Residents have a packed schedule of free and low-cost events across both towns the weekend of July 11, starting with a piano concert Saturday afternoon in downtown Andover.
Pianist DJ Cleavinger performs "Fanfare to the Founders" on Saturday, July 11, at 2 p.m. in Memorial Hall at Memorial Hall Library, 2 N. Main St., Andover. Doors open at 1:45 p.m. and seating is first-come, first-served, according to the town of Andover's events calendar. The Friends of Memorial Hall Library funded the performance.
The Purple Couch Bookshop in North Andover kicks off a busy Sunday with its Romantasy (romance-fantasy) Book Club at 1 p.m. The group will discuss "The Raven Scholar" by Antonia Hodgson. The shop, at 350 Winthrop Ave., Unit 9b, welcomes readers whether they've finished the book or not. Attendance is free; an RSVP through Eventbrite is requested.
Also at 1 p.m., Memorial Hall Library hosts its Board Games Club at 2 N. Main St., Andover, according to the Patch AM North Andover community calendar. Kids can join a Dungeons & Dragons session in the library's Activity Room at 2 p.m.
Down the road in North Andover, Painting with a Twist (10 High St.) offers a "Deep Blue Orca" painting session at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at paintingwithatwist.com.
History buffs can explore Andover's Shawsheen Village with two walking tours led by the Andover Center for History & Culture. The West tour departs at 10:30 a.m. and the East tour at 1 p.m., both from 97 Main St. Registration is required; cost is pay-what-you-like. The center posts registration details on its social media pages.
The Purple Couch Bookshop hosts a second gathering on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. Its Queer Book Club will discuss "Red, White, and Royal Blue" by Casey McQuiston.
Memorial Hall Library brings storytime outdoors with Stories on the Steps, Saturday, July 18, from 10 to 10:30 a.m. on the library's back steps. The drop-in program is geared toward children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. The library moves the program indoors in poor weather.
The Andover Center for History & Culture adds another walking tour that morning, covering the Upper Andover area at 10:30 a.m. from 97 Main St.
Upcoming community calendar
- Saturday, July 11: Fanfare to the Founders Piano Concert, 2 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, Andover
- Sunday, July 12: Romantasy Book Club, 1 p.m., The Purple Couch Bookshop, North Andover
- Sunday, July 12: Board Games Club, 1 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, Andover
- Sunday, July 12: Shawsheen Village walking tours, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., Andover Center for History & Culture
- Sunday, July 12: Deep Blue Orca painting, 2 p.m., Painting with a Twist, North Andover
- Sunday, July 12: Dungeons & Dragons for Kids, 2 p.m., Memorial Hall Library, Andover
- Wednesday, July 15: Queer Book Club, 7 p.m., The Purple Couch Bookshop, North Andover
- Saturday, July 18: Stories on the Steps, 10 a.m., Memorial Hall Library, Andover
- Saturday, July 18: Upper Andover walking tour, 10:30 a.m., Andover Center for History & Culture
