Resource Guide for Young Adults 20-40

Tools for adults 20-40 from Will Stewart, executive director of Stay Work Play, a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging and supporting young professionals in New Hampshire

January 16, 2020

Will Stewart,

3S Artspace in Portsmouth has a gallery, performing arts venue and restaurant.

For young people, New Hampshire can be a state of best-kept secrets. Indeed, there is no shortage of interesting people to meet, fun places to go and cool things to do. But it can sometimes take a little while to discover these things.

To shorten the learning curve, Stay Work Play is here to help you get connected to New Hampshire faster by sharing just a few of the many resources catering to the needs and wants of young people in the Granite State.

Where to get the skinny

New Hampshire might be a small state, but there’s a lot going on for young people. To help you get an idea of the width and breadth of all of the opportunities for young people here, Stay Work Play’s website and social media channels are must-visits.

Stay Work Play New Hampshire is a nonprofit whose mission is the attraction and retention of more young people in the Granite State. Its online properties offer a wealth of resources for young people making their home in New Hampshire, from available jobs and internships to where to connect with other young people and what to do for fun here.

Where to meet other young people

Young professionals networks
At the top of the list for many young people is knowing where to meet other young people. The best place to start is to connect with your local young professionals network (YPN). These groups — 14 in all — exist in all corners of the state, from the Seacoast to the Monadnock Region and from Nashua to the White Mountains.

The state’s YPNs host regular networking events for attendees to meet and mingle with other young people, as well as a variety of other fun events throughout the year, from group hikes to cooking classes to even a Festivus party hosted each December by iUGO, the young professionals network in Greater Nashua.

Social sports leagues
My Social Sports organizes adult recreational social sports leagues in Concord, Greater Manchester, Merrimack/Nashua and the Greater Seacoast regions. Sports offered range from dodgeball and indoor soccer to corn hole and lawn games. In addition to having fun, the leagues run by My Social Sports have been the catalyst for lifelong friendships, business partnerships and romantic relationships.

Meetups
If you’re looking for something a little more niche, meetup.com lists a variety of specialized groups — from kayaking to playing the ukulele — where one can meet others with similar interests in New Hampshire.

Where to hear live music
New Hampshire has no shortage of cool spots to experience live music. Two of the newest spots are the Bank of New Hampshire Stage in Concord and the Rex Theatre in Manchester. Both venues feature up-and-coming acts at an affordable price point. Also of note is 3S Artspace, a Portsmouth-based performance space and art gallery focused on emerging art and entertainment.

Where to experience diverse cultures
It’s true: New Hampshire is one of the whitest states in the country. But it’s becoming more diverse each year. That diversity is on display each summer during a number of ethnic festivals that feature food, culture and more from around the world. Some of our favorites are the Latino Festival held in Manchester, the Somersworth Indonesian Festival and the multicultural festivals held in Nashua and Concord.

Where to grab a beer
The craft beer scene in New Hampshire is second to none, evidenced by tasting rooms across the state that are packed full of young people every weekend. Schilling Beer Company in Littleton is often mentioned as one of the best in the state. Other popular breweries include Lithermans Limited Brewery in Concord and Kelsen Brewing Company in Derry.

Where to connect with the LGBTQ+ community
With Pride events held each summer from Portsmouth to the White Mountains, and a network of social groups, health centers, support organizations and other gay-
focused groups, New Hampshire has a growing LGBTO+ scene. Ground zero for all things LGBTQ+ in New Hampshire is Teatotaller, a café, tea house, bistro and venue located in Somersworth, with a second location coming in 2020 to Concord.