Holiday Guide 2025 — 11/27/2025

on the cover

Get ready for six-ish weeks of non-stop holiday excitement! In our annual Holiday Guide, we round up holiday fun happening from Thanksgiving Eve to New Year’s Day. From screenings of Elf to Holiday Pops, community tree lightings to productions of The Nutcracker, check out our extensive guide to holiday events for all.

Also on the cover Speaking of seasonal fun, Michael Witthaus talks to Gerald Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, whose one-man A Christmas Carol has been a local tradition. This year marks his final U.S. tour (see page 33). Another annual tradition? Model Airplane’s Funksgiving show (see page 46), part of a weekend packed with musical performances. And John Fladd gets the information on Christmas With the Cows in Canterbury (page 38).

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promo image of the band Heart, with members lined up on white background and word "Heart" in thick script font above them
Thursday, Nov. 20 “Roses are Red, Violets are Pink, Yellow, Purple” is the topic for the Manchester Garden Club’s November ...
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.
Winter parking Manchester’s odd/even overnight on-street parking begins Monday, Dec. 1, at 1 a.m. and runs through Wednesday, April 15, ...
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.
Thanksgiving meals At least eight churches, synagogues and other community groups have worked together preparing to serve a free Thanksgiving ...
Thanks to the sports gods
The Big Story – Thanksgiving: It’s Turkey Day, which means we’ll be thankful for things that happened during the sports ...
front page of Hippo showing an illustrated red pick up truck carrying a bushy pine tree in the back, under a decorative banner that reads "Holiday Guide". Blue background with specks of white snow, vintage distressed edges
From Thanksgiving eve to New Year’s Day, Hippo’s annual Holiday Guide offers you a look at the celebrations, community gatherings ...
A four-man band plays in an open rooftop pavilion
Pre-Thanksgiving parties abound By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com Thanksgiving Eve is a great time to meet “chosen family” members to catch up ...
woman running in the snow, seen from ground view, focused in on snow covered sneakers
Road races that celebrate the season Compiled by Amy Diazadiaz@hippopress.com Work up that appetite for pie by checking out road ...
Nashua’s big night
The Winter Stroll fills downtown By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com The Winter Stroll is one of the biggest events of the year ...
A man strikes an intense pose, throwing out his hand as he wields a stick.
Find The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol Compiled by Amy Diazadiaz@hippopress.com Fan of the classics? There are many opportunities to ...
A bunch of nuns and a monk wear Christmas accessory's for a photo.
Holiday theater with laughs and heart Compiled by Amy Diazadiaz@hippopress.com Get more merriment at these holiday-themed live performances. • Elf ...
Two women pose with Santa & Mrs. Claus for a picture.
Concord holds nighttime Christmas block party By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com According to Jessica Martin, the executive director of Intown Concord, Midnight ...
A path decorated with Christmas lights, with shapes like a large snow globe and a golden snowflake.
Tree lightings, parades and other community celebrations of the season Compiled by Amy Diazadiaz@hippopress.com Cities, towns, farms and wineries offer ...
A parade float of a snowman being a Christmas DJ
Manchester’s Holiday Parade will have a sweet theme this year By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com This year, Manchester’s annual Holiday Parade on ...
Santa Claus sitting in chair and looking at camera while writing on a list
Holiday fun for kids Compiled by Amy Diazadiaz@hippopress.com Here are some holiday events built especially for kids and families. • ...
A Christmas-themed orchestra stands to receive applause
Symphonies, choruses and more holiday sounds Compiled by Amy Diaz adiaz@hippopress.com Enjoy classical holiday music from symphonies, choral societies and ...
Basket with yarn and knitted toys on coffee table at home
Where to find art shows and craft fairs Compiled by Amy Diazadiaz@hippopress.com Find fine art created specifically for the gifting ...
A scene from The Grinch movie.
Find holiday films on the big screen Compiled by Amy Diazadiaz@hippopress.com Get your “I know him!” and “You’ll shoot your ...
Rockapella music poster, where a group of man pose in Christmas getup in front of a white background
Jazz, rock, Celtic music and more Compiled by Amy Diazadiaz@hippopress.com From rocking holiday shows to celebrations with a Celtic flavor, ...
Gerald Dickens poses dramatically on a stage.
One-man Christmas Carol back for final bow By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com For three decades in the United States and the past ...
An antique desk bell with a base made of an intricate mesh of metal.
Hi, Donna, I’m wondering if you can provide any information about this desk bell that I purchased at an antique ...
A Winterberry bush stands out brightly
Rinse your pots, test your soil and more By Henry Homeyerlistings@hippopress.com After a severely dry summer, October brought much-needed rains, ...
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• Wine week: Tickets are on sale now for the 20th Annual New England Winter Wine Spectacular slated for Thursday, ...
A cow wearing a jacket out in the snow
Christmas With the Cows returns to Canterbury By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com According to Luke Mahoney, owner of Brookford Farm in ...
A tall glass with yellow wine
Wine Club takes some of the mystery out of wine By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com The world of wine can be daunting ...
A tall glass with yellow wine
Wine Club takes some of the mystery out of wine By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com The world of wine can be daunting ...
A transparent orange cocktail in a wide glass
By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com From my cranberry extravaganza in last week’s cover story, here’s one more cranberry recipe. One of the ...
Hirons, Future Perfect (Western Vinyl) Bog Band, Mocashno Days (Headlamp Records)
Hirons, Future Perfect (Western Vinyl) This debut EP earned at least an A grade before I even plopped the record ...
• Leftover laughs: Now in its third year and becoming a tradition, Emily Ruskowski hosts a post-Thanksgiving comedy show with ...
A live stage performance of Model Airplane
Model Airplane’s Funksgiving returns By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com Singer Lyle Divinsky has moved around a lot in the past 10 years, ...

