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WELCOME to our site of events for homeschoolers specifically near Keene, NH, southern NH, southeastern VT and northwestern MA! Visit daily for new events listed. See the About page for more details or to submit an event.

Popular Day

Tuesday, May 15th Events

Understanding Courage. It's Our World, Too!

Time: 4:00 pm-5:00 pm
Place: Keene Public Library, Kay Fox Room, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: n/a

Participants in this three-part afterschool service project will explore how young people have changed the course of history and affected change in their communities. During the three sessions, young people will learn how they can become more active in our community. And each participant will design and create a mixed media collage based on the theme of courage and community involvement. Artwork will be displayed on city Express buses during the spring and summer. 

Genealogy

Time: 6:30 pm-7:30 pm
Place: Northfield Public Library, Meeting Room, Northfield, MA (about 20 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All


Interested in researching your family history? Here is the place to learn and share tips with others. Everyone welcome.  
Website

Coffee's On

Time: 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Place: White Church, 55 Main St., Grafton, VT (about 30 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All

Everyone is welcome every Tuesday for coffee, snacks and a good chat. Bring any projects you are working on, or come and learn to knit! Men & women always welcome. Free WIFI.

This Versus That: An Interactive Nutrition Class

Time: 3:30 pm-5:00 pm
Place: Cheshire Medical Center, 580 Court St., Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: Older

Regular salt vs. sea salt. Ground beef vs. ground turkey. Sugar vs. artificial sweeteners. These are just a few of the topics on the agenda for this interactive nutrition class. Come and learn the nutritional profile of these and other commonly controversial foods.
Free and open to the public.
Central Conf Room 6
www.cheshire-med.com

Sky Watch

Time: 7:30 pm-9:30 pm
Place: Wadleigh Memorial Library, 9 Nashua St., Milford, NH (about 37 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All

Brief indoor introduction to stargazing and then outside to view the stars. With N.H. Astronomical Society. Rain date: May 16. Phone: 673-2408

Banjos, Bones & Ballads

Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Wilton Public & Gregg Free Library, 7 Forest Rd., Wilton, NH (about 32 miles from Keene)
Price: Free

Ages: All

Jeff Warner, folklorist and community scholar with an evening of old new England music. Sponsored by a Humanities to Go grant from the New Hampshire Humanities Council.
Contact: 654-2581

What's special about today?
Pierre Curie's birthday, 1859
The U.S. Department of Agriculture was created by an act of Congress on this day, 1862
The first air mail route in the U.S. was established between New York and Washington, DC, with a stop at Philadelphia, 1918
National chocolate chip day

Teach Your Child to Read Online

Monday, May 14th Events

Are you My Mother?

Time: 10:00 am-11:00 am
Place: Lebanon Opera House, 51 North Park St., Lebanon, NH (about 80 miles from Keene)
Price: $5
Ages: K-Grade 2

At long last, Baby Bird emerges from her shell and expects to be greeted by her mother’s song. But her mother is not there. Where is she? Why isn’t she home? With the help of Dog, Cat, and Hen, Baby Bird sets out in search of Mother Bird in this colorful musical adventure based on P.D. Eastman’s whimsical and well-loved picture book.
Pricing:
School Groups and Children: $5
Adults: $10
Notes: Appropriate for K – grade 2
www.lebanonoperahouse.org

What's special about today?
The Lewis and Clark expedition set out from St. Louis, 1804
The Olympic Games were held in the United States for the first time, in St. Louis, Missouri, 1904

Sunday, May 13th Events

Marlborough Trail Hike

Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Place: Marlborough Trail, Shaker Rd., Marlborough, NH (about 4 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: Older

With Harris Center. This hike will be a good workout—the scenic 5 mile route to the open summit is strenuous, rising some 1,800 feet, but we stop along the way to look at early spring wildflowers in bloom, including the rosy Rhodora. Our leaders, Ben Haubrich (Harris Center Trustee and the Monadnock State Park’s former, long-time manager), and Paul Gagnon from the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, will meet hikers to depart at 10 a.m. from the Marlborough Trailhead on Shaker Road, off Route 124 in Marlborough. Note that the last ½ mile of Shaker Road is not maintained, and requires high clearance −possibly a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Come prepared for hiking to higher elevations − hopefully above the “black fly zone”. Wear layers and bring lunch and water. Back about 4:00 p.m. Contact Paul Gagnon at pgagnon@forestsociety.org, 224-9945 x 338, or−by cell phone−(508)885-4522. Cosponsored with the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. 

Classic Car Cruise Night

Time: 6:00 pm-9:00 pm
Place: The Real Twist Soft Serve Ice Cream Stand, 48 Meadow Access Ln, Walpole, NH (about 15 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All


Bring your old or antique car to show, or come to look.
Here’s a chance for the whole family to enjoy a Sunday evening looking at old or antique cars while enjoying soft serve ice cream or frozen yogurt.
There will be live music, ice cream specials, and a raffle.
Weather permitting.
For further information contact Real To Reel, 603-445-5534.

