Category: This Week

Big Events April 20, 2023 and beyond

Friday, April 21

The beloved rock opera Rent is opening tonight at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) at 7:30 p.m. The show, loosely inspired by the opera La Bohème, follows a group of artists and friends as they try to survive in New York’s Alphabet City while the HIV/AIDS epidemic rages around them. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased at palacetheatre.org. The show runs through Sunday, May 14, with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. as well as Thursday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, April 21

Girl Named Tom is coming to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St.) today at 8 p.m. The band is siblings Bekah, Joshua and Caleb Liechty, and is the only group to ever win NBC’s The Voice. Tickets to the show are $29 to $69 and can be purchased at nashuacenterforthearts.com.

Saturday, April 22

See the ’80s glam rock cover “hair band” Mullet today at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) today at 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m. The band is known for putting on shows covering classic rock ’n’ roll artists like Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Journey and Poison. Tickets cost $30.75 and can be purchased at ccanh.com.

Saturday, April 22

Celebrate all things Scottish with the New Hampshire Indoor Scottish Festival at Salem High School (44 Geremonty Drive) today from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The festival will have competitions in Highland dance, bagpipes, Scottish snare, tenor and bass on stage. There will also be history talks, clan registrations, vendors, food trucks and more. Visit nhssa.org for more information.

Sunday, April 23

Shop for special antiques at the Spring Vintage and Collectibles Sale at the Timeless Toy Box (25 Elm St., Peterborough) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vendors will be set up to sell vintage toys, collectibles and more. Visit facebook.com/TimelessToyBox for more information.

Wednesday, April 26

Today is the opening day of the Manchester Spring Carnival at the JFK Arena parking lot (303 Beech St., Manchester), with the gates opening at 5 p.m. The carnival will run through April 30 and will have a variety of tasty food, exciting games and thrilling rides. Entry costs start at $30 online, $35 on site. Visit fiestashows.com.

Save the Date! Thursday, April 20
The Concord Multicultural Festival Latin Night is tonight at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) at 6 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m. The show, presented by Barranquilla Flavor and the Concord Multicultural Festival, will have performances, dance demonstrations and South American cuisine. Tickets cost $50 per person.

Featured photo. Rent.

Big Events April 13, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, April 13

Prop comedian Tape Face has come a long way since his early days as a busker on the streets of Timaru, New Zealand. He’s played at the BBC Comedy Proms and placed in the finals of America’s Got Talent. Don’t miss his appearance at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord; 225-1111, ccanh.com) today at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $33.75 to 53.75, plus fees.

Thursday, April 13

Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken will take the stage tonight at 8 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts, the Gate City’s newly opened performing arts center. Katelyn Sahagian spoke to Ruben and Clay as part of her coverage of the new center in the April 6 issue of the Hippo. Find that Q&A on page 11 and more about the Nashua Center for the Arts in the story which starts on page 10. See hippopress.com to find the e-edition.

Friday, April 14

The Lend Me a Theatre production of Don’t Talk to the Actors begins its final weekend tonight at the Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) at 7:30 p.m. Other shows this weekend include Saturday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 16, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22, $19 for seniors and students.

Saturday, April 15

The 11th Annual Woman’s Service Club of Windham Spring Craft Fair will run today from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Windham High School and feature more than 100 artisans from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine presenting arts and crafts including ceramics, glass, jewelry, bird houses, spring wreaths, home decor, textiles, handbags, scrapbooking, doll clothes, rag dolls, woodwork, garden sculpture, soaps and lotions, candles, photography, fine art and more, according to a press release. The day will also feature raffles and sale of artisanal food. Admission is a suggested donation of $2 per person. See WomansServiceClubofWindham.org.

Saturday, April 15

Win items for pennies at the St. Patrick’s Penny Sale today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Parish Center (12 Main St. in Pelham). Drawings will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and pickup will be Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 15

The Palace Theatre in Manchester will hold a Casino Night tonight from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. to benefit the Palace Youth Theatre Campaign. The evening will feature drinks, music, blackjack, Texas hold ’em, craps, roulette and a chance to win prizes including a Southwest Airlines gift card, according to a Palace email. The event will be held at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in Manchester. Tickets cost $35; call 668-5588.

