2010 Lakes Region Fine Arts and Crafts Festival Starts Tomorrow!

Wow!  Another year has gone by already and it’s time for the Annual Lakes Region Fine Arts and Crafts Festival.  This weekend, August 28^th and 29^th, come to Meredith, NH to enjoy beautiful original works of art and crafts, live music, and delicious food… this is an event you won’t want to miss!

Now in its 31^st year, The Lakes Region Fine Arts and Crafts Festival is sponsored by the Meredith Area Chamber of Commerce and is the area’s largest show and sale of fine arts and crafts.  This popular event is an outdoor, juried arts and crafts exhibition, featuring the high-quality works of over 110 artists and craftspeople.  Main Street in Meredith will be closed to traffic to make room for the show, which will be held among the Meredith Village Shops and the Mill Falls Marketplace.

This festival is always a great place to find treasures for yourself, or gifts for loved ones.  All of the exhibitors display and sell their own work, so you know you are supporting local artisans, and enjoying unique pieces.  Hope to see you there!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

Images courtesy of the Meredith Area Chamber of Commerce

Ironman 70.3 Timberman Race and Festival in Gilford this Weekend!

Over 3,500 athletes from across the country and around the globe are coming to Lake Winnipesaukee this Saturday and Sunday to compete in the 10^th edition of the Timberman Sprint and Ironman 70.3 Timberman Triathlons.  Named the #1 “Must-do Triathlon Adventure” by Triathlete Magazine, Timberman has something for everyone, including Timber Camp for kids!

The traditional Ironman race is one of the most challenging sporting events in the world, with a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a complete 26.2-mile marathon, all in succession.  The Ironman 70.3 triathlon is half the classic race, featuring a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run—still pretty tough!

The Ironman 70.3 Timberman is a scenic course that begins with a swim in the fresh waters of Lake Winnipesaukee, followed by a bike course that includes plenty of rolling hills, and finally a two-loop run that travels along the shores of the lake with spectacular views of the White Mountains.  The Ironman 70.3 will take place on Sunday, and offers the 2,200 competitors a chance at the $30,000 professional prize purse as well as 50 slots to the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3, which will take place on Nov. 13^th in Clearwater, Florida.

On Saturday, over 1,300 athletes will race in the Timberman Sprint short-distance triathlon, which will take them on a .3-mile swim, a 15-mile bike, and a 3-mile run with the same beautiful setting.  Saturday afternoon will also give older kids a taste of the sport in the TimberKids Adventure Race.  All races will begin and end at Ellacoya State Park in Gilford, NH.

For children ages 3 – 13, Timber Camp will be the place to be on Sunday!  This special event will take place at Gunstock Mountain Resort, offering kids a “multi-sport” day of activities such as mountain biking, mini golf, and swimming.  There will also be paddleboats, kayaks, and a climbing wall!  The staff has planned a special activity to celebrate the success of the triathletes, and all campers will be able to win prizes in everyone’s favorite extreme water balloon toss, Winger!

The weekend-long TimberFest at Gunstock will feature a sports & fitness expo, seminars for both the novice and seasoned triathlete, the Ironman Champions dinner, and live music by Paul Warnick.  After the race on Sunday, athletes can kick back and enjoy the TimberParty Clambake & Lobsterfest!

Come to Lake Winnipesaukee this weekend to catch some world-class racing and cheer on these fine athletes, all while enjoying the beauty of NH in August.  You just might find some new inspiration!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

photos courtesy of asiphoto.com

Alton Old Home Day This Saturday

Come to the lake this weekend and enjoy a full day of good old-fashioned fun at the Alton Old Home Day festivities.  With a road race, boat show, craft fair, Bingo, a concert, and fireworks, there is sure to be something for everyone!  On Saturday, August 14^th, the Alton Parks & Recreation Department will host this special event in the quaint village of Alton Bay at the southern tip of Lake Winnipesaukee.

To kick off the festivities, there will be a 5K Road Race at 9:00am.  This run is an official Runner’s World race featuring computerized timing, traffic control, and prizes to runners in various categories, not to mention one of the most scenic courses in New Hampshire!

