Category: Cover Stories

The art of ice sculpture PLUS a look at Concord’s winter fest

By Zachary Lewis

[email protected]

It is the time of year for ice sculpting and this is not a reference to clearing off the windshield in the morning. Ice sculpting is an art and the people involved in this pursuit are artists.

Jeff Day operates Ice Designs in Plymouth. This business handles all things ice. From sculpture to making the blocks themselves, to delivering ice bars across state lines, Day is in his element in the cold and is in the middle of an ice delivery.

“Right now we’re bringing ice to another set of carvers in Maine. We supply ice to Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont to ice sculptors as well as ourselves. I guess I’d say we’re the busiest of the ice sculptors in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. We also supply. So if it’s not our ice we’re carving, someone else is carving our ice, which is cool,” Day said.

These cold waters run deep.

“I’ve been doing it since, I don’t know, I’m going to say like 1993, maybe. So quite a while ago. We’re located in Plymouth, New Hampshire. We got a warehouse and big freezers. Our busy season is basically December through March and then we have a lot of outside jobs,” Day said.

Day and his company have worked for corporations like Red Bull for snowboard competitions and exhibitions. “So for Red Bull, we’ve done ice jobs on top of ski mountains for their professional riders. It’s cool. We’ve been blessed. We’ve done a lot.”

In the beginning, the culinary world propelled Jeff into the ice sculpting world.

“I was a chef by trade and I moved right to San Diego. Every Sunday there was at least five sculptures at our brunch. I was like, I don’t know, 20 years old. We did carve one in school and once I became a little more proficient as a chef and started being the boss I started doing a little carving on the side. Finally a chef asked me if I could carve something. He asked me if I could carve an eagle. I said, ‘How many blocks do you have?’ He says three. So, if I have a third block of ice, I made something that I felt represented the eagle well enough. It wasn’t great, but like I always say, I made a lot of ugly ones for a while until I got it figured out.”

Like a chef using an assortment of cutlery and utensils to craft the perfect dish, an ice sculptor relies on different tools.

“A chainsaw is very much a go-to for us,” Day said. “We do chisels. I use chisels a lot. We do have power tools. Basically, they look like drill bits.They’re from the milling industry, metalworking. We modify stuff in order to get what we need … there’s a few things out there that are made specific for us, but most of it’s taken from other industries. We use grinders with sandpaper, aluminum oxide sandpaper. And then we have some power tools, some brass and things like that that we put in die grinders.”

A die grinder works at high speed. “Like a big Dremel,” Day said. “It looks like a drill, but it’s really not. It spins at like 25,000 RPMs, and we can plunge with it, and we can carve with it.”

Ice Designs does not need to wait for a polar vortex to get blocks of ice.

“We produce our own ice, so we have 16 block makers.The block makers, they’re called Clinebell block makers, and they make crystal clear ice. It takes us three days to make two blocks of ice. We have 16 machines that make 64 blocks a week. Each block is about 45 gallons of water and we freeze it from the bottom up.”

There is a method to this freezing madness, Day said. “As it freezes, we have a circulator pump, and that pump moves the water around and gets rid of any oxygen that’s in the water. And that’s what makes it clear and any impurities or anything go to the top of the water.”

The water sinks below and all the impurities rise to the top. “So when we cut the top of this off at the end of the three days, we end up with a rectangle, a big block of ice that weighs 300 pounds and is crystal clear.” The block is 40 inches tall, 20 inches wide, and 10 inches thick, he said.

Everything beautiful comes from the effervescent ice. “We can take those, like right now we have 70 blocks with us and we’re going up here and they’re going to build a big ice bar event, so we can stack these blocks and make a 10-foot-tall horse if we want,” Day said.

It is hard for Jeff to pick one favorite design over the years especially since Ice sculpture is such a passion for him. “We’ve done so many, it’s been such a good run. We’ve done some really cool dragons. I just did a competition last year, I did a dragon. I was pretty psyched about it. People ask if I have a favorite one. I don’t know. There’s been so many. I just really enjoy it,” Day said.

For an installation Day typically pre-makes the pieces to be assembled on site but the sculpture is carved in real time.

“I call it the big project,” he said. “And the next morning, the day of the event, I go and I get to carve that into … a horse or a dragon or an astronaut or whatever the case may be. That’s the best because it’s the last day, all the other stuff is done and I try to uncover this and make this thing look killer, which is fun. The last day is enjoyable.”

Day has the ability to carve and sculpt despite the season and has a few helpers to assemble the frozen magic.

“The weather is always a gamble, so we try to do as much ahead as possible,” he said. “I have a huge freezer, a 26-by-36 freezer I can drive a forklift in at my warehouse, and we have two other freezers. … I have a guy that helps me, Jamie, a high school friend for years, he’s a retired police officer. My girlfriend, Holly, she helps me a ton. I have another friend, Alex, that helps out a little, and between them, we can get this all done. We’re pretty darn efficient because we have to be.”

Those with a passion to sculpt ice into whatever their heart desires just need to ask around to find their path into this world. “Find someone like myself and work for them. I carved ice on the side, like my side hustle for a long time, and I was competing and doing well with that,” he said. “I went to Boston and got in with a guy named Steve Rose. Steve Rose and Bill Covitz. Those guys were absolute rock stars and they really humbled me. I worked with those guys a lot and that really was the next step to help me get better at my game. Unfortunately, most of us sculptors are, I would say, 40 and older.”

Eric Knoll is on the younger side of ice sculptors in the world.

“Eric is the youngest guy and he’s got another job so he’s part-time as a side hustle and he’s doing a pretty good job,” Day said about Knoll.

Knoll was turned on to the art of ice sculpture at culinary school.

“I went to Johnson & Wales in Providence, Rhode Island, for culinary and started learning it in college, essentially. I’ve been doing it inside since I learned it. It’s been 15 years and I can’t stop doing it,” Knoll said.

“It actually is no longer taught in culinary school, but when I first learned it, it was for cruise ships and buffets and centerpieces, weddings and stuff like that,” he said.

Ice sculpture was where Knoll found another outlet, besides cooking, for his artistic gift. “I actually didn’t know what ice carving was. The first year I was at college they had a family event on the weekend and I walked by it and I was like, ‘What is this?’ Then I just tried to learn everything I could possibly learn about it. But before that, I mean, I can’t draw. I can’t paint. Am I creative? Absolutely.”

He recalls that one of his first competitions was in Keene, New Hampshire, “which they still have going and I still participate every year since and it’s just part of ice carving in the winter.”

Each competition inspires Knoll to make something different.

“I try to do new ones I haven’t done before at a competition because it’s a place to do it where you can kind of test the limits. You’re usually outside if things work out, the weather is cold enough. So you can do different things that you couldn’t do if the weather wasn’t cold.”

The ocean has been an inspiration. “The very first one I learned was a lighthouse, because obviously we’re in Rhode Island, so sticking with the theme,” he recalled. “But I’ve carved many different themes, different types of sculptures.”

These sculptures have led Eric around the globe. “I’ve gone to the World Championships up in Fairbanks, Alaska, for three years in a row, and that’s a whole different competition on its own. Usually like to stick with the nautical or sea creature theme, just a lot of detail you can do in those sculptures. One year I did a bunch of fish. I think the year before was a bunch of fish in a coral reef. I’ve done an eagle.”

One sea creature is still on his list to sculpt. “There’s an octopus that I haven’t done yet. I actually tried to do it in Keene two years ago and the weather was too warm … and I was put right on Main Street with no sunshade, so it was just not feasible to pull that sculpture off. So one day, eventually, I will pull off an octopus. In Alaska I’ve done a full underwater scene. There was a shark. There were jellyfish in the sea, two or three other sea creatures on that one as well, but I’ve done a lot of other things. I carved a giant scorpion one year. I’ve done some realistic sculptures as well,” Knoll said.

At the Winter Festival in Concord he tied for first place in 2023 with Michael Legassey and he earned first place in 2019. Knoll is still deciding on what to sculpt for the Festival this year.

“I do not know yet. It really is weather-dependent. I usually wait until like the week before and look at the forecast of the weather to decide what type of design I can do and what type of sculpture. That’s usually how I prepare for a lot of the competitions. You do plan ahead, but you have a backup just in case the weather changes and you can’t actually carve what you’re trying to carve based on how warm or cold it is,” Knoll said.

Ice, unsurprisingly, is quite temperature-dependent. “There’s a lot of techniques involved, so you can actually fuse blocks of ice together or pieces together, but that can only really be achieved at 30 degrees or less or you’ve got to use dry ice and then it’s really messy and it’s not as easy to do as many of those fuses. Cold weather is what we look for in outside competitions.”

