Category: Cover Stories

Completely, totally, mostly free and free-ish fun things to do, see and enjoy

Library, more like “free-brary”

Libraries are the kings of free fun.

1. Your local library of course offers books, magazines, graphic novels, audiobooks and other physical media free for you to borrow with only your library card, which usually requires just proof of residency (or employment in that town, if you want to load up on library memberships) like a bill or your driver’s license (some area libraries also specifically ask that you bring a photo ID). But those aren’t the only free offerings.

2. Ebooks and e-audiobooks are available, along with magazines, newspapers and more, via apps such as Libby, Overdrive and Hoopla, which are accessible once you get your library card. Depending on the app, you can check out a specific number of titles per month or at a time. Instructions on your library’s website explain how to get the title onto your device.

3. Kanopy membership is another perk offered by area libraries. A streaming service for movies and TV shows, Kanopy is a solid service for movie fans, with a selection that includes wide- and more limited-release feature films, documentaries, world cinema and relatively recent releases, such as 2023’s Beau Is Afraid and Kelly Reichhardt’s Showing Up, as well as last year’s Oscar winner Everything Everywhere All At Once. There is also currently a whole tab of A24 movies. The movies cost two tickets each to watch (for example, Bedford Library patrons get 16 tickets per month). You can watch a Great Courses class (a “Cooking Through the Ages” class costs five tickets) or a TV show (Series 1 of Luther costs four tickets).

4. In addition to things to watch and read, many local libraries also lend stuff. The Library of Thingsat the Concord Public Library (concordpubliclibrary.net) includes a ukulele, a ghost meter, a karaoke machine, a telescope and a pickleball set. The Bedford Public Library’s (bedfordnhlibrary.org) Library of Things includes a portable projector and portable screen, binoculars and more. The Manchester City Library (manchester.lib.nh.us) has telescopes, framed prints and Playaway Launchpads. Borrow an XBox, an electric guitar, night vision binoculars or the board game Exploding Kittens via the Merrimack Public Library (merrimacklibrary.org). Check out a Game of Thrones board game, a virtual reality headset or a bird-watching set at the Kelley Library in Salem (kelleylibrary.org). Like several other local libraries, the Nashua Public Library (nashualibrary.org) has a Puzzle Exchange, where you can leave a puzzle, take a puzzle.

5. Stuff also includes seeds — many area libraries have a Seed Library to help you plan and plant your garden. “Check out” seeds for veggies, herbs and other plants and get instructions on how to collect and return the seeds from that plant after the growing season. Area libraries offering seed libraries and exchanges include Goffstown Public Library (goffstownlibrary.com), Bedford Public Library, the Smyth Public Library in Candia (smythpl.org), Nashua Public Library, Manchester City Library, and the Wadleigh Memorial Library in Milford (wadleighlibrary.org).

6. And take a day trip to an area cultural site with the museum passes available to cardholders at pretty much all area libraries. What admissions are free and what admissions may be discounted vary by museum: For example, via the Griffin Free Public Library in Auburn (griffinfree.org), passes for the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire and the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center get you up to four free admissions for those locations, while the pass for the Currier Museum of Art gets you half off two adult and all youth admissions. The list of participating museums varies by libraries but often includes Boston attractions as well as New Hampshire sites.

7. As with the “libraries offer books” example, it might seem obvious to mention all the events at area libraries but it’s more than just storytimes for kids and book clubs (though pretty much all libraries do have those and the storytimes are often specific to certain ages, offering entertainment specifically geared toward, say, the youngest toddler or the wiggliest preschooler). Among the offerings: JerriAnne Boggis, executive director of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, discusses the Trail and African American history in Concord Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m. at the Concord Public Library (concordpubliclibrary.net); Nashua Public Library will screen Blazing Saddles on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 1:30 p.m., and the Manchester City Library (manchester.lib.nh.us) offers an evening with romance authors Ali Hazelwood, Nikki Payne and Denise Williams via Zoom on Monday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m.

8. You can even hold a book club, board game night or kid graphic novel club of your own at your library by using one of their meeting rooms. The rooms are often free to reserve (which you can do at many libraries online).

Arts & culture for free

Enjoy the experience of checking out some locally created and/or visual or performing arts — and then support it with donations or by purchasing works.

9. The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester (currier.org) offers free admission on the Second Saturday of each month to New Hampshire residents — the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Active-duty military and their families and veterans can also get free admission any time (Currier also has special offers for free or discounted admission for members of certain associations and for faculty, staff and students at some area colleges; see the website).

10. You can also go in depth on Currier collections and exhibitions from home on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. as part of “Art Conversations From Home.” The 30-minute Zoom registrations are free, though registration is required.

You can also check out the exhibitions in area art galleries, many of which have public hours and often hold artist receptions near the beginning of the show. Current shows include:

11. “All Heart Statuses,” an exhibition featuring works with a variety of approaches to love and emotion, on display at the Mosaic Art Collective in Manchester (mosaicartcollective.com) through Wednesday, Feb. 28. The gallery is open Wednesday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. See Michael Witthaus’ story about the exhibition in the Feb. 8 issue of the Hippo.

12. “Nature in Focus: Image of Flora, Fauna and Landscapes of New England” at the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; nhaudubon.org) Friday, March 8. The show features nature photography by Bob Fleck, a New Hampshire author and photographer, according to a press release. Visit the exhibition Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

13. “Blossoming Beyond,” an exhibition that “showcases work that embodies the resilience, strength and beauty of both the natural world and the LGBTQ+ community,” according to queerlective.com, at the New Hampshire Audubon Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn). The exhibit will be on display through Saturday, March 30; visit Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

14. Artists Brenda McDonald, Seth Dewey, Craig Michaud and Dan Splaine have works on display at the Sandy Cleary Community Art Gallery at the Nashua Center for the Arts (nashuacenterforthearts.com) through the end of March.

15. The works of Susan Rock, including pieces about Abraham Lincoln, are on display at Two Villages Art Society (Bates Building, 846 Main St. in Hopkinton; twovillagesart.org) through Saturday, March 2. The gallery is open Thursdays through Sundays, from noon to 4 p.m.

16. Check out the League of NH Craftsmen galleries in Concord (open Monday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Nashua (open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) for fine crafts by juried members on display (and available for purchase). See nhcrafts.org.

17. See the sculptures created as part of the Nashua International Sculpture Symposium installed at locations around the Gate City. Find a map to all the pieces at nashuasculpturesymposium.org, where you can get information about each of the sculptures.

18. Art and nature meet at the Andres Institute of Art in Brookline (andresinstitute.org), where more than 100 sculptures are positioned on the institute’s 140 acres, which are open daily from dawn to dusk and are free (donations accepted). Find maps to the trails, which include which sculptures you’ll find where, on the website, where you can also see the art and get information on the artists.

19. Take a drive, then take a stroll for some art. The Portsmouth downtown area hosts the Art ’Round Town gallery walk on the first Friday of every month from 5 to 8 p.m. (14 Market Square). Explore the art scene in this creative historical community by visiting different art galleries downtown. Visit artroundtown.org.

20. In Exeter, it’s the 2nd Friday Art Walk 5 to 7 p.m. — see the exhibits at the Seacoast Artists Association (seacoastartist.org), Foundation Art Space (teamexeter.com/foundation-art-space.html) and more. See teamexeter.com.

21. The Walker Lecture Series offers music, performances, lectures and more for free at the Concord City Auditorium (theaudi.org/events). Upcoming events include the Freese Brothers Big Band on Wednesday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m.; Man on the Hill, described as a two-act performance that mixes music and story, on Wednesday, March 13, at 7 p.m. and “Exotic and Tropical Asia, a Travelogue with Marlin Darrah” on Wednesday, March 20, at 7 p.m.

22. The Bach’s Lunch series at the Concord Community Music School (ccmusicschool.org) offers quick free concerts, usually 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. Next up is “A Mountain in Miniature: Exploring the Irish Musical Tradition through the Lens of a Single Tune” on Thursday, March 7.

23. The Concord Community Music School also hosts regular student recitals, which are free to attend. Next on the schedule is the Integrated Arts recital on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. where participants can display visual art they’ve created during their musical performances, according to the website.

24. The Manchester Community Music School regularly hosts free faculty concerts (online registration is required; there is also a virtual attendance option). Next up is a tribute to Nat King Cole on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. Visit mcmusicschool.org.

25. The Nashua Community Music School (nashuacms.org/recitals) has student recitals that are free and open to the public. Next up are recitals on Friday, March 22, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, March 23, with times at 2, 4 and 6 p.m.

26. The New Hampshire Historical Society offers free events, most at its 30 Park St. location in Concord (though some are held elsewhere). Upcoming events include the lecture “Late in Arriving: How Electricity Changed Rural New Hampshire” by Steve Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m.; a book talk by Alan Rumrill about his Monadnock Originals on Saturday, March 9, at 2 p.m., and a free family fun day on Saturday, March 16, from 2 to 4 p.m. that will feature games, crafts, storytelling and more, according to nhhistory.org.

27. New Hampshire Humanities holds a variety of events — book talks, history lectures, musical performances and more — some of which are in person at locations across the state, some virtual and a few hybrid. Upcoming events include “Liberty Is Our Motto!: Songs and Stories of the Hutchinson Family Singers” with Steve Blunt portraying a mid-19th century entertainer on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6 p.m. at the Canterbury Town Hall; “Songs of Old New Hampshire” presented by Jeff Warner at the Hooksett Public Library on Friday, Feb. 16, at 11 a.m., and “Banjos, Bones & Ballads” also presented by Warner on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 11 a.m. Some events require pre-registration; see nhhumanities.org/programs.

28. Slam Free or Die, an ongoing poetry open mic and slam series, takes place every Thursday night at Stark Brewing Co. in Manchester. Follow them on Facebook @slamfreeordie for updates on upcoming events and appearances.

29. The Poetry Society of New Hampshire holds regular readings, usually the third Wednesday of each month, at Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord (gibsonsbookstore.com) often with an open mic following reading by a published poet. Next up is Chard deNiord at the event on Wednesday, Feb. 21, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

30. Gibson’s Bookstore also holds regular in-store author events that are free — though you can upgrade the experience by buying the author’s book and getting it signed. Next up are Margo Cooper to discuss Deep Inside the Blues: Photographs and Interviews (Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 6:30 p.m.) and Leila Philip to discuss Beaver Land: How One Weird Rodent Made America(Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 6:30 p.m). See gibsonsbookstore.com for the calendar and to sign up for their newsletter.

31. Balin Books in Nashua (balinbooks.com) regularly offers author events. Next on the schedule is Civics 101 podcasters Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice to discuss their book A User’s Guide to Democracy on Saturday, March 9, at 2 p.m.

32. Bookery Manchester (bookerymht.com) has a schedule full of author events including upcoming events with Michaela Horan to discuss Rolling Hills and the Sword of Avalon (Saturday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m.); Fox Hollow to discuss Heart Strings (Sunday, Feb. 18, at 3 p.m.) and Midge Goldberg, editor of Outer Space: 100 Poems (Friday, March 15, at 5:30 p.m.). Bookery will also host NAV Arts writers open mic on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 5 p.m.

Free in the outdoors

Walking outside your door is free — but what if you’re looking for some more specific outdoor adventures?