If you missed the 37th Annual Lake Winnipesaukee Antique & Classic Boat Show at Meredith Town Docks last month, you have another chance to see some beautiful boats this Saturday at the Vintage Boat Show, which is also part of the Alton Old Home Day events.  The classic boats will be docked and on display from 9:00am – 12:00pm.

The Craft Fair will be held at the Alton Bay Community Center from 10:00am – 5:00pm and will showcase handmade New England craft items, including fine wood crafts, candles, fleece, stoneware pottery, Native American jewelry, fabrics, quilts, doll furniture, scroll saw fretwork, handmade soaps, floral pieces, and much more.

At 4:00, head over to the Alton Bay Bandstand for a game of BINGO with the family, or join the Fire Department for a summer barbeque.  The fun continues with a concert at 7:00 with the music of Echo Tones, followed by a fireworks display over the lake at 9:00.

If you are visiting the Lakes Region this weekend, you might want to swing by Alton Bay on Saturday… a day like this is the epitome of summer in New England!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

Ongoing Summer Fun in Meredith, NH

Music in the MIll Falls Marketplace

It seems there is always something going on in this town!  Whether you want to take a cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee, or catch some live entertainment, there is no shortage of culture in this quaint NH village…

Looking for something different to do with the kids?  Pack up your lawn chairs and take the gang to Hesky Park for an outdoor movie!  Every Thursday night at dusk, the Meredith Parks and Recreation Department shows a family-friendly feature under the stars.  A $2 donation is appreciated, and all proceeds from sales of concessions go to programs for local youth.

Every Friday night, the Mill Falls Marketplace hosts live music in the courtyard, featuring various local musicians.  Enjoy the music of Tom Robinson Creamsicle, The Craig Jaster Duo, Jared Steer Experience, and Casual Labor as you stroll through all the little shops.  Music in the Marketplace takes place Friday evenings from 5:30 – 8:30, now through the end of August.

The Summer Theatre in Meredith Village is featuring musicals this summer!  This recently renovated and air-conditioned theatre is dedicated to providing professional theatre experiences for all residents and visitors to the area, and will offer four Broadway hits in August:  “Chicago,” “My Way – A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra,” “Camelot,” and the hysterical new musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

So get out and enjoy those summer nights while they last—if you’re in Meredith, there is no excuse for boredom!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

Annual Street Dance & Family Fun Night in Meredith!

This Friday night, July 30^th, the streets in will be jumping—literally!  That’s when the Meredith Parks and Recreation Department will hold its annual Family Fun Night & Street Dance in downtown Meredith.  Bring friends and family for a great evening of games, crafts, and dancing to live music!

The fun begins at 5:30 in Hesky Park, where folks of all ages can enjoy family-friendly games, activities, and crafts.  For those who like ice cream, there will also be a make-your-own-sundae station!

Head over to Main Street at 7:00 to catch some classic rock and roll performed by City Limits.  Everyone will be dancing in the street!  This is a great way to meet the locals and visitors alike while you enjoy a beautiful summer evening on Lake Winnipesaukee.

So put on your dancing shoes and come to Meredith on Friday for this favorite community tradition!  (If it rains Friday, the event will take place on Saturday, the 31^st.)

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

Image Credit: Rhian vK at Flickr.com

37th Annual Lake Winnipesaukee Antique & Classic Boat Show at Meredith Town Docks

Vintage Boats Lined up at last year's Boat Show

Come to Meredith this Saturday, July 24^th to see one of the biggest gatherings of classic wooden boats Lake Winnipesaukee has to offer.  Town Docks will be hosting The New England Chapter of Antique & Classic Boat Society’s 37^th Annual Lake Winnipesaukee Antique & Classic Boat Show, and the organizers have stated that last year’s show was so successful, more docking will be added this year!

The event begins on Friday, July 23^rd, when participants in the juried show arrive in the afternoon for a Judging Clinic followed by a registration and cocktail reception, where guests can enjoy hors d’ oeuvres and live music.

