The Best Events Happening in March

March means it’s time for Maple Weekend in New Hampshire, and sugar shacks and farms like Charmingfare Farm in Candia are each finding their own unique way to celebrate.

Tap Into Maple, Laconia, Weekends in March

Join the team at Prescott Farm every Saturday in March to experience an old-fashioned New England tradition — making maple syrup! From tapping a tree to tasting delicious maple syrup, participate hands-on in every step of the syrup making process. Environmental educators help attendees build tree ID skills, learn the parts of a tree and their functions, use measuring tools to find an appropriate tree to tap, use historical and modern tree tapping tools, learn the history of maple sugaring including Native American legends and discover the math/chemical/physical science in the boiling process. The program involves a 20-minute walk to the sugarhouse with an uphill hike back after the program. prescottfarm.org

On Tap for CASA, Hooksett, March 8

At this fundraiser for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of New Hampshire, participants aim to keep their teams’ barstools occupied for 10 hours without abandoning the post while competing in a variety of fun competitions to gain points, including trivia, stein hoisting and more. Come for the cause, stay for the friendly competition. All participant spots will likely be filled by early-March, but interested persons can donate and drop by the event for music, raffles and libations offered throughout the 10-hour event. All proceeds go toward recruitment and training of CASA volunteer advocates, ordinary women and men advocating for abused or neglected children in New Hampshire’s court system. donate.casanh.org

Murder at the Pie Auction Dessert Theatre Mystery Show in partnership with Franklin Footlight Theatre at the Franklin Elks Lodge. After years of trying unsuccessfully, the small town of Mynute, Alaska, finally lands the famous Mother Mabel’s Pie Baking Competition — but it was all due to a typo, mistaking Mynute for Minot! The contest looks to be a disaster with no media or publicity. To add to the tension, one of the contestants is writing a tell-all book about the seamy side of competitive pie baking. Making matters even worse, just hours before the competition begins, the pie judge goes missing. Has he been murdered? And what about a missing celebrity baker? With an ample serving of motive and all the right ingredients for murder, this is the perfect “dessert theater” recipe for big laughs, lots of wordplay, outrageous characters, and hilarious audience participation. Includes an ACTUAL pie auction! Ticket prices vary, 6:30 p.m., Franklin Elks Lodge 1280, 125 South Main St., Franklin; franklinoperahouse.org

The Battle of the Badges Hockey Championship, presented by the Elliot Perry Foundation, will bring together police officers, firefighter  and first responders on the ice at the SNHU Arena to celebrate 17 years of hockey and philanthropy in support of Dartmouth Health Children’s and the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (CHaD). The annual Battle of Good vs. Good is a fun, competitive event that fundraises for critical programs and services that children and families rely on every day at Dartmouth Health Children’s and CHaD. Funds from the Battle of the Badges Hockey Championship support the Child Life Program, Pediatric Mental Health Access Initiative, Child Advocacy and Prevention Program, Molly’s Place family resource center, and the CHaD Social Work Team, among others. Annually, Dartmouth Health Children’s and CHaD sees over 90,000 unique patients, many of whom benefit from funds raised through community fundraising activities such as the Battle of the Badges Hockey Championship. $16, 1 p.m., SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St., Manchester; snhuarena.com

Waypoint SleepOut , Manchester, Rochester, March 21

Spend a night out in the cold in solidarity with youth enduring homelessness in New Hampshire. This yearis the 10^th annual SleepOut, and will be a hybrid event, which means participants can sleep out (as a “Sleeper”) in their own backyard or a place of their choosing, or at one of the designated group sites in Manchester and Rochester (locations TBA). Participants can even choose to sleep in (as a “Daydreamer”). However participants choose to get involved, their objective is to raise as much money and awareness as they can. The support from SleepOut 2024 will help Waypoint quell the suffering of youth, advocate for change at the legislative level and support Waypoint’s expanded services, including an emergency overnight shelter, to help transform thousands of young lives. waypointnh.org

Bring the whole family to the New Hampshire Historical Society for an afternoon of games, crafts, and storytelling. Explore our historic building, tour our exhibits, test your knowledge of Granite State trivia, and make a New Hampshire-themed craft to take home. Introduce your kids to the special things that make New Hampshire a wonderful place to live! Family Fun Day is geared for families with kids ages 6–10, but all ages are welcome. Admission is free thanks to the generosity of Concord Pediatric Dentistry. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This is a drop-in program, and registration is not required. 10 a.m.- 12 p.m., 30 Park St., Concord; nhhistory.org

Citizens Shamrock Half Marathon, Relay and Shuffle, Virtual or In-Person, Manchester, March 30

Throw on your green sneakers and get moving on your own or on a relay team. The half marathon and relay course is a one-of-a-kind, multi-loop, spectator-friendly, 13.1-mile course in downtown Manchester with cheer zones and relay exchange zones at the Wild Rover Irish Pub and Shaskeen Irish Pub. milleniumrunning.com

Manchester St. Patrick’s Parade, Manchester, March 30

This longstanding Manchester tradition may be the granddaddy of all St. Patrick’s Day events in the Granite State. Organizations from around the state hoist the tricolor, don their green and march down Elm Street for the parade (which is held on a late-March Sunday every year to avoid competition). Park your lawn chair along the route, wave to the annually-nominated Grand Marshal and scout out more guys in kilts than you’ll see all year.

Looking for a few other things to do around the state as winter comes to a close? Check out our New Hampshire Winter Survival Guide.