Hello there, fair readers, and welcome to the Concord Insider's annual guide to Market Days."And just what is Market Days?" you may be asking yourself, "and why should I give a rat's behind?"Lucky for you, reader, we're here to enlighten you: Market Days is the biggest and best party downtown Concord throws every summer.It's three days of entertainment, food, events and lots of…

DAILY Go and buy yourself something fancy   Art lovers, rejoice. This year, Market Days features a full three days of the Concord Arts Market, which graces Bicentennial Square on Saturday mornings during summertime. The market features wares from local artisans, with everything from ceramics to paintings, jewelry to clothing. Hop on down and pick up something nice for yourself. The market is happening daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Eagle Square. History in your own backyard . . . for free! Hey, history buffs, looking for a chance to learn more about New Hampshire’s past? Then hit up…

The Blues Party Band The Blues Party Band is the headline act at Market Days this year. Led by sax legend Deric Dyer, the band consists of Cliff Goodwin, Marty Richards, Wolf Ginandes and Mitch Chakour. With an impressive resume (members can boast about playing with Joe Cocker, J. Geils Band and Joe Perry, among others) and some serious chops, the Blues Party Band promises to be a funky good time. Christine Ohlman…

Hey readers, wanna participate in our Market Days scavenger hunt? Of course you do! Here's the deal: We want photos of the following items to run in an upcoming issue. A randomly-selected winner will get a $15 gift certificate to a downtown business of their choosing. Here's what we want:Someone you know eating an unhealthy treat.People grooving to music.• A political candidate shaking someone's hand.• A happy clown.• You and a cute cow.• Someone on roller skates.• A fashionista strutting her stuff.A vintage car or motorcycle.Send your best photos to news@theconcordinsider.com.…

Take a walk around Market Days this weekend and you may see Concord's shoppers sporting a hot new fashion trend. Is it just you, or is everyone rocking an oversized green shopping tote? Well, if the folks at Be Local Concord have their way, those jolly green bags will be omnipresent.Be Local Concord is a coalition of locally-owned businesses banding together to provide Concordians with an incentive for shopping at their stores. The movement, which already has 50 businesses and non-profits signed up as founding members, launches at Market Days. For $10, shoppers can sign up for a year's…

Any big differences we should know about for this year? The area of Pleasant Street between North State and Storrs is shut down to traffic, so what that allows is the bridging of North Main and South Main without having to wait for traffic and opens it up. . . . It increases safety and frees up police coverage to do other things. . . . There will be some designated spots for citizens that fit the requirement for handicapped accessibility on Pleasant Street, between State and Main, on the north side of the street. . . . For safety, we're also going to be paying closer attention to folks that…