Winter sports have never appealed to me. Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating — I can think of dozens of things I’d rather do, most of which involve being warm and cozy and, well, inside. But snowshoeing is different: It doesn’t take much skill beyond being able to walk, but it’s still a decent workout; the setting is typically beautiful and serene, where you’re surrounded by nature rather than crowds of people; and it’s pretty accessible, with inexpensive rentals available and trails all over the state.
Tom Walton, who created the Snow or No We Go snowshoe trail series that takes place over several weekends this winter in Canterbury and Franklin (see the full story at hippopress.com in the Jan. 13 edition), steps up his snowshoeing game by running — which is much easier to do with made-for-racing snowshoes that are light and only a little bigger than your shoes.
“Snow is one of the best surfaces to run on, and single-track through the woods is beyond beautiful,” Walton said. “Snowshoe racers like a packed trail because it’s faster. We use racing snowshoes, very light, from Dion.”
Even non-racing snowshoes are much lighter than they used to be, and not nearly as bulky, making it an activity that kids and even the most uncoordinated adults can do. And Walton pointed out that it is beneficial during a time of year when it’s often easier to stay inside.
“Sunlight is critical for health, both physical and emotional,” he said. “[And] it is great aerobic exercise. … Being outside on snow on a crisp, clear day running through the woods is heaven.”
Several local organizations offer snowshoe rentals and access to their trails, and some towns and nonprofits maintain trails throughout the winter — often for cross-country skiing or snowmobiling, which make for good snowshoeing trails as well.
Or, if you want to buy your own snowshoes, you can forge your own path.
“Well-marked trails are a plus but not necessary because you can ad lib and follow your own tracks back,” Walton said.
Here are a few suggestions for local rentals and trails; for more suggestions throughout the state, visit visit.nh.gov and search for snowshoeing under “activities.”
Snowshoe rentals
Need to rent a pair of snowshoes? These local places offer rentals (usually dependent on trail conditions, so call or check their websites for the most up-to-date information).
America’s Stonehenge (105 Haverhill Road, Salem, 893-8300, stonehengeusa.com) offers snowshoe rentals when trail conditions are good; as of Jan. 17, the trails were closed because conditions were poor, according to the website, and will reopen when there’s more snow. Rentals are $20 for ages 13 and up and $14 for 12 and under. Admission to the snowshoe trails without rentals is $13 for ages 13 and up and $7.50 for ages 12 and under. Snowshoes are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and reservations are not accepted.
Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis) offers snowshoe rentals for $10 a day. They’re available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting, and arrangements can be made for weekend rentals as well ($20). Visit beaverbrook.org or call 465-7787 to reserve, or to find out more about upcoming guided hikes.
Gunstock Mountain Resort (719 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, 293-4341, gunstock.com) offers snowshoeing in its Outdoor Center, which includes 25 kilometers of groomed trails. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To reserve snowshoes or for private tours, and for rental pricing, call the Outdoor Center (ext. 504).
NH Audubon Both the Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn) and the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) offer snowshoe rentals every Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost to rent is $15 for the day, and they’re only rented out when there are 6 or more inches of snow on the ground. Adult and youth sizes are available, on a first-come, first-served basis. The Audubon also rents binoculars during those hours for $5. How-to handouts and trail maps are provided with rentals. Visit nhaudubon.org.
Pats Peak (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 428-3245, patspeak.com) offers snowshoe rentals for $19 a day. It has three trails ranging from easiest to expert (recommended only for those with expert ability and equipment), with distances of 1 to 3.5 miles and vertical inclines of 200 to 700 feet. The trails are free to use, but Pats Peak does not maintain them, and conditions are dependent on weather. A snowshoe map is available, and conditions can be checked daily on the website.
Local trails
If you own snowshoes, you can use them anywhere that has enough snow, but some local trail systems are more likely to have packed snow, either because they are maintained or because they are well-used. Here are a few ideas.
• Adams Pond Trail (Pillsbury and Adams roads, Londonderry, 437-2675, londonderrynh.org) is open for snowshoeing.
• Beaver Meadow Golf Course (1 Beaver Meadow Dr., Concord, 228-8954, bmgc.golf) has groomed trails for snowshoeing that are maintained by the Concord Parks & Recreation department.
• Benedictine Park (341 Wallace Road, Bedford, 228-1231, bedfordlandtrust.org) has town-owned trails that are available for snowshoeing.
• Horse Hill Nature Preserve (184 Amherst Road, Merrimack, 882-1046, merrimackparksandrec.org) has a variety of conservation trails that you can traverse with snowshoes.
• Mine Falls Park (Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3400, nashuanh.gov) offers trails that can be used for snowshoeing.
• Southwest Park (at Yudicky Farm, off Main Dunstable Road, Nashua, 589-3400, nashuanh.gov) also has trails open for snowshoeing.
After this week’s cover went to press, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission canceled 2022’s Wine Week events. Looks like we’ll have to wait another full year for “return of the big pour.” In the meantime, the cover story features interviews from wine makers (whose bottles you can find in the state) and information about Mocktail Month.
Explore new wines and meet the makers at NH’s Wine Week & raise a glass to mocktail month.
From the vineyards of Napa Valley to multiple growing regions across Europe, dozens of internationally known winemakers brave the Granite State’s cold January weather for a celebratory week of tastings, seminars and special dinners at local restaurants. New Hampshire Wine Week is back — and after the pandemic forced its transition to a series of virtual tastings in 2021, anticipation is high for in-person events to return for the first time in two years.
Taking place from Monday, Jan. 24, through Friday, Jan. 28, New Hampshire Wine Week has always revolved around the Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular. The expo-style wine tasting features thousands of wines to taste from around the world — usually poured and handed out by the winemakers themselves — in addition to locally prepared food options for pairing.
“Our broker community, our winemakers and our customers are really excited that we were able to bring it back,” said Lorrie Piper, director of sales, marketing, merchandising and distribution for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. “I do feel like winemakers really understand the importance of New Hampshire as a market and they know their customers. … One thing I’ve learned is that our customers are hungry for information. They want to know where the products are coming from and to educate themselves about the different brands.”
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission experienced a robust holiday sales period and, despite ongoing supply chain issues that have impacted retailers nationwide, Piper said current inventory levels across the state’s nearly 70 Liquor & Wine Outlet stores remain strong.
“Fortunately, New Hampshire is in a better position than most other states, thanks to our ordering practices, inventory requirements and capacity in our million-plus-case warehouse,” she said.
A spectacle of wines
New Hampshire Wine Week’s main highlight, the Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular, returns for its 18th year to the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown on Thursday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. Since its inception, the Spectacular has become known as one of the largest wine tasting events in the country, with around 1,700 products from regions all over the world.
Attendees are given a program upon entry, which includes a floor map of each food and beverage purveyor to navigate through the tasting. It offers a unique opportunity to meet with winemakers face to face, and to learn more or ask questions about each of their products.
“Every year, we try to be on top of the trends [and] of what customers are looking for,” Piper said of the Spectacular’s planning and logistics. “We find that the millennial consumer, especially, [is] willing to spend a bit more on higher quality and high-end wines. Those typically come from Italy and France and are also made domestically. … We’re also seeing that people are looking for wines that fall into the ‘better for you’ category, so lower sugar and lower-calorie products. We tend to see the majority of those coming from the United States.”
Visitors to this year’s Spectacular hail from all over the West Coast, including several in California’s Napa and Sonoma counties, as well European nations like France, Italy, Spain and Austria. New Hampshire winemakers also join in on the fun with offerings of their own.
