CONNECT Event

Beautiful orchard views. Local food by CC&D’s Kitchen Market. Wagon rides, stargazing, storytelling around the fire pit, and engaging conversations with rural thinkers and doers from across the country.

This year marks the 19th annual CONNECT Event—a beloved tradition that’s grown and evolved over nearly two decades, but has always been rooted in one powerful idea: connection fuels rural transformation. When we come together across sectors and silos, we shape and share ideas that move our communities forward. We’re thrilled to return to Alyson’s Orchard—the very place where CONNECT was first held in 2006.

This year’s CONNECT will also feature a special showcase of Foodstories, a multimedia project created by Shanta Lee Gander. Through photography, oral storytelling, and film, Foodstories explores the deep relationship between food, identity, memory, and place. From ancestral dishes to local ingredients, the project amplifies voices and traditions that reflect the diversity and resilience of rural life. We’re honored to share this work as part of CONNECT and invite you to reflect on the many ways food connects us, carries our stories, and resonates across generations.

Already registered for Radically Rural? Your CONNECT ticket is included.

Just want to attend CONNECT? Community members are welcome! Purchase standalone tickets HERE.

Taking the shuttle from downtown Keene? Buses will run between the Courtyard Marriott and Alyson’s Orchard until 8:00 PM.