33. The network of more than 35 miles of trails at Beaver Brook Association in Hollis (beaverbrook.org) is free and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. Find trail maps, including to accessible trails, on the website.

34. Another stop at Beaver Brook is Maple Hill Gardens (at the 117 Ridge Road in Hollis location). The 13 themed gardens are also free and open for daily viewing, with the best season for viewing April through October, according to the website, which also said there is a natural play area, a demonstration compost court, picnic areas and a wildflower trail.

35. The New Hampshire Audubon manages 39 wildlife sanctuaries throughout the state that are free to visit and open to the public. See nhaudubon.org/lands/sanctuaries for a list of the sanctuaries, many of which, such as the Massabesic Center/Battery Point Wildlife Sanctuary in Auburn and the Ponemah Bog in Amherst, have links to trail guides, maps, birding tips and more.

36. The Manchester Cedar Swamp (nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/manchester-cedar-swamp-preserve) offers free dawn-to-dusk trails of 1.8 miles that are universally accessible including to people using wheelchairs, strollers and other adaptive devices according to the website, where you can find a trail map and more.

City parks offer spots for picnics, playtime and other recreation. A few to check out:

37. Mine Falls Park features trails from roughly a third of a mile to nearly 3 miles; see nashuanh.gov/491/Mine-Falls-Park for a map.

38. Stark Park in north Manchester features a “Walk in the Woods” trail network, an outdoor nature playspace and more; see starkpark.com.

39. Livingston Park (manchesternh.gov) is a 131-acre park in north Manchester that features a playground, a summertime swimming pool, sports fields and facilities, and walking trails around Dorrs Pond, according to the website.

40. White Park in Concord features the Monkey Around Playground, a seasonal splash pad, basketball courts, an ice skating rink (weather permitting), walking trails and more, according to concordnh.gov.

41. Watson Park in Merrimack offers a gaga pit, picnic spots, a butterfly garden and ice skating (weather permitting); see merrimackparksandrec.org.

42. The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill in Bedford (theeducationalfarm.org) is free to visit daily, dusk till dawn, and features hiking, walking and cross country skiing trails (see maps on the website) as well as farm animals to visit. Upgrade the experience by purchasing $5 grain cups or by doing some shopping at the farm stand.

43. Get state park admission for free — sort of.In this case “free” is going to cost you about $93. For an annual $85, plus a one-time $8 new license plate fee, you can get a New Hampshire State Park license plate for your car. The revenues from the plate go to the State Parks Fund, which helps pay for the operation of the parks, according to nhstateparks.org. The plates (with a current registration) get you free admission to more than two dozen state parks, including Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham and Wallis Sands State Park in Rye. See nhstateparks.org for details.

44. The New Hampshire Astronomical Society goes everywhere and they bring their telescopes. Check out their calendar (nhastro.com/calendar.php) to find a spot where you can meet up, talk telescopes and sky watching and get a look at the stars. Upcoming public appearances include a “sidewalk astronomy” session in Portsmouth on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 5 to 10 p.m. in Market Square; their monthly first Friday skywatch at the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center in Concord on Friday, March 1, from 7 to 10 p.m., and a skywatch at Benedictine Park in Bedford on Monday, March 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. The Society is also holding presentations on the April eclipse at several area libraries, including Whipple Hall in New London (Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 5 p.m.), Kelley Library in Salem (Monday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m.), Baker Free Library in Bow (Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m.), the Concord Public Library (Tuesday, March 5, at 6 p.m.), Whipple Free Library in New Boston (Thursday, March 7, at 6 p.m.) and the Goffstown library (Tuesday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m.), as well as several more libraries in March.

45. Take the NH Rail Trails Challenge! Run, bike, walk, rollerblade or otherwise explore the state’s rail trails — there are 43 of them currently — in whatever time frame or increments you’d like and then complete a form at nhrtc.org. Bragging rights are free; $10 gets you a patch to point to whilst bragging. Find out more about the challenge at an upcoming Bike Talk held by the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. via Zoom; find the link to register via the group’s Facebook page.

Free fun & free games

Here are some sports, family attractions and more free happenings.

46. Enjoy a free(-ish) movie at Chunky’s Cinema Pubs in Manchester, Nashua and Pelham with the monthly Little Lunch Date screenings of kid-friendly films in a kid-friendly screening room (lights not as dim, noise and squirming to be expected). The movies don’t have an admission per se, though you reserve a seat by buying $5 food vouchers to be used at the movie (there is also a $1.25 service fee per ticket when purchased online). Next up is 2011’s Gnomeo & Juliet (PG) on Friday, Feb. 16, at 3:45 p.m.

47. Head to winter farmers markets for some free browsing and hobnobbing with local farmers and producers (and in some cases live music) and then upgrade the experience by buying treats for now and treats for later. The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market (downtownconcordwinterfarmersmarket.com) runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at 7 Eagle Square; on Saturday, Feb. 17, musician Joel Begin performers. The Contoocook Farmers Market (find them on Facebook) spends its winters at the Maple Street School on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon; on Saturday, Feb. 17, Ryan Williamson performs. The Milford Indoor Farmers Market (milfordnhfarmersmarket.com) is open for two more Saturdays — Feb. 24 and March 9 — from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Milford Town Hall Auditorium on the Oval. The Salem New Hampshire Farmers Market (salemnhfarmersmarket.org) spends winters at LaBelle Winery in Derry (14 Route 111) on Sundays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

48. Regular season Southern New Hampshire University basketball games are free to attend and both Penmen women’s and men’s teams have three home games left — Saturday, Feb. 17, (1:30 p.m. women, 3:30 p.m. men) against Pace University; Saturday, Feb. 24 (1:30 p.m. women, 3:30 p.m. men) against Assumption University and Tuesday, Feb. 27, (5:30 p.m. women, 7:30 p.m. men) against the College of Saint Rose. The games take place at Stan Spiro Field House (at the Southern New Hampshire University campus, 2500 River Road in Manchester). See snhupenmen.com.

49. Meanwhile, lacrosse season is starting for the SNHU Penmen. The men’s team has a home game against Molloy University scheduled Saturday, Feb. 17, at noon at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium on the SNHU campus (the stadium is on Victory Lane in Hooksett). The women’s first home game is Saturday, March 16, at 1 p.m. versus Presbyterian College. Regular season games are free to attend; see snhupenmen.com for the schedule.

50. Lacrosse season is also starting at Rivier College in Nashua, with the Rivier Raiders men’s lacrosse team playing UMass Boston Saturday, Feb. 17, at noon, on Joanne Merrill Field at Linda Robinson Pavilion. The men will also face Curry College in the home game on Saturday, Feb. 24, at noon. The women will play Saint Joseph on Saturday, March 9, at noon. The games are free to attend. See rivierathletics.com.

51. And then it’s baseball and softball season. The SNHU Penmen baseball team plays a home game against the Saint Anselm Hawks at Penmen Field on Wednesday, March 27, at 3 p.m. The women’s softball team will play a doubleheader against Mercy University at home on Saturday, March 23, with games at noon and 2 p.m. at the SNHU Softball Field (on Eastman Drive). The women will then play American International College on Sunday, March 24, at noon and 2 p.m. See snhupenmen.com for the schedule.

52. The first home game for Rivier Raiders men’s baseball will be Sunday, March 30, when they play a doubleheader against Norwich at noon and 3 p.m. at Historic Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St. in Nashua). The women’s softball team plays at Raider Diamond and their first home game will be against Fitchburg State on Saturday, March 23, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Games are free to attend. See rivierathletics.com.

53. Get lessons in all things maple — from the sap gathering and syrup making process to a sample of the finished product — at area sugarhouses during Maple Weekend, this year scheduled for Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March 17. Check with nhmapleproducers.com for a listing of sugarhouses, many of whom offer samples of maple syrup and maple products as well as tours and more. And of course upgrade the experience by purchasing some fresh local maple syrup.

Save the date for “free”

There are actually a fair number of free events throughout the year, from the music and movies presented in parks to the town holiday celebrations and parades in December. Here are a few free happenings coming up in the next few months.

54. Merrimack’s Winter Carnival takes place Saturday, Feb. 24, from noon to 3 p.m. at Wasserman Park. This free event features games and activities including, at 1 p.m., the cardboard box sledding competition. See merrimackparksandrec.org.

55. Tickets are free for the upcoming Sing-Along Piano Bar nights at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 6 p.m.; Sunday, March 24, at 6 p.m., and Sunday, April 28, at 6 p.m. Tickets are also free to the Rockstar Karaoke night on Saturday, May 11, at 7 p.m. See the website for details on these events.

56. Get an up close look at the making of kombucha at a tour of Auspicious Brew in Dover, billed as the first licensed kombucha brewery in New Hampshire, on Monday, Feb. 26, at 6:30 p.m. Register at dovernh.assabetinteractive.com.

57. Check out the installation of a “graffiti fiber art tree hugging project” at Waldron Park in Dover on Saturday, March 2, at 1 p.m., according to a post on Dover Arts Commission’s Facebook page.

58. Remember the Old Man in the Mountain at the presentation “The Old Man: His Life and Legacy” on Saturday, March 16, at 11 a.m. at the Millyard Museum in Manchester (manchesterhistoric.org).

59. This year’s Black Ice Pond Hockey Championships will take place Friday, March 22, through Sunday, March 24, at Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett. The games are free to watch. See blackicepondhockey.com and the event’s Facebook page for schedule updates.

60. Manchester’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be Sunday, March 24, at noon, marching down Elm Street from Salmon Street, according to saintpatsnh.com. Enjoy this free downtown event or upgrade your experience by participating in the Shamrock Shuffle (registration costs $25 for adults), a 2-mile run/walk that starts at 11 a.m. and includes a post-race beer for of-age participants. See millenniumrunning.com/shamrock.

61. On Monday, April 8, catch the total solar eclipse — but, like, safely. The eclipse is free but for $2 ($3 if you want it sent to you) you can get solar eclipse glasses from the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord (starhop.com). And you can head to the center for the “Great American Eclipse Viewing Party” from noon to 5 p.m. that day, with the eclipse predicted to begin at 2:15 p.m. and maximum Concord viewing at 3:29 p.m., according to the Center’s website.

62. The Manchester Community Music School will host the May Gruber Memorial Concert on Friday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m., with a special performance by cellist Aristides Rivas. Admission is free but registration is required; seemcmusicschool.org/events.

63. Free Comic Book Day — it’s right there in the name! On Saturday, May 4, you can score free comic books specially created for this day, which often means they introduce a character or storyline or otherwise help to bring in new readers. In our general area, both Double Midnight Comics locations (Concord and Manchester; dmcomics.com) participate, with Manchester doing the event up big with costume contests and more. Other locations include Merrymac Games and Comics in Merrimack (merrymacgc.com) and Collectibles Unlimited in Concord (collectiblesunlimited.biz), according to freecomicbookday.com, where you can often find previews of the books that will be available. For a Free Comic Book Day celebration that goes town-wide, check out Jetpack Comics in Rochester (jetpackcomics.com); score all the FCBD comics as well as other cool perks by volunteering to help out all day, according to the website.