You likely won’t get to stop by every single table in the main Grand Tasting room — to get the most out of the event, Piper recommends planning your visit to include tables you know may be pouring your favorite wine styles, or your favorite grape varietals or growing regions.
In addition to the thousands of wines, the Spectacular features all kinds of silent auction items, a raffle, and dozens of food samples served by local chefs on site. The Common Man, LaBelle Winery, Rig A Tony’s, the Nashua Country Club, Red Beard’s Kitchen of Manchester, Tuscan Kitchen of Salem, the 110 Grill and Flat Iron Catering are all among this year’s participants.
“It’s really just small bites they’ll be serving. It kind of rounds out the event and gives people a chance to try pairing a wine with a food,” Piper said. “These are chefs that are obviously very skilled in creating different flavor profiles, and so it’s an opportunity to discover something that goes great with a cabernet, or goes great with a Bordeaux or a pinot grigio.”
More than $2.5 million from the Spectacular has gone to Easterseals New Hampshire. According to Easterseals senior director of events Christine Pederson, proceeds directly benefit its early intervention program, which provides physical therapy, speech and language pathology and other services to children ages 3 and under.
Wining and dining
Beyond the signature Spectacular, Piper estimates there will likely be more than 40 additional events across the Granite State during Wine Week. The multi-course wine dinners, also returning on a similar scale for the first time since January 2020, are often attended by the winemakers.
“It’s typically an intimate setting … where you get to meet them, and they’ll walk you through the specially prepared menu and serve one of their wines with each course,” Piper said. “They talk to you a little bit about the history, and the notes that you’ll detect in the wine and all that.”
Winemakers and brand ambassadors also hold bottle signings and wine tastings at various Liquor & Wine Outlet stores — most of them run for two hours and are free to walk-in visitors.
A continuously updated list of each bottle signing and wine dinner, complete with details on each wine that will be poured, can be found at nhwineweek.com under the “featured events” tab.
Meet the winemaker: Joseph Carr
Founder and winemaker, Joseph Carr Wines and Josh Cellars, joshcellars.com
Joseph Carr
The son of a lumberjack and a stock car racer from Vermont, Joseph Carr launched his first wine brand in 2002, a premium cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley. He started Josh Cellars a few years later as a tribute to his father, whose nickname was Josh — that brand originated from a collaboration with Sonoma winemaker Tom Larson. At the insistence of his wife, Deirdre, Carr added chardonnay to the Josh Cellars portfolio and over the years also added merlot, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, rosé and a collection of reserve wines. In 2021 Josh Cellars was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?
We actually pour quite a few of our wines — I want to say six, maybe seven different varietals of the Josh Cellars brand. We’re also going to be doing a four-course wine dinner in Nashua [at Bistro 603].
What makes your wines unique?
When Josh Cellars was born, Tom [Larson] was encouraging me to make wine outside of Napa Valley, and he showed me vineyards in Sonoma and in the Red Hills. … I learned that while Napa Valley was where we actually produced everything, the grapes were coming from all these other small boutique growers. … We made cabernet sauvignon the first year, because that was all we could afford to make. Now, all in all, we have 11 varietals that are nationally distributed. We produced an Italian prosecco from the Veneto region with [winemaker] Daniel Posey and his son that was one of the first prosecco rosés ever produced in Italy. We’ve also raised money and done special labels for the National Volunteer Fire Council and for Operation Gratitude, which is a foundation created by a retired marine that writes letters and sends care packages to servicemen and women overseas.
What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?
The wine business is always evolving, particularly in America. … The great thing about America is that people, especially of the generations of today, have a very open mind … and when you come to events like this one, you’re going to have a chance to taste lots of different things from lots of different producers and styles. It also gives us an opportunity to show our innovation. So for example, a couple of years ago we started making wine in Pasa Robles, California, which we had never done before. The wines coming out of there used to be high in alcohol and I wasn’t really a big fan of them. But we realized we could pick the grapes a little earlier and still get the ripeness that we want to produce a very approachable cabernet sauvignon.
What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?
I look at New Hampshire as another part of my home. I lived in New England for over 20 years and I’ve spent a lot of time up there, so coming back is going to be a lot of fun. I know that I’m going to get the chance to reconnect with some people that believed in me along the way.
Meet the winemaker: Brian Ferguson
Owner and head distiller, Flag Hill Distillery & Winery, flaghill.com
Brian Ferguson
Totaling 14 acres in the town of Lee, Flag Hill is one the largest vineyards in the Granite State. Originally on the site of a dairy farm, Flag Hill began as a winery with its first harvest in 1990, growing over the last couple of decades into a family-operated vineyard, distillery and popular wedding and event venue. Owner and distiller Brian Ferguson and his wife, Maddie, use the land to produce grapes for the winery, grain for the distillery and vegetables for its events. Ferguson is a graduate of Penn State University; he took over as head distiller in 2013 and acquired the business two years later.
What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?
We’ll be pouring our sparkling Cayuga and our Cayuga white wines. Those use grapes that we grow here on the farm. We get really excited about showing off the wines that we do really well, and those two definitely fall into that category.
What makes your wines unique?
Our sparkling Cayuga and our Cayuga white … make what I believe is a perfect example of what can be done really well here in New England. We have the absolute perfect climate for growing white grapes to make intensely aromatic white wines. Everything about where we are here is perfectly attuned to it, [from] the climate, to the temperatures at harvest being colder and the amount of growing degree days that we get so that we don’t have super overly ripe fruit. We have perfectly ripe fruit for making aromatic whites and slightly underripe fruit for when we want to make sparkling wines. … We have another grape called La Crescent, which is probably my favorite one that we grow here on the farm. It’s really beautiful and aromatic but has a lot of acidity. We do everything we can to manage the acidity during the winemaking process, and we blend it with a little bit of the Cayuga white grape, which has a little bit lower acid, and it makes this incredibly beautiful aromatic white wine.
What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?
There is a shift in general to healthy living, and I think the pandemic has brought this out even more. People are asking themselves, ‘How do I live healthier?,’ and so they’re starting to ask more questions about whether there is a lot of sugar in this wine, or what additives may be in the wine. Sulfites have always been a question, but we’re starting to see more of those questions. … People want to know more about the agricultural practices in winemaking. There’s definitely been an uptick in that.
What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?
The Wine Spectacular itself is just an incredible event, because there are so many people that have the same affinity for the things that we love. … It’s great for our staff who go, because we actually get a lot out of the event. For me, personally, I run into winemakers from other parts of the country who I otherwise don’t get a chance to talk to, and I’m able to bounce thoughts and ideas off them. … So it’s a great way to not only see a lot of great wines but also talk to a bunch of people who you normally wouldn’t have access to. If you’re a wine lover, it really is an incredible opportunity.
Meet the winemaker: David Phillips
Co-owner and president, Michael David Winery, michaeldavidwinery.com
David Phillips
David Phillips and his older brother Michael are fifth-generation wine grape growers and natives of Lodi, a city about 40 miles south of Sacramento in California’s Central Valley. After graduating from the University of California at Davis in 1987, Phillips embarked on a worldwide tour of wine across multiple regions of Europe, South Australia and New Zealand. He then went on to work for an international cork company in San Francisco before returning to Lodi to help his brother run the family business in 1989. Michael David Winery’s lineup of products includes selections of zinfandels, cabernets and petite sirah wines under multiple labels, like Freakshow, Earthquake, Inkblot, Rapture and many more.
What will you be pouring at the Winter Wine Spectacular?