Knoll helps put on the Winter Festival with Intown Concord and The Hotel Concord and has been “part of it from the very beginning when it first started. I helped with a big part of planning it and growing it each year.”

Growth is important; the world of ice sculpting may be smaller than you think.

“Yeah, the community of ice carving is very small,” Knoll said. “That’s where I say, yeah, we compete against each other and obviously we’re competitive but we all are there to help each other and learn from each other. We’ll help stack each other’s blocks of ice…. It’s really a whole community and it’s a big team even though it’s a competition.

Featured Image: Courtesy photo.

A Look at Winter Music Series Warming Up the Season

By Michael Witthaus

[email protected]

With snow flying as the winds whip and temperatures drop, now is a great time to head indoors and enjoy some live music.

In addition to the nationally and wider-regionally touring shows at the larger capacity venues, several smaller spots offer winter music series that showcase a musical experience that features more indie, niche and regional original music. As the venues are smaller (some as small as under a hundred, some accommodating a few hundred music-lovers especially if the crowd is standing), the shows often provide a chance to catch an act before they blow up like Noah Kahan. Sometimes, the milieu and the music are equally compelling. Sipping wine before sitting down for a concert at Hermit Woods wineries, for example, or looking at art before the music at the Andres Institute.

Many of the performers can be seen in area bars and restaurants, but at these shows they have the opportunity to play their own material. When Andrea Paquin and April Cushman are at Milk St. Studios, for example, they’ll be able to draw from their own extensive catalogs instead of doing covers, something that’s also true for all of the shows at The Livery. The Songwriter Roundup at Hermit Woods Winery pretty much exists to expose original voices who spend a lot of their time doing someone else’s songs. If you like what you hear, buy a CD, it’s the best way to support independent musicians. Whether it’s a craving for rock, blues, folk, big band or traditional sounds from Ireland or Ecuador, there’s an option available.

The following is a look at upcoming concerts, from now to spring, and a few beyond.

Andres Institute of Art (16 Route 13, Brookline, andresinstitute.org)

This outdoor sculpture garden was once a ski resort. Fundraising concerts are held to keep admission free year-round. The upcoming schedule is an eclectic one, with Manchester alt rockers the Faith Ann Band, acoustic roots band Low Lily and pan-Latin Boston group Sol y Canto all playing. Institute President Kristi St. Laurent, who also books the shows, noted recently that the former ski lodge where the concerts happen is historic. “J. Geils played here, I have photographic proof of that,” she said, adding it’s perfect for concerts. “Musicians all want to come back, because they love the way the room sounds.”

Saturday, Jan. 25, 6 p.m. – Faith Ann Band and Rabbit Foot

Sunday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m. – The Sofferman Perspective

Sunday, March 2, 6 p.m. – Low Lily

Sunday, March 16, 6 p.m. – The Honey Bees

Sunday, April 6, 6 p.m. – Evan Goodrow

Saturday, April 19, 6 p.m. – Mighty Colors and Jamdemic (Earth Day Benefit)

Monday, April 28, 6 p.m. – Sol y Canto

Button Factory Stage (99 Islington St., Portsmouth, portsmouthnhtickets.com)

This intimate performing space located in the studios of Portsmouth Community Radio is as eclectic as the Seacoast music community it supports, with multiple genres appearing, and nationally touring artists often stopping by. Local shows include Mango Catch Collective on Jan. 25 and a raging punk rock show featuring Condition, Black Vinegar and The Saturn Cycle on Feb. 21, with unique Beatles tribute trio While My Guitar Gently Weeps the following night. Boston acid jazzers Bees Deluxe are there March 8.

Friday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. – Alchemy with Hell Beach and Qvickdraw

Friday, Jan. 24, 8 p.m. – DJ Chad Banks and Friends

Saturday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. – Mother Nimbus with Mango Catch Collective

Saturday, Feb. 1, 8 p.m. – The Orrs with Twothousands

Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. – Anna May

Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. – Alexia Scott

Saturday, Feb. 15, 8 p.m. – Mango Catch!

Friday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. – Condition with Black Vinegar and The Saturn Cycle

Saturday, Feb. 22, 8 p.m. – While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Friday, Feb. 28, 8 p.m. – DJ Chad Banks and his DJ Friends

Friday, March 7, 8 p.m. – Complete Utter Opposite with Neurotic

Saturday, March 8, 8 p.m. – House Lights & Friends

Saturday, March 15, 8 p.m. – Bees Deluxe

Thursday, March 20, 8 p.m. – Matt Farley with Thin Lear, Niagara Moon, and Bird Friend

Sunday, March 23, 8 p.m. – Little Lies: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac

Thursday, April 10, 8 p.m. – Broommaker (formerly Teething Veils) & Eternal Slumber

Contoocook Cider Co. (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, contoocookcider.com)

A bucolic room booked by NH Music Collective and run by a revered cidery. Music happens Saturdays and Sundays, with a long list of regional favorites stopping by.

NHMC, which helps independent musicians find gigs by working with pubs, restaurants and listening rooms, recently underwent a leadership change. Brad Myrick sold his stake to fellow co-founders John McArthur and his wife, Reva Tankle, to focus on his own music.

“It’s a very amicable change of direction for the company,” McArthur said in early January. “I’ve been trying to help him as much as I can with his performance career…. Brad is one of the best guitarists, certainly in the Northeast, and he’s a fabulous composer.”

Brad Myrick, who’s now devoting his time to performing, makes an appearance in mid-March. NHMC is also booking a series of shows at the BNH Stage in Concord this winter.

Also on tap is Ian Archibold, recently seen at a BNH Stage showcase concert. Sully Erna sideman and Joe Walsh doppelgänger Chris Lester is another highlight; he’s there next month.

Sunday, Jan. 19, 1 p.m. – Jack Ancora

Saturday, Feb. 1, 1 p.m. – Justin Cohn

Saturday, Feb. 15, 1 p.m. – Chris Lester

Saturday, March 1, 1 p.m. – Ian Archibold

Saturday, March 15, 1 p.m. – Dan Fallon

Sunday, March 16, 1 p.m. – Brad Myrick

Saturday, March 22, 1 p.m. – Alex Cohen

Sunday, March 23, 1 p.m. – Justin Cohn

Saturday, April 5, 1 p.m. – Tyler Levs

Saturday, April 12, 1 p.m. – Ryan Williamson

Saturday, April 19, 1 p.m. – Garrett Smith

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

The longest-running concert series in the state mixes old-school folkies like Ellis Paul, Garnet Rogers and Tom Pirozzoli, who conceived the whole thing back in the early ’90s, with new faces like Sam Robbins and Brittany Moore. This small room sells out fast, so best to make reservations well in advance, especially for shows like bluesman Guy Davis on Feb. 13.

Thursday, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m. – New England Bluegrass Band

Thursday, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m. – Dinty Child and Mark Erelli

Thursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. – Guy Davis

Thursday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m. – Ellis Paul

Thursday, March 6, 7:30 p.m. – Aztec Two Step 2.0

Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m. – Brittany Moore

Thursday, March 27, 7:30 p.m. – Willy Porter and Tom Pirozzoli

Thursday, April 3, 7:30 p.m. – Lonesome Ace String Band

Thursday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. – Sam Robbins

Wednesday, April 23, 7:30 p.m. – Garnet Rogers

Thursday, April 24, 7:30 p.m. – Garnet Rogers

Goosefeathers Pub (1398 Route 103, Newbury, mountsunapee.com)

Kick back with the apres-ski crowd and enjoy a bountiful list of musicians curated by NHMC. Willy Chase, another singer-songwriter recently showcased at BNH Stage, has an early February set. In March, it’s Mikey G, who also headlined the downtown Concord room. Other good bets are Rebecca Turmel Duo on Jan. 19, and The 603s on Feb. 22.

Saturday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m. – Ryan Williamson

Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel Duo

Saturday, Jan. 25, 3 p.m. – Frontwoods

Saturday, Feb. 1, 3 p.m. – Tom Boisse

Sunday, Feb. 2, 2 p.m. – Willy Chase

Saturday, Feb. 8, 3 p.m. – Dave Clark

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m. – Andrea Paquin

Saturday, Feb. 15, 3 p.m. – Karen Grenier

Sunday, Feb. 16, 2 p.m. – Jack Ancora

Saturday, Feb. 22, 3 p.m. – The 603s

Sunday, Feb. 23, 2 p.m. – Brad Myrick Duo

Saturday, March 1, 3 p.m. – Joel Begin

Saturday, March 8, 3 p.m. – Mikey G

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

Curated and hosted by singer-songwriter Katie Dobbins, the winery’s Wednesday Songwriter Roundup event will celebrate a two-year anniversary on Feb. 26, with Pete Downing and another artist sharing the spotlight with Dobbins. Shows are offered in tandem with a dinner that begins an hour before the music. Additional dates are anticipated. “I am coming down from the busy fall/winter show season,” Dobbins texted recently. “I’m going to be working on more bookings.”

