Winter Hikes — 01/29/2026

on the cover

In this week’s cover story, Michael Witthaus considers the particular fun of winter hikes, getting some advice for hitting the trails in winter and some trails to check out.

Also on the cover Have you voted? Vote now in Hippo’s Best of 2026 readers’ poll, where you can vote for your favorite tacos, pizza, chicken tenders, ice cream and cocktails — plus non-food faves. See hippopress.com for a link to the survey.

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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.
Bob Baines Bob Baines, who served as Manchester’s mayor in the early 2000s, died last week, according to a statement ...
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.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade canceled According to its website (saintpatsnh.com), Manchester’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, originally scheduled for Sunday, ...
The Big Story – It’s 2013 All Over Again: Every time the Red Sox advanced in 2013, I asked, how ...
screenshot from The Testament of Ann Lee movie showing actors dressed in period clothing dancing at Quaker meeting
Thursday, Jan. 29 The SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com) will host Dancing With the Stars: Live tonight ...
woods in snow, wooden footbridge bridging small chasm, sunny day
The joys of hiking in winter This year the Appalachian Mountain Club marks its 150th anniversary as the country’s oldest ...
evening wedding family dinner in the forest with light bulbs and candles
Special advertising section Goodbye “Corporate Gala,” Hello High-End Dinner Party For decades, the wedding industry operated like a well-oiled machine, ...
group of actors on stage under red light
Local actors, directors and more will be honored at the New Hampshire Theatre Awards Granite State stages were quite busy ...
wooden chair with red upholstery on seat and back
Dear Donna, Just saw the Hippo paper with the Victorian chair. That makes me think one of mine may be ...
Family fun for whenever The hills are alive • The Gilbert H. Hood Drama Club will present The Sound of ...
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• Cake and wine: Wine on Main (9 N. Main St., Concord, 897-5828, wineonmainnh.com) will host an Oreo Drip Cake ...
outside of restaurant with colorful posters in windows
The most personalized meals ever One of the attractions of going out for Korean barbecue or hot pot is the ...
two glasses of champagne sitting on table with small appetizer board
Wine, cheese, chocolate and more “I think restaurants need to be a little bit more than just a restaurant these ...
dessert bar with cream cheese center on crumb base, topped with melty strawberry sauce. On plate with fork
This is an excellent all-day project for when weather has you stuck in the house. No one part of this ...
album covers for KMFDM, Enemy and Ben Rosenblum’s Nebula Project, The Longest Way Round
KMFDM, Enemy (Metropolis Records) This Hamburg, Germany-based industrial band has always been mandatory listening for safety-pin goths with aircraft-carrier-sized chips ...
Book cover for Into the Midnight Wood
Alexandra McCollum has conjured some incredibly endearing characters in Into the Midnight Wood, their debut novel about two comically disparate ...
• Song circle: A monthly evening of original music preceded by wine tasting, Songwriter RoundUp is hosted by Katie Dobbins ...
black and white image of pan holding guitair in wooden room with dead deer heads above him on the wall
Griffin William Sherry returns to Rex After his band The Ghost of Paul Revere called it quits after a dozen ...

Season of Music — 01/22/2026

on the cover

French fries are a perfect food. Maybe not, like, nutritionally or whatever, but a well made french fry is both a delight on its own with just a sprinkle of salt and a delivery system for an equally tasty world of seasonings and dips. John Fladd looks at what goes into making a great french fry in this week’s cover story. Above and on the cover, french fries from River Road Tavern in Bedford. Photo by John Fladd.

Also on the cover: Have you voted? Vote now in Hippo’s Best of 2026 readers’ poll, where you can vote for your favorite tacos, pizza, chicken tenders, ice cream and cocktails — plus non-food faves. See hippopress.com for a link to the survey.

And it’s Concord NH Winter Fest in downtown Concord! Check out the story on page 15 for details about Saturday’s event and see page 7 for information about Art & Bloom, the art event happening concurrently at Kimball Jenkins this weekend.