How to impress with fancy eats, cozy eats and a decadent dessert

Generally speaking, as a grownup on Valentine’s Day, you have four paths open to you:

(1) Sitting alone on your couch, in the dark, eating ice cream and watching kung fu movies. This will seem very familiar, as this was probably how you spent New Year’s Eve a few weeks ago.

(2) If you are young, enthusiastic and employed, there are Champagne, jewelry and optimistically intimate undergarments. These are grand, romantic gestures. They are undeniably effective, but also set expectations for the evening uncomfortably high, and at the same time make you look bad on the next gift-giving holiday, when you aren’t so demonstrative. It’s a risk.

(3) If you are older, and somewhat trampled upon by Life, there is the panicked last-minute purchase of traditional gestures of romance — grocery store roses ($15), a heart-shaped box of chocolates from the drug store ($25 for a big one), or getting a heart tattooed on your butt, with your loved one’s name on it (around $150, plus tip).

(4) Or, if you have been with your loved one for a while, a greeting card and dinner. This has some advantages:

(a) Nobody expects anything profound on a card. You can buy a generically romantic or even blank one, then look up a poem on the internet and copy a couple of stanzas into the card. Don’t try to take credit for good poetry. Cite your source, and you’ll look classy. Alternatively, you can try to be funny. Your joke might not go over, but you will still get points for trying, even if you’ve drawn a zombie holding a bouquet of dead roses, with a caption that says, “I love you for your brain.”

(b) Dinner is a winning strategy; we all like food. Even if you’ve been arguing with your loved one and things have been a little tense, we all have to eat sometime, and your sincere cooking gesture will not go unappreciated.

So if you’ve decided to cook a Valentine’s Day dinner, again, you have a few different approaches.

A FANCY DINNER

As Valentine’s Day cooking goes, this is a big swing. If you pull it off, you will look confident and accomplished. If you and your dining companion are still getting to know one another, this will hint that you have hidden depths.

Even if things go spectacularly wrong — even if there are billows of smoke from the kitchen, even if the dog races through the living room with your main course in his mouth, even if you injure yourself dramatically in some way — you can smile gamely, wipe a tear from the corner of your eye, and ask, “How do you feel about pizza?” You will still come out ahead.

You want to cook something that is legitimately delicious, grown up, and impressive, but not actually very hard to make.

Steak

If your Valentine is a fan of red meat, this is the time to double down on a really good piece of beef. Here’s the recipe for a truly excellent steak:

Go to a real butcher. Describe how you’d like your evening to go. He or she will show you some steaks. To you, they will look like most of the meat in the case. Trust the professional. Say, “Yes, please,” then ask them how to cook it. They know meat better than you ever will. Write down their directions, go home, and do what they told you to do.

This will be a Very Good Steak.

Chicken

If you are a strong and confident cook, roast a whole chicken. Stuff the cavity with lemon quarters and thyme, and baste it with olive oil and garlic.

If you aren’t quite that confident, your best bet is Chicken Piccata.

Chicken Piccata

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half –you can buy them this way at the grocery store

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

all-purpose flour, for coating

6 Tablespoons (¾ stick) butter

5 Tablespoons (3 big glugs) olive oil

⅓ cup (75 grams) fresh squeezed lemon juice

½ cup (113 g) chicken stock

¼ cup (55 g) brined capers, rinsed

chopped parsley for garnish

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Coat them with flour, dusting off the excess.

Fry the chicken over medium heat in 4 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil, until both sides are golden brown, about three minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the lemon juice, chicken stock and capers to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the little bits of fried chicken — if you want to impress people, call this fond — and incorporate it into the sauce.

Return the chicken to the pan and give it a brief spa day in the sauce, five minutes or so.

Remove the chicken again. At this point it is probably getting confused and a little frustrated, trying to figure out what you want from it. Plate it with your apologies.

Add the last 2 tablespoons of butter to the sauce and whisk it vigorously, like it owes you money. Again, if you want to use a fancy cooking term, this is called mounting the sauce. If you tried to work that term into a joke later on, who could blame you? If you whisk briskly enough that your sauce doesn’t break, you’ll probably get away with making a mounting joke.

Pour the sauce — the piccata sauce — over the chicken, and top with the chopped parsley. Congratulations, you’ve made Chicken Piccata.

This is delicious. It is a classic but went out of style 20 or 30 years ago, so there’s a good chance your dining companion hasn’t heard of this before. The acid from the lemon juice plays off the bright, salty flavor of the capers. This would be a bit too sharp, but the butter has rounded off the edges and given the sauce a richness that complements the chicken. The effort-to-deliciousness ratio of this dish is excellent.

Vegetarian

Your best bet here is an omelet or roasted portabella mushrooms. The mushrooms will have a rich flavor and a meaty texture. The eggs are dependably delicious and look good on the plate. If you mess them up it will only take a couple of minutes to redo them.

Grilled Asparagus

Some people find asparagus intimidating. Cooked properly it is probably the easiest vegetable to cook. It looks good on the plate. It tastes good and establishes your grown-up credentials.

Buy a bunch of baby asparagus, the pencil-thin ones.

Rinse the stalks, then break off the woody base of each spear. Bend it like you are going to break it in half. Surprisingly, it won’t actually break halfway across the spear, but toward the end, where it starts to get woody.

Soak the stalks in bottled balsamic vinaigrette for about an hour.

Spread the asparagus on a baking sheet, then broil it in the oven under high heat for about four minutes, until it looks cooked and the vinaigrette looks foamy.

That’s it. It is incredibly easy. The asparagus actually tastes like something, unlike when you were a child and one of your relatives boiled it for an hour or so. This is a sophisticated side dish.

Your Starch

Two straightforward side dishes are mashed potatoes and couscous.

The secret to excellent mashed potatoes is boiling the potatoes until they start to fall apart. Drain them, then return them to the pot and stir them to dry them out. They will continue to fall apart. When they look dry — well, drier — mash them with a potato masher, then add a truly injudicious amount of butter and cream. Season it, and again you look like a pro. If nothing else goes right tonight, good mashed potatoes will save you.

On the other hand, there’s couscous. It looks like rice. It’s faster and easier than rice. It’s not rice. Mix dry couscous with an equal amount of boiling water or broth and a little butter. Cover it and leave it alone for seven minutes. Stir it with a fork and boom, you’ve cooked couscous, baby!

A COMFORT FOOD DINNER

Valentine’s Day comfort tastes delicious, is bad for you and doesn’t have to be paired with anything. However, here are some notes.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Don’t believe what anybody has told you: Do not spread mayonnaise on the bread instead of butter. No, it is not “just as good.” Try to remember to leave butter out in the morning to soften up. Make sure you thoroughly butter each exterior side of the sandwich before you grill it in a pan. Fancy cheese doesn’t make for a better grilled cheese. Don’t let anyone shame you out of using American, if that’s how you roll. Cheddar or pepper jack are always good. Edam is about as fancy as you want to go. Serve your sandwich with a crunchy pickle.

Tater Tots

Don’t try to save time or energy by using your air fryer. That’s fine 364 days a year, but on Valentine’s Day, actually bake your Tater Tots in the oven. Cook them on a wire cooling rack that you’ve placed inside a baking sheet. This will let the hot air get to all sides of the Tots, and you won’t have to flip them halfway through cooking.

Toasted Ravioli or Pierogi

Don’t worry about thawing or pre-cooking them. Fry them — frozen — in butter over medium-low heat. By the time they are golden brown on both sides, the insides will be warm and creamy. If you’re making pierogi, spend 20 minutes beforehand and caramelize some onions to go with them.

Buttered Noodles

Follow the instructions on the box. Boil the pasta for that long; don’t depend on your memory. Drain it and add real, full-fat, salted butter. I recommend radiatori, but you know what kind of noodle your loved one likes. If you don’t, you need to do some hard thinking about your place in the World.

A DECADENT DESSERT

Maybe you want to make some kind of romantic gesture but you’d really rather not make a huge production out of it. There is a middle ground: a decadent dessert — something rich and chocolatey. You want it to be a celebration, just not with trumpets and confetti — maybe something you can share with the lights low and the music romantic.

Ultra-Rich Brownies with Malted Ice Cream & Homemade Chocolate Sauce

The Brownies

6 ounces (1½ of the big bars you find at the supermarket) 99 percent dark or unsweetened chocolate, broken up

18 Tablespoons (2¼ sticks) butter

4 eggs

2½ cups (495 g) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Butter a 9”x 9” baking pan, and line it with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave. Heat them in a plastic or glass bowl for 30 seconds, stir, then microwave them for another 20 or 30 seconds, stir, then another 15 or so, until they have melted and combined. Set aside.

With an electric beater or in a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt at high speed for three minutes, until the mixture is extremely light and creamy. There isn’t any leavener in this recipe, so the air you beat in now will do any raising these brownies get.

Turn down the speed on your mixer, and blend in the chocolate mixture. Wish it luck and Godspeed. Salute it, if you feel so inclined.

At very slow speed, add the flour, a couple of spoonfuls at a time. More flour or a higher speed will cover you with flour.

When the flour is completely mixed in, stop the mixer. Stir the mixture once or twice with a rubber spatula to make sure everything gets combined thoroughly, then pour the batter into your prepared pan.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Set aside to cool.

The Ice Cream

Plain, store-bought vanilla ice cream is just about perfect for this dish. If you wanted to go a step further — make a semi-grand gesture, perhaps — homemade malted milk ice cream might be 10 percent more delicious.

3 cups (680 g) half-and-half

¾ cup (106 g) malted milk powder

3 egg yolks

½ cup (99 g) sugar

¼ cup (53 g) brown sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Heat the half-and-half and malted milk powder, stirring, over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.

In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks and sugars together.

When the cream has come to a simmer, very, very slowly pour it into the egg mixture, stirring vigorously. You’re adding the cream slowly to keep it from scrambling the eggs.

When everything is mixed together, return it to the saucepan and heat it again until it has thickened slightly. If you are keeping track of the temperature, this will be at around 175ºF.

Remove your ice cream base from the heat, and strain it into a one-quart container. Let it cool, then stir in the vanilla, and store, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. It has had a traumatic day. Say something comforting to it as you close the refrigerator door.

When the ice cream base has thoroughly chilled, churn it in your ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer the soft ice cream to a container, then put it in your freezer to harden up.

This is a delicious, fairly subtly flavored ice cream that will complement the rich chocolate in the brownie and the chocolate sauce.

The Chocolate Sauce

1 cup (250 g) water

½ cup (160 g) corn syrup

½ cup (100 g) sugar

¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

⅓ cup (2 ounces, 55 g) chocolate chips

In a small saucepan, combine everything but the chocolate chips. The cocoa is hydrophobic, which makes it sound like it has rabies, but that just means that it doesn’t like to mix with water. It will take some energetic whisking and a stern look to bring everything together.

Keep whisking the sauce over medium heat, until it just starts to boil. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the chocolate chips. They will melt and incorporate within a few seconds.

Let the sauce sit for an hour or two to thicken and for the ingredients to get to know each other. Let’s face it; you forced the issue with your whisking. It’s only fair to give everyone time to calm down and settle in.

