are free at both.

Hit the slopes at Granite Gorge Mountain Park. Roxbury’s classic ski area has downhill winter fun for all ages. (Its snow-tubing hill is a particular hit with wee ones.) During the warm season, take on the mountain with liftservice mountain biking.

Explore the fields and forests at Stonewall Farm. Known for its award-winning children’s camps year-round, this 120-acre learning center and working farm in Keene invites visitors to hike and bike across its beautiful property, as well as visit the farm animals, picnic and shop at the farm store.

In Chesterfield, the Chesterfield Gorge Natural Area offers a nearly one-mile out-and-back trek highlighted by a stunning gorge and several waterfalls. Leashed, well-behaved pets are also allowed on the trail.

Distant Hill Nature Trail on the Alstead–Walpole line has a nature play area plus a StoryWalk where you can read as you wander. The paths are stroller-friendly, too.

Don’t miss a cool place to cool off. Vilas Pool Park in Alstead features a spring-fed swimming area and some nifty historical touches, like a stone bridge and an old tower. Free and open to anyone.

Have a family member who loves animals? One of the more unique offerings in our region is a chance to cuddle

a cow at Granite Oak Farm. Sessions are 30 minutes for up to three people, and the cows are more than happy to snuggle up and maybe even sneak in a kiss!

ALL FUN AND GAMES

Cheer for the home team at a Keene SwampBats game. Head to Alumni Field to see one of the top teams in the New England Collegiate Baseball League in action, honoring the proud tradition of baseball in Keene all summer long. (Be sure to say hi to team mascot Ribby!)

Twinkle Town in Swanzey has been the go-to for old-fashioned family fun since 1961. It offers 19 holes of mini golf at less than $5 per person (and just 50 cents for replays). There’s batting cages, too, and a snack stand that sells everything from pizza and hot dogs to Thai iced tea and homemade ice cream.

If you have time to spare, take the kids bowling. Yankee Lanes in Keene offers 10-pin bowling, while Bowling Acres in Peterborough is home to candlepin. Both offer on-site dining options and arcade games.

THRILLS AND CHILLS

Get revved up for action at the Monadnock Speedway. Have a kid that likes to go-go-go? Hit the road for Winchester, where you can take in the fast-paced excitement on the quarter-mile oval. Vroom!

Create the sweetest of memories at Jaffrey’s Kimball Farm. Nothing says summer like a cone or cup of homemade ice cream, which you’ll find in abundance here — more than 50 flavors in all — along with fried seafood and a country store gift shop. Keene is home to Rick’s Gourmet Ice Cream (right near Keene Cinemas) which offers the usual flavors as well as some new favorites like graham cracker and an almond milk non-dairy soft serve.

Keene Ice is an indoor rink that offers ice skating year-round. Public skating is just $5 per skater and $5 rentals available. n

Take the kids to a Swamp Bats ballgame.

Kimball’s Farm offers more than 50 ice cream flavors.

Ritu Budakoti

KEENE

Keene Middle School teacher, founder of Keene India Assoc. Bridge builder: By profession I am an educator; I teach eighth-grade science at the Keene Middle School. By passion, I am a community builder. I tirelessly work towards building our community into a welcoming and inclusive place. I am a founder and president of the region’s first Keene India Association, chair of Keene International Festival, member of Keene Human Rights committee, advisor at The Daily Good and trustee member of The Keene Public Library.

Cultural connection: The Keene International Festival has evolved significantly over time, expanding its scope and impact within the community. Initially starting as a modest celebration of cultural diversity, the festival has grown to become a vibrant and inclusive event that attracts participants from various backgrounds and ethnicities. It is widely recognized as a multicultural and multigenerational celebration of diversity in the community. We have seen the number of festival goers increase from year to year. Over the years, the festival has introduced new activities, performances and workshops that showcase the rich cultural heritage of the region’s diverse population.

Classroom community: To foster a sense of community among my middle school students, I prioritize building strong relationships through regular check-ins, actively listening to their concerns and encouraging open communication. I establish classroom norms together with the students, emphasizing respect, empathy and collaboration. Celebrating diversity through multicultural lessons and community-building events helps students appreciate each other’s backgrounds and perspectives.

