Last year, The Local Crowd (TLC) Monadnock launched our first-ever Staycation Challenge. It went so well that we’re bringing the challenge back for another year!
Summer means vacation for many of us. However, taking a vacation doesn’t have to include traveling far from home to get away. Take a Staycation and experience all the Monadnock Region has to offer. You’ll save money at the gas pumps and make new connections to nurture throughout the year. The money you spend recirculates in our local economy, building more community health and wealth.
Enter TLC Monadnock’s Staycation Challenge by pledging to spend your dollars only at locally owned businesses for one day, one week, or the entire month of July.
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Take our pre-survey now and then a post-survey coming in late July. Complete both surveys for your chance to win our Staycation package.
This year’s winner of our Staycation Package will receive a two-night stay for two at the Inn at East Hill Farm, a farm stay in Troy (includes six delicious home-cooked meals, activities, and use of their facilities); two classes at Aloha Keene, a community center for healthy living in Keene with a regular schedule of yoga and more; one $50 gift card from The Toadstool Bookshops in Keene and Peterborough; One $20 gift certificate from Catbird Flower Farm in Keene (good for their roadside flower stand from May - September); and one $125 gift certificate from Healthy Home Habitats in Keene for a one-hour landscape & garden design consultation. We’ll announce our winner in mid-August.
Why not start Staycationing now? Here are a few events in June to add to your Staycation plans.
Downtown storefronts will transform into art galleries during Keene ArtWalk on June 2 – 11. Stroll up and down Main Street to view the works of local artists. The Art is Everywhere event will happen on Saturday, June 3 from 11 am – 4 pm, as the ArtWalk expands to Railroad Square with performances and interactive art activities. Also, watch artists paint at different downtown locations from 10 am – 1 pm. Check out all the details here.
On June 3, downtown Keene also comes alive with food! The Keene Young Professional Network will host the third annual Taste of Keene Food Festival at the top of Main Street from 11:30 am – 3:30 pm. Enjoy music at Central Square (from pop covers to classic rock) and street performers hosted by The Colonial Theatre.
Purchase small bites and mocktails from twenty-three local restaurants and food producers. New vendors include Prime Roast Coffee, Jenna’s Market, and Muse Tapas Bar & Lounge. Get your food tokens today and save: tasteofkeene.com.
Don’t forget to visit the Taste of Keene’s local craft biergarten to sip on a selection of our region's best brews and spirits (21 and over). Please bring your ID. Purchase beverage tickets at the event. Stay tuned for the Taste of Keene’s full schedule.
On June 22, from 1 – 3 pm, enjoy Pollinator Palooza -- an afternoon of learning and celebration of pollinators at Ashuelot River Park in Keene. This event coincides with National Pollinator Week. Activities include a pollinator scavenger hunt, creating your own bee box, painting your own pot for a native plant, and more.
Local plant and compost vendors will sell a variety of products, with 20% of sales supporting Cheshire County Conservation District’s programs. Vendors include Fassett Farm Nursery, Thistle Dew Farm, Julie's Garden, Phylicia Roberts, Cook Hill Farm, and Echo Farm Puddings. Learn more.
Gilsum will ROCK the weekend of June 24 – 25 during the Gilsum Rock Swap & Mineral Show at the Gilsum Elementary School and Community Center. Browse tables, tables, and tables of gems, jewelry, and minerals for sale or swap. Grab a meal and pan for minerals. At 1 pm on Saturday, New Hampshire mineral expert Tom Mortimer will present. View the full schedule.
TLC Monadnock will join with the American Independent Business Alliance and partners throughout North America to celebrate LGBTQ+ owned businesses, diversity, and equity. Our regional partners include Keene Family YMCA, Keene Pride, Monadnock Food Co-op, and Prime Roast Coffee Co. Learn more. Monadnock Food Co-op will launch weekly Round It Up Donation Drives for four organizations focusing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts this June. The Co-op's Round It Up donation program empowers us to positively impact our community by rounding up our change at the register to support local nonprofits.
June 3 – 9: American Independent Business Alliance AMIBA provides DEI resources and training for campaigns run locally by The Local Crowd Monadnock. Campaigns include Choose Black-Owned Month, Pride Month, and seven other campaigns. June 10 -16: The Daily Good The Daily Good supports food security and diversity through food pantries on local college campuses and other centers. June 17 – 23: Keene Pride Keene Pride supports a coalition of services, organizations, and businesses that embrace and serve the LGBTQ+ population. June 24 – 30: Monadnock Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Coalition The MDEIB Coalition advocates for and develop DEI initiatives in the region. We each play a critical role in creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive region. Our Co-op is proud to support these four organizations and the work they do collectively to make our community more welcoming. Stay tuned for Staycation updates. Happy local adventures!
The Local Crowd Monadnock - Keene, NH