I know for sure that I want to do our Inkblot petite sirah. That’s a dynamite wine for a cold winter night, because it’s so dark and deep. We’ll be featuring our Freakshow labels too — we have three different varieties that we do under the Freakshow label, which are a cabernet, a zinfandel and a red blend. We also have a new listing called Lodi Red, and that’s a heritage blend of old grapes that go back to the days of Prohibition, when our great-grandparents were shipping grapes from all over the country. … Those vines are still thriving today, because our soils here are so deep and sandy.
What makes your wines unique?
We’re in a special location here in Lodi because of the San Francisco Bay influence. We have a micro-climate that’s very different from the rest of the Central Valley. We’ll get these warm or hot days in the summer, but then at night the sea breeze comes in and cools us off. The grapes, and the vineyards in general, just love that. Lodi has more than 100,000 acres of grapes planted here. It is by far the largest wine growing region in North America. … We’re most famous for zinfandel, because we have more old vines here than any other place in the world. [We have] vines that are anywhere from 80 to 135 years old that we’re still picking grapes from.
What are some trends you have noticed recently in the wine world?
I think people are learning to step up a little bit and go for those higher quality levels and try new things. … Crazy labels, actually, have also really caught on. You can only sell a wine for the label one time, but if you back it up with good juice in there, hopefully people will buy it over and over again. That’s kind of been the key to our success with these brands.
What do you look forward to the most about New Hampshire Wine Week?
We enjoy coming out there and we just love New England in general. … One of the nice things about coming out and doing these shows is you make a connection with people and you feel like they’re part of the family when they support your product.
New Hampshire Wine Week 2022 Monday, Jan. 24, through Friday, Jan. 28. Visit nhwineweek.com for the most up-to-date information and upcoming events Be sure to contact each restaurant or liquor store outlet directly for the most up-to-date details on bottle signings and wine dinners.
18th annual Easterseals Winter Wine Spectacular When: Thursday, Jan. 27, 6 to 9 p.m. Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown, 700 Elm St., Manchester Cost: $65 for the Grand Tasting in the expo room (purchase them online; tickets to the Bellman’s Cellar Select VIP tasting room are sold out) Visit: easterseals.com/nh
New Hampshire Mocktail Month
Even if you’re not a wine drinker, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission is inviting you to participate in another promotional campaign — the second annual New Hampshire Mocktail Month, which is also observed in January. The NHLC has partnered with Old Forester Bourbon and The Mocktail Project, a grassroots movement launched in 2017 by Jesse Hawkins as an initiative to promote responsible consumption and a stigma-free drinking culture.
On Thursday, Jan. 13, at 5 p.m., Hawkins, along with Old Forester master taster Jackie Zykan, will lead a free virtual event via Zoom demonstrating unique mocktail and cocktail ideas. The discussion will also stream live on the NHLC’s Facebook page.
All throughout January, nearly 30 Granite State eateries have added specialty alcohol-free mocktails to their menus. The NHLC also recently launched an online recipe guide detailing ingredients, garnishes and tips for how to replicate each mocktail at home.
“The way the recipe book is laid out, each page has a recipe for a mocktail and it tells you where you can order it and where it was created,” NHLC director of sales, marketing, merchandising and distribution Lorrie Piper said. “If you were making it at home and you wanted to turn it into a cocktail by adding alcohol, it tells you how to do that too.”
The NHLC is inviting those who visit any of the participating restaurants to share their experiences on social media, by posting pictures with the hashtag #nhmocktailmonth.
Here are a couple of mocktail examples featured in the recipe guide. The full list can be viewed and downloaded at liquorandwineoutlets.com/responsibility.
Jingle juice
From behind the bar at Tandy’s Pub & Grille, 1 Eagle Square, Concord, 856-7614, tandyspub.com
2 ounces orange juice
2 ounces pineapple juice
Splash cranberry juice
Top with Sprite, serve on the rocks and garnish with an orange, cherry and a lime
Forester smorester mocktail
From behind the bar at Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-3000, skymeadow.com
2 ounces guava juice
1½ ounces pear juice
1 ounce authentic homemade sour mix
½ ounce cherry juice
Pour over ice in a shaker. Serve straight up or on the rocks. Garnish with an orange and cherry.
Vanilla ginger sparkler
From behind the bar at The Common Man (locations in Concord, Merrimack, Windham, Claremont, Ashland and Lincoln)
½ ounce vanilla syrup
1 ounce cranberry juice
½ ounce lime juice
2 ounces house sour mix
2 ounces ginger ale
Bottle Signings & Wine Tastings
Winter Wine Spectacular. Photo by Timothy Courtemanche
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 69, 25 Coliseum Ave., Nashua. Call 882-4670.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Tues., Jan. 25, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• BODEGAS LAN Lorea Amatria, brand manager for Bodegas LAN, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.
• BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• HARKEN WINES Adam Popp, winemaker for Harken Wines, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 49, 32 Plaistow Road, Plaistow. Call 382-8511.
• RABBLE WINE CO. Loren Miller, winemaker for Rabble Wine Co., will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, noon to 2 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 2 to 4 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 41, Southgate Plaza, 380 Lafayette Road, Seabrook. Call 474-3362.
• FERRARI-CARANO VINEYARDS & WINERY Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 2 to 4 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• JUSTIN VINEYARDS & WINERY Justin Baldwin, founder of Justin Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• BODEGAS LAN Lorea Amatria, brand manager for Bodegas LAN, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
• BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 55, 9 Leavy Drive, Bedford. Call 471-0998.
• RABBLE WINE CO. Loren Miller, winemaker for Rabble Wine Co., will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 79, 5 Brickyard Square, Epping. Call 679-1799.
• MONSIEUR TOUTON SELECTION Andrea Lucignani, Italian wholesale portfolio manager for Monsieur Touton Selection, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 49, 32 Plaistow Road, Plaistow. Call 382-8511.
• MENDOZA VINEYARDS Richard Bonvin, owner and winemaker of Mendoza Vineyards, will be hosting this event. Wed., Jan. 26, 5 to 7 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• WINES FROM CALIFORNIA Winemaker Adam LaZarre of Wine Hooligans will be hosting this event, giving participants the opportunity to learn first hand about California wines. Products to be featured include selections from Adler Fels and Cycles Gladiator. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 7 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. $12; tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite. Call 888-0271.
• BAILEYANA WINERY John Niven, brand ambassador for Baileyana Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 1 to 3 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 38, 100 Rotary Way, Portsmouth. Call 436-4806.
• FERRARI-CARANO VINEYARDS & WINERY Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 1 to 3 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 34, 92 Cluff Crossing Road, Salem. Call 898-5243.
• KLINKER BRICK WINERY Steve and Lori Felton, owners of Klinker Brick Winery, will be hosting this event. Thurs., Jan. 27, 3 to 5 p.m. New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet No. 50, 294 Daniel Webster Hwy., Nashua. Call 888-0271.
Wine Dinners
• SHARE A SPLASH WINE DINNER Yoav Gilat, founder and CEO of Share a Splash Wine Co., will be in attendance. Tues., Jan. 25, 6 to 8 p.m. Copper Door Restaurant, 41 S. Broadway, Salem. $95. Visit copperdoor.com or call 458-2033.
• BANFI WINE DINNER Dino Altomare of Banfi Vintners will be in attendance during this five-course wine dinner. Tues., Jan. 25, 6 p.m. Tuscan Kitchen, 67 Main St., Salem. $120. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 952-4875.
• SERGE DORÉ SELECTIONS WINE DINNER Serge Doré, founder of Serge Doré Selections, will be in attendance during this multi-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua. $125. Visit skymeadow.com or call 888-9000.