In praise of cranberries — 11/20/2025

On the cover

The shloop of a cranberry cylinder sliding out of its can is a very satisfying sound. But that’s not all cranberries can be. John Fladd offers more ideas for working cranberries into your cooking and cocktail making.

Also on the cover: Michael Witthaus takes a look at The Eleventh Letter Writing Gallery in Concord (page 14) and talks to Jim Messina ahead of two New Hampshire shows this weekend (page 23). Back in the food world, John Fladd talks to organizers at the Holy Trinity Cathetral Frozen Polish Food sale (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.
Toys The New Hampshire State Police will collect new, unwrapped toys through Friday, Dec. 12, as part of their annual ...
Pats keep rolling
The Big Story – Pats Tied for Best Record in NFL: They remind me of the 2013 Red Sox, who ...
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.
Light show As reported by WMUR in a Nov. 12 online article, the northern lights were visible in many communities ...
A cow wearing a black winter jacket stands amid the snow on a farm
Thursday, Nov. 20 “Roses are Red, Violets are Pink, Yellow, Purple” is the topic for the Manchester Garden Club’s November ...
Cranberry berry background close-up on white, isolated. The view from top
Even more uses for this tart and tasty berry By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com For many of us, the question “cranberry ...
A woman stands smiling in front of a neat bookshelf and dresser.
Writing Gallery opens in Concord By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com A new space featuring works of art accompanied by text both ...
A large and colorful collection of antique coin bank books.
Dear Donna, I have a quilt that I believe my mom’s mother made. This would make it from the 1940s ...
Family fun for whenever Gobble gobble • Merrimack Parks and Recreation will hold Turkey Quest: The Great Wasserman Scavenger Hunt ...
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• Zonta holiday auction and dinner: The Zonta Club of Concord, NH (zontaclubofconcordnh.org) will hold its 33rd annual Holiday Auction ...
A table filled with all assortment of fancy food platters and green and white decorations.
Holy Trinity holds its annual frozen food sale By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com For the parishioners at Holy Trinity Cathedral in ...
Wayne Wilkinson, Holly Tunes (self-released/Bandcamp) & Premik Russell Tubbs & Margee Minier-Tubbs, “The Bells” (Margetoile Records)
Wayne Wilkinson, Holly Tunes (self-released/Bandcamp) It’s that time of year when I complain that no one’s been sending me holiday-time ...
A book titled "Wreck", with a stark white title against the backdrop of an American house
(Harper, 224 pages) When my son was little and found it hard to sit through movies, he once announced in ...
• Old friends: Legend is that fiddler Michael Doucet ditched rock and began BeauSoleil after hearing “Cajun Woman” by Fairport ...
Two male singers shout and smile as they hold electric guitars under harsh stage lights.
Six decades on, Jim Messina still playing great By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com Don’t do drugs. Jim Messina can provide plenty ...

