Peddling in Exeter

Somewhere in the Granite State, a 2-by-3-foot replica of the October issue of New Hampshire Magazine decorates a grateful guy’s garage. 

We displayed the giant “Beer on a Mission” cover at Exeter’s Powderkeg Beer & Chili Fest, where Managing Editor Emily Heidt, Digital Operations and Marketing Manager Morgen Connor and I spent a Saturday handing out complimentary copies, “mag bags” and Halloween candy.

The foam-core poster pumped up the glass of craft brew on the cover to beer pitcher size, a man cave–worthy monster pint. 

It also pumped up the font size of the headlines, including one that we altered before we printed the poster. The more precise word would be “corrected,” but pardon us for pulling our punch. We’re still crying in our beer over that typo.

We promoted Jay Atkinson’s fall bike tour story as “Peddling the Presidential Range Rail Trail.” We were not trying to sell anything, just unintentionally advertising our humble humanness. Sometimes we make mistakes. And as editor, the “pedal” stops with me.

As we were breaking down for the day, we gifted the poster to a festival goer who said it would make a fine addition to his collection of beer memorabilia. Mistake begone, we’ll call that mission accomplished.

“Our Town” Exeter > Powderkeg, which gathers local craft brewers and food trucks at Swasey Parkway, celebrates Exeter’s small-town sensibility — the vibe we aim to capture in our revamped “Our Town” series. In addition to highlighting the hot spots of New Hampshire communities, we’ll be talking to the people who live there.

Writer Elizabeth Ketcher and our own Emily Heidt, who both live in Exeter, teamed up for our first entry in the reboot. Business owner and Selectman Dan Chartrand, who opened the Water Street Bookstore downtown more than 30 years ago, charts the town’s progress (page 14).

We want to extend a big thank-you to the husband-and-wife team of writer Barbara Radcliffe Rogers and photographer Stillman Rogers, who crisscrossed the Granite State to chronicle the rich history of New Hampshire for many seasons of “Our Town.”

Answers — and questions > We’ve also refreshed “Transcript,” our long-running interview feature, which was produced for the past few years by photographer and writer David Mendelsohn, in collaboration with former editor Rick Broussard. The Q&A — which now includes the questions as well as the answers — will be produced by a roving cast of writers and photographers. This month, Assistant Editor Elisa Gonzales Verdi talks to Sherm Pridham, who grew up in Puddle Dock, a modest Portsmouth neighborhood tourists know these days as Strawbery Banke.

Wintering inside and out > This issue offers plenty of light to temper the dark days of winter. 

Generate your own heat by hiking along a New Hampshire trail. Writer and avid outdoor adventurer Jill Armstrong offers her top picks (page 58).

Head to Waterville Valley Resort to watch the freestyle skiers compete in the first World Cup in years (page 26). 

Join Emily Reily as she visits a Rollinsford greenhouse to bask in the power of the plants growing inside (page 84), and don’t forget to dig into our guide to wintering compiled by editing super group Heidt, Reily and Verdi (page 68).

Former Assistant Editor Caleb Jagoda previews the Wolfeboro Ice Beer Fest coming up in February by sharing his hop-soaked adventure from last season (page 50), and if you’re beginning 2024 by taking a breather from imbibing, check out photographer and writer Kendal Bush’s mocktail feature. These drinks look so refreshing, they have plenty of spirit even without the booze (page 20).