Community Calendar

This Spring, globally beloved storytelling institution, The Moth, is bringing its Mainstage show to Portsmouth.

For ONE night, five seasoned storytellers will share extraordinary, true stories that dig deep into the idea of the American Dream.

Does it even exist anymore? FOR WHO? What happens when the dream rubs up against reality? What happens when it’s dashed or deferred? And what happens when the dream comes true?

Come together, sit shoulder to shoulder, and listen to people sharing hilarious, moving, illuminating, astounding stories of their very own American Dreams.

About The Moth
The Moth is a nonprofit that believes in connecting humanity through the power of personal storytelling. Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented over 65,000 stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. The Moth produces 600+ live shows annually, as well as the Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour, and popular The Moth Podcast. You can listen to The Moth weekly on over 540 public radio stations and anywhere you find podcasts.

On June 13, 2026, writers from across New England will gather at Southern New Hampshire University for the return of the 603 Writers’ Conference—New Hampshire’s largest conference dedicated to the craft and business of writing.

Hosted by the New Hampshire Writers’ Project (NHWP), the conference runs from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and features a full day of expert-led workshops, a moderated AI panel discussion, the signature Pitch Party & Social, catered meals, and networking opportunities.

This year’s conference centers on the theme “The Evolution of the Female Narrative,” inspired by keynote speaker Chris Bohjalian, #1 New York Times bestselling author. Known for his complex, deeply human characters, Bohjalian’s work often highlights women who challenge expectations, navigate difficult realities, and shape their own paths. His keynote will anchor the day and set the tone for a program focused on storytelling, perspective, and the evolving role of women’s voices in literature.

Writers and authors will be immersed in a full day of learning, with 12 expert-led workshop sessions to choose from, selecting one morning and one afternoon session. Led by experienced authors and industry professionals, sessions cover craft, character, and story development, poetry, revision, pitching, query letters, publishing contracts, and marketing, with clear, practical insight writers can apply directly to their work.

Other highlights include the AI in the Literary World moderated panel discussion and the conference’s Pitch Party & Social. Moderated by award-winning journalist and author Laura Knoy, the AI panel features author and executive leader Dena Stahlheber and award-winning science fiction author James Patrick Kelly, exploring how artificial intelligence is shaping writing, publishing, and authorship today.

The Pitch Party & Social allows five author finalists to pitch their fiction and nonfiction work live before an audience of their peers to a panel of judges, including literary agent Maggie Cooper of Aevitas Creative Management, award-winning journalist and author Laura Knoy, award-winning science fiction author James Patrick Kelly, and special guest judge, #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Bohjalian. The session is moderated by longtime New England radio personality and Award-winning author Mike Morin, who presents each pitch to the panel and audience. This interactive event offers writers direct insight into what it takes to move a project toward publication, while finalists compete for a $250 cash prize.

“This conference is about more than writing—it’s about the writing community,” said Masheri Chappelle, Board Chair of the New Hampshire Writers’ Project. “We are creating a space where writers feel nurtured, supported, challenged, and inspired to take the next step in their work.”

Throughout the day, attendees will move between workshops, panels, and networking opportunities in a welcoming, well-structured environment. The conference includes a sumptuous catered lunch, refreshments, Pitch Party appetizers, and ample time throughout the day to make new friends and speak with professionals.

With limited seating available, early registration is strongly encouraged. Early bird pricing ends May 15.

The 603 Writers’ Conference continues to be one of the region’s most impactful literary events, offering writers a clear path to strengthen their craft, expand their network, and move their work forward.

For full event details and to register, visit: https://nhwritersproject.org

Join the New Hampshire Writers’ Project for the return of the 603 Writers’ Conference, New Hampshire’s largest gathering for writers, on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Southern New Hampshire University.

This full-day conference features keynote speaker Chris Bohjalian, #1 New York Times bestselling author, along with expert-led workshops, a moderated AI in the Literary World panel, networking opportunities, catered meals, and the signature Pitch Party & Social.

Writers will choose from 13 workshop sessions covering craft, revision, publishing, pitching, query letters, contracts, marketing, poetry, character development, and more. The day is designed to help writers strengthen their work, connect with the writing community, and gain practical insight from experienced authors and industry professionals.

Early bird pricing ends May 15. Seating is limited.

Evening’s Moderator: Rebecca Lavoie, NHPR’s Director of Podcasts & On Demand

On a windswept peninsula stretching out into the Atlantic, Tomás and his reluctant son, Liam, are working for the great Ordnance Survey project to map the whole of Ireland. The year is 1865, and in a country not long since ravaged and emptied by the Great Hunger, the task is not an easy one. Tomás, however, is determined that his maps will be a record of the disaster.

The British soldiers in charge are due to arrive any day, expecting the work to be completed, but Tomás is unexpectedly sent off course by an unsettling encounter in a copse. His life, and those of his family, will never be the same again. Liam is terrified by the sudden change in his taciturn father. What was it that caused such cracks to open in Tomás, and how is Liam, aged only ten, going to finish the mapping, and get them both home?