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Celebrating Christa McAuliffe The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord will hold “Reach for the Stars: Celebrating Christa McAuliffe” Saturday, Jan ...
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.
A school project with wings According to a Jan. 13 online article by WMUR, an airplane built by students at ...
The Big Story – Pats Win: Been saying it all year, and did it again Sunday — how are they ...
A group of kids dress up as Dr. Sues characters.
Thursday, Jan. 22 “Art and Bloom,” a show in collaboration with the Women’s Caucus for Art, New Hampshire Chapter, and ...
Cajun Seasoned French Fries with Organic Ketchup
A look at the making of the tastiest of foods By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com As with most wonderful things that seem ...
A ghostly looking woman performs an intricate ballet.
Ukrainian ballet tour comes to New Hampshire By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com The Grand Kyiv Ballet Company was forged through the crucible ...
A small wooden toy set with a clown and balls, painted bright colors of blue red and yellow.
Dear Donna, Do you know anything about this toy clown set? I recently bought this for my daughter at a ...
A beautiful carved ice statue of a griffin.
Concord holds its annual winter festival By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com According to Jessica Martin, the executive director of Intown Concord, one ...
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By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com • Whiskey 101: Arts Alley (20 S. Main St., Concord, 406-5666, artsalleyconcordnh.com) and Tamworth Distilling (15 Cleveland ...
A black and white sign in a city saying, "Miller's Tavern".
A new restaurant brings lessons from one Elm Street corner to another By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com For 15 years, The Farm ...
A black and white sign in a city saying, "Miller's Tavern".
Village Play Cafe offers a place for parents and kids to relax By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com The target demographic of Village ...
A tall yellow drink with ice and a blue umbrella.
Here is my take on this classic. 1½ ounces light rum — On this occasion I’ve used Captain Morgan’s Sweet ...
Djrum, Under Tangled Silence (Houndstooth Records) & Hoaxed, Death Knocks (Relapse Records)
Djrum, Under Tangled Silence (Houndstooth Records) It was way past time to cover this one — seven months to be ...
Book cover for Into the Midnight Wood by Alexandra McCollum
(Knopf, 177 pages) Thomas McGuane’s 18th book, A Wooded Shore, fits nicely on a shelf in a man cave. Comprising ...
• Bon voyage: There are changes ahead for Concord jamsters Andrew North & the Rangers. With drummer Dale Grant moving ...
A group of men dressed in black and a red-headed woman in white pose in a brick alley.
Fox and The Flamingos hit BNH Stage By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com Female-fronted funk will be in the spotlight when Fox and ...

Season of Music — 01/15/2026

on the cover

You can find concerts in venues big and small nearly every day for the rest of winter. In this week’s cover story, Michael Witthaus lists the shows to keep you humming along for the rest of the season. Above, on the cover and on page 8, is the band Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, from the band’s website raniarbo.com; photo courtesy the band by Joanna Chattman.

Also on the cover New Hampshire celebrates Wine Week with special tastings and the New England Winter Wine Spectacular. John Fladd gets the details on page 16.

Get ready to vote in Hippo’s Best of 2026 readers’ poll! Vote for the best pizza, best cocktail and best sandwiches! Plus other non-food things! Voting starts Thursday, Jan. 15, at hippopress.com.