Thursday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. – Grace Wallace Band

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m. – Songwriter Roundup with Katie Dobbins, Dan Sirois and Patrick Synan

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. – Songwriter Roundup with Katie Dobbins, Pete Downing and TBA

Wednesday, March 26, 7 p.m. – Songwriter Roundup with Katie Dobbins and TBA

Livery at Sunapee Harbor (58 Main St., Sunapee, nhmusiccollective.com)

Another NHMC-curated venue, this winter’s concert season will see the return of Slim Volume, a young Beatlesque quartet that sold out the rustic Main Street space last year, as well as Charlie Chronopoulos playing an intimate set of original music. For those looking forward to summer on the lake, NHMC’s John McArthur is planning a series there when it’s warmer.

Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. – Jack & Tim

Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. – JD & the Stonemasons

Saturday, April 19, 7 p.m. – Slim Volume

Saturday, May 17, 7 p.m. – Charlie Chronopoulos

Milk St. Studios (6 Milk St., Dover, milkststudios.com)

An extension of a Seacoast recording studio modeled after The Record Co. in Boston, this listening room has local musicians stretching out to play originals, though the Joni & Cat Tribute Show — Mitchell and Stevens, if anyone’s wondering — on March 29 is an exception. An in-the-round concert featuring acoustic music from singer/songwriters Andrea Paquin and April Cushman on March 15 should be stellar.

Saturday, Jan. 25, 6:30 p.m. – The Writeful Heirs & Darien Castro

Friday, Feb. 14, 6:30 p.m. – Groundspore

Saturday, Feb. 22, 6:30 p.m. – Lee & Dr. G. + Catwolf

Saturday, March 1, 6:30 p.m. – STL Gold

Saturday, March 8, 6:30 p.m. – Jarred Garneau Group

Saturday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. – Andrea Paquin + April Cushman

Saturday, March 22, 6:30 p.m. – Amulus

Saturday, March 29, 6:30 p.m. – Joni & Cat Tribute Show (Nicole Gauthier & John Fuzek)

Saturday, April 5, 6:30 p.m. – Studia & Jed Allen + The Regals

Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org)

An extension of the larger venue with cabaret seating for dozens instead of hundreds in the audience, this downtown venue welcomes rising stars like indie rockers Certainly So and Americana singer/songwriter Liv Greene along with regional talent like folksinger Reed Foehl and jazz saxophonist Seba Molnar. Valentine’s Day brings the romantic PMAC Jazz Night, with a bevy of Seacoast musicians including sax player Eric Klaxon, singer Taylor O’Donnell and keyboard treasure Mike Effenberger.

Friday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. – Seba Molnar

Saturday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. – Reed Foehl

Sunday, Jan. 26, 8 p.m. – Lee DeWyze

Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. – Certainly So

Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. – Juanito Pascual

Friday, Feb. 14, 8 p.m. – 18th Annual PMAC Jazz Night: Dream a Little Dream

Friday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. – Vance Gilbert

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m. – Johnny Cash’s Birthday Bash with Scott Moreau

Thursday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. – Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell & Leonard Cohen tribute)

Friday, Feb. 28, 8 p.m. – Sam Robbins

Saturday, March 1, 8 p.m. – Ellis Paul

Friday, March 14, 8 p.m. – Liv Greene & Elise Leavy

Tuesday, March 18, 8 p.m. – Jordan Tice

Friday, March 21, 8 p.m. – Heather Maloney

Sunday, March 23, 8 p.m. – Tyler Hilton

Friday, March 28, 8 p.m. – Alice Howe & Freebo

Saturday, April 5, 8 p.m. – Scott Kirby

Nippo Lake Restaurant (88 Stagecoach Road, Barrington, nippobluegrass.com)

Acoustic music fans delight in the long-running series housed in a Barrington country club, which lasts from October through April. Some of the region’s finest players show up for this Sunday evening tradition. Ahead are revered bluegrass band Lunch at the Dump, the always entertaining Rockspring and a couple of projects that include Scott & Betsy Heron, Little Wishbone and the Heron Bluegrass Co.

Sunday, Jan. 19, 6 p.m. – Chicken Shack

Sunday, Jan. 26, 6 p.m. – Unsung Heroes

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

Sunday, Feb. 16, 6 p.m. – HydroGeo Trio

Sunday, Feb. 23, 6 p.m. – Lunch at the Dump

Sunday, March 2, 6 p.m. – Cordwood

Sunday, March 9, 6 p.m. – High Range

Sunday, March 16, 6 p.m. – Little Wishbone

Sunday, March 23, 6 p.m. – Hot Skillet

Sunday, March 30, 6 p.m. – Heron Bluegrass Co.

Sunday, April 6, 6 p.m. – Cedar Mountain

Sunday, April 13, 6 p.m. – Unsung Heroes

Sunday, April 27, 6 p.m. – Rockspring

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

Another apres-ski series curated by NHMC. Shows to look forward to include Andrew North and the Rangers, who host the monthly open mic at BNH Stage, and River Sang Wild, who perform for two days straight in early March. A word to the wise: Resort management cautions that things can change when the sap’s running.

Saturday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m. – Scott & Wally

Saturday, Jan. 25, 6 p.m. – Young Guns

Saturday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m. – Geoff & Wally

Saturday, Feb. 8, 6 p.m. – Dan Fallon Band

Saturday, Feb. 15, 6 p.m. – Scott & Wally

Saturday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m. – Andrew North & the Rangers

Saturday, March 1, 6 p.m. – Karen Grenier

Saturday, March 8, 6 p.m. – River Sang Wild (also 3/9)

Saturday, March 15, 6 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel Duo

Saturday, March 22, 6 p.m. – Geoff & Wally

Pembroke City Limits (134 Main St., Pembroke, pembrokecitylimits.com)

Opened last summer by music maven Rob Azevedo, this is the newest addition to the region’s live music scene, with a focus on local talent like the Irish band Black Pudding Rovers, singer-songwriter Paul Nelson and Vampire Bird, the latest project from Will Kindler, which went over so well in December that it will return March 9. “This spring, PCL will continue to introduce and reintroduce such incredible musicians,” Azevedo said recently, while touting the venue’s Sunday Jazz Sessions with Gary Smith.

Thursday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. – Chris Salemme

Friday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m. – Todd Hearon Trio

Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. – Funk Night w/ Gary Smith & Friends

Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. – Black Pudding Rovers

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m. – Paul Nelson

Thursday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m. – Colin Nevens

Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. – Piano Man Jody Robichaud

Saturday, Jan. 25, 3 p.m. – Arthur James

Saturday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m. – The Honey Bees

Sunday, Jan. 26, 1:30 p.m. – Stonemasons

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m. – Tequila Jim

Thursday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. – Gary’s “Legendary” Musical Gathering

Friday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m. – Hickory Horned Devils

Saturday, Feb. 1, 2 p.m. – Let’s Get Sticky Rolling Stones Tribute

Thursday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. – Timothy K Blues

Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m. – Lee & Dr. G.

Thursday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m. – Mikey G

Saturday, Feb. 15, 4 p.m. – Angela Stewart

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. – Dan Fallon & Company

Saturday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. – Georgie-Jam Night

Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. – Faith Ann Acoustic

Wednesday, March 12, 7 p.m. – Vampire Bird (Will Kindler)

Friday, March 14, 7 p.m. – Cinnamon Jazz Trio

Sunapee Community Coffee House (9 Lower Main St., Sunapee, sunapeecoffeehouse.org)

This is another series that’s been around a very long time, located in the basement of a Methodist church. It’s a pass-the-hat affair; bring a Hamilton to help out the artists. The effort encourages new and emerging talent, which means New Hampshire’s Noah Kahan might appear on their way to greater fame.

Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. – Hubby Jenkins

Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. – Click Horning

Friday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. – Tommy Crawford

Friday, March 14, 7 p.m. – Nate Goyette

Friday, March 28, 7 p.m. – White Mountain Ceilí Band

Friday, April 11, 7 p.m. – E J Tretter

Friday, April 25, 7 p.m. – Halley Neal Group

Twin Barns Brewing (194 DW Highway, Meredith, twinbarnsbrewing.com)

Craft beer and live music pair well at this NHMC-curated venue. Upcoming are singer-songwriter Temple Mountain and Lakes Region duo The Sweetbloods, as well as rising stars Taylor Hughes and Dakota Smart.

