Category: Featured Content

Where to bid farewell to 2024

New Year’s Eve parties with music, dancing and more

By Michael Witthaus

[email protected]

There are many ways to mark year’s end and ring in 2025, from an early dinner with music to a full-scale bash that ends with confetti blasts at midnight. Here’s a list of options available.

815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, eventbrite.com) 8 p.m. $140 — Rodeo Ball is this year’s theme, with cowboy boots, fringe, and bedazzled attire encouraged for a night filled with music, passed hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, Siren of the Circle burlesque, Magic by Benjamin, unlimited photobooth and more.

Alan’s (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631) 8 p.m. $30 — Freddie Partridge Band plays dance music, preceded by a special NYE menu.

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 4 (797 Court St., Keene, 352-9703) 7 p.m. $25 — 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) 7:30 p.m. $10 — Aunt Peg Band plays the hits at this party. Bring an appetizer to share; pizza will be served.

American Legion Post 6 (96 Islington St., Portsmouth, 436-7575) 8 p.m. — Karaoke with DJ Darlene.

American Legion Post 8 (640 Central Ave., Dover, 742-9710) 8 p.m. — Live music by Dancing Madly Backwards, full bar, food and snacks, dance floor.

Artisan Hotel at Tuscan Village (17 Via Toscana, Salem, tuscanbrands.com) 6 p.m. $300 — Four-course dinner with Pear Burrata Salad, Surf & Turf and Chocolate Espresso Torte for dessert, followed by Dueling Pianos with The Flying Ivories, dinner kicks off at 7 p.m. (seating begins at 6 p.m.).

Ash Cigar Lounge (92 Route 125, Kingston, eventbrite.com) 7 p.m. $50 — Red Carpet Hollywood Glam New Year’s Eve Celebration with Frank Sinatra tribute singer, cigar specials and midnight toast. Dress code: Hollywood Glam — red carpet elegance encouraged.

Ashworth by the Sea (295 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 926-6762) 8 p.m. $30 and up — Choose the laid-back Breakers Party or get dolled up for the Masquerade Gala with plated surf & turf dinner.

Auspicious Brew (2 Washington St., Dover, 953-7240) 9 p.m. $15 at the door — all-ages house party with Citizen Kane and Liz Ridgely. Vinyl sets, dance hits, performance art and a community ritual to mark the end of the year.

Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, exploretock.com) 7 p.m. $89 — Celebrate the new year on Brazil Time with a complimentary wine pairing and five-course Brazilian dinner.

Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, eventbrite.com) 8 p.m. $50-$70 — Moulin Rouge meets Bourbon Street as the Catnip Junkies perform in the lounge while DJ BegBlack spins a range of hits. Aerialists, drag performers, and a confetti blast at midnight.

Belknap Mill (25 Beacon St., Laconia, 524-8813) 8 p.m. $201 per pair — Mayor’s Ball to support Belknap Mill with speakeasy theme, hors d’oeuvres, music, dancing and open bar.

Birch on Elm (968 Elm St., Manchester, eventbrite.com) 7:30 p.m. $200 — an evening of elegant indulgence with unlimited hors d’oeuvres, raw bar, two drinks and bubbly when the ball drops.

BLEND603 (82 Fleet St., Portsmouth, eventbrite.com) 7 and 9 p.m. $30 — Underground Comedy Club has two shows, each with a Champagne toast.

Brickhouse Restaurant & Brewery (241 Union Square, Milford, 672-2270) 7 p.m. — Recently reopened with a new name and theme, with beloved cover band The Slakas welcoming the new year.

Bridgewater Inn (367 Mayhew Turnpike, Bridgewater, 744-3518) 8 p.m. — Classic rock band Horsepower performs downstairs, with DJ Di upstairs spinning all night long. $55 per person includes buffet (8:30-10:30 p.m.) and party; hats and tiaras, noisemakers, beads and Champagne toast.

Buckey’s (240 Governor Wentworth Hwy., Moultonborough, 476-5485) 9 p.m. — The tradition continues with the Red Hat Band performing.

Cercle National Club (550 Rockland Ave., Manchester, 623-8243) 7:30 p.m. — Potluck dinner and appetizers with Mixtape Heroez playing rock covers at this members club. Champagne at midnight.

Chop Shop (920 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 760-7706) 6:30 p.m. — The AC/DC Experience tribute band performs at this party.

Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 232-4794) 7 p.m. $30 — at 7:30 and 9 p.m. it’s a comedy show starring Steve Scarfo, Kyle Crawford and Dan Crohn. Separately, there’s a drag show hosted by Karisma & Larissa Montes at 10 p.m. for $30.

City Hall Pub (8 Hanover St., Manchester) 8 p.m. Party with The Trio.

Common Man (88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088) 6 p.m. — Singer-songwriter Karen Grenier performs an early set.

Copper Door (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677) 3 p.m. — Clint Lapointe plays from 4 to 7 p.m., and the restaurant stays open until 11 p.m., with a special menu: two-course $76, three-course $86 and four-course $96.

Copper Door (42 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033) 3 p.m. — Jodee Frawlee plays from 4 to 7 p.m., and the restaurant stays open until 11 a.m., with a special menu: two-course $76, three-course $86 and four-course $96.

Derryfield (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880) 7 p.m. $30 — 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.

Doubletree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester, headlinersnh.com) 6 p.m. $35 and up — Headliners Comedy with Will Noonan, Dan Crohn, Amy Tee, Tim McKeever, Annie Powell, Joe Espi and Dave Decker, also separate Dueling Pianos show, dinner/hotel packages available at headlinersnh.com.

Eagles Club (36 S. Main St., Concord, 228-8922) 8 p.m. — Dave Graham performs, prime rib $15 per person and chicken cordon bleu $12 per person, full bar, 50/50 raffle.

East Side Club (786 Massabesic St., Manchester, 669-1802) 9 p.m. — NYE party with DJ Keith.

Flying Monkey Movie House (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551) 7:30 p.m. $35 and up — Cathedral offers the only tribute to Van Halen that performs both Roth & Hagar material in their setlist.

Fratello’s (155 Dow St., Manchester, 624-2022) 5:30 p.m. — Tim Kierstead plays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Governors Inn Hotel & Restaurant (76 Wakefield Road, Rochester, 332-0107) 8 p.m. $95 includes four-course dinner with prime rib buffet, along with dancing to classic rock and pop cover band Bad Penny.

Gusto (18 Main St., Center Harbor, eventbrite.com) 5:30 p.m. $25 and $45 — Italian dinner includes wild boar, pappardelle and filet mignon with a dessert buffet and glass of Moscato to close the night. Ring in the new year early live from Italy.

Hen House (85 S. Main St., Newton, 382-1705) 9 p.m. — New Year’s Eve Bash w/ Stumpy Joe Band again hosting the party, along with Diamond Edge and The Moonlighters.

Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery (72 Main St., Meredith, eventbrite.com) 7 p.m. $95 and up — begin with passed appetizers, then enjoy jazz singer Ashley Warwick, accompanied by Paul Bourgeois, CJ Poole and Rick Erwin.

