Free Music Wednesday

Bring the lawn chairs and the kids and enjoy a fine summer evening of free music at Service Credit Union Heritage Park on the banks of the Androscoggin River, just north of downtown Berlin. The evening features the music of northern New Hampshire musician Tim Dion.

And stay tuned for a couple more FREE concerts this summer.

Big Scoop Catering will be on hand selling food. Please, no pets.

Women’s Wellness Retreat

Join us in beautiful Pittsburg, NH for our Spring Women’s Wellness Retreat! This all inclusive weekend will feature guided hikes, Yoga, Pilates, Zentangle Art Classes, Health & Nutrition Seminar, Archery Demo and Lesson, Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, all meals, room, relaxation!

Women’s Wellness Retreat

Join us in beautiful Pittsburg, NH for our Spring Women’s Wellness Retreat! This all inclusive weekend will feature guided hikes, Yoga, Pilates, Zentangle Art Classes, Health & Nutrition Seminar, Archery Demo and Lesson, Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, all meals, room, relaxation!

Women’s Wellness Retreat

Join us in beautiful Pittsburg, NH for our Spring Women’s Wellness Retreat! This all inclusive weekend will feature guided hikes, Yoga, Pilates, Zentangle Art Classes, Health & Nutrition Seminar, Archery Demo and Lesson, Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, all meals, room, relaxation!

Dixville Notch Music, Arts & Crafts Festival

Taking place at Mohawk Falls- an idyllic event venue located at 1478 Route 26, Colebrook, NH, available for rental for weddings and functions.

Kick off Memorial Day weekend in the North Country by attending this family-friendly, artistic event featuring a full lineup of artisan and craft vendors, workshops, demos and live music performances!  Admission is free, with some fees applying to participate in workshops. Vendors and activities will be spread out across the property which is in a most picturesque natural setting, with highlights including a waterfall, ponds, gazebo and post and beam pavilion.  Be sure to head to the pavilion from 1-3 PM on Sunday the 28th when the very talented Kyle Anne Carey will take the stage to put on a much anticipated Gaelic-Americana concert.  Baker River Chainsaw Sculpture will also be doing live chainsaw carving demos throughout the weekend, which is captivating to watch.  Food and beverages will be available for purchase by various vendors, and it is a rain or shine event, so come prepared for New England weather. The schedule of events and details can be found at www.dixvillenotchfestival.com.

Contact info:  Britni White, Event Coordinator can be reached at 603-237-1898 or [email protected]

‘An Evening in Paris’ Gala at Mt. View Grand

Welcome spring with a gala celebration of the magnificent music and food of the “city of lights,” as the North Country Chamber Players present “An Evening in Paris” at the Mountain View Grand Resort in Whitefield on Sunday, May 21.

The event begins at 5 p.m. and features guest artists Stacey Shames on harp, Areta Zhulla on violin, and French cuisine expert Executive Chef Nate Varney of the Mountain View Grand. All proceeds will support NCCP’s community outreach programs that are offered free of charge.

The evening’s program will highlight some of the most beautiful music ever written, including Claude Debussy’s Clair de lune and Danse sacree et profane, Georges Bizet’s Jeaux d’enfants, Camille St. Saen’s The Swan, Gabriel Faure’s Sicilienne and Maurice Ravel’s brilliant Introduction and allegro for harp, flute, clarinet and strings.

The one-hour concert will be followed by a full sit-down dinner prepared by the culinary staff of the Mountain View Grand Resort under the direction of Chef Varney.
Seating for this special event is limited. Please call (603) 444-0309 by May 14 to make reservations.

Upper Ammonoosuc River Paddle-Hike

 

I plan on revisiting the Upper Ammonoosuc River this summer and combine a paddle with a hike of the Percy Peaks Loop. Bill Schomburg, a dear NFCT friend who passed away recently, told me about Percy Peaks and the Cohos Trail, which crosses the NFCT on the Upper Ammo, when I first met him in 2014. I think these two intersecting trips will make a great weekend.

Paddle!

I paddled the Upper Ammonoosuc from Gord’s Corner Store in West Milan to the new Stark Access (NFCT Map 7) in the spring 2015. The river in this stretch is quiet and meandering. In June, a canopy of soft spring green bends over the river along the way. I also have driven through the valley in fall and recommend it as an exceptional trip for foliage viewing.