Foreign Language Potlucks

Time: 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Place: Main Street Arts, 37 Main St., Saxtons River, VT (about 25 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All


Share food and conversation. All levels welcome.
Spanish on the 1st Sunday: Apr 1, May 6
French on the 2nd Sunday: Apr 8, May 13
German on the 3rd Sunday: Apr 15, May 20
802-869-2960
www.mainstreetarts.org

Music: Troy MacGillivray & Kimberley Fraser

Time: 7:00 pm-10:00 pm
Place: Nelson Town Hall, Nelson, NH (about 11 miles from Keene)
Price: $12 child/$15 adult

Ages: All

Troy MacGillivray returns to the Nelson Town Hall – on this visit accompanied by Kimberley Fraser, a master at fiddling, step dancing, and piano.

Whether playing piano or fiddle, or showcasing his stepdancing capabilities, Troy MacGillivray displays a unique sense of pride and commitment to his Celtic heritage and his music continues to add to the history and development of the traditional music that is the epitome of the Maritimes, the place he calls home!

Please join for an exhilarating evening of traditional music presented by some of the best young talent around!
Admission is $15/$12 (Sr/Jr/Advance).
603.352.8616
www.monadnockfolk.org

Mother's Day Walk on Deb's Trail

Time: 2:00 pm
Place: Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center, West Brattleboro, VT (about 18 miles from Keene)
Price: n/a
Ages: All


Enjoy an evening ramble through the rich soil forest that borders Deb’s Trail. If we have timed this right, many of the flowers characteristic of these sites will be in bloom, including blue cohosh, hepatica, dutchman’s britches, squirrel corn, foamflower, violets and more. BEEC naturalist Patti Smith will be your guide, and will lead you off trail in places to see a few of the more unusual plants that bloom in this special site.This walk is about a half mile and is hilly, but the pace will be leisurely. Call for more info: 802 257 5785

Mother's Day Local Foods Brunch

Time: 10:00 am-2:00 pm
Place: Orchard Hill Farm and Breadworks, Old Settlers Rd., East Alstead, NH (about 15 miles from Keene)
Price: Sliding scale $18-$35 per person ages 10 and up
Ages: All


 Orchard Hill Farm and Breadworks in East Alstead, NH will hold their second annual Mother's Day Brunch on Sunday, May 13th from 10 AM to 2 PM . This will be a spectacular seasonally inspired local foods feast to honor our farming neighbors and give back to two worthy non profit organizations, The Orchard School, and the Fall Mountain Food Shelf.
Bring your mother, bring your children, bring a farmer or bring just yourself, but don't miss this event!

3 Seatings, 10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm

Tickets on a sliding scale, $18- $35 per person (age 10 and up). If you purchase your ticket for $25 or more, OR bring two or more non perishable food items or new personal care items, you will automatically be entered into a drawing for a $120 Inn At Weathersfield gift certificate and other prizes.

On site childcare up to age 10 for $8 / child (with yummy french toast and fruit!) at the Orchard School.

To reserve your seats e-mail or call:
lynne@kroka.org
603 835 6227

Family Camp Day

Time: 9:30 am-1:00 pm
Place: Camp Chenoa, Antrim, NH
Price: $5
Ages: All


Bring the whole family and join us for a morning of camp fun! You can boat, play Frisbee golf, try a craft and make a camp snack. Then stay for our open house to explore camp even more. Bring your own lunch.

What's special about today?
Mother's day
National apple pie day
Mary Queen of Scots was defeated at the Battle of Langside and immediately fled to North England, 1568
The United States formally declared war on Mexico after several days of fighting, 1846
Stevie Wonder's birthday, 1950

Saturday, May 12th Events

Incredible Spring Wild Edibles

Time: 9:30 am-12:30 pm
Place: Harris Center, Hancocok, NH (about 22 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All

You may know Rick as the state’s leading mycologist (appearing at the Harris Center many times as our marvelous mushroom man), but he is also well known for conducting top-of-the-line Natural Resource Inventories—which means he knows all things green too. And most of the edible greens are at their best for fixin’ and eatin’ in May. His photo-illustrated presentation will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Harris Center, after which we’ll head into the field to see what’s ‘up’. Ends about half past noon. 

Kool Wheels Event

Time: 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Place: Keen Recreation Center, Washington st., Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: All


Keene Kiwanis Family Fun & Safety Day.  Free helmets when they last for children age 4-12. Bicycle raffle. Bicycle safety checks. Bicycle safety course. Safety kits. Healthy snacks. Face painting. Visit from Ribby and more! Ride or bring your bike!
See flyer.

Bike Event

Time: 10:00 am-2:00 pm
Place: Railroad Square, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: All


Guided trail rides hourly, fun and prizes. safety and maintenance demos, local and club information.  Bring your bike!
See flyer.

