Fall fairs and festivals
One of the best things about New England is its varied seasons. There’s nothing like the air turning crisp and the leaves changing color in the fall. Concord, New Hampshire, has apple orchards, family-friendly woodland trails with gorgeous foliage views, and a bustling farmers market with local pumpkins and fresh apple cider doughnuts for sale. But one of the best things about fall in New Hampshire are the fairs!
Traditional New England fairs
Most New England Fairs include livestock competitions and lots of animals to see and pet—sheep, goats, cows, horses, pigs, ducks, geese and much more. If you love fair food, make sure you stop for a candy apple, blooming onion, fried dough, and cotton candy (maple-flavored is a New Hampshire favorite!). Kids will love the Midway with rides and games, usually featuring a Ferris Wheel with great views of the fairgrounds below. Here’s a few local fairs that are a quick car ride from Concord, New Hampshire.
Hopkinton State Fair
September 1-5, 2022
Contoocook, NH
Deerfield Fair
September 29-October 2, 2022
Deerfield, NH
Warner Fall Foliage Festival
October 8-9, 2022
Warner, NH
The traditional Scottish athletic events at NH Highland Games & Festival will wow you! Credit: NHSCOT
Unique fairs you won’t want to miss!
Concord is centrally located, so you can make a day trip to almost any fair in the state, but we’ve picked out a couple really special festivals that you’ll want to plan a trip around, or mark on your calendar every year.
NH Highland Games & Festival
September 16-18, 2022
Loon Mountain Resort in Loon, NH
Experience the spirit of Scotland, distilled into a single weekend! This three-day celebration features heavy athletic events like the caber toss and stone carry, as well as Highland dance competitions, piping and drumming, sheep dog trials, musical performances, Try-It Classes, and much more.
Capital Arts Fest
September 24-25, 2022
South Main Street, downtown Concord
visitconcord-nh.com/capital-arts-fest
This lively street festival highlights Concord's incredible arts community with vendors, food and live music on South Main Street in downtown Concord. The event is anchored by a juried fine arts and craft fair, presented by the League of NH Craftsmen. Shop the breathtaking displays of ceramics, jewelry, textiles, fine art prints and more in the tents set up on South Main Street. Visit the outdoor stage to watch performances from The Capitol Center for the Arts—a diverse lineup of music is planned for the two festival days.
Is this list missing something? There’s always new events and endless happenings in the Concord region. Email emarsh@concordnhchamber.com to submit your suggestion for this blog!
Visit Concord NH is an initiative of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. This website and accompanying social media profiles showcase the best of NH’s Capital Region to travelers, new residents and long-time fans of Concord. Learn more about the Chamber at concordnhchamber.com.
