Spring is in the air in New England, and residents love to celebrate the new-found warm weather with lots of outdoor events. May-June is an excellent time of the year for events in NH and MA. Be sure to mark these on your calendar!

Watch City Steam Punk Festival

Waltham, MA – May 10-12: This event is held outdoors in downtown Waltham. General admission is free, but in order to see and do some things you will need to pay for a button to let you in. Buttons are $15 for a day or $20 for the weekend and will also get you discounts at many local businesses. Proceeds support the Charles River Museum of Industry. Also, don’t miss special guest James Gurney author of Dinotopia! I visited this event last year and I plan to stop by again this year, it was a blast! I strongly recommend it.

Sheep, Wool & Alpaca Festival

Deerfield Fairgrounds, Deerfield NH - May 11-12: Organized by the New England Alpaca Owners and Breeders’ Association (NEAOBA), this event shows off the best of the best of NEAOBA members’ herds right in Deerfield, New Hampshire.  Tickets are $5, Seniors $4, and children 12 & under free.

NH Renaissance Faire

Kingston, NH – May 11, 12, 18 & 19: I’ve never been to this event but I’m hoping to drop by during the last weekend. Some friends have gone in the past though and say it’s a great time, and they recommend it for everyone. Tickets are $12 for adults, and $8 for children ages 5-12.

American Craft Beer Fest 

Boston, MA - May 31-June 1: The 6th annual American Craft Beer Fest (ACBF) is the East Coast’s largest celebration of American craft beer hosted at the Seaport World Trade Center, Boston by BeerAdvocate & Harpoon Brewery. The 2-day fest will feature 3-session and 600+ craft beers from 125+ American brewers. Tickets are about $50 for a session purchased online or $55 at the door, be sure to order them ahead online as they sold out early last year.

Rock’n Ribfest

Merrimack, NH - June 14-16: Rib-roasters, rib-lovers, and barbecuers from all over the United states converge at Anheuser-Busch in Merrimack for what Ribfest calls “New England’s premiere family weekend.”  Air shows, hot air balloon rides, concerts, and plenty more make this a must-see event for New Hampshire residents! Tickets are $7 online for advance purchase, $10 at gate, and children 8 and under are free.

Laconia Motorcycle Week 

Laconia/Weirs Beach, NH – June 16-18:  Motorcycle week is pretty famous here in New Hampshire, celebrating it’s 90th Anniversary in 2013. Riders from all over the world come to Laconia to celebrate the lifestyle of motorcycle riding, the friendships formed from group riding, and promote safe motorcycle practices.  If you’re coming from out of state, book a hotel room early because they sell out just about every year!

Bethany Dubeck is an e-certified Nashua based agent covering greater Manchester, greater Londonderry, and greater Nashua. For more information on Bethany, or to see her listings, visit her agent page.

Eleven children of the Mila Filatova Piano Academy, aged 5 to 15 years old, will perform piano concertos of Bach, Vogler, Haydn, and Mozart, with a chamber orchestra under the direction of David Feltner in a concert at 2 pm on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at the Manchester Christian Church, 1308 Wellington Road, Manchester, NH. Admissions is free. Several of the piano concertos are very rarely performed, including a concerto Mozart composed while a child himself.

Recognizing that opportunities for very young children to play with professional musicians are very limited, Filatova organized the concerto concert as a community event where local children could perform as soloists with a chamber orchestra in a family-oriented, admission-free concert. “The idea is to inspire the children performing to achieve even higher performance standards and for the children attending to concert to see that it is possible for children to perform with an orchestra and inspire their interest in classical music,” Filatova explains. The community performance brings together soloists, chamber musicians, and a conductor from the local New Hampshire and Massachusetts communities. Even the concert grand piano for the performance is being generously provided by Darrell’s Music Hall in Nashua, NH.