Sunday, April 16

The Windham Swing Band will perform today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Andres Institute of Art’s Welcome Center (106 Route 13 in Brookline; andresinstitute.org, 845-9174) as part of a concert series to benefit Andres. Tickets cost $25 for general admission seating; front-row tables that seat five cost $200. The show will feature concessions and a cash bar as well as a raffle and AIA merch, according to a press release.

Save the Date! Thursday, April 20
Saturday, April 29, is Independent Bookstore Day, a nationwide celebration of independent bookstores and the book-lovers who frequent them. Participating bookstores sell merchandise released exclusively for that day, which may include special-edition books, signed art prints and covers and literary-themed novelty items. Some may even host additional festivities, such as author visits, readings and book signings, live music, food, activities for kids, contests and giveaways and more. Visit indiebookstoreday.com to see a list of this year’s featured merchandise and to find a bookstore near you that is participating.

Featured photo. Tape Face. Courtesy photo.

Big Events April 6, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, April 6

New Hampshire Craft Beer Week, an annual 10-day celebration of the Granite State’s craft brewing industry, returns today and will continue through Saturday, April 15. The campaign is presented by the New Hampshire Brewers Association and is meant to coincide with National Beer Day (April 7). Among this year’s happenings is the inaugural downtown Nashua craft beer tour, with chances to win prizes. Visit nhbrewers.org or follow Craft Beer Week’s Facebook page @nhcraftbeerweek for details on ongoing events and happenings.

Saturday, April 8

Catch Grammy- and Emmy-nominated Celtic violinist Máiréad Nesbitt for a special show with the New Hampshire-based Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki Trio tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester). Nesbitt is a founding member of the all-female worldwide traveling music phenomenon Celtic Woman, which has released several multi-platinum selling records. Tickets are $35, plus fees. Purchase them online at palacetheatre.org, or call the box office at 668-5588.

Saturday, April 8

Join the Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway) today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Derry Author Fest — the event features a full day of lectures, panels and networking opportunities for aspiring writers and storytellers, as well as a book sale in the children’s room courtesy of Gibson’s Bookstore. This year’s keynote speaker is Ann Davila Cardinal, author of the 2022 novel The Storyteller’s Death. Derry Author Fest is free and open to the public. See derryauthorfest.wordpress.com for the full schedule of this year’s events.

Saturday, April 8

Don’t miss the Boots & Brews car show, happening today from noon to 6 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch Tour Center & Biergarten (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack). All vehicle makes and models are welcome in the show, which is being held in support of Heroes in Transition, a nonprofit assisting New England veterans and their families with service dogs, prosthetics and home modifications. Food trucks will also be on site, and the Biergarten and gift shop will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are requested. See biergartenevents.com.

Tuesday, April 11

Play ball! The New Hampshire Fisher Cats play their home opener of the 2023 season tonight at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester) against the Portland Sea Dogs. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m., starting a six-game homestand that continues through Sunday, April 16. Single-game tickets start at $12, and the first 1,000 fans through the gate for tonight’s game also receive a free Frisbee. See nhfishercats.com for the full schedule of games, which runs through mid-September this year.

Wednesday, April 12

Vermont authors Rebecca and Sallyann Majoya will be at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) tonight at 6:30 p.m. to present their shared memoir, Uncertain Fruit: A Memoir of Infertility, Loss and Love, released in November. Admission is free, and for those who can’t make it, signed copies of the book may be ordered from Gibson’s Bookstore’s website. See gibsonsbookstore.com.

