Getting excited for the summer and all it has to offer? Here’s a sneak preview of some of the most exciting events coming to the Concord area in the next few months!

Market Days: June 26-28

Concord’s premier downtown festival is now in its 51st year, and it once again has a stacked lineup Thursday through Saturday. North and South Main Streets will be flush with the usual array of food and clothing vendors, artists and community organizations. You’ll find a beer tent, a kid zone and lots of live music throughout downtown on the Main Stage, the Homegrown Stage and the Kids and Family Stage.​​​​​​ (marketdaysfestival.com)

First Fridays: Now through November (no July)

Celebrate downtown from 4 to 8 p.m. with themed events that include art, music, food trucks, popups, outdoor movies and plenty of sales in local shops. The August First Friday is Dog Days of Summer, so bring your leashed pooch downtown to make some new four-legged friends. (firstfridayconcord.com)

Art in the Park: July 12, Aug. 9, Sept. 13

The Concord Arts Market takes over Rollins Park one Saturday a month with more than 65 local artists. You’ll find everything from fine paintings and prints to pottery, photography, jewelry, soaps and salves, woodworking and more. All that art will be accompanied by live music and other activities. (concordartsmarket.org)

Cars & Coffee on Capitol: July 13, Aug. 10, Sept. 14

On the second Sunday of the month, Concord’s summer streets fill with competing wafts of smooth-running engines and fresh-brewed coffee. Hosted by Revelstoke Coffee, the series invites all older makes and models from exotics and muscle cars to imports to classics. As they say, “if you’re proud of it, we want to see it.” No registration required. (oncapitol.com)

Sunflower Festival: Aug. 9-17

You’ll come for the landscape view of 20 acres beaming with sunflowers at Sunfox Farm in Concord. But you’ll leave remembering all the other activities tied to this fairly new summer event. There’s food, art, kids activities, music and more. Don’t forget your camera! (sunfoxfarm.org)

League of NH Craftsmen Festival: Aug. 2-10

This landmark NH summer event began in 1933 and runs for nine days each year, featuring the juried work of hundreds of members with sales booths, interactive demonstrations and curated exhibitions attracting over 20,000 visitors annually. While the art at the event is the main attraction, the summer drive over to the Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury is a great opener. (nhcrafts.org)

Hopkinton State Fair: Aug. 28 to Sept. 1

​​​​​​This has long been the official wind-down to summer (Insert sad face here). The Hopkinton Fair has everything you’d expect – livestock, carnival rides, daily demos and deep-fried everything. It also has attractions like frisbee-fetching dogs and a wild demolition derby. If you’re a Hopkinton resident, you even get your own first-crack at the festivities with Townie Night. (hsfair.org)