Two Executive Councilors, Joseph Kenney and David Wheeler, are calling for the removal of the latest New Hampshire Historical Highway Marker installed by the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources, NHPR reported in a story on May 3. The marker, located at the corner of Court and Montgomery Streets in downtown Concord, recognizes Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, who was, according to a press release from the Division, “a well-known labor, women’s rights and civil liberties activist.” The marker, which identifies Flynn as “The Rebel Girl” and highlights Flynn’s involvement in the labor movement and her imprisonment after joining the Communist Party, has been approved by the Concord Heritage Commission and city council and verified for factual accuracy by the state, as is the standard process for all historical markers, the NHPR report said. The controversy prompted Gov. Chris Sununu to call for a complete review of the historical marker process, though no timetable was given, the story said.
May 3 is Old Man Day
Gov. Chris Sununu signed HB 96 on May 3, officially declaring the date Old Man of the Mountain Day. According to a press release, the signing, which took place at an Executive Council meeting, was attended by members of the legislature and the Old Man of the Mountain Legacy Fund, and Grammy-nominated songwriter Rick Lang performed “The Great Stone Face” in honor of the anniversary. Additionally, community member Ron Ketchie donated glass etchings of the Old Man of the Mountain to the State of New Hampshire.
New MDC leaders
The Manchester Development Corporation (MDC) has announced a new leadership team after a unanimous vote during a recent meeting. According to a press release, Amy Chhom, a Manchester resident and real estate professional, has been elected as the Board of Directors Chair. Chhom has worked with multiple real estate development groups in Manchester and is currently the Vice President of ROC USA, a nonprofit that supports resident-owned manufactured housing communities. “Manchester is growing rapidly and it’s exciting to see new businesses starting across the city,” Chhom said in the release. I’m excited to continue working with the Board and the City’s Economic Development team on identifying new opportunities to enhance our city.” The board has also elected new officers, including Roland Martin as Vice Chair, Steve Scheiner as Treasurer, and Maria Mongan as Secretary. Newly elected members of the committee include Michael Harrington, Joshua Wright and Attorney Rebecca Kane. The MDC is a nonprofit development corporation that supports economic development initiatives of the city and has provided more than $2 million to develop projects in Manchester, as well as providing gap financing to business owners and developers to assist in economic development opportunities that will lead to job retention and creation.
Saving the Gasholder
The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance has received a timely $20,000 donation for the preservation and redevelopment of the historic Gasholder in Concord. According to a press release, the donation, made by Brian Quinn through his work at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President’s Grant Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation, will contribute to the Preservation Alliance’s ongoing effort to stabilize the Gasholder and repurpose the surrounding 2-acre property. “When I was growing up here in the 1980s, I passed by the Gasholder thousands of times and I learned about it in social studies class at Conant School,” Quinn said in the release. “I’m excited to see that people from around the community are coming together to find a new life for it.” Completed last fall, the emergency stabilization work has helped to preserve the vulnerable structure, and advocates continue to work on short- and long-term plans for the landmark site.
Pilotte named Civic Fellow
Kelly Pilotte, a 2022 graduate of NHTI’s Addiction Counseling program and current business major, has been named a 2023 Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellow. According to a press release, Campus Compact is a Boston-based nonprofit organization that supports the public purposes of higher education, and Pilotte is one of 154 students in the 2023 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows, representing 38 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Mexico. The fellowship is named for the late Campus Compact co-founder Frank Newman and is a one-year experience focused on personal, professional and civic growth. Fellows gain access to a range of learning and networking opportunities, including a national conference in Boston and exclusive scholarships and post-graduate opportunities. “The Newman Civic Fellowship award is a great opportunity to learn. I hope to encourage others to find their own path in serving those around them,” Pilotte said in the release. “The same people who work towards supporting the development and well-being of others are ultimately the ones who find success in their own leadership. These are the people who can and will change the world.” Pilotte is also involved in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and is a vice president at NHTI. Additionally, she has served in various roles and established the Michael Stephen Boyd Memorial Foundation, which will establish an addiction recovery center in her son’s name.
Join NH Hunger Solutions, Save the Children Action Network and community experts on Tuesday, May 16, at 6 p.m. at Red River Theatres in Concord (11 S. Main St.) for an evening dedicated to raising awareness about hunger in New Hampshire. The event will feature a screening of a portion of the documentary A Place at the Table, followed by a panel discussion on the topic of hunger in New Hampshire and potential solutions. Light refreshments will be provided, and a suggested donation can be made upon entry or when registering online. Visit redrivertheatres.org/film/a-place-at-the-table.
Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St., Manchester) presents its Share the Music Gala on Friday, May 19, at 6:30 p.m. The evening will feature dance lessons by North Shore Swing Dance, a student musical performance of “Baroque and Blue,” a silent auction, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Tickets cost $50 per person or $450 for a table of 10. Visit mcmusicschool.org.
Gov. Chris Sununu signed HB 20 into law on May 4, officially naming a bridge in Merrimack after the late former Speaker of the House, the Honorable Richard “Dick” Hinch. “Former Speaker Dick Hinch was a fierce defender of the New Hampshire Advantage, a dear friend, and a respected public servant who worked tirelessly to better the lives of his fellow Granite Staters,” Sununu said in a press release. “Naming a bridge in his hometown of Merrimack in his honor is a fitting tribute to a man who worked day in and day out to build bridges in Concord to get the job done on behalf of his constituents.”
When Cassie O’Brien was in her twenties, she wrote for a Concord alt weekly and was constantly impressed by the city’s music and arts scene. When she and her husband began planning a move from Washington, D.C., back to New Hampshire six years ago, they wanted someplace with a similar vibe.
Ultimately they chose the real thing.
“Thinking about where we wanted to live, we just kept circling back to Concord,” O’Brien said recently. “A sense of community … that’s what brought us here.”
The two fit in quickly. Rob O’Brien is prominent as a musician, playing the Roland Aerophone, an idiosyncratic saxophone-cum-synthesizer, with local band Andrew North & the Rangers. The disciplined jam act has a new live album, Thanks for the Warning, Vol. 1, due on May 12, with a release show at Concord’s Area 23 the following night.
Cassie is a yoga instructor and, since September, a small business owner. She runs Worthy Mind & Movement, offering a range of classes that are almost all music-centric. That element was part of the yoga studio when Cassie worked there, before she bought it. When she took it over, she wanted to take the music up a notch or two, so she began offering Buti, a yoga practice that includes a lot of dance-like movement.
Initially EDM mixes were used for classes, but on May 5 local electronica duo Bosey Jose will play live while participants work up a sweat. It will be a Glow Yoga event, with body paint and clothing that pops under a blacklight. “I kind of equate it to like going to a rave, but without all the regrets and everything afterward,” Cassie said.