• SPIRE COLLECTION WINE DINNER Tom Gannon, Northeast regional manager for the Spire Collection, will be in attendance. The dinner will include a five-course menu with wine pairings. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 9 p.m. CR’s The Restaurant, 87 Exeter Road, Hampton. $95. Visit crstherestaurant.com or call 929-7972.
• CECCHI FAMILY ESTATES WINE DINNER Andrea Cecchi, CEO of Cecchi Family Estates, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tuscan Kitchen, 67 Main St., Salem. $95. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 952-4875.
• FERRARI-CARANO WINE DINNER Sarah Quider, executive winemaker for Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tinos Kitchen + Bar, 325 Lafayette Road, Hampton. $95. Visit tinosnh.com or call 926-5489.
• CASTELLO DI QUERCETO WINE DINNER Marco Fizaletti of Castello di Querceto will be in attendance during this five-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Tuscan Market at Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana, Salem. Visit tuscanbrands.com or call 912-5467.
• SOKOL BLOSSER WINE DINNER Allison Sokol Blosser, co-president, CEO and second-generation winegrower at Sokol Blosser Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 to 8 p.m. Copper Door Restaurant, 15 Leavy Drive, Bedford. $95. Visit copperdoor.com or call 488-2677.
• HESS COLLECTION WINE DINNER Dave Guffy, senior vice president of winemaking and viticulture for The Hess Collection, will be in attendance during this five-course dinner. Wed., Jan. 26; the event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner at 6:30 p.m. The Common Man, 88 Range Road, Windham. $95. Visit thecman.com or call 898-0088.
• FRESCOBALDI WINE DINNER Mike Miller of Marchesi De Frescobaldi will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Toscana Italian Chophouse & Wine Bar, 3 Pleasant St., Portsmouth. $125. Visit toscanachophouse.com or call 570-3600.
• JOSH CELLARS & JOSEPH CARR WINES DINNER This special four-course meal will feature wine pairings from Joseph Carr Wines and Josh Cellars. Wed., Jan. 26; the event will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the dinner at 7 p.m. Bistro 603, 345 Amherst St., Nashua. $95. Visit bistro603nashua.com or 722-6362.
• KLINKER BRICK WINERY DINNER Julie Handel, Northeast regional manager for Klinker Brick Winery, will be in attendance. Following the reception, guests are invited to partake in a specially curated wine and food pairing menu by chef Corey Fletcher. A la carte options will also be available. Wed., Jan. 26, 5:30 p.m. Revival Kitchen & Bar, 11 Depot St., Concord. Price and menu info TBA. Visit revivalkitchennh.com or call 715-5723.
• J. LOHR VINEYARDS & WINES DINNER Cynthia Lohr, co-owner and chief brand officer for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Greenleaf, 54 Nashua St., Milford. $125. Visit greenleafmilford.com or call 213-5447.
• MICHAEL DAVID WINERY DINNER David Phillips, co-owner and president of Michael David Winery, will be in attendance. Wed., Jan. 26, 6 p.m. O Steaks & Seafood, 62 Doris Ray Court, Laconia. $75. Visit osteaksandseafood.com or call 856-7925.
Featured photo: Winter Wine Spectacular. Photo by John Hession
Following a Covid-caused delay of more than a year, April Cushman finally released her debut album, The Long Haul, in November. The country singer celebrated in front of a hometown crowd at Milford’s Pasta House — she grew up in nearby Brookline. The event sold out weeks in advance.
The new record is one of the best of the genre to come out of the Granite State in recent years. It’s filled with great songs, from the modern country rocker “Soundtrack To My City” to the could-have-been love ballad “Once Upon A Time” and the tender ode to her father (who makes a cameo introduction) closing things out, “Take My Hand.”
Cushman purposefully selected the album’s leadoff track. She wrote “Ain’t No Stopping You” after being laid off and resolving in that moment to go all in on the music career she’d dreamed about and chased since childhood.
“Losing a job is never an emotionally easy thing to go through. … I was trying to switch the mindset of having it be a bad thing,” she said in a recent phone interview. “You have dreams — get your friends and family together [and] paint the town red. Make sure there’s no stopping you from reaching the goals that you want to reach.”
It’s a daunting road described deftly in the title cut. Penned by New Hampshire singer-songwriter turned Nashville expat Amanda McCarthy and a few other locals who moved south, “The Long Haul” describes the shock of being “a big fish in a small town” set loose in an ocean of like-minded aspirants.
Cushman jumped on the song when it was pitched to her.
“The line that really hits me the hardest is, ‘entitlement pays a price,’” she said. “A lot of people think, ‘I’m hot stuff around here.’ Then they move and realize there is so much talent…. It’s a very ignorant mind-set as an artist. I have to admit, I’ve probably been there at some point.”
Making it is often a “10-year turnaround” — or even more for established stars like Chris Stapleton, who toiled for nearly two decades before getting his big break.
“You’re basically starting from the top of where you came from, going to the absolute bottom [and] starting over…. It takes a lot of elbow grease,” Cushman said. “In such an instant gratification world, if we don’t see complete success in five years or less, a lot of people will say, ‘This isn’t for me.’”
Though Cushman will head to Music City at some point to do some songwriter showcases, she has no plans to relocate permanently, as many New England country performers have done.
“I’m focusing on the album right now, and preparing for potentially touring,” she said. “Once we’re ready, we will certainly make our way down there.”
While she continues to play mostly covers at bars and restaurants, Cushman has resolved to do at least one original gig a month. Next is a full-band performance at Bank of NH Stage in Concord.
“This is our first straight music venue, our first theater headlining show,” she said. “We’ve never done something like this before, so it’s very exciting.”
Due to the pandemic, it’s a hybrid event; fans can purchase in-person tickets or pay to stream it online. Cushman considers the latter choice a silver lining, since her song with the most Spotify streams initially took off in the U.K.
“People have the option, depending on where they are in life, what’s going on in the world and where they’re located, to be part of the show,” she said.
Cushman and drummer Adam Soucy recently began a weekly residency at the old Club ManchVegas space now occupied by The Goat. It’s an opportunity to spread the word about her music between familiar hits, and occasionally slip in one of her own tunes. “I’ll say, ‘Hey, you guys have been requesting Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBride and Carrie Underwood all night. … Now here’s my song.”
Though aware it’s a continuing journey, Cushman is grateful to be this far along.
“Going from a kid just doing something that made me feel good and was kind of my emotional outlet, to being an adult looking back at the last 25 years … holy cow,” she said. “It feels like a very full-circle moment to have this record out; I’m looking forward to the next one.”
April Cushman, Live and Livestreamed
When: Thursday, Jan. 13, 7:30 p.m. Where: Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord Tickets: $34.99 in person, $17.99 livestream at liveonfestival.show
How to stay safe and warm while exploring NH’s winter wonderland
By Dan Szczesny
At just over 2,300 feet, Belknap Mountain in Gilford is a hill compared to its cousins up north in the White Mountains. But every mountain in New Hampshire presents hikers with unique challenges, especially in the winter.
Add a little hiker into the mix — in this case 2-year-old Oren Driscoll — and tiny Belknap Mountain can suddenly seem as large as Mount Everest.
Young Oren had just finished exploring the active Fire Tower at the summit and he and his mom, Epsom writer and veteran hiker Allison Driscoll, were relaxing with lunch near the base of the tower. Like many of the fire towers in New Hampshire, the open grating and steep stairs can be tricky to even the most weathered explorer.
Not to Oren, though, according to the older Driscoll.