NH Renaissance Faire 
 
Time: 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Place: Three Maples Farm, 9 Thorne Rd., Kingston, NH (about 90 miles from Keene)
Price: $12 adults/$8 kids 5-12/4 and under free
Ages: All



The NH Renaissance Faire is a family friendly, educational, visual, theatrical and fantastical event. Come be transported back in time. Live music, magic, knights in armor, royalty and more. A portion of the proceeds will go to charity. Tickets: $12 for adults, $8 for kids ages 5-12 and kids 4 and under get in free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Faire also held May 19-20.
Website 

Shadow & Light: A Literary Anthology

Time: 11:00 am
Place: The Toadstool Bookshop, 12 Depot Square, Peterborough, NH (about 19 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: Older


SHADOW AND LIGHT: A LITERARY ANTHOLOGY ON MEMORY -- reading and signing with editor Tina Rapp and contributors Rodger Martin, Kathleen Fagley, Kathleen Fortin, Linda Thomas and others. This is a publication of the Monadnock Writers Group.

Contra Dance Nelson

Time: 8:00 pm-11:00 pm
Place: Nelson Town Hall, 7 Nelson Common Rd., Nelson, NH (about 11 miles from Keene)
Price: $8 adults/$6 children
Ages: All


Nelson NH Contra Dance sponsored by The Monadnock Folklore Society every second Saturday.
Workshop/lesson 7:30, Dance 8:00-11:00
$8 ($6 for students and seniors)
For more information, phone (603) 762-0235; email lsievert@yahoo.com; or see www.monadnockfolk.org

HSCC Annual Used Book Sale

Time: 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Place: Historical Society of Cheshire County, 246 Main St., Keene, NH
Price: Free

Ages: All

Friday 10-6, Saturday 9-1. Books are generally sold for $1 each with a limited selection of higher priced items.
HSCC encourages its members and friends to donate their unwanted books for this twelfth annual sale. We are looking mostly for saleable hardcover nonfiction books and some recent fiction. We are not seeking mass market paperbacks, older fiction, textbooks, or damaged items. Book donations should be delivered to HSCC by May 9. Pick-up of donated books may also be possible.
For further information, please contact hscc@hsccnh.org or 603-352-1895.
www.hsccnh.org

Blacksmithing Weekend

Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Place: Fort at No. 4, 267 Springfield Rd., Charlestown, NH (about 28 miles from Keene)
Price:
Ages: All


On May 12-13, 2012 the Fort at No. 4 will feature a Blacksmith Weekend with a newly-formed group of blacksmiths calling themselves “The Granite State Hammer Alliance” demonstrating. They will be displaying the craft of blacksmithing spanning a limited time-line, focusing on traditional methods using charcoal, bituminous coal, and propane and will forge both iron and mild steel into traditional shapes and forms to create items for the gift shop at No. 4.

Although the Alliance is currently small, it is quickly picking up new members and others interested in this traditional craft. The group will be setting up adjacent to No. 4’s current blacksmith shop with various styles of forges, anvils and equipment.

Most blacksmith groups meet only amongst themselves. The focus of the Granite State Hammer Alliance is outwardly focused, demonstrating and educating the public on traditional methods and styles of blacksmith, and how these traditional techniques can be applied to modern forging. Many modern blacksmiths are producing more cost-effective items with electric welding and industrial style tools, and are not practicing the older ways. The Alliance’s goal is to keep these traditional techniques practiced over many centuries alive, and ensure these traditional ways are not forgotten.

Members of the Alliance have both volunteered and worked at No. 4 in the past, and are in total support of the new sponsorship and efforts to keep the Fort at No.4 alive and educating our young in the 18th century way of life of which blacksmith played a necessary and integral part.
www.fortat4.com

Open Mic Poetry & Prose

Time: 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
Place: Village Square Booksellers, 32 The Square, Bellows Falls, VT (about 22 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All


Every 2nd Saturday. Open Mic Poetry and short stories of 1-3 pages.
Hosted by River Voices Poetry Group.
Open to all ages (youth and adult).
Free.
Comfortable atmosphere. Refreshments served.
802-463-9404
www.villagesquarebooks.com

2nd Annual Bollywood Film Festival

Time: 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Place: Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, NH (about 32 miles from Keene)
Price: $12 over 12/$8 kids under 12
Ages: All


Classics and Modern film from Bollywood will be screened in New Hampshire on May 12 as the state’s only Bollywood Film Festival kicks off seven hours of melodrama, action, comedy, and of course, dance in Wilton, N.H. The $12 admission includes an all-day pass, Indian snacks and a live dance performance.

A portion of the proceeds from the festival will go toward the Holy Cross Family Learning Center, a Manchester-based volunteer organization that offers English classes to recent refugees from such countries as Nepal, Bhutan, Haiti and Rwanda.

This year’s festival will include a documentary, a modern film, a dance tribute and our feature presentation, Sholay, one of the greatest curry Westerns ever made.

Children's Program - Everything Needs To Eat

Time: 10:00 am
Place: Cathedral of the Pines, Rindge, NH (about 20 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All


Walk along the Cathedral's paths and discover food sources and shelters of different animals. Create a snack for the animals.

