Trip Picks Karno Trip Picks

2nd Annual Galaxy Gala: A Star for Everyone

Concord, NH – Tickets are still available for the 2^nd Annual Galaxy Gala, being held this Saturday, October 22 at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center at 6 PM. The Gala is presented by Touch the Future, Inc. to benefit the educational mission of the Discovery Center.

Honorary gala chair Rick Searfoss will be among the guests. A graduate of Plymouth High School, Searfoss is a former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander. A veteran of three space flights, he logged over 39 days in space. He served as pilot on STS-58 and STS-76, and was the mission commander on STS-90. Searfoss retired from the Air Force and left NASA in 1998 and currently tours the world sharing the wonders of human space flight and the relevant lessons learned.

Waterville Valley Fall Foliage Weekend

Waterville Valley, NH- There is nothing like fall in New England. Waterville Valley Resort’s Fall Foliage Festival will be full of color Friday through Monday, October 7^th – 10^th, 2011.

To complement the brilliant fall foliage, the weekend is set to include a full weekend full of family activities for all ages. On Saturday, activities include the Curiosity Club for Kids at the Curious George Cottage, a juggling show, kids games and crafts, outdoor concert, merchant tent sales, Curious George story hour, astronomy and stargazing with the Rey Center, kids night out at the Recreation Department, and more.  On Sunday, the day is kicked off with a 5K-road race and 1.6K fun run, followed by a bobbing for donuts contest, Curious George story hour at the Rey Center, Travelin’ Barnyard farm animal petting area, free outdoor concert by the Tammy Jackson Band, pumpkin painting, kids activities, mini pie eating contest, caramel apple-making station, and a campfire on the beach.  Monday morning kids and adults can attend a free live  animal presentation put on by the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center.

“End of an Era” with Author Ted Spitzmiller at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

Concord, NH – Author, historian and pilot Ted Spitzmiller will be visiting the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, New Hampshire on Friday, September 30 at 7 PM for a presentation that will chronicle the era of the Space Shuttle.

Spitzmiller is the author of the two volume series Astronautics, which chronicle the Space Age from the development of rocketry to the shuttle missions and the future of space exploration. Spitzmiller’s visit to the Discovery Center will include a presentation, “End of an Era”, on the development of the Shuttle, the reasons it failed to achieve its primary goals, and the prospects for the future of human space flight. After the presentation will be a Q&A session and book-signing.

2nd Annual Free Family Funergy Festival at Cranmore Sept. 24 'Green' Exhibitors Are Encouraged to Participate

The Mt. Washington Valley Green Team is set to present its second annual Family Funergy Festival, set this year for Saturday, Sept. 24, at Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, with a full slate of kid-friendly activities and green living exhibits and demonstrations running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This free event is a family friendly, hands-on investigation of energy and resource conservation. 

In addition to exhibits and demonstrations featuring alternative energy, energy conservation, and other environmentally friendly themes, the day's events are set to include such activities as making s'mores in a solar oven, investigating layers of soil in a soil pit, and fun, exploration games for younger kids.

Hot Summer Fun and Space Science at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

Summer escape with unique and educating activities that appeal to all ages

Concord, NH – The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center offers interactive exhibits that make learning interesting, entertaining and even fun for the whole family - all indoors, air conditioned, and right off I-93.

The Discovery Center provides families with unique and educating activities that appeal to all ages. Some of the experiences offered at the Discovery Center are Super Stellar Fridays, Little Explorers, North Country Sky Watches and Rocketeers. Multiple summer camps are also available for kids and teens throughout the summer. And, the annual Perseids and Pizza Star Party will celebrate the Perseids Meteor Shower this August.

Cog Railway Features Mount Washington Observatory Tour

BRETTON WOODS, NH - A monthly excursion aboard the Mount Washington Cog Railway not only brings passengers to the summit of the highest peak in the Northeast, it provides an opportunity to learn about the summit's legendary weather.

Now in its second year, The Cog's Ride and Observatory Tour has become a popular event. Offered just once a month, with upcoming trips scheduled for the 2:30 p.m. train on Aug. 23, Sept. 13 and Oct. 11, the tour highlights a partnership between two famed fixtures atop Mount Washington - The Cog Railway and the Mount Washington Observatory.

Astronaut Barbara Morgan and NASA's Alan Ladwig to speak at Aerospacefest 2010

Aerospacefest 2010 takes place on Friday, April 30 through Sunday, May 2 at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.

CONCORD, NH ­ Keynote speaker at Aerospacefest 2010 on Saturday, May 1 will be Astronaut Barbara Morgan at 2 PM. Morgan will speak about her experiences as well as present scholarship awards to this year¹s Astronomy Bowl IV winners, held at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center on March 27. Keynote speaker on Sunday, May 2, will be NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Public Outreach Alan Ladwig at 2 PM. Ladwig will also present awards to the winners of the Alex Higgins Space Camp Scholarship.