Discover the region: For newcomers to the Monadnock Region, I would suggest taking the time to explore the area’s natural beauty and outdoor opportunities, including hiking trails, lakes and parks. Engaging with the local community through events, farmers markets and multicultural festivals such as Keene International Festival can help newcomers connect with their new surroundings and meet fellow residents. Additionally, I recommend exploring the region’s rich history and cultural heritage by visiting museums, historic sites and local landmarks. Embracing the slower pace of life and small-town charm of the Monadnock Region can lead to a deeper appreciation for its unique character and community.

Adam Toepfer

KEENE Founder of Keene Pride

Home from away: I had always planned on moving back home, but I did it several years earlier than I would have thought (due to COVID). I have some amazing friends and family in the region, and I wanted to be closer to them.

Embracing the calm: To be honest, it could be quite boring growing up in a small town. That said, sometimes boredom is where kids thrive. I had a blast riding bikes to friends’ houses, finding local swimming holes, sledding and seeing what kind of trouble we could get into. It was a great place to be a kid.

Favorite event: Keene Pride Week, of course!

Down to business: I am the co-founder and board president of Keene Pride, and I work at Brown Computer Solutions. I also co-own a queer entertainment company called Yours Queerly, and am in the process of opening a venue in downtown Keene.

Community pride: The community response (to Keene Pride) has been incredible! Thousands of people are coming to our events every year and they just keep growing. It shows how much this community is supportive of the LGBTQ+ community and how welcoming we are.

Supportive spaces: Listening is incredibly important, and so is patience, because this does not happen overnight. Putting in the hard work day after day and week after week is really important for an organization like this to get off the ground and continue to create safe spaces for the community.

Hangout spot: Brewbakers is one of my favorite spots to go and grab a coffee and get some work done or spend time chatting with a friend. The Monadnock Food Co-op is also great!

Hidden gem: The Hungry Diner in Walpole is a great hidden gem with fantastic food and a great outdoor space that’s perfect in the spring and summer.

MONADNOCK CALENDAR

From downtown festivals to farm tours and open studios, there’s always something exciting to do in the Monadnock Region.

JULY 2024

21 MacDowell Medal Day: The community is invited to join resident artists on MacDowell’s grounds to the awarding of the Edward MacDowell Medal. Visitors can also enjoy a picnic lunch and stop by open studios. Peterborough, macdowell.org

24–28 Keene Wizarding Week: Embrace the magic as your favorite downtown Keene establishments transfigure into settings from Harry Potter. Events have included trivia, a Yule Ball and themed dining experiences. Keene, Facebook

27 RiverFest: Enjoy a day of fun along the Contoocook River with an artisan fair, special shopping deals, children’s activities, a car show and more. Jaffrey, teamjaffrey.org/riverfest.html

28 Taste of Monadnock: The Woodbound Inn hosts this food and wine fundraiser for Shelter From the Storm featuring live music, raffles and tastings from local wineries and dining establishments. Rindge, shelterfromthestormnh.org

AUGUST 2024

1-4 Cheshire Fair: Classic fun for the whole family with carnival rides and midway, truck and tractor pulls, farm animal demonstrations and live entertainments. Swanzey, cheshirefair.org

3 Wyman Tavern Brew Fest: For its 10th year, enjoy local beers, spirits, food trucks, live music, dunk tank and mocktails, too, at the historic Wyman Tavern. Proceeds support local history preservation. Keene, hsccnh.org

9 Night Market: At Night Market 2024, along with

the usual fun of the Night Market, Maxt Makerspace will be inviting visual artists, sound artists, performance artists and musicians to help interpret and celebrate 1990s culture. Peterborough, maxtmakerspace.org

17 Back to our Roots: Stonewall Farm is turning 30 and celebrating with live music, livestock demos, games, food, a beer garden and more. Keene, stonwallfarm.org/events