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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.
MLK Day In the coming days, local organizations will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with special programming. In Manchester, ...
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.
In the spirit of Adam Sander The New Hampshire Department of Transportation has announced the winners of the Second Annual ...
The Big Story – Patriots Move to Round II: So much for “they’re only there because of an easy schedule.” ...
illustrated image of disco ball on blue background over floor of colorful squares with words in neon blue and pink "Disco Inferno", 1980s vibe
Thursday, Jan. 15 Pilot Paul Russo will speak at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, ...
promo shot of four band members standing in pond up to their knees, one holding guitar one holding violin
Your packed winter schedule of performances big and small From now until the final full day of winter on March ...
selfie of woman wearing scarf, positioned in corner of image with cozy craft shop laid out behind her, featuring tables and shelves of product
Moth & Wren Handwork Studio now open in Manchester A few months ago, a new yarn shop opened on Bridge ...
tapered metal rod with lines inscribed at even intervals, wooden handle
Dear Donna, Can you help me out with this tool? My sister thinks it’s for measuring melted candy. I found ...
Family fun for whenever Outdoors • Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, 23 Science Center Road in Holderness, nhnature.org, is offering ...
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• An even blinder taste test: LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery.com/labelle-winery-derry) will host a blindfolded wine ...
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Nashua event celebrates the San Sebastian Festival If we were in Puerto Rico right now, the holiday festivities would not ...
woman pouring wine into visitor's wineglass at indoor event
New Hampshire wine week offers tasting and learning opportunities The annual New Hampshire Wine Week features tastings including at New ...
two rolled crepes on plate topped with dollops of cheese and basil
Crepes 1¼ cup (285 g) whole milk 2 eggs 3 Tablespoons butter, browned ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons (80 g) ...
Album covers for Bren Holmes, A Rush to the Start Line and Crystal Lake, The Weight of Sound
Bren Holmes, A Rush to the Start Lin (self-released) Given that this guy is an original member of the Irish ...
• Fare thee well: With the passing of Bob Weir, the Grateful Dead is truly no longer. Dave Gerard and ...
close up portrait of man with long hair and beard, dark lighting
The Wrong Hill to Die On is right for laughs On an upcoming evening at Shaskeen Pub in Manchester, The ...

Big Flavors without the buzz — 01/08/2026

on the cover

Non-alcoholic drink offerings have gone way beyond soda and tea. Alcohol-free versions of gin, tequila and whiskey offer an opportunity to mix up a standard cocktail without the buzz. And mixologists use blends of ingredients to create complex flavors with sweet, savory and herbaceous elements. Above and on the cover, a Lavender Blueberry mocktail that ran as a special at 815 Cocktails & Provisions in Manchester, where Sian Quinn crafts the eatery’s mocktails. Photo courtesy 815 Cocktails & Provisions.

Also on the cover: Michael Witthaus talks to the Free Range Revue about their murder mystery riff Get A Clue (page 12). Michael also talks to guitarist Johnny A. ahead of Beck-Ola, a show celebrating the music of Jeff Beck on Jan. 9 (page 20). And, voting starts Thursday, Jan. 15, in our annual Hippo’s Best of 2026 readers’ poll. Save the date to head to hippopress.com and vote for the area’s best pizza, best hair stylist, best hiking trail and more.

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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.
Museum news As of December, Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, has joined SEE Science Center ...
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.
An omen for 2026? As reported by WMUR in a Dec. 28 online article, a fireball in the sky was ...
The Big Story – Pats Start Playoff March: After going an unexpected 14-3, the Patriots are back in the playoffs, ...
The Wrong Hill to Die On logo, a shield and microphone over an orange background.
Thursday, Jan. 8 The all-woman 1980s hard rock band Vixen performs tonight at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall ...
A yellow flower-topped breakfast mocktail, colored light brown with large pieces of ice.
Mocktails and non-alcoholic spirits and wine offer grown-up flavors without the booze By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com Until relatively recently, your non-alcoholic ...
Photo courtesy of Free Range Revue.
Popular game and movie merge with drag at BNH Stage event By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com Get a Clue, an upcoming event ...
An old orange wafer box with a foggy glass top.
Dear Donna,Can you give me any information on this old wafer box? It has a glass top and is in ...
Family fun for whenever On ice Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto on Thursday, Jan. 8, and Friday, Jan ...
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• Blind tasting with wine experts: As part of New Hampshire Wine Week (NHWineWeek.com), the State Liquor Commission has launched ...
A fancy coffee with a gingerbread man on an orange plate.
New coffee scene lifts a traditional cafe By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com If your restaurant is already considered a hidden gem, how ...
A man in plaid holds an oreo with a serious expression in the middle of the woods
A podcast experiment goes for the slam dunk By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com Nick Sands, the host of the podcast and YouTube ...
A tall Virgin Mary with a metal straw
It is said that the three hardest things for a man to say are “I was wrong,” “I need help,” ...
Alter Bridge, Alter Bridge (Napalm Records) & Diane Coll, Strangely In Tune (self-released)
Alter Bridge, Alter Bridge (Napalm Records) One could argue that this Orlando, Florida, band amounts to nothing more exciting than ...
A man in a black vest plays an electric guitar
Johnny A. brings Beck-Ola back to Tupelo By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com Growing up, Johnny A. had two favorite bands, The Beatles ...
• Take a chance: Few tribute acts reach the level of success of Mania! Performing the music of ABBA, their ...

