As summer rolls along, more and more of our favorite events are returning, and we couldn’t be happier to share the details with you. Whether you’re on the hunt for that perfect antique or want to find gardening inspiration, there’s plenty to do in July and August (and beyond).

The 2020 Craftsmen’s Fair was held virtually, but it’ll be back in real life on the beautiful grounds of Mount Sunapee Resort this August. As of press time in early June, specific details were still in the works, but you can expect to find the very best from juried members of the league. It’s an excellent opportunity to not only find your new favorite thing, but to meet the craftspeople and learn more about their work in person. Held at Mount Sunapee Resort, 1398 Route 103, Newbury. Visit nhcrafts.org/annual-craftsmens-fair for more information as it becomes available.

Open Days is a nationwide event where the public is invited into private landscapes from historic estates to rooftop gardens. There are two events scheduled in New Hampshire, and if you’re interested in visiting nearby states, the full schedule is available at gardenconservancy.org/open-days. To ensure everyone’s safety, preregistration is necessary, masks are required at the discretion of garden owners, and social distancing is encouraged.

On July 10, the gardens at Boggy Meadow Farm in Walpole will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This informal garden, planted on a small bluff above the Connecticut River, also includes a more formal garden first planted almost 100 years ago. There are English borders, a grape arbor, and a small sunken garden with a narrow ravine down to a stream.

On July 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. you can visit three locations: Skatutakee Farm in Hancock, Thoron Gardens in Jaffrey, and the Peterborough home of Michael and Betsy Gordon. Informal gardens surround Hancock’s oldest house, built in 1778, at Skatutakee Farm. At Thoron Gardens, the property includes a 230-year-old cottage, now renovated and surrounded by gardens with views of Mount Monadnock. Finally, at the Gordons’ home, explore the three-level terraced garden planted with a mixture of unusual trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, annuals and bulbs.

This event is a part of the Garden Conservancy Open Days series. In 1966, photographer Eleanor Briggs bought her grandparents’ 1778 farmhouse, the first house in the town of Hancock. This inspired her to explore Colonial-era gardens, an interest that evolved over many years, turning her garden into an expanse of mixed borders and a bog pond, all while taking the wider surroundings of hay fields, forest and distant hills into consideration. Learn about this and more, including a talk with Ed Bowen and Taylor Johnston of issima nursery. Held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Skatutakee Farm in Hancock. Register at gardenconservancy.org/open-days.

One of the best events of its kind in New England, the New Hampshire Antiques Show is a three-day gathering where 67 professional dealers come together under one roof.

You can browse a wide range of both country and formal antique furniture and accessories, including clocks, folk art, paintings and prints, textiles, woodenware, nautical and scientific items, metalware, glassware, pottery and ceramics, early lighting, samplers, Shaker furniture and accessories, decoys, architectural and garden ornaments, and more. Each exhibitor is a member of the New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association, so you can expect the highest standards.

Admission is $15 on Thursday and $10 on Friday and Saturday. Held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 700 Elm St., Manchester. Visit nhada.org/newhampshire-antiques-show for tickets and more information. New Hampshire Home is a proud sponsor of this event.

AUGUST 21

20th Annual Best of NH

Shameless plug alert! New Hampshire Magazine, our sister publication, is planning its 20th annual Best of NH celebration, which will be held for the first time ever on the lovely and historic grounds of Canterbury Shaker Village. The evening includes tours of the village, cocktails, catered dinner, and entertainment from the state’s beloved Yankee humorists Ken Sheldon and Rebecca Rule, plus live music by Fee and the Evolutionists. Another change this year—tickets are limited (just over 300 are available), so don’t procrastinate. This is an outdoor event, and it will follow CDC guidelines for safe in-person events. Seating at tables will not be limited to single parties. The fun starts at 5:30 p.m., but guests who’d like to take the 45-minute tour will need to arrive at 4:30 p.m. Admission is $95, or reserve an eight-person table for $645. Held at Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Rd., Canterbury. Visit bestofnh.com for tickets and more information.

Ongoing

JULY 1 —OCTOBER 17 2021 Historic House Season

Strawbery Banke Museum offers visitors the chance to explore over 300 years of history in the charming Puddle Dock neighborhood of Portsmouth. Tour historic houses, meet costumed role players, watch traditional craft demonstrations and explore heirloom gardens. Admission is $19.50-$48. Held at Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth. (603) 433-1100; strawberybanke.org

The Goodwin Mansion is part of the historic house tour.

Submitting Events

New Hampshire Home is always on the lookout for events that may interest our readers. If you have one to submit for consideration, send details to ethoits@nhmagazine.com. Please note that calendar production occurs two months before each issue is published.

Events AROUND THE STATE

Ongoing