Homestead (641 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-2022) 5:30 p.m. — Jeff Mrozek performs.

Kama Fly Fitness (250 S. Commercial St., Suite 3007, Manchester, eventbrite.com) 6:30 p.m. — New Year’s Eve ceremony and sound bath to begin the new year with clarity, purpose and peace.

Keys Piano Bar (1087 Elm St., Manchester, 836-7796) 7 p.m. $50 — Sequin Party with DJ music, on-stage dance and limbo contests, karaoke and other games. Ticket includes two premium drinks, hors d’oeuvres and a Champagne toast at midnight.

L Street Tavern (17 L St., Hampton, 967-4777) 9 p.m. — There’s a party here, but details aren’t available.

LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898) 9 p.m. $120 — three-course plated dinner, followed by dance music from Freese Brothers Big Band, in its 42nd year of keeping the sounds of swing and classic Big Band music alive.

Lakeport Opera House (781 Union Ave., Laconia, 519-7506) 7:30 p.m. $20 — Eric Grant Band plays top 40 hits, themed cocktails and midnight ball drop.

Loon Mountain (60 Loon Mountain Road, Lincoln, 745-8111) 6 p.m. $40 — Grateful Dead tribute band Alligator Wine hosts this party, with hors d’oeuvres and a midnight toast included.

Lynn’s 102 Tavern (76 Derry Road, Hudson, 943-7832) 8 p.m. — Rock Junk the stage with special guests Ken Stiles and Bill Janiero.

Martingale Wharf (99 Bow St., Suite W, Portsmouth, 431-0901) 6 p.m. $20 special event fee for reservations after 8 p.m. as Michael Troy Trio and special three-course NYE menu served and late night bar food from 10 p.m. to midnight.

McCue’s Comedy Club (580 Route 1 Bypass, Portsmouth, portsmouthnhtickets.com) 8 p.m. $30 -— Standup from Nick Gordon, Sara Poulin, Liam Hales and Jack Lynch.

Murphy’s Taproom & Carriage House (393 Route 101, Bedford, eventbrite.com) 8 p.m. $40 — Comedy show with Mark Riley, Jody Sloane, Bill Douglas and Jolanda Logan.

Murphy’s Taproom (494 Elm St., Manchester, scampscomedy.com) 10 p.m. $30 — Comedy show in the back room with Eric Hurst, Klia Ververidis, Bryan Muenzer and Tyler Hittner.

Music Hall Loft (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 433-3100) 7:30 p.m. $42 and up — After outdoor First Night festivities, high-energy string band Rockspring performs, with a midnight Champagne toast.

Nan King Restaurant (222 Central St., Hudson, 882-1911) 5 and 8 p.m. Patty’s Energizer Karaoke rings in the new year. Have dinner and sing your favorite song.

Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, etix.com) 7 p.m. $39 — Juston McKinney’s Year in Review returns to bid a laughing farewell to 2024.

Nova Arts/Brewbakers Café (48 Emerald St., Keene, eventbrite.com) 3 p.m. $20 — Hug The Dog, a four-piece Granite State band, plays a unique fusion of indie rock, soul and lyrical rock.

Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588) 6 p.m. Recycled Percussion is again home for the holidays. Ring in 2025 with junk rock — two shows, 3 and 7 p.m.

Pats Peak Ski Area (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 728-7732) 7 p.m. — 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.

Pembroke Pines Country Club (42 Whittemore Road, Pembroke, eventbrite.com) 9 p.m. $125 — live music from Taylor Hughes, laughter with comedians from Mike’s Comedy Club.

Penuche’s Ale House (9 Pleasant St., Concord) 8 p.m. $10 at the door — Power pop from Donaher, with New Norde, Lovewell and Jay the Barber.

Portsmouth Gas Light (64 Market St., Portsmouth, 430-9122) 9 p.m. $50 and up — Midnight Masquerade party on the third floor, passed hors d’oeuvres, Champagne toast, late night buffet, giveaways, with VIP packages available.

Press Room (77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, 431-5186) 8:30 p.m. $20 and up — New Year’s Eve Ski Party w/ DJ Chad Banks, D-Rowe Beatz & DJ Tuggboat.

Red’s Kitchen & Tavern (530 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 760-0030) 8 p.m. Masquerade party with live music from DNA.

Remix Skate Center (725 Huse Road, Manchester, skateremix.com) 8 p.m. $30 — all-ages party hosted by DJ Darrey Roy, with unlimited skating, swag bags, bar specials and confetti countdown.

Revo Casino (1279 S. Willow St., Manchester, revocasino.com) 9 p.m. — George Cox hosts karaoke, with free party favors and a Champagne toast at midnight, late night menu, casino open until 4 a.m.

Revo Casino (887b Central Ave., Dover, revocasino.com) 7:30 p.m. — Madhouse Party Band performs.

Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588) 8 p.m. $30 — Comedian Jimmy Dunn takes the stage for end-of-year laughs.

Rockingham Ballroom (22 Ash Swamp Road, Newmarket, eventbrite.com) 9 p.m. $40 — With a theme of Fantasy Formal, it’s dancing all night on the area’s largest dance floor. DJ host Johnny B Groovy and Soul Sister Pam. Party favors, healthy late-night food and dessert table, midnight glass of Champagne.

Rooftop at The Envio (299 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, eventbrite.com) 8 p.m. $110 — ticket 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. DJ Darwin Almonte from Get Down Tonight Entertainment will be on hand to keep you dancing all night long.

Rumors Sports Bar & Bowling (22 N. Main St., Newmarket, eventbrite.com) 8 p.m. $10 — Multiple live performances, pizza, calzones and snacks, midnight toast.

Saddle Up Saloon (92 Route 125, Kingston, 369-6962) 9 p.m. $80 — three-course dinner included (6 and 7:30 seatings) at this event, with All That ’90s playing memorable hits and a pizza buffet as midnight approaches.

Salt hill Pub Lebanon (2 West Park St., Lebanon, 448-4532) 9 p.m. $10 — The Gully Boys, local legends playing the music of the Grateful Dead, Little Feat, Phish and other legendary acts.

Salt hill Pub Newport (58 Main St., Newport, 863-7774) 10 p.m. — 19th annual NYE party with the Loonz playing classic rock.

Sawtooth Kitchen (33 South Main St., Hanover, toasttab.com) 8 p.m. $15 — psychedelic debauchery from Canopy, ticket includes a Champagne toast at midnight.

Shaskeen (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246) 6 p.m. $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).

Sheraton Hotel (2 Somerset Parkway, Nashua, eventbrite.com) 9 p.m. $60 and up — Dueling Pianos provide entertainment with NY strip steak or roasted farm chicken dinner, one of two big events presented by Headliners Comedy Club.

Side Bar (845 Lafayette Road, Hampton, thecommunityoven.com) 6:30 p.m. $10, $15 at the door — live DJ, Champagne toast, all-night drink specials at this party.

