"We know how much our community looks forward to this day each year." Beaver Brook Association wrote that on September 24 in the release Hollis Brookline News published, when it canceled its Fall Festival & Artisan Market two days before the event. Forecasts showed a possible coastal storm from Friday into Sunday. The organizers chose to decide early. They didn't want to wait until the last minute on an event that needed days of outdoor setup and hundreds of artists, vendors, volunteers and partners. The next Fall Festival & Art Show is set for Saturday, September 25, 2027.
That left 2026 without its usual single, large Saturday for local makers on Ridge Road. The town's fall calendar is still full. It just looks different this year. Instead of one big outdoor afternoon, there are three smaller weekends and one Thursday evening between tomorrow and Thanksgiving. Most events are free, and most are indoors. Two of the anchor events are in the same building, Lawrence Barn at 28 Depot Road.
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Oct. 30, 4–6 p.m. | Trunk or Treat at Beaver Brook | Maple Hill Farm |
| Sat., Oct. 31, 3–5 p.m. | Trunk or Treat at Hollis Social Library | Library parking lot |
| Sat.–Sun., Nov. 7–8, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | Hollis Arts Society Art Show and Sale | Lawrence Barn, 28 Depot Rd. |
| Thu., Nov. 19, 7 p.m. | "Faces and Families: Folk-Art Portraits" | Lawrence Barn, 28 Depot Rd. |
| Sat., Nov. 21, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Hollis Elementary PTA Craft & Artisan Fair | 12 Drury Lane |
Beaver Brook Still Gets Its Fall Event, Just Smaller
Beaver Brook's fall season doesn't end with the canceled festival. Tomorrow, Friday, October 30, the association is holding a Trunk or Treat at Maple Hill Farm from 4 to 6 p.m. Cars set up at 3:30. The Beaver Brook listing adds a Halloween hike and outdoor exploring to the trunk-to-trunk candy route. It's free for all ages and happens rain or shine.
"Rain or shine" stands out after September. The festival had to be decided days ahead because of its size and setup. A two-hour event in a parking area with a hike attached can go ahead in weather that would have stopped the bigger one.
Halloween itself continues the next day. Hollis Social Library hosts its own Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 31, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the library parking lot. Families with friends in the next town over should know that Brookline's Trunk or Treat starts at 3 p.m. the same afternoon in the RMMS parking lot at 22 Milford Street.
Lawrence Barn Hosts Two of November's Anchor Events
The Hollis Arts Society calls its November show its biggest annual event. The Hollis Arts Society lists 2026 as the show's 19th year. It runs Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at Lawrence Barn. The society describes it as a place to see what local artists have been making and to find a one-of-a-kind holiday gift. With the September artisan market canceled, this is the first local-artist sale of the season on the Hollis calendar.
Twelve days later, the barn has a different kind of event. On Thursday, November 19, at 7 p.m., the Hollis Historical Society hosts "Faces and Families: Folk-Art Portraits," with presenter Kristen Weiss on the history and art of folk-art portraiture. According to the Hollis Brookline News listing, the program is free and open to the public, and refreshments are provided.
Put the two together and Lawrence Barn covers both sides of what the September market used to offer. One is a weekend of buying from working artists. The other is a weeknight evening on the craft traditions behind portrait painting in New England. Both events are a short drive from anywhere in town, so neither one takes up a whole day.
The same Saturday, three other options
The art show's first day falls on a busy Saturday, so here's how the morning can fit together.
- Hazardous waste drop-off. The Nashua Regional Planning Commission holds its last Household Hazardous Waste Collection of the 2026 season on November 7, 8 a.m. to noon, at the Nashua Park and Ride, 25 Crown Street. Hollis residents can attend. The fee is $20 per vehicle for up to 10 gallons of liquids or 20 pounds of solids. Latex and acrylic paint, electronics and medications aren't accepted. The full item list is on the NRPC site.
- A second craft weekend in Amherst. Treasures Antiques, Collectables & MORE! at 106 Ponemah Road holds its 32nd Annual Holiday Open House and Kitty Angels fundraiser on November 7 and 8, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It features more than 50 local craftsmen and artists. Admission is free.
- An evening show in Brookline. The FolkSoul Band plays Big Bear Lodge at the Andres Institute of Art, 106 Route 13, at 7 p.m. that night.
The Weekend Before Thanksgiving Belongs to Drury Lane
The last local-maker event before the holiday is the Hollis Elementary PTA's Craft & Artisan Fair on Saturday, November 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Hollis Elementary School, 12 Drury Lane. This is its third year. The listing promises handmade goods, unique finds and gifts, and presents the fair as a way to shop small and support the school community. The PTA is still accepting vendors through [email protected] or 603hepta.org.
A third-year fair is still a young event. Together with the 19-year-old Arts Society show, it gives Hollis two November gift-shopping weekends. One has been on the calendar for almost two decades. The other is still growing. That same night, the Ballou Brothers Band plays Big Bear Lodge in Brookline at 7 p.m. The listing says the band has been performing in the area for 50 years and that its 2025 return sold out quickly.
What Fills the Weekdays in Between
The scheduled events cover three weekends and a Thursday. The rest of the season runs on places that are open regardless of the calendar.
Beaver Brook's trails are free and open dawn to dusk all year. The association warns that flooding affects parts of the Jeff Smith Trail, including a boardwalk and a bridge area. Its Fall 2026 program flyer lists guided mushroom foraging, fitness hikes, yoga, and Birding Through the Seasons for adults, plus Outdoor Storytime and Homeschool Science for children and families. Teachers, librarians, youth-group leaders and homeschool parents can sign up for the Project WILD Educator Workshop on Tuesday, November 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The fee is $40, and advance registration is required.
Lull Farm at 65 Broad Street on Route 130 is open year-round, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The farm's own apple cider and cider donuts are on its Halloween at Lull Farm page. Call the Hollis store at 603-465-7079 for Thanksgiving turkey ordering.
Zacheria's, 85 Runnells Bridge Road, hosts free Sunday Night Music Bingo at 6:30 p.m. with gift card prizes. Its Sunday special is a large cheese pizza with six chicken tenders or six wings for $25 plus tax.
Single Origin Body is one of the newer businesses on Proctor Hill Road. Hollis Brookline News reported on October 11 that Mariana Fornazari opened the personalized training and Pilates studio at 22 Proctor Hill Road, Suite E.
Three Weekends, One Building, One Date for Next Year
Here's the season in order. Maple Hill Farm opens it tomorrow, rain or shine. Lawrence Barn holds the Arts Society show November 7 and 8 and the folk-art program November 19. The PTA fair at Drury Lane closes it on November 21, five days before Thanksgiving. Beaver Brook plans to hold the large outdoor festival again on Saturday, September 25, 2027.
Rebecca Curran follows Hollis's seasons closely, including the events that bring people to Depot Road and Ridge Road and the stretch of the year when properties here show best. If you're wondering how your Hollis home would look to buyers this winter compared with next fall, Rebecca Curran Realty can start with a clear, data-backed number. Get Your Instant Home Valuation.