27 Reasons to Get Excited for January — 01/01/2026

on the cover

Forget the post-holiday blues; the new year has lots of fun on offer. Yes, even in January! Whether your idea of exciting is indoor adventures (concerts, college basketball, comedy, theater and more) or getting outside (snowy hikes, fishing, Concord’s Winterfest), there is likely something to get you excited about this chilly month in this list of 27(-ish) things to do in January.

Also on the cover A short-lived diner becomes Hellenic Pizzeria in downtown Manchester; John Fladd has the story on page 15. Michael Witthaus talks to Captain Jack and The Strangers about bringing the Billy Joel experience to life at the Tupelo Music Hall in Derry on Saturday, Jan. 3 (page 20). And there’s more music on this, the first weekend of 2026 and the last weekend of the holiday-vacation-vibes season. Find live music at area restaurants and breweries in the Music This Week, which starts on page 22. Find shows at bigger venues in the Concert listings on page 23.

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$2 less Eversource customers are expected to see a 2 percent decrease in their bills for the first two months ...
Pats back on top!
The Big Story – Pats Win AFC East: The Patriots blasted the Jets 42-10 Sunday. Then when the Bills’ failed ...
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.
Lights on, let’s play Installation has begun on lights at the athletic field at Keach Park in Concord, according to ...
ice skater dressed as Mirabel character from Disney's Encanto, skating on ice during performance
Thursday, Jan. 1 Make-A-Wish New Hampshire (wish.org/nh) will hold its 5th Annual Polar Plunge today at 11 a.m. at Sawyer’s ...
Tree in Snow Covered Field with Blue Sky
January can be awesome! Here are 27 reasons to get excited about the chilly first month of 2026. 1. Sure, ...
illustrated poster showing simple, color block image of black man with beard on blue background, words "What's going on" in the corner
3S Artspace concludes its 10th year When it opened to the public in 2015, 3S Artspace got its name in ...
antique wooden chair with very low seat, upholstered seat and back in velvety pink fabric
Hi, Donna. I have attached some photos of antique furniture (with a grape leaf design) that belonged to my mother ...
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• Hot pot: OBA Korean BBQ & Hot Pot has opened at 371 S. Willow St. in Manchester (obakoreanbbqhotpot.com). The ...
large circular pan containing flat dough sitting on table in restaurant
Hellenic Pizzeria emerges on Elm Street Walking down Elm Street in Manchester, you notice a new pizzeria next to Cat ...
plate of gooey pear crisp with scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, blurry in background is the baking pan of pear crisp and the container of ice cream
So you find yourself with half a dozen fresh pears on your hands. What does one do with Too Many ...
album covers for W.E.B., Darkness Alive and genCab, “Open Graves”
W.E.B., Darkness Alive (Metal Blade Records) Oh boy, could there be anything more important than making symphonic metal even more ...
• Banging in: After ringing in 2026, Recycled Percussion continues its traditional New Year’s run with 11 shows over the ...
six male band members standing outside in row, publicity shot
Billy Joel tribute act returns to Tupelo In a crowded milieu, there are some tribute acts that stand out — ...

