October 22, 23, 2016

“What’s Happening” 

October 22, 23, 2016

22, Saturday – Westminster Cracker Festival 10:00-5:00, Westminster center (Rt. 2A). The town celebrates its heritage with a full day of fun, including a 5K run or walk live music, kick boxing demo, hula hooping, raffles, chili/chowder contest, beer garden, wine tasting and more! Visit crackerfestival.com.

22, 23, Saturday and Sunday – Pumpkin Festival at Lanni Orchards 8:00-6:00, 294 Chase Rd., Lunenburg. Take a hayride around the orchard, pick a pumpkin in the pumpkin patch, enjoy warm apple crisp, cider donuts, make-your-own caramel apples, and more. Visit lanniorchards.com.

22, Saturday – Parish Fair at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 9:00-4:00, 1 Forest St., Baldwinville. Raffles, theme baskets, handcrafts, baked goods and more.

22, Saturday – Tree Identification Using Bark and Habitat Clues – 10:00-1:00, Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center 99 Millers Falls Road Northfield. Join naturalist Nancy Goodman and take a close look at trees and other botanical wonders we encounter at Northfield Mountain. Have you ever looked at a tree in winter and wondered what it might be? Become familiar with the characteristic bark of different trees in different habitats and at different stages of growth, as well as identification from leaves and other clues. For ages 16 and older. Free. Call 800-859-2960.

22, Saturday – Seeds of Solidarity Tour, 10:00-11:00, Seeds of Solidarity Education Center, Inc., 165 Chestnut Hill Road, Orange. Experience our farm, home and education center that integrates abundant no-till and low maintenance gardens, solar greenhouses, energy efficient buildings, solar electric & hot water systems with founders Ricky and Deb. Visit seedsofsolidarity.org.

22, Halloween Parade, Downtown Leominster 1:00-3:00, Don your favorite costume as we parade through downtown, and trick or treat at local businesses. Come show off your costume and see all the creative costumes everyone will be wearing. It is a traditionally safe way to celebrate the day. Line-up will begin at 12:30 pm at Leominster Credit Union, 20 Adams Street for a 1 pm start time.

22, Saturday, Hubbardston Haunted Hayrides, 4:00-6:00, Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area (Mt. Jefferson Road). Children’s hayrides at 4 pm. Adult ride start at 5 pm; last ride leaves at 9 pm. Includes a 5K run, Kat-a-Pult contest, food. Rain date October 23. Visit the Lions on face book for details.

22, Saturday –, Akwaaba West African Drumming Ensemble performs at the Leominster Library, 7:00-9:00 p.m. 30 West St., Leominster.

22, Saturday - The Australian Bee Gees Show: A Tribute to the Bee Gees, 8:00 p.m. The Australian Bee Gees Show: A Tribute to the Bee Gees continues to celebrate five decades of memorable music written by the Brothers Gibb. Capturing the look, sound and personality of one of the most successful groups in music history, they are considered to be "the best Bee Gees tribute in the world," according to Teri Bridge, president of the official Bee Gees Fan Club. The Australian Bee Gees Show: A Tribute to the Bee Gees is a multi-media concert event with a contemporary perspective featuring state-of-the-art sound, superb lighting, giant screens streaming video clips and stunning graphics. Tickets are $32 and $42 depending on seating location. Discounts are available for members and groups of 10+.  The Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. 508-471-1791

October 14, 15, 16, 2016

 

“What’s Happening”

October 14, 15, 16, 2016

14, 15, Saturday and Sunday - Peak into Peterborough - Already a great destination with unique shops, flavorful restaurants, and eclectic galleries, Peterborough pulls out all the stops for this special day, with tent sales, hayrides, live music, and much more! It’s a fall foliage tour, day-on-the-town, and early Christmas shopping opportunity all at once. Friday, noon-7 p.m., Sunday, 10-8:30 – Downtown Peterborough,  www.peterboroughchamber.com

14, 15, 16, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Theatre at the Mount presents, Nunsense - When the “Little Hobos” discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidently poisoned 52 of the sisters, they parade their talents in a variety show staged to raise funds so that the last four of the dearly departed can be buried. 444 Green St., Gardner. $22 adult, $5 students.  978-630-9388 or visit mwcc.edu/tam.

15, Saturday – Fundraising Auction for the Ashburnham Meeting House and Museum, Please help us with our ongoing projects-We need new clapboards and paint!! Preview 5:00 p.m; Live Auction, 6:00 p.m. 79 Main St. Ashburnham – For donations please call 978-827-5804.

15, Saturday – Monadnock Pumpkin Festival (formerly Keene Pumpkin Festival) at Cheshire Fairgrounds, Rt. 12, Keene NH – 12:00-8:00

The Monadnock Pumpkin Festival will be a family friendly event to include activities such as:

-Huge pumpkin displays of carved pumpkins to be lit and enjoyed by all

-Children’s Costume Parade-calling all kids! Show your stuff in the children’s costume parade.