National Train Day Celebration

Time: 11:30 am
Place: Brattleboro Train Station, 10 Vernon St., Brattleboro, VT (about 18 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All


Celebrate the rail way at the Brattleboro train station!

Please join us for this fun event for all ages!

Learn about better train service coming to Vermont, and check out historical displays, see the train station and meet train experts

There will be food and festivities.

We have cause to celebrate indeed. Amtrak's Vermonter was 100% on-time in March!

As anyone who watched the train's arrival knows, the train brings connections to love, business, family, culture. The train is fun. The train puts Brattleboro on the map and makes us accessible -- accessible to the 55% of New Yorkers who don't have cars but want to spend their money here -- accessible to people considering retirment or starting a business here who still need to visit clients and family -- and accessible in the future when oil changes our shared economic geography.

Child Safety Day

Time: 9:30 am-2:00 pm
Place: Noyes VW, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: All


John Walsh Child Safety Day
Saturday, May 12th from 9:30am-2:00pm
at Noyes VW in Keene
Free

Biometric Fingerprints, DNA Kits & more
for more info call 357-7220

Free Self Defense Workshop

Time: 12:30 pm-2:00 pm
Place: Martial Arts Principles, 233 Marlboro st., Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: Older

Open to men and women, teens and adults.
Register Now.
603-352-2299

Awakening Creativity Event

Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Mariposa Museum, Peterborough, NH (about 19 miles from Keene)
Price:
Adult $15, Member $12, Teacher $10, Student/Child $5
 
Ages: All

The Mariposa offers a very special presentation "Awakening Creativity" by Lily Yeh, founder of Barefoot Artists.  She will share a slide show of her organization's work in different places in the world including the recent Dandelion Project in Beijing China.

Barefoot Artists brings the transformative power of art to the most impoverished communities in the world through participatory and multifaceted projects that foster community empowerment, improve the physical environment, promote economic development, and preserve and promote indigenous art and culture. Barefoot Artists seeks to bear witness to the forgotten and the oppressed, and works to share their stories with the broad public to promote understanding and action. Each Barefoot Artists project is carefully documented and distributed widely through the internet, publications, speaking engagements, and video.

Lily Yeh is an internationally celebrated artist whose work has taken her to communities throughout the world. As founder and executive director of the Village of Arts and Humanities in North Philadelphia from 1968 to 2004, she helped create a national model of community building through the arts. In 2002, Yeh pursued her work internationally, founding Barefoot Artists, Inc. She has carried out projects in multiple countries including Kenya, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Rwanda, China, Taiwan, Ecuador, Syria, Republic of Georgia, Haiti, Palestine and the United States.

Admission to this event is Adult $15, Member $12, Teacher $10, Student/Child $5


What's special about today?
Kite day
Britain’s King George VI was crowned at Westminster Abbey in London, 1937
Florence Nightingale's birthday, 1820
Katharine Hepburn's birthday, 1907

Friday, May 11th Events

Every Child Learn To Read

Time: 10:00 am-10:45 am
Place: Keene Public Library, Youth Program Rm, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: Birth-5

This Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® workshop is for parents, grandparents, childcare providers --and their children from birth to age five. The workshop presents five important early literacy practices along with interactive activities that parents, caregivers, and children can enjoy together.
 
Before children can learn to read, they must develop a range of early literacy skills. Learning these skills, which begins at birth, has a long-term impact on children's reading achievement and academic success. Children who enter school with well-developed early literacy skills have an advantage; they are ready to learn to read.

Homeschool Night at the Fisher Cats

Time: 6:30 pm-9:00 pm
Place: Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Dr., Manchester, NH (about 60 miles from Keene)
Price: $7 tickets starting
Ages: All


See the flyer

Homeschool Program 

Time: 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Place: Ingalls Memorial Library, Rindge, NH (about 20 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: Preschool-High School age

Second Friday of the Month at 1-3 PM. September-May
Preschool through high school age children
Each  month a different theme, crafts, activities. 120 minute program 


Pizza & Movie Night For Teens

Time: 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Place: Hancock Town Library, Hancock, NH (about 22 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: Middle school + high school age


Middle School and High School Students are invited to gather with friends, munch on pizza & watch a movie together.  Film title to be determined by group in attendance and staff, please call for available titles.   Registration  REQUIRED, call, email or sign up in Children’s Room.
Contact: 603-525-4411.

Fort At No. 4 Opening Weekend

Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Place: Fort at No. 4, 267 Springfield Rd., Charlestown, NH (about 28 miles from Keene)
Price: See below
Ages: All


The Fort at No. 4 season-opening weekend is May 11-13, Friday through Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM each day.

The history of The Fort at No. 4 in Charlestown, New Hampshire, in many ways reflects the larger growth and development of the English colonies. The area was settled by pioneers characterized by their determination, work ethic, and emerging industrial skills. As the colonies grew, and immigration from England continued at a rapid pace, the need for more farmland and economic opportunity drove settlers west. The “west” in colonial New England included the vast tracts of land beyond the established towns.