17 Monadnock Farm Tour & After Party: Monadnock farms are opening their barn doors, pastures, hoop houses, kitchens

Keene Pumpkin Festival

and pudding plant for the community to experience work that goes into putting food on our tables. Various locations, mfcommunitycoalition. org/2024monadnockfarmtour

31 Keene Music Festival: This annual late summer event features more than 80 bands at 13 performance areas, making it one of the largest free music festivals around. The event features a wide array of musical styles around downtown. Keene, Facebook

31–Sept. 1 Art in the Park: the Monadnock Area Artists Association brings together more than 80 artists along the Ashuelot River to share their beautiful paintings, pottery, photography and more. Keene, monadnockartists.org

SEPTEMBER 2024

6–8 Dublin Gas Engine Show: Explore America’s agricultural and industrial history through demonstrations of antique tractors, vehicles and working engines that were once the tools of the trade. Dublin, dublinnhgasenginemeet.com

7–8 River Valley Artisans Wine & Art Tour: Summit Winery and Branch and Blade Brewing invite oenophiles and art lovers alike to stop by and sample beautiful creations. More than 25 artists will be divided at the two locations.

Westmoreland and Keene, rivervalleyartisans.com

15 Keene Pride Festival: Celebrate the region’s LGBTQ+ community with live music and performances, children’s activities, artisans, food trucks and more. Keene, keenepride.org

20-21 Antrim Home & Harvest Festival: Community games and contests, food, arts market, live performances, a parade and fireworks all to celebrate fall. Antrim, Facebook

25-26 Radically Rural Summit: Sessions spread throughout downtown Keene will inspire you to reimagine rural under the backdrop of a quintessential New England main street with ideas, connections and tools to build your community. Keene, radicallyrural.org

28 Winchester Pickle Festival: The community event celebrates all things “pickle” and local agriculture. Activities include a parade, crafts, food, music and family fun. Winchester, winchesternhpicklefestival.org

28 Keene International Festival: Keene International Festival showcases and celebrates the rich cultural diversity of the community through activities that engage and connect people. Keene, keeneinternationalfestival.org

29 Clarence DeMar Marathon: Lace up your sneakers or

cheer on the runners of the 46th Clarence DeMar Marathon, which celebrates the legacy of the former Keene resident, seven-time Boston Marathon champion and Olympic medalist. Keene, clarencedemar.com

OCTOBER 2024

4–6 Monadnock International Film Festival: MONIFF features award-winning films on the festival circuit, domestic and foreign, along with premieres of regionally produced films by New Hampshire and New England filmmakers. Keene, Jaffrey, moniff.org

12–14 Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour: Experience a weekend of fine art and fabulous fall foliage in the Monadnock Region. Artists open their studios for selfguided tours. Various locations, fallfoliageartstudiotour.com

12–14 Monadnock Art Open Studios: Enjoy a gallery exhibit by Monadnock Art throughout the month of October. Then get an up-close look at how more than 70 regional artists create their work during the studio tour. Various locations, monadnockart.org

12 Keene Pumpkin Festival: A community-based, familyfriendly celebration of fall with pumpkin-themed activities throughout downtown. The tower of lighted jack-o-lanterns is a highlight not to be missed.

26–27 Viva Bach Festival: Celebrate the music of J.S. Bach with performances that aim to inspire young people and bring harmony to the community. Peterborough, vivabachpeterborough.org

NOVEMBER 2024

TBD Kristallnacht Remembrance: This annual event seeks to bring the community together on the anniversary of Kristallnacht (Nov. 9, 1938) when Nazi

leaders unleashed a series of pogroms against the Jewish population in Germany. The community event is to bear witness and recognize our responsibility to promote an active and informed citizenry, recognize individual and societal responsibility for each other, and foster mutual respect and justice.

22 Antique Roadshow: The Woodbound Inn hosts this food and wine fundraiser for Shelter From the Storm featuring a silent auction, wine raffle, antique appraisals and more. Rindge, shelterfromthestormnh.org.

