Exeter UFO Festival Looking for Volunteers

The festival will be held in August.

The Exeter Kiwanis, which saved this year's Exeter UFO Festival, is looking for volunteers. The festival was in jeopardy after its founder, Dean Merchant, said he was going to be taking a break from his duties. Merchant started the festival four years ago. It has drawn thousands of visitors to downtown Exeter. The Kiwanis group, which has sponsored festival in years past, stepped up to take on the organizing responsibilities this year. "It's such a great event for the town," said Pam Gjettum, the Kiwanis group's secretary. The festival, which is free to attend, is family-friendly, Gjettum said. There events like an alien-themed pet costume contest. [Sign up for Exeter Patch's daily newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

NHPR Segment on Saved Exeter UFO Festival

The Exeter Kiwanis saved the annual festival.

Organizers Excited to Continue UFO Festival

The Exeter Kiwanis saved the festival this year.

The Exeter Kiwanis is excited to continue the annual Exeter UFO Festival this year. The festival was in jeopardy after its founder, Dean Merchant, said he was going to be taking a break from his duties. Merchant started the festival four years ago. It has drawn thousands of visitors to downtown Exeter. The Kiwanis group, which has sponsored festival in years past, stepped up to take on the organizing responsibilites this year. "It's such a great event for the town," said Pam Gjettum, the Kiwanis group's secretary. The festival, which is free to attend, is family-friendly, Gjettum said. There events like an alien-themed pet costume contest. [Sign up for Exeter Patch's daily newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for Exeter-area …

• Photos (2)

Exeter UFO Festival Saved

After the organizer announced it would be canceled, a local group stepped up to save it.

Exeter UFO Festival Saved

After the organizer announced it would be canceled, a local group stepped up to save it.

The annual Exeter UFO Festival will go on as planned this year thanks to a local group, according to the festival's former organizer. Dean Merchant said last week that the festival was going to be canceled in 2013, as he was stepping down from his organizer position. The Exeter Kiwanis, which has sponsored the festival in the past, stepped up and will organize the festival this year, Merchant said. "It will work out because people support the festival," Merchant said. The tentative date for this year's festival is Aug. 31—earlier than in years past. [Sign up for Exeter Patch's daily newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for Exeter-area news] The festival has been held downtown for the last four years, drawing UFO enthusiasts …

• Photos (1)

No Exeter UFO Festival This Year?

It has been held downtown for the last four years.

Organizer: No Exeter UFO Festival This Year

It has been held downtown for the last four years.

The annual Exeter UFO Festival scheduled for this fall has been canceled, according to its organizer. The festival has been held downtown for the last four years, drawing UFO enthusiasts from across the country. Dean Merchant said he's taking a break from organizing the festival this year and said he's looking for someone else to take the reins. He said he wanted to make the cancellation announcement now so people who planned on attending by making hotel reservations don't get stuck. [Sign up for Exeter Patch's daily newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for Exeter-area news] Merchant said he hopes the festival can be continued in 2014. "I still hope things can work out in some fashion to continue the Exeter UFO festival," he …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (2)

UFO Festival Invades Downtown Exeter

Following the Blue Moon Friday night, folks from all over the country met at the Town Hall in Exeter for an out of this world gathering.

The interest in extraterrestrials on Earth really gained momentum in 1962 after the Twilight Zone episode: To Serve Man. After that aired, most people lived in fear that they would end up on an alien’s dinner plate. Then came ET and the world fell in love with extraterrestrials. Today, there are those who are sure that aliens walk among us, those who believe that those folks are crazy, and those who are intrigued by the idea. On Saturday, believers and fans of life on galaxies beyond our own met in Exeter for the Fourth Annual Exeter UFO Festival. Dean Merchant, the original organizer of this event, is a New Hampshire native with a keen interest in the facts and fiction surrounding the presence of extraterrestrials. Over the years, he has …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (19)

Chris McCarthy

1:07 pm on Sunday, September 2, 2012

It sure was Mac! Lots of great energy and lots to learn.   more ›

Exeter UFO Festival Kicks Off Today

It will be held downtown all day.

The fourth annual Exeter UFO Festival will be held in downtown Exeter all day today. Click here for in image gallery of last year's festival. Below is a schedule: Town Hall Speakers Schedule (Master of Ceremonies – Richard Dolan) 8 a.m. Doors open 8:15 a.m. Welcome Raymond Fowler tribute-Induction into Exeter UFO Festival Hall of Fame/Dr. Eugene Mallove Remembrance 8:30-9:30 a.m. Stephen Mather-lees: Extraterrestrials: They Are Here Now 9:45-10:45 a.m. Wayne Green: Cold Fusion: Totally Changing the World 11:00-12:30 p.m. Dr. Ted Loder: ET Contact: The Implications for Post Contact Advancements in Science and Technology 12:30-1:30 p.m. Lunch 1:30-3 p.m. Richard Dolan: UFOs for the 21st Century Mind 3:15-4:45 p.m. Karyn Dolan: High …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Daily Briefing

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Sept. 6

Town trash and recycling pickup resume this week.

1. TRASH/RECYCLING UPDATE. Trash and recycling pickup will resume today after it was delayed yesterday for the Labor Day holiday. It will be delayed one day all week, so if your normal pickup is today, it will happen tomorrow. 2. SARAH PALIN STOPS IN NH. Sarah Palin spoke at a rally in Manchester yesterday. Check out our video. 3. 9/11 10TH ANNIVERSARY COVERAGE. All week, we are posting stories about how the Exeter community has been affected since 9/11. Look for a video tomorrow. 4. THIS DAY IN HISTORY: On this day in 1995, Cal Ripken Jr of the Baltimore Orioles plays in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking Lou Gehrig's record. 5. DID YOU KNOW? The third annual Exeter UFO Festival was held this weekend. Check our image gallery!

• Photos (1)