More information online at www.fortat4.com or by calling 603-826-5700.
Adults $10.00
Youths 13-17 years $7.00
Children 6-12 years $5.00
Children 5 years and under $0.00
Seniors 55 years and above $7.00
www.fortat4.com

Craft Night

Time: 6:00 pm
Place: Main Street Arts, 37 Main St., Saxtons River, VT (about 25 miles from Keene)
Price: $5
Ages: All


Every Friday through May 11. Get those unfinished projects done. Scrapbook, sew, knit, collage…
Instructor: Gina Cote
Fri Apr 6 – May 11, drop in anytime between 6 & 10 pm.
$5 for the entire evening.
802-869-2960
www.mainstreetarts.org

Play: Phantom of the Opera

Time: 1:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Place: Claremont Opera House, 58 Opera House Square, Claremont, NH (about 40 miles from Keene)
Price: $8
Ages: All


Two performances! Following last year’s acclaimed production of “Arabian Nights”, the NECA Drama Club once again prepares to wow audiences with another original stage adaptation: “The Phantom of the Opera!” Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, this play, with musical selections from Faust, tells the story of a young opera singer Christine and her rise to fame with help of a mysterious Angel of Music. Full of comedy, romance, intrigue, danger (and dare we say, maybe even a falling chandelier?) Phantom is sure to captivate audiences young and old alike.

A cast of over thirty students ages 9-18 will bring to life the young lovers Christine and Raoul, the opera managers, divas, singers, ballerinas, stagehands… and of course a mysterious man in a mask!
Tickets: $8.00
http://www.claremontoperahouse.com/

Currier & Ives Exhibit Opening Party

Time: 4:30 pm-6:00 pm
Place: Horatio Colony House, 199 Main St., Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: All


Preview of the Currier & Ives “Publishers of Popular Prints for the People” exhibit including never-before-shown pieces from a private collection.
This exhibit includes pieces from one of the country’s foremost print collectors. It also incorporates four examples from the museum’s collection, including a painting by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait, one of Currier & Ives star artists, who specialized in sporting themes and animals.

Exhibit preview May 11, Friday, 4:30 to 6:00 PM. Meet the collector’s daughter. Free admission. Refreshments.
The exhibit will subsequently be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11:00 to 4:00.
www.horatiocolonymuseum.org 

Eleanor: A Queen in her Own Right
 
Time: 6:30 pm
Place: Monadnock Waldorf School, Elementary School Assembly Rm., Keene, NH
Price: N/A
Ages: All


Also on May 12th at the same time.
A Play Performed by the 7th Grade Class
This is the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most influential women of the Middle Ages. She outlived her two Kingly husbands and many of her royal children. Throughout her long life she advised her husbands and children and survived a 15 year stint in prison, emerging non the worse for the wear. And through it all, her shining intellect and wit enlivened the royal courts of both France and England.
Elementary School Assembly Room

Argentine Tango Milonga Lesson

Time: 7:30 pm-8:30 pm
Place: Stone Church, 210 Main St., Brattleboro, VT (about 18 miles from Keene)
Price: $10

Ages: Older

Lesson, 7:30-8:30pm.
$10
Sally Wright: sally.bratt.tango@gmail.com 603 923-9743
Please carry your dance shoes.

Hunter/Jump Horse Show

Time: Call for more info
Place: Cheshire Fairgrounds, Swanzey, NH (a few miles from Keene)
Price: Call for more info
Ages: All


Call for more information: 603 625-5800. 
Website 

Music: Kalispell

Time: 8:00 pm-10:00 pm
Place: The Starving Artist, West St., Keene, NH
Price: Contact for more info
Ages: All

Kalispell is the songs of Shane Leonard, who lives in Eau Claire, WI. His music is influenced by the old song forms of Appalachia, timeless American songwriters, and contemporary minimalist composers alike. On recordings and live performances, Shane is often accompanied by Ben Lester (AA Bondy, S. Carey) and Kevin Rowe (The Barley Jacks). He has supported such artists as Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Megafaun, Caroline Smith and the Goodnight Sleeps, and The Daredevil Christopher Wright. Several national tours in 2011 cultivated wide praise from blogs and radio stations such as NPR's "The Current" and "Simply Folk". This spring the band will release its debut full length.
Website.

 

Kids Night Out

 

Time: 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Place: Keene YMCA, Keene, NH
Price: $5 family member/$10 youth member/$15 community
Ages: K-5th grade

 

Kids Night Out is a fun evening of activities for those in K-5th grade. Join us for swimming, gym games, activities and pizza supervised by our qualified School's Out staff. Registration begins at 6:15pm in the Y Gym and pick up is by 8:30pm (late fees will be assessed). Youth must be signed in by an adult. Sneakers and swim suits/towels are required for gym games and pool use. 

