Join us for a cozy Nelson Community Tea
Tuesday, September 2 | 10:00–11:30 AM

We've been gathering for years — sharing stories, ideas, and plenty of homemade treats — and we'd love for you to be part of it! Whether you're a regular or a first-timer, you're warmly welcome.

Bring something to share if you’d like (sweet, savory, or simply yourself).
Tea, coffee, and good company always provided.

Let’s connect, sip, and savor together.

Happy LABOR DAY

No hot coffee (unless you want to stasrt a pot), the chance of baked goods, and always neighborly conversation. We’ll return to our regular coffee hour the weekend after Labor Day.

For our gathering, we’ll be creating from Vegetable Dishes You Can’t Live Without by Mollie Katzen

Come hungry and bring a dish inspired by the cookbook to share with the group. It’s a great chance to taste new recipes, share your favorites, and connect with fellow food enthusiasts.

Don’t forget to bring your dishes and cutlery. We can’t wait to taste the fantastic dishes you’ll prepare and celebrate the joy of cooking together!

See you there! Cookbooks may be borrowed at the library.

To celebrate the birthday of beloved children’s author, illustrator and lifestyle icon Tasha Tudor (1915-2008), the Nelson library will host TASHA TUDOR DAY. A sample of her collection of work will be on display in the library for browsing and tea and cookies will be available. Come and learn about the many interests, skills and talents of the amazing Tasha Tudor!

The Nelson Library Writing Group

Welcome to the Nelson Library Writing Group! We're thrilled to invite you to our creative gatherings where words come to life. Our sessions are held on the 4th Saturday of each month.

Our group is all about the magic of words in various forms—poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. We encourage you to bring copies of your writing, keeping it within a 10-minute read. Not sure about copies? Don't fret! You can swing by the library to make them before our meet-up or send your work over via email, and we'll take care of the printing for you. Sharing emails means we can dive into each other's stories even before we gather, fostering an even deeper connection through our words.

For those spontaneous souls, last-minute attendees are always welcome! Just drop in and join us. If you're brimming with ideas or eager to be a part of this group, reach out to the library. Your thoughts and participation are valued and welcomed.

Let's embark on this literary journey together, weaving tales, painting landscapes with words, and creating a space where creativity thrives. See you at the Nelson Library!

No hot coffee (unless you want to stasrt a pot), the chance of baked goods, and always neighborly conversation. We’ll return to our regular coffee hour the weekend after Labor Day.

No hot coffee (unless you want to stasrt a pot), the chance of baked goods, and always neighborly conversation. We’ll return to our regular coffee hour the weekend after Labor Day.

🎶 Join Us for an Enchanting Afternoon of Traditional Slow Music! 🎻

Every 1st and 3rd Friday, immerse yourself in the soothing melodies of traditional slow music at the Nelson NH Library. Whether you're a seasoned musician or simply love to listen, this is an event you won't want to miss!

📅 When: 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month 🕝 Time: 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM 📍 Where: Nelson NH Library

Bring your instrument and join the jam, or simply relax and enjoy the ambiance. All levels of musicians are welcome, so don't be shy! Let the music transport you to a place of tranquility and inspiration.

Come be a part of our musical community and share the joy of traditional tunes. Mark your calendars and spread the word – see you there.

This month’s read is the The East Indian by Brinda Charry. Some copies are still available at the library desk.

2025 Old Home Week Events in Nelson, NH

Monday, August 4

• 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Library Summer Reading Program: Final Session
  Olivia Rodham Memorial Library, 1 Nelson Common Rd, Celebrate the wrap-up.

• 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm Nelson Monday Night Dance Nelson Town Hall
  Traditional New England contra dance. Everyone welcome. Admission: $5.00

Tuesday, August 5

• 6:00 pm Apple Hill Tuesday Summer Concert Series – Summer Gala. Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, 410 Apple Hill Rd. A special ticketed gala event.
  Admission: $125.00

• 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Nelson in Motion: Granite Lake Ramble. Starts at Nelson Elementary School, 441 Granite Lake Rd . A community walk for the whole family.

Wednesday, August 6

• 7:00 pm Monadnock Music Concert Nelson Congregational Church, 830 Nelson Rd
  A celebration of love in art song across two centuries.

Thursday, August 7

• 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Al Struthers: His Books and His Nelson Connections
  Olivia Rodham Memorial Library, A talk on childhood adventures, local music, and stories of Nelson.

• 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Osgood Hill Hike Partridge Woods. Hike to one of Cheshire County's highest points.

Friday, August 8

• 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Sea Chanteys with Chris Maden Nelson Town Hall
  A spirited evening of sea chanteys and community singing.

Saturday, August 9 – NELSON OLD HOME DAY! 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Nelson Old Home Day Celebration. Nelson Town Common A full day of festivities including:

• Family games, Library book sale, Chicken barbecue, Nelson Band Concert, Special speaker, And much more!

No hot coffee (unless you want to stasrt a pot), the chance of baked goods, and always neighborly conversation. We’ll return to our regular coffee hour the weekend after Labor Day.

The library will be open from 10-noon. We welcome those who need a quiet cool air conditioned space. We will also have craft supplies out and a jigsaw puzzle. Check out our books and magazines too.

Old Home Day Activities

Saturday, August 9

9 a.m. Bike Race and Nelson Marathon – both of which go up over Hardy Hill and come back up along the Harrisville Road.

