Calendar of Events
Storytelling
Meade’s Tall Tales
Join Naturalist Emeritus and retired Harris Center Director Meade Cadot for a virtual cocktail party, where he'll share some of his favorite Harris Center memories through stories and slides. Come find out how Meade put the "super" in "SuperSanctuary"!
Last Day of StoryWalk: “Flight School” by Lita Judge
Walk along the path behind the Hancock Meeting House, where pages from the whimsical picture book "Flight School" will be laid out for you to read on your own. Follow along with this whimsical story about a little bird who never gives up on a dream and the friends that help make it come true.
First Day of StoryWalk: “Swirl by Swirl”
Walk along the path behind the Hancock Meeting House, where pages from the picture book "Swirl by Swirl" will be laid out for you to read on your own. Joyce Sidman's lyrical writing and Peterborough illustrator Beth Krommes' vivid scratchboard artwork will inspire you to look for spirals in your own backyard, and beyond...
Last Day of StoryWalk: “Swirl by Swirl”
Walk along the path behind the Hancock Meeting House, where pages from the picture book "Swirl by Swirl" will be laid out for you to read on your own. Joyce Sidman's lyrical writing and Peterborough illustrator Beth Krommes' vivid scratchboard artwork will inspire you to look for spirals in your own backyard, and beyond...
From Field to Frame: A Night with Wildlife Artist Matt Patterson
Join award-winning wildlife artist Matt Patterson for an evening of art and tales of his adventures.
Animal Tales Around the Campfire
Join naturalist Susie Spikol for an evening of animal stories from near and far. Gather around the campfire for magical tales from the more-than-human world, including how Bullfrog came to be and how Hummingbird made the stars.
All About Jack’s Pond: A History Hike
Jack's Pond in Hancock is named after a once-enslaved African who gained his freedom and lived nearby in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Join us for a 1.75-mile roundtrip hike, where we'll learn about Jack's life, and how Black history that's been so long in the shadows is now coming to light.
All About Jack’s Pond: A History Hike
Jack's Pond in Hancock is named after a once-enslaved African who gained his freedom and lived nearby in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Join us for a 1.75-mile roundtrip hike, where we'll learn about Jack's life, and how Black history that's been so long in the shadows is now coming to light.
Nevermore! The Stories of Crows and Ravens
Join Phil Brown and Susie Spikol for a talk on the life, times, and folklore of crows and ravens. This dynamic blend of natural history and mythology will leave you with new admiration for these highly intelligent birds — just in time for their Halloween spotlight.
Nature on Tap: A Life with Raptors
Join Chris Martin, raptor biologist and co-host of NHPR’s "Something Wild," for a happy hour talk on his adventures with birds of prey. Learn how he got his start, and hear him recount some of his most spectacular experiences and close calls. Drinks on you, stories on us!
Nature on Tap: Love, Sex, and Wow in the Animal World
Get your wild on this Valentine’s Day by joining Harris Center naturalists for a discussion of the unusual ways some animals court and mate. Drinks on you, stories on us!
Nature on Tap: Stories from the Woods
Join UNH Cooperative Extension forester Steve Roberge for a happy hour filled with tales from his work in the woods. Drinks on you, stories on us!
Nature on Tap: Tiny Terrors
Join a team of Harris Center naturalists as they share true tales of cannibalism, zombification, kleptomania, envenomation, and other dark doings by pint-sized wildlife – just in time for Halloween!
“For the Earth” Mini Film Festival
Join us for an evening of locally-produced short films that celebrate the natural world, people who have a passion for nature and animals, and the Monadnock Region.
Nature on Tap: Santa’s Magic Mushroom – A Look at the Role of the Fly Agaric Mushroom in the Mythology of Santa
You’ll look at Santa in a whole new light after Harris Center naturalist Susie Spikol reveals the fascinating link between the divine soma mushroom and the origins of Jolly Old Saint Nick.