 

KidsPLAYce Open Mic

Time: 5:30 pm (see times below)
Place: KidsPLAYce, 20 Elliot St., Brattleboro, VT (about 18 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All

 

ONE NIGHT ONLY
KidsPLAYce OPEN MIC
Friday May 11th
5:30-7 (ages 0-10)
7-8:30 (ages 11+)

Light dinner provided.
Bring your family and friends.
Have fun performing in a friendly place!
Performers should contact Andy to sign up.
802.258.8330 - andyloughney@gmail.com

*KidsPLAYce is located at 20 Elliot St. in Brattleboro.
** this event will celebrate the 1st anniversary of the FREE IS ART project.
www.freeisart.org

 

What's special about today?
Siam changed its name to Thailand, 1949
Irving Berlin's birthday, 1888

Thursday, May 10th Events

GREAT BOOKS: XU XI'S FAMINE

Time: 7:00 pm-9:00 pm
Place: Keene Public Library, Trustee's Room, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: Older

Great Books meets every other Thursday evening, September through June.  This year's selections come from The 7 Deadly Sins Sampler.  One copy of the collection will be available for checkout.
Tonight's discussion will be Xu Xi's 'Famine.' This selection can be read in The O. Henry Prize Stories 2006 available for checkout from the Keene Public Library.
Using a method of collaborative, question-driven discussion, members enjoy the opportunity to reflect on their own lives and convictions in light of ideas from major thinkers. Participants are directed by “non-expert” lay leaders.

If you would like to know more about the Great Books Reading and Discussion Programs in general, please visit their web site at www.greatbooks.org. To find out more about our  local discussion group, please call the library at 603-357-0157 or group leader Ardis Osborn at 603-352-2198. The group heartily welcomes  new people to the discussion group, and will be glad to answer any questions you have about it.

LIVING LANGUAGE

Time: 2:00 pm
Place: Mariposa Museum, Peterborough, NH (about 19 miles from Keene)
Price: $5
Ages: Older


For the final program in the series, on May 10th at 2pm, Mariposa's Director, David Blair will present Living Language. David, who is fluent in several languages has said, Language is a window into other cultures and ways of being and this is one reason it fascinates me. In his interactive presentation he will introduce the audience to the sounds and writing of Russian, Japanese and Chinese through problem solving and other fun activities. Refreshments will be served. Admission is $5, members free.

TWO OLD FRIENDS MAC MCHALE & EMERY HUTCHINS

Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Hancock Town Library, Hancock, NH (about 22 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All


Fishtraks recording artists, Two Old Friends are back by popular demand. Mac McHale and Emery Hutchins, original founders of Northeast Winds, are once again delighting audiences young and old with music from Ireland, the mountains, and the sea. With banjo, guitar, mandolin, concertina, bodran, octave mandolin, and heart-warming vocal harmonies, Two Old Friends tell a story in music of how immigrants came to this country from Ireland, Scotland, and Great Britain, bringing their melodies and instruments; and they show how the old time country ballads of the  Appalachians are rooted in these tunes. A Two Old Friends performance will give you plaintive ballads and foot-stomping shout tunes; soaring mandolin solos, gospel sing-alongs, and story-telling.  There is something for everyone. Free and open to all thanks to a grant from the NH Humanities Council which nurtures the joy of learning and inspired community engagement by bringing life-enhancing ideas from the humanities to the people of New Hampshire. Don’t miss this one!

BEAUTY & THE GEEK

Time: 7:00 pm-8:30 pm
Place: The Colonial Theatre, 95 Main St., Keene, NH
Price: $12 youth (18 & under)/$17 general
Ages: All


MoCo Arts joins forces with a local cartoonist and composer to premiere Beauty & The Geek. This original musical is based on a summer series of PreTeena daily comic strips in which the main characters find themselves thrown together at a country farm in rural New Hampshire. Enjoy a locally-grown show that is fun for the family!
Tickets/Registration required
$12 Youth (18 & under), Seniors (65+); $17 General Public
603-357-1233
www.moco.org

What's special about today?
Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British, 1775
Fred Astaire's birthday, 1899
Clean your room day

Wednesday, May 9th Events

Movie at the Library

Time: 4:00 pm-6:00 pm
Place: Keene Public Library, Auditorium, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: All

We Bought a Zoo

Set in Southern California, a father moves his young family to the countryside to renovate and re-open a struggling zoo. Based on a true story.

Twentieth Century-Fox Film, 2012.
124 minutes.
MPAA rating: PG.

Read It. See It. Love It. Movie Series

Time: 7:00 pm-9:00 pm
Place: Keene Public Library, Auditorium, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: 13+

Moneyball 

The Oakland A's general manager defies conventional wisdom and outsmarts his competition when forced to reinvent his team with bargain players. 

Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Columbia Pictures; Directed by Bennett Miller
Rated PG-13; 113 minutes; 2012 

4th-5th Grade Girls Book Club Tea

Time: 3:30 pm
Place: Ingalls Memorial Library, Rindge, NH (about 20 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: 4th-5th graders


Mother and Daughter Tea for 4th-5th grade ages.