The experience is perfect for “moms who want to have that night out for themselves, have a good time and let loose,” she continued. “People can hoot, they can holler, they can swear at me … anything goes, as long as they’re being safe. It’s a good release, a fun way to move your body and still get in a workout.”
Non-glow Buti classes happen during the week, along with Zumba and the more intense HIIT yoga; there’s also the meditation in motion of Primal Flow. Buti is a bit in between, Cassie explained: “There’s some cardio involved, there’s some plyometric work — planks, your holding poses and stuff like that. It’s just dynamic movement, meant to be a fun way to move your body and have a good time.”
Buti is a good entry-level yoga. “You never have to be in any pose for too long, because we are pretty much constantly moving … our movement is driven by the beat of the music,” Cassie said. For her, trading cues with live musicians will offer a new challenge. “When I want to pick up the pace and maybe do a cardio push, I’m going to have to somehow communicate to them, and I’ll also have to fall along.”
Bosey Joe once played in a barber shop, so they are a good fit for the small-business showcase. The space comes with a bonus, Rob O’Brien explained.
“I helped upgrade the studio and we have a fantastic sound system up there now with a big subwoofer,” O’Brien said. “Since these are at night and most of the offices and businesses below us are closed, we can really crank it up. I’ve been in there by myself, and it feels like a club — the energy can get really high in there.”
The volume and vibe “enhance the experience,” Cassie offered. “You get your endorphins running, it’s a rush. People after class are always saying, ‘Wow, that went by so fast! I can’t believe I’m sweating … it was so fun, I forgot I was working out.”
Buti Yoga Glow Night w/ Bosey Joe When: Friday, May 5, 7 p.m. Where: Worthy Mind & Movement, 8 N. Main St., Suite 1B, Concord Tickets: $20, reserve at worthymindandmovement.com
Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 14) is fast approaching, so make those reservations now to celebrate mom on her special day at one of these local restaurants serving buffets, brunches, special menus or dinners. Some, where specified, also have a takeout option. Know of any eateries offering Mother’s Day specials that aren’t on this list? Tell us about them at [email protected].
• 110 Grill (875 Elm St., Manchester, 836-1150; 27 Trafalgar Square, Nashua, 943-7443; 110grill.com) will be serving several Mother’s Day brunch specials from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, in addition to its full menus. Options will include prosciutto and egg flatbreads, breakfast tacos, lemon beignets, steak and eggs Benedict, chicken and waffles, house bloody marys, adult iced coffees and more.
• Airport Diner (2280 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-5040, thecman.com) will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, serving breakfast all day, in addition to its dinner menus with Mother’s Day specials.
• The Alamo Texas BBQ & Tequila Bar (99 Route 13, Brookline, 721-5500, alamobarbecue.com) is celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, with several special menu features, like harvest berry salad with grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds and pickled red onion, as well as spinach and artichoke dip with homemade pita chips and barbecue short ribs.
• Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.com) will host a Mother’s Day Spectacular on Sunday, May 14, featuring a brunch buffet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. that will include fresh fruit, cheese and assorted crackers, assorted pastries, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, as well as crabmeat-stuffed haddock, chicken Marsala, oven-roasted potatoes and fresh buttered green beans; and carving stations, featuring center cut roast pork loin, prime rib and roast leg of lamb. The cost is $34.99 per person, with half-price discounts for kids and $2 discounts for seniors. Traditional plated meals and dinner specials will also be available, beginning at noon and until close.
• All Real Meal (87 Elm St., Manchester, 782-3014, allrealmeal.com) is taking orders for Mother’s Day brunches to go, featuring eight-course meals for four adults. The packages include whole bacon Gruyere quiche, house-baked blueberry coffee cake, steel cut oats with nuts and berries, biscuits and raspberry jam, maple sausage with apples and sage, roasted potato medley, organic greens spring salad and rosemary-crusted baked ham. The cost is $99 per eight-course meal. Order online for delivery on Saturday, May 13.
• Alpine Grove Banquet Facility (19 S. Depot Road, Hollis, 882-9051, alpinegrove.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch buffet on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Featured options will include a breakfast station with scrambled eggs; Belgian waffles and syrup, and applewood bacon and sausage; an entree station with chicken piccata, slow roast prime rib of beef and pan-seared Atlantic salmon; a salad bar, a kids’ station and a dessert display table. The cost is $35 for adults, $30 for seniors ages 60 and up, $15 for kids ages 4 to 12 and free for kids ages 4 and under. Reserve online or via phone.
• Ansanm (20 South St., Milford, 554-1248, ansanmnh.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch buffet experience on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring its signature fried chicken and waffles, in addition to French toast casserole, roasted potatoes, a variety of housemade pates, pineapple upside-down cake, Caribbean punch mimosas and more. Tickets are $25 per person and available via Eventbrite.
• Atkinson Resort & Country Club (85 Country Club Drive, Atkinson, 362-8700, atkinsonresort.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside its Legacy Ballroom, featuring chef-attended omelet and waffle stations, bagels, Danishes and croissants, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and home fries; as well as carving stations with prime rib au jus with horseradish cream and cider-brined turkey breast with sage gravy. Other entrees will include grilled chicken saltimbocca with sage, prosciutto and fontina cheese, grilled Atlantic salmon with mango salsa, and falafel with lemon tahini and rice-stuffed grape leaves. For dessert, enjoy items like flourless chocolate torte, mini cannolis, blueberry coffee cake and assorted cakes and cookies. The cost is $80 for adults, $30 for kids ages 3 to 10 and free for kids ages 3 and under. Call to make a reservation.
• Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day high tea brunch and wine pairing on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Guests will be treated to a four-course menu highlighting traditional high tea finger signature sandwiches, pastries and more, along with a cup of hot tea and a pre-selected flight of four wine samples. The cost is $59 per person. Reservations are being accepted online via Tock (exploretock.com).
• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve a special three-course prix fixe Mother’s Day dinner on Sunday, May 14, with reservations available between 1 and 6 p.m. The meal will include your choice of an appetizer (bacon, shrimp and corn chowder, Dunk’s mushroom bisque, mache and red watercress salad or Parmesan and pea salad); an entree (grilled tournedos of beef, New England seafood bouillabaisse, pinot grigio-braised veal osso buco, Duroc porchetta, pan-roasted king oyster mushroom or lobster carbonara); and a dessert (key lime tart, espresso pot de creme, sorbet flight, chocolate lava cake or strawberry tall cake). The cost is $75 for adults and $39.98 for kids ages 10 and under.
• Belmont Hall & Restaurant (718 Grove St., Manchester, 625-8540, belmonthall.net) will serve a special Mother’s Day breakfast buffet on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. for parties of five or more. Call to make a reservation. On the restaurant side, Belmont Hall will also be open to walk-ins on Mother’s Day — no reservation required.
