Bow News : Event Reviews

Bow and Hopkinton host Halloween events

Bow Editor — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:38:00 GMT

Children aren’t the only ones who can dress up in a costume and get candy as Bow and Hopkinton will host Halloween events geared for all ages and for those ready to show off their creative styles.

Bow

Bow’s Baker Free Library Director Lori Fisher said the upcoming trick-or-treat event is for all ages.

“We try to tailor our story times to seasonal activities. We’ll be going with fall themes and Halloween themes,” Fisher said. “It isn’t just for kids. We’d love to see adults come out in their costumes as well.”

Fisher also said Halloween isn’t only about the candy.

“October is a great time of year, and everyone loves to recharge their batteries and take in the foliage,” she said. “It’s the one time of year when everyone can dress as wacky as they can, and people don’t blink an eye. Halloween really gives people a chance to get creative.”

The trick-or-treat event at Baker Free Library takes place Friday, Oct. 31, from 3 to 7 p.m., and Fisher said she hopes visitors will grab a book after they take their candy.

Baker Free Library will also host a Spooky Skeletons workshop on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 11 a.m. to noon, giving 5 to 9- year-olds the chance to read a skeleton book and make a Halloween creation from paper plates.

Also in Bow, the Recreation Department will host a Halloween event on Wednesday, Oct. 29, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Community Building for Bow residents in fourth grade and younger.

Children are encouraged to come to the event in costume. Magician B.J. Hickman will also put on a show for those in attendance.

Recreation Department program coordinator Michelle Vecchione said she has been with the department for 20 years, and thinks it has been held annually for about 17 of those years.

“It’s so nice to see the kids. It’s great to see the parents,” Vecchione said. “It’s good to see the community participating, and it’s a safe place for the kids to come. It’s great to have something you can count on this time of year.”

Vecchione also said the children’s tastes in costumes has evolved since the event’s first year.

“As the kids’ programming changes, the costumes change,” she said. “You either get the really scary ones or the cute ones, plus everything in between. You get the regulars, too. I like to see the ghosts and the witches, not the really gory ones.”

Hopkinton

The signature event in Hopkinton is the Haunted House,. This year, the Recreation Department will have an Alien Invasion evening on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Aliens have crash landed at Kimball Lake and the ships are still around,” said Recreation Director Justin La Vigne. “They’ll be walking around the grounds, and there may be some experiments going on in the cabins.”

La Vigne stressed the importance of community involvement when putting on the event.

“That’s what it’s about. It’s about the community, for the community. It’d be impossible for just the seven of us to put this on,” La Vigne said. “We’ll have 30 to 40 volunteers out there, so it’s huge to have the community involved.”

According to the recreation director, there’s another benefit.

“You get to see your friends dressed up as an alien, so that’s fun,” said La Vigne.

Trick-or-treating

Trick-or-treating in Bow is Friday, Oct. 31, from 7 p.m. to dark. In Hopkinton, trick-or-treaters will be going door to door Oct. 31, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Bow Garden Club tour highlights town’s beauty

Bow Editor — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:39:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Visitors in Bow got the chance to see some colorful arrangements, sip lemonade and escape into the shade from the summer sun during the “Bow in Bloom” garden tour.

The Saturday, July 19, event, hosted by the Bow Garden Club, featured five home gardens and the Bow Community Garden at Rotary Park, with about 85 residents from various towns coming to see the different landscaping styles.

For four hours the homes made their gardens available for viewing, with the garden creators providing furniture and shade from the scorching sun.

“There were a lot of places where people could sit under umbrellas and trees,” said Garden Club Publicity Chairman Joyce Kimball. “I was going to each place making sure everyone had water. I went back to one place and the people were still there, just because they were having such a good time.”

Kimball said there were residents in attendance not only from Bow, but also from Manchester, Goffstown, Bedford and Peterborough.

“People were just sitting, talking about flowers and thoroughly enjoying themselves,” said Kimball. “They got to enjoy gardeners who enjoy the beauty of it. We like to show that anybody can do it with some time, effort and initiative.”

In addition to visitors getting a glimpse of some gardens in Bow, Kimball said there was an added perk for the garden club.

“We also got several new members. They see that everyone is friendly and it’s a nice blend of ages, people from all different walks of life,” she said. “We are nice people and everyone talking about a similar interest automatically brings out the best in people."

Each of the five household gardens had a different theme.

One of the homes on Putney Road was called “Kaleidoscope” because of its ever-changing colors, while another was named “The Rainbow Garden” with a variety of colors spread throughout.

Also on Putney Road was “Country Elegance.” On Woodhill- Hooksett Road, visitors came to see “Rosella’s Garden.”