9:30 – 11 a.m.
Games on the Common – tug of war, egg toss, three-legged race, and much more. Squeals of laughter, shouts of enthusiasm, cheers of support!

9 a.m. – noon 
The Friends of the Library Book Sale (Library lower level inside and outdoors.) Support the library and maintain your literacy!

10 a.m. – noon   Music (behind the Library / Town Hall)

• 10 a.m. Gordon Peery with Lisa Baglione, Bill Newton, and Jay Dunbar

• 11 a.m. Ethan, Rachel and  Grace – songs for the family.

10 a.m. – noon
Family Crafts at the Library

11 a.m.  The Old Library -Nelson In the Past
Display Handcrafts and artifacts that reflect our town’s history

12 (noon) Enjoy a chicken barbecue (provided by the Nelson Congregational Church) and listen to the Nelson Town Band on the Church lawn. $15 (to be confirmed).

12:45 p.m.
Official Welcome, awarding of prizes from the games.

1:15 (ish) p.m.

Old Home Day Speaker: Dr. Jay Dunbar is the founder and director of  The Magic Tortoise Taijiquan School in Chapel Hill, NC. He has presented courses or workshops, at many venues, including UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University, Elon College, A Taste of China, the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, the N.Y. Open Center, The American Dance Festival, the Guang Ping Annual Conventions, and the Zhang San Feng Festival.

He also happens to be the great grandson of Simon Goodelle Griffin, who was born and raised in Nelson, and subsequently went off to become a prominent general in the Civil War. After the war he moved to Keene, and had a rich life contributing to many aspects of civil life. He wrote about the history of Nelson, and is quoted extensively in Parke Struthers’ History of Nelson. He is working on a biography of General Griffin, and looks forward to sharing his story and reconnecting to the general’s birthplace.

2 p.m.
The great water ball contest, on the Mackenzies’ lawn.

3 p.m.
Softball in the newly restored ballfield, behind the town barn, Old Stoddard Road. Game starts as kid-friendly, evolves to being more competitive.

3 p.m.
Shape Note Singing in the Town Hall.

7:30 p.m.
Nelson Old Home Day Contra Dance
The Monadnock Folklore Society runs this dance. Caller and musicians TBA. Everyone welcome – a great experience for families.

The Friends of the Library will have a book sale on Friday from 9am to 12 pm in the lower level of the library

The Friends of the Library will have a book sale on Friday from 6:30 to 8 pm in the lower level of the library

Al Struthers spent much of his youth visiting relatives at Merriconn in Nelson. Parke Struthers, Sr., author of the Nelson Town History was his grandfather. He spent years touring regionally with longtime Nelson native Jonathan Smith and our group, Greengate. Those early experiences later inspired him to create the Third Floor Mystery Series.

In this series, we meet eleven-year-old Nathan Cole, a boy who hates books—until he discovers a mysterious bookcase hidden in his attic. Once owned by his grandfather, Henry Hammond, a renowned bookseller from Cambridge, Massachusetts, the shelves are filled with volumes that each hold an unsolved mystery. From the moment Nathan first sees the bookcase, he feels its pull—and the adventures that follow change his life forever. (Description from the author’s website.)

Struthers’ books are enjoyed by readers young and old. In addition to the mystery series, he has written a collection of picture books.

Copies of his books are available to borrow from the library or to purchase at this event.

Stories, prizes and snacks and more. Ages 0-99 welcome.

No hot coffee (unless you want to stasrt a pot), the chance of baked goods, and always neighborly conversation. We’ll return to our regular coffee hour the weekend after Labor Day.

🎶 Join Us for an Enchanting Afternoon of Traditional Slow Music! 🎻

Every 1st and 3rd Friday, immerse yourself in the soothing melodies of traditional slow music at the Nelson NH Library. Whether you're a seasoned musician or simply love to listen, this is an event you won't want to miss!

📅 When: 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month 🕝 Time: 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM 📍 Where: Nelson NH Library

Bring your instrument and join the jam, or simply relax and enjoy the ambiance. All levels of musicians are welcome, so don't be shy! Let the music transport you to a place of tranquility and inspiration.

Come be a part of our musical community and share the joy of traditional tunes. Mark your calendars and spread the word – see you there.

Al Stoops will bring animal skulls for everyone to look at and examine, as he tells us about them. Ages 0-99 welcome.

No hot coffee (unless you want to stasrt a pot), the chance of baked goods, and always neighborly conversation. We’ll return to our regular coffee hour the weekend after Labor Day.

Tables in the center of town. Pick a map to go to yard sales at homes.

Sleuthing the Past

The components that make for a good historical account are not always neatly lined up. Rick Church's detective-approach to the often scant resources has resulted in finding stories that might otherwise have been left untold. (Intro Music will be traditional New England Tunes)

This week, drop by and explore the miniature world of bugs! Read about pollinator plants and their seasons plus all of the insects that need them, Most people think bugs are ICKY but many are very helpful to your garden. Learn about which ones are helpful including composting worms! Then learn how to make a bee hotel!

No hot coffee (unless you want to stasrt a pot), the chance of baked goods, and always neighborly conversation. We’ll return to our regular coffee hour the weekend after Labor Day.

This month’s read is the The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. Some copies are still available at the library desk.