• Buckley’s Great Steaks (438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 5 p.m., serving several Mother’s Day specials in addition to its regular menu. Call or make a reservation online.
• Cafe la Reine — North End (53 Hooksett Road, Unit 6, Manchester, 782-5367, cafelareine.com) will be open its usual hours on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are available online through Toast.
• Chez Vachon (136 Kelley St., Manchester, 625-9660, chezvachon.com) will be open regular hours from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day. Calling ahead is recommended for larger sized parties.
• The Coach Stop Restaurant & Tavern (176 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 437-2022, coachstopnh.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day a la carte menu on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Options will include escargot, bacon-wrapped scallops, French onion soup, chicken Marsala, roast prime rib of beef, seafood linguine alfredo, veal oscar, fresh broiled salmon, roast beef tenderloin, baked haddock and lobster macaroni and cheese.
• Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will serve a special three-course prix fixe menu for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. The meal will include your choice of a first course (buttermilk mushroom soup, creamy scallop and tomato bisque, spring market greens, organic dandelion salad or ricotta gnocchi); an entree (coq au vin, seared petite tenderloin, wood-fired grilled lamb chop, peppered pan-roasted halibut or saffron risotto); and a dessert (coconut lime tart, maple bourbon panna cotta, chocolate cake with mocha buttercream, profiterole trio or seasonal house-made sorbet duo with almond cookie). The cost is $70 for adults and $35 for kids ages 12 and under.
• The Common Man (25 Water St., Concord, 228-3463; 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088; 304 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-3463; thecman.com) will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, at all of their locations, serving Mother’s Day specials in addition to their dinner menus. Reservations are recommended.
• Copper Door Restaurant (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677; 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033; copperdoor.com) will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, at both locations, serving their brunch and lunch menus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Beginning at 2 p.m., a special Mother’s Day prix fixe menu will be served in lieu of the Copper Door’s regular menus, featuring the option to choose two courses for $59, three courses for $69 or four courses for $79. Items include shaved sirloin spring rolls, roasted tomato and basil bisque, pureed sweet pea soup, slow roasted prime rib, garlic Parmesan half chicken, pasta primavera, blackened salmon, shrimp gnocchi, cookie dough cupcakes, frosted animal cracker cheesecake and wild berry shortcake.
• Cotton Restaurant (75 Arms St., Manchester, 622-5488, cottonfood.com) will be open for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 4 p.m. Reservations are accepted online via OpenTable.
• The Derryfield Restaurant (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, with seatings from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring an omelet station, a carving station with slow-roasted prime rib and oven-baked ham, and a salad station with assorted dressings and toppings. On the main buffet line, items will include fresh seasonal fruit, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, French toast, pancakes, eggs Benedict, grilled beef, seafood Newburg, assorted chicken and seafood dishes, and a dessert station will feature assorted pastries. The cost is $34.95 for adults, $32.95 for seniors ages 65 and over, and $19.95 for kids under 12.
• Firefly American Bistro & Bar (22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch and from 4 to 8 p.m. for dinner, serving its regular brunch and dinner menus in addition to several Mother’s Day specials. Reservations are available online via OpenTable.
• Flag Hill Distillery & Winery (297 N. River Road, Lee, 659-2949, flaghill.com) will host a special Mother’s Day edition of its “Brunch & Bubbles” event series on Sunday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring a full farm-to-table brunch buffet and a make-your-own mimosa bar. Items will include macaroni and cheese, fresh pastries and fruit, quiches, frittatas and more. The cost is $60 per person. Reservations are being accepted online via Eventbrite.
• The Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille (40 Andover Road, New London, 526-6899, flyinggoose.com) will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day, and reservations are being accepted via phone.
• Fratello’s Italian Grille (155 Dow St., Manchester, 641-6776, fratellos.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch buffet on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. In addition to an omelet station and a salad station, there will be a carving station featuring roast beef tenderloin with bordelaise, and apple raisin porchetti with a cider demi-glace. On the main buffet line, items will include scrambled eggs, house breakfast pizzas, bacon, sausage, homestyle potatoes, carved turkey with gravy, vegetable pesto tortellini, smoked butternut squash and roasted spring vegetables. There will also be assorted pastries and cakes for dessert. The cost is $39 for adults and $18.95 for kids ages 4 to 11. Call to make a reservation.
• Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steak House (62 Lowell St., Manchester, 669-9460, gauchosbraziliansteakhouse.com) will serve a special all-you-can-eat Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring the restaurant’s signature grilled meats, fresh salads, fruit, pastries and more. The cost is $39.99 for adults, $14.99 for kids ages 6 to 10 and free for kids ages 5 and under. Reservations are available via phone or online via OpenTable.
• Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar (707 Milford Road in Merrmack, 883-7333; 524 Nashua St. in Milford, 673-3939; 270 Granite St. in Manchester, 232-3323; giorgios.com) will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with the regular menu and specials.
• The Granite Restaurant & Bar (The Centennial Hotel, 96 Pleasant St., Concord, 227-9005, graniterestaurant.com) will be open from 3 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day, serving their regular menu with some specials. Reservations are available online via OpenTable.
• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) is running a special Mother’s Day sale of 15 percent off select gift boxes of chocolate, both in-store at both locations and online. See the website for the full list of assortments, which include hard and chewy chocolates, soft center chocolates, chocolate cherry cordials, Swiss fudge and more.
• Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) will be open for dinner service on Sunday, May 14, from 5 to 9 p.m., serving its regular menu. Reservations are available online via Tock (exploretock.com)
• Hanover Street Chophouse (149 Hanover St., Manchester, 644-2467, hanoverstreetchophouse.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 3 p.m., serving its regular menu in addition to some Mother’s Day specials. Reservations are being accepted online via OpenTable.
• The Hills Restaurant (Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com/the-hills-restaurant) will serve a special a la carte Mother’s Day brunch menu on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring items like chicken and waffles, Korean barbecue breakfast burgers, avocado toast, spicy Cajun blackened haddock tacos, lemon pepper chicken sandwiches and more. Meals are by reservation only, online via Resy.
• The Homestead Restaurant & Tavern (641 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-2022, homesteadnh.com) is accepting reservations for Mother’s Day now. They’ll be serving a special a la carte menu featuring items like steak and cheese spring rolls, French onion soup, seafood chowder, roast prime rib of beef, 12-ounce New York sirloin strip steak, grilled swordfish, baked stuffed haddock, chicken cordon bleu, rack of lamb, barbecue baby back ribs and seafood and scallop risotto. Call to make a reservation.
• LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst; 14 Route 111, Derry; 672-9898, labellewinery.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day grand buffet at both of its locations on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. The buffet will include a mimosa bar with assorted fresh fruits and juices, a fresh fruit display; assorted pastries, like muffins, scones, Danishes, croissants, breads and jams; waffle and omelet stations; carving stations, like herb-crusted sirloin of beef and apple wine-brined roasted turkey; lunch items, like bruschetta chicken, salmon piccata, and a smoked salmon display; salad stations; and assorted desserts, like chocolate cake, carrot cake, pot de creme, mini cannolis and chocolate-covered strawberries. Complimentary drinks will include orange juice, apple juice, cranberry juice, coffee and tea, and a full bar will also be featured, for additional purchases of wine, cocktails, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. The cost is $85 for adults, $35 for kids ages 3 to 12 and free for kids ages 2 and under. A non-refundable deposit of $50 is required at booking, which will be applied toward your final bill on the day of the event.
• Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayrestaurantnh.com) is taking dinner reservations for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14. All meals are $45 per person and will include your choice of an appetizer (ham minestrone, Swedish meatballs, fresh fruit plates with sorbet, shrimp cocktail, escargot or onion soup); a salad (Caesar or garden, with dressings that include ranch, blue cheese, balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette); an entree (sliced roast sirloin, pork Marsala, chicken Florentine, chicken piccata, maple salmon, baked eggplant Parmesan or broiled scrod); and a dessert (carrot cake, sorbet, bread pudding, cheesecake, chocolate ganache cake, lemon mascarpone cake or chocolate mousse cake).
• MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar (212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 5 p.m., serving several Mother’s Day specials in addition to its regular menu. Call or make a reservation online. Mother’s Day will be the restaurant’s last official day as MT’s before it is closed for about two weeks for renovations. It’s expected to reopen under a new name, Mike’s Italian Kitchen — see mtslocal.com for the full announcement.
• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $32 for adults and $14.95 for kids. Call to make a reservation.
• Rambling House Food & Gathering (57 Factory St., Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale.com) will be open for its normal Sunday brunch service from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, serving its regular menu with some Mother’s Day specials. Indoor spaces are available by reservation online, and outdoor deck seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, weather permitting.
• The Red Blazer Restaurant & Pub (72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com) will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day. Reservations are recommended.
• Rig A Tony’s Italian Takeout & Catering (38 W. Broadway, Derry, 425-6116; 13 Rockingham Road, Windham, 685-8122; 254 Wallace Road, Bedford, 488-2877; rigatonysitalian.com) is taking orders for special Mother’s Day breakfast boxes, available at all three locations. Meals are $48 and include rigatoni with meatballs, a family-sized Caesar salad and a loaf of scali bread.
• Sky Meadow Country Club (6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-9000, skymeadow.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The menu will include assorted quiches, fresh sliced fruit, a salad station, fresh baked breads and pastries, and various lunch items, like cheese and truffle sacchetti, pan-seared cod, slow-roasted turkey breast, herb-crusted prime rib, spring herb-stuffed chicken, wild rice and whipped potatoes. There will also be assorted pastries and gluten-free desserts. The cost is $60 for adults, $19.95 for kids ages 5 to 12 and $5 for kids under 5. Reservations are being accepted online.
• Surf Restaurant (207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293, surfseafood.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 5 p.m., serving several Mother’s Day specials in addition to its regular menu. Call or make a reservation online. Reservations are being accepted for any size party.
• Tilt’n Diner (61 Laconia Road, Tilton, 286-2204, thecman.com) will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, serving breakfast all day, in addition to its dinner menus with Mother’s Day specials.
• Tucker’s (95 S. River Road, Bedford, 413-6503; 80 South St., Concord, 413-5884; 238 Indian Brook Road, Dover, 413-5470; 1328 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 206-5757; 360 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 413-6477; 207 Main St., New London, 413-5528; tuckersnh.com) will be open during its normal Sunday business hours (7 a.m. to 2 p.m.) on Mother’s Day at all of its locations. Only walk-ins are accepted. All locations will serve breakfast all day, along with their lunch menu starting at 11 a.m.
• WECO Hospitality (wecohospitality.com) is a Massachusetts-based community of local kitchens offering farm-fresh meal deliveries to more than three dozen Granite State cities and towns, including Manchester, Bedford, Nashua, Milford, Derry, Londonderry, Hooksett, Amherst and several others — see the website for the full list. They’re offering a special Mother’s Day brunch menu with items like fresh bagel spreads and add-on blood orange “mom-osa” mixers, bloody mary mixers and more. Order online for delivery on Saturday, May 13.
With spring in full swing, it’s officially the season for all things outdoors. Just in time is the New Hampshire Farm, Forest & Garden Expo, returning for its 40th year to the Deerfield Fairgrounds on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6.
The event will include demonstrations, classes and workshops held by exhibitors on countless agriculture-related topics, such as tapping maple trees, growing flowers, starting a garden, pruning trees and how to safely operate a chainsaw.
“This [is a] place to learn about agriculture and forestry for all, [from] the avid farmer to the backyard enthusiast,” said Jayson McCarter, chairman of the expo’s board. “History being very important, you could always learn from the experts on how things ought to be done.”
Farm animals will be present and contests will be held, like the Future Farmers of America Floral Design Competition and a grilling contest sponsored by 4-H, an international youth development program.
While there has been a kids zone for many years, 4-H is now responsible for organizing what is now dubbed the “Ag Discovery Zone.”
“This year we kind of have a farm-to-table theme going,” said Michelle Bersaw-Robblee, the program coordinator for 4-H. “I think it’s a great opportunity to engage our future decision-makers and consumers around agriculture.”
Traditionally having been held in Manchester, and usually during the month of February, the expo is now taking place at the fairgrounds.
“We just outgrew it, and it being in the winter was tough,” expo manager Kelly Bryer said. “The spring just seemed like a better fit and the Deerfield Fairgrounds is already an agricultural venue and it just gave us lots of room to grow, bring in more partners [and] expand those partnerships.”
The expansion allows the event to be used as a platform for organizations to showcase themselves. One such organization is Bedrock Gardens, a 37-acre public garden in Lee.
“[Formal gardens] … have formal beds where roses are planted and you walk from one bed to another bed of formal flowers. This is not that kind of garden,” said Nanci Taylor, the organization’s community outreach coordinator. “It’s more like meandering on a trail. Part of the time you will be in a forest and you will see plants and bushes that grow in shade, and then you’ll be in sunshine. … There’s a different feeling to each of these areas as you walk along.”
According to McCarter, the farming community is at risk due to economic hardships, regulatory issues and urban development. “While our farmers are as committed as ever to keep our fields, forest and natural resources viable for future generations, the duty to preserve just doesn’t get any easier,” he said. “That’s where our expo comes in. Not only is it a great ‘old home day’ for all those who are currently protecting our precious commodities, it’s a chance to educate and inspire those who will take over these efforts some day.”