Plan to be at the docks early on Saturday to watch the beautiful wooden boats arrive under their own power between 7 and 9am.  Over 80 vintage boats are expected to pull up and be on display throughout the day.  All models of antique and classic boats are welcome, and the organizers are expecting a large showing of Chris-Craft boats, as Chris-Craft will be the marque boat this year.

The day will wrap up with an awards dinner at Chase House at The Inns and Spa at Mill Falls.  Tony Mollica, author of Building Chris-Craft: Inside the Factories, will be the special guest and will give a talk on the history of Chris Smith and his Chris Craft boats.  Mr. Mollica will also be at the boat show during the day to autograph copies of his several books.

There is still space available if you would like your classic boat to be part of the festivities!  For more information, visit the Boat Society’s website here.

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

photo courtesy of The New England Chapter of Antique & Classic Boat Society

Lake Shore Cottage is Now Available!

There’s a new kid in town—The Inns and Spa at Mill Falls have added another cottage to their family of Inns to offer unique accommodations for your family!

Imagine staying in your own private cottage right on Lake Winnipesaukee, where you and your family or friends can share a summer “camp” experience while enjoying all the services and amenities of the Inns in quaint Meredith, NH.  Lake Shore Cottage has been open for a couple weeks now, and guests are raving about the spectacular view and the cozy, comfortable atmosphere.

Lake Shore Cottage is next door to Church Landing and features two bedrooms, a living room with a sofa bed and fireplace, a full kitchen, dining area, a sun deck and screened-in porch overlooking the lake, a carport, and a boat dock.  Located within a short walking distance to all the shops and restaurants of Meredith, this is the perfect spot to hold a relaxing family getaway or a reunion of close friends!

As with any guest room in the hotel, the cottage is tied into all of the Inns services, including phone, complimentary WIFI, cable TV, continental breakfast, pool, beaches, fitness center, and much more.  Lake Shore Cottage can accommodate up to 6 guests, and its affordable rates start at $409 per night, with a 10% discount for five or six nights, and a 20% discount for seven or more nights.

The Inns will soon launch a 25^th Anniversary Trivia Hunt that guests can solve and then enter a drawing for chance to win a Great Indoors Package at Lake Shore Cottage this winter.  A combination trivia contest and scavenger hunt, this fun game is something the whole family can do together while strolling around the village, and the grand prize can’t be beat!  Stay tuned for more details as the challenge unfolds…

Whether you go out or stay in, you are sure to have an unforgettable vacation at Lake Shore Cottage.  Try something new this summer!  For more information, call the Inns at 800-622-6455.

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

Fun Festivities for the Fourth of July in Meredith!

Ahhh…  Summertime at last!  The heat has arrived, and with it, the chance to relax outside in the evening and enjoy fun, traditional New England fare along with the fresh air.  The quintessential summer celebration, Independence Day, is around the corner, and what could be better than watching the fireworks over Lake Winnipesaukee from a comfy spot at an old-fashioned clambake?  Camp’s patio at Chase House will be the place to be on the Fourth of July!

Dig in to a feast of lobster, steamers, and chowder at Camp’s All-American Clambake on Sunday, July 4^th starting at 6:30pm.  Then at dusk, sit back and enjoy the beautiful fireworks display over Meredith and Center Harbor Bay.  To keep the living easy, one price covers everything – just $64 per adult and $32 per child under age 12 includes tax, gratuity, and a great view of the show!  This popular event sells out quickly, so call 800-622-6455 to reserve your spot.

Come into town early for the 19^th annual Meredith Lions Club Rubber Duckie Race.  This spectacle is the organizations biggest fundraiser of the year, and benefits David’s House at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, as well as many other projects in the community.  At 4:00pm on July 4^th, over 3,500 yellow duckies will tumble down the cascade at Mill Falls and float to the finish line just past the footbridge in Hesky Park.  Tickets for cash prizes are $5 each or five for $20, and will be on sale until 3:30 of race day.  Last year’s event had quite the turnout, with nearly 4000 rubber duckies racing to Meredith Bay!  For more information, contact the Lions Club at at 279-6016.

We hope to see you in Meredith Village on the Fourth!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

The 5th Annual Winnipesaukee Wine Festival at Church Landing!

