Category: Featured Content

So long, 2025

New Year’s events abound

There are many ways to mark year’s end and ring in 2026, a couple for the morning after, and more than a few for folks who just don’t like staying up past midnight but enjoy a party nonetheless.

100 Club (100 Market St., Portsmouth, 766-4100) Reservations required, DJ James Fairchild provides the music with late-night snacks, dessert buffet, fireworks, party favors and dancing.

815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, eventbrite.com) Once Upon A Midnight party begins with a handcrafted, fairytale-inspired drink created exclusively for the event, burlesque by Siren of the Circle & Jazzy Belle, magic by Ben Hughes, dancing, themed photo booth and a curated menu of party-friendly bites designed to keep the energy high and the night flowing. $65.87

Alan’s (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631) Whiskey Rain Band plays a mix of blues, classic and Southern rock.

American Legion Post 10 (24 Maple St., Wilton, 654-9996) The Boogie Men perform at a disco-themed party.

American Legion Post 4 (797 Court St., Keene, 352-9703) $30, MV19 rocks in the new year. Includes hors d’oeuvres, sandwich station, midnight toast and party favors.

American Legion Post 47 (551 Foundry St., Rollinsford, 742-5833) $10, Bad Breath Microphone Band performs, appetizers and pizza served throughout the night.

American Legion Post 8 (640 Central Ave., Dover, 742-9710) An annual tradition, Dancing Madly Backwards plays live music, with full bar, food and snacks, dance floor.

Arts Alley (20 S Main St, Concord, 406-5666, artsalleyconcordnh.com) The New Year’s Eve Gala runs from 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec.31 to 1 a.m., Thursday, Jan.1. Celebrate with an evening of dining, music, and dancing. There will be a festive cocktail hour with appetizers, followed by a dinner buffet. Dueling Pianos and a live DJ will provide music. Tickets are $151.23. 21+.

Ash Cigar Lounge (92A Route 125, Kingston, 347-5499) Diamonds and Gold party has Lu NH Music channeling the smooth charm of Frank Sinatra, with cigar discounts and appetizer buffet, Champagne at midnight.

Auspicious Brew (1 Washington St., Dover, 953-7240) Drag show with Raya Sunshine & Friends, live music by Cozy Throne and The Jerritones, dance beats from DJ XO and a collective tarot reading by Jezmina. $20 advance, $25 day of event.

Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165) $79 in the winery, and $399 igloo and gazebo experiences are available. Evening includes a complimentary wine pairing and five-course Brazilian dinner. Ring in 2026 in Rio time.

Belknap Mill (25 Beacon St., Laconia, 524-8813) $100 and up. Mix and mingle in your finest cocktail attire while enjoying heavy hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, music, and dancing as we count down to midnight.

BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) Dress in James Bond attire at Ritz & Royale, a Casino Royale-style escape where elegance meets danger, cocktails meet espionage, and the crowd is dressed to kill — Bond-style tuxedos, silk gowns, pearls, feathers, gloves, velvet suits, and vintage glam encouraged. $50 and up.

Boards & Brews (941 Elm St., Manchester, eventbrite.com) Unlimited games for the night, an appetizer buffet, and an open bar with plenty of non-alcoholic options available. $81.88

Bogie’s (32 Depot Square, Hampton, 926-2202) Everlovin’ Rosie performs at a masquerade ball with prizes for best costumes. $25.

Bonfire (950 Elm St., Manchester, 663-7678) This downtown hub for country music would be having a big party, but they are closed due to flooding caused by a burst pipe above the bar. A GoFundMe to help with recovery costs was launched and has seen lots of support.

BrickHouse Restaurant & Brewery (241 Union Sq., Milford, 672-2270) Joppa Flats play rock covers.

Bridgewater Inn (367 Mayhew Turnpike, Bridgewater, 744-3518) Classic rock band No Shame performs downstairs, with DJ Di upstairs spinning all night long. $60 per person includes buffet (5:30-7:30 p.m.) and party; $20 for party only. Hats & tiaras, noisemakers, beads and Champagne toast.

Buckey’s (240 Governor Wentworth Highway, Moultonborough, 476-5485) The tradition continues with Red Hat Band performing.

Casey Magee’s Irish Pub (8 Temple St., Nashua, 484-7400) Annual New Year’s Eve Dance Party with music by DJ Bobby Lane starting at 9 p.m. leading into the countdown. No cover, 21+

Chop Shop (920 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 760-7706) Inner Child plays classic rock covers, with a little black dress and best dressed contest to choose a queen and king

Copper Door (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677) Clint Lapointe plays from 7 to 10 p.m. and the restaurant stays open until 11 p.m.

Copper Door (41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033) Dave Clark plays from 7 to 10 p.m. and the restaurant stays open until 11 p.m.

Derryfield (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880) $36. Once again the Chad LaMarsh Band, a high-energy dance combo with male and female lead vocals, entertains with tunes from the ’60s to now, with Champagne toast at midnight and party favors.

Epoch Restaurant & Bar (2 Pine St., Exeter, 778-EPOCH) Prix fixe dinner and a sparkling wine toast before midnight.

Fody’s (9 Clinton St., Nashua, 577-9015) $10. Massachusetts party rock band Sugarbush plays covers.

Fody’s Derry (187 1/2 Rockingham Road, Derry, 404-6946) $10. Rockingham Boys provide the music.