This is not an overly sweet chocolate sauce. It’s definitely a dessert sauce, but there’s a seriousness about it. It tastes like chocolate, not like candy. You may have noticed that there is no vanilla in the ingredients; that would have rounded out the edges of the chocolate and given it a mellowness. Without it, this sauce is a handsome man in a dark suit.

Putting It All Together

It’s pretty straightforward. Plate a brownie, top it with slightly more ice cream than you might think, and spoon your homemade chocolate sauce on top. You might want to heat the brownie for a few seconds in the microwave, but just until it is gently warm, not hot and gooey. That’s for another occasion.

This dessert is all about contrast. There are chocolate purists who insist that you should use all chocolate — the brownie, the ice cream and the sauce — chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. That would be too much here. The brownie and the sauce are two shades of very serious chocolate. They need vanilla or malted ice cream to stand out and show off their depth.

A note: These are extremely dense and rich brownies. For Valentine’s Day, especially if you’re sharing, go ahead and plate a conventional-size serving. Even the two of you might not finish it — it’s that rich — but this dessert is a Medium Dramatic Gesture (MDG), so now is not the time to start being practical. When you eat the rest of the brownies over the next few days, you’ll probably want to cut them into 1½-inch squares.

A ROMANTIC COCKTAIL

In the end, love is tricky.

Sometimes it sneaks up on you; you wake up one morning and realize that you’ve fallen like a 50-pound sack of cement. Sometimes it hits you between the eyes instantly — again, like a sack of cement. Sometimes it consumes you, filling every cell with fire and bubbles. But not cement.

So how do you express that? Love letters? Fighting a duel? A prenuptial agreement?

This year Valentine’s Day falls on a Wednesday. That doesn’t leave much opportunity to express what’s in your heart.

But a good cocktail might be a good symbolic gesture.

Unnamed Valentine’s Day Cocktail

3 ounces dry gin – a botanical gin might seem like an obvious choice for this, but you don’t want to muddy the other ingredients; a crisp London-style gin like Fords is just right for this

1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

1 ounce elderflower liqueur – I like St. Germain

3 drops rose water – as you add this, it won’t seem like enough, but three drops is just about exactly the right amount; you just want a subtle back-note of roses, you don’t want this to be too perfumey.

Several ounces of Asti spumante – you’ll be tempted to go up-market on this, to break out your expensive bubbly, but the spumante brings a sweetness that really adds to the finished cocktail. If this cocktail goes over well enough, you can save the Dom for another occasion.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, lime juice, elderflower liqueur, and rose water over ice. Shake for 30 seconds.

Strain into two cocktail glasses, and top with spumante.

Drink together while listening to Frank Sinatra’s cover of “Fly Me to the Moon.” Warning: This might lead to dancing.

The gin is the driver of this particular limousine. The spumante and the elderflower are the couple in the back seat saying, “Keep your eyes on the road, Fords.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Fords says.

The wine is what you notice in the front end, but with a floral aftertaste. This is not an overly boozy cocktail. (With that said, three of these could lead to questionable decision-making, which in a Valentine’s Day context might be just what you’re looking for.)

After all, isn’t that what Love is? The triumph of the heart over common sense?

A look at a new roller risk and advice on picking your perfect skates

A New spin

Remix Roller Rink offer all-ages fun

By: Michael Witthaus

With the opening of Remix Skate and Event Center in December, New Hampshire now has a commercial roller rink, its first since 2019, when Great View Rollerskating in Enfield closed. The new business, however, isn’t a throwback, even if their logo’s stripey lettering evokes the ’70s roller disco craze. Rather, it’s a modern take on the concept, aimed at multiple demographics.

Along with a capacious hardwood rink, Remix offers several swankier touches, like upscale pub food, craft beer and a machine that makes design-etched cotton candy. Children’s birthday parties are a staple, but Remix also hosts things geared to an older crowd, like an 18+ R&B Night held Jan. 6, and similar ’90s and Latin events.

Matt and Kelly Pearson were rollerbladers in high school but haven’t skated much since. They’re also entrepreneurs, who tend to start businesses that align with their lives at a given moment. Before they met, Matt was a wedding DJ. After marriage and kids, they opened Cowabunga’s Indoor Kids Play & Party Center on Huse Road in Manchester.

Their oldest child, a son, is now 16 and has outgrown jungle gyms. Rather than buy him a minibike or snowmobile, the Pearsons began eyeing the now-vacant space next to Cowabunga’s and thinking about a solution for other teenagers like theirs. They considered opening a bowling alley, which didn’t particularly excite them, then thought about expanding the indoor playground, but soon the two began conceiving Remix.

“That kind of vibe is ingrained in me. There’s no better place for a hang than a roller-skating rink,” Matt Pearson said. “There’s not really any places for teens to hang out … so we were like, alright, if we make a roller rink, what would that look like in 2023? Would it be neon floors and birthday parties … a roller-skating rink of the ’80s and ’90s? No, it would be what those kids would want in modern times.”

Finding a way to make it work was the first and biggest challenge, beginning with the size. Matt called the Huse Road location “a little bit of a boutique venue.” Poles and an odd floor layout meant the skating area would only be around two-thirds the size of a regulation rink. The Pearsons turned this liability to their advantage.

“We learned through Covid that we can capacity control,” Matt said. “With back-end ticketing, we have limits. The rink was smaller than others we were accustomed to, but at the same time, we don’t have to pack it with that many people. That’s how you find a sweet spot of capacity, seating space and other amenities to make the whole thing jive.”

On the other hand, the idea of hosting roller derby matches had to be scrapped. “We worked with the New Hampshire Roller Derby Girls, had them in early to take a look at the space, to see if an opportunity was there,” Matt said. “They said, ‘it’s great and we love it … for dinner and drinks, but we can only use this maybe for practice.”

A few of the Derby Girls, however, work at Remix as servers and rink hosts. “It’s a relationship that’s worked out pretty well,” he said, adding, “one thing we learned is we weren’t necessarily bringing roller skating back to New Hampshire, because there is an underground scene with a lot of skaters.”

Remix has enough space for live music, when the time comes.

“Roller rinks of old just needed a DJ booth, but we’re trying to remix this idea, so we made the stage a little bit bigger,” Matt said. “Maybe an ’80s cover band that we love will come over and do a night with us, with pro skaters…. It’s an amazing opportunity for really fun nights.”

For now, skaters can reserve two-hour slots Tuesday through Sunday, with either classic quad skates or rollerblades included in the $20 cost. Skaters can switch from one to the other midway as well. Initially, more patrons are opting for old-style wheels.

“Blades are the minority,” Matt said, “but for my generation, I think we’re a rollerblade crew.”

The Pearsons are pleased to offer wholesome fun for all ages.

“It’s still a family entertainment venue,” Matt said. “All the little characteristics that we brought to Cowabunga’s, we’re bringing here. There’s no better place to do a birthday party than a roller rink, and we can execute that on the weekends. But the after-work scene, 18-plus and 21-plus nights out, is the unspoken opportunity.”

Deciding what to call this new place turned out to be the easiest piece of the endeavor.

“It’s really a remixed version of roller skating in modern times,” Matt Pearson said. “What better name to call it than Remix?”

Find your skates

Expert help for picking your new set of wheels

By: Angie Sykeny

Eric Jones, manager at Bruised Boutique Skate Shop in Nashua, discussed the essential considerations and tips for new and experienced roller skaters, emphasizing the importance of proper fit, safety gear and skating etiquette.

What should beginners consider when choosing roller skates?

Beginners should prioritize finding skates that best fit their foot shape. Budget is an important consideration, but the trickier aspect is ensuring a good fit. Since people’s feet come in various shapes, it’s recommended to visit a store, like us — we’re the only one in New England, though — to try on different skates. This approach helps in finding a pair that is best suited to the individual’s foot shape, whether they are kids or adults.

How do you determine the right size?

In a store, it’s a matter of guess and check to find the right fit. Online it’s more challenging, and exchanges might be necessary if the fit isn’t right. However, most introductory-level skates are designed to accommodate a wide variety of foot shapes, making it less likely to get the wrong fit. … For adults, most roller skate brands size their skates close to men’s shoe sizes as a standard. Generally, using your men’s shoe size should give you a relatively safe fit. For women, that’s typically about one-and-a-half sizes down from their shoe size. Children’s roller skates are made in kid sizes, which should match their shoe size. Sizes range from Junior 10 through 13 and then size 1 and 2. It’s advisable to consider room for growth, so kids often leave with a size larger than their measured size.

What safety gear is necessary for skating at a roller rink?

At roller rinks in our area, safety gear is optional, so you don’t necessarily need anything. However, for kids it’s common to use knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards and sometimes helmets, especially if they’re going to be skating outdoors. Combo packs that include knees, elbows and wrists are available and affordably priced for kids. For adults, they usually opt for knee pads and wrist guards, skipping elbow pads. Wrist guards are particularly smart to have since falls can impact the wrists. While safety gear is not strictly necessary for rinks, it is recommended for activities like roller derby, skating in skate parks, and outdoor skating, where helmets are advised.

What types of helmets are available for skating?

The helmets available for skating are mostly derived from skateboarding styles. There are basic helmets designed to be cushy and cost-effective for general use. For those engaged in more practical purposes like skating outdoors or activities like roller derby, certified helmets are available. These certified helmets have the same safety certifications as bike helmets and are made of a hard foam that can crack under a significant impact to provide better protection.

What additional protective gear would you recommend for people who are prone to accidents?

Besides the standard ensemble of knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards and helmets, we also recommend padded shorts, often referred to as butt pads. These padded shorts are especially useful for those engaged in roller derby, skatepark activities and outdoor skating. They provide extra protection for falls and are a good option for anyone who feels they might be prone to falling a lot at the rink, especially for adults who are just learning to skate.

What tips would you give to first-time skaters for a safe and enjoyable experience?

Go slow and wear safety gear while learning. It’s also important to be aware of the unwritten rule at roller rinks: fast skaters should stay on the outside, while slower skaters should stay closer to the middle. This helps maintain safety and order in the rink.

Hiring a Professional

There’s a lot more to nuptials than saying “I do.”

In fact, there are so many moving parts that it might make sense for you to hire someone to help out — or several someones. Here’s a look at some of the available professional services to help take some of the stress out of planning and putting on a wedding. Why not simply enjoy your day?

Planning services

Wedding planners are hired to look at the big picture, making sure everything works in concert as your wedding day unfolds. In some cases, you may be able to break apart their responsibilities, but others don’t offer a la carte options. They want to make sure it all unfolds flawlessly. During your initial consultation meeting, you’ll discuss personal expectations, their available packages, and information on coordinating during your actual wedding day.

Don’t worry about a venue if you hire a wedding planner. They will listen carefully to your explanation and then select a series of possible facilities to meet your criteria. Once your big day arrives, the wedding planner will then take control of every aspect of the wedding event. They’ll hire and manage vendors, as needed, while providing directions to guests and your wedding party.

Photographer

You’re going to want lots of documentation from this special event. Don’t rely on friends and family to get the best photos. Make sure a professional photographer is on hand to capture the quality images you’ll keep with you for a lifetime. Ask for referrals before hiring someone, ask people in your circle about their experiences, and look over examples of their previous wedding assignments. Then create a detailed plan based on how the event will unfold, and what you are looking for from the pre-wedding activities and reception.