2025 Year in Review — 12/25/2025

on the cover

Year in review In this week’s issue of the Hippo, we take a look back at the year that was and consider some events to look forward to in 2026. Michael Witthaus looks at the difficult year for the local art scene (page 10). John Fladd asks foodies about the best things they ate (page 14) and looks back at the Manchester restaurant scene. In books, we consider some of our reviewers’ favorites (page 19). Amy Diaz picks her favorite films of 2025 (page 20). And Michael looks at the local music scene (page 27).

Also on the cover Get your holiday-week-energy-having kids and visiting relatives out of your house by going (or sending them) to a museum (page 13). Find parties and special meals on New Year’s Eve in Michael Witthaus’ roundup on page 24. Or, if you would prefer to end the year with some laughs, see a rundown of comedy performances slated for Dec. 31 on page 26. And, in this oddball betweeny week, relax with some live music at area restaurants and bars; find upcoming gigs in the Music This Week listing that starts on page 28.

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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.
Symphony NH Symphony NH is postponing two upcoming concerts, the “executive director is taking a personal pay cut” and some ...
Pats reclaim AFC East supremacy
The Big Story — Christmas: Today is the day for giving gifts. The Patriots got theirs a little early, by ...
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.
We know how to holiday According to a recent study by health and wellness website Innerbody.com, New Hampshire is one ...
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Thursday, Dec. 25 The Gift of Lights display at NH Motor Speedway, 1122 Route 106 in Loudon, continues through through ...
A scene from Granite Orpheus where a man and woman embrace in shadow
A tough year is remembered for great art The New Hampshire arts world wasn’t greeted by upheaval as 2025 dawned, ...
an old bean pot made of red clay with a handle on one side and a lid
inside/outside treasure hunt Hi Donna, This piece of pottery was found in the mid 1900s when the grounds of a ...
Family fun for whenever Escape to the museum Some area museums offer special hours and events during the between-holidays week ...
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• Hot pot: OBA Korean BBQ & Hot Pot has opened at 371 S. Willow St. in Manchester (obakoreanbbqhotpot.com). The ...
square plate of cauliflower cooked in brown sauce
Local eaters discuss their favorite meals of 2025 What was the best thing you ate this year? That’s the question ...
A look at the city’s restaurant scene Erik Lesniak works in the Manchester Economic Development Office. His job involves keeping ...
tall glass of foamy milk beside cocktail measuring cup
1 glass whole milk. Or almond milk. Or some other type of milk; your milk is your own business. 2 ...
album covers Kris Davis and Lutosławski Quartet, The Solastalgia Suite and Gavial, Thanks, I Hate It.
Kris Davis and Lutosławski Quartet, The Solastalgia Suite (Pyroclastic Records) Canadian pianist/composer Davis won the Best Jazz Instrumental Album Grammy ...
book cover for Best Offer Wins
(Celadon, 269 pages) As possibly the only person on the planet who hasn’t read Gone Girl, I am unqualified to ...
A book cover with a bright blue sky and a striking orange building.
Our reviewers read a lot of books this year; these are the ones they gave A grades to. Fiction The ...
A scene from G20 (R)
2025 adds some films to the canon Was the best movie of 2025 1992’s Sneakers? I feel like it was ...
• Vintage sound: A Lakes Region winery offers regular local music, including Garrett Smith, a singer, piano player and guitarist ...
Superfrog. Courtesy photo.
New Year’s events abound There are many ways to mark year’s end and ring in 2026, a couple for the ...
middle aged man with slicked back hair, smiling at camera in selfie
New Year’s Eve is all about comedy The best way to look back at a year like 2025 is with ...
It’s been a year
A look back at 2025 and what’s ahead in 2026 Local music kicked off with a twang in January when ...

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