Barbara Morgan was selected as the backup candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space Program on July 19, 1985 and trained with Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger crew at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. In 1998, Morgan was selected by NASA as a mission specialist and NASA's first Educator Astronaut. Morgan retired from NASA ten years later and became the Distinguished Educator in Residence at Boise State University, with a dual appointment in the colleges of Engineering and Education.

Alan Ladwig is the Deputy Associate Administrator for Public Outreach in NASA's Office of Communications. Ladwig returned to NASA in January 2009, after having been in the private sector as a consultant on space-related matters for Whitney, Bradley & Brown, Inc., Northrop Grumman Corporation, Space.com, and ZERO Gravity Corporation. During his previous stint at NASA, Ladwig served in a number of positions and established procedures and managed the Space Flight Participant Program and Teacher in Space program.

A three-day festival, Aerospacefest will celebrate the space sciences and aeronautics. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet officials from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the New Hampshire Aviation & Space Education Council (NHASEC), the New Hampshire Astronomical Society, and other scientists and engineers from the fields developing new technologies for future space missions. Events include Military Aerial Support, helicopter rides, rocket and balloon launches, Aexeous the Robot, Mad Science, the premiere of a new planetarium show, and the launch of a new virtual scavenger hunt via cell phone, the Discovery Center's latest interactive experience. For more information, go online to www.aerospacefest.com or call (603) 271-7827.

Aerospacefest is sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental, Centrix Bank, UPS and The Boeing Company.

The new McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center features 21st century interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, Earth and space sciences, a state-of-the-art planetarium and a variety of science, technology, engineering and math programs. The engaging, robust educational programs are geared towards families, teens, seniors, students, community groups, and lifelong learners. For more information, visit www.starhop.com.

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Contact:    
Jennifer Jones           
Marketing Coordinator           
jjones@starhop.com           
(603) 271-7827 x110

Winter Walk-Talks at Waterville Valley’s Rey Center Feb. 13 and 20

WATERVILLE VALLEY, NH - The Margret and H.A. Rey Center in Waterville Valley announces two new programs, Winter Walk Talks: Snow Science with Dr. Michele Pruyn and Animal Tracks & Signs with Dr. Rick Van de Poll.  Snow Science with Dr. Michele Pruyn will take place Saturday, February 13 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Animal Tracks & Signs by Dr. Rick Van de Poll will take place Saturday, February 20 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Margret and H.A. Rey Center in Waterville Valley Resort's Town Square. The programs, which begin with an indoor presentation then head outside to explore, are open to adults and families with children ages 12+.  Admission is $10 per person for Rey Center members and $20 per person for non-members.

Dr. Michele Pruyn is Assistant Professor of Plant Biology in the Department of Biological Sciences at Plymouth State University. Dr. Pruyn says freshly fallen snow is a big part of what makes New Hampshire winters magical. Yet there is more to snow than meets the eye! Snow changes with every footprint, gust of wind, temperature change and shift of atmospheric pressure. All of these changes create what is known as snow metamorphosis. Delve into the physics of snow with Dr. Pruyn's Walk-Talk: Snow Science on Saturday, February 13 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and learn how changes in snow occur. After an indoor presentation, head outdoors to use scientific tools to make observations about the snow and collect data. 

Dr. Van de Poll is the Chairman of the New Hampshire Joint Board of Natural Scientists.  He teaches courses at Plymouth State University on Wetland Science and Policy and Mycology.  Since 1988, Dr. Van de Poll has been the principal of Ecosystem Management Consultants (EMC) of Sandwich, New Hampshire, an environmental consulting firm with an emphasis on biodiversity conservation.  Join Dr. Van de Poll on Saturday, February 20 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. to learn to read and interpret Animal Tracks and Signs.  The program will begin with an indoor presentation, then head outside to search for traces animals have left behind.

Margret and H.A. Rey, authors of the Curious George children's book series and former summer residents of Waterville Valley, NH, were artists and adventurers, historians and naturalists, gardeners and stewards. Today their spirit lives on in the Margret and H.A. Rey Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the Reys' legacy through art, science, and adventure programs for all ages. To register for this program or for more information please contact the Margret and H.A. Rey Center at www.thereycenter.org or 603-236-3308.

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CONTACT:
Eileen Beard
AmeriCorps VISTA
Public Relations and Development Coordinator
Margret and H.A. Rey Center
 (603) 236-3308
ebeard@thereycenter.org

Black Holes Extravaganza Week at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

CONCORD, NH – The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center will be celebrating the final days of its traveling exhibition Black Holes: Space Warps and Time Twists from Monday, December 28th through Thursday, December 31st. Black Holes Extravaganza Week includes four full days of special guests, games and demonstrations. A visit to Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists and special activities is included with regular Discovery Center admission: $9 for adults, $8 for students and seniors, and $6 for children.
    
    Created by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics with help from teens in MIT’s Youth Astronomy Apprenticeship Program and the Galaxy Explorers Black Hole Media Team at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, CA, Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists was funded by grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA. The exhibition has traveled to New Hampshire courtesy of the Associated Grocers of New England, Sky-Skan, Inc., Granite State Glass, and St. Hilaire Law, PLLC, and will be on display at the Discovery Center through January 10, 2010.
    
