By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CRAWFORD NOTCH – Visitors to the White Mountain National Forest this summer and local residents of the North Country and Mount Washington Valley have a new, free outdoor concert series to enjoy this summer thanks to the gift of an avid hiker and musician.
At the AMC Highland Center at the height of land in Crawford Notch, near Twin Mountain (Town of Carroll), folks are invited to the Lynda Cohen Performing Arts Series, made possible by Cohen, an AMC member and long-time supporter.
“As a musician herself, Cohen understands how the arts can help create connections to the natural world. Thanks to her vision and generosity, the AMC is excited to offer musical performances for forest visitors and the surrounding community to enjoy,” said AMC spokesman Nina Paus-Weiler.
The series will launch this year with two free outdoor concerts.
Bluegrass band Beg, Steal or Borrow will perform for free on Aug. 28 from 7 to 9 p.m. with the opening act, Goodhues Band performing at 4 p.m. Americana/folk band Low Lily will perform for free on Sept. 18 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Both concerts will be hosted rain or shine on the grounds of the AMC Highland Center in Crawford Notch in New Hampshire. Beer, alcohol, and snacks will be available for purchase on-site; guests are allowed to bring their own food, but BYOB is not permissible due to state liquor laws.
There will be limited parking available at the AMC Highland Center for concert-goers, but overflow parking options will be nearby. To learn more about and register for the concert series, visit its Eventbrite listing at amcmusic.eventbrite.com.
Paus-Weiler, in an email wrote that Cohen imagined a concert series where people from far and wide could come together nestled among the peaks of Crawford Notch to experience one of her lifelong passions, music.
“For many years I have dreamed of a music program in Bretton Woods, accessible to everyone,” said Cohen. “I felt it would be important to bring in musicians with strong performance backgrounds and wide appeal across varied musical styles. The Appalachian Mountain Club was very receptive to the idea of initiating such a program at their Highland Center in Crawford Notch. The Lynda Cohen Performing Arts Series will enhance the experience of both residents and visitors to the Mount Washington Valley with the integration of music and the natural beauty of our surrounding Presidential Mountains,” Cohen said.
Formed in 2013, Beg, Steal or Borrow received substantial acclaim well before the release of their debut album, Old Mountain Time. Taking home honors from regional bluegrass competitions held in New York, Maine, and Connecticut, their initial inspiration was drawn from Old and in the Way, the acoustic bluegrass outfit helmed by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. Their repertoire of original songs boasts both a contemporary and archival appeal.
Low Lily will perform on Sept. 18.
With a vocal blend that has been dubbed “outstanding” and “meticulous,” Low Lily’s cohesive sound comes naturally for musicians whose lives have been entwined on the road and on stage for almost two decades. Setting down roots in Brattleboro, Vermont, the band has crafted a signature sound that they have shared with enthusiastic audiences throughout North America and the United Kingdom, garnering two number 1 songs on international folk radio and two Independent Music Award wins.
To learn more about and register for the concert series, visit its Eventbrite listing at amcmusic.eventbrite.com.
Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club promotes the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the outdoors.
AMC helps people of all ages and abilities to explore and develop a deep appreciation of the natural world.
With chapters from Maine to Washington, D.C., guidebooks and maps, and unique lodges and huts, AMC helps people get outdoors on their own, with family and friends, and through activities close to home and beyond. AMC invites the public to support its conservation advocacy and research, youth programming, and care of 2,000 miles of trails.