A slow moving ten miles can take half a day with time to stop for lunch and enjoy the scenery. At normal flows wide golden sand bars pop up next to deep swimming holes making lovely picnic spots and good fishing. The river is road-side, but you don’t notice. In the last mile or so houses become visible until the leaves are fully flushed out.

The Stark access is a convenient take out with good parking on river left just above Stark Village. If you enjoy class II rapids as I do, you will want to continue downstream another quarter-mile to the Stark covered bridge to take advantage of some fun whitewater.

Put in at Gord’s Corner Store at the intersection of Routes 110 and 110-A. Here, NFCT constructed stairs lead down to the water, and you can park at the store. Gord also has a deli to supply your lunch, offers a shuttle service and rents canoes, so everything you need is right there!

If you haven’t had enough paddling, the river continues quietly for another five miles to Emerson Road (the way to Percy Peaks) or eight miles beyond that to the Connecticut River in Groveton. The character remains quiet with a few punctuated rapids and a number of dam carries. See the NFCT trip planner tool for details.

Hike!

The Percy Peaks Loop is described in detail on the Hike New England web site and is recommended by the Cohos Trail as one of the Dozen Best Day Hikes. I have scouted these unique twin mountains from the river and roadside. Their broad granite slab-covered tops have captured my imagination every time. This 6.7 mile hike is reported to take a half day.

Where to Stay

  • Camp or take a room at Percy Lodge and Campground.
  • Paddle up and camp at one of the three NFCT campsites along the Upper Ammonoosuc (river access only). NFCT trip planner, NFCT Map 7 and the NFCT Guidebook for information.
  • Rent the Ammo Cabin situated right on the river from Gord’s Corner Store. Drive in or paddle up, this rustic cabin rental is a great place to hang out, fish and play in the river.
  • Stay at the Stark Village Inn for a charming, traditional Bed & Breakfast experience.

Oh, Canada! NH Attends the Montreal Outdoor Adventure Show.

You know, we have it pretty good living Northern NH. Did you know that from Littleton, NH it takes the same amount of time to drive to Montreal as it does to drive to Boston? Pretty amazing, right? Don’t get me wrong, I love Boston but over the past month, I have had the opportunity to go to Montreal twice and I have fallen in love with the city, culture, people and especially their food. Did I mention how good their food is?

Over the first weekend in April, representatives from the NH Travel and Tourism Department, the Appalachian Mountain Club, NH State Parks, and White Mountain Attractions traveled to Montreal to promote NH at the Montreal Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show (Québec’s largest showcase of outdoor gear and adventure travel experiences.)

On Friday, the day before the show, we had the unique and intimate opportunity to attend a media luncheon at Auberge Saint-Gabriel with over 50 journalists and reporters from the Montreal area. Over wine and a delicious three-course meal, we each talked about what makes New Hampshire a wonderful and easy destination for Canadians.

Visit NH Team at Media Luncheon at L'Auberge.
NH representatives at the Media Luncheon at Auberge Saint-Gabriel, hosted by CWW.

For two-days NH representatives talked to hundreds of Canadians about what makes New Hampshire so special. From the mountains to the seacoast, New Hampshire has everything for the outdoor enthusiast. And for Canadians, Northern New Hampshire is just 2.5 hours away.

NH_Grand_Blog_Oh_Canada

I am lucky enough to be in a profession that I get to promote everything I love to do which is why I enjoy attending trade shows so much. I love meeting and talking to new people, I love promoting Northern New Hampshire, I love seeing people’s faces light up with excitement when talking about all there is to see and do in our region.

It was a time well spent and I am anxious to see how many Canadian visitors come to our region this summer.

Stay tuned for my next blog about taking part in the spring clearing of Mount Washington!

 

Summer 2017 Events

June 1, 2017
Drive in the ’50s!

