Something magical happens each summer when the sun shines on downtown Concord. People emerge from their homes with their whole families in tow or stop in the city on their way, strolling down Main Street, wandering in and out of stores, licking ice cream cones and chatting at the tables outside restaurants.
It’s the time the city feels the most alive — vibrant, even! And it’s particularly exciting to see people who’ve never before explored Concord fall in love with the quaint brick buildings and the glowing golden dome.
One event, above all, stands out for the number of people it attracts to our capital city each year. All of Main Street transforms into a festival wonderland, with countless booths from local vendors, artisans, food trucks and more. There’s everything you could ever want, from the Concord Arts Market and clothing stalls to live music, yummy treats and fun, family-friendly activities.
The whole Monitor staff enjoys tabling at our booth and meeting readers. Come say hi to us, check out our discounted subscription offer and take our community survey from Thursday through Saturday! We’ll be at the corner of Main and Pleasant.
Some more Market Days information for you:
Come downtown from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Friday or Saturday to enjoy the 52nd annual festival. This year even features a vintage market, which our summer intern Addison Mason wrote about earlier this week. Visit www.marketdaysfestival.com to see the entertainment schedule, an interactive map and more.
And if you have time in your weekend beyond frolicking downtown at the festival, here are a couple other ideas to keep you entertained.
On Saturday morning, you can join the June Group Hike at the Batchelder Mill Trails in Concord. The guided hike starts at 9 a.m. and is free to the public. You can park at the Broken Ground School/Mill Brook School parking lots. Expect easy terrain and a 2.2 mile loop that should take roughly two hours, so bring your sunscreen and lace up your boots for an awesome adventure!
For all the history buffs out there, or even just people curious about the past, Canterbury Shaker Village has the perfect Saturday event for you: a reading of Frederick Douglass’s speech, delivered on July 5, 1852, in which he asked, “What to the slave is your Fourth of July?”
“For the past several years, on the Saturday before July 4, the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire has collaborated with community leaders around the Granite State to bring people together to read Frederick Douglass’ historic speech and reflect on its meaning,” the event description says.
Hosted in collaboration with the Elkins Public Library, the free reading will take place at the 1792 Meeting House.
Anyone interested in reading at the event is encouraged to contact Kyle Sandler at ksandler@shakers.org.
“In addressing an Independence Day observance in Rochester, New York, his speech was a blistering indictment of an American idealism that ignored and accepted the inhuman treatment of enslaved African Americans as part of the country’s identity and economy. Ironically, even though Douglass’ words spoke directly to this moment in history, they still ring with an unsettling power today,” the description says.
This year’s July 4 will be extra special, marking not only 250 years since the country’s founding but 300 years since the start of Concord and many other local communities. Stay tuned for more coverage of the semiquincentennial and tricentennial!
