Category: This Week

Big Events December 15, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Dec. 15

The 11th annual Tower of Toys Cocktail Party is today at 5 p.m. at the Beacon Building (814 Elm St. in Manchester). The party will have refreshments and live music. To go to the party, bring an unwrapped present to be donated for a child’s holiday gift. For more information, visit the website toweroftoys.org.

Thursday, Dec. 15

Join the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester) today for A Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas featuring The Eric Mintel Quartet. The classic cartoon’s music will come to life with a jazzy feel and a holiday display. The quartet will also play covers of popular holiday songs. Showtime at 7 p.m. and tickets cost $29. Purchase tickets at palacetheatre.org.

Thursday, Dec. 15

The Morning Buzz Christmas Ball is back at the Chubb Theatre (Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St. in Concord) today. Doors open at 6 p.m. and showtime is 7 p.m. The show will feature a cast of musicians, comedians and magicians emceed by Greg and the Morning Buzz radio host Greg Kretschmar. Tickets cost $45 and can be purchased at ccanh.com.

Saturday, Dec. 17

Today is the first day of the Professional Bull Riding Manchester Invitational at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in Manchester). The show will have 35 of the top bull riders from around the world competing for the top spot in the sport. The doors open at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday for the first round of riding and they’ll open at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, for the second and championship round. Tickets start at $20 and can be ordered on SNHU Arena’s website snhuarena.com.

Saturday, Dec. 17

The Tito’s Ugly Sweater 4 Miler, to benefit Second Chance Ranch Rescue, Humane Society of Greater Nashua and the Salem Animal Rescue League, will take place today at 9 a.m. The race begins and ends at Backyard Brewery (1211 Mammoth Road in Manchester) and features a post-race party with a Tito’s Handmade Vodka beverage. See hsfn.org/uglysweaterrun to register for this 21+ event.

Sunday, Dec. 18

Haven’t caught a big-screen ride on The Polar Express yet this season? Head to Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St. in Concord; 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org) today at 11 a.m. (or Saturday, Dec. 17, at 11 a.m.) to see the 2004 G-rated classic. Tickets for these screenings cost $5.

Save the Date! Saturday, Dec. 29
The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center (39 Main St. in Plymouth) is having The Wizards of Winter, a holiday rock event featuring former members of some of classic rock’s biggest names, including Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult, Def Leppard and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, today at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $49 and can be purchased at flyingmonkeynh.com.

Featured photo. The Wizards of Winter. Courtesy photo.

Big Events December 8, 2022 and beyond

Friday, Dec. 9

Catch SNHU Penmen basketball this weekend. The women’s team takes on Post University tonight at 5:30 p.m. The men take on Post tomorrow at 2 p.m. Both games take place at Stan Spirou Field House at Southern New Hampshire University (2500 River Road in Manchester) and admission is free. See snhupenmen.com.

Friday, Dec. 9

Jimmy Cash & Friends will bring the laughs to the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 each. Find more comedy shows this weekend in the Comedy This Week listings on page 36.

Friday, Dec. 9

Catch musician Caylin Costello at Millyard Brewery (25 E. Otterson in Nashua) tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Find more live music at area restaurants, breweries and other locales in the Music This Week listing, which starts on page 38.

Saturday, Dec. 10

It’s a weekend of cookie tours! The Currier & Ives Cookie Tour will return for its 17th year today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than a dozen businesses in and around the Monadnock region participate, providing visitors with homemade treats, refreshments and recipes to take with them. Tickets cost $20 per person (cash only) and are available now at The Inn at East Hill Farm (460 Monadnock St., Troy), New England Everyday Goods (16 Colls Farm Road, Jaffrey) and the Woodbound Inn (247 Woodbound Road, Rindge). Visit currierandivescookietour.com. Up north, the Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie and Candy Tour returns for its 25th year today and tomorrow, Sunday, Dec. 11, with self-guided tours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Several inns in various White Mountain region towns provide cookies and candy to taste, as well as holiday recipe and decorating tips. Those not wishing to reserve an overnight package at an inn can purchase tickets for $35 per person by visiting cookietour.square.site. See countryinnsinthewhitemountains.com.

Saturday, Dec. 10

Take a break with some art. Today is free admission second Saturday at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org); admission is free to New Hampshire residents with ID. Come back tomorrow, Sunday, Dec. 11, for “ARTalk with JooYoung Choi,” whose works are a part of “State of Art 2020: Locate” the exhibit on display now through February. The talk starts at 2 p.m. and admission costs $15 (which includes admission to the museum).