Find Your Groove — 11/13/2025

Hip-hop and bluegrass, jam bands and pop punk — the New Hampshire music scene is more diverse than you might suspect. Michael Witthaus talks to some local music scene experts to find out where you can go to hear your favorite genres of music. Photo above and on the cover is of Fee the Evolutionist and Ruby Shabazz, photographed at Castro’s Back Room in Nashua by Colleen Jamieson, courtesy Fee the Evolutionist.

Also on the cover Michael also takes a look at Icehouse, the cold-climate-set warm-hearted comedy from Bedford Off Broadway (page 14). John Fladd talks about making and/or eating pies for the Once Upon a Pie competition in Goffstown (page 18). And John talks to Clyde Bullen at Clyde’s Dessert and Wine Bar in Manchester (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.
Theater open O’Neil Cinemas, 16 Orchard View Lane in Londonderry, opened to the movie-going public on Nov. 11, according to ...
Pats have NFL’s best record
The Big Story – Football Takes Center Stage: With baseball finally over, football now has the attention of sports fans ...
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Cuuubes … innn … spaaaace According to a Nov. 6 press release from the University of New Hampshire, as you ...
vintage photo of young woman sitting in cockpit of plane, looking at the camera and smiling
Thursday, Nov. 13 The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org) will host a presentation and ...
young white man wearing newsboy cap and smoking cigar, sitting on bench in dimly lit room, black woman with afro sitting beside him, resting her legs on his lap
When it comes to live music in New Hampshire, there are plenty of choices. It all comes down to what ...
4 male actors on stage, performing a scene around a small table
Icehouse is hilarious, with a heart If Lake Wobegon had a Hallmark stage division it might come up with something ...
Family fun for whenever Holiday lights • LaBelle Lights, the LaBelle Winery’s lighted outdoor display at its location at 14 ...
scrap quilt made of blue, brown and red patterned squares of old fabric
Dear Donna, I have a quilt that I believe my mom’s mother made. This would make it from the 1940s ...
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• Poker hand pub crawl: Following up on last year’s success, the United Way of Greater Nashua is hosting a ...
Six small pies, single crust with different fillings and toppings seen from above on table
In Goffstown, a crusty grudge match Goffstown’s annual Once Upon a Pie baking competition and social event is not just ...
bottle of wine, glass of wine, and rectangular plate with three cupcakes in a row, sitting on table, pink background
Clyde’s Dessert and Wine Bar saves the best for first One of Clyde Bullen’s biggest hurdles to opening his wine ...
pile of thick cookies shaped in circles with flower motif in middle, on plate, on counter beside cookie molds
I picked up my first wooden cookie mold at a flea market. After a little online research I discovered that ...
Album covers for Mark Sherman, Bop Contest and Smoke Fairies, Carried In Sound.
Mark Sherman, Bop Contest (Mile High Records) If the class will please turn to the CD review page of the ...
cover for Twice by Mitch Albom
(Harper, 305 pages) When Alfie Logan is 8 years old he learns that he has the supernatural ability to undo ...
• Shredder clinic: Guitar fans have the chance to enjoy a free performance by Gary Hoey as he demos the ...
slim white man with dark hair, wearing glasses and a green leather coat leaning against a blue wall with arms crossed, giving a small small
With new special out, Jay Chanoine readies the next Six years ago comedian Jay Chanoine released a special and immediately ...

Sew Fun! — 11/06/2025

It’s craft fair season! Through November and into December, there will be craft fairs offering one-of-a-kind items — and oftentimes an opportunity to meet the makers, crafters, artisans and others behind the creations. Thinking of making some art of your own? The cover story also includes a look at area sewing stores and the communities they’ve fostered.

Also on the cover Laura Knoy presents her new novel, The Shopkeeper of Alsace (page 14). A New Boston teen opened her own business making gluten-free treats (page 18). Looking for live music this weekend? Check out the Music This Week listings (page 24), the Concert listings (page 26) and Michael Witthaus’s interview with musician Ian Galipeau.