According to Kimball, one of the favorites during the day was “Early New England,” a home at 62 White Rock Hill Road that had a water display, flowers, and homemade cookies.

Kimball said the event, as well as the club, is about more than just flowers in the ground.

“The best garden clubs are the ones with some older people for knowledge, freshly retired folks for finally having some free time to garden, and the young people who want to learn and garden in their home and want to meet people,” she said. “It’s very social, but we don’t just plant flowers.”

Bow and Hopkinton residents joined Goffstown Gallop

Bow Editor — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:03:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Bow’s Margaret Burns and Pembroke’s Joanne Welch have been running mates for eight years.

They’re currently preparing for a half marathon in Quebec in August.

The 29th annual Goffstown Gallop provided them an opportunity to participate in a competitive run – without the headaches of a typical road race.

“It’s more of a community event,” said Burns of the event, which took place Saturday, June 28. “It’s kind of competitive, and if you want to go for a run, it’s better to do it with other people rather than by yourself.”

“It’s a good training run,” said Welch. “It’s a nice distance for a Saturday morning. It’s a good tempo run.”

Like Burns and Welch, dozens of runners traveled from all over New Hampshire and even other states to participate in the Gallop.

“It’s a family event. A lot of people that come here come year after year after year,” said Dave French, the Goffstown Parks and Recreation director who organizes the Gallop each year. “That’s a testimony to the atmosphere of the race. It’s an old-fashioned race. We don’t do computer chips, we hand out tongue depressors (at the finish line). We’re one of the oldest races in New Hampshire ... More than anything else, it’s a tradition.”

Count Bedford’s Barth Getto as one participant happy to get away from modern competition for a day.

The 46-year-old regularly competes in triathlons, but he was convinced by friends to run the Gallop.

“(The Gallop) is kind of laid back. It’s not as crazy as some of the big races,” said Getto, who finished 55th among more than 170 runners. “It was definitely more fun. When you do these triathlons, people are crazy. You know, they come with $5,000 bikes and these pointed helmets. This is more of a social thing ... It’s all about heart.”

No one traveled farther to participate than French’s daughter, Heather.

The 24-year-old, who served as the race’s starter from childhood through high school, returned from her home in Florida to run the race for the first time.

“My dad is getting close to retirement, and I just wanted to run it for him because who knows when his last Goffstown Gallop will be,” she said, adding that training in Florida is much different than running in New Hampshire.

“I was training in 95-degree weather and 100-percent humidity,” she added. “I’m not used to running with all the hills, but it was a really gratifying feeling when I crossed the finish line.”

Another Floridian, Dean Riley, a former Goffstown and Bedford resident, also returned to run the race.

“He ran the race before, and knows it’s the same weekend every year,” said the elder French. “I really appreciate the runners coming back each year. I really do.”

Annual Winterfest is Feb., 9

admin — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:02:00 GMT

BY IRENE CLOTHIER

Tell the kids to grab their mittens and ice skates!

The annual Bow Winterfest is on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Bow Recreation Department. Despite recent warmer temperatures, there is still enough snow on the ground to hold the event, regardless of weather. Co-sponsored by Bow Rotary and the Recreation Department, the event brings families together for a day of fun, games and celebration.

“I think my favorite part is the enthusiasm with the kids. It’s a real family event,” said Bill Gunn of the Bow Rotary Club. “We’re really focused on the kids and doing all of the different activities. It’s the excitement around the family doing something together.”

The classes will be grades 1 through 8, unless otherwise noted, with boys and girls competing separately. Winners for all events will be announced and ribbons awarded.

“We want to have something for everyone. If you have a family with a 3- or 4-year-old and an 11-year-old, there’s something for each. Everyone can shine a different way,” said Gunn.

The following is a list of scheduled events:

• 8 to 10 a.m. – Winterfest kicks off with an all-you-can-eat breakfast with pancakes, sausage, orange juice, hot chocolate and coffee. The cost is $3 for adults, $2 for children. “We’re prepared for about 150 people with a great breakfast,” said Gunn.

• 9 a.m. – Sliding races will be the first outdoor activity.

• 10 a.m. – Skating races commence for grades 1 through 6, with boys and girls racing separately.

• 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Poster contest commemorating Winterfest. Supplies will be available. The contest is open to all individuals, families and groups. Winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m.

• 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Make your own snow sculpture. Individuals, families and groups are invited to register and compete. Judging takes place at 1 p.m., with winners announced at 4 p.m.

• 11 a.m. – Indoor obstacle course for grades 1 through 8.