Florist

You want to get the most out of the bounty of spring, so splurge on an expert in floral arrangements. A florist will help create centerpieces, fun accents and your bouquets, adding pops of color and intrigue. When you meet, explain your expectations and color palette in as much detail as possible. This is a particularly important hire if you have booked a destination wedding, since you’re likely unfamiliar with the local varieties and when they are at their peak.

Spring Wedding Necessities

Spring offers its own natural beauty.

Blossoming flowers complete the gorgeous setting, adding pops of color and fresh scents to your special day. But no spring wedding would be complete without a few other necessities. Here’s a look:

Fresh style looks

The warmer weather opens up all sorts of style options for fashionable brides. Make sure your look matches the moments with soft colors and lightweight material so friends and family can enjoy the nuptials in comfort. Choosing the bridesmaids’ dresses can be particularly fun this time of year, with lots of options in shades of the same color.

Outdoor dancing

Look for venues with space for outdoor dancing, so you can celebrate your new union in the warmth of a starry night. Setting all of this up can add another layer of logistical issues, considering you’ll need both power and lights. Discuss where the band or DJ will need to set up, and ensure the facility has everything needed. Of course, the best venues are old pros at this and will have a detailed plan ready to share. Be sure to update them on the number of guests who are expected to ensure there’s room for everyone.

Hydration station

Everyone is bound to be thirsty after the ceremony, and particularly after cutting a rug for a while at the reception. Be sure there are plenty of drinks on hand to quench their thirst, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic.

Spring is the perfect time for eye-catching libations, from lemonade and margaritas to iced tea and fruity drinks. Ask about clear glass pitchers to show everything off. If the venue can accommodate it, consider making separate stations for different kinds of drinks.

Light desserts

Don’t forget that desserts are about more than the wedding cake. Take advantage of the opportunity to wow your guests by bringing the same level of creativity to the final course of the evening. Besides a wedding cake that’s bound to be beautiful and delicious, create something that makes use of in-season fruits and berries to garnish colorful cookies and pies. Your decorator can complete the look with centerpieces based on similar colors. Spring-themed cakes are always a hit, and you can also have lots of fun with cupcakes. Top it all off with a champagne toast. What better way to celebrate such a huge occasion?

Take it Outside

There’s something special about an outdoor wedding, especially if you’re planning a gorgeous, romantic destination event.

But even if you are planning on having your nuptials in the backyard, there are certain benchmark elements that you’ll need to have in place to pull it all off. Here’s a checklist to make your spring outdoor wedding a stress-free success:

Communication plan

There needs to be a central communication hub so that check-ins and changes can be communicated, whether that’s a group text, a Facebook event page, wedding website or online meeting space. Vendors, guests, friends and members of the wedding party should be able to quickly and easily get in contact if they have questions or concerns. This will become particularly important if there is a major change in plans, but can be helpful in even small situations — such as when someone is running late.

If you don’t hire a wedding planner, designate a family member or friend to monitor the agreed-upon communication hub.

Know the rules

Be aware of local noise and crowd regulations. There may be local statutes or venue guidelines when it comes to how loudly and how long a band or DJ can play music.

You also need to make sure you don’t block traffic, or create other issues for people who live in or are traveling through the area. Make sure you know where and when people are allowed to park. You don’t want to end up with unforeseen issues with neighbors or business owners because of overflow traffic.

If you’re worried about having enough space for all of your guests to park, contact nearby churches or schools — and then direct people there.

Alternate location

The biggest risk with outdoor events of any kind, of course, is bad weather. Your wedding will be planned out months in advance, meaning there’s no way to check the forecast for rain. Create a backup plan just in case. Tour suitable alternate venues or look for outdoor sites that have nearby buildings so everything can be quickly transferred.

Wedding Favors

Wedding favors are your way of saying thank you to everyone who was a part of your special event.

The average cost of these gifts, according to The Knot wedding website, is several hundred dollars. Still, that’s worth it. They let guests know that you care, while providing them with a small special memory of their own from the big day. Here are a few gift ideas:

Go green

Giving plants as a wedding favor is hip and eco-friendly, and they’re especially attractive if your wedding is being held in an outdoor setting. Match with local flora or fauna, and you’re literally allowing your friends and family to take a piece of your wedding home with them. Once it’s home, their plant will become a living memory. Succulents are on trend, and also easy to care for. Stop by a local nursery to ask for specifics, keeping in mind that some native plants may not transfer well when brought back home.

Get going

Destination weddings offer a great opportunity to match the event with a travel theme. Pick fun items like luggage tags, maps and travel snacks, then arrange them in attractive totes. Or go hyper-local, giving your guests things that are only found in the area where you’re getting married. That might be a special food, handmade good, or art object. Having a beach wedding? Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Time to indulge

Trendy items this year include coffee mugs and miniature candles. For the more offbeat, consider heart-shaped tea bags or mini-pizza cutters. Edible wedding favors like small chocolates, jars of honey or cupcakes can both surprise and delight. If you’re already indulging in plenty of flowers, add floral-inspired lollipops in flavors like champagne and roses, lemon and thyme, and rosemary and mint. One memorable offering even has seeds infused into the sticks, so they can be planted afterward.

Fun and games

Add flair with personalized items like napkins, plastic cups, shot glasses, wine glass charms and miniature bottles of liquor, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages with your names and the wedding date. Other personalized options include koozies, matchboxes, playing cards and mugs which can be made with messages, names, dates or even pictures. Everyone can enjoy them right away at the reception, or bring things home as a special memento from your nuptials.

A New Take on Dairy

Wine and cheese may have long been staples at weddings, but cheese is now having its own moment.

Wedding celebrations are now including everything from upscale charcuterie and exciting cheesecake options to comfort foods like macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. Here’s how to join this growing trend:

Boards and wines

Charcuterie is a French word that originally referred to preparing meats, particularly pork, and then presenting them in a variety of ways. Today, the selection and variety of ingredients have wildly expanded. Ham, sausages, bacon or confit can be paired with complementary cheeses, jams, fruits or nuts of your choosing. Create your own unique charcuterie boards or enticing spreads on a main table, or smaller versions at individual seating areas, so everyone can join in the cheesy fun. They’re attractive and often cost-efficient.

Consider hiring a sommelier, or wine expert, if the budget allows. They’ll know just which libation matches with the unique flavor combinations you’ve created on these charcuterie boards. Ideally, there will be a variety of choices in both whites and reds, so everyone can enjoy the evening. Some couples also choose to pair all of this with craft beer, to add a modern twist.

Comfort foods

Grilled cheese sandwiches and macaroni and cheese aren’t just easy home-cooked meals anymore. Caterers are increasingly including these warm, cheesy delights are part of their wedding reception offerings, but with more polished culinary twists, of course. Nutty Gruyere, gooey fontina and sharp cheddar jazz up mini-bite sandwiches, which are made using inventive breads and spreads. Macaroni and cheese is also being elevated, with inviting new cheese choices and fun pasta shapes. Try cavatappi, penne or rotini. Then dive into Swiss, blue cheese, creamy Alfredo or Gruyere-based sauces. Top it all off with pancetta or crispy bacon, diced tomatoes (particularly welcome if it gets a little too warm at your spring wedding), spicy jalapenos, fresh broccoli or chopped herbs.

After dinner

The multi-tiered wedding cake still rules in all of its confectionery glory. But cheese is elbowing its way to the table too in the form of exciting cheesecake options or cheeses matched with sweets like fresh fruit.

Cheese and fruit are a great alternative if the spouses-to-be or guests are going low-carb or gluten-free.

A look at the Winter Music Series heating up the local scene

With sunny gazebo concerts hovering between distant memory and faint promise, live music has moved indoors for the coming months. Fortunately a lot of venues are stepping up, most with original artists in unique settings like wineries, brewpubs, museums and apres-ski shows.

Here’s a look at a few places using music to help shake winter’s chill.

Flying Goose Brewpub & Grille

The Flying Goose Brewpub & Grille is home to New Hampshire’s longest-running listening room series.

“It started in 1993 or 1994,” Tom Pirozzoli, who founded it and played its first show, said recently. “I approached my old friend Tom Mills with the idea … after having released a new CD.”

In the late ’80s Pirozzoli ran a similar effort in Keene at a place called Chalkboard West, doing booking, sound and occasionally performing. The contacts he made there helped to get the Flying Goose effort off the ground.

Every year from autumn to early spring it hosts the cream of New England’s folk and roots scene.

“We try to mix some new acts in each year and also stay true to our longtime friends like Tom Rush, David Mallett and Aztec Two Step,” Pirozzoli said.

Among the performers in the current series is Lucy Kaplansky, who’s taking a quick break from the successful On a Winter’s Night tour with fellow folk singers John Gorka, Cliff Eberhart and Patty Larkin (who’s also appearing this year). Kaplansky, whose most recent album is 2022’s Last Days of Summer, is a returning favorite of the series.

“I’m always so happy to play there,” Kaplansky said by phone from her home in New York City. “The audience is great and people come no matter what the weather is like — one time, it was literally 20 below. Tom does a great job with the sound, the staff is super nice, the food is great. It’s a wonderful gig.”

Flying Goose Brewpub & Grille (40 Andover Road, New London, flyinggoose.com)

Thursday, Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m. – New England Bluegrass Band

Thursday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. – Mark Erelli

Thursday, Feb. 29, 7:30 p.m. – Ari Hest

Thursday, March 7, 7:30 p.m. – Lucy Kaplansky

Thursday, March 21, 7:30 p.m. – Patty Larkin

Thursday, April 4, 7:30 p.m. – David Francey

Thursday, April 11, 7:30 p.m. – Ordinary Elephant

Thursday, April 25, 7:30 p.m. – Garnet Rogers

Currier Museum of Art

The Currier Museum of Art is a longtime friend of live music, with its Thursday After Work concerts a prime example. While those are on seasonal hiatus and will be back in the spring, there are currently regular Sunday performances in the museum’s Winter Garden restaurant.

Majed Sabri, the Currier’s Digital Operations Manager, said in a recent phone interview that the museum tends to re-book musicians who connect with the brunch crowd, adding that the performers share a common thread.

“They’re local, and we’re always about uplifting local talent,” he said. “They all have a really great vibe; we don’t want to have an overpowering sound, and they’re really good at being beautiful background music. People ask to have them back.”

Currier Museum (150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org)

Sunday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m. – Mac Holmes

Sunday, Feb. 4, 11 a.m. – Joey Clark (plays harmonica too), alt country

Sunday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m. – Seth Connolly, original rock and blues, very talented guitarist

Sunday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m. – Mac Holmes

Sunday, Feb. 25, 11 a.m. – Joey Clark (tentative)

Sunday, March 3, 11 a.m. – Joey Clark

Sunday, March 10, 11 a.m. – Seth Connolly

Sunday, March 17, 11 a.m. – Mac Holmes

Sunday, March 24, 11 a.m. – Harry Borch

Hermit Woods Winery

Musician Katie Dobbins launched the Songwriter RoundUp Series at Hermit Woods Winery a year ago. Happening the final Wednesday of the month, each show features Dobbins and two other artists doing original material in a classic “song pull” format. The evening ends with all three joining together for a cover, anything from Sara Bareilles to The Band’s “The Weight.”

