In the Nelson Town Hall

Come dance to the man who revived dancing in Nelson in the 1970′s before spreading it all over the country, making Nelson the contra dance capital of the world.

Admission only $2

Nelson Town Hall
Admission $8 / $6 seniors and students

Beginner’s Workshop 7:30

The Monadnock region’s hottest Celtic band returns to the Nelson Town Hall for an evening of energized dancing, lead by nationally renown caller Adina Gordon.

Celticladda is: Randy Miller, fiddle; Bill Thomas, Uillean pipes and flute, Gordon Peery, piano.

Nelson Town Hall
Admission $8 / $6 seniors and students

Beginner’s Workshop 7:30

Join one of the Monadnock region’s finest callers for an evening of classic contras. Stratospheric music provided by the incredible Rodney Miller (fiddle), the impeccable Sarah Bauhan (flute and whistle), and the inimitable Gordon Peery (piano).

Nelson Town Hall
Admission $8 / $6 seniors and students

Beginner’s Workshop 7:30

The amazing Heathen Creek returns to the Nelson Town Hall, with caller Don Primrose at the helm.

Heathen Creek” is what happens when contra music has a head-on collision with Gen-X. Rutman’s scorching fiddle soars while Johannsen (guitar) and Koyama (mandolin) lay down thunder and crunch that is equal parts Keith Murphy and Kurt Cobain. Blissfully tired contra dancers concur — the Heathens are all about rhythm, and they’re dead-on. But the trio plays lush too — sultry digressions full of lilt and peppered with caprice. From Pittsburgh to Peterborough, from Coeur D’Alene to Concord, Heathen Creek has been busting it up for seven years, filling the night with music and generally knocking the socks off all and sundry. rough, from Coeur D’Alene to Concord, Heathen Creek has been busting it up for seven years, filling the night with music and generally knocking the socks off all and sundry. oyama (mandolin) lay down thunder and crunch that is equal parts Keith Murphy and Kurt Cobain. Blissfully tired contra dancers concur — the Heathens are all about rhythm, and they’re dead-on. But the trio plays lush too — sultry digressions full of lilt and peppered with caprice. From Pittsburgh to Peterborough, from Coeur D’Alene to Concord, Heathen Creek has been busting it up for seven years, filling the night with music and generally knocking the socks off all and sundry.

Sponsored by the Monadnock Folklore Society

Nelson Town Hall
Admission $8 / $6 seniors and students

Beginner’s Workshop 7:30

The Dead Sea Squirrels is a string band with a twist.  Our tunes come mainly from the Southern US, but because we play for contra dances, our repertoire is made up of danceable tunes arranged in medleys designed to closely match and enhance the movements of the particular contra dance being taught/called.  We tend to push the boundaries of the southern style with spontaneous fiddle and fiddle/guitar harmonies.

Members of the band consist of Craig Edwards and Cathy Mason on twin fiddles or fiddle/banjo, and Henry Yoshimura on guitar.  We have played and toured widely on the East Coast, and have rocked the house at venues including the Cambridge VFW dance, Glen Echo, MD, Shepherdstown, WV, Glenside, PA, Bethlehem, PA and many others, as well as dance and music weekends and festivals, most recently, The Folk Project in New Jersey.

Band members are active musicians in many other bands as well, including: The Zydecats, Grand Bois Cajun Band, The Rhythm Method String Band and The Brazen Hussies.


Come join us on May 2nd at 10:45 am for the traditional May Pole Dance on the Green.  The May Pole Dance dates back to the “Feast of Flora”, a supposed Goddess of the Flowers.  Today, we dance around the May Pole to celebrate a rite of Spring.

Our Morris dance teams, The Harrisville Morris Women and Jack-in-the-Green will perform on the Green as well, as in the custom of days gone by.  Although thought to be mythical, Jack in the Green is responsible for bringing things back to life every springtime, like trees and flowers.

The children of Nelson will be invited to take part in the Annual Cake Walk.  If you are one of the lucky ones, you may go home with more than one cake!

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The students from Nelson School will be performing an original musical adaptation of Oliver Twist at Keene High School at 6:30 pm on Friday.   Admission is free (donations gladly accepted).   Oliver Twist is an original musical adaptation of the classic Dickens tale of the orphaned boy whose good and sturdy spirit support him through the difficult and exciting times of growing up in Victorian England.

The one hour performance is the culmination of a week long residency with Children’s Stage Adventures.  The play was cast on Monday, rehearsals take place all week, and they will be production ready by Friday evening!  Nelson School has worked with Children’s Stage Adventures in previous years and it is always amazing how much the students can learn in one week and what a good production they produce.

If you cannot attend the evening performance, please feel free to join us for the dress rehearsal at 10 am Friday at Keene High School.