First race recommendation - New England

One fun event is the Esprit triathlon in Montreal. This was my first tri.  The only down side is that it is held in September, end of the season.  Lots of first timers do attend. 

Mike  

So what?  Sign up anyway if its an advertised race.  Most triathletes are not the type to be snobbish enough to exclude beginners - although I'd have to wonder about your neighbor not encouraging you to do it. They were all first-timers at one point.  Good luck. 

 .... we have a local series here, but my neighbor, who competes, told me that there are seldom first timers signed up.  It is usually just the same group and is fairly competitive. ..

Geez, your neighbour is not really nurturing your triathlon ambitions is he?!?  "Seldom first timers" only means that there are some first timers but that they are few.  "Usually the same group" only means that the group does vary, if only slightly.  As for that group being "competitive", so what?  A triathlon IS, after all, a competition.  It's not as if this is an ultimate fighter competition.  What's the worst that could happen?  You might come in last ... big deal!

Forget about what your neighbour said and sign up for the spring opener in your local tri series.  If he tries to discourage you, tell him to dry up and blow away!

My vote is for Timberman - the race organizers make first timers feel so at home!  Plus the course is challenging, but not unreasonable.  Endorfun races are top-notch - from organization, to food, to goodie bags - the whole nine yards.  Timberman in August; if you wanted to squeeze one more in this year, consider Tri Clough in Goffstown, NH in September (just West of Manchester).  Beautiful course, challenging bike, run is partially off-road around this gorgeous state park.  Really fun.

Responding to suggestions above: Montreal Esprit is really fun, but the swimming basin is scary - I did it as my 10th tri, and would not recommend it for my first.  Eastman Splash n' Dash is fun, but note the bike course is very hilly (Very!) and the run is all off-road, so train accordingly. 

No worries!  It is a fun race - there are comparable hills in Bow, Goffstown, etc. that you can train on.  The hilly part is right out of transition and doesn't last long, so train for bursts of climbing, then 45 minutes of rollers (easy! crusing!), then back over some good hills.  The run is very similar - very hilly at first, then you coast over 2.5 miles of easy peezy stuff; the run course is a big circle, so you repeat the hills again before you coast into the finish.  Practice some trail stuff this spring and you'll do fine.  Get comfy driving up and running downhill on on uneven terrain.