Sky Meadow Country Club (6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, headlinersnh.com) 7 p.m. $25 — Bash in the Grotto with a la carte food and complimentary Champagne toast.

Smitty’s Cinema (630 W. Main St., Tilton, smittyscinema.com) 9 p.m. $20 — comedy show starring Rodney Norman.

Soho Bistro (20 Old Granite St., Manchester, 222-1677) 6 p.m. $10 — masquerade ball at this downtown spot.

South Church UUC (292 State St., Portsmouth, portsmouthnhtickets.com) 6 p.m. $25 — Last Blast NYE concert with The Reconstructed and Natalia Rothwell.

Stone Church (5 Granite St., Newmarket, 659-7700) 7 p.m. $50 — Neighbor closes out a three-night run with a NYE party.

Stoned Wall Bar & Grill (37 Manchester St., Manchester, eventbrite.com) 8 p.m. $50 ticket includes two drink tickets, glass for midnight toast, appetizers at this New Year’s Eve party. $20 cover after 8 p.m.

Strand Ballroom (20 Third St., Dover, 343-1899) 6 p.m. $45 and up — Comedy with Scott Marcoux, followed by The Dancing Yetis playing classic rock, blues, funk and disco, with finger foods and midnight toast.

Sweeney Post #2 (251 Maple St., Manchester) 7:30 p.m. — Live music from Stray Dogs, with a potluck dinner, so bring an app, favorite dish or dessert to share.

Tenney Mountain Ski Resort (151 Tenney Mountain Road, Plymouth, 238-9567) 9 p.m. $90 — Charcuterie station at 6 p.m., buffet with carving station from 7 to 9 p.m. Fireworks show with DJ entertainment and dancing starts at 8 p.m. Party favors and Champagne toast included, with the 2025 countdown ball drop playing live from Times Square! Cash bar.

The Brook Casino (319 New Zealand Road, Seabrook, eventbrite.com) 9 p.m. $40 and up — Ring in the new year with Doug Ferony and the best of Frank Sinatra.

The Goat MHT (50 Old Granite St., Manchester, 603-4628) 5:30 p.m. NYE Party with Seven Day Weekend is reprised.

Thirsty Moose (21 Congress St., Portsmouth, 427-8645) 8 p.m. Woodland Protocol performs downstairs with DJ Millzy spinning upstairs.

Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100) noon — Adam Ezra Group and opening duo dynamo Sirsy play with a four-course dinner at 5:30 p.m. for $95; 9 p.m. show only is $45, and all tickets include a Champagne toast.

Tuscan Market & Village (9 Via Toscana, Salem, tuscanbrands.com) 9 p.m. — Ring in the new year at The Veranda with a DJ, exclusive views of the midnight fireworks show, and special featured entertainment.

Twins Smoke Shop (80 Perkins Road, Londonderry, 421-0242) 8 p.m. — Welcome the new year with cigars and cocktails in the shop’s 7-20-4 Lounge.

Wally’s Pub (144 Ashworth Ave., Hampton, 926-6954) 7:30 p.m. — Fast Times plays music from the 1980s.

Winona Social Club (168 Manchester St., Manchester, 623-9248) 8:30 p.m. — Music from DJ Joe with potluck food and Jell-o shots.

WSCA Radio (909 Islington St., Suite 1, Portsmouth, 430-9722) 8:30 p.m. $45 — NYE with Adrienne Mack-Davis, 32 French, Sound Around Us, DJ Skooch, & DJ Mam, includes food, Champagne toast 21+.

Looking back and forward

Recalling 2024, and looking ahead to next year

By Michael Witthaus

[email protected]

New Hampshire’s music and comedy scene had a robust year. From start to finish, here are some of the highlights, along with some sad notes, followed by a peek at the year ahead.

In January, blues singer Bobby Rush came to Concord’s BNH Stage for a concert. At 91 years old, Rush is a one-man rebuttal to ageism. He got his start as a thigh- and chest-slapping hambone performer, and the first record he released was a 78 RPM shellac disc.

The vibe continued in February at Manchester’s Rex Theatre, as the annual Winter Blues Festival featured local harmonica player and singer Nick David’s band celebrating a new album with support from some of his Texas label’s other acts. Over in Portsmouth, embattled comic Kathy Griffin played the Music Hall in Portsmouth.

Blending elements of alt-country and harmony-rich classic rock, Slim Volume brought a breath of fresh air to the local music scene, releasing a trio of EPs and playing listening room shows like one in early March at The Livery in Sunapee. On St. Patrick’s Day the rousing Rebel Collective inclusively played Celtic rock in an Italian restaurant.

Four days later, Mike Koutrobis filmed a special at Nashua’s Center for the Arts, a high point for the hometown comic.

The laughs continued in April as Daniel Sloss brought his edgy act to Laconia’s Colonial Theatre. Few can challenge an audience like the British comedian.

Carole King’s Beautiful ran through most of May at Manchester’s Palace Theatre, continuing a year-long theme, musicals centered on pop and the classic rock era. The Palace also had the ABBA/Disco revue Dancing Queens in January and the gritty Jersey Boys (also done by two other theater companies) in November.

Bike Week roared back to the Lakes Region, along with music, as karate-kicking blues rocker James Montgomery’s band played during the June event. The summer shed season got in gear at Bank of NH Pavilion, highlighted by Hootie & the Blowfish and Collective Soul bringing a ’90s vibe.

Badfish played its traditional Fourth of July concert at Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach. In the wake of a Sublime reunion at Coachella, they’re mixing more original songs into the tribute act. Nantucket comic Brian Glowacki brought standup to Beans & Greens in Gilford for the first time.

Yoga, sustainability and music returned to Hillsborough in August as the Barefoot Festival’s second iteration happened. Jimmy Dunn’s Hampton Beach Comedy Festival is in its second decade; Dunn hung with his comedian pals and also celebrated his second season with the Frasier reboot.

Triptych, a collaboration between guitarist Stephane Wrembel and pianist Jean-Michel Pilc, brought instrumental mastery to UNH in September, while percussive guitarist Senie Hunt played acoustic and electric tunes on a short tour and then headed back to Nashville.

In October, Everclear sold out the Music Hall with fellow ’90s stars Marcy Playground and Jimmy’s Chicken Shack, and Todd Rundgren explained why he’s indifferent to his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame prior to a Nashua show. Hell Beach made one of the year’s best albums, Beachworld, and played it during a raucous Shaskeen show.

November began with Beatles disciple Moon Walker at BNH Stage and continued with Willie Nile rocking the Rex while showing that he’s every musician’s favorite musician for a reason. A year to the day after he headlined Nashua Center for the Arts for the first time, Drew Dunn was back. Later, the Nashua native hit the road with Dane Cook — again, again.

“I have learned a lot watching and working with Dane over the past few years,” Dunn wrote on Facebook. “I am feeling more inspired and motivated than ever in this comedy pursuit. We always have a great time on tour, and I am lucky to call a guy I grew up listening to my friend.”