Forum Pub (15 Village St., Concord, 552-0137) Shaun McGyver & Friends provide the party music.

Foster’s Tavern (403 Main St., Alton Bay, 875-1234) Dan Fallon rings in the new year.

Fratello’s (155 Dow St., Manchester, 624-2022) Jamie Hughes plays early.

Fury’s Publick House (1 Washington St., Dover, 617-3633) Local favorite Tim Theriault plays a no-cover party.

Gate City Casino (55 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 943-5630) Disco Countdown is the theme this year, with free play prizes, giveaways, DJ, photo booth, hotel shuttle and more.

Giuseppe’s (312 DW Highway, Meredith, 279-3313) Jeffrey D. Mitchell sings and plays guitar early.

Goosefeathers Pub (Mt. Sunapee Resort, Newbury, 763-3500) New Year’s Bash has food and fun featuring the annual bonfire, S’moresmobile and live music in their Unplugged Den.

Governors Inn (78 Wakefield St., Rochester, 332-0107) Curmudjun plays rock covers following a grand buffet, with a midnight toast. $95.

Homestead (641 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-2022) Lou Antonucci performing original material as well as the best of classic acoustic artists like Harry Chapin, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, James Taylor, Bob Dylan and many more.

Howlin’ Wolf Taqueria (40 Pleasant St., Portsmouth, 956-4566) $10 Chica-Chida Espresso Martinis and grab some Chica-Chida swag.

Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club (135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 603-5299) $54. NYE 2025 with BT ALC Big Band featuring special guest Nephrok. Since the group’s formation in 2011, BT ALC Big Band, led by trombonist Brian Thomas and trumpeter Alex Lee-Clark, has reshaped the depiction of the big band ensemble.

LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898) Roaring ’20s Gatsby Party has four-course dinner with wine pairings, spectacle entertainment from Cirque de Light, 1920s themed-decor, and live Jazz Age music with an open dance floor.

Lake Estate (725 Laconia Road, Tilton, 202-3600) The party begins with a formal welcome reception from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. featuring hot and cold canapés and cash bar, followed by a festive dinner and dance from 8:15 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., complete with a refined three-course meal, live music from Soul City Band, and midnight Champagne toast.

Lakeport Opera House (781 Union Ave., Laconia, 519-7506) Eric Grant Band and DJ music, only general admission seats remain.

Local Street Eats (112 W. Pearl St., Nashua, 402-4435, local-streeteats.com) will host a Disco & Diamonds New Year’s Eve celebration Wednesday, Dec. 31, from 10 p.m. until midnight. Reservations are highly encouraged at local-streeteats.com/visit.

Loon Mountain (60 Loon Mountain Road, Lincoln, 745-8111) End-of-year celebration in the resort’s Paul Bunyan Room includes live music, a midnight toast, and hot and cold hors-d’oeuvres.

Looney Bin (564 Endicott St., Laconia, 366-2300) There’s no NYE bash, but on New Year’s Day there will be a hangover party.

Lynn’s 102 Tavern (76 Derry Road, Hudson, 943-7832) ’70s tribute band Time Bomb rings in the new year, coincidentally on its singer’s birthday.

McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet St., Manchester, 622-6159) Ring in the new year with a live DJ, take a shot at ski boot pong or spin our wheel for a chance to win some epic prizes. Included with the full price One Great Rate ticket is a tubing ticket to be redeemed during the 2025/26 winter season. All purchases include hot chocolate, coffee and appetizer buffet. Atlas Fireworks kick off at 9 p.m.

Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St.., Portsmouth, 436-2400) Rockspring is a high-energy string band that has quickly gained a strong following in the New England region. This show will ring in the new year at midnight.

Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588) Recycled Percussion.

Pat’s Peak Ski Area (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 728-7732) New Year’s fireworks at 9:20 p.m., ski, ride and tube (lifts open until 8:45 p.m.) and dancing to Dave & Wally in the Sled Pub from 6 to 9 p.m. No traditional NYE party this year.

Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535) Dinner, party favors and Champagne toast.

Penuche’s Ale House (6 Pleasant St., Concord, 228-9833) Concord rockers Rosewood Park play the party in this beloved basement bar.

Portsmouth Gas Light (64 Market St., Portsmouth, 430-9122) Roaring Gatsby Prohibition Party, dress to impress (1920s attire encouraged). $65 and up.

Press Room (77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, 431-5186) Electric Abduction: New Year’s Eve at The Press Room Presented by the Portsmouth Rave Project in collaboration with Trigger(House feat. DJ Chad Banks, Jay Sync, Jam!n, & Rh3tt) $65 and up

Revo Casino (887B Central Ave., Dover, 742-9632) Stray Dog plays rock covers at this no-cover party.

Revo Casino (369 Miracle Mile, Lebanon, 678-5906) Project 416 plays rock covers at this no-cover party.

Riley’s Place (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford, 325-2177) Aces & Eights NYE party, $10 admission includes Champagne toast.

Rockingham Ballroom (22 Ash Swamp Road, Newmarket, eventbrite.com) DJs Johnny Groovy and Soul Sister Pamela with jazz piano opener, appetizers, finger foods, Champagne toast and prizes $50 and $75 BYOB.

Rooftop at the Envio (299 Vaughn St., Portsmouth, eventbrite.com) Masquerade-themed party includes a selection of passed hors d’oeuvres, an iced seafood raw bar, and a variety of appetizers to savor throughout the evening. Plus, enjoy two sparkling toasts — one to kick off the celebration as you arrive, and another at midnight to ring in the new year with friends. $130.

