KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) The Historical Society of Cheshire County is encouraging Monadnock Region residents to embrace one of summer’s quirkiest traditions by celebrating International Leave a Zucchini on Your Neighbor’s Porch Day on Aug. 8.

To mark the unofficial holiday, the historical society has created printable gift tags that read, “Someone thought you could use a zucchini. August 8 is International Leave a Zucchini on Your Neighbor’s Porch Day.” Residents can download the tags or pick them up at the society’s headquarters at 246 Main St. in Keene before anonymously sharing extra zucchini with friends or neighbors.

The celebration also serves as a preview of the Historical Society’s upcoming exhibit, Zukes No Cukes: The Story of the International Zucchini Festival of the 1980s, which opens Sept. 2 and runs through Dec. 31.

As preparations continue, the society is asking the public to help recreate the history of the once-popular festival, which was held in Harrisville, Keene and Nelson during the 1980s.

Organizers are seeking loans or donations of festival memorabilia, including T-shirts, buttons, pins, programs, costumes, prize ribbons, photographs and even wedding albums connected to the event. Loaned items will be returned after the exhibit closes, while donated items will become part of the society’s permanent collection.

Anyone with memorabilia or questions about contributing to the exhibit can contact the Historical Society of Cheshire County at 352-1895 or by email at hscc@hsccnh.org.

The society is also celebrating zucchini season with the release of a new cookbook, Gadzukes, That’s Tasty!, a collection of zucchini recipes featuring soups, salads, pasta dishes, main courses, pickles, relishes, side dishes and a variety of zucchini breads.

The cookbook is available for pre-order through the Historical Society’s Museum Store for $20 per copy or three copies for $50, with organizers suggesting extra copies make fitting gifts for the Aug. 8 zucchini holiday.