Nature on Tap: Love, Sex and Wow in the Animal Kingdom
Join Harris Center naturalists Phil Brown, Jenna Spear, Susie Spikol, and Brett Amy Thelen for a discussion of the unusual ways some animals court and mate. Drinks on you, stories on us!
Sing in the Stories of Summer
Join Smithsonian Folkways master musician Mary Desrosiers and storyspinner and naturalist Susie Spikol for songs and stories of warmer days. Let your imagination run wild and lift your voices to help sing in the Story of Summer.
Nature on Tap: Love, Sex, and Wow in the Animal Kingdom
Try not to blush when you join a panel of Harris Center naturalists for this spicy discussion of the unusual ways some animals court and mate. Drinks on you, stories on us!
Ask A Naturalist: Spring into Summer Edition
Join our team of talented naturalists as they answer some of your most intriguing questions about nearby nature. With topics ranging from bird behavior to mammal scat to mushroom identification, no two Ask A Naturalist events are alike!
Book Launch Party: “Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell”
Join us for this special event with award-winning author Sy Montgomery and wildlife artist Matt Patterson as we celebrate their newest book on publication day. "Of Time and Turtles" relates the dramas and insights gleaned from working in a hospital for injured, sick, and abandoned turtles and, at the same time, investigates the mystery of time itself.
Nature on Tap: Love, Sex and Wow in the Animal Kingdom
Get your wild on this Valentine’s Day by joining Harris Center naturalists Phil Brown, Jenna Spear, Susie Spikol, and Brett Amy Thelen for a spicy discussion of the unusual ways some animals court and mate.
Gluskabe: The Magical Hero of Wabanaki Storytelling
Join us for a special evening with traditional Wabanaki storyteller Anne Jennison, who will introduce us to Gluskabe, the central figure of an entire body of stories at the heart of the Wabanaki cultures of the Northeast.
The Life and Times of New Hampshire’s Black Bears
Dive into the natural history of Ursus americanus — the American black bear — with Harris Center naturalist Susie Spikol. Learn how these beautiful bruins survive and reproduce, explore their unique adaptations and behaviors, and come away with tips and tricks for co-existence.
The Life and Times of New Hampshire’s Black Bears
Dive into the natural history of Ursus americanus — the American black bear — with Harris Center naturalist Susie Spikol. Learn how these beautiful bruins survive and reproduce, explore their unique adaptations and behaviors, and come away with tips and tricks for co-existence.
Book Talk: 100 Classic Hikes New England
Join author Jeff Romano for a slideshow presentation showcasing hiking opportunities in all six New England states, with a focus on itineraries featured in his latest guidebook, an updated edition of 100 Classic Hikes: New England.
Book Launch: The Stokes Guide to Finches of the United States and Canada
Celebrate the publication of The Stokes Guide to Finches of the United States and Canada by Lillian Stokes and Matthew Young, which reviews have hailed as “the best bird book of the year.” Refreshments and a book signing will follow this lively, information-packed talk.
Natural History of Black Bears in New Hampshire
Join Harris Center naturalist and author Susie Spikol for a talk on the natural history of New Hampshire's black bears. Find out how these large mammals make their living in the Granite State and how to decrease bear-human encounters around your neighborhood.
Annual Meeting with Howard Mansfield & Ben Cosgrove
Join Harris Center staff, trustees, and friends for highlights from the past year and a special performance from A Journey to the White Mountains by writer Howard Mansfield and composer Ben Cosgrove.
Nature on Tap: Bats, Bombs & Beer
You’ve probably heard of Batman, but have you ever heard of bat bombs? Just in time for Halloween, join naturalist Susie Spikol to hear the unbelievable story of how the US military planned to use the Mexican free-tailed bat as a secret weapon in World War II.
What’s Wild: A Half-Century of Wisdom from the Woods and Rivers of New England by Eric Orff
Come celebrate the launch of Eric Orff's first book, What’s Wild, which features more than four dozen stories from his five-decade career as a wildlife biologist in New Hampshire.