Rumor Tapas & Lounge (1055 Elm St., Manchester, 786-9277) EP’s All-White Takeover NYE hosted by Millyz “Blanco.” All-white affair, VIP bottle service, midnight vibes, extended liquor — last call 2 a.m. $45 at eventbrite.com.

Rumors Sports Bar (22 N. Main St., Newmarket, 659-2329) DJ Kelly Elliott rings in 2026. $23 at eventbrite.com.

Saddle Up Saloon (92 Route 125, Kingston, 369-6962) Early Ball Drop Bash is a family-friendly New Year’s Eve party.

Salt Hill Pub Lebanon (2 W. Park St., Lebanon, 448-4532) $10 DJ Tony Jagzx for a dance party & karaoke extravaganza.

Salt Hill Pub Newport (58 Main St., Newport, 863-7774) The AC/DC Experience has been bringing both Bon Scott- and Brian Johnson-era high voltage rock ’n’ roll to New England for years. Featuring Dean Celesia on vocals and Jonny Friday on lead guitar, they bring favorite hits for an intense, high-energy rock show with the swing, sound and passion of AC/DC.

Sawtooth Kitchen (Under Allen Street, Hanover, 643-5134) Canopy returns for their third consecutive NYE party — the last two years have sold out.

Shaskeen (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246) $60. DJ Myth hosts an all-inclusive Epic New Year’s Bash with 200 tickets sold covering a dinner buffet, midnight Champagne toast, live DJ and open bar (no shots). The club will be closed to anyone without tickets (21+ only).

Sled Pub (24 Flanders Road, Henniker, 888-728-7732) New Year’s fireworks at 9:20 p.m. (lifts close at 8:45 p.m.) with Dave & Wally playing in the Sled Pub. No NYE party; night lift tickets start at 4 p.m., last call 10:30 p.m.

Soho Bistro (20 Old Granite St., Manchester, 222-1677) Welcome 2026 with fun, friends and food all night long, $12.50 at eventbrite.com.

Stone Church (5 Granite St., Newmarket, 659-7700) Cold Engines w/ Soul Rebel Project.

Strange Brew (88 Market St., Manchester, 666-4292) Glad Valley Record Release Party.

Stumble Inn (20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 432-3210) Slakas.

Sweeney Post (251 Maple St., Manchester, 623-9145) $10pp, Music is by The Hey Moe Band, 6:30 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. potluck.

Taverne on the Square (2 Pleasant St., Claremont, 287-4416) Jake McLaughlin and Friends perform. Music will start at 7:30 p.m. and run as long as you are willing to dance.

The Brook (319 New Zealand Road, Seabrook, livefreeandplay.com) Rat Pack Tribute $35/

The Goat MHT (50 Old Granite St., Manchester, 603-4628) Run For Covers plays rock covers to ring in 2026.

Thirsty Moose (21 Congress St, Portsmouth, 427-8645) Down By Ten.

Throwback Brewery (7 Hobbs Road, North Hampton, 379-2317) $55 From 5 to 8 p.m. it’s Bougie Beers & Bites, a ticketed culinary experience featuring a welcome spritzer, elevated small plates, paired Throwback brews and a sparkling 7 p.m. GMT toast.

Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100) Adam Ezra Group w/ Jeff Kazee. Dinner at 5:30 p.m., show at 8:30 p.m. $50 and up.

Uno Pizzeria & Grill (15 Fort Eddy Road, Concord, 226-8667) Mikey G plays an early set.

Wally’s Pub (144 Ashworth Ave., Hampton, 926-6954) Fast Times plays music from the 1980s.

Ya Mas Greek Taverna & Bar (Mall at Rockingham Park, Salem, 635-4230) New Year’s Eve In Paris includes Moulin Rouge Burlesque performance and three-course dinner, $189 at eventbrite.com.

Featured photo: Superfrog. Courtesy photo.

Best movie of ‘a’ year

2025 adds some films to the canon

Was the best movie of 2025 1992’s Sneakers?

I feel like it was very much in the air with people who write and podcast about movies and pop culture, especially after the passing of Robert Redford. And once you acclimate yourself to the relaxing warm bath of its pacing, it is a very good time (it’s available for rent or purchase and would make a fine holiday movie night movie).

Similarly, the recent death of Rob Reiner has brought some of his all-time greats back into the conversation: 1989’s When Harry Met Sally … (Starz, purchase and at Red River Theatres on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 10 a.m.); 1987’s The Princess Bride (Hulu or purchase) and 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap (HBO Max, rent or purchase).

The streaming era has created a flattening of time where sometimes a movie of an earlier era bubbles up into the culture. This year’s release of Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest had me spending some time with the always excellent Inside Man from 2006 (streaming on Netflix, rent or purchase) and the very evocative of its time The 25th Hour from 2002 (rent or purchase). As I write this in mid-December, Kevin Smith’s Dogma from 1999 is No. 2 in Apple’s TV store (it is available for purchase) recently rereleased after decades of ownership woes. (It is still very much itself and the CCD alums who had affection for it in all its janky, occasionally problematic glory will probably still enjoy a watch.)

But 2025 has its own releases that will one day be your comfort rewatches and rediscoveries. Here are some of the movies from this year worth checking out.

