BankNH Pavilion facts for kids
| Former names | Meadowbrook Farm (1996–2001) Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center (2001–07) Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion (2007–13) Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (2013–2023) BankNH Pavilion (2023–present) |
|---|---|
| Address | 72 Meadowbrook Ln Gilford, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 43°34′48″N 71°24′47″W / 43.58000°N 71.41306°W |
| Owner | Meadowbrook Amphitheater Holdings |
| Operator | Live Nation |
| Capacity | 9,000 |
| Opened | August 16, 1996 |
The BankNH Pavilion is a cool outdoor concert place in Gilford, New Hampshire. It's close to Lake Winnipesaukee. This big stage opened in 1996. It can hold almost 9,000 people for shows! About 6,000 seats are under a roof. There are also special lawn seats and general lawn areas for more fans.
Contents
History of the Pavilion
How It Started
The land where the BankNH Pavilion now stands was once owned by the Miller family. They used it for fun family trips and summer breaks. In the early 1900s, small cottages started appearing there. The Miller family even held concerts and gatherings on the land. Even though the concert venue land changed owners, the Miller family still owns property right next to it today.
Growing Bigger and Better
In early 1996, the area became a summer concert spot called "Meadowbrook Farm." It had a temporary stage and seats for about 4,500 people. Five years later, in 2001, it was renamed the "Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center." This new name showed that it was becoming a more serious music venue. Soon, a permanent stage was built.
In 2002, the venue got a big makeover. A roof was added over the main seating area. This created 3,097 reserved seats. There were also 540 special lawn seats and 2,850 general lawn seats. This made the venue much more comfortable for concertgoers.
New Features and Names
In 2005, Meadowbrook added its "Second Stage." This was a tented area with a snack bar. Local bands would play there before and after the main concerts. In 2007, a company called U.S. Cellular made a deal to put their name on the venue. It became the "Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion." That same year, the venue was even nominated for "Venue of the Year" by the Academy of Country Music.
In 2013, the pavilion grew even more. Nearly 3,000 more covered seats were added. Two new parking lots and a second road were also built. In April 2013, the venue changed its name again to the "Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion." In 2023, it got its current name, the BankNH Pavilion.
Record-Breaking Shows
The music group Sugarland holds the record for the most people at a show there. Their concert on September 5, 2010, was completely sold out. It was the second time in two years that Sugarland had a sold-out show at the venue!
See also
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
