Community Spotlight

Country Dancing Accents Ruth’s House Fundraiser Saturday

By |

Ruth’s House is hosting a Country Line Dance fundraiser in April. The night of dancing with prizes for the best country western costume is Saturday, April 11, from 7-10 p.m., at Haverhill’s American Legion Wilbur M. Comeau Post 4, 1314 Main St., Haverhill. Beginners as well as seasoned dancers are welcome. All proceeds will benefit the nonprofit’s mission helping low-income families. Tickets are $40 and are available on the Ruth’s House website, RuthsHouse.org.

Community Spotlight

Haverhill Farmers Market Readies for 48th Season—Starting June 20

By |

The 48th season of the Haverhill Farmers Market is getting ready to commence. Jeff Grassie, market manager, told city councilors Tuesday night more than 55 vendors have signed up this year, including three local farms, Late Bloom Farm and Wally’s Vegetables from Haverhill and Long Hill Orchard from West Newbury. New vendors include a spice company, a chutney seller, a pickle provisioner and the Brazilian cheese bread bakery. The market, under the management of Team Haverhill since 2008, opens for the season Saturday, June 20, and runs every Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon, for 20 weeks, through Halloween Saturday, Oct. 31, on Bradford Common.

Community Spotlight

Talking Movies Thursday with Newburyport Film Buffs

By |

Becca and Ben Fundis, owners of Newburyport’s Screening Room, lead a conversation about independent cinema and how movies can build community in a program sponsored by the Groveland Council on Aging. “Talking Movies with The Screening Room” takes place Thursday, April 9, at 11 a.m., at Groveland Town Hall, 183 Main St., Groveland. They talk about their adventures owning The Screening Room, which they purchased from the original owners in 2020. The event is free but those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by calling the Council on Aging office at 978-372-1101 or by visiting GrovelandMA.com.

Community Spotlight

Colonial Printing Demonstration April 8 at Haverhill Public Library

By |

Colonial printing expert Andy Volpe will take the part of Paul Revere and show off printing techniques Revere used during the American Revolution in a drop-in program at the Haverhill Public Library. Volpe’s free demonstration is Wednesday, April 8, from 3-7 p.m. in the Milhendler Room at the library, 99 Main St. He will bring a rolling press and copper plates similar to what Revere would have used. He will also bring replicas of historic documents, models of presses and printing tools. Volpe is an artist, printing and historical reenactor from Worcester.

Community Spotlight

Updated: Local Artists Exhibit Works at Penacook Place

By |

Members of the Greater Haverhill Arts Association invite the public to view samples of their works on display at Penacook Place. An exhibit, which contains both new and older works, runs through Saturday, April 18. Artwork will be for sale at the artists’ discretion. Works are exhibited in the hallway off the main lobby at Penacook Place,150 Water St., Haverhill.

Community Spotlight

New Hampshire Churches Plan Joint Easter Sunrise Service

By |

The Atkinson Congregational Church and the Hampstead Congregational Church, which are held a series of Holy Week services, plan an Easter service Sunday, April 5. The Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin leads an Easter Sunrise service Sunday, April 5, at 6:20 a.m., on the beach at Camp Telnor, 167 Main St., Hampstead. A pancake and egg breakfast follows in Hadley Hall at the Hampstead church. Easter services begin at 9 a.m. at the Hampstead church and 10:30 a.m. at the Atkinson church. Atkinson Congregational Church is at 101 Main St., Atkinson, N.H., and Hampstead Congregational Church is located at 61 Main St., Hampstead, N.H.

Community Spotlight

Haverhill River Bards Celebrate with 10th Anniversary Celebration, Release of Anthology

By |

Creative Haverhill and the Haverhill River Bards are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the local poetry group at a free celebration this month, highlighted by the release of “Voices of the River Bards, a 10th Anniversary Anthology.”

Haverhill River Bards, formed with support from Creative Haverhill, has been able to spotlight over 50 poets and hundreds of community members through open mic readings. “We’re proud to celebrate not just a publication, but a decade of poetry nights highlighting the talent and range of our local poets,” said Creative Haverhill Director Erin Padilla. “This anthology is a testament to the many voices that have shaped the River Bards community and the power of poetry to bring people together.”

The anthology was curated by Andrea Blackington, Daniel Speers and Thomas F. Wylie, with Padilla serving as artistic director, Carol Crowell of Crowell Editing and Publishing as consulting editor and cover art, “Heart of the Valley,” was painted in 2015 by local artist Mark Hayden. Besides release of the anthology, the Celebration and Poetry Night features poetry and an open mic with contributing poets

The free event is open to the public and will take place on Wednesday, April 15, from 7-8:30 p.m., at Creative Haverhill, 43 Washington St., Haverhill.

Community Spotlight

Haverhill Adopts ‘A Green and Clean 250th USA City’ as Earth Day Cleanup Theme

By |

Haverhill’s Annual Earth Day citywide cleanup, set for Saturday, April 25, will carry the revolutionary theme, “A Green and Clean 250th USA City!”

As in the past, the effort seeks volunteers to clean public parks, conservation areas and neighborhoods, including “country roads,” that are strewn with litter and may include sidewalks, roadsides and school grounds. In a statement Tuesday, Mayor Melinda E. Barrett asked all residents to do their part by participating in recycling, securing trash receptacles, picking up after their dogs and properly disposing of waste. “Spring is here, the Red Sox are back, and it’s time for the annual citywide cleanup!” declared Barrett. “As we enter the 250th celebration of our nation’s founding, it is more important than ever that we work together to take pride in our city and all we have accomplished.”

She added, “Let’s set an example for future generations by showing how important it is to make Earth Day special.”

The cleanup takes place Saturday, April 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning at the Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., Haverhill. Volunteers are encouraged to meet first at 8:30 a.m., at the Citizens Center, for a brief kickoff and to pick up t-shirts, trash grabber sticks while they last, trash bags and snacks.