• Speaking of nostalgia. Adam Sandler brings you to a reunion of 1996 culture with Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix). I deeply enjoyed the OG offenders of I Know What You Did Last Summer (Netflix, rent or purchase), particularly the former WB star who appears in a wins-the-whole-game cameo, but the new kids who commit vehicular manslaughter are nice too. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning(Paramount+, purchase and rental) makes you sit through a lot of “remember X plot point from the previous movies” before you get to the Tom Cruise crazy stunts portion of the film but there were some fun looks back at the franchise, which is hopefully over, right? Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (Peacock, rent or purchase) calls it a wrap on the Crawleys, probably, with a movie that recalled the cozy fun of the series.

• The best horror is weird. Weapons (HBO Max, rent and purchase) feels like at least as much an object of camp as it is an object of horror. It’s like goofy plus jump scares? Shell (YouTube Primetime, rent and purchase) is super-goofy body horror (specifically the middle-aged lady body in the harsh light of Hollywood) and features a fun faceoff between Elisabeth Moss and Kate Hudson. Drop (Prime Video, rent and purchase) builds its tension by showing us a first date where a woman terrorized by a mysterious texter doesn’t know who to trust. The Long Walk (rent or purchase), of Stephen King origins and anchored by a strong performance by Cooper Hoffman, gets you right in the “humanity is the true horror” spot.

• The right kind of dumb. The Liam Neeson- and Pamela Anderson-led franchise restart/sequel The Naked Gun (MGM+, Paramount+, rental and purchase) had me from its first goofy minutes when a thief steals a P.L.O.T. Device. M3GAN 2.0(Peacock, rental and purchase) was more pleased with itself than is usually tolerable but I enjoyed the “get in, loser” vibe of it all. A Working Man(MGM+, Prime Video, rental and purchase) does not reach the glorious Jason Statham-badassery heights of 2024’s The Bee Keeper (treat yourself — it’s streaming on Prime Video and available for rent or purchase) but it is still a fun dumb action movie and the villains are played as if maybe in the sequel they’ll turn out to be vampires.

• More! Like! This! In the movie G20 (Prime Video), President Viola Davis has to rescue a bunch of world leaders and the world economy from Bad Guys whilst doing hand-to-hand combat in formalwear. Dumb? Yeah! Awesome? Heck yeah! More! Like! This!

• Marvel tried things. Yes, Thunderbolts* (Disney+, rent or purchase) is a superhero movie about depression where the Big Bad is nihilism but it worked for me — I liked the scrappy gang of misfits. The Fantastic Four: First Steps(Disney+, rent or purchase) was visually very fun and had a nice “future is optimistic” tone. And yes, it’s all in service of more Avengers movies and the return of Robert Downey Jr. in same but for now, for this one, I had fun.

• DC got a win. Speaking of optimism and a future tinged with hope, Superman (HBO Max, rent or purchase) brought shiny new life to the DC movies. This Metropolis had comic book flair (other supers, kitschy villains) and managed an upbeat tone without getting, like, weird about it. Also, “a bit with a dog.” (Speaking of which, find 1998’s Shakespeare in Love on Paramount+ and for rent or purchase, which I might do after I get to Hamnet, in theaters now, one of this year’s releases still on my eager-to-see list along with The Testament of Ann Lee, slated for a Christmas Day release, and The Secret Agent, opening at Red River Theatres on Christmas Eve along with Marty Supreme and Song Sung Blue.)

• Family movie night. I know this isn’t a popular opinion, but I enjoyed the, a-hem, “live action” Lilo & Stitch(Disney +, rent or purchase), having no particular loyalty to the 2002 cartoon (also on Disney+). This year’s movie was perfectly acceptable fare with a nice blend of goofiness and sweetness about family in all its forms. Likewise, Pixar’s latest Elio(Disney+, rent or purchase) seemed to be received with a shrug at best but as a movie to watch with kids it’s a visually fun tale about a lonely boy who finally starts making new connections when he is accidentally transported to a spaceship where he is mistaken for the leader of Earth. And I’m a fan of Dav Pilkey books — the Captain Underpants and the like — both for their tales of adventure told with boy-accessible emotional themes and for their stylistic choices (spellings such as “supa cop” and drawings that look, correctly, as though two elementary schoolers crafted them). This year’s Dog Man(Netflix, rent or purchase), based on books that are supposed to be written by the Captain Underpants kids, is another similar success with fun visuals and laugh out loud silliness.

• Perfectly cromulent movie-night movies. Maybe these movies aren’t the best of the best but they are perfectly serviceable for an evening’s or snow day’s entertainment and are helped by solid duos in the leads: The Lost Bus (Apple TV) is based on a true story from the 2018 Camp Fire in California and succeeds due to the steady work of Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera. Another Simple Favor (Prime Video, rent or purchase) didn’t quite sparkle like the 2018 original (available for rent or purchase) but it did have a fun telenovela quality and nice chemistry between Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. Wicked: For Good (in theaters) suffers when it doesn’t put Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande together and is just generally darker than the first film but it is still a reasonably fun time. The Ballad of Wallis Island (Prime Video, rent or purchase) is a sweet melancholy tale about old friendship, longtime music fanship and trying to recapture a moment. Friendship is also a big part of My Dead Friend Zoe, which stars Sonequa Martin-Green trying to move on after time on the battlefield and the death of her friend played by Natalie Morales. The professional relationship that may or may not be a friendship between sad-charming George Clooney and sad-sweet Adam Sandler is the warm heart of Jay Kelly(Netflix). Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (HBO Max and rent or purchase) is a loose but fond jam session of comedy artists.