Saturday, Dec. 10

The Dave Matthews Tribute Band will bring its Dave Matthews experience to the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35. Find more ticketed concerts in the listings on page 42.

Sunday, Dec. 11

The Capital Jazz Orchestra will present its Holiday Pops show today at 4 p.m. (doors open at 3 p.m.) at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets start at $27.50 plus fees. For more holiday concerts and performances, check out the Arts section, which starts on page 12.

Save the Date! Saturday, Dec. 31
St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St. in Manchester; 622-9113) will host a New Year’s Eve Dance, with doors opening at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $60 per person (children 12 and under get in free). The evening will feature music by the Kosta Taslis Band, Champagne, dinner, dancing and a cash bar, according to a press release.

Featured photo. Courtesy photo.

Big Events December 1, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Dec. 1

The American Independence Museum will host a Holiday Tavern Open House at Folsom Tavern (164 Water St. in Exeter; independencemuseum.org) today from 4 to 8 p.m. The event is free and will feature light refreshments, make-and-take crafts and a silent auction, according to a press release.

Friday, Dec. 2

Head to downtown Concord to shop and celebrate the season today at Midnight Merriment from 5 p.m. to midnight. Find Santa at City Plaza from 5 to 8 p.m. (that’s also the site of Nazzy’s Holiday Dance Party); starting at 5 p.m. at Eagle Square you’ll find free hot cocoa while supplies last, and at 7 Eagle Square the Concord Arts Market will hold Giftopolis, according to the schedule at intownconcord.org. The event includes live music, a gingerbread house showdown and of course shopping at downtown shops that extend their hours for the night.

Friday, Dec. 2

Gerald Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, brings his one-man performance of A Christmas Carol to the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester) on Friday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. See anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities. Dickens will also do two shows in Nashua on Saturday, Dec. 3. The first, Mr. Dickens is Coming, will be at the Nashua Senior Center (70 Temple St.) at 12:30 p.m. The second, A Christmas Carol, will be at Nashua Community College (505 Amherst St.) at 7:30 p.m. Visit fortingage.com/dickens2022 for ticket information.

Friday, Dec. 2

Deo Mwano Consultancy will present “ Improvisation: Trust the Process,” an original show with dancers and musicians improvising together that fuses soul, funk, 80s hip-hop and Afro-beat music samples with live instrumentation, today at 7 p.m. at Kimball Jenkins (266 N Main St. in Concord), according to a press release. There will be a post-performance Q&A and Middle Eastern foods, the release said. Tickets cost $40 and are available at eventbrite.com/e/improvisation-trust-the-process-tickets-463648554307 or at the door.

Saturday, Dec. 3

Warner celebrates today during Warner Hometown Holidays. See the Festival of Trees in the town hall (where Santa and Mrs. Claus will appear for photos at 1:30 p.m.), live performances and music, a Polar Express-themed day at the NH Telephone museum, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and more. See mainstreetbookends.com/event/warner-hometown-holidays for a full schedule of events.

Saturday, Dec. 3

The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will hold Caroling at the Currier today at noon with the Manchester Choral Society performing in the Historic Court, able to be heard throughout the museum, according to the website. Hours on Saturday are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for students, $5 for ages 13 to 17 and free for 12 and under.

Saturday, Dec. 3

Manchester’s Holiday Parade will head down Elm Street (from the Amoskeag Bridge to Granite Street) starting at 4 p.m. Kick off the festivities at 3 p.m. by watching runners in Santa costumes tackle the 3-mile BASC Santa Claus Shuffle, which features stops to snack on Santa’s favorite food groups (see millenniumrunning.com if you’re interested in hitting the road yourself). See the story about the parade on page 19 in last week’s (Nov. 24) issue of the Hippo (find the e-edition at hippopress.com). On page 18 in that issue, you’ll find a listing of other towns’ tree-lightings, parades and other holiday celebrations.

Save the Date! Saturday, Dec. 31
Send off 2022 with a performance by the Adam Ezra Group on New Year’s Eve at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; 437-2100, tupelomusichall.com). Come for a multi-course dinner at 5:30 p.m. (ticket to the dinner includes the show) or buy a ticket for the show only at 9 p.m.