December began with a reminder of New Hampshire’s wealth of talent, as the winners of a talent contest sponsored by New Hampshire Music Collective performed a showcase at BNH Stage. The venue was good to NHMC all year long, with a few sold-out shows and regular crowds for its monthly series in the venue’s lounge.

Overall highlights in 2024 included the opening of Pembroke City Limits, a listening room, bar and restaurant launched by music maven Rob Azevedo. Six months in, it’s doing great. “We have been blown away by the response,” Azevedo said in December, “Not only to the incredible talented musicians, but our dedicated audiences have exceeded our expectations.”

Another new venue on the scene is Milk Street Studio in Dover, launched by musician and entrepreneur Kurt Eddins, with help from reggae guitarist/songwriter Sebastian Franks and custom guitar builder John Ayer. Shows began there during the summer and several are scheduled in the New Year.

Finally, the regional music community was stunned by the death of Brooks Young at age 42. The blues rock guitarist was in the middle of a string of successes, including tours with George Thorogood, Sammy Hagar and other rock greats, when his car was hit head-on in Alton on the morning of Nov. 8.

In other sad music news, beloved singer/songwriter Dave Mallett passed away on Dec. 17; he was 73. The Maine native performed regularly in New Hampshire. His “Garden Song (Inch By Inch)” was covered by Peter, Paul & Mary and Pete Seeger. Marty Stuart, Kathy Mattea, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, and Hal Ketchum also recorded his songs.

Pop-you-lar

A look at 2024 at the movies

I was sort of bummed out about the whole movie-going experience in 2024 and then I saw Wicked.

I’m not a Wicked person, in the sense of owning the cast album or having seen a stage production. And has there been too much Wicked everywhere with everything? Yes, totally. But this candy-colored musical brought something I felt was generally lacking in 2024: a fun time at the movies. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are a great team — both are solid with the songs, have good chemistry as an enemies-to-friends duo and are good at the tone of this fairy tale with darkness around the edges. It’s a long movie but doesn’t feel like a slog and it is worth putting on your shoes and silencing your phones to see this in a theater, where the colors and whimsy will get their proper scale. With the numbers of local movie screens dropping in 2024 (RIP to Chunky’s theaters in Nashua and Pelham, Regal in Concord and AMC in Londonderry), it was good to feel excited about being in a theater. Wicked, which is still in theaters, will get a release of a special sing-along version on Dec. 25.

But Wicked wasn’t the only thing making me feel upbeat about movies.

• The “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” Award for making me feel positive things about a superhero franchise: That would go to Deadpool + Wolverine (for rent and streaming on Disney+). If I think about the whole Ryan Reynolds thing or watch extended trailers for this movie, I feel sort of exhausted. But in the midst of the movie, watching Deadpool and Wolverine/Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, both just so game, I kind of couldn’t help having fun. Also, I enjoyed the goofy 20th Century Studios-Marvel cameos and how that universe was egg-white-foam folded into the Marvel Cinematic Universe proper. I even had a moment of “aw, cute” during the credits, which used the aforementioned song, to give that world its sendoff.

• The exact right kind of dumb: Recently, I watched Carry-On, a Netflix movie seemingly going for low-budget Die Hard. It was perfect — wheeee! — in the way that only an action movie that doesn’t take itself seriously but also doesn’t goof off can be. The Beekeeper (rent, purchase and on MGM+) is similarly such a movie. It stars Jason Statham saying “I protect the hive” a bazillion times as he punches dudes who stole money from the nice Phylicia Rashad, who was letting him live on her farm (keeping bees, it’s a whole theme with him). Did you have a tough week? Pour yourself a tall glass of The Beekeeper.

• Also fun: “Sexy tennis” was not a thing I ever thought or thought I needed in my life but then I saw Challengers (rent, purchase, Prime Video and MGM+), which is soapy silly fun with the trio of Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor.

• The M3gan Award for funniest horror: Abigail (rent, purchase and Prime Video) features a bunch of random criminals brought together in a creepy old house to do the simple job of kidnapping one little girl and keeping her alive and unharmed until her father pays the ransom. The trailer gives away both what will make this a challenge and a hoot.

• This horror movie has no stakes! (complimentary): I did not have high hopes for A Quiet Place: Day One(rent, purchase, Paramount+ and MGM+); the trailer doesn’t give you much and it’s not really a story plugged into the main Quiet Place universe. But as we get to know Lupita Nyong’o’s character the movie becomes a whole unexpected thing, with a whole different approach to what counts as stakes and what the big bad truly is. It’s great! Very much not what you expect from a prequel/sidequel.

• Horror movies doing a thing: These streamers might not work as big-budget, big-screen outings but I feel like the scale of TV allows them to focus on one element of their horror-ness and really amp it up. Woman of the Hour (streaming on Netflix), directed by and starring Anna Kendrick, is scary not for anything specific that happens in the movie but for the way it perfectly captures the “how do I keep this man at a bar/job interview/dark parking lot/apartment common area from killing me” anxiety of women in so many circumstances. Hold Your Breath(Hulu/Disney+) is set during the Dust Bowl but it has real pandemic-era vibes with how danger is in the air and how that plays with the mind of a woman who has already lost one child and is trying to protect the other three. Don’t Move (Netflix) is a suspenseful movie about survival. House of Spoils (Prime Video) has Ariana DeBose maybe going mad from the haunted house where she is trying to start up a trendoid fine dining restaurant or maybe the toxic chef culture or maybe it’s the strange greens from the garden possibly planted by a witch? Either way, it’s a fun time of a horror movie that kind of morphs into something else.

• Character-forward: Lily Gladstone in Fancy Dance(Apple TV+), Joan Chen and Izaac Wang in Didi(rent, purchase and Peacock), Danielle Deadwyler and John David Washington in The Piano Lesson (Netflix), and everybody in Rez Ball (Netflix) andThelma(rent, purchase and Hulu/Disney+) turn in great performances in solid movies that all blend comedy and drama, family relationships and people trying to figure out who they are now.

• Honorable character mentions: Wobbly movies can still have barnburning performances. Check out Jodie Comer going big with the hair and the accent work in The Bikeriders(Prime Video, rent or purchase). Kerry Washington (and the real life story) wins you over despite some shakiness in The Six Triple Eight (Netflix). Chris Hemsworth feels like the only person really having fun with the sandy craziness of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga(Max, rent or purchase). But the “making his own fun, baby!” prize for this year truly goes to Denzel Washington in Gladiator II (in theaters).

• Animation! The Wild Robot(for purchase) is full of animal hijinks and it’s a tear-jerking look at parenthood — plus so lovely! Transformers One (rent, purchase and Paramount+) is a neat prequel of the Transformers universe we know and also a clever story about the ways people (er, transforming robots) respond to injustice. Big City Greens The Movie: Spacecation (for purchase and on Disney+) is a sweet story about family and it’s a musical and it’s in space and it has an early The Simpsons level of high joke density. Inside Out 2 (Disney+ and rent) mostly avoids the lessening effects of a sequel and turns in a really interesting look at what happens when anxiety (and Anxiety, as voiced by Maya Hawke) takes the wheel.

