Adventures in Movies — 05/01/2025

The first Friday in May is (still? once again?) the start of the summer slate of movies. We use that as an excuse to check in on O’Neil Cinemas as they plan a return to Londonderry, and Red River Theatres in Concord, which has, for about the last year, been the only theater in Concord. And we look at the movies scheduled for release over the next four months. Get your popcorn!

Also on the cover Saturday, May 3, is the greatest of holidays: Free Comic Book Day! Michael Witthaus explains what local shops are doing on page 14. Manchester’s Taco Tour is Thursday, May 8; John Fladd has the details on page 18. Dubai chocolate is trending; what is it and who is innovating with those flavors (page 27).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Bedford traffic The New Hampshire Department of Transportation is working on F.E. Everett Turnpike, in both directions, at the Bedford ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story – NBA Playoffs: Yes, the NFL draft captured a lot of attention, but since it’s four months ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Pasta and water, but not pasta-water A recent study by online insurance company Choice Mutual (choicemutual.com) set out to determine ...
Two Renaissance Faire actors sing and dance for a crowd
Thursday, May 1 The Craftworkers’ Guild’s 2025 Spring Craft Shop opens today and will run through Sunday, May 25. The ...
Empty red seats in cinema with blank screen.
O’Neil Cinemas returns to Londonderry and we check in with Red River Theatres in Concord PLUS A look at the ...
front cover of comic book showing man driving car
Area stores participate in annual event On May 4, 2002, Free Comic Book Day was launched to coincide with the ...
dried, saved hornet's nest attached to small branch
I know this isn’t an antique. I was just told not to throw them away because they are collectible. Do ...
Family fun for whenever Spring carnival • The Manchester Spring Carnival runs Wednesday, April 30, through Sunday, May 4, opening ...
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News from the local food scene • Food trucks and more: First Friday Concord returns on Friday, May 2, from ...
man and woman dressed as tacos as they walk down the street during community event
100 types of happiness in tortillas It’s time for Taco Tour, one of the high points of Manchester’s food calendar ...
large squares of filled chocolate topped with pistachios, sitting in paper wrappers on metal table
One of the internet’s favorite ways to chocolate One of the hottest food trends right now is Dubai-style chocolate. Originating ...
rows of small cookies covered in frosting sitting on baking sheet
Cookies Large handful (20 g) fresh mint leaves 1½ cups (320 g) white sugar ½ cup (1 stick) butter 2 ...
album covers
Hexenhaus, Awakening (Roar Records)As a genre, “tech-metal” is one in which I lost interest after the second or third Pendulum ...
Book cover for Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
“It is a strange fact of human history that we tend to focus so little on disease,” John Green writes ...
Bill Skarsgard wearing a pink hoodie and dark jacket, standing next to car in graffiti covered alley, in screenshot from movie Locked
Bill Skarsgård picks the wrong car to steal from in Locked, a fun example of simplified concept horror. Eddie (Skarsgård) ...
Local music news & events • Sibling sound: Sixteen years since their bracing major-label debut album, The Avett Brothers are ...
four male band members standing in large empty room, photo in sepia tones
Tribute act opens with original rock One of many tribute acts to form in the aftermath of Ronnie James Dio’s ...

10 Easy Plants — 04/24/2025

on the cover

We can all garden, so says Henry Homeyer, who offers up his advice for 10 un-mess-up-able varieties of plants to grow.

