The Merrimack Valley School District invites you to join Clinton Graham for a Community Conversation on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Merrimack Valley High School auditorium. Graham will use his unique background and experiences to engage in conversation on societal issues faced today. Along with Graham’s presentation, this event will provide opportunities for attendee interaction and an engaging question-and-answer session.
CHERYL STINSON
753-9752
news03303@aol.com
The 65th annual Concord Christmas Parade will start on Loudon Road at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Come out and see Santa Claus, bands and more. The parade will feature music by the Concord and Merrimack Valley high school bands and the New Hampshire Pipes and Drums Corps. The theme of the parade is “A Futuristic Christmas” and will feature animals, emergency response vehicles, antique vehicles, color guards and more. Children are encouraged to bring their letters to Santa Claus. The parade is a non-profit event organized by Concord Grange 322. The committee is still waiting for pledges to be sent in. Please help defray the expenses of the parade by sending a donation to “Concord Christmas Parade, c/o Dick Patten, 30 Pinewood Trail, Concord 03301.”
The 16th annual Fez-tival of Trees will start on Saturday and will run through Nov. 26 at the Bektash Temple, 189 Pembroke Road. The admission fee for adults is $5, seniors are $4, and children 12 and younger are free. For more information, call 225-5372.
On Tuesday at 6 p.m., NHTI’s Wings of Knowledge program will present pomologist John Bunker, the Apple Whisperer, in the living room at the library. He is the author of several books on apples and is co-founder of Out on a Limb CSA. Refreshments will follow the program. For more information, call 230-6880 or visit nhti.edu/wings.
On Saturday at 7:30 p.m., the Central New Hampshire Storytellers Guild will present its annual Tellabration in the NHTI living room at the library. Bring a food pantry donation and enjoy the tellers’ stories.
The Heights Community Center has many activities for seniors. The walking group meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m. Bone Builders meet Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 to 11 a.m. There will be adult coloring on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon. All the materials will be provided. For more information, call Becky at 230-4982 or email rbukowski@ConcordNH.gov.
On Nov. 22 at 10 a.m., there will be a wreath-laying ceremony for President Franklin Pierce’s 212th birthday at the Old North Cemetery. This will be hosted by the Pierce Brigade, the U.S. Army National Guard and the Governor’s Horse Guard, with participation from the Christa McAuliffe Elementary School.
Community suppers at Grace Episcopal Church are canceled until further notice. The church appreciates your patronage and support for the past six years. The church’s Take a Tote food program will continue at Mill Book School.
Concord Grange 322 will hold a planning meeting Nov. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the IBEW Hall, 48 Airport Road. Call Master Dick Patten at 496-2917 for more information.
The Christmas tree lighting is scheduled for Nov. 25 and there will be events for all ages, including Santa Claus and fireworks. Donations are urgently needed. Call Dick Patten at 496-2917.
The Community Action Program is scheduling appointments for fuel and electric assistance for the 2016-17 season. Call 225-6880 for an appointment.
The Horseshoe Pond Toastmasters will meet Wednesday at noon at Northeast Delta Dental. For more information call 223-1287.
The Karner Blue Toastmasters will meet Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Environmental Services building on Hazen Drive. For more information call 568-3128.
CHRIS WEEDEN
224-1715
clweeden@comcast.net
Plans are shaping up for the 30th annual Concord Christmas tree lighting celebration to be held Nov. 25 at the State House Plaza on North Main Street. The special tree in Eagle Square, dedicated to the Armed Forces who can’t be home this year to celebrate the holidays, will be lighted at 4 p.m. Activities are free, but a dollar donation is being asked to help defray expenses. Santa Claus will arrive at the plaza courtesy of the Concord Fire Department. The countdown to light the beautiful Spruce tree will begin at 5:59 p.m. with the lights turning on at 6 p.m. Binnie Media will once again be helping to fund the Skip Houle Memorial Fireworks display. If you wish to support the activities, send a check to “Concord Christmas tree lighting, c/o Dick Patten, 30 Pinewood Trail, Concord 03301.”
The GFWC Contemporary Club is hosting a “Mr. Concord” Pageant on Friday starting at 6 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center. The event includes hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, eight contestants and a social hour. Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased at the Bravo Boutique or by calling 731-6991. Proceeds will support The Crisis Center of Central New Hampshire.
The West Congregational Church bazaar will be on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will have handmade crafts, placemats, handknit hats, vintage-style aprons and more. Some of their best cooks will be offering up a table of yummy baked goods. There will be Rada knives, a wide variety of gift cards and a white elephant table. You can also enjoy a great lunch with soup, sandwich and pies. For more information, visit westcongr.org.
Christ the King Parish, 72 S. Main St., will host a Christmas fair on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. The fair will include raffles, baked goods, holiday items, estate jewelry and more. For more information, call Linda Skaggs at 731-9339.
The Community Players of Concord will be performing Once on this Island: A Caribbean Musical Masquerade at Concord City Auditorium Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 or, if purchased by Tuesday, the cost is $18. For more information or tickets, call Dave Murdo at 344-4747.
The city’s General Services Department began the annual fall leaf pick-up, which is scheduled to run through the first week of December. Place your leaves un-bagged at the curbside and the crews will pick them up. Leaves only will be accepted. Do not put any branches or debris with the leaves since they will not be able to be picked up. For more information, call 228-3727.
LYNDA PLANTE
228-6800
soxpatscats@gmail.com
South Church’s auction is almost here, and not too early for Christmas shopping. Join us for a fun evening of a silent auction with a lot of great things, light refreshments and entertainment by the duo of Hank Osborne and Charles Mitchell. It’s Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. All are welcome to attend. We encourage you to bring a friend. At-will donations at the door will be accepted. For information, call the church at 224-2521.
The soup’s on this Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St. Bring your favorite spoon. Kathy Gunst, resident chef for National Public Radio’s “Here and Now” and James Beard award-winning author, will visit Gibson’s Bookstore to present her new book Soup Swap. She’ll have a sample or two for you to taste as she talks about what makes this meal such a beloved staple in the cold winter months. There’s no better way to cultivate community, foster friendship or simply nourish family than over heartwarming bowls of homemade soup. Soup lovers will find 60 terrific recipes. Whether taken to a party or savored at home, this collection of soups, stews and chowders is sure to satisfy all year long.
New Hampshire favorite Howard Mansfield visits Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Gibson’s Bookstore to present his new work Sheds. Drawing on material from his recent book Dwelling in Possibility, Mansfield explores the different types of sheds found around New England and beyond.
Concord Recreation programs for children just keep coming: pre-school open gym for age 18 months to three years, holiday gift workshop for age 8 to 13, basketball for age 4 to sixth grade and squash for age 7 to 10. Visit concordparksandrec.com or call 225-8690 for details.
The Hatbox Theatre is a live performance arts space to create a cooperative community and to develop unique, intimate experiences for both audiences and artists. Tales Told – Authentic Voices Sharing True Tales of the Human Experience will be presented Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Steeplegate Mall. It is a special show. Craft a five-minute soliloquy of your firsthand experience centered around the evening’s theme Home for the Holidays. Practice it so that you can remember it without paper (no notes allowed) and to keep it on time. If you are one of the lucky audience members picked, you will have five minutes to wow the crowd with your adventure, remembrance or lesson learned. Visit talestoldproductions for more information.
It was a treat to meet so many of you as I worked the Ward 7 polls on Election Day. You can stand tall knowing our ward in the South End had the biggest turnout in Concord.
JEAN VER HOEVEN
856-304-5830
jeanann@voicenet.com