6-7-8th Grade Girls Book Club Tea

Time: 3:30 pm
Place: Ingalls Memorial Library, Rindge, NH (about 20  miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: 6-7-8th grade

Mother and Daughter Tea for 6-7-8th grade ages. 


Play: Wizard of Oz

Time: 10:30 am-12:00 pm
Place: New England Youth Theatre, 100 Flat St., Brattleboro, VT (about 18 miles from Keene)
Price: $7
Ages: All


New England Youth Theatre and the Theatre Adventure Youth Troupe bring pizzazz to The Wizard of Oz with inventive storytelling methods!

This Troupe of diverse and talented actors will transport the audience to the world of Glenda the good witch, flying monkeys, and break-dancing munchkins! 

The Land of Oz becomes real as the Theatre Adventure Youth Troupe actors bring courage to the stage as they play their characters.

Be whisked away on Dorothy’s adventures as she makes friends, pursues her dreams, and realizes “there’s no place like home.”

Tickets are $7 and may be purchased in advance at www.neyt.org or at the NEYT Box Office in person, or by phone (802)246-6398, from 12-5pm on Wednesdays.
New England Youth Theatre is an accessible theater, with accommodations for wheelchairs, and Assistive Listening Devices for patrons who are hard of hearing. Both performances will be ASL interpreted.
802-246-6398
www.neyt.org 

Scripting Hitchcock: Psycho, The Birds, & Marnie

Time: 7:00 pm-9:00 pm
Place: Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., Brattleboro, VT (about 18 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: Older


Scripting Hitchcock explores the collaborative process between Alfred Hitchcock and the screenwriters he hired to write the scripts for three of his greatest films: Psycho, The Birds, and Marnie. Drawing from extensive interviews with the screenwriters and other film technicians who worked for Hitchcock, Walter Raubicheck and Walter Srebnick illustrate how much of the filmmaking process took place not on the set or in front of the camera, but in the adaptation of the sources, the mutual creation of plot and characters by the director and the writers, and the various revisions of the written texts of the films.

Hitchcock allowed his writers a great deal of creative freedom, which resulted in dynamic screenplays that expanded traditional narrative and defied earlier conventions. Critically examining the question of authorship in film, Raubicheck and Srebnick argue that Hitchcock did establish visual and narrative priorities for his writers, but his role in the writing process was that of an editor. While the writers and their contributions have generally been underappreciated, this study reveals that all the dialogue and much of the narrative structure of the films were the work of screenwriters Jay Presson Allen, Joseph Stefano, and Evan Hunter. The writers also shaped American cultural themes into material specifically for actors such as Janet Leigh, Tippi Hedren, and Tony Perkins.
Walter Raubicheck is a professor of English at Pace University and the coeditor of Going My Way: Bing Crosby and American Culture. Walter Srebnick is Professor Emeritus of English at Pace University and the coeditor of Hitchcock’s Rereleased Films: From Rope to Vertigo.
http://www.brooks.lib.vt.us/

Book Discussion: Fountain & Tomb

Time: 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
Place: Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., Brattleboro, VT (about 18 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: Older


This Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian writer’s vivid novel tells the story of the life of a young boy growing up in Egypt in the 1920s.
Led by Richard M Wizansky.
Fountain and Tomb by Naguib Mahfouz.
Jerry J. Carbone, (802) 254-5290 x101.
http://brooks.lib.vt.us

Covered Bridges of New Hampshire

Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Chamberlin Free Public Library, 46 Main St., Greenville, NH (about 30 miles from Keene)
Price: Free

Ages: Older

Presentation on covered bridge design and technology, their designers, builders, and associated folklore. Contact: 878-1105

What's special about today?
The Beatles signed their first recording contract and hired George Martin to be their producer, 1962
The South African parliament chose Nelson Mandela as president, 1994
First flight over the North Pole
John Brown's birthday, 1800

Tuesday, May 8th Events

Understanding Courage: It's Our World, Too

Time: 4:00 pm-5:30 pm
Place: Keene Public Library, Trustee's Room, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: Middle school age

Participants in this three-part afterschool service project will explore how young people have changed the course of history and affected change in their communities. During the three sessions, young people will learn how they can become more active in our community. And each participant will design and create a mixed media collage based on the theme of courage and community involvement. Artwork will be displayed on city Express buses during the spring and summer.

Summer Salads

Time: 6:00 pm-7:30 pm
Place: Cheshire Medical Center, North Conference Room 1, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: Older


It’s that time of year again; time to put away the crock pot and get out the grill and lighten up your meals! Learn how to make a grilled chicken salad for dinner, a spicy vegetarian salad to bring to your next cookout and my all time favorite, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad. 
Kelsey Plifka, (603) 354-5460.