Get ready for two great nights of music, food, and wine next week, as the Fifth Annual Winnipesaukee Wine Festival and the Pre-Festival Beach Party come to the shores of Meredith Bay on Wednesday, June 23^rd and Thursday the 24^th!

The Wine Festival will be held on Thursday from 5:30 – 8:00 in the Winnipesaukee Ballroom at Church Landing, where 21 vendors and winemakers will offer tastings of hundreds of fine wines accompanied by delicious hors d’oeuvres.  These delectable dishes will be prepared by several local eateries, including Lakehouse Grille, The Corner House Inn, The Coe House, Wild Coyote Grill, Owen’s Farm Stand, Town Docks, Lago, and Camp.

Also on hand will be Cisco Brewers, a microbrewery and distillery from Nantucket, offering samples of their small-batch beers, as well as their popular Triple Eight Vodka.  They will even set up an ice bar, where folks can enjoy martinis poured through the ice luge!

Music will be provided by the talented local jazz duo of Don Williams and David Tonkin, who play frequently throughout New Hampshire in various jazz ensembles and bands, and are also on staff at the Concord Community Music School.  Nothing goes better with fine wine and food than great jazz music!

A $50 donation per person is requested, and all proceeds benefit The Haiti Limb Project, a small charity that was started locally to help survivors of the recent earthquake in Haiti.  All the money raised will be hand delivered to the people who directly help the amputees there.

The Inns and Spa at Mill Falls are helping out too, by extending special rates just for the occasion.  With proof of your ticket purchase for the festival, a room at Mill Falls is $99, and a room at Chase House or Bay Point only $109.  You can wine and dine all night long and not worry about driving home!

Frank Barbagallo of Duckhorn Wine Company in Napa Valley, California pours samples for attendees at last year's Winnipesaukee Wine Festival.

“It’s the biggest bang for your buck,” says Diane Downing of the Common Man Family, who is organizing the event.  “There will be over 100 wines, beautiful food, wonderful music, rooms at the Inns at half price… and every penny goes to our charity.”

To top it off, there will be a raffle for the fundraiser with some great prizes, including magnums of wine from some of the vendors, an overnight stay at the Inns and Spa at Mill Falls, an overnight stay at the Common Man Inn, something special from Wholly Tara Boutique in Ashland, and a vacation package of three nights and four days for four people at a beach cottage on Nantucket.

Kick off the event early at the Pre- Festival Beach Party to be held at Town Docks Wednesday evening at 6:00.  Enjoy some summer sangria while you dance on the sand!  Robbie Leblanc, formerly of Toto, will be there with his new band to keep the party jumping!  There will be no cover charge for this event and half the proceeds will go to the Haiti Limb Project.

These two days of festivities are “more than just sipping wine,” says Diane.  “These people give so much.”  To join the fun and the good cause, call the Common Man Family at 603-968-9330 or visit their website at www.thecman.com.  For the special room rates at the Inns, please call 800-622-6455 and mention the Winnipesaukee Wine Festival.  Hope to see you there!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

Image credit:  yashima at Flickr.com

“Seven Deadly Sins” Wine Dinner at Lakehouse Grille

There’s still time to reserve your seats for the upcoming wine tasting dinner in Meredith!  The Seven Deadly Sins Wine Dinner will take place on Thursday, June 17^th at Lakehouse Grille at Church Landing.  Reception begins at 6:00pm, and the first course will be served at 6:30.

The event is a seven course dinner, with each course balanced by a complementing wine and named after one of the biblical Deadly Sins, also known as the Cardinal Sins or Capital Vices.  The dishes on the menu are so decadent, they must be sinful!  For example, the fourth course, “Greed,” features marinated super jumbo lump crab, micro greens, poached white asparagus, and grilled heirloom tomatoes drizzled with white balsamic vinaigrette.  It is paired with a glass of tantalizing Lunetta Prosecco.  The dessert course is called “Lust.”  Tempting!

The dinner is a great deal at $75 per person, and there are still some seats available.  For reservations, call Lakehouse Grille at 603-279-5221, and get ready for a sinfully good time!

Image credit:  gfpeck at flickr.com