The children performing have collectively won many prizes in state, national, and international piano competitions – many have performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall and across Europe. They include in alphabetical order (age, hometown): Angela Dow (13, Manchester, NH), George Kiu (9, Tyngsboro, MA), Kathryn Ly-Bishop (15, Manchester, NH), Alessandra Mariano (9, Manchester, NH), Anna Musteata (8, Hollis, NH), Maxine Park (8, Hanover, NH), Roxane Park (5, Hanover, NH), Elizabeth Rhodes (13, Concord, NH), Erin Tellier (15, Auburn, NH), Stephen Wang (11, Hanover, NH), and Annie Xu (12, Nashua, NH).

The chamber orchestra consists of area professional musicians from the Boston Classical Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Boston, Merrimack Philharmonic, Nashua Chamber Orchestra, and Springfield Symphony under the direction of David Feltner, music director of the Nashua Chamber Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Boston. Feltner has worked with young children in the past and was an enthusiastic supporter of the project.

The program includes: Haydn Concerto in F Major, H.XVIII, Vogler Concerto in C Major, Mozart Concerto #1 in F Major, K. 37, Bach Concerto in F Minor BWV 1056, and Haydn Concerto in D Major Hob. XVIII: 11.

Concert Details:

Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 2:00 pm

Manchester Christian Church | 1308 Wellington Road | Manchester, NH 03104

FREE ADMISSION

The Greater Manchester area is home to over 100,000 residents, and the city grows daily as people flock to the area to work in the commercial hub of the state. In many people’s eyes, Manchester is a contradiction to the pristine image that New Hampshire has to out-of-staters. Believe it or not, inside the city limits lies the 10th largest body of standing fresh water in New Hampshire: Lake Massabesic.

Winter on Massabesic Lake

Being so close to the largest city in NH there is always action on Lake Massabesic. For brave souls or the young at heart willing to trade the warmth of their home for clean, crisp air, the reward is refreshing. Venturing out on any sunny February afternoon, one can Ice fish, ice skate, Hike, Snowmobile, even ice boat on a modified sailboat with skates instead of a hull. Pickerel are the dominant winter catch. Ice fishing supplies & a NH fishing license can be purchased along with free local advice & fishing tips at Wildlife Taxidermy Sport Shop at the Massabesic traffic circle. Nothing comes close to the foliage in the fall, The Rockingham Recreational Path runs from Mammoth Rd. in Manchester out to Massabesic Lake & beyond. It is a great foliage walk in the fall & snowmobile trails in the winter.

Spring / Summer

Because Lake Massabesic is the drinking water supply for the greater Manchester area, swimming is not allowed. If it is peace & quiet you desire, I suggest you drop your kayak in at one of the boat launches and glide through the mirror surface of the water at sunrise. The shore is 95% undeveloped. One can observe wildlife, including bald eagles, loons, and fish hawks. The fishing is fantastic with 3 boat launches and deep water up to about 60 ft. most of the shore is rocky with random Lilly pad filled coves. Bass is the fish of the summer in this lake! Most of the lake is surrounded by walking and bicycle paths so access is fantastic. Walk your dog, bike ride with the family, lie in the sun, feed the ducks, visit the Audubon Center at Massabesic, and enjoy Manchester’s Secret Sanctuary.

image courtesy of paintballphotos

De Desharnais has an extensive background in residential construction and is the current Vice President of Operations for Ashwood Development Companies. Her responsibilities cover all aspects of new construction, from marketing to excavation. The skills she’s developed throughout her career are certainly beneficial in her new role as a real estate agent.

De’s draw to the real estate industry came from a strong passion for working with people and providing exceptional customer service. She has a great understanding of the sales interface and construction of new homes. Her broad knowledge and effective negotiating skills are sure to bring successful outcomes for her clients.

In addition to her work experience, in the past De’s served as National Director and Greater Manchester-Nashua President of the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of New Hampshire. Currently, she is a member of the Rochester and Nashua Chamber of Commerce and the Granite State South Board of Realtors®.

De’s husband Mark is also involved in new homes as a builder. They have four children together, three of whom are in college. Two are studying Electrical Engineering/Computer Science and the other studies Psychology.  Their fourth lives in Boston. In her free time, De enjoys reading and hiking with a dream to one day conquer the Appalachian Trail.

De is based in the Prudential Verani, Londonderry office, located at One Verani Way in Londonderry, NH. She can be reached at m: 603-321-9260 and e: de.desharnais@verani.com.