“He’s not a daredevil kind of hiker,” Driscoll said. “So he was pretty proud of himself.”
A few minutes later, a much older kid showed up at the summit but was too afraid to go up the tower. This was a big moment for Oren, and for his mom.
“It was interesting to watch a 2-year-old make that climb when a 10-year-old couldn’t,” Driscoll said. “That was a little bit of an a-ha moment for me, when we started to think that we were on the right track.”
Driscoll is the administrator of the popular Trail to Summit website (trailtosummit.com), a resource for trip reports, recipes, gear reviews and stories about inspirational female hikers. But even for a long-time experienced hiker like Driscoll, the hiking world changed when kids entered the equation. Add the treacheries of winter into the hike planning, and everyone suddenly becomes a beginner.
“It becomes about different expectations,” Driscoll said.
Writer and adventure hiker Allison Driscoll poses with her two children, 9-month-old Lyra and 2-year-old Oren, during a 2021 winter hike in Northwood Meadows State Park. Courtesy photo.
With the fall shoulder season firmly in the rear-view mirror and a pandemic still making normal winter indoor activities a challenge, more and more new hikers and families are looking to the enormous number of parks, mountains and trails in New Hampshire to get outside. But winter hiking requires a bit more patience, planning and, in some cases, skill.
“When you’re new to the hiking world, especially in the winter, people don’t know the difference between mountains and not mountains,” said Mike Cherim, owner of Redline Guiding (redlineguiding.com). “Your first step is to know what you’re doing so you can maximize your winter hiking experience.”
Cherim’s company, located in Intervale, specializes in matching hiking guides and routes with hikers, whether that be experienced pros looking to climb technical routes up icy mountains or a family of beginners learning how to snowshoe for the first time.
“There’s an expression we use,” Cherim said. “Mountains spare most fools.”
The key word there, of course, is “most.”
I set out to discover the process of turning a brand-new hiker (or a new family of hikers) into a confident and safe New Hampshire winter explorer. It all comes down to the acronym GPS: gear, preparation and selection.
Having the proper gear
Winter hiking, whether on a big exposed mountain or a close-to-home rail trail, is about two things: staying warm and regulating your body temperature. That goes for hikers of all ages, even kids. So the first step is to learn about layering.
“Winter hiking generates an enormous amount of body heat,” said Bartlett-based gear guru Philip Werner. “When perspiration dries, it’s transformed into vapor and pulls the heat out of your body.”
Layering allows you to regulate your perspiration and body temperature by literally taking off and putting on different layers of clothing throughout your hike. The key is regulation, Werner said.
The hiking expert and adventure writer is the owner of Section Hiker (sectionhiker.com), a hiking company that focuses on gear, ultralight backpacking and White Mountain treks.
“It’s counter-intuitive, but when you’re perspiring, take off your outer clothes,” he said. “You’ll actually be warmer.”
The best way to regulate your body temperature through layering is to practice off-hike first — maybe try out your layers in your backyard shoveling snow, for example. There are some general rules of thumb: base layer, fleece layer and heavy layer. The heavy layer (ski jacket, down etc.) is best for standing still, above tree line, or in heavy winds or a storm. For below the waist, a base layer and either fleece or shell pants or ski pants to mostly be enough. Again, in general, you don’t remove pants layers like you would torso layers.
Once you’ve got your layering strategy down, then it’s time to think about your feet.
“In general, if it’s your first time in winter, you’re going to want some sort of traction,” said Ken MacGray, a hiking writer and editor of the AMC Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide. “Yaktrax might be good for the driveway, but you’ll want to think about microspikes or even crampons — something with beefier teeth — if you’re climbing.”
As the writer of New Hampshire’s 52 With a View: A Hiker’s Guide, MacGray has plenty of experience walking families through the lower mountains that are part of that list.
“Southern New Hampshire has its share of really difficult trails,” he said. “For winter hiking, if the cold bothers you, you just won’t want to be doing this.”
Finding ways to not just deal with but thrive in the cold is an important first step to enjoying winter hiking. In the case of new or first-time families, a layering strategy may even take a back seat to straight up keeping tightly bundled.
“My daughter is strapped onto my back,” said Allison Driscoll, referring to her other child, nearly 2-year-old Lyra. “She’s stationary when we’re out there so we need to make sure she’s very insulated.”
Some other gear tips suggested by the experts include figuring out exactly what type of winter activity you or your family want to experience. Gear for a winter hike is different from gear for a cross-country ski, or for snowshoeing. Even the terrain you’ll be hiking on can lead to different gear decisions. And that leads to the next step of GPS: preparation.
Being properly prepared
Preparation is Mike Cherim’s business. Literally.
For the past five years Cherim and the dozen active guides on his roster have been not only guiding but training and teaching as well.
Redline Guiding owner Mike Cherim checks the security of the knot on a climber’s harness during a photoshoot at the top of Jockey Cap, a granite outcrop in the Saco River Valley in Fryeburg, Maine. Photo courtesy Corey McMullen of Corey David Photography and the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re willing to take anybody and teach them the ropes and get them to where they want to be,” Cherim said. “A guide can bring so much to the table, not just facts, but putting things into perspective, giving some history, that sort of thing.”
Cherim was 4 years old when he hiked Mount Washington for the first time with his hiking-loving parents, and the hiking bug has been with him ever since.
But even if you’re not preparing for a huge, technical climb, or are not ready for a guide yet, a little bit of advance research into your routes and abilities can go a long way.
All the experts we talked to for this story recommended any beginning winter hiker take a walk through the many outdoor gear stores in the area (think acronyms, EMS, REI, IME) and talk to the store clerks, many of whom have winter hiking experience.
Werner suggested getting some practice with new, expensive gear by renting it first.
“Go to a place that rents gear and has groomed winter trails,” he said. “That’s a good way to experience snow for the first time. Or how about tubing or sledding as a first encounter ― there’s lots of overlap with hiking there.”
One particular group of first-time hikers ― kids ― may be challenging to hike with, Driscoll said. She hiked a lot, even when pregnant, but with her kids some of that preparation is mental.
“Being outdoors is so important for brain development and regulating emotions for kids,” she said. “Preparation sometimes consists of adapting to a new mindset.”
Finally, for a large swath of potential first-time hikers in southern New Hampshire, a great first snow hike could be on a rail trail (nhrtc.org). The state has close to 400 miles of rail trails to offer hikers, said Paula Bedard of the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition.
The nonprofit organization is designed to support and promote the dozens of rail trail organizations, friends groups and user groups throughout the state.
“What we’re trying to do is provide a forum where all groups can get together to share success stories and strategies,” she said.
With about 50 different rail trails throughout the state, the coalition plays a big role in the final key to hiking: selection.
Selecting the proper hike
Rail trails are virtually everywhere in New Hampshire. Most have easy access and parking and are generally flat and well-graded. Several, like the Goffstown, Derry and Piscataquog rail trails, offer miles of wide open scenic trail use right in the backyard of some of the most populated sections of the state.
“Every time I pull into my street, I can see people using the trail,” said Paula Bedard, who lives in Goffstown. “There’s been a huge uptick in usage [since the pandemic began] and it’s just continuing to grow. People are discovering rail trails they would not have otherwise.”
MacGray agreed that finding local trails nearby is a great first step toward tackling the higher hills. Rail trails aren’t included in the Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide, but plenty of smaller options are.
“There’s huge advantages to winter hiking,” he said. “No bugs, no moisture in the air, so better views and rocks covered up to make climbing easier.”
