Fall is now in full swing in New Hampshire — truly a sight to be seen. Over the weekend, a friend and I trekked up the Oak Hill Fire Tower trail in Concord early in the morning and saw the autumn leaves in all their glory.
We climbed the steep steps up the top of the tower, where the cool air came at us in full force and we could see mountain peaks all around us. I hope to climb some of those peaks by October’s end to take it all in fully (and hopefully avoid the leaf peeper traffic, if possible).
If you’re not hiking a trail or climbing a mountain this weekend, a beloved local festival will showcase the fantastic New England trees all the same. The Warner Fall Foliage Festival is coming back for its 79th year and will have a lot more to offer than just its leaves.
The festival will kick off with live music Friday night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., ushering in events and vendors the rest of the weekend between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The crafts and farmers market will take over Warner’s town center to sell handmade and artisan goods. A 5K race, an oxen competition and an ice cream eating contest will all take place over the weekend too. And don’t forget about the food trucks and midday lobster dinners. The event is free, with regular shuttle buses taking visitors from parking lots to the center of town.
Before the festival, start off your weekend with a special tour at Canterbury Shaker Village this Thursday, Oct. 8, on Historic Preservation 101. The Village’s Executive Director Erin Hammerstedt will guide the tour on a behind-the-scenes look at projects in progress and explain what it takes to preserve historic buildings. The tour starts at 2 p.m. and costs $30 per person.
Friday night at the Arts Alley Courtyard will kick off the Halloween festivities with an outdoor showing of “Beetlejuice” at 7 p.m., in partnership with Red River Theatres. The Tim Burton classic is the perfect way to ring in the spooky holiday for the whole family. Make sure to bring a blanket and chair to get cozy under the night sky, but also come dressed to impress — the best Beetlejuice-inspired costumes will get rewarded. The event is free for all ages.
If you’re looking for a night of electrifying chamber music with a mix of genres, look no further than the Moanin’ Frogs performance on Saturday at Avaloch Farm Music Institute in Boscawen. The saxophone six-piece are one of two acts part of the 2026 Educational Artist Residency program at the Institute. They bring classical, ragtime, jazz and pop sounds in their dynamic and precise performances. The 5 p.m. concert is $20 per person, and $40 for a BBQ dinner at 4 p.m. before the performance.
You can hear me talk more about weekend events on WNHN-LP, 94.7 FM from Wednesday through Saturday.
Arts Ahead is in partnership with WNHN. Coming up next week on “What’s Your Story?” co-hosts Fred Richards and Cary Gladstone will be talking with Anice Jasman-Sayers, who started her business Flawless Impressions and regularly talks to world leaders. Listen to “What’s Your Story?” Mondays, 8 to 8:30 a.m. and repeated Sundays, 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m., on WNHN-LP, 94.7 FM, and streaming at wnhnfm.org.”