Save the Date! Friday, April 29
Saturday, April 29, is Independent Bookstore Day, a nationwide celebration of independent bookstores and the book-lovers who frequent them. Participating bookstores sell merchandise released exclusively for that day, which may include special-edition books, signed art prints and covers and literary-themed novelty items. Some may even host additional festivities, such as author visits, readings and book signings, live music, food, activities for kids, contests and giveaways and more. Visit indiebookstoreday.com to see a list of this year’s featured merchandise and to find a bookstore near you that is participating.

Featured photo. Fisher Cats. Courtesy photo.

Big Events March 30, 2023 and beyond

Friday, March 31

The 48th Annual NH Camping & RV Show is today from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Hampshire Dome (34 Emerson Road, Milford) and will continue Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show will have the latest RVs, trailers, pop-ups, tents and camping equipment on display. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $10 for ages 13 to 17, and free for ages 12 and younger with an adult. Visit nhlovescampers.com for more information.

Friday, March 31

The Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) is hosting the Wild & Scenic Film Festival today. The doors will open at 5 p.m. and movies start at 6 p.m. The festival will show movies that use the art form of film to inspire activism. Tickets range from $15 to $60 and can be purchased at ccanh.com.

Saturday, April 1

Today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Capital City Craft Festival is back at the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). The event will have 125 artisans selling arts and crafts including folk art, candles, apparel, metal art, fiber arts, personal care items, jewelry, glass and more as well as specialty foods, according to castleberryfairs.com. Tickets will be sold online and at the door. Price is $8 for adults, under 14 get in free; one admission is good for both days.

Saturday, April 1

Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Nashua) is having three local poets do a reading and discussion today at 1 p.m. for National Poetry Month. The poets, Meg Kearney, Charles Kell and Kevin McLellan, will read some of their recent works, discuss their processes and do a book signing. For more information, call 673-1734.

Sunday, April 2

See the American jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra today at 7 p.m. at Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry). The band, with more than 40 years of experience, 30 studio albums, and 5,000 shows performed, is bringing its brand of soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues to New Hampshire audiences. Tickets start at $50 and can be bought at tickets.tupelohall.com.

Wednesday, April 5

The epic silent science-fiction movie Metropolis is being shown at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester) tonight at 7 p.m. The movie, from 1927, will be a remastered screening, including footage that was rediscovered in Argentina in 2007. Jeff Rapsis, who specializes in scoring silent films, will provide live musical accompaniment. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at palacetheatre.org.

Save the Date! Friday, April 14
Join the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) for its annual gala and art auction today at 6 p.m. The event’s theme is inspired by spring and all things floral, as well as the bloom of new perspectives at the museum. Artists, including Chris Gustin, Al Jaeger, Richard Haynes Jr. and Carl Hyatt, will present and discuss the artwork for auction. Individual tickets cost $350 with tables of eight available for purchase. Visit currier.org for more information.

Featured photo. RV Camper.

Big Events March 23, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, March 23

Join Owen Lowery at tonight’s Art After Work at 5 p.m. as he recounts his time as the Currier Museum’s (150 Ash St., Manchester) Artist in Residence. Lowery, who is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will discuss the projects he has worked on with the Manchester community. See currier.org.

Thursday, March 23

The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) is having a humanities series presentation by Mary S. Build, seaplane pilot and memoirist, today at 7 p.m. Build will discuss how she found freedom in flying and will be signing copies of her book, Finding Myself in Aviation. Admission is $10 and registration can be completed at aviationmuseumofnh.org.

Friday, March 24

The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) is hosting Queen cover band Killer Queen: The Music of Queen tonight and Saturday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. The group celebrates the hits of the classic British rock band and its front man, Freddie Mercury. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased at palacetheatre.org.

Friday, March 24

Catch Will Noonan, Lauren Severse and John Baglio at the Tupelo Night of Comedy tonight at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com). Tickets cost $22. Find more place to get some laughs this weekend in our Comedy This Week listings on page 31.

Saturday, March 25

The Bank of New Hampshire Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) is welcoming Souled Out Show Band tonight at 8 p.m. The veteran band has been spinning pop songs into soulful renditions for the last two decades. Tickets cost $24 and can be purchased at ccanh.com.