How to plan that first hike? For a first-timer in good shape, on a flat surface — say a rail trail — in normal winter conditions (not a blizzard), pick a trail that is 2 to 4 miles out and back. If you’re going up a mountain loop, or above tree line, stick to 1 to 3 miles. As for temperatures, for a first-timer with the right gear there’s really no limit; 0 is the same as 30. More importantly, you want to look at wind chill, storms, etc. It can be 20 degrees but the wind chill can make it feel like -20. That’s the important factor.
Family-friendly state parks in the southern part of the state to select for your first winter hike include Bear Brook, Pawtuckaway and Pisgah, MacGray said.
“There’s plenty of challenging, remote trails there for sure,” he said. “But many trails there are old roads so they are wide and generally not steep.”
Werner added one more reason to select winter hiking ― the wild life.
“There’s animal tracks, songbirds are out and there’s plenty of apps you can download and then just hold up to help you identify,” he said.
Driscoll agreed and recalled the first time on a winter hike that her son was visited by a gray jay, a large songbird that has a habit of feeding right out of hikers’ hands.
As for selecting new hikes, Driscoll said she and her son are now pursuing the state fire tower list, a collection of short hikes to active lookouts around the state.
“Lists add incentive for kids,” she said. “We just want to make sure it’s fun.”
Get outside and hike!
We asked the experts to recommend some fast, easy and family-friendly hikes in southern New Hampshire. They came up with a diverse and sometimes off-the-beaten-path list. Remember, even on a flat, easy trail, winter hiking can present challenges. Make sure you bring the proper gear for the weather and mind leave-no-trace etiquette on all trails and parks.
Paula Bedard
nhrtc.org
Goffstown Rail Trail, Goffstown: This 5.5-mile quiet, flat former rail bed runs through Pinardville, Grasmere and Goffstown Village. Voted one of the top 10 rail trails in New Hampshire by the Rails to Trails Conservancy, the trail’s hardpack surface is perfect for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in the winter. The trail’s southern end connects up with Manchester Piscataquog Rail Trail and will take you right into the city.
Features: The Goffstown Rail Trail primarily follows the Piscataquog River and features excellent views of Glen and Namaske lakes. The trail is also a popular geocache area, with several caches hidden along its route. The trail is maintained by the Friends of the Goffstown Rail Trail, so signage and kiosks can be found all along the way.
If you go: The trail more or less follows Mast Road and South Mast Road for most of the route, and dedicated parking for the trail can be found at a couple spots along the way, including off Danis Park Road and Moose Club Park Road. If coming from Manchester, you can also park down by West Side Arena off Electric Street at the Piscatoquog Boat Ramp, and cross the bridge to the southern start of the trail.
Allison Driscoll
trailstosummit.com
Marjory Swope Park trails, Concord: Marjory Swope Park is a fairly new hidden gem in east Concord, entrusted to the city in 2012 by John Swope, who named it after his wife. The primary trail is the Blue Loop, a 1.4-mile trail that circles the park. The Yellow Trail bisects the Blue Loop and goes up and over the top of Jerry Hill.
Features: The park features the remains of an old fire tower at the height of land in the park on Jerry Hill. The primary feature of the park, however, is Gilfillan Rock (featured in the “NH Rocks That Rock” field guide), a large rock ledge inscribed with dozens of names of hikers and students of nearby St. Paul’s School dating back 125 years.
If you go: Primary access to the Blue Loop and a small parking area can be found on Long Pond Road just north of Route 202.
Mike Cherim
redlineguiding.com
Mount Kearsarge, Wilmot from the north, Warner from the south: One of the jewels of the state park system, Mount Kearsarge can be reached from either Rollins State Park to the south or Winslow State Park to the north. This nearly 3,000-foot mountain may be located south of the White Mountains, but its bare summit and trail mileage can make it as difficult a hike as some of its northern cousins. It all depends on the weather.
Features: The main feature that makes Mount Kearsarge such a popular destination is its bare summit and tremendous 360-degree views from the top. There’s also an active fire tower up there. But the state parks at the southern and northern base of the mountain are lovely destinations in and of themselves for beginning winter adventurers looking to try snowshoeing or cross-country skiing for the first time.
If you go: From the north, Winslow State Park can be reached at 475 Kearsarge Mountain Road, Wilmot. Rollins State Park can be reached at 1066 Kearsarge Mountain Road, Warner. In both cases, during the winter, a road walk is required to reach the main park areas, but those are great places to break out the snowshoes and skis. We recommend checking ahead and keeping an eye on the weather.
Ken MacGray
kenmacgray.org
Nottingcook Forest, Bow: Nottingcook Forest is a large forest easement held by Bow Open Space that offers a series of criss-crossing and unique trails through the streams and runoffs surrounding Great Meadow Pond. In general the trails here are easy and perfect for winter outings.
Features: In addition to terrific views from the summit of Great Hill, the forest area features a number of interesting destinations, including Buffalo Rock, Six Acre Swamp, Duckbill Ledge and Steer Brook Gorge. Any of those destinations is no more than a 1- to 2-mile round-trip hike.
If you go: There are three primary trailhead/parking areas for Nottingcook Forest: South Bow Road, Crescent Drive and Woodhill Hooksett Road across from Hornbeam Swamp. Check the forest map beforehand to see which entrance gets you closest to the feature you’d like to visit.
In this recent photo from a hike up Mount Moriah, hiking writer and gear expert Philip Werner wears a fleece hat and pullover zip, double layered insulated gloves, softshell pants, high gaiters and a nylon windshirt. Courtesy photo.
Philip Werner
sectionhiker.com
Hedgehog Mountain, Albany: This small mountain (2,532 feet) is nonetheless a challenging winter hike. Once you’re comfortable with your winter gear and are ready to tackle a more significant hike, try the only mountain on our list in the White Mountains. This nearly 5-mile loop will test you!
Features: Hedgehog commands better views than many much higher mountains, including a stupendous view of nearby Mount Passaconaway. From the mountain’s east ledges you’ll find some of the best views of the Sandwich Range Wilderness to be had. Remember, this is not a flat hike. But it’s a great way to put all your winter training on flat trails to good use.
If you go: The trailhead and parking area are on Kancamagus Highway. The parking area is on the south side of the road, 21 miles east of Interstate 93 at Exit 32 in Lincoln and 14.2 miles west of Route 16 in Conway. It is signed for Downes Brook, UNH and Mt. Potash trails.
Featured photo: Hiking writer and gear expert Philip Werner stops for a break near Mount Garfield during a recent winter hike. Among his gear choices for this hike are softshell pants, single layer insulated gloves, a thin wool base layer shirt, high gaiters. Photo courtesy of LaBelle Winery.
In the parlance of performance, 2020 wasn’t a hard act to follow — anything would beat a year of livestreams and solo shows. So the year began hopefully, and it got better as vaccines became available and venues were able to ease capacity restrictions.
Area supergroup Marble Eyes, for example, was Zooming from the Press Room in January; by July they were playing to a packed Prescott Park in Portsmouth.
Tupelo Music Hall returned in the spring with more drive-in shows but was able to head back indoors at summer’s end. Manchester’s Palace and Rex Theatres reopened in June, while the Capitol Center and Bank of NH Stage in Concord waited the summer out, running local-flavored shows in nearby Fletcher-Murphy Park.
On the Seacoast, Portsmouth’s Music Hall split the difference, offering outdoor shows and socially distanced events at its indoor Historic Theatre. The Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach endured several close-to-the-wire cancellations before it returned to a semblance of normal in mid-July.
Creatively, 2021 was a great year. Several area performers released albums, including Liz Bills & The Change. The band’s self-titled record was rewarded with multiple NEMA nominations, including a win for Pop Act of the Year at the awards show in October.