-Pumpkin Welcome Centers-login your carved pumpkin, pick up a map and program. Don’t forget your candle!  Welcome Center open Friday after 12:00pm and all day Saturday

-Baking Contest - Download the Registration Form here

-Children’s Activity Tent-a huge tent filled with activities for the kids, or the kid at heart. Crafts, games, lawn games, free books from the Keene Public Library and more!

-Fright Fest!!  Over 800 feet of frightening terror! Enter if you dare! Get the info!

Pumpkin Catapult download registration form here!

Craft Fair-artisans from near and far show off their wares. Grab a souvenir or two!

-Fireworks by Atlas Fireworks while sitting by a huge community bonfire!

Pumpkin Carving Contest do you have the guts to enter? Your chance to win a $100 gift certificate from Syd’s Carpet and Snooze room!

-Amusement rides!

-Food vendors- mmm yummy

-Family Photo opportunities-classic head in a hole

-LARP’ing demos-join a quest of your own!

-Pony rides

-Sand art and face painting

-And more!

www.monadnockpumpkinfestival.org

15, 16, Saturday and Sunday - AppleFest at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, 10:00-5:00,  499 Mountain Rd., Princeton. Over 75 craft fair and farmers’ market booths, family entertainment, scenic foliage Skyrides to the summit, mountainside barbecue, pony rides, climbing wall, jugglers & magicians for the kids.  Also features an Oktoberfest Celebration with authentic German cuisine, tasty beers in the Beer Garden and live music. Great New England Apple Pie Contest, giant pumpkin weigh-off, Cider House 5K.  Blueberry pie eating contests all weekend. www.wachusett.com

15, 16 Saturday and Sunday, The 27th Annual Harvest Festival in Sturbridge is a family fun tradition! The event includes: Local Crafters & Artisans, Specialty Foods & Farm Fresh Harvests, Horse Drawn Trolley Rides, Live Music & Entertainment, Activities & Games for Kids, The Publick House Scarecrow Contest. On Saturday, savor seasonal sensations from the region's non-profit organizations in the big tent and learn more about the vital services they provide for us and our neighbors. On Sunday, The Chefs of the Community take over the big tent offering their specialties and more delectable tastes of the fall season. Live Music, Magic and more! Free admission & parking. Sponsored by Sturbridge Tourist Association. Festival hours are 10am to 5pm on Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sunday. Rain or Shine.

15, Saturday – Full Moon Canoeing at Nashoba Paddler, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. - Set out by canoe at dusk and as darkness approaches, watch the moon rise, being on the lookout for owls, beaver, bats, and other night life. After some delicious refreshments, we'll return following the moon's ribbon of light. Our tours are kept small so we maximize our enjoyment and minimize our impact on the environment. Prices include the use of our boats, paddles, and personal flotation devices. (You may use your own equipment if you prefer.) Our guides are naturalists as well as American Canoe Association certified instructors who are there to share their knowledge of the river and help you with your paddling, if needed. Trip difficulty: Easy, flat-water, 5 miles roundtrip. Cost: $40pp-canoes only. Refreshments included. www.nashobapaddler.com

15, Saturday – Heirloom Apple Pie Workshop at Scott Farm -10:00-1:00 -  Tackle “pie dough anxiety” with the Queen of Tarts, Pastry Chef Laurel Roberts Johnson from Chester, CT. Make flaky pie dough and bake an apple pie with Scott Farm Orchard heirlooms. Take home your pie, dough, and a tote of heirloom baking apples. $50. Pre-register at 802-254-6868 or events@scottfarmvermont.com. 707 Kipling Rd., Dummerston VT, www.scottfarmvermont.com

Columbus Day Weekend, 2016

“What’s Happening”

October 6, 7, 8, 9

6-10, Thurs-Mon. 26^th Annual Ski and Snowboard sale and swap at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area - Our annual equipment extravaganza! Bring in your used equipment to sell for cash or Wachusett Credit, then buy new equipment with the cash or credit you just earned! This is the perfect chance to upgrade your gear for the coming winter. No equipment to sell? That's OK too, we bring in local retailers equipment and gear as well so there are great deals for everyone whether you're looking for new or used items! Want a little more than just a shopping trip? Join us for a Scenic Summit SkyRide and grab lunch at our Mountainside BBQ! www.wachusett.com

7,8, Friday, Saturday, Theatre at the mount presents, Nunsense - When the “Little Hobos” discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidently poisoned 52 of the sisters, they parade their talents in a variety show staged to raise funds so that the last four of the dearly departed can be buried. 444 Green St., Gardner. $22 adult, $5 students.

978-630-9388 or visit mwcc.edu/tam. Repeats on Oct. 14-16.