As the list of safe skating ponds and lakes grows, and NHL hockey starts up, it’s coming time to think of where you and your family will go to skate this winter. In a state and region known for good ice hockey, there are piles of hockey and skating rinks throughout the state. Sifting through the noise, we managed to come up with the top 10 skating locations in New Hampshire. Mostly indoor facilities, these locations offer more than just a slate of ice on which to skate.

1. Nestlenook Victorian – Jackson, NH

Nestlenook is an experience. Topping out the list overall and in the category of outdoor skating, this is fun for the whole family. Included in the experience are rentals, sharpening, and ticket packages for families, and wide open skating. Open rates are adults (13+) $10 and children 5-13 $7. Once you’ve skated enough, there’s no need to leave. Head on over for sleigh rides and snow shoeing around the scenic north country trails. Jackson is located just south of Mt. Washington, and just north of North Conway.

2. The Rinks at Exeter – Exeter, NH

The Rinks at Exeter come in a VERY close second to Nestlenook. There is a ton of activity here. This is arguable the nicest facility on the list, with batting cages, rentals, sharpening, hockey development, stick & puck, tournaments, figure skating, and more. If you’re okay with crowds, The Rinks at Exeter offer the best indoor skating experience on this list! Click here for more info about times and rates.

3. Mt. Washington Resort – Bretton Woods, NH

This is another “experience” skating opportunity. Part of what brought this toward the top of the list was that the use of this rink is FREE. Rentals are available for $5/hr. Skating here is year round and is only available for free skating (no hockey or figure skating). The second big factor Continue reading “Top 10 Skating Locations in New Hampshire” »

So much happened in 2012 at Prudential Verani Realty that it would be impossible to summarize the plethora of stories in one blog post. This was a great year for the business, for it’s staff and agents, and for the communities in which Verani agents do business. At Verani it’s not just about selling houses. It’s about making sure New Hampshire and the surrounding area remains the best place to live in the country! Here are a few of the biggest stories to recap a very busy year at Verani:

1. The Norwood Group | Real Living Merges with Prudential Verani Realty

OCTOBER – In what was most likely the biggest business-side story for Verani in 2012, the residential services branch of The Norwood Group joined forces with the Verani family. After decades of competition in New Hampshire the two joined forces in light of a parent-company purchase. After Brookfield (who already owned Real Living) purchased Prudential Real Estate, the presidents of both companies agreed that a partnership was the most natural course of action. The original story can be found here.

2. Prudential Verani, Bedford Launches “12 Days of Giving” Campaign

DECEMBER – In an effort to raise the seasonal spirit, Regional Manager Ed Buczynski of Bedford organized a 12-day giving campaign with what he calls his “Pru Crew.” The Pru Crew (Bedford-based agents and Verani partners) went to various locations throughout the Bedford and Manchester area and randomly gave away gifts to unsuspecting people. For videos of all of the 12 days of giving, visit the Verani Youtube Channel.

3. Team Walther Ranks #118 in the U.S. for Closed Transactions

JULY – This summer one of the most successful real estate teams in the state was named #118 Continue reading “Happy New Year! A Very Verani 2012 in Review” »

The students in Southside Middle School’s (Manchester) 21st Century Community Learning Program have teamed up with Prudential Verani Realty for the 2012 Verani Coat Drive. Ann Marie Hetzel runs the “21st Century” program at the school. The program offers different after school activities for students including a homework club, Zumba, wood crafts, jewelry making, instrument practice, cooking classes, and community outreach. As part of the community outreach, for the month of December, the students helped to collect coats to help people in need.

The 21st Century Community Learning Program sent students home with a newsletter asking for help. Over the next couple of weeks they decorated the collection boxes, and collected 2 boxes of coats!  Hetzel says “the kids had a great time doing the drive and really enjoy the community outreach portion of their program, and helping people in their community.”

We thank Ann Marie and all the kids at the 21st Century Community Learning Program for their hard work!  If you would like to find out more about the 21st Century Community Learning Program, contact Ann Marie Hetzel at amhetzel@mansd.org, 603-624-6359, or visit their website. The program is offered at many schools throughout New Hampshire.

