Summer Fun in Meredith All Weekend!

If someone could only choose one weekend to be in the Lakes Region, this one just might be the best.  There are so many activities and events happening, at first glance it seems like it could be difficult to fit it all in, but everything is actually perfectly aligned so that visitors to Meredith can take in a variety of fun activities that provide the quintessential summer experience on Lake Winnipesaukee!

Come and dance the night away at Meredith’s annual Street Dance and Family Fun Night on Friday, July 29^th.  The evening starts with make-your-own sundaes, games, and activities at 5:30 pm in Hesky Park, followed by live music and dancing on Main Street with rock and roll classics performed by City Limits.  This great community event is perfect summer fun for all ages—bring the whole family!  If it rains, the party will be rescheduled for Saturday, July 30^th.

Also on Friday, July 29^th, The New Hampshire Lakes Association is hosting their fourth annual LakeFest at Church Landing from 5 – 8pm.  The non-profit organization works to ensure the quality of NH lakes for generations to come, with a focus on issues such as shore and watershed protection, water quality improvement, and fisheries and wildlife preservation.  The annual fundraising evening will feature live comedy from Rob Steen and Robbie Printz, who have both been seen on seen on Letterman, MTV, and Comedy Central.  Guests will also enjoy a silent auction with dozens of local and handcrafted items, as well as gourmet food and wine.  Come support a great cause!  Tickets are $50 for one, $75 for two, and can be purchased by visiting www.nhlakes.org or by calling 226-0299.

Of course, just like all Fridays this summer, there will be music in the Mill Falls Marketplace this week, as well.  Stroll through the many quaint shops of the Marketplace while enjoying an evening serenade in the courtyard from 5:30 – 8:30 pm.  This week’s featured musical talent is Woodchuck’s Revenge.

On Saturday, July 30^th, don’t miss the 38^th Annual Lake Winnipesaukee Antique & Classic Boat Show.  This gathering is quite a sight to behold, with all the beautiful vintage, antique, and classic wooden boats rolling in under their own power to the Meredith town docks on Saturday morning.  Over 80 boats are expected to be on display to participate in the juried competition at the docks in the afternoon.  In Hesky Park, there will be a large display of non-judged vintage boats on trailers, along with the new Field of Dreams sale of antique and classic boats.  Many of the boats will still be in town on Sunday, as well.

So, if you don’t have any plans for this weekend (or even if you do), swing by Meredith for a day or two.  With so much going on, there’s something for everyone to enjoy—it’ll be well worth the trip!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

Image courtesy of The New England Chapter of The Antique and Classic Boat Society

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

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

Celebrate the Season at the NH Boat Museum’s Spring Fling!

This coming Friday, April 30^th, The NH Boat Museum is hosting its annual Spring Fling in Wolfeboro at Club 59 at the Kingswood Golf Club.  The event marks the beginning of the museum’s 10^th season in Wolfeboro, and serves as a mini fundraiser for all the exhibits, programs, and activities the non-profit organization offers throughout the year.

The evening promises to be a real treat, with a cash bar and hors d’oeuvres at 6pm, followed by a full dinner at 7pm with your choice of entrée (indicated with your advance ticket).  A small live auction will be the highlight of the night, with many fun summer items generously donated by the community.  Some of the items up for grabs are a three-day get-away at a beachfront cottage at Goose Rocks Beach, Kennebunkport, Maine, a one-hour Lakes Region aerial tour, antique wooden boat rides, Jersey Skiff rides, gift certificates, and more!

According to their website, “The New Hampshire Boat Museum is an educational organization focusing on the boating heritage and life on the lakes and rivers of New Hampshire. We serve the local community and visitors by presenting exhibits and outreach programs, events, publications and hands-on activities.”  The museum is located just two miles from the center of Wolfeboro, “The Oldest Summer Resort In America,” and features many of the finest examples of vintage mahogany and antique boats.

There are still a few seats available for the Spring Fling, and ticket sales close at the end this Wednesday, the 28^th, so don’t miss this last chance to get on board!  For more information visit the NH Boat Museum’s events page, or call Bruce MacLellan at 603-253-9887 or Ann Sprague at 603-677-2196.

Image credit:  Let Ideas Compete at Flickr.com

36th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Show

36 Annual Classic Boat Show

July 25th, Meredith Public Docks

The 36th annual Antique & Classic Boat Show at the Meredith public docks is a huge gathering of beautiful antique and classic wooden boats, with large crowds and over 80 vintage wooden boats on display all day in a judged competition. This is quite a sight to behold, and for a special treat get to the docks early on Saturday morning to watch and listen as the vintage boats arrive under their own power. There will also be a large static display of vintage race boats. The sights and sounds are magnificent, and to get an idea of the magnitude of this gathering of wooden boats, please take a moment to view our photo album from last year’s ACBS Meredith Boat Show.

This year’s 36th Annual Boat Show will be very special, featuring a very large showing of Gar Wood antique and classic boats, including an expanded display area of Gar Wood vintage race boats. Tony Mollica, author of Gar Wood Boats: Classics of a Golden Era, will also be our special guest at the Awards Dinner on Saturday night, and will give a talk on Gar Wood and his very special boats. He will also be available at the Boat Show to autograph copies of his several books. If you have one, bring it along. If you wish to buy one of his books, copies will be available for purchase.

For participants, don’t miss our Friday afternoon Judging Clinic and Friday evening reception, and plan on arriving early for our Boat Show on Saturday morning, as we are expecting another large turnout of antique and classic boats. As usual, the weather forecast for our 36th Annual Boat Show in Meredith will be sunny and hot, as we fill the Meredith public docks with our beautiful vintage boats.

The show is presented by the New England Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, a very active local group of over 300 members. Our boat show registration form is printed in our Cutwater publication, and a special registration mailing to all chapter members will soon be mailed. Please register early to help us plan for a gala event, hope to see you there ???!!!  Visit the website to learn more: www.necacbs.org/MeredithBoatShow.htm