Andrew North & The Rangers made a highlight reel of an album, Phosphorescent Snack. Among the best tracks were the Phish-adjacent “Aditi,” the buoyant, upbeat “Dig Deep” and “Epiphone” — the latter a guitar-free romp, even if it shared its name with a famous six-string.
April Cushman’s debut album, The Long Haul, dropped in July. The title song perfectly captures the struggle for success in the music business, particularly for women. Cushman sings about the “10-year turnaround” she faces as “just another girl among a thousand crowns … in a working man’s town,” the latter a reference to Nashville, where the disc was finished.
After a March 2020 release show was cratered by Covid-19, Married Iguana waited a year to make its hometown debut in Manchester, and their debut EP includes one of the best songs to come out this year. “Go With The Flow” chugs along like a rolling party bus, punctuated by scorching guitar licks from band leader and principal songwriter Brett Higgins.
All three bands have plans to start 2022 with a bang. Cushman will perform with her band on Jan. 13 at Bank of NH Stage in Concord, a venue Andrew North & The Rangers will also appear at, on Feb. 10. Married Iguana will headline a local showcase with The Humans Being and Earthmark on Jan. 22 at Shaskeen Pub in Manchester.
Comedy provided relief to a pandemic-weary region, first with socially distanced shows at places like Chunky’s Cinema Pub, with multiple locations, as well as Newmarket’s Stone Church and Kathleen’s Cottage in Bristol. Maine funny man Bob Marley played an April Fool’s Day show at Saint Anselm College’s Dana Center, while Juston McKinney did several small-capacity socially distanced sets at area venues.
By summer Wednesday night comedy had returned to Shaskeen Pub, accompanied by word that the weekly event would be taken over by Ruby Room Comedy. Longtime promoters Nick Lavallee and Dave Carter announced plans for a handoff with an eight-weekend run of shows. Standup popped up in some new spots, like Backyard Brewery and Yankee Lanes in Manchester, Concord’s Area 23, and Saddle Up Saloon in Kingston.
Sadly, 2021 ended with a series of losses to the music community. Billy Conway, drummer for Morphine and Treat Her Right, and former Concord resident, died on Dec. 19, the same day that David Surette, who for decades was a fixture on the area scene and Concord Community Music School faculty member, also died.
Granite State native Bill Staines lost his battle to prostate cancer on Dec. 5, and singer, songwriter, activist and provocateur Chelsea Paolini died at age 32, also on Dec. 5. She was a firebrand, whether lighting up the fretboard of her Gibson SG or dressing down perceived ignorance wherever she found it.
Finally, the death of drummer and bandleader Chucky Tester shocked the rock community. A memorial dubbed Rock In Peace happens Jan. 16 at A-Brews in Dracut, Mass. On the bill are Manchester prog rockers Mindset X, Prospect Hill, blindspot and A Simple Complex. For the latter band, it’s an early comeback, their first live performance in over two years.
“We saw the grief in the music community,” A Simple Complex frontman Mark Ingoldsby said recently, “so we decided to break our silence and come off hiatus early to organize a tribute benefit show in honor of Chucky.”
2022 shows to get excited about
Rex Theatre Morgan James, Jan. 15 (rescheduled from December) Max Weinberg’s Jukebox, March 24
Palace Theatre Seth Meyers, Feb. 9 Celtic Angels, March 5
Capitol Center for the Arts Juston McKinney, March 26 (recording a comedy special) Heart By Heart, April 2 (featuring original band members)
Bank of NH Stage Enter the Haggis, Feb. 3 Andrew North & The Rangers, Feb. 10
Tupelo Music Hall Corey Rodrigues, Kyle Crawford, and Alex Giampapa, Jan. 14 (Comedy) Martin Barre, Aqualung 50th Anniversary Tour, Feb. 11
The Music Hall Rachael Price (Lake Street Dive) and Vilray, Jan. 29 Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, Feb. 27
The best movie of 2021 is Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.
Is it really? Who knows. But the urge to elevate the delightful over the seriously artistic is particularly strong this year. And I think backed up by experience: Several of the Serious Fil-uhm year-end movies (Being the Ricardos and Nightmare Alley or even legitimately good The Power of the Dog for example) have left me feeling sorta “shrug” while I fairly regularly rewatch the Barb and Star scene with Jamie Dornan powerballading to some seagulls because it’s never not joy-inducing.
I am as much of an awards-season completist as the next Oscar nerd, so while I haven’t seen The Card Counter, Spencer, The Green Knight, Respect, Licorice Pizza, Annette and The Lost Daughter they are definitely on my list to see soon (though I did say that last year about This Had Oscar Buzz candidate Ammonite and never got around to it). But I did see plenty to cheer about — from the high art to the “this movie will pair perfectly with popcorn, booze and a couch.” Here are some good, great and goofily entertaining movies I saw in 2021 — and where (as of late December at least) to find them. (Many will also be available for rent or purchase.)
• Let’s call these the “2020” movies: Every year I spend a good part of the first quarter watching some of the better movies that technically (and for Oscar purposes) have the previous year as their release date. That phenomenon was even weirder this year since some movies that actually did get an early 2021 release were in the extended Oscar qualifying window. I talked about a lot of these during Oscar season but these are worth searching for if you haven’t seen them yet. Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Prime) is a really swoony love story starring Tessa Thompson. Promising Young Woman (HBOMax) is a really angry grief story with a solid performance by Carey Mulligan. One Night in Miami (Amazon Prime) is a fascinating bit of historical fiction directed by Regina King. Judas and the Black Messiah (HBOMax) won Daniel Kaluuya his Oscar. Nomadland (Hulu) won director Chloé Zhao and lead actress Frances McDormand Oscars and is truly beautiful. Minari (Showtime) features a great Steven Yuen performance and a highly relatable family story. Sound of Metal (Amazon Prime) is a real showcase for actor Riz Ahmed. I won’t pretend that The Father (Starz) is a birthday party of a movie — it’s full of sadness and loss — but it also features one of Anthony Hopkins’ best performances.
• Good enough? Of course, most movies I saw this year are probably not Oscar-bound. Quite a few, however, fit the “decent entertainment from your sofa” bill. Thunder Force (Netflix) with Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer as sudden, middle-aged superheros was not as good as I wanted but it had its moments. Netflix’s zombie movie and its prequel, Army of the Deadand Army of Thieves, are good lazy-day-on-the-couch fun. I probably liked the second even more than the first. The Ice Road(Netflix) contains exactly what it says on the label: Liam Neeson driving a big truck on an ice road. Red Notice (Netflix) is a very dumb movie that does not live up to the promise of Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds but I still laughed many times. VacationFriends (Hulu) is another dumb but fun outing with good comedic reluctant-buddy chemistry between Jon Cena and Lil Rel Howery. I know that Camila Cabello’s Cinderella (Amazon Prime) wasn’t, you know, “good,” but it was fun and her life’s ambition was more plucky than just “marry a prince.” Also on Amazon Prime, The Tomorrow War is a totally fine Chris Pratt-led action movie.
The winner of the “I’m not gonna say good but it’s worth a watch” prize this year might be an actual Oscar contender, House of Gucci, which is still in theaters and which the internet says will be on Paramount+ at some point in January. Come for the tacky-glam 1980s everything, stay for the “givin’ her all she’s got, Captain” Lady Gaga performance.