• Hot docs! Remember a very specific slice of the music of the 1990s with Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery (Disney+, Hulu), a very solid look back at the one-of-a-kind festival. Deaf President Now! (Apple TV) is a rousing look at a 1988 campus protest told by the now-middle-aged protesters. The Quilters(Netflix) and Final Finishers (Hulu) are two excellent shorts about, respectively, incarcerated quilt makers and the slowest finishers at the New York Marathon. The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix) is a chilling story, told through body cam footage, of a close-knit neighborhood and a difficult resident whose animosity for her neighbors has a tragic outcome. If you watch nothing else in this whole list, at least watch the first seven minutes of Ladies and Gentlemen … 50 Years of Saturday Night Life Music (Peacock), which is a delightfully-mixed tour (by Questlove) through SNL’s music performances. The meat of the documentary, equally excellent, digs into specific artists and how the music fits in with the show’s overall mission.

• Look for these. Rose Byrne is absolutely terrific in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You(rent or purchase), a movie full of people at their peak frustration points who are all wading through some kind of emergency. Byrne plays a mom looking after a sick daughter in the hotel room where they are waiting out repairs to their apartment after a burst water pipe.Her anger, fear, guilt and exhaustion are familiar to those who feel like they are forever failing at parenting — and funny! It’s funny! Sometimes! The Wedding Banquet (Paramount+, rent or purchase) is a sweet remake of the 1993 Ang Lee movie (which is available via Tubi, Pluto TV and Plex TV, according to Google) with solid performances from Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Bowen Yang and Han Gi-chan. One of Them Days (Netflix, rent or purchase) was an early 2025 release that offered solid comedy and a nice buddies-in-a-jam duo in Keke Palmer and SZA. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock, rent and purchase) is a surprisingly sweet installment in the story of the romance between Bridget and her Mr. Darcy and what comes after happily ever after. Roofman (MGM+, rent or purchase) features a nicely askew performance by Channing Tatum. Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (Netflix) is beautiful to look at and an interesting, Romantic in the 19th-century sense, treatment of the material. Highest 2 Lowest(Apple TV), Spike Lee’s movie based on Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low (HBO Max, Plex, rent and purchase) from 1963, features excellent performances, including by Jeffrey Wright in a supporting role and a return to Lee’s New York-as-character form. Train Dreams (Netflix) is quiet and beautiful and features a standout performance by Joel Edgerton as a mostly solitary woodsman born in the latter half of the 1800s and living long enough to see men go to space. Wake Up, Dead Man (Netflix) is an excellent third entry in the Knives Out franchise with Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc investigating both the mystery of a (sorta) locked room murder and the mystery of faith — solid performances and thoughtful examination of what religion is and can be at this moment in culture. I’m still not entirely certain what I thought about Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme (Prime Video, rent or purchase) or about Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another (rent or purchase). Both feature excellent, compelling performances by Benicio del Toro and both deserve credit for their visual styles. One Battle After Another was at its best for me in its lower-fi moments, particularly a set-piece car chase in the movie’s final third, which called to mind some of the scruffier films of the 1970s in look and tone. The movie is at the top of many a critic’s year end list, but for me, a different movie settled in that spot in April and never left.

• My favorite movie of the year is Sinners. Yes, there are still movies I haven’t seen (Avatar: Fire and Ash, in theaters now, for example), but I doubt any of them will hit me quite like Sinners, which actually gave me chills when I saw the “I Lied to You” scene in the theater. Director Ryan Coogler’s latest was a home run for me for its performances (the two Michael B. Jordans, Miles Caton, Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo among them), its ability to weave together its supernatural and its real world darkness, its standout production value including the way it used light and the overall point of view of the way it told its story. Seek it out on HBO Max, for rent or purchase.

Gyros and cauliflower tacos

Local eaters discuss their favorite meals of 2025

What was the best thing you ate this year?

That’s the question we asked of several local foodies and food-adjacent folks. Here’s what they thought was the tastiest part of 2025.

Christine Gagnon

Owner, Uncanoonuc Foraging Co.

What was the best thing you ate this year?

At my annual Mushroom Micro Camp that I did up in Albany, I had two friends of mine who are culinary professors at Johnson & Wales University come with two of their graduating students and they cooked all of the food, using a lot of my venison and a lot of my mushrooms and tons of my products that I make from stuff that I harvest. They made a venison and wild mushroom ramen. It was crazy, crazy good.

What would you like to eat in 2026?

I’m sitting here right now, duck hunting. I’d like to eat a damn duck that I shot myself, but I haven’t had any luck yet.

Alyssa O’Mara

Executive Director, Great American Downtown Nashua

What was the best thing you ate this year?

Honestly, everything that I have tried from Local Street Eats [in Nashua]. … They’re fantastic! I’m addicted to their corn dip, which is a problem. And then their Huli Huli [Chicken] Tacos with gluten-free fried cauliflower. Whatever the sauce is on that is divine.

What would you like to eat in 2026?

I’ve heard that there’s going to be a couple of new restaurants opening downtown [in Nashua]. One of them is known for their pizza and I’m pretty excited because I’m gluten-free and I know that they have a reputation for great, gluten-free pizza.

Sophia Koustas

Committee Chair, Manchester Holiday Parade

What was the best thing you ate this year?