Also on the cover Chefs have an opportunity to get chef-y with plants and other vegan eats during the Manchester Vegan Chef Challenge in May (page 16). The Manchester Community Theatre Players present The Bridges of Madison County (page 12). John Fladd investigates wines without alcohol (page 18).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Senate race update U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander told WMUR that she will not seek the U.S. Senate seat in 2026, ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story – NFL Draft: It comes your way on ESPN and The NFL Network starting Thursday at 8 ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Gold (golden brown) anniversary As reported in an April 18 online story by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR), the chicken ...
Independent Bookstore Day Logo
Friday, April 25 Nashua Theatre Guild presents the New Hampshire premiere ofIncident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a play ...
Veggies, flowers and trees for a low-effort gardening season Alright, if one more person tells me they’re not a gardener ...
male and female actor on stage in front of photo backdrop showing covered bridge with trees behind, actors looking at camera as if about to take a photo
The Bridges of Madison County musical in Manchester Even though it won Tonys for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • Childhood memories: Nashua Theatre Guild presents the New Hampshire premiere ...
ceramic pitcher with elaborate top, painted with floral designs, and an eagle standing on as shield
Hi, Donna, I’m attaching a couple of pics of a ceramic pitcher and wonder if you can tell me its ...
Family fun for whenever Vacation day at the museum • The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in ...
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News from the local food scene • Opened: There’s a new coffee bar on the north end of Manchester’s Elm ...
focus on hand holding chip topped with vegetable stew and leafy greens, man blurry in the background
Manchester will host a Vegan Chef Challenge Throughout May, restaurants across Manchester will compete to produce the best plant-based dishes ...
inside of Barrel & Baskit showing large room with wooden floor and wooden walls, tables set up, display fridges with products against the back walls
Barrel & Baskit finds reasons for fun There are many reasons why businesses host fun events. For Beth Richards, the ...
smiling man wearing t-shirt, standing next to barrels and holding a glass of red wine
A look at alcohol-free wines According to Richard Jacob, one of the hottest trends in alcohol at the moment is ...
black and white photo of a cocktail in a stemmed glass sitting on a counter surrounded by bottles
She doesn’t come up in conversation very much — not today, anyway; 100 years ago it was a different story ...
Stella Cole, Stella Cole (Iron Lung Records) & The Crystal Teardrop, The Crystal Teardrop Is Forming (Popclaw/Rise Above Records)
Stella Cole, Stella Cole (Iron Lung Records) Don’t be fooled by the disposable-template look of the album cover. The world ...
The book cover of Tilt, by Emma Pattee
Tilt, by Emma Pattee (Marysue Rucci Books, 227 pages) If you’ve ever imagined yourself in the middle of a natural ...
A scene from SINNERS (R)
Director Ryan Coogler crafts a very good supernatural thriller studded with a few top-shelf musical set pieces — including one ...
• Abba dabba: Time travel back to the ’70s with Abba tribute act Mamma Mania! The New York City based-band ...
man standing on dirt road holding guitar
David Wilcox performs in Manchester A lot of David Wilcox’s fans consider him a musical minister, his songs providing spiritual ...

The Big Cookie — 04/17/2025

on the cover

10 In this week’s cover story, John Fladd looks at the Big Cookie — you know the one. It’s a supersized sugar or chocolate chip cookie, bigger than your standard teaspoon-full-of-dough size, that is more a full dessert than snack. It offers you sharing opportunities or is a special indulgence just for one. How are they assembled? What are their tastiest qualities? John looks at the art of the gloriously big cookie.

