Keene New Hampshire is considered a small city. It has a population of 23,400 and is the most populated town in Cheshire county. The town is about a 20 minute drive north of Massachusetts and 15 minutes East of the Vermont border. The surrounding area is rural with small populations and very few businesses so Keene is the hub of the region. Keene used to be a industrial town but now only a few old factories remain and are used as offices or shopping centers.Mount Manadnock looks over the city and is one of the most frequently climbed mountains in the country and brings in many visitors. The surrounding area is known as the “Manadnock region”.
The Pumpkin Festival is held in downtown Keene on main street. The downtown is only a short walk away from Keene State College’s campus so the school and the town are very close. The riots began on the side roads inbetween the campus and the downtown where most off campus housing is. This kept the riots from actually happening at the festival.