I know this is going to sound very Greek, but the best thing I ate this year were the gyros at three Greek festivals in Manchester over the summer.

What would you like to eat in 2026?

I’m looking forward to eating swordfish. I have had it before, but I’m looking forward to having it again. I’ve heard that there’s a couple of very good seafood places downtown. Evolution Bistro and Bar supposedly makes great swordfish.

Rachel Baker

Director, Elkins Public Library in Canterbury

What was the best thing you ate this year?

I would have to say that the best thing I ate was in Quebec City on an annual trip with my husband to the old city and we had raclette — that is the melted raclette cheese and a farm-to-table sourced sausage and some of Quebec’s famous red beer. It was easily the best thing I ate this year.

What would you like to eat in 2026?

My husband and I are planning to go to Iceland and I am planning to eat everything. I think I’m going to skip the fermented shark, though. I do like fermented things, but not shark generally.

Nick Sands

Host of the Nick Sands Presents Podcast

What was the best thing you ate this year?

The best thing I’ve eaten this year was the Golden Ratio Loukoumades [deep-fried Greek doughnuts] from LoukouMadness. I think are my absolute favorite thing I’ve had this year. They are in the Mall of New Hampshire.

What would you like to eat in 2026?

Deadproof Pizza Co. is opening a brick-and-mortar location. I’m looking forward to them having an actual spot.

Rachel Ormond

Owner, Cure Cafe in New Boston

What was the best thing you ate this year?

The best thing I ate this year was a spicy vodka lobster pasta from Quality Italian in New York City. The pasta was just so fresh. The lobster was amazing. And they cooked it with chili oil and with fresh sliced garlic tableside.

What would you like to eat in 2026?

Probably a really juicy steak from Hanover Street Chophouse [in Manchester], because that’s my favorite restaurant, with the bacon maple bourbon jam on top. I haven’t had that in a while, and I hope to have it next year.

Lauren Collins Cline

Owner, Slightly Crooked Pies in Bedford

What was the best thing you ate this year?

I would have to say the best thing I ate this year was the totality of the brunch I had when I was in New Orleans. I had a crawfish etouffee bruschetta, which was amazing…. The brunch came with bottomless mimosas, so my details are a little fuzzy. It was at a restaurant called Kingfish. … Everything was magically good.

What would you like to eat in 2026?

Really anything that is made for me. If I can eat it near a beach somewhere, even better.

Rachel Mack

Co-owner, Loon Chocolate in Manchester

What was the best thing you ate this year?

So I’m going to choose a drink I had, because it’s been on my mind. I just recently had an eggnog chai. I did not know those two things could go together so wonderfully. It was absolutely delicious. And, you know, I’ve thought about it every day since I tried it.

What would you like to eat in 2026?

I have gotten into a rut of all the same restaurants in Manchester and I want to try some new restaurants in the area in 2026.

Erik Lesniak

Manchester Economic Development Office

What was the best thing you ate this year?

I’m going to have to say the best thing I ate this year is probably the Pla Pad King at Daw Kun Thai [in Manchester]. It’s a full tilapia, head and all, and cooked perfectly. It takes a while to pick through it, but it comes with some side dishes and some rice. That’s probably the best reason to try it.

Emma Stetson

Owner, Wine on Main in Concord

What was the best thing you ate this year?

We took a really nice trip to Portland, Maine, in April and went to a restaurant called Scales. I had a really tasty branzino with a chili broth. My husband and I just loved eating all of the fresh seafood, especially oysters on the half shell.

What would you like to eat in 2026?

We’re bringing customers for the first time on a Wine On Main trip. We chose Italy as our first destination. I am looking forward to all of the food that will be consumed there.

Soldiering on

A tough year is remembered for great art

The New Hampshire arts world wasn’t greeted by upheaval as 2025 dawned, but it came soon enough. After DOGE took a sledgehammer to the federal budget, canceling grants already budgeted, the New Hampshire House voted away the state’s Council on the Arts in the spring, though one employee managed to remain.

All this chaos didn’t keep New Hampshire’s arts community from producing moving works, from theater to visual art and classical music. On the latter front, however, the search for a successor to outgoing Symphony NH Music Director Roger Kalia was interrupted, as funding issues roiled the organization. Five finalists announced at the end of March and were due to perform for the public during the 2025-2026 season. However, two of the performances have been postponed to the 2026-2027 season. Along with that, Executive Director Deanna Hoying took a personal pay cut, and some staff were moved to reduced hours, according to a patron letter on Dec. 18.

“We are scaling back certain production elements [and] launching a bold plan to strengthen our internal capacity and build sustainable revenue for the future,” the letter continued.

“I hate the word pivot, but we have to pivot again,” Hoying said in a Dec. 23 phone chat. “It’s not like COVID, but we need to meet where our revenue is. Our Christmas Pops concert had lower ticket sales. Charitable gaming is down, giving is down, so we have to re-scale ourselves to see what our community needs. What gets our audience excited? The patrons that have stuck with us are extraordinarily important, I need to say that, but we don’t have the margins some larger organizations have.”

In Portsmouth, the multidisciplinary 3S Artspace marked its 10th year with a special installation, Christina Watka’s “Noticing Light.” Watka leveraged the big gallery space’s wall of windows and plentiful light. “I decided to place this large installation exactly where the band of light curves around the room and then shoots through the entire thing,” she said.