Sunday, March 26

Come to Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Nashua) for a book signing event with Nathan Guardian for his debut novel Wicked Womentoday at 2 p.m. The book tells the story of three young women and how they’re brought into the dark world of charming and mysterious Bonnie Buckingham and New England witches. For more information, call 673-1734.

Monday, March 27

Today is the first day of the Spring Cleaning Sale at Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Items for sale will include projects worked on by studio members, a clay fund for kids, and pottery for a purpose, whose proceeds will benefit the International Institute of New England. Most items will cost less than $25 and the sale will be during studio hours, noon to 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday through Saturday. Visit 550arts.com for more information.

Save the Date! Friday, March 31
See Scotland-born fiddler Louise Bichanperform her project “Out of My Own Light” at the Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter) today at 7 p.m. The show tells the story of Bichan’s grandmother and her traveling from islands in Scotland to Canada to visit relatives and make a tough decision. The show is told through traditional-style Scottish music Bichan composed. Tickets start at $15 and can be bought at thewordbarn.com.

Featured photo. Spring Cleaning Sale at Studio 550 Art Center. Courtesy photo.

Big Events March 16, 2023 and beyond

Thursday, March 16

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Intown Concord St. Patrick’s Day Celebration today at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) beginning at 5:30 p.m. The show will have performances from step-dancer group In the Field Irish Dancers and folk-rock Irish pub band The Penniless Jacks. There will also be a pot-of-gold raffle, and the ticket includes an Irish-themed dinner at Twelve 31 Café. Tickets cost $45, or $40 for Intown Concord supporters. Visit intownconcord.org. Looking for more St. Pat’s happenings? See the March 9 issuse of the Hippo for a rundown of special meals (page 25). In this week’s issue, find some upcoming Irish music performances listed on page 19 and find live music at area pubs, restaurants and more on Friday, March 17, in the Music This Week on page 36.

Friday, March 17

The Black Ice Pond Hockey Championship begins today at 9 a.m. and continues Saturday, March 18, at 7 a.m. The matches will rotate between six different brackets and 56 teams in total competing to see who is the best in each group. Matches will be at White Park (1 White St., Concord) and Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord). Visit blackicepondhockey.com.

Saturday, March 18

Today at 1 p.m. is the Battle of the Badges, a hockey tournament between police officers and firefighters to benefit Dartmouth Health Children’s, at the SNHU Arena in Manchester. General admission costs $16, kids ages 5 and younger are free. To purchase tickets, visit getinvolved.dartmouth-hitchcock.org.

Saturday, March 18

Head to McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Way, Manchester) for their end-of-the-season Pond Skim and Hawaiian Festival today. The competition starts at 1 p.m. with awards going out to people with the best skim, biggest splash and best costume. Entry is included in half-day or season pass for the lift. Visit mcintyreskiarea.com for more information or to reserve a lift time.

Sunday, March 19

Today is the last chance to see Little Womenat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). The show follows the lives of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March and their Marmee as they grow into independent women in post-Civil War America. Tickets start at $25 and the curtain goes up at 2 p.m. Visit palacetheatre.orgn.

Wednesday, March 22

See Composer Amy Beach, a documentary film by John Gfoerer, at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St.) at 7:30 p.m., followed by a discussion with Gfoerer. Beach was commissioned to write a choral piece for the opening of the Women’s Pavilion at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago when she was 25 years old. Four years later, her Gaelic Symphony was premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the first symphony composed and published by an American woman. Visit walkerlecture.org.

Save the Date! Saturday, April 1
It’s the first day of the annual Capital City Craft Festival at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord). There will be more than 125 vendors selling everything from soy candles and handmade soap to iron works and hand-carved wooden utensils. Tickets cost $8 and customers 14 and younger get in free. Tickets are good for both days. The show will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 2. Visit castleberryfairs.com.

Featured photo. In the Field Irish Dancers