Friday, Jan. 17, 5 p.m. – Tom Boisse

Saturday, Jan. 18, 5 p.m. – Temple Mountain

Friday, Jan. 24, 5 p.m. – Kat Ivy

Saturday, Jan. 25, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith

Friday, Jan. 31, 5 p.m. – Freddie Catalfo

Saturday, Feb. 1, 5 p.m. – Karen Grenier

Friday, Feb. 7, 5 p.m. – Taylor Hughes

Saturday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel

Friday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m. – The Sweetbloods

Friday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m. – Paul Driscoll

Saturday, Feb. 15, 5 p.m. – Dakota Smart

Friday, Feb. 21, 5 p.m. – Ciera MacKenzie

Saturday, Feb. 22, 5 p.m. – Jack Ancora

Friday, Feb. 28, 5 p.m. – Jackie Lee

Saturday, March 1, 5 p.m. – Dave Clark

Friday, March 7, 5 p.m. – Rock Dove

Saturday, March 8, 5 p.m. – Andrea Paquin

Saturday, March 15, 5 p.m. – Chris Torrey

Friday, March 21, 5 p.m. – Willy Chase

Saturday, March 22, 5 p.m. – Kyle McGuinness

Friday, March 28, 5 p.m. – Tyler Levs

Saturday, March 29, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith

Friday, April 4, 5 p.m. – Tom Boisse

Saturday, April 5, 5 p.m. – Justin Federico

Friday, April 11, 5 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel

Saturday, April 12, 5 p.m. – Temple Mountain

Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter, thewordbarn.com)

Tucked at the end of a twisty road in Exeter, this venue is the perfect place to catch an under-the-radar star in the making, along with local treasures like Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki’s Trio, Will Evans and The Wolff Sisters. The shows here frequently sell out, so it’s best to act early for artists like Liz Longley and Joe Crookson.

Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. – Winter Warmer with Erica Brown & The Bluegrass Connection

Thursday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m. – Rakish and Nate Sabat

Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. – Dave Gunning and J.P. Cormier Duo

Saturday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. – Soggy Po’ Boys

Sunday, Jan. 26, 7 p.m. – Will Evans

Thursday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. – Genticorum

Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m. – The Wolff Sisters

Sunday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. – Eli West & The Clements Brothers

Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. – Jordan TW Trio

Saturday, March 1, 7 p.m. – David Howley (We Banjo 3)

Friday, March 7, 7 p.m. – Joe Crookson

Saturday, March 8, 7 p.m. – Chatham Rabbits

Sunday, March 23, 7 p.m. – Liz Longley

Wednesday, April 23, 7 p.m. – Matthew & the Atlas.

Find new favorites at New Hampshire Wine Week

New Hampshire’s biggest wine event, New Hampshire Wine Week, will take place from Jan. 17 through Jan. 23, culminating in the New England Wine Spectacular, a wine expo featuring more than 1,700 different wines from around the world. According to Justin Gunter, a wine specialist with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, New Hampshire’s influence in the wine industry has grown continually over the past 20 years.

“The first Winter Wine Spectacular took place with a few winemakers sitting around a kitchen table and some dining,” Gunter said. “And it’s grown to be one of the largest wine events in New England. We’ve got an amazing array of winemakers that are coming here to New Hampshire. What the [Liquor] Commission has done over the course of the past 20 years has not only strengthened its wine offerings for consumers but, you know, really caught the attention of the entire wine industry.”

According to Gunter, over the course of New Hampshire Wine Week, wine representatives will make appearances throughout the state, building to two central events.

“We have winemakers coming from all over the world — winemakers, wine personalities, owners, people from all aspects of winery coming to our state to visit for Wine Week. They’ll be crisscrossing the state that week for wine dinners and bottle signings and two really great signature events: the Viva la France event as well as the Winter Wine Spectacular. So this is really a story about the evolution of not only this event and the growth of the event but also the state of New Hampshire’s prominence in the world of wine and the offerings that we’re able to provide to consumers.”

One of the goals of Wine Week is to expose wine enthusiasts to as large a variety of wines as possible. There will be offerings from huge, well-established producers and from small family-owned vineyards. “For instance,” Gunter said, “Randy Ullom of Jackson Family Wines will be at our event. He’s an icon in the industry, the head winemaker for Kendall-Jackson Wines, a very big name in the industry. He’ll be working directly with his table, which will have the Jackson family wines along with a couple of side projects that the Jackson family wines are doing that he’s heading as well. So you’ve got somebody like that who is taking time out of his schedule, probably with worldwide demands. And then you’ve got folks like Maria Helm Sinskey from Robert Sinskey Vineyards, who’s been coming here for decades. And they’ve got a much smaller winery but a really high-quality product. The thing to note is that they’re head winemakers. They’re involved in the industry; they’re involved in their wineries. These people have their hands in the dirt. They’re farmers. They’re heavily involved in every aspect of wine. Everybody who comes to this event will have an opportunity to get to speak with them and talk to them about their wine specifically and really pick their brains and celebrate wine.”

Despite the level of expertise on tap at the Wine Week events, Gunter said they are for wine enthusiasts of all levels of experience.

“These events are perfect for someone just getting to know wines all the way up to an aficionado,” he said. “These winemakers are so passionate about what they do, and the products that they make, they’re more than happy to guide you and ask you [about] the types you know and the flavor profiles you like. It really offers something for anybody at any end of the spectrum.”

The Wine Spectacular will fill a lot of floor space. “There’s actually two rooms that we’ve used for the past few years,” Gunter said. “There’s one room that is the primary expo that will have the vast majority of the tables. There are more than 200 tables of wines to choose from with up to 12 wines per table. That’s how we can get so many wines available for people to try. We also have the Bellman Cellar Select Room, which is for some more refined, more higher-end offerings. And there’s about 40 tables in that room as well. Along with that, we have food that will be prepared by local restaurants. And ultimately it all comes back to this, it’s really all garnered in passion. Every one of these people that you will meet, it’s not about explaining nuances of wine; it’s a passion for the product.”

Richard Jacob is an account manager with Vinilandia NH, a wine import company in Portsmouth focusing on niche, organic, family-owned and generational vineyards around the world. In his view, New Hampshire Wine Week is a way for wine professionals and enthusiasts to keep up with what is available in a constantly changing wine landscape.

“It’s a chance for distributors in the area that work with the Liquor Commission to get an opportunity to showcase some of their products,” Jacob said. “It’s really exciting because the wine in people’s portfolios are constantly changing, so it’s important that these events happen so people can get a fresh taste of the new vintages or the newest wines that have been added to the state. It’s a good opportunity for people to learn and see the types of wines that are around the corner.”

Jacob clarified the term “portfolio.” “The portfolio is pretty much our book,” he explained. “It’s the list of the wines that we sell. Our portfolio at Vinilandia, just as an example, has about 480 wines.” That can make keeping track of wines in New Hampshire easy to lose sight of, he said. And that makes events like NH Wine Week important to industry professionals and consumers alike, he said. Although wine sales in general have fallen recently, “companies that sell more independent winemaker products, family-run wineries, wines that have a story and that are sustainable …[those] are doing much better. I feel like there is a shift in the culture because people are realizing that these sustainably produced wines can compete with the pricing of mass-produced wines.” And events that bring story-worthy wines to the public’s attention benefit everyone.

Emma Round, owner of Unwined Wine Bar in Milford, says those wines-with-stories help her give value to her customers.

“I think frequently people see what there is in the liquor store,” Round said, “and their imagination can be limited by that.” They see the prices that restaurants have to charge for a bottle of wine, and wonder why they should pay so much more for a bottle that they could buy much less expensively on their own, she said. “But many of the wineries that are well-recognized have smaller portfolios of restaurant-only wines. These events give you the opportunity to see those, which is really important and it’s really good. I highly encourage the public to go to these things to kind of broaden their horizons. I know some of the restaurants try to do that ourselves, but I think when [wine producers] do that on their own back is awesome, too.”

Genevieve Wolfe is the Wine Director for Vine 32 Wine and Graze Bar in Bedford. She said New Hampshire Wine Week’s timing is auspicious.

“It’s fun for the restaurant side of things to have Wine Week [now],” Wolfe said, “because, obviously, with dry January, typically [wine sales] slow down a little bit. So Wine Week being in January is always great for us. It’s just a little bit of a push. We love serving new people and especially ones who want to explore. Those who are attending any of the Wine Week events that usually are the ones who are willing to kind of go outside the box from what they know. Having 32 taps [at Vine 32] allows us to really help them out of their comfort zone and to try something new. So we always look forward to Wine Week.”

19th Annual New England Winter Wine Spectacular
When: Thursday, Jan. 23, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Doubletree Expo Center, 700 Elm St., Manchester, 625-1000
Tickets: There are three tiers of tickets available for the event: Bellman’s Cellar Select, which includes access to a VIP room, product samples, gourmet food pairings and early access to the main expo area, for $135; Grand Ballroom Advanced Entrance, which allows ticket holders early access to the main expo area, for $95 per person; and Grand Ballroom General Admission for $75.

