Arts Ahead: Your ticket to the weekend’s events

By KIERA McLAUGHLIN

Are you an extrovert painter looking to make more friends or an introvert reader bookworm looking for an outdoorsy activity? Look no further! Here’s a list of five fantastic events taking place for you and your friends or family to join.

‘No one tells you how to be an adult’: Concord father-son duo debuts disability and adulthood film on PBS

By JANE MILLER

Concord father-and-son duo Dan and Sam Habib will debut their feature film “The Ride Ahead” next week, which is an extension of their Emmy award winning short film “My Disability Roadmap.”

Community Players of Concord celebrate 97th season, prepare for 98th

To celebrate the conclusion of their 97th season, the Community Players of Concord came together for an annual meeting including a pot-luck dinner and the presentation of a number of theatrical awards.

Arts Ahead: Your guide to fun upcoming community events

By KIERA McLAUGHLIN

In the Concord area, there’s no limit to the creative community events taking place around us. Whether music, theatre, crafting or more, there’s something for everyone.

Henniker Blues, Brews & BBQ Fest returns for fourth year

Feeling the summer spirit, Henniker will host its fourth annual BB&B Fest — Blues, Brews & BBQ — on the green in the shade of the Angela Robinson Bandstand, located at Community Park. The festival, sponsored by Pats Peak, will take place on Tuesday, July 22 at 6:00 p.m.

Artist Spotlight: Holly Emrick

This week’s artist spotlight, brought to you through a collaboration with the Concord Insider and the Concord Arts Market, focuses on Holly Emrick, who lives in Boscawen. A 58-year-old mother of two and grandmother of two and a wife of 40 years, Emrick discovered jewelry-making during her 16 years as a stay-at-home mom.

Concert on the lawn coming to Pierce Manse

The Pierce Brigade, the membership organization dedicated to preserving the home and legacy of President Franklin Pierce is hosting a concert on the lawn at the Pierce Manse on Thursday, July 17 at 7:00 p.m. The concert will be preceded by an ice cream social and open house from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Rain date is July 18.

Nate Lavallee, July Young Professional of the Month: Stretching toward strength, self-care and Southern NH wellness

Meet Nate Lavallee, owner of FlexABLE Assisted Stretching and Wellness and a passionate advocate for movement, mindset and meaningful change. With a mission to build stronger bodies and stronger communities, Lavallee helps clients unlock their potential—one stretch at a time. Whether he’s in downtown Concord on a date night, going Over The Edge for a cause, or inspiring others through recovery and wellness, 40-year-old Lavallee, who lives in Manchester, is leading a self-care revolution across southern New Hampshire, where he works in both Manchester and Concord.

Lavender haze: Purple fields bloom at Warner farm

By YAA BAME

The lavender fields at Pumpkin Blossom Farm in Warner are open for Harvest Days.

Arts in the Park returns for July

By KIERA McLAUGHLIN

Concord Arts Market will host their second monthly Arts in the Park event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Rollins Park. 

Hopkinton art gallery showcases “Creativity Beyond Convention”

The next exhibition at Two Villages Art Society in Hopkinton is a solo show of the work of Sandy Steen Bartholomew, an artist who celebrates the imaginative, neurodivergent mind through whimsical creatures, playful stories, and unconventional materials.

Treetop Gem: The Brilliant Blackburnian Warbler

By LAURIE D. MORRISSEY

One recent morning, trying to find the source of a warbler trill high in a white pine tree, I was rewarded with a brilliant flash of orange. It was my first sighting of a Blackburnian warbler, one of the most beautiful songbirds in the northern woods.

Vintage Views: The ugliest dog wins

“Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There’s so little hope for advancement.”

Homeyer: July flowers worth growing

July is a great month for blossoms – but only if you have planned for that to happen. Many gardeners go to their local nurseries in May and June, selecting plants in full bloom. But when July comes along, those gardeners are tired or hot or at the lake or in the mountains, and forget to keep on buying plants. Not me. July is a great month for blossoms – on trees, shrubs and perennials. Here are a few of my favorite July plants.

AROUND CONCORD: Your guide to free summer music

By CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN

With a good camp chair, a cool beverage and a worn, cozy sweatshirt, the perfect New England summer evening might just be enjoying the music of local musicians at dusk.

Your Life: My parental measuring sticks

By PARKER POTTER

I have taken the same walk nearly every morning for more than five years. I have memorized every crack in the sidewalk, every shade tree and every flower bed.

Around Concord: Steps to nowhere – but it used to be somewhere

Concord doesn’t have a bridge to nowhere, much to the disappointment of urban explorers, but we do have something sort of like that: Steps to nowhere.

Around Concord: Refreshing recipes from Table Bakery

With the sunshine settling in for the summer, it’s time to start thinking about recipes to help you stay cool in the heat. Chelsea Annett, who owns Table Bakery in Concord’s Eagle Square, has a few ideas for refreshments to try. Annett shared some of her culinary secrets with Around Concord Magazine, and now we’re sharing with you!

The Rebel Collective to perform in Henniker

If you like the Dropkick Murphys, then The Rebel Collective might be the band for you. They will be the featured performers at the Tuesday, July 1 Henniker Concert Series in the Angela Robinson Bandstand, Community Park at 6 p.m.