Sometimes the guests are people she’s worked with in the past, like Brooks Young, who’ll be at the Feb. 28 event. Other times a performer is one that Dobbins knows by reputation and wants to work with.

“I spend a lot of time… trying to cultivate a bill of folks that will complement each other and make a really special evening,” Dobbins said from her home in the Lakes Region. “A lot of times it’s our first time meeting each other, so you never know quite what’s going to happen. But it’s always been really fun.”

With great sound and sightlines, along with a small capacity, the winery provides an intimate, artist-centric space. Working for an audience that’s completely focused on music “matters a lot,” Dobbins said. “Bar gigs are fun too; there’s a place for them in their own way, but there is something really special about getting away from that.”

Hermit Woods Winery (72 Main St., Meredith, hermitwoods.com)

(tickets $10 to $15 at eventbrite.com)

Wednesday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m. – Katie Dobbins, Dan Fallon & Dylan Patrick Ward

Wednesday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. – Katie Dobbins, Brooks Young & Tim Winchester

Wednesday, March 27, 7 p.m. – Katie Dobbins, Sam Luke Chase & Jay Psaros

Wednesday, April 24, 7 p.m. – Katie Dobbins, Jeanette & Marlena Phillips

Pats Peak Ski Area

Apres-ski action at Henniker’s Pats Peak resort includes Irish-flavored acoustic group The McMurphys stopping in frequently. This year the big news is Monkeys With Hammers: guitarist Chris Lester (Sully Erna, Mama Kicks), drummer Eric Wagley and bass player Rich Knox who’ll play a one-off reunion show on Saturday, March 2.

Pats Peak Ski Area (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, patspeak.com)

Saturday, Jan. 27, 6 p.m. – Kimayo

Saturday, Feb. 3, 6 p.m. – The McMurphys

Saturday, Feb. 10, 6 p.m. – The 603s

Saturday, Feb. 17, 6 p.m. – The McMurphys

Saturday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m. – April Cushman Trio

Saturday, March 2, 6 p.m. – Monkeys With Hammers

Saturday, March 9, 6 p.m. – River Sang Wild

Sunday, March 10, 6 p.m. – Supernothing

Saturday, March 16, 6 p.m. – Tyler Levs

Saturday, March 23, 6 p.m. – Andrea Paquin

Saturday, March 30, 6 p.m. – The McMurphys

Bank of NH Stage

The Capitol Center for the Arts hosts a recurring afternoon series at its Cantin Room, located upstairs in their Bank of NH Stage’s lounge. The event is curated by NH Music Collective.

“We focus on local performers who often don’t get a chance to see their name up in lights on Main Street,” NHMC’s John McArthur said recently. “The audiences and performers love that everyone is there to listen. It’s a beautiful way for performers to closely connect with their fans without distractions.”

Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com)

Sunday, Feb. 4 – Heather Pierson Duo

Sunday, March 3 – Alex Preston

Sunday, April 7 – Senie Hunt

Sunday, May 5 – Run Like Thieves (EP release)

Nippo Lake Golf Club & Restaurant

Acoustic music fans delight in the Nippo Lake Bluegrass Series, which lasts from October through April. The long-running event features some of the region’s finest players and over the years has grown into a Sunday evening tradition.

Nippo Lake Golf Club & Restaurant (88 Stagecoach Road, Barrington – nippobluegrass.com)

Sunday, Jan. 28, 6 p.m. – She Gone

Sunday, Feb. 2, 6 p.m. – New England Bluegrass Band

Sunday, Feb. 18, 6 p.m. – Chicken Shack

Sunday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m. – Lunch at the Dump

Sunday, March 3, 6 p.m. – Cedar Mountain

Sunday, March 10, 6 p.m. – High Range

Sunday, March 24, 6 p.m. – Unsung Heroes

Sunday, April 7, 6 p.m. – Cordwood

Sunday, April 14, 6 p.m. – Wide Open Spaces

Sunday, April 21, 6 p.m. – Old Hat

The Livery

NH Music Collective’s monthly events at Sunapee’s Livery land on a number of goals, including dinner and fundraising along with music. Upcoming beneficiaries include Full Circle Farm Therapeutic Riding Program and The Newport Recreation Program.

“Through business sponsorships we can bring both local and national touring acts to this intimate 100-seat venue in an historic building,” NHMC’s McArthur said, noting that American Idol favorite Alex Preston is among the performers appearing in coming months.

The Livery in Sunapee Harbor (58 Main St., Sunapee, thelivery.org)

Saturday, Feb. 17 – Slim Volume

Sunday, March 17 – JD and the Stonemasons

Saturday, April 20 – Alex Preston

Sap House Meadery

The NHMC ticketed series at Sap House Meadery offers dinner and music in a bucolic setting. “We curate a very eclectic program that has included international and regional music from Ukraine, Brazil, Cuba, Quebec, India, Ireland, Scotland, Appalachia and West Africa,” NHMC’s McArthur said, calling the varying cuisines “perfect complements to the performances.”

Sap House Meadery (6 Folsom Road, Ossipee, saphousemeadery.com)

Thursday, Feb. 15 – David Hamburger

Thursday, March 14 – Jud Caswell

Thursday, April 18 – Senie Hunt

More winter music series

Front Four Cellars (13 Railroad Ave., Wolfeboro, frontfourcellars.com)

Jan. 26, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith

Jan. 27, 5 p.m. – Jordan Quinn

Feb. 17, 5 p.m. – Eric Lindberg

Feb. 23, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith

Feb. 24, 5 p.m. – Chris Lester

March 9, 5 p.m. – Cat Faulkner Duo

March 16, 5 p.m. – Ian Galipeau

March 22, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith

March 23, 5 p.m. – Mikey G

March 30, 5 p.m. – Tyler Levs

Twin Barns Brewing Co. (194 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, twinbarnsbrewing.com)

Friday, Jan. 26, 5 p.m. – The Lone Wolf Project (Chris Perkins)

Friday, Jan. 27, 5 p.m. – Karen Grenier

Friday, Feb. 2, 5 p.m. – Andrea Paquin

Saturday, Feb. 3, 5 p.m. – Dave Clark

Friday, Feb. 9, 5 p.m. – The Sweetbloods

Saturday, Feb. 10, 5 p.m. – the hArt of Sound

Friday, Feb. 16, 5 p.m. – Dave Zangri

Saturday, Feb. 17, 5 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel

Friday, Feb. 23, 5 p.m. – Tom Boisse

Saturday, Feb. 24, 5 p.m. – Kimayo

Friday, March 1, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith

Saturday, March 2, 5 p.m. – Slim Volume Duo

Friday, March 8, 5 p.m. – Chris Lester

Saturday, March 9, 5 p.m. – Brooks Young

Friday, March 15, 5 p.m. – Jud Caswell

Saturday, March 16, 5 p.m. – Mikey G

Friday, March 22, 5 p.m. – Henry LaLiberte

Saturday, March 23, 5 p.m. – Eric Lindberg

Friday, March 29, 5 p.m. – Andrea Paquin

Saturday, March 30, 5 p.m. – Ian Galipeau

Gunstock Ski Resort (719 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, gunstock.com)

Saturday Series – 3 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 10 – Rhys Chalmers

Saturday, Feb. 17 – Arlene Wow!

Saturday, Feb. 24 – Garrett Smith

Saturday, March 2 – B Man

Saturday, March 9 – Paul Warnick

Saturday, March 16 – Arlene Wow!

Saturday, March 23 – Garrett Smith

Saturday, March 30 – Rhys Chalmers

Saturday, April 6 – B Man (Après Annual Pond Skim event)

Crotched Mountain Resort (615 Francestown Road, Bennington, crotchedmtn.com)

Friday, Jan. 26, 6 p.m. – The 603s

Saturday, Jan. 27, 6 p.m. – Chris Lester

Saturday, Feb. 7, 6 p.m. – Eyes of Age

Friday, Feb. 23, 6 p.m. – River Sang Wild

Saturday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m. – Tyler Levs

Saturday, March 9, 6 p.m. – Eric Lindberg Band

Saturday, March 16, 6 p.m. – Kimayo

Salt Hill Pub Shanty (1407 Route 103, Newbury, salthillpub.com)

Acoustic Lift Ticket Series

Saturday, Jan. 27, 6 p.m. – Ted Mortimer

Saturday, Feb. 3, 6 p.m. – Rob Erwin

Saturday, Feb. 10, 6 p.m. – Dustin Marshall

Saturday, Feb. 17, 6 p.m. – Kim Wilcox

Saturday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m. – The Frogz

Saturday, March 2, 6 p.m. – Don Dawson

Saturday, March 9, 6 p.m. – Rhys Chalmers

Saturday, March 6, 6 p.m. – Ted Mortimer

Saturday, March 23, 6 p.m. – Adam McMahon

Saturday, March 30, 6 p.m. – Kim Wilcox

Goosefeathers Pub at Mt. Sunapee Ski Resort (1398 Route 103, Newbury, mountsunapee.com)

Saturday, Jan. 27, 3 p.m. – Ariel Strasser & Ken Budka

Sunday, Jan. 28, 3 p.m. – Alex Cohen

Saturday, Feb. 3, 3 p.m. – Kimayo

Sunday, Feb. 4, 3 p.m. – Mikey G

Saturday, Feb. 10, 3 p.m. – Dave Clark

Sunday, Feb. 11, 3 p.m. – April Cushman Duo

Saturday, Feb. 17, 3 p.m. – Josh Foster

Sunday, Feb. 18, 3 p.m. – Garrett Smith

Saturday, Feb. 24, 3 p.m. – Colin Herlihy

Sunday, Feb. 25, 3 p.m. – Danny McCarthy

Saturday, March 2, 3 p.m. – Tom Boisse

Sunday, March 3, 3 p.m. – The 603s

Saturday, March 9, 3 p.m. – Tyler Levs

Sunday, March 10, 3 p.m. – Chris Lester

Saturday, March 16, 3 p.m. – Ryan Williamson

Sunday, March 17, 3 p.m. – April Cushman Band

Saturday, March 23, 3 p.m. – Kimayo

Sunday, March 24, 3 p.m. – 93 North

Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market (Eagle Square, Concord, downtownconcordwinterfarmersmarket.com)

Saturday, Jan. 27, 9 a.m. to noon – Rebecca Turmel

Saturday, Feb. 3, 9 a.m. to noon – Andrew North

Saturday, Feb. 10, 9 a.m. to noon – Doug Farrell

Saturday, Feb. 17, 9 a.m. to noon – Eyes of Age

Saturday, Feb. 24, 9 a.m. to noon – Hank Osborne

Saturday, March 3, 9 a.m. to noon – Ryan Williamson

Lithermans Limited Brewery (126 Hall St., Suite B, Concord, lithermans.beer)

Thursday, Jan. 25, 5:30 p.m. – Mikey G

Thursday, Feb. 1, 5:30 p.m. – Tom Boisse

Thursday, Feb. 8, 5:30 p.m. – Ryan Williamson

Thursday, Feb. 15, 5:30 p.m. – Charlie Chronopoulos

Thursday, Feb. 22, 5:30 p.m. – Alex Cohen

Thursday, Feb. 29, 5:30 p.m. – Dave Clark

Thursday, March 7, 5:30 p.m. – Chris Lester

Thursday, March 14, 5:30 p.m. – Ken Budka

Thursday, March 21, 5:30 p.m. – Josh Foster

Thursday, March 28, 5:30 p.m. – The hArt of Sound

Contoocook Farmers Market (Maple Street Elementary School, 194 Maple St., Hopkinton)

Saturday, Jan. 27, 9 a.m. to noon – Taylor Marie

Saturday, Feb. 3, 9 a.m. to noon – Hank Osborne

Saturday, Feb. 10, 9 a.m. to noon – Mary Fagan

Saturday, Feb. 17, 9 a.m. to noon – Ryan Williamson

Saturday, Feb. 24, 9 a.m. to noon – Ian Galipeau

Saturday, March 2, 9 a.m. to noon – Cat Faulkner Duo

Saturday, March 9, 9 a.m. to noon – Brad Myrick

Saturday, March 16, 9 a.m. to noon – Rebecca Turmel

Saturday, March 23, 9 a.m. to noon – Paul Gormley

Saturday, March 30, 9 a.m. to noon – Scott King

Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m. to noon – Paul Driscoll

Saturday, April 13, 9 a.m. to noon – Joey Clark

In Praise of the brick and mortar Bookstore plus recommendations for new reads and book clubs to join

There’s nothing quite like the experience of shopping at your local independent bookstore, and luckily New Hampshire has several. Here’s what those in the business had to say about the local book shopping experience and current reading trends.