TBD Monadnock Region Natural History Conference: On a threeyear rotation, the next one is expected in late 2025. Keene, harriscenter.org/conservationresearch/monadnock-regionnatural-history-conference

DECEMBER 2024

1–2 Lantern Festival: Give the gift of light to the community as Putnam Park is brightened with a handcrafted lantern art installation and Lantern Parade down Grove Street. Parade planned for Saturday unless weather moves it to Sunday.

14 Currier and Ives Cookie tour: Enjoy a leisurely pace of holiday shopping by visiting more than a dozen locally owned gift shops, inns and others which will be offering up holiday

Picklefest

Radically Rural

wares, with festive cookies, too. Maps provided after purchase of tickets. Various locations, currierandivescookietour.com

25–Jan. 2 Hannukah Menorah Lighting: Keene will mark the days of Hannukah with the lighting of a menorah in Central Square. Keene, keenesynagogue.org

JANUARY 2025

TBD Winter Frolic: Break free of cabin fever with a community get-together in the snow. Highlights include sledding by Norway pond and snowman building. Warm up later with hot cocoa and snacks. Hancock, hancock.org/recreation-committee

FEBRUARY 2025

1 Ice & Snow Festival: The first weekend in February, enjoy a free family-friendly outing examining ice carvers’ works. Plus, a scavenger hunt, sledding, sugar on snow, hot cocoa and other treats. Keene, Facebook

TBD Wilton Winter Festival: The town green becomes a winter wonderland with ice carvings, campfire, arts market, live music, songs and stories and more. Wilton, visitwilton.org

APRIL 2025

5–6 Keene Home Expo: The Keene Home Expo is an annual event put on by the Home Builders Association designed to bring together builders, vendors and homeowners in a way that promotes local businesses and making your dream home a reality. Keene, homebuildersassocswnh.com

TBD Monadnock Earth Day Festival: Celebrate a commitment to evergreater sustainability, healthy communities for all, and preserving and sustaining our planet. Keene, monadnockfood.coop/events

GreaterMonadnock.com

MAY 2025

TBD The Thing in the Spring: Musicians from New England and beyond take part in Nova Arts multiday music festival, which also offers readings and art installations around town. Keene, novaarts.org

TBD Children and the Arts Festival: A beloved, annual festival celebrating art by and for children. There are crafts, demonstrations,

live music and other activities. Peterborough, childrenandthearts.org

JUNE 2025

TBD Monadnock Community and Business Expo: Local businesses come together for a three-day event to share their products and services. Keene, monadnockbusinessexpo.com

TBD Northlands Music and Arts Festival: Nationally touring musical acts and rising starts come together for a jam-packed weekend. See also installation art, performances, food trucks, beer garden and local artisans. Swanzey, northlandslive.com

TBD Taste of Keene: Experience the best of local food. Restaurants, food producers, brewers and distilleries get their chance to shine as Central Square and part of Main Street turn into a pedestrianonly zone for strolling and sampling. Keene, keeneypn.com

TBD Keene Artwalk: For more than 30 years, this has been an annual celebration of local artists. It is an opportunity for residents and visitors to take a self-guided tour around town as artists partner with local shops to display their creations. Keene, monadnockartsalive. org/keene-artwalk

TBD Gilsum Rock Swap and Mineral Show: View more than 60 dealers and swappers with gems, jewelry and minerals available for sale or trade. Pan for minerals, enjoy a New England ham and bean dinner with homemade pies, sit down for a chicken barbecue lunch and more.

TBD Wilton Summerfest: The Lions Club rubber ducky drop is a joyful staple of this family event, along with a pancake breakfast, fireworks, street vendors and more. Wilton, visitwilton.com/summerfest

Radically Rural brings business leaders and community stakeholders together. below: Creativity abounds along the Art Tour.

E X P L O R E Y O U R

IT'S TIME TO HAVE SOME FUN!

Passions

Live life on your terms, while we take care of the rest at RiverMead, the Monadnock Region's premier Life Plan Community (CCRC). Take advantage of our on-campus trails, gardens, and riverfront. Take a course or attend a lecture. Focus on your wellness in our fitness center and indoor pool.

At RiverMead, we want you to enjoy life to the fullest, secure in the knowledge that your future healthcare needs are planned for.