Visit nhwineweek.com. Proceeds from the event go to support the New Hampshire Food Bank.

Sponsored by Pine State Beverage New Hampshire, the organizers of the Wine Spectacular will arrange for a safe ride home within 20 miles for any guest, free of charge.

French wine in the spotlight

The “Viva la France” wine tasting and panel discussion on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford will focus on French wines.

Three major importers and distributors of French wines will be on hand to lead guests through the breadth and subtleties of some of their favorite wines: Marnie Old, Director of Vinlightenment of Boisset Collections, Serge Doré, Wine Importer of Serge Doré Collections, and Dominique Giovine, SVP of iconic Moët Hennessy.

According to Justin Gunter, a Wine Specialist with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, this event will be a special opportunity for wine enthusiasts to learn from experts.

“There’s going to be a cocktail hour,” Gunter said, “where we’ll be pouring two wines from each of these representatives and we’ll be able to mingle with and speak to the representatives and talk to them about these wines that they’ve brought. And then after that first hour at about 6:30 … they’ll be sitting at the front in a panel type of presentation and we’ll have hors d’oeuvres and some food pairings to go along with the different wines. These panelists will walk all of our guests through these expressions of these specific regions in France. And I’ve got to tell you they are pouring some powerhouse wines. In fact …I’ve received word that vintage Dom Perignon will be poured.”

Serge Doré will be one of the featured panelists. He is the owner of Serge Doré Collections, which specializes in importing boutique French wines. He is excited about this all-French event. “Well, ‘Vive la France,’ first of all, it’s a big statement,” he said, “because it is an expression that is very important. It’s a commitment. ‘Vive la France’ is like when we say over here in the U.S., ‘God bless America.’ It’s exactly the same thing, but Vive la France goes back to the revolution, and this goes to the best … of French wine.”

“The event on Thursday night is absolutely spectacular for the consumers,” Doré said, “because, when you prepare a dish, what do you do while you’re cooking it or baking it? You taste and you taste and you taste. There’s no other way to understand a product. It is the same thing with wine, but now with wine, you have to open a bottle to have a sip. So how many bottles can you open at night? There’s a limit to what we can do. But now when you go to an event like on Thursday, a public event, that’s the perfect time to come and understand or discover or confirm things that you know or things that you want to know. You go from table to table and you focus on something and you walk out of there and say, oh my God, I’ve tasted 62 different wines tonight and now I understand why I like this or why I don’t like that. Because at the end it becomes very personal. It’s a matter of taste.”

For Doré, French wines capture a celebratory approach to life, and this event is for people who have that same sort of outlook.

“As long as you have people that do enjoy wines, that’s all that matters,” he said. “People who enjoy life, that’s all that matters. People that enjoy time with family and friends at the table, that’s what we want to have. That’s what I want to see in front of me. Life is about being at the table, technically three times a day at the table. You don’t spend more time in your life anywhere else but on the table. When you sit down normally, you have guests at home, people are nice, they talk not too loud, but after a few sips of wine the sound goes up, down, the conversation is all over the place, one cuts the other one and it’s joy to joy of the moment. It is created by the wine, not by the food. You say cheers with a glass, not with a fork.”

Viva la France wine tasting and panel discussion
When: Thursday, Jan.22, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Manchester Country Club, 180 S. River Road, Bedford, 624-4096, manchestercountryclub.com
Tickets: $65 at eventbrite.com

New Hampshire Wine Week events

Here are some of the events slated for NH Wine Week. See nhwineweek.com/events for updates.

Saturday, Jan. 18

• Wine Dinner with Brian Pruett, Dry Creek Vineyards Winemaker from 6 to 9 p.m. at Wentworth By the Sea (588 Wentworth Road, New Castle, 422-7322, opalcollection.com/wentworth)

Wednesday, Jan. 22

• Wine Tasting with Brian Pruett, Winemaker of Dry Creek Vineyards, noon to 2 p.m., NH Liquor and Wine Outlet, Portsmouth Store #38 (500 Woodbury Ave, Portsmouth Traffic Circle, Portsmouth, 436-4806, liquorandwineoutlets.com)
• Wine Dinner with Brian Pruett, Dry Creek Vineyards Winemaker, 5 to 8 p.m., Martingale Wharf Restaurant (99 Bow St., Portsmouth, 431-0901, martingalewharf.com)
• “Viva la France” Wine Tasting and Panel Discussion, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Manchester Country Club (180 S. River Road, Bedford, 624-4096, manchestercountryclub.com). See page 13.
• Truchard Vineyards wine dinner at Prime at 6 p.m. Sky Meadow Country Club (6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-9000, skymeadow.com)
• Wine Tasting with Nicole Hitchcock, Winemaker of J Vineyards, 6 to 7 p.m., NH Liquor & Wine Outlet, Store #50 (Willow Spring Plaza, 294 DW Highway, Nashua, 888-0271, liquorandwineoutlets.com)
• Wine Tasting with Battle Creek Winemaker Sarah Cabot, Winderlea Vineyard owners Bill Sweat and Donna Morris, and Peter Paul Wines Winemaker Mike Tracy, 6 to 7 p.m., NH Liquor & Wine Outlet,Store #69 (25 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 882-4670, liquorandwineoutlets.com).
• Wine Dinner with Joseph Spellman, Justin Vineyards and Winery Master Sommelier, 6 to 9 p.m., Coyote Grill (98 Valley Road, Waterville Valley, 236-4919, wildcoyotegrill.com)

Thursday, Jan. 22

• 19th Annual New England Winter Wine Spectacular. 6 to 8:30 p.m., Doubletree Expo Center (700 Elm St., Manchester, 625-1000), nhwineweek.com

Other wine happenings

Here are some other wine related events in January.

• Wine on Main (9 N. Main St. in Concord; wineonmainnh.com) has several wine events on its January schedule. A Wine of the Isles class will be offered Tuesday, Jan. 14, and Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 6:30 to 8 p.m. and focus on wines of the islands off the coast of Italy, Croatia, France and more ($35 per person). A free wine tasting will be held during Winterfest on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. There will also be a Cupcake and Wine Pairing on with sessions Wednesday, Jan. 29, and Thursday, Jan. 30, 6:30 to 8 p.m. ($35 per person).
• Global Flights & Bites Series at The Grazing Room at Colby Hill Inn in Henniker, colbyhillinn.com, running Fridays, Jan. 17 through Feb. 7, 4 to 8 p.m. For $59 per person, enjoy a flight of three wines presented with four appetizers. Each week will feature a region: Jan. 17 is Portugal, Jan. 24 is the Mediterranean, Jan. 31 is West Coast and Feb. 7 is Japan.
• Cakebread Cellars Wine Dinner a five-course wine dinner with speaker Niki Williams at Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way in Bedford; bedfordvillageinn.com) on Wednesday, Jan. 22, starting at 6 p.m. Price is $125 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Find the menu and the listings of wines to be paired online.
• Savor the Season: Big Reds and Bold Flavors, a tasting of seven reds, at WineNot Boutique (25 Main St. in Nashua; winenotboutique.com) on Thursday, Jan. 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission costs $45.
• The 21st Annual Winter Wine Festival at Wentworth by the Sea (588 Wentworth Road in New Castle; opalcollection.com/wentworth, 422-7322) runs Friday, Jan. 17, through Sunday, Feb. 9. Happenings include a Big Tasting with MS Walker and Pine State on Friday, Jan. 17, 6 to 8:30 p.m. ($69.95 per person); a Vintner’s Dinner with Dry Creek Vineyards on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. ($99.95 per person); a Vintner’s Dinner with Jackson Family Wines on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. ($159.95 per person); a Vintner’s Dinner with Banfi Wines on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. ($149.95 per person); Vintner’s Dinner with Orin Swift Cellars & Winery on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. ($149.94 per person); and a Bubbles and Jazz Brunch on Sunday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($69.95).

Wines to look for at NH Wine Week events this year

Here are some wines that the experts will be keeping their eyes on during this year’s New Hampshire Wine Week.

Justin Gunter, New Hampshire Liquor Commission
“We definitely have some smaller vineyards represented. We have Donna Morris and Bill Sweat; they’re the owners of Winderlea Vineyards in Oregon, and they make some beautiful, beautiful pinot noirs. It’s a smaller operation. They’re not one of the giant conglomerates.” Another producer Gunter is excited about is “Christof Höpler and the Höpler Winery. It’s not a massive operation, but it is worldwide and we do import a fair amount and they concentrate on more of the Zweigelt and rieslings and a lot of the German varietals.”