Also on the cover: Take a look back at Manchester history with the book Grenier Air Base (see page 15). Is there a better combination than waffles and doughnuts (page 18)? And find all sorts of live music for your weekend including shows at area bars and restaurants listed in our Music This Week (see page 27) and ticketed shows in our Concerts listings (page 30).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Senate race update Former Governor Chris Sununu told WMUR that he will not run for the U.S. Senate seat in ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story – Celtics Begin Title Defense: The play-in Tournament Tuesday to send four teams to the NBA’s main ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
*#$^&@-%! weather A reminder that New England can still New England in April, the snow totals from last weekend’s snowfall ...
Independent Bookstore Day Logo
Friday, April 18 Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) hosts a Gilligan’s Island Paint Night this evening ...
The art of supersizing your favorite treat By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com If you buy a cookie from a bakery, chances ...
Leah Dearborn. Courtesy photo.
Book recounts the roots of Manchester Airport By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com Charles Lindbergh’s historic solo flight across the Atlantic in ...
A tall black urn, with a detailed base and large prominent handles.
Hi, Donna. The New Boston Historical Society wonders what you might know about an old urn that’s now in the ...
Family fun for whenever Free wild fun • Discover Wild New Hampshire Day brings the state’s outdoor adventures to the ...
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News from the local food scene By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com • New ownership: The Sal Terrae line of spices has ...
The "Waffle Donut Dragon", a food fan that sells waffle donuts.
New Dessert House satisfies a sweet tooth By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com Have you ever eaten a doughnut and thought to ...
Nashua sauce-maker Allison Marques holds up her prized "G-Mom's BBQ Sauce".
G-Mom’s BBQ Sauce goes beyond the grill By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com Nashua sauce-maker Allison Marques’ dream recipe comes from a ...
A "Shmeegan" (Vegan) Lemon Bundt Cake, sliced and ready to serve. Styled next to a lemon.
There’s a word that rhymes with “shmeegan” that we’re not going to say, because it makes some people nervous. It ...
Iron Lung, Adapting // Crawling (Iron Lung Records) & Mac Sabbath “Pair-a-Buns” (self-released)
Iron Lung, Adapting // Crawling (Iron Lung Records) Holy catfish, fam, this is the craziest thing I’ve heard since — ...
Source Code, by Bill Gates
Source Code, by Bill Gates (Knopf, 315 pages) Of all the Big Tech moguls, Bill Gates is the one getting ...
A scene from G20 (R)
Viola Davis is Madame President Bad-ass in G20, which is like Air Force One but radder. U.S. President Viola Davis ...
By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com • Folk duo: Celebrating 10 years since releasing their debut album, A Wolf in the Doorway, ...
Hildaland
Brewery concert series welcomes folk duo Hildaland By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com A wry and oft-repeated maxim at Berklee College of ...

Best of 2025 — 04/10/2025

on the cover

10 The results are in for Hippo’s Best of 2025 readers’ poll! Where can you find the best pizza, the best happy hour hangout or the best bike trail? We asked you to name the “bests” and you picked your favorites!

Also on the cover Zachary Lewis gets the details for this weekend’s NH Indoor Scottish Festival (page 27). John Fladd finds out about Thai desserts (page 30). Michael Witthaus talks to organizers for this weekend’s Brooks Young memorial concert (page 38).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Pappas runs Chris Pappas, four-term Democratic congressman for New Hampshire’s 1st District, will run for Senate in 2026. The seat ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story: By the time you read this we’ll know if Houston won its first ever basketball title or ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Share your two cents about sidewalks The Manchester public is invited to share ideas and feedback on the Downtown Sidewalk ...
A covered table filled with a wide variety of assorted items.
Saturday, April 12 Today is Record Store Day! You can score special releases including some that will only be sold ...
Hippo Best of 2025
Meet the big winners! This year’s picks for Best Ice Cream, Best Happy Hour Hangout, Best Ski Hill and Best ...
A collection of works from the Glimpse Gallery in New Hampshire.
Glimpse in Concord readies new show By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com For its inaugural show in February 2024, Glimpse Gallery featured four ...
A line of dancers perform in colorful plaid skirts at an indoor Scottish festival.
Music, craft & more at the Indoor Scottish Festival By Zachary Lewiszlewis@hippopress.com Claire MacPherson is the President of Scottish Arts ...
A photo of a cute pastel baby rug, adorned with daintily dressed animals.
Hello, Donna. I saw someone had some dishes and asked you their worth. That prompted me to reach out and ...
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News from the local food scene • Cheers and farewell: WineNot Boutique in Nashua has announced on its website that ...
Family fun for whenever Bunnies and eggs • The Easter Bunny will arrive in a student-built airplane when he visits ...
Brown Suger Boba Strawberry Roti and Coconut Cake.
New Dessert House satisfies a sweet tooth By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com Some of Vasita Saktanaset’s favorite memories of growing up ...
Jackie O'Dowd.
Owner and baker of The Sweet Spot, 353 Riverdale Road, Weare, 529-6667, thesweetspotnh.com “My grandfather was a Japanese chef in ...
Tangelo Madness. Photo by John Fladd.
The Sample Lady at the grocery store and I have an understanding. As long as I don’t block traffic and ...
Ingrid Laubrock, Purposing the Air (Pyroclastic Records) & Art Nation, The Ascendance (Frontiers Music s.r.l.)
Ingrid Laubrock, Purposing the Air (Pyroclastic Records) Her fully caffeinated handlers describe Laubrock as an “experimental saxophonist and composer interested ...
Waste Wars, by Alexander Clapp
Waste Wars, by Alexander Clapp (Little, Brown and Co., 341 pages) When you toss a plastic water bottle in a ...
• Join the band: On a tour that includes stops at five New England high schools, Dallas Brass performs music ...
Brooks Young
Friends and bandmates to perform tribute show By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com The New England music scene suffered a huge loss ...