Sprinkled into the shopping, crazy traffic, family gatherings, and eggnog, 3 New Hampshire communities host events that you’ll want to take some time and visit with the family. Though there are events nearly every day from Thanksgiving to Christmas throughout New Hampshire, these 3 unique experiences are the “must-sees” that make for generation after generation of family traditions to come. These create opportunities for those “every year in December, my family and I do this one thing…” events.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s Gift of Lights

The New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) began what is to become an annual tradition in 2011 called “The Gift of Lights.” The 2012 version will feature more than 2 million holiday lights displayed over a 2-mile course around the track. The attraction opened on November 16th, and will run through January 5th of 2013. This event is an amazing opportunity to experience NHMS from a perspective not normally seen.

Prices are $15 per car, Monday – Thursday, and $20 per car Friday – Sunday. The Gift of Lights is open every day from 4:30pm – 9pm. Stuff your cars full of brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, cousins, grandmas, and grandpas, and head over to Loudon to check out this spectacular attraction in 2012/2013. Continue reading “3 Holiday Events You Don’t Want to Miss” »

We haven’t had a ton of snow yet this year, but now that it’s December, it’s time to start thinking about what to do for fun in the snow. Starting off with the slightly less aggressive snow-goers, this list is for the family. If you’re part of a family that has no or very few skiiers or snowboarders, these are the places to go!

1. Bretton Woods
   Bretton Woods isn’t the cheapest, but it’s far from being the most expensive. At $5/hour the tubing rates rank in the lower third of the list. On top of it’s great value, Bretton Woods offers tubing every day of the season during the day, and night tubing on weekend evenings. This mountain allows tandem and solo tubing on each run, and has some of the best-kept tubing snow in New Hampshire. That’s why it’s #1. For more info, visit Bretton Woods Tubing
2. Gunstock
   Gunstock sells it’s tickets in 2-hour blocks. This mountain would have easily ranked #1 if not for Bretton Woods’ unbeatable pricing for the value. Gunstock’s pricing is at $18/2-hour block. There is no tandem riding, and there are small size “recommendations” that the mountain prefers to see. Gunstock also offers bulk packages for returning visitors and groups. For more info, visit Gunstock Tubing.
3. Cranmore
   As a mountain, Cranmore has been ranked #3 in the East by Ski Magazine for it’s off-hill activities. Purely for tubing purposes, Cranmore falls to #3 on this list because of pricing. At $25/2-hour block this is the 2nd most expensive place to snow tube on this list. The tubing hill has some limited hours, mostly only open on weekends and school vacations. However, if you’re looking for a place that offers tubing AND other off-hill activities, Cranmore should be at the top of your list. More info at Cranmore Tubing.
4. Great Glen Trails Continue reading “Top 10 Places to Snow Tube in New Hampshire” »

Helping Hands Stitchers Donate 4 Years Running

The Helping Hands Stitchers of St. George Cathedral in Manchester recently made donations to those in need in our community for the 4th year since the group was formed. The small group works all year to make hats, scarves, and mittens to give those who have need of them during the cold New Hampshire winters.

This year items went to Liberty House which provides support to veterans and to Child and Family Services for homeless teens. A donation was also made to the Salvation Army for Children. If you have knowledge of other groups in the city or surrounding communities who might need the items we are producing, please let us know!

Helping Hands Stitchers provide their own materials and patterns, but we would gratefully accept any worsted or bulky weight yarn in quantities with enough yardage for our projects. You can just drop them off at the church office.

The group always welcomes new helpers to provide goods for distribution each year. If you can knit or crochet, we would love to have you. If you can sew, you could make fleece hats, mittens, and scarves. We meet the third Thursday of every month at 7 pm in the Annex of St. George Cathedral at 650 Hanover Street, in Manchester.

Athena Henchey is a licensed REALTOR® based in the Verani Realty,  Bedford Office. She covers the Auburn, Manchester, and Hooksett markets, and is a specialist in foreign language. For more information about Athena, to contact her, or view her listings, visit her agent page.

photo courtesy of stevendepolo