• 1 p.m. – Hockey Puck Shootout on the ice.

• 1 to 3 p.m. – Bow Pioneers Snowmobile Club will give rides on the town pond for a donation to Easter Seals.

• 2:30 p.m. – Wood hockey puck toss happens out on the ice. The Bow High School Interact Club will be selling tossing pucks for $1 each, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A prize will be awarded for the best toss.

• 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Indoor basketball foul-shooting contest. Classes will include grades 1 through 8, with boys and girls competing separately; plus ninth grade to adults.

• 5 p.m. – Bonfire will be ignited to cap off the day. A 50/50 raffle will be held throughout the day. All events are free of charge unless otherwise noted. For additional information and last-minute changes, visit www.bowrotary.org.

– Staff writer Matt Schooley contributed to this article.

Sing-along - Bow Memorial School chorus shares stage with symphony orchestra

Bow Editor — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:29:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

The Bow Memorial School chorus shared the limelight during the Granite State Symphony Orchestra’s annual Christmas concert.

The students sang in between the orchestra’s segments last year and did so well, they were invited back again.

“It’s so exciting for our students to perform in this type of event outside of Bow and with the professional orchestra,” said Elaine Giguere, Bow Memorial School chorus director. “I think for everyone involved, it was just such a joyous way to celebrate the holidays.”

For the Dec. 17 concert, Bow students sang four songs. The first was a compilation called “A Christmas Cartoon Celebration,” which included tunes from the “Charlie Brown” and “Garfield” Christmas specials, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” The group also performed an arrangement celebrating Hanukkah, as well as “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Swingin’ with Santa.”

And while the student singers’ expanded their repertoire this year, they were given a special treat by performing with the orchestra on stage. Orchestra director Robert Babb e-mailed Giguere before the show and asked if the students could participate in the third segment by singing along to “The 12 Days of Christmas.”

Because there were 102 of Giguere’s 142 fifth- through eighth-grade chorus students set to participate, she decided the older students would go up on stage so the orchestra members wouldn’t be overcrowded.

But during the show, Babb invited all the students on stage, saying the remainder of the show was meant to be fun and slightly informal. In fact, even Santa paid a visit and directed a song.

“It’s a holiday pops concert, which lends itself to this upbeat and fun kind of Christmas music,” said Giguere. “It was such a neat thing that he involved them and was comfortable having them there while he finished the concert.

She said the students were very excited and had a great time.

“It was a very positive experience for all of them,” she said. “It was very exciting to perform outside of Bow Memorial School and be able to hear a professional orchestra in person.”

Checkmate, Baker Free Library brings chess alive

Bow Editor — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 23:41:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Imagine using a next door neighbor as a pawn, while simultaneously capturing a brother playing a bishop and a mother, who is dressed as a queen.

Those who participated in the living chess game at the Baker Free Library in Bow were able to do just that.

“It’s a whole family event is what we are trying to make it,” said Jennifer Ericsson, the children’s librarian. “It’s not hard-core chess. It’s more like let’s have some fun here.”

On Nov. 2, a life-size chess board was set up in the lower level of the library, with 32 locals dressed up as chess pieces were moved around by two designated players from an elevated position.

Andrew Hollinger, 13, who plays chess with his parents in his Bow home, said living chess is more challenging.

“It’s more difficult than regular chess because there’s not an actual board to look at and you can’t always see where all the players are at all times,” he said.

Michael Sullivan of Portsmouth, a former librarian and chess instructor, coordinated the event.

“It’s a great way to sort of build up energy around chess and so it’s one of the things I like to do to promote the game,” said Sullivan. “Everybody thinks about chess as such a solitary game, just sitting in the corner for four hours, but this is what chess is more like. It’s fun. It’s active and it’s just the whole community coming together to have some fun.”

Ericsson said living chess has been depicted in many movies throughout the years, even as recently as the “Harry Potter” films.

“It’s just a fun family program,” Ericsson said. “There’s a lot of interest in town for chess and a lot of kids are really excited because most of them have seen ‘Harry Potter.’”

While the concept may have been popularized in modern times by “Harry Potter” and Mel Brooks’ “History of the World,” Sullivan said living chess dates back hundreds of years.

“It’s a long tradition going back to Elizabethan England, where it was a very popular game,” he said. “It used to be all the fashion in Europe, so it’s bringing back an old tradition.”

Because he enjoys teaching and promoting chess, Sullivan said living chess is a fun way for people to relate the game.

“Living chess is great because it’s such a great spectacle and you don’t have to know how to play to be part of it,” he said. “It’s a great way to recruit new players because they get to play the game and maybe learn it as well.”