7, 8, 9, - Stratton Players present, Don’t Drink the Water by Woody Allen, A cascade of comedy and a solid hit on Broadway, this affair takes place inside an American embassy behind the Iron Curtain. An American tourist, a caterer by trade, and his wife and daughter rush into the embassy two steps ahead of the police who suspect them of spying and picture taking. It's not much of a refuge, for the ambassador is absent and his son, now in charge, has been expelled from a dozen countries and the continent of Africa. Nevertheless, they carefully and frantically plot their escape, and the ambassador's son and the caterer's daughter even have time to fall in love. $13/$15, Performances held at the Applewild School, 98 Prospect St., Fitchburg MA, Showtimes: Friday and Saturday, 8:00 p.m., Sunday, 2:00 p.m. strattonplayers.com

Fall Fest at Tower Hill Botanic Gardens - There's nothing like autumn in New England, and there's no better place than Tower Hill Botanic Garden to take in all the season has to offer. In addition to the panoramic view of Mt. Wachusett and the Reservoir, the Garden displays hundreds of trees and shrubs known for their spectacular fall color. The special weekends in autumn feature heirloom apples, locally made products, and much more. Twisted Pine, Saturday, October 8 Armed with fresh writing, high-octane virtuosity, and endless energy, Twisted Pine challenges its bluegrass roots by effortlessly intertwining innovation with tradition. Eastern Mountain String Band, Sunday, October 9 - The Eastern Mountain String Band is a quartet of bluegrass pickers, who draw on jazz, folk, and rock music to create a distinctive and fresh bluegrass sound. The Great Molasses Flood, Monday, October 10 Folk/Rock with beautiful three-part harmonies. Original songs as well as unique covers that resonate with listeners. www.towerhillbg.org

8, Saturday, ArtSmith Festival,10:00-5:00, Vendors/exhibitors, music, and the annual blacksmith festival outdoors in historic Fitchburg’s beautiful Riverfront Park overlooking the Nashua River. In its 13th year, this year’s event will be larger than ever! Our goal is to promote high quality arts from the greater Fitchburg region and beyond, to benefit both arts professionals, and for the cultural benefit of our city and its communities. Riverside Park, Boulder Dr., Fitchburg MA

8, Saturday – Pumpkin Weigh-in and Country Church Fair at Red Apple Farm, 10:00-3:00, A great old-fashioned country festival, sponsored by the Congregational Church of Phillipston. The oldest pumpkin fair in Massachusetts, come to the weigh-in as local farmers bring their hefty beauties by truck and tractor for this friendly competition. Carve a jack-o’lantern, build a scarecrow, shop for crafts and homemade baked goods, take a chance in the quilt raffle. Food available. 455 Highland Ave., Phillipston, redapplefarm.com

8, Saturday – Fred Marple’s Guide to New England at Peterborough Players, 7:30 p.m. Welcome to Frost Heaves! Yankee comedy, music and assorted nonsense from the most under-appreciated town in New Hampshire. 55 Hadley Road, Peterborough, NH $15.00 -www.frostheaves.com

8, 9, 10 - 8, Saturday – Columbus Day Apple Festival at Lanni Orchards, 294 Chase Rd., Lunenburg. Pick Your Own apples by the pound, not by the bag; hayrides; caramel apples, apple crisp, live entertainment, playland, Island Adventure Maze, bouncy house and more. Visit lanniorchards.com.

8, 9, 10 – Friday, Saturday, Sunday – Annual Harvest Festival Weekend at Sholan Farms, 1125 Pleasant St., Leominster. Enjoy free live entertainment, free wagon rides, food trucks, free, interactive children’s events and so much more at this fun family festival. Visit sholanfarms.com.

8, 9, 10 – Monadnock Art presents, Open Studio Art Tour - Monadnock Art presents the Art Tour each October during the peak of the colorful foliage season in southwestern New Hampshire. The Tour is self-directed, and it's free for the interested public. Art lovers from all over New England, and beyond, enjoy touring the beautiful countryside, following the distinctive Art Tour signs, and discovering the often tucked-away places where artists work. Studios are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The Tour travels through the towns surrounding the beloved Mount Monadnock: Chesham, Dublin, Hancock, Harrisville, Jaffrey, Marlborough, Peterborough, and Sharon. A remarkable range and diversity of the visual arts is represented through the work of the artists. Visitors tour the workplaces of painters and printmakers, potters and jewelers, sculptors, fiber artists, photographers, woodworkers, glass shapers, and more. Many artists offer work for sale, often specially priced for the Tour. For a look at a sampling of their work, please visit the Artists pages of this site. www.monadnockart.org

9, Sunday – Historical Piano Concert at Ashburnham Community Church, 84 Main Street (Rt. 12) Ashburnham. Pianist Vitlaus von Horn on the Bösendorfer piano, c.1830, Vienna: Two Sonatas by Schubert: A-minor, Op. 42, D. 845, and B-Flat Major, Op. Posth., D.960. $10.00, children and students, free. No advance reservations. Visit FrederickCollection.org.

9, Harvest Parade and Festival, Orange MA, The parade begins at Pete’s Tire Barn on East Main Street at 1 pm sharp and will head down to the Orange Municipal Airport (route is 2.5 miles long). The festival at the airport features a craft fair, and the North Quabbin Cruisers Car show. Contact Ken Reynolds, parade coordinator, at 978-544-3042.