• Supermen & wonder women: For me, Zack Snyder’s Justice League (HBOMax), the longer, slower director’s cut of the 2017 movie, is probably more accurately in the previous category — not great but worth a watch. I felt very “oh now I see what’s supposed to be happening” and while it’s still not fun, it’s sort of an interesting historical document.
Things were much better over in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Eternals (in theaters and headed to Disney+ on Jan. 12, according to Wikipedia) offered an interesting new group of characters — probably too many to allow us to really focus on the characters with the most potential (Kumail Nanjiani) but I’m willing to ride this branching-out-the-MCU ride. Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Disney+) has a compelling lead in Simu Liu, an even better supporting character in Awkwafina and an excellent villain (sorta) in Tony Leung. Yes, I know Black Widow’s (Disney+) whole deal is setting up other Marvel stuff, but I still enjoyed this stand-alone about Scarlett Johansson’s character (and I’m always excited to see Florence Pugh, “Russian” accent and all). The Marvel standout was probably the recently released Spider-Man: No Way Home (in theaters), which gives a nice completion to the three-movie MCU-Spider-Man arc and gave me a new appreciation for the previous Spider-Man series.
My favorite action franchise outing this year, though, might be No Time To Die(rent or purchase), the send off for Daniel Craig’s iteration of James Bond. I feel like he had more fun than he has in a while and the movie had some fun with the character.
• Family movie night:There was a particularly good crop of kids movies, specifically kids animated movies, this year. Raya and the Last Dragon(Disney+) is a fun adventure tale featuring a talking dragon but also beautiful animation and a lovely score. The Mitchells Versus the Machines(Netflix) is a fun family-on-a-quest tale and it makes fun of Big Tech and it looks great. Lin-Manuel Miranda had songs in two animated movies this year: Encanto (Disney+) and Vivo (Netflix), where he also voices a kinkajou. Both were a delight. Beautiful and soulful, Luca (Disney+) centers on the friendship between two mer-boys who want to check out life on land in Italy. After you watch it, check out the excellent short Ciao, Alberto (Disney+). And while you’re watching shorts on Disney+, check out Olaf Presents…, which features Josh Gad’s snowman doing his recaps on Disney movies and cracks my kids up every time. I know people have all sorts of opinions about James Corden but I really enjoyed this year’s live-action/CG mix Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (Netflix), more even than the first movie.
• Christmas movies! I support this weird Christmas movie arms race happening across TV and streaming. Sure, there’s a lot of blah, but there’s also a lot of solid seasonal fare. This year, I enjoyed Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (Netflix), another all-ages friendly, sweet-hearted entry in the Shaun the Sheep Aardman Animation canon. A Boy Called Christmas (Netflix) is darker but does some good work looking at kids and grief. 8-Bit Christmas (HBOMax) stars Neil Patrick Harris offering us the A Christmas Story-riff I didn’t know I wanted about life way back in the 1980s. Single All the Way (Netflix) is an absolute charmer of a Christmas rom-com.
• How do you do, fellow kids? These teen movies were not made for me but they delighted me all the same. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (Amazon Prime) used a Groundhog Day concept to examine a teen romance and teen grief. He’s All That(Netflix) was a fun riff on the 1990s teen makeover movie. Moxie (Netflix), with its zines and its riot grrrl music, seemed at least as aimed at X-ers like me as the teenager it portrayed. Netflix also offered some solid teen horror movies — There’s Someone Inside Your House and the trilogy Fear Street Part One: 1994, Fear Street Part Two: 1978 and Fear Street Part Three: 1666. Everybody’s Talking about Jamie (Amazon Prime) gives you a coming of age story (a teen developing his drag persona) and a joy-filled musical.
• “Above average” is not faint praise: With Monster Hunter (Starz), you get the very Resident-Evil-style Milla Jovovich punching monsters, like what else do you need? Dream Horse (Hulu) is the big-hearted a-town-pulls-together underdog story that feels like cozy socks in movie form. Worth (Netflix) is a bummer about the aftermath of Sept. 11 but features a great performance by Michael Keaton. In my review, I described No Sudden Move as “ a very Soderberghian cool crisp cocktail of capering and doublecross with just a dash of dry humor.” Nobody (rent or purchase) from the John Wick writer is basically John Wick as a suburban dad — and is fun in the same way. I liked Idris Elba’s performance in Concrete Cowboy (Netflix).
• The 2021 standouts: Comedy (or maybe dramedy?) Shiva Baby (HBO Max) is an entertainingly claustrophobic look at early adulthood. Plan B (Hulu) is another hilarious movie about teen-girl female friendship and the unnecessary difficulties of obtaining health care. Belfast (theaters and for rent or purchase) is Kenneth Branagh’s warm-hearted, semi-autobiographical look at life in Belfast in the late 1960s. That movie is in black and white and so is Passing(Amazon Prime), though it gives you race in America in the 1920s shades of gray along with a tense psychological, er, thriller? However you’d label it, it sticks with you. The Harder They Fall (Netflix) is a top-notch Western full of excellent performances (Regina King, Idris Elba, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Zazie Beetz). If you like Wes Anderson and his little model train worlds, you’ll enjoy the short stories collected in The French Dispatch(available for rent). Madres (Amazon Prime) is a horror movie that packs a real (real world) gut punch. Pig(Hulu) is the excellent Nicolas Cage performance you didn’t know you were waiting for.
But my favorite of this group may be CODA (Apple TV+), featuring a truly great performance by Emilia Jones as the only hearing member of an otherwise deaf family. Her love of singing and her urge for independence have her parents (equally excellent Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur) afraid of losing her to a world they can’t access.
• Great docs: Val (Amazon Prime) is a fascinating memoir from Val Kilmer. Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It (Netflix) will remind you why the actress is so beloved. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (HBO Max) is a fun look at a revolutionary show. And speaking of revolution, Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Hulu) is part documentary and part concert film, and according to iTunes, an accompanying album is slated for Jan. 28.
• Speaking of song:We got more music-filled movies this year. As someone who does not live in New York, I support any opportunities to bring Broadway to my living room. Thusly, I was charmed with Come From Away(Apple TV+). Of course, I can’t help loving West Side Story(still in theaters) and I even like the slight tweaks. And, yes, as mentioned up top, from culottes to Andy Garcia as Tommy Bahama, I love Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar(Hulu) and all of its music (“Edgar’s Prayer” but also everything from the hotel lounge singer).
• Most joyful:But OK, at the end of the day, I guess I won’t give those midwestern besties the absolute top spot. I guess that one goes to In the Heights (HBO Max), another Lin-Manuel Miranda musical, this one adapted for the big screen (versus Hamilton’s filmed stage production). This movie was bright and beautiful and absolutely joyous.
2022?
Look, who knows what the movie schedule will look like in January, much less the rest of 2022. But for now, here are a few things on the calendar that I’m excited to see:
• Scream (Jan. 14 in theaters) Yes, Scream, like the original, with Courtney Cox, Neve Campbell and David Arquette. I guess I am a sucker for some kinds of nostalgia.
• The Tragedy of Macbeth (Jan. 14 on Apple TV+) In theaters now (including Red River Theatres in Concord starting Friday, Dec. 31), this Joel Coen-directed version of Shakespeare’s play starring Denzel Washington will stream right into your home, for the convenience of current and former lit majors.
• Cyrano (late January) This movie starring Peter Dinklage has appeared on some year-end lists but won’t really get a release until January.
• Downton Abbey: A New Era (March 18, Peacock 45 days later, according to Wikipedia) I don’t know how I feel about this but I will still watch with some polite excitement this latest chapter.
• The Batman (March 4) Robert Pattinson dons the cowl.
• Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (May 6) Our next Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.
Featured photo: Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.