    Extra activities each day include special demonstrations and speakers at 11:15 am, 12, 2 and 3:15 pm. From 10:30 am – 4:30 pm there will be Black Hole Computer Imaging. Visitors will be able to select a photo of an area of the sky where there is evidence of a black hole, enhance the image with astronomical software and print it to take home. A black hole craft project will run from 12 – 4 pm. And at 1 and 4 pm, visitors can try their luck at a Black Holes board game where the goal lies in collecting as much information as possible without getting pulled in (prizes will be awarded).
    
    The new McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is a lively science center, featuring 21st century interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, Earth and space sciences, a state-of-the-art planetarium and a variety of science, technology, engineering and math programs.
    
    The engaging, robust educational programs are geared towards families, teens, seniors, students, community groups, and lifelong learners. For more information, visit www.starhop.com.
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Contact:          Jennifer Jones
                           Marketing Coordinator
                           jjones@starhop.com
                           (603) 271-7827 x110

Tis the season to shop and enjoy special events in New Hampshire

Concord, NH  -  This holiday season why not have some fun and take care of your gift shopping at the same time. Avoid the crowds at the mall by visiting the Currier Museum of Art, Waterville Valley Resort, or the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center for an interesting day or weekend trip and pick up your holiday gifts at the same time.

The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester is in the holiday mood with great events. The First Thursday event, Holiday Music and Art, is on Thursday, December 3 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The evening will feature live music and holiday art making. The Granite State Ringers, a handbell choir, and Renaissance guitarist Jack Nailor will perform in the museum. Stop by the Winter Garden for refreshments and make a beaded snowflake ornament to take home. Admission is $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Price includes museum admission, live music, gallery talk, and drop-in workshop.

On Sunday, December 6 at 3 p.m. there will be a Focus Tour titled "Celebrating Winter: A Ramble Through the Snowy Scapes in the Galleries." The tour will be led by Docent Jane White and is free with museum admission. On Saturday, December 12 from noon to 2 p.m. listen to the sounds of the season, when the museum hosts the Manchester Choral Society. The Manchester Choral Society performs under the musical direction of Dr. Dan Perkins. Come before noon to take advantage of free admission hours (Saturdays from 10 a.m.-noon).

Before leaving the museum, stop by the Museum Shop to purchase unique holiday gifts including accessories & apparel, books, children's, gifts, items from the Currier collection and items highlighting the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, home dÈcor, jewelry, media, novelty items, and stationery. To browse the shop's collection online visit http://shop.currier.org/.

For more information, visit www.currier.org or call 603.669.6144 x108.

Waterville Valley Resort turns into a winter wonderland during the holiday season. Located in New Hampshire's White Mountains, the resort is well known for its ski mountain, which features trails and activities for all ages and abilities. From Kids' Venture Kamps to the Silver Streaks over-50 ski club, from alpine to Nordic, snowboarders and freestyle skiers, there is something for every level of skier. And, once you arrive in Waterville Valley, just park the car and relax. The Resort, just 1 hour north of Concord, has great events to get you into the holiday spirit.

The resort will host the Cookies & Snow Festival on December 12th. Visitors can shop and vote for your favorite fresh baked cookies and Candy Cottages. Festivities include Candy Cottage Workshops, Curious George Cottage Studio open house, and story time with Santa. At the Candy Cottage Workshop at the Waterville Valley Recreation Department, kids can decorate a Gingerbread House, and then meet Santa for a children's book reading at the Bookmonger Bookstore in the Town Square. Later, stroll through the decorated Town Square shops and sample a variety of cookies baked fresh by local restaurants. And, see the kids Candy Cottages on display at Town Square Shops as well, vote for your favorites and win prizes. End the day with holiday songs by the campfire.

For more information, visit www.visitwatervillevalley.com or call 800-GO-VALLEY.

Looking for an out of this world holiday gift? Visit the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord and take a trip to the stars while shopping for that unique, interesting, gift for that special someone. The Discovery Center is a lively science center, featuring 21st century interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, Earth and space sciences, a state-of-the-art planetarium and a variety of science and engineering programs. The engaging, robust educational programs are geared towards families, teens, seniors, students, community groups, and lifelong learners of all ages. Free telescope viewing is available at monthly SkyWatch events. After exploring, stop by the Science Store for your holiday shopping. Fun gift options include science kits, astronaut ice cream, meteorites, plane/shuttle models, globes & Planispheres, and NH Made crafts.

The Discovery Center is open seven days a week, and is located conveniently off I-93, exit 15E at 2 Institute Drive. For event information visit www.starhop.com or call 603-271-7827.

For a full a list of events, deals and travel ideas in New Hampshire log on to http://karnotrippicks.com.

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Contact: Michelle White, (603) 224-5566, mw@lkarno.com

       Jayme Simoes, (603) 224-5566, js@lkarno.com