Classic cars, hot rods and specialty vehicles will line downtown Berlin’s Main Street from 5-8 p.m. Stop by and check out the fabulous “oldies,” enjoy music throughout the downtown, nosh on a variety of foods as you stroll along, and give a big round of applause for the winners during the vehicle awards ceremony. The free event is rain or shine.   www.androscogginvalleychamber.com

June 24, 2017
18th Annual Gerry Pomerleau ATV Ride

Be part of this 1-day only experience. Climb the Mt. Washington Auto Road with the NH ATV Club during the Gerry Pomerleau Memorial ATV Weekend. Views like you have never seen before…while riding your ATV / SxS to the top of Mt. Washington! Hosted by the NH ATV Club. New this year — this will be a Pre-Sale Only event. Tickets are available online at http://www.nhatv.com/

July 4th Weekend
4th of July Extravaganza in Gorham

Gorham rings in the holiday with New Hampshire’s longest 4th of July celebration, an event that spans four days. The celebration promises hours of fun, food, and merriment, including parades, music, amusements, and a classic car show, topped off with a fabulous fireworks display.   http://www.gorhamnh.org

July 13, 2017
Paddlemania

Paddle the mighty Androscoggin from Nansen Wayside to the Heritage Park in Berlin. Join us in the park for an evening of food, games & a cash bar. Paddling is not mandatory to attend festivities in the park. Fun on land & water!! A Source to the Sea Trek, sponsored by the Androscoggin Watershed Council.   www.androscogginvalleychamber.com

August 4 & 5, 2017
Jericho ATV Festival Is All About The Mudd!

Spectators and ATVers get cranked over the endless opportunities to explore ATVing in every form at the Jericho ATV Festival Presented by Progressive. Mud races, demo rides, live music and delicious food are just some of the highlights of the 8th annual Festival at Jericho State Park in Berlin.

The Park itself has more than 80 miles of ATV trails, which connect with the more than 1,000 miles of interconnected Ride the Wilds OHRV trails throughout northern New Hampshire.

The Jericho ATV Festival is two days of absolute fun, including the infamous mud pit grudge runs, helicopter rides, demos of manufacturers’ new ATvs and SxS’s, a downtown block party, beer tent, torch lit ATV parade, poker run, ATV pulls, concert, lawn games and much, much more.

Festival goers will rock to the music of “Last Kid Picked” at the Heritage Park on Saturday, August 5, from 4-9 p.m.

And don’t forget the Mudd! With the Festival now in its 8th year, organizers have figured out the perfect formula and it’s going to be luscious, it’s going to be oozy, it’s going to be slimy, it’s going to be dirty, it’s going to be better than ever!! http://www.androscogginvalleychamber.com/jericho-atv-festival/

August 15, 2017
Pittsburg Old Home Day

Help Pittsburg celebrate Old Home Day. Events include an old-fashioned parade, with everything from antique cars, tractors, fire trucks and dump trucks to entertaining float designs. Vendors, crafters and food concessions are available throughout the day. Enter one of the contests and you might win a prize: photography, baking and flower arranging. Get your toes tapping with music from one of the bands and give the youngsters a big shout-out at the kids’ fishing derby. http://www.pittsburg-nh.com/living-in-pittsburg/events-activities/old-home-day

August 25-27, 2017
North Country Moose Festival

The 24th Annual Moose Festival celebrates northern New Hampshire’s largest creature with a family-centered country fair spread out over three days and encompassing the New Hampshire towns of Colebrook and Pittsburg, and its neighbor across the Connecticut River, Canaan, Vermont. A jam-packed schedule of entertainment — Moose Calling Contest, Moose Chili, Moose Cruise-In antique car show, craft fair, Bluegrass music, carriage rides, dog show, maple syrup-tasting contest and many family activities — guarantee fun for everyone. And, who knows? You might even see a moose or two moseying along the side of the road. http://www.chamberofthenorthcountry.com/moose-festival.html

August 31 – September 4, 2017
Bring the Family to the Lancaster Fair, An Old-Fashioned Country Fair!

For almost a century-and-a-half, the Lancaster Fair has been an end-of-summer tradition, with plenty of variety to keep everyone in the family entertained. Along with agricultural activities like horse shows, oxen pulls and sheep dog trials, the Lancaster Fair features a colorful midway with exciting rides, 4-H exhibits, musical entertainment, and exhibition halls filled with quilts, crafts, vegetables and flowers. Add in farm tractor and big rig truck pulls, pie eating contests, tantalizing fair food, and featured entertainment and it’s easy to see why this fair spans five days and dozens and dozens of events.

One low price includes one-day admission, midway rides and concert. There is plenty of parking and camping is available on site. www.lancasterfair.com