NH Farm, Forest & Garden Expo Where: Deerfield Fairgrounds, 34 Stage Road, Deerfield When: Friday, May 5, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, May 6, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $10 per person; includes one-day admission to the expo and additional entry for its door prize drawings (free for kids ages 12 and under) More info: nhfarmandforestexpo.org
NH Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates its 25th anniversary
The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus. will celebrate its 25th anniversary by kicking off its spring concert series this weekend.
“I’m very excited about what we’re doing,” chorus executive director John McGeehan said. “I feel like it was yesterday that it was Jan. 10 and we were just first getting together for the year to start getting the concert together.”
Luc Andre Roberge has been the artistic director for 23 years at the chorus and a member since it was created. He said that he, along with other founding members, had seen the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus perform and thought that the representation and the message of the organization was one they could bring to the Granite State.
“We decided that we could do this in New Hampshire, and in the beginning of ’98, we put a call out, had about 50, 60 people at the first rehearsal, and only a dozen came back,” Roberge said. “Also, this was a time where you didn’t want to be open to the public, you didn’t want to be out of the closet in any way.”
Roberge said that it was hard for members to openly claim their identity as gay men at that time. When the organization was first formed, he said, Jim Bretz, a huge figure in New Hampshire’s LGBTQ community, told them there was a good chance the organization wouldn’t last longer than three years and that making it to five years would be incredible.
“None of us at the time thought it would make it to 25 years,” Roberge said. “Those that are not with us who started us up, I’m sure they’re smiling down and saying, ‘We’re so happy.’ We persist and we have persevered.”
Roberge designed the music for the concert to celebrate the last quarter of a century of music. There will be songs from musicals, including Rent, as well as more traditional choral pieces and covers of popular music.
McGeehan, who has been a part of the chorus since he first moved to New Hampshire in 2017, said that it’s important for people to realize they aren’t a group of professional musicians, just people who spread love and positivity through music. He added that just because they aren’t professionals doesn’t mean they don’t strive to make wonderful music — it’s just not the chorus’s only goal.
“One of the missions is not just to put on the best concert that we can, and I think we succeed every season, but be a community and social organization,” McGeehan said. “We give concerts every year at various town pride events, but also free concerts at local assisted facilities, singing the national anthem at New Hampshire Special Olympics, as well as at the Boston Red Sox in June for Pride Night.”
While the chorus sings at pride events throughout New Hampshire, McGeehan said the ones that were most important to him were when the chorus sang at several towns’ first pride parades. He said it allowed for the chorus to show other people in the LGBTQ community that they aren’t alone, that they have a space for people like them.
“To see how well this has come together, it’s actually incredible,” McGeehan said. “Here’s to 25 years, it’s been a lot of fun. I think with the kind of support we are having, I see someone welcoming us to the 50th anniversary someday.”
Silver Seasons of Love: New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus 25th Anniversary Concert • Saturday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m., at Plymouth Congregational Church UCC, 4 Post Office Square in Plymouth. • Sunday, May 7, 4 p.m., at First Baptist Church of Nashua, 121 Manchester St., Nashua. • Saturday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m., at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 22 Fox Run Road in Newington. • Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m., Derryfield School, 2108 River Road in Manchester. Tickets: $20 for adults (ages 12 and under admitted free, email [email protected] for children’s tickets). See the website for links to purchase tickets at each location. Visit: nhgmc.com
Those who love Marvel, DC, Star Wars, graphic novels and other pop culture powerhouses should be gearing up to celebrate one of the biggest days in comic book culture: Free Comic Book Day, which returns on Saturday, May 6, at participating venues across the Granite State.
In downtown Rochester, for example, fans can find all sorts of goodies, giveaways, freebies and more across 24 shops.
“At this point, the event has become something the city is known for, and [people] know it as Rochester’s Free Comic Book Day festival,” said Ralph DiBernardo, owner of Jetpack Comics and Games.
This is the 15th year that Jetpack has partnered with the city to put on the festival. The first year, the shop had 800 customers, and the event’s popularity grew each year.
After three years of success, DiBernardo wanted to include the rest of the city for a chance to really let Rochester shine.
“I wanted my customers [to] see what else Rochester had to offer,” he said. “The Main Street Program is super supportive of our store and we got started, wrapped them into [the day] and they help us promote and turn [Free Comic Book Day] into a citywide event.”
DiBernardo said the event is family-friendly. He said it’s important to him to have the day be inclusive. Features range from special collectibles at different locations — including a special Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book cover, created especially for Jetpack Comics and Games — to a costume contest at 4 p.m.
In addition to the events, there will be a beer garden and food truck area set up. After the costume contest, DiBernardo said, visitors can close out the night with an afterparty until 11 p.m.
While Rochester has a citywide con lined up, Double Midnight Comics will have two smaller conventions at each of its locations in Manchester and Concord — both will feature local artists, vendors, writers and representatives from Kids Con New England providing activities for pint-sized comic buffs.
Co-owner Scott Proulx said this year will be bigger than ever before for the Manchester shop, inside The Factory on Willow.
“This year we’re gearing up and we have more space to work with,” he said. “Next to us, at the Factory, we rented out an event space to have artists from all over the area, and a few guest creators that are published writers and artists.”
Double Midnight will also have food trucks and a costume contest with prizes for each of the age groups.
While Double Midnight Comics in Manchester is going all out, the Concord location is a smaller affair. It will still have activities provided by Kids Con New England, but there won’t be a miniature comic convention. The shop will have an open house, with deals and discounts on a lot of their stock, as well as all of the comics that are being released for free by major companies, Proulx said.
Proulx said it was important to him, as someone who grew up reading comics, to connect with kids and younger fans. Having organizers of Kids Con New England there to supply activities not only encourages kids to read, but also reminds them that they have a community in the comic world.
“I remember growing up, I loved comics as a kid, but [they weren’t] mainstream,” Proulx said. “But now … it’s cool to see that there’s something for everybody out there.”
Free Comic Book Day Saturday, May 6 Find more participating stores as well as a preview of some of the comics at freecomicbookday.com. • Double Midnight Comics (252 Willow St., Manchester, 669-9636; 341 Loudon Road, Concord, 715-2683; dmcomics.com); 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Concord, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Manchester • Jetpack Comics & Games (37 N. Main St., Rochester, 330-9363, jetpackcomics.com); 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., costume contest at 4 p.m., after party until 11 p.m. • Merrymac Comics and Games (550 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 420-8161, merrymacgc.com); 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Getting into character
A conversation with a local cosplayer
J. Jester, as Nightwing. Courtesy photo.
J. Jester, a professional cosplayer based in New Hampshire, will appear at Kids Con New England, at the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord) on Saturday, May 13. He will be cosplaying as Nightwing, one of the heroes in the Batman universe. Jester, who chose to go by his stage name for this interview, has been a cosplayer for eight years.