Land is a novel about separation and reunion, tragedy and recovery, colonization and rebellion. It is a story of buried treasure, overlapping lives, ancient woodland, persistent ghosts, a particularly loyal dog, and how, when it comes to both land and history, nothing ever goes away. As spellbinding and varied as the landscape that inspired it, Land is, above all, a story of survival, for our times, and for all time.

Maggie O’Farrell was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1972. Her novels include Hamnet (winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Women’s Prize for Fiction), The Marriage Portrait, After You’d Gone, The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, The Hand That First Held Mine (winner of the Costa Novel Award), and Instructions for a Heatwave. She has also written a memoir, I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death. She lives in Edinburgh.

You are welcome to join us at Poetry Nashua which meets every First Tuesday of the month at the Nashua Public Library, lower level. We have a Featured Poet who reads first, followed by an open mic. Bring a poem or simply enjoy an evening of poetry and comraderie. see poetrynashua.com

sponsored by the Arts Council of Tamworth and the Cook Memorial Library

Come to the Tamworth Author Fest and get to know 12 local authors, hear them read from their work, buy a book or two, enter a raffle to win a stack of books by the participating authors, and learn how some of the authors approach research. We are honored to welcome author Julie Carrick Dalton as this year's keynote speaker!

Julie Carrick Dalton is the author of The Forest Becomes Her, The Last Beekeeper, and Waiting for the Night Song. She is the winner of the New Hampshire Book Awards' People's Choice for Best Novel, and was a finalist for the Massachusetts Book Award, the Siskiyou Prize for New Environmental Literature, and the WFWA Star Award. When she isn't reading or writing, you can probably find Julie kayaking on Lake Winnipesaukee, skiing, swimming, gardening, or trying to track down her four children and two dogs.

Other Featured Authors:

Amy Kneeland (historical romance/pastiche)
Ana Hebra Flaster (memoir and historical non-fiction)
Cary Flanagan (historical fiction)
Fiona Howell (Gothic historical fiction)
J.H. Diehl (children's, YA, and adult fiction)
John Olszewski (true crime)
K.C. Julius (fantasy)
Liz Gauffreau (literary fiction, historical fiction, and poetry)
Morgan Dalton (children's books)
Rick Davidson and Bill Thompson (non-fiction)

Raffle:
Buy a ticket for a chance to win a stack books donated by our Tamworth Author Fest authors! Tickets will be available to purchase in person at the library and on the day of the event. Ticket price is $3 each or 4 for $10. Raffle prize drawing will be held at 1:55 PM on July 11. Proceeds will support the next Tamworth Author Fest!

You are welcome to join us at Poetry Nashua which meets every First Tuesday of the month at the Nashua Public Library, lower level. We have a Featured Poet who reads first, followed by an open mic. Bring a poem or simply enjoy an evening of poetry and comraderie. see poetrynashua.com

The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of John Paul Jones
Thursday, August 6, 2026, 5:30–6:30 PM
Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth

Dr. Gerald Ward, curator at Portsmouth Historical Society, examines how John Paul Jones has been remembered and reinterpreted over time, tracing the evolving narratives that have shaped his legacy across generations. This talk explores how historical figures are continually reframed, revealing as much about changing American values and memory as about Jones himself.

Dr. Gerald W. R. Ward is curator of the Portsmouth Historical Society and editor of its Portsmouth Marine Society Press. He previously served as Katharine Lane Weems Senior Curator of American Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A graduate of Harvard College with a doctorate from Boston University, he has published widely on American art and material culture and currently teaches at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

Admission:
SBM and PHS members $15; Nonmembers $20.

About the Revolutionary Portsmouth Lecture Series:
The Revolutionary Portsmouth Lecture Series is a collaborative program between Strawbery Banke Museum and Portsmouth Historical Society, presented in conjunction with each organization’s 2026 exhibition, Revolutionary Portsmouth. Through a series of engaging talks, historians and scholars explore the people, events, and everyday experiences that shaped Portsmouth during the American Revolution and its lasting legacy.

Lectures rotate between Strawbery Banke Museum and Portsmouth Historical Society. Please note the location for each program when registering.

Admission per lecture is: SBM and PHS members $15; Nonmembers $20.

Buy 3 full-price tickets, get additional tickets 25% off with code REV250.

You are welcome to join us at Poetry Nashua which meets every First Tuesday of the month at the Nashua Public Library, lower level. We have a Featured Poet who reads first, followed by an open mic. Bring a poem or simply enjoy an evening of poetry and comraderie. see poetrynashua.com

You are welcome to join us at Poetry Nashua which meets every First Tuesday of the month at the Nashua Public Library, lower level. We have a Featured Poet who reads first, followed by an open mic. Bring a poem or simply enjoy an evening of poetry and comraderie. see poetrynashua.com