Theatre Kapow’s season-long “community conversation” continued with a production of Every Brilliant Thing in Concord and Meredith. Director Emma Cahoon said of the challenging, interactive play that “throughout, the audience is relied on quite heavily to make the story actually happen.”

Cahoon also directed Romeo & Juliet for Saint Anselm College’s Shakespeare on the Green series, a collaboration with Manchester dance troupe Ballet Misha, led by Amy Fortier, that’s become a summer highlight. The pairing, Cahoon said, provided “a third, middle ground” to unify Shakespeare’s dance and drama.

Other solid productions in 2025 included Clint Eastwood’s movie The Bridges of Madison County redone as a musical in April by Manchester Community Theatre Players, October’s immersive whodunit Southern Fried Murder, part of Majestic Theatre’s 35th season, and Bedford Off Broadway’s regional premiere of the delightful comedy Icehouse in November.

In early December the semifinalists for the New Hampshire Theatre Awards were announced; the awards ceremony takes place Jan. 31 at Concord’s Capitol Center for the Arts. Actorsingers, Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, The Village Players, Nashua Theatre Guild and Milford Area Players all received multiple nominations.

The Currier Museum of Art exhibited five large figures from Ann Agee’s “Madonna of the Girl Child” series in March. The works were a feminist attempt to reclaim the Madonna figure, Agee said, as a symbol of not just motherhood but equality, showing that women and girls deserve the same hopes, dreams and opportunities as their male counterparts.

In the cinema world, the Jewish Film Festival in March offered a rich and varied slate of 15 movies at locations across the state. They included Debra Messing’s documentary October H8te, the Tribeca Audience Award winning comedy Bad Shabbos, and Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, about the singer/songwriter who penned “Society’s Child” and “At Seventeen.”

Granite Orpheus, a movie that took a decade to complete after most of it was shot in 2015, showcased Concord against the backdrop of the classic Greek myth amidst that year’s Market Days celebration. Inspired by the ’60s film Black Orpheus, it featured many local musicians, and offered a look back at a city then in transition. Granite Orpheus will be screened at BNH Stage in Concord on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.

The gallery scene remained lively throughout the year. Glimpse Gallery in Concord hosted regular events featuring local artists. In Nashua, ArtHub returned in a new downtown location, after the pandemic torpedoed its original plans to open. The city also hosted its annual sculpture symposium, with artists working for three weeks as the public watched.

Manchester’s Mosaic Art Collective hosted the Halloween-centric” Exquisite Corpse.” It explored the idea that “art happens at the point of juxtaposition” and included a wide range of fun activities to go with what Gallery owner Liz Pieroni termed the many works of “creepy, weird art.”

It all added up to an arts community that remained resilient in a challenging year.

Upcoming arts happenings in 2026

Theater
Actorsingers Company’s production of the Stephen Sondheim/Andrew Furth musical comedy Company runs Jan. 9-11 at Nashua’s Center for the Arts.
Theatre Kapow’s What The Constitution Means to Me, written by a teenager who won a national debate competition on the topic, runs for two weekends beginning Feb. 6 at Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith and Concord’s BNH Stage.

Visual Art
“Third Space,” at 3S Artspace through Jan. 25, transforms their Main Gallery “into a sanctuary of creativity, connection, and comfort during the holiday and winter season,” and includes works by papercutting polymath Dylan Metrano.
“Embellish Me: Works from the Collection of Norma Canelas Roth & William Roth” is at the Currier through March 15.

Classical Music
Symphony NH Music Director finalists perform with Adam Kerry Boyles’ Bernstein’s Legacy March 7 and Tianhui Ng’s New Hampshire Passions April 18. The Symphony is also planning a chamber concert led by its musicians on March 28 at Keefe Auditorium.

Featured photo: Granite Orpheus. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 25/12/25

Symphony NH

Symphony NH is postponing two upcoming concerts, the “executive director is taking a personal pay cut” and some staff will be given reduced hours, among other measures, due to financial challenges, according to an email from the Symphony NH Board of Trustees and staff on Dec. 18. “Last season brought unexpected financial challenges: declining ticket revenue, reduced charitable gaming income, and a drop in individual giving. At the same time, operating costs — especially venue expenses — rose significantly. These combined pressures have created a shortfall that we must address now to protect the long-term health of Symphony NH,” the email said. The Jan. 17 and March 28 music director finalist concerts will be rescheduled to next season; ticket holders can call 595-9156 or email snh@symphonynh.org for information.

Red Cross

The American Red Cross is looking for blood and platelet donations, especially of types O, A negative and B negative, according to a press release from the Northern New England Region of the American Red Cross. Those who donate through Jan. 4 will receive a long-sleeved T-shirt, while supplies last, the release said. Donors between Jan. 1 and Jan. 25 will be “entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LX in the San Francisco Bay Area,” the release said. Schedule a donation at redcrossblood.org.

Old buildings

The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance is offering a Career Exploration in the Old Building Trades vacation week program, according to a Dec. 10 newsletter. The programs take place Feb. 23-27 and April 27 to May 1, 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., and are open to ages 16 to 21, according to the application form, which you can find at nhpreservation.org/preservation-trades-initiative. The programs will take place at Canterbury Shaker Village and Sanborn Mills Farm in Loudon and at Seacoast/Portsmouth locations, the site said. No experience is necessary. The application deadline is Friday, Jan. 16.