What is cosplaying?
Essentially cosplay is a word of two words: “costume” and “play.” Dressing up as someone is one thing, but a lot of cosplayers will also emanate the character. So it’s almost like a costume party plus theater.
How did you get started with it?
I got into cosplaying to become part of something bigger than myself. I was doing some soul-searching at the time and found cosplay and doing charity work through it. Some people I’ve met have gone into it looking to become well-known. Other people I know have gotten into it because they have a passion for art.
What is your favorite cosplay?
In the beginning I had, for about six years, I had … cosplayed [as] the Joker from Batman: The Animated Series. Over time, though, I retired that character. I’d have to say it would be Joker, just because of the memories I have with that costume.
What is your favorite thing about cosplaying?
My favorite part about cosplaying is just the sheer energy of interacting with kids or the people who aren’t cosplaying or even other people who are cosplaying. There are few better feelings than having kids and adults alike smile and light up seeing one of their favorite characters right in front of them. In a lot of instances, those kids truly believe you are that character.
What advice would you give someone who’s never cosplayed before but wants to try it out?
Advice I would give is to just give it a shot. My first costume was literally just a denim jacket and an Ash Ketchum T-shirt with a giant Pikachu plush. Everybody starts somewhere and you can dress up however you want. Cosplay has no real limitations outside of one’s own imagination, so I would say just go for it. The only thing that can hold you back is yourself at that point. That’s the advice somebody gave me a while back.
What is some etiquette for people meeting cosplayers?
Rule of thumb is that cosplay is not consent. You’ll actually hear or see that a lot at conventions, or at least in the community. The reason being is just because somebody is dressed as a particular character, there’s still a person behind that character. At one point, someone wanted a photo of me [as the Joker] and Harley drinking from the same drink with two different straws. And sometimes those requests will pan out. But other times it is one of those etiquette things — you wouldn’t want somebody coming up and interrupting you while you’re trying to just sit down and eat as a normal person. So it’s always good to ask.
Just for kids
Kids Con New England celebrates comic books & literacy
With the last decade came the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the widespread acceptance of comic books, superheroes and other more niche genres of movies and reading materials.
What didn’t come with all that popularity was a lot of spaces for kids, said Emily Drouin, the creator of Kids Con New England.
“When I was tabling at events in 2013, I felt the need for there to be more kids’ activities and a family-friendly space,” Drouin said. “Lots of times at cons, not everything is for kids. You might [have] more mature and adult-themed comics. Being a kids’ creator, I wanted to gather more kids’ creators. I thought it would be fun to help and have a kids’ focus.”
Photo courtesy of Kids Con New England.
Drouin, who works as an illustrator, writer and comic creator for the children’s genre, set out to build a convention that would put an emphasis on children first. She gathered together fellow children’s book writers and illustrators to build an event where kids would be at the center.
In 2016 she hosted the first Kids Con, which was extremely well-received. This year’s convention will have more than 100 vendors and creators. Some of the creators will be nationally celebrated children’s creators like Will Murray, creator of Squirrel Girl; Jeff Kline, who produced G.I. Joe and Dragon Tales; and anime and video game voice actress Christina Costello.
“It’s pretty awesome getting to meet creators up close,” Drouin said. “Now you can meet them [and] get autographs. We encourage kids to bring sketchbooks for tips and advice and to share work with others. It’s a great way to make friends too, through workshops and kids playing.”
In addition to the usual convention activities, like meet-and-greets with creators and cosplayers, the event has workshops for kids to learn everything from how to fight like a Jedi to getting started making their own comics. A local Boy Scouts troop will have an area set up for visitors to play video games and learn other outdoor activities. There will also be a few food trucks.
To Drouin, Kids Con New England is a way to encourage kids to have pride in owning the things they like, whether it’s princesses, superheroes or video games.
“It’s exciting to live out my own childhood as an adult again,” she said. “You feel like you’re a kid again when you come to these things. It’s great too for parents passing down the geekdom to their kids, and the kids living out their fantasies in the superhero world and meeting them.”
Kids Con New England Where: Douglas N. Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road, Concord When: Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $12 for visitors ages 5 and older, $10 for seniors ages 65 and older and for veterans, and free for kids ages 5 and under Visit: kidsconne.com
Roll the film
Local movie theaters looking forward to a strong summer
A schedule filled with major film releases in the coming months has local movie theaters optimistic that it will be a strong summer, as the industry continues to recover post-pandemic.
Global box office numbers have already bounced back in a big way so far this year, driven in part by the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie — that’s according to data from London-based film tech company Gower Street Analytics, which announced on April 23 it has increased its 2023 projections to $32 billion, up from a $29 billion estimate in December.
The announcement came on the eve of CinemaCon, an annual four-day movie theater industry convention in Las Vegas. Regional operations manager Jessica Robitaille of Apple Cinemas, which has two theaters, in Merrimack and Hooksett, attended this year’s convention.
“This summer is jam packed with a lot of really great movies that are coming out this year,” Robitaille said. “Pretty much every week this summer we’re going to have a fairly decent title … and a lot of these are strictly theatrical releases with lots of people wanting to see them. … I’ve noticed too that children’s movies do very well for us, and I think that’s because there’s not quite as many that get released in theaters as there maybe once was. In the summer, of course, we do tend to see an uptick in families on a day-to-day basis instead of just on the weekends.”
Apple Cinemas took over two of the three former Cinemagic locations in the Granite State in the summer of 2021, just months after that chain announced it was shutting them down permanently.
“We took 2022 as an opportunity to really develop [our locations in] Hooksett and Merrimack, to give them a more modernized look,” said Robitaille, who had previously worked at Cinemagic. “They’ve got full recliners now in Merrimack, and a beautiful self-serve lobby with new floors, new paint and all of that, and there’s plans as well for a bar in the future. … It’s got to be an experience these days. It can’t just be the hour-and-a-half, two hours to see a movie. People really need to feel like they are having a nice time out and getting that experience.”
Chunky’s Cinema Pub, with locations in Manchester, Nashua and Pelham, has similarly transformed their theaters into hubs for all kinds of special events over the last few years, from comedy nights and drag shows to scratch ticket bingo nights and even farm-to-table dinners.
“If we just think of our rooms as a room with four walls, comfortable seating and big-screen capabilities, any idea is on the table,” Chunky’s marketing director Mike Mannetta said.
Even though many of Chunky’s non-movie event ideas came out of the pandemic and will continue this summer, Mannetta said the upcoming schedule of film releases looks to be a solid one. He expects The Super Mario Bros. Movie, already out for a month, to stay on their lineup of featured films for much if not all of the summer, and also predicts the June 30 release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny as among those to perform the best.
