Eagerly anticipating summer this year? The Belmont Public Library has planned a joyful addition to your summer fun. Participants of all ages can register for prizes and raffles. The Belmont Elementary School PTO has given graciously to ensure that Belmont families have a lot to do this summer. Free and reduced price passes to attractions like the New England Aquarium and Castle in the Clouds are available with your library card, joining library-funded passes like the Squam Lake Science Center and NH State Parks. Current information is available on the library’s website. The BEST also supported STEAM and activity kits you can check out from the library; the two metal detector kits ought to be in high demand this year, along with others sponsored by the group. The library’s telescope, Raspberry Pi coding kits, and other existing kits are also available to check out.
No Two Tails Alike: An animal’s tail can serve as a rudder when swimming, help with agility during flight, or can even function like an extra hand. Meet live native wildlife ambassadors as a naturalist from Squam Lakes Natural Science Center tells tales of the tails of some of New Hampshire’s native wildlife. The event is at the Tioga Pavilion on July 16 at 10:30 a.m.
Starting June 21, the Tioga Village Spur Trail hosts a Storywalk: Over in the Forest (come and take a peek) by Marianne Berks. The trail activity should be available through July 12. Gather for outdoor storytime Thursdays at 10 a.m. through Aug. 5 at the Tioga Pavilion. This program is aimed at families with children through first grade. Since the Pavilion has a roof, we do not expect to have to cancel for weather reasons.
Preschool kids through grade six can bring their stuffed animals to spend the Night at the Library on July 21. Stuffed pet parents will gather on the library’s lawn at 6 p.m. to enjoy a story and snack together before leaving the stuffies to spend the night at the library. Animals can be picked up on July 29 at outdoor storytime.
NH children’s author Marty Kelley will be representing the Children’s Literacy Foundation during this third year of Belmont Library’s Summer Readers Book Giveaway. Join us at the Tioga Pavilion for a fun time and free books for sixth graders down to babies on July 28 at 2 p.m.
Rising sixth graders through high school students are welcome to participate in two activities this summer. On June 29 at 2 p.m., Harness the energy of the Sun to make the best snack ever invented, S’mores! A solar oven is a box that traps some of the Sun’s energy to make the air inside the box hotter than the air outside the box. In other words, the solar oven is like a super greenhouse. A few years back NBC had a show called Minute to Win It where contestants had to complete a task using household items in less than a minute to move on to the next challenge and ultimately win money. The Belmont Library Minute to Win It takes place July 13 at 2 p.m. on the Library’s back lawn. Registration is highly encouraged for both events.
July 8, 1 p.m.: The nonfiction book discussion choice is How to be a Good Creature: a memoir in thirteen animals by Sy Montgomery. National Book Award finalist Sy Montgomery reflects on the personalities and quirks of 13 animals – her friends – who have profoundly affected her in this stunning, poetic, and life-affirming memoir featuring illustrations by Rebecca Green.
July 23, 10:30 a.m.: The fiction book discussion choice is The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa. An instant international bestseller and indie bestseller, The Travelling Cat Chronicles has charmed readers around the world. With simple yet descriptive prose, this novel gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru’s longtime friends. Or so Nana is led to believe.
The library will be closed July 5 for the holiday observance.
The Belmont Public Library is open six days a week and any time at belmontpubliclibrary.org, serving the community with books, digital resources, and cultural programming.
