If there’s one thing I love, it’s talking about the Monitor. While so much of what we do is public-facing, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to which people aren’t privy.
For instance, did you know that this year, for the first time ever, we have a High School Student Advisory Board? Fourteen high school students from nearby communities join us each month to discuss media literacy and help us shape our coverage to encompass and better represent young people. It’s been a great way to connect with students and hear about what they feel are the most pressing issues in their world.
Or, maybe you don’t know about our News For Your Neighbor program, a donation-based model that provides free subscriptions to members of the community who may not otherwise be able to access the Monitor.
There’s a lot happening in our newsroom, and it’s important to us to share our happenings with the broader community. We were thrilled with the turnout at our Meet the Monitor event in March, and we’re excited to be taking the show on the road.
Join us tomorrow night, Thursday, May 14, at 7 p.m. at the Kimball Jenkins Carriage House for an event held in conjunction with the Concord Historical Society. You’ll get to hear from our publisher, Steve Leone, and chat with me and our fabulous news editor, Rebeca Pereira. We will share more about the rich history of our legacy newspaper, talk about our vision for local journalism and field any questions that attendees may have. We hope you’re as excited to meet us as we are to meet you!
And, as part of my regularly scheduled Arts Ahead programming, here are a few other fun things to add to your weekend agendas.
The Northeast Coffee Festival is returning to Concord on Friday and Saturday! There are options for coffee and tea lovers alike. Co-hosted by Revelstoke Coffee and Wayfarer Coffee Roasters in Laconia, the festival will feature an outdoor community market with dozens of coffee and tea vendors, as well as numerous workshops, panels and hands-on educational opportunities for those looking to learn more about coffee as a craft. Complete with food trucks, coffee and tea vendors, mobile espresso bars, a kids’ play zone and live music from the New Hampshire Music Collective, the festival offers something for everyone. Coffee producers, roasters and importers from around the world will be in attendance.
For more information about the Northeast Coffee Festival, visit www.northeastcoffeefestival.com. The free community market will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, with the coffee education programming, which requires a pass, happening throughout.
If you’re feeling creative, make sure to head to Black Olive Pottery’s Open House between 12 and 4 p.m. on Saturday. Located on Loudon Road, the studio will showcase member work, hold pottery wheel demonstrations, raffle off door prizes and invite people to participate in a surprise community craft. The event is free, so all you have to do is show up!
If you’re in the mood for music, check out the Suncook Valley Chorale, which will be holding two performances this weekend, one on Friday and one on Saturday, both at 7 p.m. at the Wesley United Methodist Church at 79 Clinton Street in Concord.
There’s lots more happening, so don’t forget to check out the events page on our website! Have a great weekend, folks.
