From close encounters of the alien kind to a parade of lights, New Hampshire is the place to be for a free (or nearly free) Labor Day weekend.
Labor Day is a celebration of working people, and we think that means you shouldn’t have to spend a fortune to rent a cottage or stay at a fancy resort. We’ve listed nine events that are free or affordable for New Hampshire families this holiday weekend. Relax, enjoy. You work hard. You deserve it.
1. Exeter UFO Festival
Location: Town Hall, Exeter
Date: Sept. 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: Free and includes children’s activities, historic videos, and the costume parade. Trolley rides are $5 each.
It’s been 61 years since “the incident at Exeter,” a reported unidentified flying object sighting that kicked off an Air Force investigation and a national fascination with this close encounter.
Each year, the Exeter Kiwanis Club hosts the Exeter UFO Festival in recognition of the Sept. 3, 1965, sighting reported by 18-year-old Norman Muscarello, who told Exeter police that while he was hitchhiking, he saw weird lights in the woods in Kensington, the town next door. In turn, the police claimed that when they arrived at the site, they, too, saw an object hovering in the sky behind an old barn.
And while the annual event draws UFO enthusiasts and regular folk alike, it also serves as a fundraiser for the children’s charities the club supports.
The festival includes guest speakers, an alien costume contest and parade, an alien pet contest, and an alien belly dancing demonstration. And there is plenty of UFO merch to be had too.
2. North Conway Labor Day Craft Fair
Location: Village Green,1 Norcross Circle, North Conway
Date: Sept. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sept. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: Free
Who doesn’t love a craft fair—especially one that has the White Mountains as a backdrop? Whether you’re just window shopping or looking for that perfect raku birdbath, the North Conway Labor Day Craft Fair is the perfect day trip.
Over 100 artists and artisans will display their wares at this open marketplace at the Village Green. Handcrafts include fiber art, wood carving, pottery, jewelry, and food products, to name just a few. There will also be live folk music, workshops, children’s events, and cooking demonstrations.
3. Chocorua Annual Picnic and Parade of Lights
Location: The Grove, Chocorua Lake, Tamworth
Date: Sept. 6, 6 to 9 p.m.
Admission: Free
The Chocorua Lake Conservancy is hosting its Annual Picnic and Parade of Lights on the picturesque Lake Chocorua. The evening starts at 6 p.m. with a bring-your-own picnic, followed by a kayak-and-canoe parade. The vessels will be decorated with fairy lanterns, fairy lights, or candles as they make their way around the lake. The parade will begin to assemble at sunset. Anyone is welcome to participate.
4. Hampton Beach Labor Day Fireworks
Location: Hampton Beach, 169 Ocean Boulevard, Hampton
Date: Sept. 6, 9:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
The weekly Hampton Beach Fireworks will have a special holiday display along the shore, following live music on the Seashell Stage from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
5. First Friday Concord: Labor Day Weekend Kickoff
Location: Downtown Concord
Date: Sept. 4, 4 to 8 p.m.
Admission: Free
On the first Friday night of the month, the Capital City celebrates its downtown with events, food, and late store openings. The First Friday Labor Day Weekend Kickoff is a way to start your Labor Day celebrations. There will be food trucks on Capitol Street, including Deadproof Pizza, which was just featured on the Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race, children’s activities, and music by Super Bug, Mosey Joe, J3ST, and Supernothing.
6. Gilford Labor Day Antiques and Artisan Market
Location: Beans and Greens Farm, 245 Intervale Rd., Gilford
Date: Sept. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sept. 6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: Free
The Gilford Labor Day Antiques and Artisan Market features vintage and antique items from local vendors as well as handmade artisan crafts in a pristine farm setting.
7. Gunstock Labor Day Weekend Craft Fair
Location: Gunstock Mountain Resort, Gilford
Date: Sept. 5 and 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: Free
There will be 100 artists and artisans displaying their crafts at the Gunstock Labor Day Weekend Craft Fair. These include marquetry and other wood crafts, with live demonstrations of laser cutting and chainsaw work. Also on hand will be gourmet foods, baked goods, jewelry, mirrors, pottery, fiber arts, pet items, and more.
8. Hopkinton State Fair
Location: Hopkinton State Fairgrounds, Contoocook
Date: Sept. 3 through 7, Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Monday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $14 general admission, $12 seniors, $8 children 3 to 12, and free for those 35 months and under. Thursday night specials are $9 for ages 3 to 65.
State fairs remain big events in the Granite State, including the Hopkinton State Fair, which has been held annually for the past 111 years. These events, which celebrate the state’s agricultural past, present, and future, feature animal displays, 4H exhibits, a demolition derby, rides, live music, craft goods, and fair food favorites.
9. Lancaster Fair
Location: 516 Main St., Lancaster
Date: Sept. 3 through 7, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Admission: $25 includes all rides. Seniors 65 and older: $13; veterans: free on Monday.
The Lancaster Fair has been a go-to New Hampshire event for 150 years. This has its roots in agriculture and includes lumberjack competitions, tractor pulls, pony pulls, 4-H displays, horse shows, a demolition derby, live music, a midway, and food and agricultural competitions, including the county’s largest pumpkin.