Featured photo. Manchester Holiday Parade. Courtesy photo.

Big Events November 24, 2022 and beyond

Friday, Nov. 25

Shops across the Granite State are participating in Small Business Saturday, including Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester), Toadstool Bookshop (375 Amherst St., Route 101A, Nashua) and Double Midnight Comics (245 Maple St., Manchester). Downtown Nashua will be handing out plaid bags for Plaid Friday at The Telegraph (110 Main St. in Nashua) while supplies last; visit downtownnashua.org.

Saturday, Nov. 26

The Fools, a Massachusetts rock band that has traveled the world performing and has had record-breaking radio playtime of their music, are coming to Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry) today at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35 and can be purchased online at tupelohall.com.

Sunday, Nov. 27

The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) is screening the documentary The Eagle Huntress (2016) today at 2 p.m. The documentary follows the story of a 13-year-old girl in Mongolia who is trying to become the first female eagle huntress in her family. Tickets are free for members of the museum and included in the price of admission for visitors. Visit currier.org.

Sunday, Nov. 27

The Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) is welcoming Sophie B. Hawkins today at 4 p.m. Hawkins, a Grammy award winning artist, has performed in films and television, sold out concert venues, and played Janis Joplin in the critically acclaimed national tour of the play Room 105. Ticket prices start at $55 and can be bought at ccanh.com.

Sunday, Nov. 27

Saint Anselm College has a men’s basketball game today at 1 p.m. against Franklin Pierce University at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium (73 College Road in Manchester). Saint Anselm is 1-2 this season, while Franklin Pierce is 1-1. Tickets cost $10 per person and can be bought at the gym’s ticket stand. See saintanselmhawks.com.

Wednesday, Nov. 30

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) has men’s and women’s basketball games today against Adelphi University. SNHU’s women’s game will be at The Stan Spirou Field House (2500 N. River Road, Manchester) at 5:30 p.m.; the men’s game will be at 7:30 p.m. Visit snhupenmen.com.

Wednesday, Nov. 30

Marek Bennett, New Hampshire based author of several graphic novels, will discuss his new graphic novel The Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby Volume 3 (1864), the third book in a series about a New Hampshire school teacher based on primary sources, today at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) on at 6:30 p.m. See Bennett’s work at marekbennett.com, where you can find more about the Freeman Colby series as well as videos about making comics.

Save the date! Thursdsay, Dec. 1
Legally Blonde, the award-winning musical, is coming to the Chubb Theatre (44 S Main St, Concord) on Thursday, Dec. 1. The show, based on the Reese Witherspoon movie of the same name, follows Elle as she attends Harvard Law to win back the man who broke her heart. Tickets cost $76 and up and can be purchased at ccanh.com.

Featured photo. Courtesy photo.

Big Events November 70, 2022 and beyond

Thursday Nov. 17

This week’s Art After Work at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will feature live music performed by Green Heron, the duo who describe themselves as stretching “across the entire folk landscape. Old-time, folk, bluegrass, country, Celtic and blues music are all represented,” according to greenheronmusic.com, where you can hear their music. The evening, which runs from 5 to 8 p.m., also includes free admission to the museum and 30-minute tours of the exhibits (“State of the Art 2020: Locate” at 5:30 p.m. with artist-in-residence Eriko Tsogo, followed by a workshop led by Tsogo, and then “Gee’s Bend Quilts” at 6:30 p.m.).

Friday, Nov. 18

Chef Robert Irvine, star of Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible and other shows, will be in Concord and Nashua today at meet-and-greet bottle signings for his Irvine’s Vodka and Irvine’s Gin, according to a press release. Irvine will be at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlet in Concord (11 Merchant’s Way) from noon to 2 p.m. and at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlet in Nashua (25 Coliseum Ave.) from 4 to 6 p.m., the press release said. Go to liquorandwineoutlets.com to reserve a spot (find the meet-and-greets under “events”).

Friday Nov. 18

See the classic Agatha Christie whodunitMurder on the Orient Express by the Community Players of Concord tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord). Follow Hercule Poirot as he tries to unravel the murder of a man found stabbed in his bed. Shows are also on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 20, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for ages 17 and younger and ages 65+. Find an interview with the production’s Poirot, Jim Gocha, on page 15 of the Oct. 13 edition of The Hippo (find the e-edition at hippopress.com). See communityplayersofconcord.org.