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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.
More food news The New Hampshire Food Bank “is intensifying its fundraising efforts to address the anticipated statewide rise in ...
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.
Sara Ceaser is the Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement for the United Way of Greater Nashua, which organizes five ...
NH Fisher Cats star in WS
The Big Story – A Great World Series: It was two outs away from being the Manchester, N.H., World Series ...
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.
You didn’t miss jury duty and nobody is going to arrest you As reported by WMUR in an Oct. 25 ...
event tents set up along street at night, people in jackets browsing
Friday, Nov. 7 Tonight’s First Friday event from 4 to 8 p.m. in downtown Concord wraps up the season with ...
girl child standing in sewing shop, holding up a small lap quilt made of fabric squares to display, smiling girl showing off her quilt
From now through December, the weekends will be filled with craft fairs. Whether you’re looking for unique gifts or locally ...
woman and elderly man sitting in chairs in large room, smiling at camera, man holding large binder in his lap
New Hampshire writer pens historical novel Award-winning journalist and former New Hampshire Public Radio host Laura Knoy recently published her ...
dark colored vintage navy uniform laid out on brick floor, including pants, jacket, and cap
Hello, Donna. Can you provide me with a value on my family’s Navy suit? I think it was my dad’s ...
Family fun for whenever Piggie! Gerald! The pigeon! • The Manchester City Library, 405 Pine St. in Manchester, manchester.lib.nh.us, will ...
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By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com • Tavern in the Square: Tavern in the Square (125 S. River Road, Bedford, 635-4445, taverninthesquare.com/locations/bedford-nh) has ...
Korean family of woman, man and two boys standing in front of restaurant front with big sign reading Sue's Kimbap House
Cap Center seeks next culinary artist The Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord is starting the search for its ...
extreme close up of plump chocolate chip cookies with added chocolate chunks on top, sitting on baking sheet
New Boston bakery focuses on sweat treats New Boston teen Marley Godbois has set up her own gluten-free bakery, The ...
tall glass filled with yellow cocktail, sitting on counter with cocktail ingredients
2 ounces London dry gin ¾ ounces pineapple juice ¾ ounces fresh squeezed lime juice ¾ ounces curry syrup (see ...
album covers for Carrier, Rhythm Immortal and Lip Cream, Kill Ugly Pop
Carrier, Rhythm Immortal (Modern Love Records) Once in a while I do check in on the bleeding edge, at least ...
• Nineties night: Front men from four ’90s bands gather for Story of a Song, a blend of VH1 Storytellers ...
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Ian Galipeau celebrates new LP at Penuche’s Once, when Ian Galipeau was performing at Great North Aleworks in Manchester, someone ...

Feast of Pumpkins — 10/30/2025

Pumpkin is not just for lattes and pie. In this week’s cover story John Fladd offers new ways to work pumpkin into your fall feasts.

Also on the cover Celebrate Halloween with music, costume contests and more at area restaurants and breweries offering Halloween fun for grown-ups (page 22). The Majestic Theatre presents the murder mystery Southern Fried Murder (page 13). Once you get your fill of trick-or-treat candy, try John Fladd’s version of apple bars — or are they cake (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.
SNAP plan More than 75,000 Granite Staters receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, according to an Oct. 24 press ...
Sports gambles with future
The Big Story – World Series? It takes a big story to bump the World Series from the front page ...
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.
Fisher Cats alumni go the distance In an Oct. 24 press release the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (milb.com/new-hampshire) announced that ...
poster for theater production of Dracula showing an illustration of a dark figure with glowing red eyes walking through mist, eerie atmosphere, blurry image
Thursday, Oct. 30 The 18th New England Regional Genealogical Conference will run today through Saturday, Nov. 1, at the DoubleTree ...
wooden bin full of pumpkins
6 ways to put pumpkin on your menu While breaking down a whole pumpkin and cooking it from scratch might ...
cast of actors lined up on stage, acting out silly poses and faces
Interactive mystery show at Majestic Theatre Last year the Majestic Theatre staged Murder’s In The Heir, a comedic mystery about ...
small metal coin bank, shaped in a square with decorative relief images on sides and a model of the capitol building in Washington D.C. on the top. Words "The Capitol, Washington D.C." inscribed
Dear Donna, I came across this bank of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. I believe it’s copper and is in ...
Family fun for whenever More spooky fun In the Oct. 16 issue of the Hippo, we presented a guide to ...
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By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com • Bazaar eats: The Ladies Philoptochos Society of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (111 Island Pond Road, Manchester, ...
white counter top with chairs pulled around, in restaurant, shelves with plates in background
Bravo is home to two concepts “The original plan was just to open up a fine dining restaurant,” Rhonda Duhamel ...
square light brown dessert bar on plate with scoop of vanilla ice cream
These apple bars might actually be bars. But this might also be a cake. Or it could be a pan ...
album covers Mitski, The Land: The Live Album and Machine Gun Kelly, “home bittersweet home” / “no cell phones in rehab”
Mitski, The Land: The Live Album (Dead Oceans Records) I’ve meant to delve into the work of this Japanese-American singer ...
book cover for 1929, by Andrew Ross Sorkin with red background and large white text of the title
(Viking, 449 pages) Wall Street wasn’t always glamorous. Until the early 1900s, “The practice of buying and selling stock was ...
scene from movie, Shell, with Kate Hudson and Elisabeth Moss
A look at some new spooky season films It’s hard to break away from your favorite scary or Halloweeny movies, ...
• Late showman: When he finished following David Letterman on CBS late night, Craig Ferguson returned to doing standup comedy ...
man wearing tall hat with the word "GASP" in sequinned letters, skeleton half mask, silly scary pose with vintage Halloween decorations
A weekend’s worth of adult Halloween choices Without a doubt Halloween is the greatest deal in history. Dress up, knock ...
woman with long blonde hair, arms wrapped around guitar, posing on dark background, looking to the side
Joanne Shaw Taylor brings her guitar chops to Nashua Growing up in the English Midlands, Joanne Shaw Taylor was a ...

