With a slew of ghoulish and sweater weather themed events taking place, this weekend screams “spooky season” for all to hear. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to celebrate Mean Girls Day… what day is that, you ask? It’s October 3rd.
Looking for a more artsy array of events? Check out our Weekly Entertainment report for live music and lively arts in and around Southern NH.
Multi-day events:
Oct. 3-4
NH Book Festival, South Main Street, Concord, NH – SAVE THE DATE, BIBLIOPHILES! The NH Book Festival is BACK on October 3 & 4! More books, more authors, more panels, more fun! There are still tickets available for the Keynote with Walter Mosley and the Wings of Fire FanNite with Tui Sutherland. The festival itself is FREE but make sure you save up because you’re going to want all of the books and merch, trust us. You can see the whole lineup, grab tickets, and sign up for updates at nhbookfestival.org.
Oct. 4-5
Hunter’s Moon Festival, Applecrest Farm, Hampton Falls, NH – Applecrest’s fall harvest season continues this weekend with our Hunter’s Moon Festival! Pick-Your-Own APPLES including Macintosh, Cortland, Empire, Macoun, Red Delicious & Honeycrisp plus over 15 varieties available in the market. Pick-Your-Own Pumpkins & Raspberries too! We look forward to you joining us here at Applecrest Farm Orchards for a fun-filled fall family day! Enjoy the corn maze, barnyard animals, hot apple cider donuts, corn roast & grill. Satisfy your sweet tooth with ice cream treats from the creamery and scratch made goodies from our in-house bakery! Farm Market hours: 8 am – 6pm; PYO hours: 9am – 6pm; Creamery hours: 12 pm – 6 pm; FREE Live bluegrass music: 1 pm – 5 pm.
Halloween Thrift Festival, The Yard Charlestown, Boston, MA – We’re back and better bringing you a huge two-day HALLOWEEN THRIFT FESTIVAL at The Yard Charlestown. Shop 50k sq ft and 80+ Vintage, Y2K, Jewelry, and Local Brand Vendors. The festival also offers mini golf, fill-a-bag station, giveaways, 21+ areas, tooth gems, and so much more, all at the city’s newest park just off the Orange Line. The festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 & 5, from 12 pm – 1 pm for Early Bird ticket holders and 1 pm – 6 pm for General Admission.
Oct. 2
Forward Fest 2025, The Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH – Forward Fest is an annual celebration of the changemakers and leaders who are making local difference in their communities. While what’s happening nationally and around the world can feel distant and too big for impact, local leaders are showing up right here in NH to make change. This event will take place on Thursday, October 2, at 5:30 pm at The Currier Museum of Art.
Oct. 3
Spooky Season, Downtown Concord, NH – Join us in downtown Concord on October 3 from 4-8 pm to enjoy live music, food trucks, and shopping! We’re also excited to announce a brand new Oktoberfest celebration in Bicentennial Square. Enjoy an outdoor beer garden and live music – plus German-inspired food and fun! To learn more about what we have planned for next week, visit our website: firstfridayconcord.com/october.
FREE Mean Girls Screening, Manchester True Collaborative Center, Manchester, NH – Join us at MTC on Friday, October 3rd for a FREE screening of the movie Mean Girls (2004)! Open to everyone! All ages of the LGBTQ+ community and allies welcome! The movie screening will take place on Friday, Oct. 3 from 7 pm – 9 pm at 72 Concord St in downtown Manchester.
Oct. 4
Nice Vest Harvest Fest 2025, The Orchard on Apple Hill Road at Mt. Cabot Maple, Lancaster, NH –Join the NH Queer Farmer Network, NOK Team & Mount Cabot Maple folx for a community apple harvest with cute vests to boot! Our friends at NOK will transform these gorgeous, funky heirlooms into inspired hard ciders and apple wines that are a true taste of NH. Get your best vest on (or grab some scissors to make one), dress for the weather, and join us for a fun harvest celebration up north! Expect a day of apple picking, and lots of crawling around in the grass to collect drops. There will be bonfires and delicious food too! Options to camp with tents, hammocks, and cars. The fest will take place this Saturday, October 4 from 9 am – 6 pm.
41st Annual Apple Harvest Day, Downtown Dover, NH – Apple Harvest Day is a day-long family event, featuring 300 vendors, great food, live entertainment, and more. The event was first held in 1985 and now draws more than 60,000 people to downtown Dover, making it one of the most popular regional festivals. More info here.
The Nervous System Toolkit: Nature + Somatic Learning, The Word Barn, Exeter, NH – Get ready for Taking Roots’ upcoming wellness workshop here at The Word Barn – this soul-nourishing, embodied day is the chance to reconnect with yourself, restore your nervous system, and root back into the wisdom of the natural world. This workshop will take place on Saturday, October 4 from 9 am – 3 pm. Limited spots left. More information on our website.
Hawktoberfest, Edward A. LeLacheur Park, Lowell, MA – Raise a stein and celebrate fall at Hawktoberfest 2025! This one-day beer festival is taking over LeLacheur Park in Lowell with craft beer, food, live music, and plenty of Oktoberfest cheer. Sample beers from 20+ breweries. Live music on the main stage all afternoon, food vendors serving Oktoberfest style eats and local favorites, stein-holding contests, games, and more. This festival will take place on Saturday, October 4 from 1 pm – 5 pm.
Oct. 5
Mindful Movement, CoLab, Manchester, NH – Join Queerlective on Sunday, October 5 from 11 am – 12 pm at the CoLab space at 72 Concord St in downtown Manchester for Mindful Movement! Hosted by Lisa Harbus, LMT, the goal of this workshop is to approach our bodies with kindness, curiosity and compassion in order to better appreciate each of our individual capacities to live an embodied and more fluid life. Register here.
Planning Ahead?
October 7: Legends, Ghosts & Graves Tour, Portsmouth NH
October 10-12: Warner Fall Foliage Festival, Warner NH
October 12: Phantom of the Opera with Live Piano, Nashua NH
October 25: NH PoutineFest 2025, Merrimack NH
October 25: NH Pumpkin Festival, Laconia NH