Play: From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Time: 10:00 am & Noon
Place: Capitol Center For the Arts, Concord, NH (about 50 miles from Keene)
Price: $7
Ages: Grades 3-6

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of E.L. Konigsburg’s Newbery Medal-winning classic, ArtsPower has created an enchanting new drama that follows Claudia Kincaid and her brother Jamie up the stone steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and right into the middle of an adventure sure to captivate audiences of all ages! In this adaptation of the classic book, Claudia and Jamie learn some important truths about themselves as they attempt to unravel the mystery of  the museum’s most fascinating work of art: a mysterious sculpture nicknamed Angel.

Buy tickets

Rocks And Dirt

Time: 10:00 am-11:00 am
Place: The Fells, Newbury, NH (about 38 miles from Keene)
Price: Free members/$5 non-members
Ages: Preschoolers


Children explore many of the fascinating rocks found at The Fells and learn how rocks change over time to eventually become part of the soil. Activities include "erode the boulder" and "create a rock jar." Member child free, nonmembers $5, caregivers free. Advance registration required. Meets at The Fells Gatehouse. Made possible by a grant from the Lincoln Foundation. Contact: 603-763-4789, x3 

FUNdamentals of Chain Maille

Time: 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Place: Michaels Craft Store, 7 Ash Brook Rd., Keene, NH
Price: $25
Ages: Older


25.00, Materials Not Included.
Learn basic chain maille patterns to get you started on this addictive technique.
By Bead Corner Design Academy
Tue May 8, 6:00pm - 8:00pm Sherry


Potato Printing 

Time: 3:15 pm-4:30 pm
Place: Hancock Town Library, Hancock, NH (about 22 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: 1st-4th grade ages


Come and discover wonderful prints that are possible to create with potatoes! We will have a demonstration and then print Mother’s Day cards. Mrs. Russell’s POTATOES! Space Limited.  Registration  REQUIRED, call, email or sign up in Children’s Room. Contact: 603-525-4411 

Junior Book Club

Time: 3:30 pm
Place: Fitzwilliam Town Library, Fitzwilliam, NH (about 13 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: All


Junior Book Club - 3:30 p.m. - Featured book is Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.

Second Tuesdays on the Edge Workshop

Time: 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Place: Keene Public Library Annex, Heberton Hall, Keene, NH
Price: $20 at the door
Ages: Older


Based on the work of Wesley Van Tassel, the workshop will focus on finding the clues Shakespeare embedded in the text to help actors.  The workshop will focus on three things: finding the rhythm of the verse (iambic pentameter), breathing, and the use of antithesis.  For actors and all those interested in exploring the richness of Shakespeare's language.  Led by Catherine Behrens.
Contact: 603-352-5657

River Monitoring

Time: 6:30 pm-8:00 pm
Place: Keene State College, Science Room 375, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: Older


Join the Ashuelot River Local Advisory Committee & help River Monitor this Summer!

Training Tuesday, May 8th from 6:30pm-8pm
at Keene State Science Room 375

Actual monitoring occurs monthly from May - September, volunteers must complete training in order to participate.

call 352-0987 to register.


What's special about today? 
National teacher day
No socks day
The 10-week Wounded Knee occupation ended when members of the American Indian Movement surrendered, 1973
Harry S. Truman's birthday, 1884

Monday, May 7th Events

Anime & Manga Fan Club, Movie

Time: 3:00 pm-5:00 pm
Place: Keene Public Library, Auditorium, Keene, NH
Price: Free
Ages: Older

Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye

Today's presentation is the first volume of episodes from the sci-fi action anime series. A highly skilled female warrior and her wise-cracking A.I. tank encounter formidable foes as they ply their trade in an apocalyptic desert wasteland dominated by a technophobic regime.
Not Rated - Strong violence and strong language. Mild sexual situations may be shown.

The Monadnock Marauders

Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Keene High's Purbeck Gym, Keene, NH
Price: $8 general/ $10 at the door
Ages: All


Come join for a fun‐ f i l l ed night of Tr i ck Hoops & Al l e y ‐Oops ! When you're in the stands, you're not just a spectator; you're a part of the fun show. Come and experience a magical display of tricks, coordinated ball handling, fancy passing and aerodynamic athleticism combined with high-energy comedy and audience interaction. It's the Harlem Wizards vs. Marauder players and Special Olympic Partners from the Keene area.
Tickets can be purchased from Marauders players or
go to www.harlemwizards. com to buy t ickets online .

Music: Julia Barry

Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Antioch University, 40 Avon St., Keene, NH
Price: $5 suggested donation
Ages: All


Also Playing: Nehemiah Luckett, Antioch Spoken Word Student Performers 
Contact: 800.553.8920
Website: http://juliabarry.com/

Free Shotokan Karate Class

Time: 7:30 pm
Place: Stone Church, 210 Main St., Brattleboro, VT (about 18 miles from Keene)
Price: Free
Ages: Older


Traditional Japanese Karate taught in the style of the Japanese Karate Association. No prior martial arts experience necessary. Show up ready to learn and break a sweat (not boards). 

What's special about today?
National space day
The American Medical Association was organized in Philadelphia, Pa., 1847
Vladimir Putin was inaugurated as Russia’s president, 2000
Eva Peron's birthday, 1919