Magic, mentalism and a U2 tribute band will take over the recently-reopened Lakeport Opera House to cap off the month of June. World-famous master magician, Adam Wilber, will perform an interactive show on June 25, while June 26 will be a musical performance by U2 tribute band, Unforgettable Fire. These two performances will take place at the newly renovated Opera House and provide a unique entertainment experience. As the Opera House’s first magic show in over 60 years, Adam Wilber, master magician, mentalist and mind reader, will wow spectators at his interactive show on June 25 at 7:30 p.m. Wilber is well-known as one of a few magicians who have been successful on the popular TV show, Penn & Teller Fool Us, where aspiring magicians from all over the world perform tricks to attempt to fool the world-famous magician duo. The weekend will be unforgettable as Unforgettable Fire, a U2 tribute show, will perform June 26 at 8 p.m. Unforgettable Fire, or “UF”, began performing in 1995 and is one of the very first U2 tribute bands to perform in America. After 26 years of playing in some of the most prestigious venues on the East Coast, UF has formed a reputation among many to be one of the closest experiences to being at an actual live U2 show. The members of UF are also very dedicated fans of U2 and will not settle for anything less than complete authenticity. In addition to performing a very impressive array of U2 material from pre-Boy to the most recent Songs of Experience, the band does everything in their power (from wardrobe to lighting) to recreate the live U2 concert experience for their audience. On occasion, they are known to join U2 on stage for performance as well as having the original band members join UF for performance. For more information on events and to purchase tickets in advance, visit lakeportopera.com.
Twiggs Gallery has planned a day of art and animal-themed fun for their Arts Fest taking place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 254 King St., in Boscawen. A rain date is scheduled for Sunday. The Arts Fest art fair will take place outside with local New Hampshire artists. Textile artist Cheryl Miller creates fiber collages using hand-dyed fabrics and paper elements that are stitched by machine; artisan Diane Louise Paul handcrafts beautiful leather goods including belts, sleigh bell straps, dog collars and leashes, bracelets, and more; jeweler Jo Shields creates organic sculptural jewelry based on her love of nature and plant forms; glass artist Keira Chin handcrafts whimsical scenes made with beach glass; watercolor painter Melanie Deshaies looks to nature for inspiration for her work; and Ty Meier creates fine artwork, greeting cards, custom pet portraits, and children’s book illustrations. Two animal non-profits will be joining the art fair. From 10 a.m. to noon, Pope Memorial SPCA will bring a pet for people to meet along with information about their organization. A SPCA donation bin will be set up to accept canned dog food, dry cat food, soft dog treats, cat toys, small animal toys and durable dog toys. From 1 to 3 p.m., For the Love of Dog – Rottweiler & Pitbull Rescue of NH will be attending with an information booth and a special pet for everyone to meet. Free will donations to both organizations are welcome. From 1 to 3 p.m., Dave Heisler will be offering free draft horse scoot rides in the side field and the 4-H Steer Club will drop by during the day to give a demonstration. Inside, from 1 to 3 p.m., artist Gail Smuda will host a free Paper Doll Pets Make & Take. Bring in a small picture of your pet’s head, about 1.5 inches wide, and dress them up! Or, use our pet portraits to complete your Paper Doll Pet. While you are inside, browse Twiggs newest exhibit about the deeply familiar world of domesticated pets, work and farm animals, Fur & Feathers/Paws & Claws. Also on display in the gallery, Twigg’s is spotlighting “Our Village Square … a Celebration.” Finally, Twiggs is launching a community art project in conjunction with the Route 3 Art Trail anchors Making Matters and Kimball Jenkins. The “Route 3 Art Trail-Rocks!” is a community art project to create kindness with collaboration and painted rocks. Stop by and paint some kindness rocks for the project. Twiggs will have all of the supplies. The painted rocks will be placed in a special “Kindness Rocks!” installation circle at Twiggs for all to see. Later in the fall, the painted rocks will be hidden in plain sight throughout Boscawen for residents to find to either keep or share. For more information, visit TwiggsGallery.WordPress.com or call 603-975-0015.
The 24th Annual New Hampshire Jewish Food Festival has been an overwhelming success. The second year of a virtual festival with its expanded menu has exceeded our highest hopes. Even with the huge demand we were prepared, and in fact, still have most items in stock as the ordering period comes to a close on Sunday afternoon. All the deli meats, pickles and bread are still available; as are some of our most popular items like potato latkes, knishes, and blintzes, but inventories of these homemade items are starting to run low. So, don’t hesitate, because ordering will end soon, and you will have to wait a whole year to have the opportunity to purchase these special foods again. Go to tbinh.org and place your orders before June 27 when we turn out the lights on the NH Jewish Food Festival store until 2022.