• The Once Upon a 1980s Time at the Movies Nostalgia Award: Kevin Smith gives us his The Fabelmans withThe 4:30 Movie (rent or purchase), a very cute riff on the filmmaker as a young goofus.

• The usual caveats: There are, as always, like a whole slew of late season movies I haven’t seen yet — in theaters now Flow and Mustafa: The Lion King; Christmas Day releases Nosferatu, A Complete Unknown, Babygirl and The Fire Inside; Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Netflix on Jan. 3); thus-far only limited release films like Nickel Boys, Nightbitch, The Return, The Brutalist, September 5 and now-harder to find movies like A Real Pain (Forbes.com reported it should be on VOD on Dec. 31). There are several awards attention-garnering movies that we can all catch up on now — Anora (rent or purchase), Emilia Pérez (Netflix), Memoir of a Snail (rent or purchase), Heretic (rent or purchase), We Live in Time (rent or purchase), Maria (Netflix), and Here (rent or purchase).

• Real world: Martha Stewart would be a fun person to three-martini-lunch with, is my takeaway from Martha (Netflix), her documentary where she offers crisp observations about everything from her romances to her legal woes. In Will & Harper (Netflix) longtime friends and comedy co-conspirators Will Ferrell and Harper Steele road trip across America in this documentary about friendship, the never-ending journey of figuring yourself out and Harper’s desire to travel to the middle America places she’s always loved and see if, as she says, they will love her back now that she’s out as trans. The song about friendship Kristen Wiig sings at the end might actually be one of the sweetest things in movies this year. In Piece by Piece (purchase), Pharrell Williams not only tells his life story but also is able to illustrate his relationship with music via the use of Lego animation.

• Just some really great movies: In Janet Planet (Max, rent and purchase) Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler are an unconventional but loving mother-daughter pair. In My Old Ass (Prime Video), an 18-year-old Maisy Stella meets her 39-year-old Aubrey Plaza-self with bittersweet passage of time and yet very funny results. The Substance (Mubi, rent or purchase) features a very good Demi Moore performance and a very funny bit of body horror about beauty standards. His Three Daughters (Netflix) features absolute top-shelf performances by Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen and Carrie Coon as three sisters gathered for their father’s final moments — but it’s funny and smart and a well-crafted story about family and grief. And then there’s Conclave (Peacock and for purchase), just an absolute delight about clashing ambitions at a Vatican gathering to pick a new pope.

Hopeful about 2025

All dates extremely approximate.

• Dog Man (Jan. 31) Dav Pilkey’s books are a treat. My kids are excited for this movie — and I agree!

• Love Hurts (Feb. 7) Ke Huy Quan plays a former criminal enforcer turned mild-mannered real estate agent.

• Black Bag (March 14) Steven Soderbergh gives us sexy spies Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett.

• Mickey 17 (April 18) Bong Joon Ho’s new movie features a promising cast — Robert Pattinson, Toni Collete, Mark Ruffalo, Steven Yeun — and a goofy-fun sci-fi premise.

• Thunderbolts* (May 2) I can’t help it — Marvel’s kickoff to summer featuring Florence Pugh and David Harbour in their Black Widow characters looks like it has the potential to be scruffy fun.

• 28 Years Later (June 20) That trailer, featuring Rudyard Kipling’s poem “Boots,” is creepy-great. I am officially excited for the third of Danny Boyle’s zombie movies.

Chicken and smashburgers

The food crowd discusses the yummiest parts of 2024

I asked area food professionals to look back at 2024 (in terms of the best thing they ate all year) and look ahead at 2025.

• Emma Stetson, owner, Wine on Main, 9 N. Main St., Concord, 897-5828, wineonmainnh.com: “The best thing I drank was a bottle of Kistler Sonoma Coast ‘Les Noisetiers’ Chardonnay. … [T]hey only make about 300-400 barrels of it each year. It’s perfectly round and creamy with flavors of ripe green apple, citrus, and hints of baking spice. The best thing I ate was all of the fresh seafood in Northern Portugal! We visited for a week this summer.

“I’m most looking forward to getting new wines from Quinta Nova, an estate in Portugal that we visited this past August. …”

• Julie Lapham, CEO and co-founder of Popzup Popcorn (Canal Street Mill, 22 Canal St., Suite 358, Somersworth, 314-8314, popzup.com): “The best thing I ate last year was the Wild Mushroom Toast at the Carriage House Restaurant [in Rye]. In 2025, we are really looking forward to our new 70-calorie-size popcorn snack bag in Butter Me Up and Cheddar Head flavors.

• Angie Lane, Director of Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org): “I love the Crown Tavern and I love their fries. And they have really great pizza. But if I’m staying in Concord, I think the overall best thing I had this year was this really great fish dish at Revival Kitchen and Bar, but I think it was a special … The broth was so delicious”

“[In the next year] we’re changing up our concessions a lot, trying to especially carry something for younger kids … it’s really fun to discover what they love, like gummy worms. ”

• Tee Hoang, co-owner, Poké BonBon, 1000 Elm St., Manchester, inside across from Hop Knot, 232-2464, pokebonbon.com: “My favorite new chicken place is USA Chicken and Biscuit [in Manchester]. I go there and just get their chicken wings, just basic chicken wings. They are salty and beautiful. They’re crispy on the outside but so juicy on the inside. They’re the best chicken wing place.”

• Sean Hallinan, co-owner of The Burstin’ Kernel Kettle Corn, facebook.com/theburstinkernel: “I’d have to say the smashburger from the Gravy Train food truck.”

“We actually started a food truck this fall so that will be our next adventure this coming year; it’s called Chew ‘N’ Screw (facebook.com/chwnscw). We have licenses in Manchester and Nashua and we’re getting up and running so that’s kind of our thing.”

• Lin Theth, Chef, Street, 76 N. Main St., Concord, 333-2125, streetfood360.com: “I would say honestly the rice cake on our menu, just because it’s so simple, but the crispiness of the rice is just such a satisfying texture to eat. So you get crispy and chewy…”

plate with round patty of white rice covered in orange sauce with sliced avocado arranged to the side
Crispy Rice Cake at Street. Courtesy photo.

“In 2025, food-wise, I think for myself, I just want to have a little bit more fun with food. I think after Covid a lot of people kind of lost that. I don’t really see too many people in the industry getting as excited as they used to. I’m hoping to find that for myself as well.”

• Richard Tango-Lowy, Master Chocolatier, owner, Dancing Lion Chocolate, 917 Elm St., Manchester, 625-4043, dancinglion.us/cacao: “I would say the Tranquilidad Estate beans … are making insane chocolate. And I was fortunate to be with a gentleman who discovered those wild in the rainforest in Bolivia in 2009 or so. And he tasted it and he said it was the best … that he has ever tasted. It made our hearts warm.”