“The inventory is getting better and better, and the quality is getting better and better also,” Mannetta said. “I think that studios are learning that cinema is still the best format for movie releases, and I mean, for Mario, you have people coming back multiple times. They’re seeing it in 2D but then they are coming back to check out how it looks in 3D.”
Caitlin Piper is the director of public relations for Cinemark Theatres, which operates 320 locations nationwide, including one next to The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem. She said the sheer number of slated theatrical-only films has been on a steady increase year over year since 2020, with this year’s scheduled films already surpassing the overall number seen in 2022.
“It’s still about 20 percent off, roughly, from a pre-pandemic year, but we’re still feeling incredibly strong about it,” Piper said. “It’s really those production cycles that just need to catch up again. … A typical movie production cycle is about two to four years, depending on the scale of the movie, and that’s the reason why the industry is still in a bit of a transition, is because of all of those pauses in the production cycles that had to happen during Covid.”
Beginning June 19, Cinemark is bringing back its Summer Movie Clubhouse program, featuring an eight-week schedule of previously released children’s and family-friendly films for $1.50 per ticket in addition to some discounts on snacks and drinks.
“It’s all of those more fun, recent animated family films, so we’ve got Minions: The Rise of Gru, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mummies [and] The Bad Guys,” Piper said. “[They are] films that aren’t still in theaters but maybe not everyone got to see them, or they did and loved them and mom and dad are thrilled to bring them back to the theaters for a few hours to watch them again.”
O’neil Cinemas in Epping is also bringing back its summer kids’ series, which will run every Monday and Wednesday throughout July and August. That lineup of films is expected to be finalized by the end of this month, according to marketing manager Loni Dirksen.
“They are all mostly animated, some that were just in theaters within the past 12 months and then some that we had a few years ago, but all previous releases,” Dirksen said. “We get a lot of summer camps that bring a field trip group in to go see these movies, and it’s a great way to spend a rainy day in the summer to just get out of the house and still have some fun.”
The Milford Drive-In reopened for the season the weekend of April 15. It’s currently open on Fridays and Saturdays only but will expand to seven days a week by the start of the summer, said Barry Scharmett, whose family has run the venue since 1969.
“If all the movies that are coming out do the business that we think they’re going to do, then I think it’s going to be an excellent season for us,” Scharmett said. “The thing is, people are out, and they are coming out more and more, which is a great sign.”
In Concord, the independent nonprofit Red River Theatres has a full schedule of its own special screenings this summer, according to executive director Angie Lane. Their “Fan Favorites” series kicks off with a showing of Star Wars: A New Hope on Thursday, May 4, for Star Wars Day, and costumes are encouraged. It will be followed by a sing-along of Little Shop of Horrors on May 13, a quote-along of The Princess Bride on June 10 and a special “fan night” of The Big Lebowski on June 15. Beginning with a showing of 50 First Dates during Intown Concord’s Market Days Festival on June 22, Red River Theatres will also hold a series of free outdoor screenings — others on the schedule will take place at area parks, including The Explorers at Memorial Field on July 12, The Rescuers Down Under at Rollins Park on Aug. 9 and The Nightmare Before Christmas at Keach Park on Oct. 20.
Red River Theatres did receive crucial funding in 2021 from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, but continues to be open only Thursday through Sunday. Lane said the goal is to eventually get the theater back open and showing films seven days a week.
“I would say for the first time in the last three or four years we’ve actually been able to foresee a future where we’re going to be expanding operations once we are able to staff up, because that’s the other side of it, is the hiring,” Lane said. “I’m very optimistic about the future, but I’m definitely very realistic in that it’s going to take a lot of work, and a lot of investment on the part of our community to make sure that it happens.”
Visit the movie theater
Catch a movie this summer at one of these local theaters, several of which are also holding special events, exclusive kid-friendly or 21+ screenings and more.
AMC Theatres 16 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 434-8715; 440 Middlesex Road, Tyngsborough, Mass., 978-649-4158; amctheatres.com One of the largest movie theater chains in the world, AMC Theatres has more than 600 locations across the country, including one in Londonderry and another just over the state line, in Tyngsborough, Mass.
Apple Cinemas 11 Executive Park Drive, Merrimack, 696-3200; 38 Cinemagic Way, Hooksett, 868-6200; applecinemas.com Just months after Cinemagic permanently closed all its theaters in February 2021, Apple Cinemas took over the shuttered chain’s Merrimack and Hooksett locations. Both underwent renovations in 2022, and films at the Hooksett theater are also available to view in IMAX.
Chunky’s Cinema Pub 707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 880-8055; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-7499; chunkys.com The local movie theater chain is unique for also featuring a full dinner menu and bar, as well as maintaining a regular schedule of events from comedy nights and drag shows to scratch ticket bingo nights, exclusive 21+ film screenings and more.
Cinemark Theatres 15 Mall Road, Salem, 890-7111, cinemark.com Cinemark operates about 320 theaters nationwide, including one a stone’s throw away from The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem that opened in late 2019. Beginning June 19, Cinemark will run its Summer Movie Clubhouse program, featuring an eight-week schedule of previously released children’s and family-friendly films for $1.50 per ticket. See the website for the full list of films, which includes Sonic the Hedgehog (2020, PG), The Bad Guys (2022, PG) and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022, PG), among others.
Milford Drive-In 531 Elm St., Milford, 673-4090, milforddrivein.com Owned and operated by the Scharmett family since 1969, the Milford Drive-In is the only remaining drive-in movie theater in southern New Hampshire. The drive-in reopened for the season on April 14 and is currently open on Fridays and Saturdays only, but will be open seven days a week by the start of the summer.
O’neil Cinemas 24 Calef Hwy., Epping, 679-3529, oneilcinemas.com O’neil Cinemas owns two movie theaters, one of which is in Epping’s Brickyard Square. On Mondays and Wednesdays in July and August, O’neil Cinemas hosts its annual summer kids series, featuring a schedule of previously released children’s and family-friendly films for $3 per ticket. According to marketing manager Loni Dirksen, that lineup of films is expected to be finalized by the end of May.
Red River Theatres 11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org A nonprofit independent cinema, Red River Theatres opened its doors in 2007 and operates three screens in the lower level of downtown Concord’s Capital Commons. Beginning with a screening of 50 First Dates (2004, PG-13) on Thursday, June 22, during Intown Concord’s Market Days Festival, Red River Theatres will present a schedule of free outdoor movies at area parks that start at dusk. They will also hold a “Fan Favorites” series in May and June, starting with a showing of Star Wars: A New Hope (1977, PG) on Thursday, May 4, at 7 p.m., for Star Wars Day. Costumes are encouraged and prizes will be awarded for the best.