Fall Hikes — 10/23/2025

on the cover

10 In this week’s cover, we look at the top 8 hikes Hippo readers voted as their favorites in our Best of 2025 and talk to local experts about what makes them particularly fun in the fall. Crisp weather, smaller crowds — fall hiking has its perks.

Also on the cover, Get ready for New Hampshire’s Distiller’s Week, with events the first week of November (see page 20). Performers get in front of a crowd at the Not Afraid to Fail Fest (page 14). Looking for some family friendly spooky season fun? Check out this week’s Kiddle Pool (page 18) and last week’s guide to Halloween events, which included events for all ages (find it 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.
Lead info In its October Early Childhood newsletter, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services discussed National Lead ...
Round ball is back
The Big Story – NBA Season Begins: It begins with a lot less enthusiasm than we’ve had in these parts ...
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.
Leaves of brown If you’re noticing a little less fall color this year, it’s not just you, as “weeks of ...
A dog sits next to a wine bottle, promoting a charity event.
Thursday, Oct. 23 New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan and State Archivist Ashley Miller host an open house and ...
A beautiful view of a clear sky from the top of Mount Monadnock.
8 hikes for autumn adventures By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com Mark Swasey does a lot of hiking. According to his Ascent ...
A bunch of colorful characters celebrate under a red banner that says, "NOT AFRAID TO FAIL FEST".
First-timers gather for Not Afraid to Fail Fest By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com Stepping out of one’s comfort zone to try something ...
Three strings of cream-colored pearls.
Dear Donna, I am hoping you can provide me with some advice. I am looking to purchase a three-strand pearl ...
A long oval hole is filled with Daffodil bulbs, with a measuring stick in frame to show the size of the hole.
Fall leaves make good mulch By Henry Homeyerlistings@hippopress.com After a hot, dry summer — there was a drought in most ...
Family fun for whenever Spooky season fun In the Oct. 16 issue of the Hippo, we presented a guide to ...
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By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com • This wine costs how much? Wine-themed online travel agency intothevineyard.com reported in an Oct. 13 press ...
A happy man holds up a bottle of whiskey at a distillery celebration.
New Hampshire celebrates Distiller’s Week By John Fladdjfladd@hippopress.com The week of Oct. 30 through Nov. 6 is New HamDipshire Distiller’s ...
A bright red cocktail and a bright white one in a hummingbird glass stand next to each other.
The Home Bartender’s Guide and Song Book was published at the height of Prohibition. I dream of owning an actual ...
Tortoise, “Layered Presence” (Nonesuch Records) This is the lead single from this all-instrumental Chicago band’s new album, Touch; there was ...
The cover of "Future Boy" by Michael J. Fox, showing a time traveling car
(Flatiron, 159 pages) It’s impossible to imagine the Back to the Future franchise without Michael J. Fox, whose portrayal of ...
By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com • Folk room: A female-forward evening has sets from Maia Sharp and Catie Curtis in a venerable ...
The Iron Gate members pose together in a black & white photo.
Six years later, Bungalow returns with live music By Michael Witthausmwitthaus@hippopress.com Manchester’s independent music scene lost an important resource when ...

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