[“In 2025] I am looking forward to some amazing new cacao beans that we’ve got coming in. There’s a lot of it, really rare. We’re working with a small farm in Vietnam that’s growing heirloom cacao.”

• Mara Witt, owner, Honey Cup Cafe & Tearoom, 150 Bridge St., Manchester, 836-6008, honeycupnh.com: “Our chef Amanda made a waffle out of our day-old croissants. She made a waffle! It was amazing.”

“Next year, I want to try more teas … I’ve been going through my own tea list and I’m starting to really get into the different flavors.”

• Dave Hood, co-owner, Old Boy’s Butcher Shop, 707 Route 101, Merrimack, 699-8014: “The best food has always been Buckley’s Great Steaks [in Merrimack] to me. We always go there on our anniversary and it’s just so meaningful. I always get rib-eyes.”

“[During the next year] I’m hoping for prices to go down. Inflation has been through the roof. Buying wholesale beef is very, very expensive; we’ve got to get thrown a bone somewhere.”

• Stephanie Errett, owner of Dutch Epicure Bakery, 141 Route 101A, Amherst, 879-9400, dutchepicurebakery.com: “…I did have a lavender gin martini. I do not remember where it was from, but I have to say that that was a delicious drink that I really enjoyed and I’ve also tried to recreate numerous times and just haven’t been able to do it. “

“Next year, I’m interested in seeing more herb-infused items. … You have lavender scones now, rosemary things and things like that. I’m always excited to see how we cross over the savory and the sweet sides of everything.”

• Tom and Leah Bellemore, owners of Vine 32 Wine and Graze Bar, Bedford Square, 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 935-8464, vinethirtytwo.com: “What’s fresh now is In Sheep’s Clothing. … It’s a cab [cabernet sauvignon]. … It’s super-smooth; it’s got some like vanilla notes at the end. It’s a ’22 from the Columbia Valley.

“Next year, we’re really looking forward to doing more wine and food pairings.”

• Lauren Collins-Cline, owner of Slightly Crooked Pies, slightlycrookedpies.com: “We had decided to treat ourselves, and we went to Bricco in Boston. My husband and my sister both ordered braised wild boar with pasta. … I ended up picking off both their plates all night.”

“I’m trying to decrease my sugar intake in general, so this next year I want to … get to the point where I look forward to a salad as much as dessert.”

• Michael and Rachel Mack, owners of Loon Chocolate, 195 McGregor St., No. 121, Manchester, 932-8887, loonchocolate.com: “[The best thing I ate last year was] our Maple Crunch Bar. It’s craft chocolate that still reminds you of that homey feeling of the chocolate that you get as a kid, plus it was a collaboration with Ben’s Sugar Shack…”

“[For 2025] I really look forward to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen and the Deerfield Fair. Those two events are always just super fun. In fact, it’s the whole fair season; it’s so quintessentially like New England.”

• Omar Abuzaid, owner, Al Basha Grill, 379 S. Willow St., Manchester, 391-5613, albashamedgrill.com: “Just last week a friend of ours invited us to Surf Restaurant [in Nashua]. It’s the second on the top of their menu. [Lobster Kristina] … It was really good!”

“[In 2025] I’m definitely looking forward to a Moroccan dish, pastilla — a seafood pastilla. My wife makes it but it’s very time-consuming.”

Food trends noted in the past year’s Chef Spotlights

Jillian Bernat, Bar Manager at Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com): “I think gin and agave spirits are still holding strong…”

Emilee Viaud, Executive Pastry Chef of Greenleaf and Ansanm in Milford and Pavilion in Wolfeboro, owner of Sweet Treats by Emilee (facebook.com/EmileesSweetTreats): “Croissants stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough. I haven’t had one yet but hope to get one soon; almost every bakery has jumped on making them.”

Corey Fletcher, Chef and owner of Revival Kitchen and Bar (11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com): “Supporting small/micro producers — from honey, baked goods, coffee roasters, restaurants, for example. Consumers continue to be selective about where their money is spent and they want to support people’s dreams and stories, rather than spending it at chains, etc.”

Andy Day, Chef and owner of Cask & Vine (1 E. Broadway, Derry, 965-3454, cask.life/cask-and-vine): “Scaling back. It’s been weird in the restaurant world for a while, and everyone seems to be trying to deliver the most bang for your dollar, or doubling down on fresh, local at a higher price. Two very different approaches.”

Erika Follansbee, food photographer at Parker Street Food and Travel (715-7027, parker-street.com): “There is an emphasis on authenticity in food photography, which can mean a less staged and not over-styled approach that doesn’t hide imperfections…. ”

Griffin Star, Bartender, 815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, 782-8086, 815nh.com): “There’s been an increase in people who have been hopping on the mocktail train, which has been cool to see. … I have definitely seen bartenders around the state upping the quality and care they put into their mocktails, because everyone deserves to have a good time out.”

Addie Leader-Zavos, Pastry Chef and co-owner ofEden’s Table Farm (240 Stark Highway North, Dunbarton, 774-1811, edenstablefarm.square.site): “I’m really impressed with how New Hampshirites are coming together to improve opportunities for small farms and home-based food businesses right now. Last year HB 119 was passed, making it easier for small farms to have certain types of meat processed locally. … HB 1565 was passed, which makes it possible to sell pickles made in a home kitchen. …This trend of creating more opportunities for people who want to participate in the local food economy really benefits everyone who loves good food, so I hope we’ll see more of it”

Keith Sarasin, chef and cookbook author: “People are seeking out quality restaurants and food. From pizza to Indian, people are seeking to try new things and it is really encouraging. “

Joe Savitch, owner/operator of Creative Kones Food Truck (301-5182, creativekones.com): “Authenticity — and freshness. With so many restaurants cutting back staff in favor of digital tablets and ordering, I see many customers just looking for an authentic interaction and ordering experience. On top of that, they are looking for fresh ingredients. Most customers are interested in hearing where we get our various products — the ice cream, maple syrup, soda, etc.”

Eric Alexander, Chef de Cuisine, Unwined (1 Nashua St., Milford, 213-6703, unwinednh.com) “Hyper-local sourcing is a trend that I am seeing. A lot of restaurants are trying harder to support their local farmers.”

Evan Lang, co-owner/Baker, Dishon Bakery (915 Elm St., Manchester, 600-1773, dishonbakery.com): “There is a big push to use local ingredients here. I see local eggs, meat, dairy and beer in a lot of eateries. I think that’s really commendable”

Denise Nickerson, owner of The Bakeshop on Kelley Street (171 Kelley St., Manchester, 624-3500, thebakeshoponkelleystreet.com): “Doughnuts are one of the biggest food trends that’s been around in New Hampshire. People are getting very excited as we go into the fall flavors of pumpkin, spice and apple cider. “

2025 food events
Here are some food events slated for the new year:

New England Winter Wine Spectacular (nhwineweek.com) The culmination of New Hampshire Wine Week is the New England Winter Wine Spectacular, which features hundreds of wines for tasting. It will take place this year on Thursday Jan. 23.