Balin Books

Previously the Nashua location of Toadstool Bookshop, Balin Books introduced its new name in early 2023 (Balin rhymes with “gallon,” according to the store’s Facebook page). The store is still under the ownership of one of the original founders.

“We have a new name but … nothing else has changed about our business other than the fact that there’s a different sign above the door,” said manager Michael Joachim. A general book store, Balin Books is able to tailor its stock to what the community wants.

What do people get from shopping at bookstores that they don’t get online? What is that experience like and why do you think people seek it?

It’s interesting because … there was a pretty big crisis following the rise of Borders and Barnes & Noble, which dramatically changed the landscape. Bookstores adjusted and they kind of survived that and then Amazon and other online purchasing came and that was another big crisis that reduced a number of stores, and the people that were left, I think, were the real survivors, the people who figured out how to be an asset to the community and to offer something that people actually wanted rather than just a bunch of companies that opened stores willy-nilly all over the landscape and didn’t really have a way to survive. I think there’s always … a foundation

… of people who, while they might buy books online, they want the experience of wandering through the store and actually seeing what’s available in front of them as opposed to poking on a screen, flip through a book, get a look at what’s actually in it, compare to what else is available in that same category and that same subject and make a decision right away and buy it. They just want to absorb what’s out there and you’re never going to get that online, and that’s very important to a significant number of people, so if you can create that environment where browsing is a pleasurable, informative experience, and have the right selection and the right services, you will survive and do well.

How have local bookstores, and yours specifically, fared with the times and trends of online shopping with sites like Amazon and big bookstores like Barnes & Noble? How have you adapted and changed?

I think you’ve got to be involved in the community. We do a lot of work with the local schools, there are educators that come to us and we help either provide books for the class or get discounts for kids who need it in their classes. We’re connected to the Nashua Public Library pretty well … You have to have a great selection. You [have] to have an inventory that matches what your community is looking to buy, looking to browse. You also have knowledgeable people who know how to help and have some experience and can answer some of those questions. A lot of people are intimidated when they walk into a bookstore because they don’t want to look dumb. They don’t want to ask questions that may make them uncomfortable. If you walk into … a bigger chain store like that where the turnover is more substantial, if that person doesn’t know what you’re trying to find and then you make the customer feel uncomfortable, the whole thing just gets a little weird. People love that when they come in here … [if they] don’t understand what it is they’re looking for we can help them get to the answer without making them feel uncomfortable.

Have you noticed any other patterns or trends of shopping at local bookstores?

I find a lot of people come in and say that they’re really pleased that we’re here. … When I started in the business … almost every town or every couple of towns had a local bookstore where people could come and get what they needed. That’s changed dramatically. You can go 20 miles without a bookstore now. I think for the bookstores that are still here, and the bookstores that are doing well and offer a real service to the community, a lot of people really appreciate that … they want to support a local, independently owned store and that’s gratifying.

When genres seem to be attracting the most interest from readers?

Historically it’s always been children’s books, which is a big age group anywhere from baby books to young adult. That’s a big chunk of our store because a lot of people want to buy books for their children, they want them to read [and] people buy them as gifts. For adults it’s fiction, biography, history. But then we have people who want … self-help books, cookbooks, but within the fiction genre, which is a big chunk of our store, we’ve got mystery, suspense, horror, science fiction, romance — all those things are a big part of what we offer.

Is there any type of book, whether genre or author, that has become popular in the last few years that has surprised you?

There’s been a very big boom in romance, specifically a couple of authors that figured out how to use TikTok to promote themselves and particularly a woman named Colleen Hoover … [who] I believe … came out of nowhere to be the bestselling author in the country two years ago … so it’s been interesting to watch how people can work the market place to promote themselves and how it actually works. … I think an independent store can react a lot more quickly to something like that … we can just jump on it right away, get some books in pretty quickly and respond to the community.

What was the most popular book of 2023 and what books are you excited for in 2024?

There’s a book called Fourth Wing, which was a fantasy book that, again, the author [Rebecca Yarros] did something online to promote herself and it was just a huge book. The sequel Iron Flame came out right around Christmas time and that was big. And Sarah J. Maas, who writes fantasy books, has a new book coming out next month, which should also be gigantic.

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

I like the last Stephen King book, Holly. … That was a good book, that’s the one that’s sticking with me at the moment.

Balin Books
Where: Somerset Plaza, 375 Amherst St. in Nashua; 417-7981, balinbooks.com
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Upcoming author events:
Jeanne Dietsch, to discuss her report New Hampshire: Battleground in the Fight to Dismantle Democracy, on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 11 a.m.

Five recent releases recommended by Balin Books
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
A Stroke of the Pen by Terry Pratchett
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
My Effin’ Life by Geddy Lee
Gator Country by Rebecca Renner
Alfie & Me by Carl Safina

Bookery Manchester

Liz Hitchcock, along with her husband, Jeremy Hitchcock, opened Bookery, a bookstore, gift shop and cafe on Elm Street in Manchester, in 2018 with the goal of creating a venue for civic discourse, community and culture. A general bookstore, Bookery adjusts inventory to align with what the community is reading, and carries other merchandise like candles, socks, puzzles, cards and more. The store hosts events with authors, a monthly book club, weekly storytimes, live music, political talks, workshops and private events.

“We’re really just proactive at seeing what our community’s reading at this time, listening to their feedback on what they want and what they need and following that as our guiding star,” Hitchcock said.

What do people get from shopping at bookstores that they don’t get online? What is that experience like and why do you think people seek it?

I think the main reason why people go to a local bookstore is curation. Obviously I, just like anybody else, can go to Amazon and see … books and some of them have five stars and some of them have three stars, but in the end I want someone to tell me if I read this book then I might enjoy this book … There’s nothing better than someone who’s actually read the book telling you that it’s something that you may enjoy, so it’s really about the process of curation — hand selling is gigantic — and then obviously the ability for us to have authors come into our store to meet our customers is really important as well.

How have local bookstores, and yours specifically, fared with the times and trends of online shopping with sites like Amazon and big bookstores like Barnes & Noble?

I think that in the end we are probably faring a little bit better than places like Barnes & Noble because we do have an entrenched community that we support and we love. I do think that Barnes & Noble is doing a better job at creating that community around them now that they’ve given more free will to the managers of the stores, but I think that we’re doing well even based on the circumstances of the economy and Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Have you noticed any other patterns or trends of shopping at local bookstores?

Not specifically that I can name. We have seen growth year over year, which has been helpful especially with the rising cost of employees and buying books and shipping, so we appreciate that greatly. I think just really the part that still surprises me is adjacent towns that are still surprised when they see that we have a bookstore of our caliber downtown on Elm Street, so even still getting the word and making sure people know that we’re there, what we offer and that we love our community.

When genres seem to be attracting the most interest from readers?

2023 was a huge year for romantasy, a new hybrid sub-genre between romance and fantasy. Sarah J. Maas is a huge staple of this genre, but this year we have a new heavy hitter in Rebecca Yarros! Her two books Fourth Wing and Iron Flame both caused such a stir in the book world this year it was hard for bookstores to keep up! Fourth Wing centers on a dragon rider academy, with an enemies-to-lovers romance to boot with plenty of spice for those interested!

What was the most popular book of 2023 and what books are you excited for in 2024?

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang was a huge book for us this year. R.F. Kuang ended 2022 with a huge book in Babel, and her new literary fiction rode that high and then some. Yellowface is about two authors, one white, one Asian, working on their manuscripts. When the writer of color suddenly dies, the white author takes it upon herself to steal the late writer’s manuscript, finish it, and pass it off as her own under a pseudonym. A great commentary and satire on whitewashing in lucrative industries. [In] 2024 — We’re really looking toward Knife by Salman Rushdie, releasing in April! It’s a memoir from the author about his recently survived assassination attempt in 2022, 30 years after a “fatwa” was ordered against him by the Supreme Leader of Iran calling for his assassination. It promises to be an eye-opening read about his first-hand account of that day and what followed. Can’t wait!

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

I recently read and loved Prophet Song by Paul Lynch! The hype for this one was crazy, considering it won the Booker Prize in the U.K. before its U.S. publication (I was so excited to read it that I ordered a copy from the U.K. before it came out over here). It tells the story of a civil resistance in Ireland after a nameless government regime cracking down on unions and anti-state sentiments. It’s a harrowing universal tale about government and government overreach, and transcends borders given the exact causes and politics associated with the book’s uprising aren’t given. You really can picture yourself in this novel. [It’s] truly transportative!

Bookery Manchester
Where: 844 Elm St., Manchester; 836-6600, bookerymht.com
When: Sunday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Upcoming author events:

• Joe McQuaid, author of War Fronts Home Fires, on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m.
• Joseph Carrabis will hold a workshop called “Write Your History, Change Your Life” on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 5 p.m.
• Matthew Jones, author of Wish I Could Love You: A Collection of Failed Love Stories on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 5 p.m.
• Fox Hollow, author of Heartstrings, on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 3 p.m.

Gibson’s Bookstore

Founded in 1898, Gibson’s Bookstore is the oldest continuously operating retailer in the Concord area and the largest independent bookstore in northern New England, according to its website. Current owner Michael Herrmann bought the business in 1994, expanded the business twice including the move to its current location in 2013 and bought Imagination Village toy store to integrate into the store, which also has a cafe. At this general bookstore with a wide variety of interests, Herrmann said, “our inventory is designed with Concord in mind.”

What do people get from shopping at bookstores that they don’t get online? What is that experience like and why do you think people seek it?

