More than 30 town organizations took part in the second Antrim Community Fair on Saturday in the Antrim Town Hall Theater, an event organized by the Antrim Newcomers Club. 

“Being here and listening to the constant chatter and laughter all around us today made  all the preparation all worthwhile. The fact that we knew almost everyone who was there, after being in town for only three years, shows the Antrim Newcomers Club really works!" said organizer Jennifer Adams. 

Adams, along with Jenine Rubin and Mary Devine, founded the Antrim Newcomers Club in January 2023. 

“There is just so much happening in Antrim. We thought this would be a great way to let people know how much there is out there, and it is also a great way for the volunteers to get to know one another,” said Devine. 

The Newcomers gave away free raffle prizes throughout the event, with attendees winning everything from new bicycles to gift baskets and gift certificates. 

Beth Merrill and Pat Brindley, representing the Antrim Grange, said the Grange is always looking for more volunteers to help raise funds and help with the preservation of the historic Grange building.

“The Grange has been in the same spot for over 200 years, and it was recently added to the state register of historic places,” said Merrill. “We recently replaced the roof with a LCHIP grant, and now we’re working on the floor joists.  We’re also completing what everyone calls the ‘Great Wall of Antrim,’ to fix the drainage. It’s an ongoing project, and we are very grateful for community support.” 

On Wednesday evening, May 15, the Antrim Grange will host the Antrim Community Awards Night in the Town Hall Theater. The event includes the Antrim Citizen of the Year Award and the annual baking contest, which is open to the public this year. 

Linda Bundy and Dottie Bauer were at the fair representing Antrim’s Fostering Community Conversations on Racial Justice group. The group’s next event is a screening of the film “Traces of the Trade,” in which filmmaker Katrina Browne explores the history of her own family, who she discovered were “the largest slave-trading family in United States history.”  The film will be shown Saturday, May 11, at 10:30 a.m. at the James A. Tuttle Library. 

Antrim native Bill Nichols of the Antrim Players displayed historic programs and literature from the Players’ 112- year history and encouraged residents to join the mailing list and get involved. The Players, who staged a successful return to the stage with a December 2023 production of “A Christmas Carol,” are currently planning a fall show. 

At the Antrim Lions Club table, Sue Conklin shared information about Project Linus and other Lions Club programs, including vision screening in all of the ConVal School District’s northern towns.

“Project Linus provides a blanket for every child who goes into the hospital in southern New Hampshire, including a lot of foster children,” Conklin said. 

At the UNH-Extension table, Eric McCambly, director of 4-H programs for Hillsborough County, shared information about 4-H clubs along with his daughter, Isabel. McCambly said 4-H clubs in the region include equestrian, robotics, animal science and target sports. 

“Not a lot of people realize that New Hampshire has the only 4-H program in the entire country tied to a land-grant university. Every child who is in a 4-H club in New Hampshire gets a $500 scholarship toward either UNH or UNH Manchester for every year that they are in a 4-H club,” McCambly said. “4-H is totally free to join, and pretty much whatever someone is passionate about, they can reach out about starting a 4-H club.”

McCambley noted that the Peterborough-based 4-H robotics club, Team Inconceivable, had just competed at the national competition in Texas. 

At the Antrim Planning Board table, Mark Murdaugh, John Anderson and Ken Rubin were sharing information about Antrim’s master plan and other Planning Board initiatives, including creation of the TIF district which was recently approved at Town Meeting, and the town’s Complete Streets grant. 

For information about Antrim Newcomers Club, send email to antrimnewcomersclub@yahoo.com.