Steel Chef Challenge (nhfoodbank.org/steelchef) Chef Marcus Samuelsson will return as host on Saturday, March 15, at 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Manchester. The event benefits the New Hampshire Food Bank. Tickets cost $150 general admission, $250 VIP.

Maple Weekend 2025 (nhmapleproducers.com) Visit sugarhouses throughout the state and taste the sweet harvest on Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 16.

Taco Tour (tacotourmanchester.com) This is Manchester’s biggest food event of the year. Tens of thousands of hungry taco fans descend on downtown Manchester each May to eat tacos prepared by local restaurants and businesses.

NH Poutine Fest (nhpoutinefest.com) This event takes place at the Anheuser-Busch Biergarten in Merrimack in October but sign up for their updates to find out when tickets go on sale in the summer as they sell out within hours.

A year of exhibits and performances

Local arts experts talk about 2024 and what’s getting them excited for 2025

Compiled by Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

I asked members of the local arts community what they were most proud of in 2024 and what they were looking forward to in 2025.

• Fallon Rae, co-founder and owner of Pillar Gallery + Projects,205 N. State St., Concord; pillargalleryprojects.com, 657-8111: “We are so proud of our last juried open call exhibition, “NANO’”… where we included over 60 artists and over 100 works of art in our 200-square-foot space…. We worked on showcasing our maximalist curatorial approach with concurrent themes that reflect, express and relate to the larger conversations in artists’ worlds and how they mirror one another….”

“The next exhibition we are excited about is “Currents” (Feb. 9-April 2, with a reception on Feb. 23). This show focuses on contemporary interpretations of the ocean, waterways, and reflections on the changes we are facing as a collective. … Some of the artists include Mary Mead, Jackie Brown and Hannah Perinne Mode, amongst others, with 5 percent of sales going to Blue Ocean Society…”

• Dan Pelletier, Artistic Director, Cue Zero Theatre Company, cztheatre.com:“Personally, most proud work this year had to be our June production William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged). We were blessed with three incredibly talented performers taking on over 12 characters each, a wonderful costumer, a fanatic stage crew, and we created something truly special. We had a rehearsal environment of everyone wanting to give better than their best, and audiences left dying of laughter.”

“Assuming my upcoming wedding doesn’t count as a production, then I’ll have to say my 2025 production which I am most excited for is People Like To Be Scared: an Exploration of Fear. This piece is scheduled Oct. 3 through Oct. 5 and will be our third main stage devised piece. The actors will come into the beginning of the rehearsal process with no script, only a concept of wanting to explore fear from many different angles …”

• Zackery Betty, Artistic Director, NSquared Dance, nsquareddance.org: “NSquared Dance’s The Lavender Scare, June 27 at The Rex Theatre. This was a pinnacle moment to share the story of The Lavender Scare, a mass firing of federal government workers due to their sexual orientation as a threat to America in the 1950s. …We paired with New Hampshire Dance Collaborative and Manchester True Collaborative for this performance.”

“[For 2025,] NSquared Dance’s return to The Rex Theatre on May 4, 2025!”

• Elizabeth “Betsy” Craumer, Creative Ventures Gallery,411 Nashua St., Milford, creativeventuresfineart.com, 672-2500: “The performance I’m most proud of is our ability to get the students into the right class to start or continue their art journey. This includes networking with others in the art field to help with their next step. I’m also proud to help students progress in their artwork.”

“For 2025, I guess my goal is to get a little more involved with town activities …”

• Jen Sakash, Member of the Granite State Choral Society (20 Allen Street, #1431Rochester; gschoralsociety.org): “We are currently celebrating our 50th anniversary of the choir. This December we had our first concert as part of that year-long celebration: “Winter’s Embrace: Celebrating 50 Years of Peace and Joy.” …

“ In the spring (May 2025) we will complete our anniversary year by performing more popular pieces from over the years, such as Broadway show tunes and patriotic pieces.”

• Matt Cahoon, Artistic Director, theatre KAPOW,66 Hanover St., Suite 101, Manchester, tkapow.com: “While 2024 has been a very productive one for theatre KAPOW, I think the show we are most proud of is our September production of Aaron Posner’s play Life Sucks. …Our cast was full of longtime collaborators and that made every rehearsal feel extra friendly and comfortable.”

“I am really excited for Every Brilliant Thing. I love that play and all of Duncan Macmillan’s plays! It’s a one-person show that we will be presenting in February at the BNH Stage and the Winnipesaukee Playhouse. I think it is exciting for theatre KAPOW fans because it is probably the most audience-interactive piece we have ever produced and we are doing it with two of theatre KAPOW’s most stalwart performers, Carey Cahoon and Peter Josephson. …”

• Meme Exum, owner, Glimpse Gallery,Patriot Building, 4 Park St., Concord, theglimpsegallery.com, 892-8307: “Each exhibit is special in its own way so that’s a super hard question to answer. Tied six ways for favorite, of the six shows we had in 2024.

“I’m looking forward to the Feb. 9-March 9 show.”

• Irene Cohen, President, New Hampshire Theatre Alliance,nhtheatrealliance.org: “We had our first Awards show after the pandemic with over 800 people in attendance!”

“We are gearing up for our 20th Anniversary award show for Saturday, Feb. 1!”

• Jason Hackler, manager and co-owner, New Hampshire Antique Co-op,323 Elm St., Milford, nhantiquecoop.com, 673-8499:“So my favorite exhibit of 2024 is this one [‘Light & Brush: Luminous and Tonal Paintings from the 19th Century ​to Present’].”

“In 2025 we are going to be working on an exhibit called ‘Selections 25,’ which will be 25 works that will showcase the curated collection of 25 paintings and sculptures spanning the 19th through 21st century. We believe it’s going to probably launch in June.”

• Amy Fortier, Director, Ballet Misha, 84 Myrtle St., Manchester, balletmisha.com, 668-4196: “Ballet Misha really enjoyed our collaboration with theatre KAPOW last July for an outdoor performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of the Dana Center’s Shakespeare on the Green Series at Saint Anselm College. It is always fun to perform outside, and the performances coincided with a stretch of really lovely summer weather. The experience gave my dancers some unique challenges as some of them had lines, and typically dance is an artform that expresses itself without spoken words. Theatre KAPOW was really great to work with and I loved watching the dancers and actors get increasingly comfortable with each other…”

‘In 2025, Ballet Misha will start its 17th year of bringing professional dance in New Hampshire. We are bringing back our March concert after a one-year hiatus, so I am excited about that. It will be at the Audi in Concord on Saturday, March 29, and I love that theater. “

• Margherita Giacobbi, Executive Director, The Players’ Ring, 105 Marcy St., Portsmouth, playersring.org, 436-8123: “I think the production I will pick as the one that has made us most proud is America America, written and directed by Joan Bigwood. It’s the story of a Colombian house cleaner, Modesta, who enters the life of the wealthy (but dysfunctional) Porter family in Palo Alto and creates an unexpected and all but straightforward friendship with the other female character, Jane Porter…. the playwright realized how critical it was that the play be written in two languages, English and Spanish (as Modesta speaks barely any English and a lot of the misunderstandings, humor and drama indeed come from this linguistic and cultural disconnect), … we embarked in the thrilling experiment of incorporating subtitles in the play, which ended up looking almost like operatic supertitles projected on the walls of the stark and fancy Porters’ house.”