Weekend of books — 04/03/2025

on the cover

10 It’s a weekend of books, authors, comic books, kid books and more. In this week’s cover Zachary Lewis talks to organizers for three Saturday events — the Derry Author Fest, the Exeter LitFest and the Old School Comics Show — and Sunday’s Kids Con New England. On the cover are photos from (clockwise from the top left) the Exeter LitFest, Kids Con New England, the Old School Comic Show and the Derry Author Fest, all courtesy of the events.

Also on the cover: Michael Witthaus talks to members of the band Superfrog ahead of shows in Dover and Concord (page 26). And if you’re looking for laughs, check out the Comedy This Week (also page 26) for a listing of live comedy shows this weekend and beyond. And on page 21, John Fladd finds out what’s on the foraging menu for spring mushrooms.

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Old baseball, glove, and bat on field with base and outfield in background.
Friday, April 4 The New Hampshire Fisher Cats open their season with a game tonight at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Eggs! The peregrine falcons at the Brady Sullivan tower in downtown Manchester welcomed a second egg on March 27, according ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story – The Final Four: When Florida meets Auburn and Duke faces Houston Saturday it will be the ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Pay gap According to a March 24 report by the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute (nhfpi.org), women in New Hampshire ...
A young child in a hat and trench coat shops for comic books.
Attention bookworms of all stripes! This weekend features book fun for everyone. At the Derry Author Fest and Exeter LitFest, ...
The Klezmer Conservatory Band
Klezmer Conservatory Band in Concord By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com The lively folk song “Hava Nagila” is a staple at Jewish ...
Dandelions and other deep-rooted weeds pull best when soil is moist. Photo by Henry Homeyer.
Start slowly and save your back By Henry Homeyer listings@hippopress.com It’s April, and spring has sprung. Or will soon. Winter ...
An old antique electrical medical machine
Hi, Donna, I don’t care about the value of this box. It’s my curiosity that desires to be satisfied. I ...
Family fun for whenever Play ball! • Friday, April 4, is the season opener for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats ...
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News from the local food scene • Steeped in history and tradition: There will be a tea tasting and lecture ...
Taps at Republic Brewing
A lot has changed, but not the french fries By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com If you had asked Peter Macone in ...
A cluster of small edible white mushrooms
In springtime, foraging ramps up By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com It’s maple season, and for Christine Gagnon that means one thing ...
A photo of Kristen Chiosi.
Kristen Chiosi is owner of and instructor at The Culinary Playground (16 Manning St., Derry, 339-1664, culinary-playground.com). “I got my ...
Michael Rudd, Going to the Mountain (Invisible Road Records) and Carriers, Every Time I Feel Afraid (self-released)
Michael Rudd, Going to the Mountain (Invisible Road Records) Although one would naturally assume that Bob Dylan viewed Townes Van ...
Heartwood, by Amity Gaige (Simon & Schuster, 320 pages)
Heartwood, by Amity Gaige (Simon & Schuster, 320 pages) “Any woodsman who says he’s never been lost in the woods ...
• Jimi jamming: The Hampton Beach concert season kicks off with Experience Hendrix. A packed slate of guitarists pay tribute ...
Superfrog. Courtesy photo.
Superfrog in Dover ahead of big Concord show By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com When Nate Proper and Shane Comer formed Superfrog ...