Saturday, Nov. 19

The Concord Christmas Parade steps off today at 9:30 a.m. and runs from Hazen Drive to Loudon Road to Canterbury Road to Pembroke Road, according to the event’s Facebook page.

Saturday, Nov. 19

Kimball Jenkins (266 Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com, 225-3932) will hold an opening reception for “Salon 2022,” an exhibition featuring small works in all media, today from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit runs through Sunday, Dec. 18.

Sunday, Nov. 20

Catch the final performance of the Peacock Players’ (14 Court St. in Nashua; 886-7000, peacockplayers.org) production of 9 to 5 The Musicaltoday at 2 p.m. The show also runs this weekend Friday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 19, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 or $15 for children and seniors, $15 or $18 for adults (based on seat location), plus fees.

Saturday, Nov. 19

The Bektash Shriners Feztival of Trees begins today from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bektash Shrine Center (189 Pembroke Road in Concord). Admission costs $5 for ages 12 and over. Peruse the decorated trees and enter the raffle to win the tree (or trees) that you like best. Raffle tickets cost $5 for 25 (tickets can also be purchased online for an additional fee). The drawings are done on Sunday, Nov. 27, the end of the festival. The festival is open Sunday, Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 22, and Wednesday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m; Friday, Nov. 25, and Saturday, Nov. 26, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to bektashshriners.org.

Save the date! Satruday, Nov. 26
The New England Dance Ensemble will present its production of The Nutcrackeron Saturday, Nov. 26, and Sunday, Nov. 27, with the NH Philharmonic as its pit orchestra.
The ballet will feature guest performers from the Philadelphia and Nashville ballets and take place at the Seifert Performing Arts Center at Salem High School (44 Geremonty Drive). The show starts at 4 p.m. each day. Tickets cost $40 to $55. See nede.org.

Featured photo. Bektash Shriners Feztival of Trees. Courtesy photo.

Big Events November 10, 2022 and beyond

Thursday, Nov. 10

The Wilton Town Hall Theatre (40 Main St. in Wilton; 654-3456) will screen the silent film Wings (1927) today at 7:30 p.m. with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. The movie, which was a blockbuster hit when it opened and won the first “best movie” Academy Award ever given, is a silent film about American pilots flying through Europe during World War I, according to a press release. Tickets cost $10 at the door, and tickets for veterans and members of the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire are free. For more information about the Aviation Museum, visit aviationmuseumofnh.org.

Thursday, Nov. 10

On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan, a musical featuring some of Gloria Estefan’s biggest hits, will hit the stage at the Capitol Center for the Arts (Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $55 (plus fees).

Friday, Nov. 11

The Southern New Hampshire University Penmen and Saint Anselm College Hawks will go head-to-head in a women’s basketball game today at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium (73 College Road in Manchester). The game will start at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $10 per person and can be purchased with credit cards only one hour before game time at the door. Visit saintanselmhawks.com.

Friday, Nov. 11

Creative Venture (11 Nashua St. in Milford; creativeventuresfineart.com) will hold the opening for its annual “Small Works, Big Impact” show today from 6 to 8 p.m. The non-juried show, which will be on display through Dec. 31, will have works of art, all smaller than 12 inches in diameter, from 30 local artists with media ranging from graphite and ink to polymer clay and glass, according to the website.

Friday, Nov. 11

Comedian Jimmie “JJ” Walker will perform two area shows this weekend. Catch him tonight at 8:30 p.m. at the Chunky’s in Nashua and tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 12, at 8:30 p.m. at Chunky’s in Manchester. See chunkys.com.

Sunday, Nov. 13

The Manchester City Marathon will start at Veterans Memorial Park (723 Elm St. in Manchester) today at 9:15 a.m. There will also be a half marathon and a 5K starting at the same time. Registration is $30 for the 5K, $85 for the half marathon and $100 for full marathon. To register, visit millenniumrunning.com.

Save the date! Wednesday, Nov. 30
A new exhibit, “Manchester Through the Lens of Frank Kelly,”is coming to the Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum) on Wednesday, Nov. 30, with an opening day unveiling at 5 p.m. Kelly, a photographer from Manchester from the 1950s through the 1980s, owned his own studio and he and his wife Eleanor photographed people, landmarks, and buildings of Manchester. Many of the photographs and negatives will be on display. Reserve a spot by emailing [email protected] or calling 622-7531.

Featured photo. Wings. Courtesy photo.