Richard Jacob, Vinilandia NH
“Recently we’ve had some wines that are from the northern part of Italy that we just brought on to our portfolio that are from this wonderful family with a fantastic [passion for] their culture and their history and their winemaking philosophy. Those kinds of connections are the things that help make a bottle of wine more special and not just, you know, a glass of alcohol. It just makes it good for conversation.”

Emma Round, Unwined Wine Bar
“I favor a lot of South African wines. The flagship grape of South Africa is a pinotage. So many people have never tried a pinotage because they don’t know what it is. It’s a fantastic grape. It’s delicious and it pairs well with so much food. So I try and lead people down paths like that. It’s the same for a plavac mali from Croatia, which is very similar to a pinot noir but with just a little bit more, a little bit more flavor. It’s far and above been one of my most popular cider glass wines. And most people have never heard of it before, but you give them a taste and they’re like, ‘Oh! It’s fun; it’s exciting.’ And wine should be like that. Life should be fun and exciting. It should be about trying new things.”

Genevieve Wolfe, Vine 32
“We have all classic examples that people would normally come in and ask for. But then I also like wines from Croatia or Slovenia, something a little bit different. We’re changing over our menu again in January, so I’m always excited to bring in new stuff that’s a little bit different, a little bit off the beaten path, so I can bring in those who might be set in their ways and kind of show them something different.”

Emma Stetson, owner of Wine on Main
“There is a wine importer called Massonais. They’re brand new to the state, and I’m looking forward to trying the new wines from them. They have a bunch of wines, but they specialize in eclectic, unique Italian wines. For example, they have a producer called Graci. They make Sicilian wines that are grown in volcanic soil, which is unique and fun. You can almost taste like that graphite, smoky character from the soil.”

Just because the holiday season is over doesn’t mean the fun is done. There are plenty of reasons to get excited about 2025 — in particular, this first, frequently cold month. Here are 25 (-ish).

1 . If holiday symphony performances have you wanting more, check out the Bach’s Lunch events, which are free and open to the public, at the Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St., Concord, ccmusicschool.org). On Thursday, Jan. 2, the lunch features a lecture with musical examples called “A Baroque Beatles Renaissance.” On Thursday, Jan. 9, the lunch is a concert of the same name. Both events start at 12:10 p.m.

Other events at the school in January include the Purple Finches 2025 Winter Concert (a youth chorus) on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. followed by a Teen Chorus concert at 7:30 p.m. and a NE Roots and Branches program called “Contradance Music: The New England Contradance Repertoire” on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 6 to 9 p.m.

At the Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St., Manchester, mcmusicschool.org) the Faculty Performance Series schedule includes Appassionato Piano Trio with Erin Tellier (piano), Nicholas So (violin) and Kurt Villiard (cello) on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. The event is free with preregistration.

2. Get your college basketball live at local college home games. Next games on the schedule are Southern New Hampshire University Penmen on Thursday, Jan. 2, with the women’s team at 5:30 p.m. and the men’s team at 7:30 p.m., both versus Bentley University. Saint Anselm College Hawks also hit the court on Thursday, Jan. 2, with the women’s team playing at 5:30 p.m. and the men’s team playing at 7:30 p.m., both versus Assumption. All SNHU home games are at Stan Spirou Field House (2500 N. River Road, Manchester) and admission is free for regular season games (see snhupenmen.com). All Saint Anselm home games are played at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium on campus and admission costs $10 (see saintanselmhawks.com).

At Rivier College, Raiders home games are played at the Muldoon Center (440 S. Main St., Nashua) and admission is free. Both men and women will next play at home on Tuesday, Jan. 7, against Elms — women at 4 p.m., men at 6 p.m. Visit rivieratheletics.com.

At New England College, Pilgrims home games are played at Bridges Gym (14 Grove St., Henniker). Admission is $5. Both men and women will next play Tuesday, Jan. 7, against University of Saint Joseph — women at 5 p.m., men at 7 p.m. See athletics.nec.edu.

At NHTI, all Lynx home games are at the Dr. Goldie Crocker Wellness Center on campus in Concord and admission is free. The men’s team will play its next home game on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 1 p.m. against Massbay Community College. The women will next play at home on Friday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. versus Washington County. See nhtiathletics.com.

And then of course there is the University of New Hampshire at Lundholm Gymnasium (145 Main St., Durham). For the Wildcats, men’s game tickets start at $17 in advance for adults and $19 on the day (courtside tickets for all ages cost $27 in advance and $29 on the day). Tickets for youth, 65+, military and grad students cost $12 in advance, $14 on the day. For women’s games, tickets cost $15 for adults on the website, $12 for youth, 65+ and military. Visit unhwildcats.com. The women’s next home game is Thursday, Jan. 2, at 6 p.m. vs. Bryant. The men’s next home game is Saturday, Jan. 4, at 1 p.m. vs. University of Vermont.

3. See competition on ice. The Saint Anselm College Hawks men’s ice hockey team will play their next home game at the Sullivan Arena (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester) on Friday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. versus Colby. See saintanselmhawks.com. See two hometown teams face off when the Hawks take on Southern New Hampshire University at Sullivan Arena, on both Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 11, at 4 p.m. Saint Anselm’s women’s ice hockey team will play its next home game on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. versus Dartmouth.

Rivier University Raiders ice hockey games take place at the Conway Arena (5 Stadium Drive, Nashua). The men’s team’s next home game is Friday, Jan. 3, at 5:40 p.m. versus Franklin Pierce. The women’s team’s next home game is Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 8:40 p.m. versus Keene State.

The New England College Pilgrims (athletics.nec.edu) play their hockey games at Lee Clement Arena (38 Grove St., Henniker). The women’s team next plays Friday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. versus Anna Maria College. The men’s team next plays at home on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 4 p.m. versus the Rivier Raiders.

The SNHU Penmen will play their next home game at the Ice Den Arena (600 Quality Drive, Hooksett) on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 3 p.m. versus Cortland. See snhupenmen.com.

And the University of New Hampshire Wildcats hockey home games take place at the Whittemore Center Arena (128 Main St., Durham). The women’s team plays its next home game on Friday, Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. versus Maine. The next men’s home game is Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. versus UConn. See unhwildcats.com.

4. Shop very local at winter farmers markets, keeping the direct-from-producer-to-consumer link alive during the cold months. On Saturdays head to the Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to noon at 7 Eagle Square in Concord. See downtownconcordwinterfarmersmarket.com.

The Milford NH Indoor Farmers Market is open every other Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Milford Town Hall Auditorium at Union Square. The first market of 2025 is Jan. 11. See milfordnhfarmersmarket.com.

The Salem NH Farmers Market operates in the winter on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the LaBelle Winery in Derry (14 Route 111). See salemnhfarmersmarket.org.

5. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org) has a slate of art classes for adults, teens and kids, including one-day workshops, multi-week series and online classes, kicking off with Tantalizing Textures with Rachel Montroy, a one-day workshop for adults on Saturday, Jan. 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. See the full lineup on the website.

Upcoming classes and workshops at Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford, creativeventuresfineart.com) include “Technical Drawing with Alex Haas” on Tuesdays, starting Jan. 7, at 5 p.m. and “Fundamentals of Drawing Class for Teens with Tami Sciola” on Thursdays, starting Jan. 9, at 6:30 p.m.

A winter session of classes at Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester, 550arts.com) will start Monday, Jan. 13. Find a rundown of offerings on the website.

The first winter session of classes at Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St., Concord, kimballjenkins.com) starts Monday, Jan. 6, for adults, kids and teens. Adult offerings include “Intro to Drawing with Matt Garofalo,” “Beginner Watercolor Painting with Sophia Eastley” and “Fundamentals of Printmaking with Mary Mead” — see the website for the full slate.

And you can check out the art of others at one of several gallery shows.

At the Currier, current exhibitions include “Olga de Amaral: Everything is Construction and Color” (through Feb. 16); “Dan Dailey: Impressions of the Human Spirit” (Feb. 2); “Jean-Michel Basquiat and Ouattara Watts: A Distant Conversation” (Feb. 23), and “The Legend of the Poinsettia: Paintings from Tomie DePaola’s Holiday Classic.”

At Art 3 Gallery (44 W. Brook St., Manchester, art3gallery.com), the winter exhibit is “What/How Do We See?”.

Glimpse Gallery’s (Patriot Building, 4 Park St., Concord, theglimpsegallery.com, 892-8307) current exhibit runs through Jan. 9, featuring works from artists Pat Arzillo, Byron Carr, Julie Daniels, Mark Ferland, David Wiggins, Barbara Morse and Michael McCormack, as well as a selection from curator Christina Landry-Boullion.

