HOOKSETT - There was no shortage of things to do or food to enjoy Saturday, Sept. 22, as local businesses, organizations and teams took over the grounds behind Hooksett Town Hall for the 2012 Old Home Day.

For many in Hooksett, however, the yearly event is simply a chance to spend a day with their town. Old neighbors took newcomers around the grounds to meet the locals; parents watched their children and their friends’ children perform together, singing and doing gymnastics; patrons of the Northern Red Popper and Robie’s Country Deli mingled with staff and owners; a Boy Scout from Troop 292, holding a sign that read “Do What We Do,” danced at his booth to a young girl singing onstage for the Miss Old Home Day pageant.

“It’s neat to see the town come together and have a fun day out in the sun,” said Gayle Maddox, 46, of Hooksett. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to see what’s going on in Hooksett, (and it’s a) fun day for my daughter. She gets to go out and play in the bounce house and listen to Hooksett Idol and have all kinds of fun.”

Attendees navigated the rows of tents featuring local businesses and groups, such as the Team Link School of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Mixed Martial Arts and Spotlight Video Productions. A steady crowd surrounded the stage, however, to watch events like the AmeriKids demo, Handstand Around the World in celebration of National Gymnastics Day and the Miss Old Home Day pageant, hosted by Mrs. New Hampshire 2012 winner Carrie Alex, 35, of Rochester.

Alex, though not a Hooksett native, was enthusiastic about the day.

“Everything went great today,” she said. “All the girls were wonderful. I loved all the food and the booths. We had fun. I think (Old Home Day) is great. I think that my town needs to have something like this.”

In a poignant inversion of Old Home Day’s original purpose of recalling New England emigrants to their roots, for some the day provided an opportunity to discover their new home. Laura Malito moved to Hooksett three months ago with her husband and young son from Rome, after he was hired as an administrator at Southern New Hampshire University.

“We’re just adjusting,” she said, after shyly apologizing for her English. “This is our first kind of experience in America. It was fun. We met nice people and had good food. We read about it in the newspaper, and we were curious to know more about where we live.”

The business tents were not without newcomers themselves. New England’s Tap House Grille, which will open on 1292 Hooksett Road this November, offered samples of bruschetta and pulled pork and took time to get to know their prospective patrons. The chefs working the tent were pleased with the reception.

“It’s a hit,” said one of them of their pulled pork. “We keep running out of it.”

For all the spectacle, food and shopping that Old Home Day offered, however, Hooksett residents like Katie Kale agree that “it’s nice to just mingle and meet people in the town.”

“We had a great turnout,” said Carrie Hyde, chairman of the Hooksett Old Home Day Committee. “My focus for Old Home Day is family and community, and I think we achieved that this year.”

Care to share your thoughts on this year’s Old Home Day in Hooksett? The Old Home Day committee welcomes your feedback. They invite attendees to get in touch with them by email at hooksettoldhome day@gmail.com or go to hook settoldhomeday.org and fill out the contact form.

Winners of contests

The winner of the Miss Hooksett Old Home Day contest was Stephanie Black. Runner-up was Sydney Peno.

In the Hooksett Idol talent show, Haley Kaufman won for the 6- to 12-year-old age group.Faith Gormley took first place in the 13- to 17-year-old group.

The car show raised $200 towards Hear in NH, and the winners were:

First place – Deb 70
Second place – Unbroken
Third place – Plumb Crazy
Winning the pizza-eating contests were:
Ages 6 to10 – Ethan
Ages 11to15 – Rhiannon
Ages 16 and older – Beth
Winning the pie-eating contests were:
Ages 6 to 10 – Philip
Ages 11to15 – Albin
Ages 16 and older – Nicholas