From the underground — 03/27/2025

The art and music scenes in New Hampshire have more variation than you might expect. Michael Witthaus takes a look at some of the artists, musicians and makers creating communities beyond the mainstream. Photo on the cover: Keegan Fitzgerald (MyArtbyKF) stands with her work at NH Underground. Photo by Eleanor Luna.

Also on the cover John Fladd examines the chai latte (page 18). Michael Witthaus gives an update on the music director search at Symphony NH (page 14). And Michael talks to the Young Dubliners ahead of their show at the Tupelo (page 26).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Taco proposal The Greater Manchester Chamber is holding a Taco Tour Manchester proposal contest for someone willing to propose at ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story: Baseball Arrives: Tough call — opening of the baseball season or the NCAA Basketball Tournaments as the ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Free prom dresses Missy’s Closet Thrift Shop (13 Hazel Lane, Manchester, 978-7872, facebook.com/MissysClosetBoutique) is in the midst of its biggest ...
A young rapper poses in a crouched position, wearing a black jacket and futuristic sunglasses
Friday, March 28 The Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, anselm.edu) will present a staging of ...
A grim display of black & white paintings of various women, all hanging on a wall painted white and red with fake bloodstains
A look at the growing scene of indie music, art and style By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com On the first day ...
A line of headshots showing five different symphony conductors
Symphony NH conductor shortlist announced By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com The search for Symphony New Hampshire’s next Music Director, reported in ...
glass bottle with three chambers, tied together by wire ring
Hi, Donna. I really enjoy your column in the Hippo. I’m reaching out for some advice about an antique bottle ...
metal squares without top or bottom, sitting in rectangular container, hand holding one metal square that is a few inches wide and tall
First, a few rules for pruning Whether March came in like the proverbial lion or lamb for you, March is ...
Family fun for whenever Lacrosse season • Catch the Saint Anselm College Hawks men’s lacrosse team at Grappone Stadium on ...
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News from the local food scene • Maple mixology: There will be a Maple Season Hands-On Mixology Class at LaBelle ...
A Tall Glass of Iced Chai Tea With a Cinnamon Stick, Served on a Cozy Balcony With Potted Plants and a View of a Sunrise Over the City
A look at the chai latte Emmett Soldati is very thoughtful about chai lattes. “It’s spiced, flaky, typically pretty strong ...
clear plastic beverage cup with top and straw, mostly full with dark colored smoothie, sitting on counter in cafe
Small batch drinks at an evolving shop If it lasts long enough, every business evolves and goes through changes. For ...
stemmed cocktail glass filled with cloudy cocktail, sitting on counter with cocktail shaker, lemon squeezer and lemon
It’s easy to be overwhelmed sometimes, weighed down with dread, but spring is coming. Of course, in this part of ...
album covers for Idle Heirs album Life is Violence, and Roi Turbo's album Bazooka.
Idle Heirs, Life Is Violence (Relapse Records) Relapse continues to be one of the two or three (tops) metal-focused record ...
Book cover for How to Win at Travel by Brian Kelly, showing cartoon icons of travel items on blue cover
How to Win at Travel, by Brian Kelly (Avid Reader Press, 304 pages) It’s hard to say whether Brian Kelly ...
screen still from movie I'm Still Here, showing family of mother, father, son, and daughter
A woman’s beautiful family life falls apart when her husband is disappeared by the Brazilian government in I’m Still Here, ...
• Song man: A fixture on the New England roots scene since the mid-’90s Willy Porter has three New Hampshire ...
5 white male bandmembers sitting in huddle on couch for photoshoot
Young Dubliners return to Tupelo In the world of classic rock, there’s a lot of love for the Young Dubliners ...

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