Outer Space (35 Pleasant St., Concord, outerspacearts.xyz) has the works of Emma cc Cook and Em Kettner on display in the exhibit “Caterpillar” through Saturday, Jan. 18.

Two Villages Art Society (846 Main St., Contoocook, twovillagesart.org) will open its next exhibit on Saturday, Jan. 11 (with a reception from noon to 2 p.m.); the show is called “Stitched Together: Friendship, Feminism and Craft / Laura Morrison and Maureen Redmond-Scura.”

6. Enjoy the music of Billy Joel with the tribute band Captain Jack and The Strangers on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com). The Tupelo will host a line-up of tribute bands (as well as an artist playing the music of a band he founded) in January including Eaglemania (Saturday, Jan. 11, at 8 p.m.); Blues Brothers The Next Generation (Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.); The Dave Matthews Tribute Band (Saturday, Jan. 18, at 8 p.m.); Zeppelin Reimagined (Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m.); Beatlejuice (Saturday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m) and Captain Fantastic (Friday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m.). Ace Frehley, founding member of KISS, will play the music of KISS on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 8 p.m.

Get more tribute goodness when 1964 The Tribute will perform on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Dana Center for the Humanities (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, tickets.anselm.edu). Tickets cost $35.

Catch the next phase in the musical story the night before at British Invasion II — 1970s and Beyond presented by the Majestic Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net) on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $20.

7. You can run outside! Maybe you feel the urge to get back into a road jogging routine but aren’t sure you’ll be able to encourage yourself to leave your warm house on a cold day. Join a group hitting the road with the 2025 Freeze Your Buns 5K Series, which takes place every other Sunday starting Jan. 5 starting at 9 a.m. on the road between Conway Arena and the Nashua YMCA in Nashua. The series continues into March and the cost is $25 (or $6 per race). See gatecity.org/freeze-buns-5k-series.

Also on the winter running schedule is the Hopkinton Winter 5K Series on Sunday, Jan. 5, at 9 a.m. The cost is $30. See runsignup.com/Race/NH/Contoocook/HopkintonKRace. Subsequent races take place on Jan. 19 and Feb. 2.

And the Delta Dental NH Snow or No We Go series starts Saturday, Jan. 18, at 10 a.m. at the Canterbury Shaker Village. The cost is $25. Find the race at findarace.com.

Or just sign up for a single race. The HPM Insurance Snowflake Shuffle in Bedford, on a 3-mile course, takes place Sunday, Jan. 12, at 9:30 a.m. (millenniumrunning.com/snowflake). The Boston Prep from the Greater Derry Track Club is Sunday, Jan. 26, at 10 a.m. with 5-mile and 16-mile options (gdtc.org/bostonprep).

8. Movie-geek it up with the Golden Globes, which air Sunday, Jan. 5, at 8 p.m. on CBS and on Paramount+. For those who follow the Oscars race like others follow football, the Golden Globes means that the award season kicks into high gear, often making it easier to find nominated and wannabee nominated films. Red River Theatres in Concord (11 S. Main St., Concord, redrivertheaters.org) has A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan biopic that has three Globe nominations, and The Brutalist (six nominations) on its coming soon schedule and is currently screening Globe nominees Wicked and Babygirl. O’neil Cinemas Brickyard Square (24 Calef Highway in Epping; oneilcinemas.com) is currently screening Globe nominees A Complete Unknown, Babygirl and Moana 2. Chunky’s (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com) has Wickedand Moana 2, with Babygirl slated to open on Friday, Jan. 3. At the Apple Cinemas in Hooksett and Merrimack (applecinemas.com), you can find Globe nominees Wicked, Moana 2, Babygirl, A Complete Unknownand Gladiator II. Music Hall (23 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org) will offer several awards-buzzy movies in January including Conclave(Jan. 3 through Jan. 5), Nightbitch(Jan. 5 through Jan. 9),Anora(Jan. 10 and Jan. 11), Flow(Jan. 18 and Jan. 19) and Babygirl(Jan. 28 through Jan. 31).

9. Prepare for your trip to France — or to a French-style bakery — with “Français Pour Visiteurs” Traveler’s French classes from the Franco-American Centre (facnh.com). Classes run Thursdays from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Jan. 9 through Feb. 6, or Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to noon, Jan. 11 through Feb. 8, over Zoom. The series costs $185. You can try out your skills at the Franco-American’s regular Pret-à-Parler — or PaPa Conversation — gatherings, which meet both virtually and at locations such as Murphy’s Taproom in Bedford (Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 5:30 p.m.) and El Rodeo in Concord (Monday, Jan. 13, at 5:30 p.m.).

10. The SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, snhuarena.com) puts on a show with events this January: Disney on Ice Presents Mickey’s Search Party with seven shows Thursday, Jan. 9, through Sunday, Jan. 12. Tickets start at $15 plus fees. Then on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m. it’s Dancing with the Stars Live 2025 with professional dancers; tickets start at $54.50.

11. Get the Led Out celebrates the music of Led Zeppelinon Friday, Jan. 10, at 8 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com). Also appearing at the Cap Center proper in January are Now and Forever — A Celebration of Carole King on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m.; Dirty Deeds the AC/DC experience on Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m.; The Fab Four: USA Meets The Beatles on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m. and Yamato the Drummers of Japan on Sunday, Jan. 26, at 4 p.m.

At the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord), catch Modern Fools with Slim Volume & Rachel Berlin on Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.; Swing Dance Night with the New Hampshire Jazz Orchestra on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 3:30 p.m.; Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish featuring Delanie Pickering on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Dueling Pianos on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m., and GoldenOak on Friday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m. Catch Mikey G in the Cantin Room at BNH Stage on Sunday, Jan. 5, at 6 p.m.

12. The libraries are making January fun. The Nashua Public Library (2 Court St., Nashua, nashualibrary.org) is holding a Passport to China event on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 2 p.m. featuring Chinese music, dance, craft activities and food samples in the Chandler Wing, according to a Facebook post from the library. The Nashua library is also in the middle of a Winter Reading Club for adults (win a mug; see the website for details). And it doesn’t get more fun at the Nashua library’s Oreo Taste Test on Wednesday, Jan. 15, from 6 to 7 p.m. (open to ages 14+).

The Griffin Free Public Library (22 Hooksett Road, Auburn, griffinfree.org) will help with your holiday cleanup at the White Elephant Gift Exchange on Saturday, Jan. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Earn a mug by reading as part of the Bedford Public Library’s (3 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford, bedfordnhlibrary.org) Adult and Teen Winter Reading Challenge which kicks off with a party on Sunday, Jan. 5, from 2 to 4 p.m.

If your New Year’s resolution involves writing more, check out the creative writing workshop at the Leach Library (276 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, londonderrynh.gov/leach-library) on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 5 p.m.

Doing dry January? Concord Public Library (45 Green St., Concord, concordnh.gov/1983/Library) will have a Mocktail Mixology event on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 6 p.m. in the Blanchard Room. On Friday, Jan. 24, at 6 p.m., contralto Melissa Elsman and pianist Mike Ring will present a lecture and musical performance called “La Femme Vaillante: Reviving the Remarkable Musical Legacy of Augusta Holmes” at the Penacook Library and Activity Center (76 Community Drive in Penacook).

The Manchester City Library (405 Pine St., Manchester, manchester.lib.nh.us) will hold a Flower Arranging Demonstration and Raffle with a representative from Chalifour’s Flowers on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 2 p.m. Pay $10 for a grocery bag full of books on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Winter Book Sale. And for kids (grades 1 to 6), there is a Slime-of-the-Month Club, which will meet on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 3:30 p.m.

The Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway, Derry, derrypl.org) will offer Loom Demonstration on Saturday, Jan. 11, from 2 to 3 p.m., and help with a financial makeover at Budgeting 101 on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 6:30 p.m.

Goffstown Public Library (2 High St., Goffstown, goffstownlibrary.com) will host “Taste of the Old Country in the New: Franco-Americans of Manchester” with Robert Perreault on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m.

The kids can get out and create on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Wadleigh Memorial Library (49 Nashua St., Milford, wadleighlibrary.org) on Children’s Crafts Saturday.

13. Enjoy the music of local band Mixtape Heroez at the 21+ annual Xmas Tree Burn on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Auburn Pitts (167 Rockingham Road in Auburn), according to the restaurant’s Facebook page. Find more live music at area restaurants, breweries, pubs and other hang-out warm-up fun-winter locales in the Music This Week, which runs every week in the Nite section (this week the listing starts on page 27). Have an upcoming gig to add to the listing? Let us know at [email protected].

14. Theatre Kapow (tkapow.com) kicks off 2025’s “Expanding the Canon — A Play Reading Circle” on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m., which will focus “on the works of Latiné playwrights and their experience,”according to the website. “Playwrights featured in this circle include Nilo Cruz, Matthew López, Karen Zacarías, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, and Vero Villalobos,” the website said. The event is free and takes place over Zoom; register online.