Regal Cinemas 100 Technology Drive, Hooksett; 282 Loudon Road, Concord; 45 Gosling Road, Newington; 844-462-7342, regmovies.com Regal Cinemas operates more than 500 theaters in 42 states nationwide, according to its website — three are in the Granite State, in Hooksett, Concord and Newington.
Smitty’s Cinema 630 W. Main St., Tilton, 286-3275, smittyscinema.com The Maine-based Smitty’s Cinema operates one New Hampshire location in Tilton, where a full dinner menu and bar are also available.
Wilton Town Hall Theatre 40 Main St., Wilton, 654-3456, wiltontownhalltheatre.com Originally a silent movie house that also showed dramatic presentations and vaudeville productions, the Wilton Town Hall Theatre has been in operation almost every year since 1912. Several upcoming construction projects for the Wilton Town Hall make the immediate future of the theater’s programming uncertain, according to longtime owner and town native Dennis Markaverich, although he does plan to continue holding its silent film series on Sunday afternoons featuring live music from silent film accompanist (and Hippo co-founder and associate publisher) Jeff Rapsis.
The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, has the Friday, May 5, release slot, which has become the start of the movie’s summer season (which ends, more or less, with Labor Day weekend). The last few years, of course, have not had normal summers at the movies — almost no movies were released in the summer of 2020 and there were weeks in 2021 and even last year where in-theater-only new releases were slim pickings. This summer’s calendar has filled out with lots of franchise films and a few original-idea movies with potential. With all the usual notes about schedules (as gleaned from IMDb, along with cast details) being subject to change, here are some of the films hoping to entice you to the theater this summer:
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5) There’s a real “last ride” vibe to the trailers, not that that means anything in this world of immortal IP but I hope that the movie puts story over franchise a bit and gives a nice sense of closure to this fun, knockabout corner of the MCU.
• Book Club: The Next Chapter (May 12) Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen return for this sequel, which you gotta respect for that foursome if nothing else.
• Fast X (May 19) Allegedly, this will be the second to last of what Wikipedia calls the series’ main installment (could we still get another Hobbs & Shaw someday? Please?). The most important facts: Jason Momoa is some kind of villain, and in the trailers his styling is delightfully bonkers. Helen Mirren returns and I love everything about her character. Rita Moreno plays Vin Diesel’s character’s grandmother and I love that Moreno is in this goofy franchise.
• The Little Mermaid (May 26) These live-action Disney situations are settling in to a real “meh” place, but the casting here — Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina — offers something. Plus, it’s Memorial Day weekend and it offers more than two hours of kid-friendly air-conditioned entertainment.
• You Hurt My Feelings (May 26) Nicole Holofcener wrote and directed this movie starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus — a chef’s kiss combination (see also Enough Said).
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse (June 2) The Spider-verse we’re returning to here is the animated, Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (and Dave Callaham)-penned version featuring Miles Morales at its center.
• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (June 9) According to IMDb, one of the humans of this live action deal is played by Anthony Ramos and the movie is set in 1994 .
• The Flash (June 16) Look, I’m not going to lie — reading the “DCEU morphs into the DCU” stuff on Wikipedia does not make me look forward to this bit of leftover Snyderverse-ness. However. Michael Keaton does show up as an alternate-universe Batman.
• Elemental (June 16) Pixar’s latest animated feature has fun visuals, based on its trailers, that make clever use of its fire, water and earth characters.
• Asteroid City (June 23) Wes Anderson directs and Anderson and Roman Coppola wrote this movie with a packed cast (Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton) and visuals, based on the trailer, that call to mind not just Anderson’s usual jewel-box symmetry but also a mid-century postcard.
• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June 30) The trailer and general existence of this movie fill me with a cold dread. Starring Harrison Ford.
• Harold and the Purple Crayon (June 30) For the “air-conditioned thing do do” aspect if nothing else, I’m, always excited for a mid-summer kid movie.
• Joy Ride (July 7) Just go watch the trailer and then try to tell me that this comedy about 20-somethings on a road trip isn’t a welcome palate-cleanser from the franchise movie schedule.
• Insidious: The Red Door (July 7) According to Wikipedia this is the fifth movie in the Insidious franchise and a direct sequel to the second movie with the Lambert family (Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne). Fun fact: the fourth movie was released two centuries ago in 2017.
• Mission Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (July 14) The pandemic-filmed Tom Cruise movie (No. 7 in this series, apparently) finally sees the light of day. I can’t personally tell one Mission Impossible from another and have no emotional connection to any of the characters (except maybe Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames) and yet I always have fun.
• Barbie (July 21) Directed and co-written by Greta Gerwig! Greta! Gerwig! Like, tell me nothing else and I’m in! The trailers, with Margot Robbie as a Barbie Prime, are pretty great too.
• Oppenheimer (July 21) In a, like, matter/anti-matter bit of movie scheduling, this Christopher Nolan movie about Robert Oppenheimer (he of the “I am become death etc.” atomic bomb development) opens the same weekend as the candy-colored Barbie.
• Haunted Mansion (July 28) The Disney ride gets another movie adaptation, written by Katie Dippold (writer of the totally fun 2016 Ghostbusters and the Sandra Bullock/Melissa McCarthy buddy cop comedy The Heat), and with a cast list that includes Rosario Dawson, LaKeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Winona Ryder, Tiffany Haddish, Jamie Lee Curtis, Hasan Minhaj and Danny DeVito.
• The Meg 2: The Trench (Aug. 4) Looking back at my review of the first giant-shark movie The Meg, which apparently came out in 2018 (though it feels so much longer ago than that), I was apparently disappointed that it wasn’t as dumb-fun as I’d hoped. But I feel that the ensuing everything has dramatically lowered my standards (see my review of this year’s Plane) and so I have some optimism for this movie, which once again stars Jason Statham.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Aug. 4) The Dover-born turtles get an animated outing with a fun line-up of voices: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Paul Rudd, John Cena, Maya Rudolph, Ice Cube, Hannibal Buress and Jackie Chan, among others.
• Blue Beetle (Aug. 18) Here’s a DC property I’m genuinely looking forward to. Xolo Maridueña, who does some solid goofball work on Cobra Kai, is the young adult kid person being surprise-superheroed here, with Susan Sarandon playing what the trailers suggest is the villain.
• The Equalizer 3 (Sept. 1) Director Antoine Fuqua and actor Denzel Washington reteam for Part 3 of the adventures of (movie) Robert McCall. I have enjoyed the past two outings and, should you be looking for low-impact stuff to watch at home this summer, I am also a fan of TV’s (Robin) McCall, as played by Queen Latifah in CBS’s current TV show The Equalizer.
Featured photo: from Kids Con New England 2016 by Neil Young Photography