“For 2025 … I am very excited about Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph, running Feb. 28 through March 16.”

• Elizabeth Pieroni, Volunteer Executive Director, Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, Manchester, mosaicartcollective.com, 512-6209: “My favorite show from 2024 is a tie between our ‘Full Circle Speed Of Light’ in September and our Halloween show ‘Spellbound.’ Both of these two shows exceeded my expectations on the quality work that came in and really knocked my socks off from a curatorial perspective. All of the work spoke to each other in such incredible ways.”

“I’m most looking forward to our next show in February, titled ‘Illusions.’ It’s going to be a different show for us in general because it will be art that deals with optical illusions or blacklight reactive glow. But also further out we have a really exciting show planned for the summer called ‘Pallets to Palates’ that I’ve been working on in the wings with John Fladd from the Hippo. It should be a tasty treat for the eyes and the tummy!”

• Amy Regan, owner and operator, See Saw Art, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, Manchester, seesaw.gallery:“In 2024, See Saw Art produced 13 exhibitions, worked with 140 artists and exhibited 668 pieces of art. I am really proud of ‘Heatwave,’ our February 2024 exhibition, which featured both regional and international artists and was a really beautifully installed and interactive exhibition. ‘Group Effort,’ our annual August community-focused open call, … Lastly, ‘Threads,’ our July exhibition focusing on textile artworks, was very well-received and very fun!”

“In 2025, I am excited to continue to produce monthly exhibitions that highlight local talent and bring incredible fine art to Manchester … January will feature selections from Brunswick, Maine-based artist Ian Trask’s ‘Strange Histories,’ which are vintage slide viewer artworks — simply stunning!”

Featured image: Ryan Swedenborg Winks Series from See Saw Art. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 24/12/26

Leadership Program

Stay Work Play is now accepting applications for its 2025 Rising Stars Leadership Program, a leadership development initiative tailored to young people across a myriad of industries from February through June, according to a press release.

The program consists of six in-person sessions that focuses on leadership skills, community engagement and fostering ambition for the Granite State. Tuition is $2,000 and discounts are available for Stay Work Play Board of Advisor members, according to the release. Applications are due Friday, Jan. 24. Visit stayworkplay.org/rising-stars-leadership-program for more information.

In a statement, Corinne Benfield, Executive Director of Stay Work Play NH said “the Rising Stars Leadership Program exemplifies our mission to elevate and empower the incredible young people that call the 603 home. By investing in this program, we are ensuring that New Hampshire has strong ambassadors who can help shape New Hampshire to be an attractive and vibrant place to live, work, and play.”

Here, fishy, fishy, fishy

According to a press release, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department stocks trout during the fall to bolster the winter ice fishery for winter anglers.

Fish and Game has listed on its website links for different bodies of water that are open year-round as well as rules for these water bodies with special regulations included in the New Hampshire Freshwater Fishing Digest, which is also available from license agents, according to the same release.

The following lakes and ponds were stocked with trout during the fall of 2024 and are open to ice fishing: Akers Pond in Errol, Beaver Pond in Woodstock, Bow Lake in Strafford, Cedar Pond in Milan, Big Diamond Pond in Stewartstown (opens Wednesday, Jan. 1), Higher Ground Pond in Wentworth, Highland Lake in Andover, Hildreth Pond in Warren, Little Dan Hole Pond in Ossipee, Manning Lake in Gilmanton, Martin Meadow Pond in Lancaster, Mascoma Lake in Enfield, Mirror Lake in Woodstock, Newfound Lake in Bristol, Ogontz Lake in Lyman, Pearl Lake in Lisbon, Perch Pond in Lisbon, Pleasant Lake in Deerfield, Streeter Pond in Sugar Hill, Sunapee Lake in Newbury, Tewksbury Pond in Grafton, Webster Lake in Franklin, White Lake in Tamworth, and Winnisquam Lake in Laconia. There are additional ones not listed here.

In a statement, Fish and Game’s Inland Fisheries Program Supervisor John Magee said that “the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s hatcheries stock post-spawn brook and brown trout into selected water bodies that do not have a closed season before winter. These fish can range from 2 to 3 pounds each. Numbers, dates, and stocking locations vary annually. I would encourage anglers of all skill levels to take advantage of this season’s stocked opportunities throughout New Hampshire when weather conditions are favorable and once the ice is safe.”

In another statement, he said that “The Granite State’s rivers and streams open to fishing on Jan. 1, and there are some quality fish to be caught in some of the tailwater fisheries such as the Newfound River. When water levels are drawn down on larger lakes for the fall, prize-sized fish often drop down below dams, creating opportunities for savvy winter anglers. This winter’s free fishing day is Jan. 18, so why not try your luck through the ice this year.”

To learn more about ice fishing in New Hampshire visitwildlife.nh.gov.

More access to education

According to a press release, New Hampshire’s public higher education systems have created more than 100 direct pathways designed to help students move smoothly from associate degree programs offered by New Hampshire’s community colleges to bachelor’s degree programs offered by the University System.

This collaboration between the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) and the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) makes it easier for students to continue their education, earn subsequent degrees more efficiently, and fill critical jobs in New Hampshire’s workforce faster and with less debt, according to the release.

Students currently enrolled in or planning to enter any of New Hampshire’s seven community colleges can now follow clear, structured pathways that lead directly to bachelor’s degrees at Keene State College, Plymouth State University, or the University of New Hampshire (UNH), which includes UNH Durham, Manchester and the College of Professional Studies Online, according to the release.

In a statement, USNH Chancellor Catherine Provencher said “these pathways give students the confidence to pursue their educational goals with assurance that we have taken steps to align programs to help manage time and cost. This collaboration makes it easier for New Hampshire residents to stay in the state, earn a degree, and strengthen our workforce.”

The CCSNH has trained advisors available at each community college and USNH sponsors a centralized Outreach and Enrollment Center that assists with applications, financial aid resources, and other support services available to students in both systems, according to the same release.

For more information visit nhtransfer.org.

There will be a Winter Ball at Phenix Hall: Home for the Holidays, Saturday, Dec. 28, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Phenix Hall (38 N. Main St., Concord). Tickets are $100 each. Visit eventbrite.com.

Shaskeen Pub (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com) will hold its annual New Year’s Eve Bash on Tuesday, Dec. 31, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. There will be an open bar, a free buffet, a free Champagne toast, and music by DJMyth.Tickets are $60 through ticketleap.com

The Strand (20 Third St., Dover, 343- 1899, thestranddover.com) will feature a dance party on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 8 p.m.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!