Events Licensed By the City Council
The City of Keene’s protocol process assesses and mitigates potential risks associated with public events. Prior to issuing licenses, the City reviews plans for crowd management, security measures, emergency response plans, and traffic control. By carefully considering these details, the City aims to enhance community safety and security. This process creates a well-prepared and secure environment for attendees and the broader community.
The following schedule lists community-organized events licensed by the City Council.
Community-Organized Events in 2026
- February 7: Ice & Snow Festival, Downtown
- June 6: Taste of Keene Food Festival, Downtown
- July 3: Independence Eve, Alumni Field
- July 4: 4 on the 4th Road Race, Downtown
- July 4: 250th Independence Celebration, Downtown
- July 25: Keep Keene Wild Festival, Downtown
- September 5: Keene Music Festival, Downtown
- September 12: Keene Theater Festival, Downtown
- September 20: Keene Pride Festival, Downtown
- September 27: Clarence DeMar Marathon and Half Marathon, check-in at Keene State College in Downtown
- October 10: Pet Lovers Weekend, Downtown
- October 17: Keene Pumpkin Festival, Downtown
- November 27: Tree Lighting Ceremony, Downtown
- November 27: Holiday Lights Festival, Downtown
(Additional events licensed administratively or not community-organized do not appear on this list.)
Organizers often use services such as MyKeeneNow, the Keene Sentinel’s ELF Events Calendar, Discover Monadnock, and Explore Keene to post and publicly notice their scheduled events.
The Keene Recreation Center offers a wide variety of community events for all ages throughout the year. See them at KeeneParks.com.