Bookstores of all kinds are great gathering places. They’re community centers, they’re places that build community, and you can’t really can’t replicate that online. There’s also one thing you can get at a physical bookstore that you can’t get online, [which] is discovery. If you go online looking for something you’ll find it but if you don’t know what you want or you might be open for new experiences then the only way really to get that is browsing in the real world.

How have local bookstores, and yours specifically, fared with the times and trends of online shopping with sites like Amazon and big bookstores like Barnes & Noble?

We’ve always had the larger bookstores to contend with probably since the ’80s, and Amazon came along at the end of the ’90s, so … we’ve been getting used to it for a lot longer than other types of operations have, so the independent bookstores that are still with us are well-equipped to compete with online stores like Amazon.

Have you noticed any other patterns or trends of shopping at local bookstores?

Well, certainly our sales are increasing every year and new independent bookstores are starting every year. The channel has been growing since Borders went out of business in 2011. That was sort of like the asteroid getting the dinosaurs and we were the mammals so our channel has been expanding ever since 2011, and Gibson’s Bookstore’s business has been going up pretty much since 2013.

When genres seem to be attracting the most interest from readers?

Fiction. We’ve seen a lot of new interest in genres like genre fiction [such as] romance and horror, mystery, science fiction. We’ve seen a lot of growth in those areas.

Is there any type of book, whether genre or author, that has become popular in the last few years that has surprised you?

There’s always room for surprise. You don’t want it to be … formulaic at all, that’s why we take a chance on a lot of different … new authors. Where some of the big box stores have scaled back on, for instance, books for young readers like ages 9 to 12, we continue to bring in a lot of new authors in that area just because some of them are going to be important in the future and we want to build relationships and sales with them as early as possible. And there’s always surprises like this holiday season, the big surprise was how well the book by Liz Cheney did [Oath and Honor]. We didn’t have that on our 2023 bingo card but her book really struck a chord with people and … you can’t predict that in advance. You really don’t know, you sort of have to ride the tiger when the tiger gets to you.

What was the most popular book of 2023 and what books are you excited for in 2024?

Ann Patchett’s book Tom Lake was very popular. We did very well with that. In nonfiction David Grann’s book The Wager was extremely popular.

[In 2024] there’s a new novel by Chris Bohjalian coming out that he’s very excited about launching called Princess of Las Vegas, so I’m looking forward to reading that. … [Also] the new novel by Tana French that’s coming out called The Hunter and then there’s a new book by Tommy Orange, who wrote the novel There There, called Wandering Stars and … that’s coming in March [and I’m] also really looking forward to that.

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

The new Tana French [The Hunter]. I just finished it.

Gibson’s Bookstore
Where: 45 S. Main St. in Concord
When: Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.

Upcoming author events:

• Lloyd Sederer, doctor and author of Caught in the Crosshairs of American Healthcare, on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 6:30 p.m.
• Joe McQuaid, author of War Fronts Home Fires, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 6:30 p.m.
• Chard deNiord, poet and author of seven books of poetry, presented by the Poetry Society of New Hampshire on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 4:30 p.m.
• Leila Philip, author of Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America, on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 6:30 p.m.

Upcoming releases recommended by Gibson’s

The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson (April 30); The Women by Kristin Hannah (Feb. 6); Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrush (March 19); Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange (Feb. 27); The Fury by Alex Michaelides (Jan. 16) —recommended by adult book buyer John LeDonne

The Angel of Indian Lake (The Indian Lake Trilogy #3) by Stephen Graham Jones (March 26); Funny Story by Emily Henry (April 23); Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon (April 30); Happy Medium by Sarah Adler (April 30); Kosa by John Durgin (New Hampshire author!) (May 17); Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman (June 25); American Rapture by CJ Leede (Oct. 15); Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay (June 11); The Pairing by Casey McQuiston (Aug. 6) —recommended by bookseller and marketing manager Ryan Clark

MainStreet BookEnds of Warner

Despite being rejected by the bank three times, Katharine Nevins, along with her husband, opened the doors to MainStreet BookEnds of Warner in October 1998 during the Warner Fall Foliage Festival. A community bookstore with toys and games set in a Pillsbury colonial homestead, MainStreet BookEnds is a general bookstore with particular strengths in the children’s, gardening and farming genres. In the attached barn is a gallery featuring the works of local artists.

“Warner is … an area where there are a lot of writers, a lot of musicians, [and] a lot of artists, so we’ve always tried to reflect that,” Nevins said.

What do people get from shopping at bookstores that they don’t get online? What is that experience like and why do you think people seek it?

Independent bookstores are extraordinarily important … for … the culture of the area …. Every single independent bookstore is unique. If you’re traveling and you kind of want to get a sense of where you are and who the people are, you track down an independent bookstore because once you get in there you’re in with all the locals, you’re in there with the things that are happening right there in that community. … If you can break the habit of the quick click, which is a hard habit to break, … you can go into the storefront and experience a community of readers who can recommend things to you or recommend things to your children. People who are experienced in books and can really make recommendations … can make a difference. … I’m fortunate because I have a front row seat of watching that every day and I see people talking with each other and saying, ‘My child had trouble reading and this is what worked for them,’ ‘My mother just died and I really found this book to be extraordinarily helpful.’ … Things like that happen all the time, so it’s really exciting. So you walk into an independent bookstore and you’re walking into, I believe, a piece of magic because you’re seeing exactly what that area has to offer.

How have local bookstores, and yours specifically, fared with the times and trends of online shopping with sites like Amazon and big bookstores like Barnes & Noble?

In 1998 the bank turned us down three times. They said there’s no way an independent bookstore is going to survive in these times, and Amazon had just started. Amazon has a ridiculous impact on independent bookstores [and] on every single neighborhood store, so the more you extract yourself from that kind of shopping, the more you’re supporting your community and the more you’re helping your community to thrive and survive … I think more and more people are getting tired of [the online] experience. I can tell you during Covid where we had to close the store for 15 months we kept going and we did curbside … and so forth, but that was when people really kind of woke up to how if we don’t support these little businesses right now, they’re not going to make it, and people came out of the woodwork, it was absolutely fabulous the support that we got. So I think the people … want to experience … being able to go into an independent bookstore and … and just that sense of turning everything off for a half hour, which is really important, and you can’t do that in many places but in a bookstore you can get lost in here for a while and that’s a very healing thing. Strange to say but there’s a lot of healing that goes on in an environment like that [where] people are just allowed to come in and relax and wander and who knows what’s going to happen.

Have you noticed any other patterns or trends of shopping at local bookstores?

We’re really having a return of younger people coming in and just really loving the experience of wandering and talking about books and holding books. … The feelings … that you get when you pick up a book that you read … all those feelings come rushing back to you as to where you were at the time, and you can only get that with a physical book, that’s the only way you can get that.

When genres seem to be attracting the most interest from readers?

We follow the New England Independent Booksellers Association bestsellers list. … We all contribute to what sells the best in our stores and that’s the list that we go by in terms of our bestsellers. … There’s a whole lot of interest in young adult and in graphic novels for young adults. … We have a … section on regional titles in terms of New Hampshire and hiking [that’s] just about sold out … . That’s [a] huge area. People [want] to pick up books about the area and about hiking and enjoying the outdoors … and children’s books are always very, very big.

Is there any type of book, whether genre or author, that has become popular in the last few years that has surprised you?

I think that the popularity is reflected by the times, right? … Right now people are wanting more and more escape and comfort … so when a particular author becomes really popular that surprises us it’s probably because that particular author is providing a really good escape for right now. … You [also] read to learn about other worlds so I think if we’ve had some surprising authors emerge in the last couple of years it’s just been reflective of what we need as a society to cope.

What was the most popular book of 2023 and what books are you excited for in 2024?

Well, books like Demon Copperhead, Barabra Kingssolver’s book, that was huge; Iron Flame [by Rebecca Yarros and] A Court of Thorns and Roses [by Sarah J. Maas]. … [For] what’s coming up, well, I guess we just wait and see what’s going to emerge next — it’s always kind of a surprise … and I know people are excited about some new ones coming out there so I think we just wait and see.

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

In terms of my favorite reads from 2023, the fiction would be the latest from Sigrid Nunez, The Vulnerables. The nonfiction is The Long Field by Pamela Petro. Children’s picture books would be Thank a Farmer by Maria Gianferrari, and middle-grade novels would be the latest from Ann Braden, Opinions and Opossums.

MainStreet BookEnds of Warner
Where: 16 E. Main St. in Warner; 456-2700, mainstreetbookends.com
When: Tuesday through Friday, noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

MainStreet Recommends

Tana French has a new book coming out, The Hunter (March 5)
Sarah Maas’s newest will be huge, House of Flame and Shadow (Jan. 30)
A wonderful biography just out on Willa Cather, Chasing Bright Medusas (out now)
Sy Montgomery’s latest, Of Time and Turtles (out now)
Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go celebrates 50 years with a new edition (out now)

More book shops

Here are some additional independent bookstores in the area.

The Lost Page Found Bookshop
Where: 35 Main St. in Goffstown; 384-1390, thelostpagefoundbookshop.com
Hours: See Facebook for winter hours. Posted hours on are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Morgan Hill Bookstore
Where: 253 Main St., New London; 526-5850, morganhillbookstore.com
When: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

RiverRun Bookstore
Where: 32 Daniel St. in Portsmouth; 431-2100, riverrunbookstore.com
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Toadstool Bookshop
Where: 12 Depot St. in Peterborough, 924-3543; toadbooks.com
When: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Water Street Bookstore
Where: 125 Water St., Exeter; 778-9731, waterstreetbooks.com
When: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Book Clubs

Gibson’s Bookstore
45 S. Main St., Concord
gibsonsbookstore.com/gibsons-book-club
When: first Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m.
Next up: Feb. 5: The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett

Bookery
bookerymht.com/our-events
844 Elm St., Manchester
Book club
When: third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.
Next up: Jan 18: Happy-Go-Lucky, by David Sedaris
Romance book club
When: last Sunday of each month at 6 p.m.
Next up: Jan. 28: By the Book, by Jasmine Guillory

MainStreet BookEnds
16 E. Main St., Warner
Mainstreetbookends.com
When: Sundays at 4 p.m.
Next up: Feb. 4: How the Post Office Created America, by Winifred Gallagher

To Share Brewing
720 Union St., Manchester
When: second Thursday of every month at 6 p.m.
RSVP to [email protected] to attend
Next up: Feb. 8: Love in the Time of Serial Killers, by Alicia Thompson

Northwoods Brewing
1334 First NH Tpke., Northwood
When: Books and Brews meets on various Mondays
Next up: Jan. 29: Shark Heart: A Love Story, by Emily Habeck
Peterborough NH Area Silent Book Club
Find them on Facebook
When: The newly formed chapter was scheduled to have its first-ever meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at DiVine on Main (32 Main St., Peterborough); a second meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m.
Next up: whatever you want
“Silent Book Club is a global community of readers and introverts reading together in quiet camaraderie. … At Silent Book Club, there’s no assigned reading. Instead, we’re inviting readers to grab a glass of wine, a tasty snack, a cozy seat, and a book of their choosing to read uninterrupted for one hour, with added time for socializing and discussing your book while making new friends,” according to the Peterborough chapter’s post on silentbook.club.

Featured Photo: Gibson’s Bookstore. Photo by Ryan Clark.