Old Home Days in New Hampshire

Since its inception over 100 years ago, Old Home Day has continued to be faithfully observed in towns throughout the Granite State.

These annual events, held in the summer or early fall, are organized by local volunteer committees and often include parades, barbecues and potluck suppers, tours of historic homes and gardens, dances, games and music. Why are Old Home Days important and how do they connect you to your community in the 21st century?

The history of Old Home Days

Governor Frank Rollins developed the concept in 1899 to invite former residents of New Hampshire home at a time when the opening of the West, and lure of urban centers with industrial jobs had depleted New Hampshire’s rural areas. “Towns that had had boasted as many as 2,000 were reduced to under 100, farmhouses were falling into ruin, fields were growing back to brush, and forests were being clear-cut,” according to Tom Curran in his overview of Old House Days produced for the Preservation Alliance. It was a “family reunion at a grand, Victorian scale,” he said.

"Old Home Day was originally envisioned as a celebration of the agrarian way of life and the renewal of old friendships," said Steve Taylor, former N.H. Commissioner of Agriculture, Markets & Food. "These days, it offers an important opportunity to celebrate community life and meet with your neighbors." At its height, over 120 communities celebrated Old Home Days. "Today that sense of belonging seems more important than ever for both young people and older folks," said Jennifer Goodman, executive director of the N.H. Preservation Alliance.

How to get involved in your local community:

Attend an Old Home Day celebration! A list is below. Please send us an email at admin@nhpreservation.org with a link to more information if you know of one missing from the list.
Participate in a Main Street celebration, buy food at a farmer's market or invest in other activities that blend place, history and community.
Help preserve what's special about your community and share it with others: help with a master plan, save or revive an old farm, and tell your friends about old houses for sale.

Old Home Days in New Hampshire for 2025

Candia - Saturday, August 23
Moore Park. Parade kicks off at 11am! Followed by local crafters, family fun games, face painting, touch a truck, exotic wildlife exhibit and much more. All festivities end at 2pm. Interested in participating? Vendor, sponsorship and full event details can be found at candiaoldhomeday.com.

Franconia - Saturday, July 12
Parade, Duck Race, Fire Department Cookout, Artisan Faire, Evening Concert and Fireworks!

Gilmanton - Saturday, August 16

New Hampton - Saturday, August 9
10:30am to 3:00pm, with square dancing from 7:00pm to 10:00pm
86 Town House Road, New Hampton, NH
Join us to celebrate our 126th Old Home Day where you can learn about our town’s history, connect with old friends, and meet new neighbors. Features include antique cars, fire trucks, children’s games and activities, live music, food and ice cream, historical information, and more.

New London - Saturday, June 14
The New London Historical Society will be holding a Moses Trussell Day Event on June 14th, 10am-4pm. - although not strictly an "Old Home Day" this event will attract a wide audience attracting current and former residents in marking the story of the "first settler" of New London - Moses Trussell. He was the pioneer who cleared 5 acres of land in the winter of 1773-4 planted a crop and then in 1775 joined Col John Stark's 1st NH and fought at Bunker Hill - June 17, 1775 - losing his L hand to a cannon ball. Interestingly he did not return to New London until 1804 but then built a house and raised his family, farming with help, and is buried in Old Main Street Cemetery having passed away just shy of his 90th Birthday.

We have several lectures being given that day including a talk by Joel Bohy who appears on the Public TV Antique Roadshow program as a militia expert. There will be a military timeline and a cannon salute at noon The NLHS buildings will be open for tours and period crafts and skills exhibits will be presented as well.

Nelson - Saturday, August 9

Newbury - Saturday, July 12

Pittsfield - Saturday, September 13
Old Home Day and Pittsfield High School Homecoming will be merging this year. The idea is to give it a try and see if merging forces makes us stronger! We will be asking the community for feedback after the event before making a decision for 2026. Since we can't know how it will go until we try, we will be giving it a shot!
Committees these days are dwindling with volunteers and ours is no different. We are MUCH less than half of what the last Old Home committees have been so, if you have any interest at all or have some ideas to share, please join us at our monthly meetings. We meet the fourth Thursday of the month at 5:30 at the Friendly Diner. We are looking forward to this big town event to celebrate our town and all its wonderful citizens and organizations! It is a true joy preparing for this day and seeing it all come together for Pittsfield!
Let's celebrate being “better together”!

Unity - Saturday, July 26
Festivities begin with a pancake breakfast fundraiser held at the Unity Fire Station at 7:00am, followed by a Common full of vendors 9am-2pm. Lots of kid activities, food, fun in between and ending with fireworks at 9:00pm.

Walpole - Friday, June 25-Sunday, June 27
Walpole gathers for an Old Home Day celebration every three years.

Friday June 25 is the street dance, barbeque, strawberry shortcake dessert and fireworks in our beautiful village.

Saturday June 26 The Walpole Grange hosts breakfast sandwiches. The Parade through town steps off at 10 am, followed by live music in several areas of the town and the common is given over to non profit vendors- maybe NH Preservation would like to have a booth?, touch a truck, pet show, the firemen challenge, talent show, free historical society entrance and a library reading event are just some of the goings on. A soft ball game is planned and the day concludes with a night at the Helen Miller Theater or a family movie under the stars at the Whitcomb Recreational Park.

Sunday June 27 Work up an appetite for the Pancake Breakfast by running in the 5k! Silent auction of the Potted Planters begins at 4pm, The Walpole First Congregational Church Chicken Barbeque and the Boy Scout sponsored band concert wrap up our weekend and event.

Throughout the week the Walpole Players will be performing in the Helen Miller Theater in the Town Hall.

Please sent us any additions or corrections to this list: admin@nhpreservation.org

Be sure to check out this informative book by Jane Nylander, The Best Ever!: Parades in New England, 1788-1940, with details about the history of celebrations like Old Home Days in New England. You can purchase the book here or at your local bookstore.

Planning, LandmarkJennifer GoodmanApril 17, 2025old home days