The Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair and Seminars will be back at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds in Contoocook on Saturday and Sunday, bringing with it a host of activities and a fun filled weekend for you and your canine companion. Beginners can take a class in bikejoring (mountain biking with your dog) and canicross (cross country running with your dog). Or try out one of the hottest new AKC sports, Rally, where dogs and their owners work as a team to navigate a course filled with obedience instructions and tasks. Admission is $10 for adults for Saturday or $15 for both days. Kids under 16 are free. Entries into the dryland race and some classes are extra. On-site camping is available; see the website for more information. The fair is both kid and dog-friendly; all dogs need to be leashed and owners must pick up after their dogs. Access to the fair is through the Green Gate, opening at 8:30 a.m. each morning with the vendor hall opening at 9 a.m. For more information, visit sleddogtradefair.org.
Come and enjoy the Center for The Arts’ First Friday on Friday from 6:30 to 7 p.m. at Whipple Hall, 429 Main St., in New London. Northern Stage will share information about their upcoming Main Stage Season, burgeoning education programs, nationally acclaimed new play development, and dreams for the company’s near-term future. Light refreshments following the presentation. First Fridays are free and open to the public. Also on Friday night, Proctor’s Lovejoy Library will hold an opening reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., featuring the renowned artist Liam O’Gallagher’s work. The incredible collection of artwork and poems by O’Gallagher, on loan from the Beatrice Wood Foundation in Ojai, Calif., captures some of O’Gallagher’s cleverly expressive and explorative nature. To learn more, contact 526-4444 or visit CenterForTheArtsNH.org.
Merrimack Retired Educators Association will meet Oct. 10 at Makris Lobster & Steak House on Route 106 in Concord. The business meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. followed by the program at 11 a.m. Rick Trombly, executive director of NEA-NH, will present work done on behalf of public education in N.H. this year and update retirees on legislation affecting them. All retired teachers, support staff and professional associates from the Concord area are welcome to attend. New retirees are welcome to a free membership for one year. Reservations for the noon luncheon may be made by emailing lizjane1945@gmail.com.
On Oct. 12, the Tapply-Thompson Community Center at 30 N. Main St., in Bristol will sponsor its 36th Annual Apple Festival. This year’s events include a craft fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the TTCC gym. The food sale will include pies, apple crisp, fresh bread, home baked beans, apple brownies, fresh applesauce and more. Pies will sell for $12 a pie and are made on Oct. 11 by area residents who come together at the Center and peel, slice, roll and bake 300 apple baked goods. We are still looking for volunteers for Oct. 11. If you can come down and help out, please call the TTCC at 744-2713. If you would like table space for the craft fair, it is $30 per 6-foot space and $40 for an 8-foot table space. Pies can be reserved (uncooked frozen available) by calling before Oct. 11. We hope to see all of you there to enjoy apple pie a-la-mode and fresh perked coffee.