Events AROUND THE STATE
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).
AUGUST 7-15
The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Annual Fair
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.
JULY 10-11
The Garden Conservancy Open Days
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.
Boggy Meadow Farm in Walpole
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.
JULY 11
Digging Deeper: 50 Years in a Garden, a Constant Evolution
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.
AUGUST 12-14
The 64th Annual New Hampshire Antiques Show
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.
PHOTO BY JOHN GAUVIN
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.