Art & Bloom

The Concord Garden Club will take part in its 23rd annual “Art and Bloom” show in collaboration with the Women’s Caucus for Art, New Hampshire Chapter, and Kimball Jenkins Estate, 266 N. Main St. in Concord, where the show will be on display Thursday, Jan. 22, through Saturday, Jan. 24, according to a press release. “Club members and local floral professionals will create floral arrangements inspired by works of art and craft on display during Kimball Jenkins’ January art exhibition. [The show] will coincide with Intown Concord‘s Winter Festival,” the release said. For information about participating, see concordgardenclubnh.com.

Celebrate the life of Rob Reiner with a screening of one of his directorial gems, 1989’s When Harry Met Sally…, on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 10 a.m. at Red River Theatres in Concord. See redrivertheatres.org for tickets.

Andrew Pinard brings his Discovering Magic with Andrew Pinard show to New Hampshire Theatre Project, 959 Islington St. in Portsmouth, nhtheatreproject.org/onstagenow, on Friday, Dec. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 27, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 28, at 2:30 p.m., according to a press release. Tickets cost $32 general admission, $28 for seniors and students, according to the website.

Goffstown First Night: Rockin’ New Year’s Eve Celebration takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 31, from 6 to 9 p.m. downtown in the village, according to goffstownmainstreet.org/goffstown-first-night. The “fun-filled, family-friendly celebration” will feature a winter wonderland with princesses and other characters for photos, hands-on activities, music, a New Year’s Eve ball drop every hour on the hour and more, the website said.

Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester, mosaicartcollective.com, is inviting local artists to submit work for its next show, “Peaceful Rebellion,” which opens Wednesday, Jan. 28, according to the December newsletter. “This open call is for works that celebrate the act of art making and the awareness and solace it provides us,” the newsletter said. See the website for details; the deadline is Jan. 14.

Music first

Riley’s Place rocks Milford

Riley’s Place opened in early 2022 as a comfort food restaurant that featured live music. As its fourth anniversary neared, co-owner Kimberley King began to realize that entertainment has become the main course. There’s something happening on stage every day it’s open, along with multiple shows on many weekend days.

Located on the first floor of a house built in 1757 by early Milford settler John Shepard, Riley’s Place has naturally good acoustics, but when Doug Danskin walked in for the first time, shortly after opening day, there was a home stereo behind the musicians. The veteran sound man saw a chance to help.

The timing couldn’t have been better, as Danskin had recently packed up a studio’s worth of equipment when the building he’d been working in changed hands. Might Riley’s Place be interested in using it? “Yes,” King replied enthusiastically. He’s been behind the mixing board ever since, as its popularity among musicians has grown.

Enough performers praised Riley’s superlative sound that it gave King an epiphany.

“We’re a music venue that has great comfort food, not a comfort food place with music,” she said as local blues rockers Blūz Chile got ready to perform on a recent Friday night, adding that she’s decided to rebrand it as such.

In 2026 she’ll make a leap of faith similar to the one that made her decide to enter the restaurant business. Riley’s Place will begin to host ticketed events in the coming year. The lineup is mostly booked through next fall and includes tributes to David Bowie, Steve Miller, Fleetwood Mac, The Allman Brothers and The Rolling Stones.

The menu too will look like a classic rock playlist, with a country touch. Their maple bourbon burger will be newly named after Chris Stapleton, with a writeup that reads like a record review. Led Zeppelin’s Bourbon Thunder steak tips “that hit like a guitar solo” will be introduced. Yes, both Stapleton and Zep are among next year’s tribute acts.

The American BLT, “full of heartland, bacon crunch,” will honor Tom Petty, and their signature prime rib sandwich with horseradish sauce “stinging like a Jersey wind” will be dubbed The Boss, a tasty salute to Bruce Springsteen, served with a side of onion rings. It’s all part of a full-circle moment for King.

“Music gets you through life; it’s just always been that way with me.” she said. “When I opened here, I wanted it to be a place where musicians love to come and play, where everyday blue-collar people would come for comfort food and just feel safe, happy and secure.”

In front of a wall hanging designed by King showing her favorite instrument, a saxophone, the music continues. There are two open mic nights, on Wednesdays and Thursdays; a drum kit was added not too long ago. Live bands appear on Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays, afternoon blues happen, hosted by a rotating lineup of four musicians.

There are also special events, like a Christmas show hosted by Jordan Quinn at 5 p.m. on Dec. 20, ahead of an evening set from the Straight A’s. An In The Round song swap with Eric LaMarche, Carol Townsend, Lily Soleil and Jimbo Labelle is set for the day after Christmas, and on New Year’s Eve, it’s a rare show from area favorites Aces & Eights.

King named Riley’s Place after her granddaughter, now 4 years old.

“She takes over when she comes in,” King said. “She loves to dance when the music’s playing.” She calls the outdoor patio Oakley’s Place, for her other granddaughter, who’s 2.

Asked to name a high point for the business she co-founded with her ex-husband — “weird, I know, but it’s working,” it says on their web page — she can’t pick a moment. Rather, it’s a before-and-after picture in her mind of the place she once managed in her younger days, when it was a tavern called the Colonel Shepard House.

“I remember what it looked like when it was so empty, and I think of everything we’ve done in just three and a half years. I think that’s my high point. Not everybody lives their dream. I can tell my daughter that if I die tomorrow, at least I can say that I lived my dream.”

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

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