15. Vote! No, don’t worry, this one will be fun. Voting starts early in our annual readers poll. Vote in the Hippo’s Best of 2025 starting Wednesday, Jan. 15. See hippopress.com.

16. The 2025 concert series at The Flying Goose Brew Pub and Grille (40 Andover Road in New London; flyinggoose.com) kicks off Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 with New England Bluegrass Band. Tickets cost $25. The next show is Thursday, Jan. 30, at 7:30 p.m. with Dinty Child and Mark Erelli. Tickets to that show cost $30.

17. Take the kids to see a show. Annie, presented by RB Professional, will be on stage at the Capitol Center for the Arts Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 18, at 1 and 7 p.m.

The Cap Center will also present Doctor Kaboom: Under Pressure, an interactive science and comedy show, on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 10:30 a.m.

The Palace Youth Theatre will present Grease, school edition, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 22 through Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org).

The Majestic Academy of Youth/Teens (majestictheatre.net) will present Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry) on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 25, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m.

Epping Middle School will present Arsenic and Old Lace on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 25, and Sunday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. at Epping Community Theatre (38 Ladds Lane, Epping, eppingtheater.org).

Gilbert H. Hood presents Beauty and the Beast on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 1, at 4 p.m. at Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, 44 N. Main St., Derry, stockbridgetheatre.showare.com).

And for the grown-ups looking for some fun theater: Cue Zero Theatre will present Dead Air, a murder mystery fundraiser for the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 6:30 p.m. at Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St.. Manchester, palacetheatre.org). “You’ll take part in a 50th anniversary live radio broadcast and celebration for WEZ-Y, hosted by Guy Godfry, set in 2004. You have been assigned the role of the live studio audience and are witness to something that goes terribly wrong,” according to the website. Tickets cost $50 and include hors d’oeuvres. See cztheatre.com.

18. Get the music of Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Elton John, Freddie Mercury and more in the musical production Piano Men, which runs at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) Friday, Jan. 17, through Sunday, Feb. 9. with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7:30 p.m.

Get more music at the Palace with the run of Recycled Percussion concerts, which continues weekends through Sunday Jan. 12.

Over at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) the lineup of musical performances includes Tom DiMenna and friends with the Story Songs of the ’70s (Saturday, Jan. 4, at 7:30 p.m.); Candlelight concerts on Thursday, Jan. 9, with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (6 p.m.) and Coldplay and Imagine Dragons (8:30 p.m.); Prince/Bowie on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Good Looking “Hank” and His Cowboy Drifters (tribute to Hank Williams Sr.) on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m.; Close Enemies featuring Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m.; 603 Songwriters in the Round on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; Elias Kacavas & The Vanity on Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.; Van Halen all eras tribute with Cathedral on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m.; Steve Forbert on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m., and the 15th annual New England Winter Blues Festival on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m.

19. Free Fishing Day, the winter version, is Saturday, Jan. 18, in New Hampshire. Anyone can fish inland water or saltwater without a fishing license (though bag limits, season dates and other regulations still apply), according to New Hampshire Fish and Game. See nhfishgame.com for the regulations and for information on winter fishing opportunities as well as other outdoor information, the department’s podcast On the Nature Trail and a link to purchase the department’s New Hampshire Wildlife Calendar, which features dates for hunting and fishing seasons and other outdoor events.

Find more outdoor happenings at Beaver Brook (117 Ridge Road, Hollis, beaverbrook.org), which offers winter fitness hikes and a Winter Survival class for homeschoolers ages 11 to 14 starting Jan. 15.

And if/when we get some snowy days, head to the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn, nhaudubon.org) or Susan N. McLane Audubon Center (84 Silk Road, Concord), where you can rent snowshoes ($15 per pair) during the Center’s regular hours (Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), according to the website.

20. Branford Marsalis Quartet warms up the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $49. Also at the Nashua Center for the Arts in January are Boat House Row bringing the yacht rock experience on Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.; Esperanza Spalding on Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m., and Michael Jackson History Show on Friday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m.

21. “It’s our time down here.” The Goonies celebrates its (sorry, Xers and elder millennials, take a deep breath and brace yourselves) 40th anniversary with “Fathom’s Big Screen Classics” screenings on Sunday, Jan. 19, and Monday, Jan. 20, at Apple Cinemas in Merrimack and Hooksett, Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem, O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square in Epping and Regal Fox Run in Newington. See fathomevents.com for times.

Throw even further back for a screening of 1928’s silent film Wild Orchids on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org), presented with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis.

22. Get excited about books! Bookstores are holding midnight release parties for the Jan. 21 release of Onyx Storm, the third book in Rebecca Yarros’ The Empyrean series (Fourth Wing and Iron Flame) about a military college for dragon-riders. Balin Books in Nashua (375 Amherst St., Somerset Plaza, 417-7981) will party from 10 p.m. Jan. 20 to 1 a.m. Jan. 21, with snacks, games and fun; book preorders are available at balinbooks.com. Barnes & Noble stores (1741 S. Willow St., Manchester, 668-5557; 235 DW Highway, Nashua, 888-0533; 125 S. Broadway, Salem, 898-1930; Seabrook Commons, 700 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 730-6650; bn.com) plan to start celebrating at 10 p.m. Jan. 20, and the book goes on sale in store at 12:01 a.m. Jan. 21. Call your B&N store to sign up for the event and confirm a finalized event time, as time is subject to change; due to high demand, proof of purchase of the Deluxe Limited Edition of the book is required to attend the B&N events.

In other January book news, Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com) will hold author events with Sally Cragin for Llewellyn’s Moon Sign Book on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m.; Peg Fitzpatrickfor The Art of Small Business Social Media on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 6:30 p.m.; David Preece and Jim Webber with their two Mr. Higgins picture books on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 11 a.m.; Amanda Grappone Osmer with Grappone Automotive: The Founding on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m., and Jeffrey Boutwill with Boutwell: Radical Republican and Champion of Democracyon Thursday, Jan. 30, at 6:30 p.m.

Author events at Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) include David M. Miller launching True Christianity: An Exposition of John’s Letters on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 5 p.m.; Mary Eisenhauer with Reimagining Midlife: Making Bold Moves for Your Second Act on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 1 p.m., and Matt Larson with 4000s by 40: Tackling Middle Age in the Mountains of New Hampshire on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 4 p.m.

23. It’s something of a homecoming when comedian Sarah Silverman, born in Concord and a one-time resident of Bedford, plays the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 8 p.m.

But those won’t be the only laughs.

Juston McKinney will play the CAKE Theatre in Laconia on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. See thecaketheatre.com.

The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) will hold Italian Comedy Night, featuring Frank Santorelli & Mark Ricccadona, on Friday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m.

Jan 10 is also the Tupelo Night of Comedy for January featuring Paul Nardizzi, Kyle Crawford and Jolanda Logan at 8 p.m.

Catch Jimmy Dunn at the Amato Center for Performing Arts in Milford on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $40. See jimmydunn.com.

And find comedy every week at Headliners Comedy at the Doubletree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (headlinersnh.com) and Chunky’s in Manchester (chunkys.com), the Ruby Room Comedy Club at the Shaskeen in Manchester (find them on Facebook) and the Thursday Laugh Attic at Strange Brew Tavern in Manchester (strangebrewtavern.net).

24. New Hampshire Wine Week returns with wine dinners, wine tasting and the week’s centerpiece, the New England Winter Wine Spectacular at the Doubletree by Hilton Manchester Downtown on Thursday, Jan. 23, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $75 to the grand tasting, $135 for a ticket that includes the Bellman’s Cellar Select room. Other events on the Wine Week schedule include Vive La France on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., a panel discussion of French wines ($65) at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford, and a wine dinner with Brian Pruett of Dry Creek Vineyards at Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. ($130.13). See nhwineweek.com.

25. Check out a variety of excitement at the 2025 Concord NH Winter Fest, Ice Carving Competition & Food Truck Festival starting Friday, Jan. 24. Actually the fun starts Thursday, Jan. 23, with the opening of Art & Bloom (opening reception 5 to 7 p.m.; exhibit on display Thursday, Jan. 23, from 2 to 5 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), an exhibition at Kimball Jenkins in Concord featuring art from the Women’s Caucus for Art — New Hampshire Chapter, and accompanying flower arrangements by area floral designers. On Jan. 24, check out the ice carvings taking place on the Statehouse lawn from 3 to 9 p.m. with the competition starting Saturday, Jan. 25, at 11 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m. with awards handed out at 3:30 p.m. Find food trucks and other event sponsors on Capitol Street from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. See intownconcord.org.