Category: This Week

Big Events December 23, 2021 and beyond

Thursday, Dec. 23

Need to do a little last-minute shopping? Two Villages Art Society’s (46 Main St. in Contoocook, twovillagesart.org) Holiday Art Show and Sale,featuring handmade gifts by more than 30 local artists, including paintings, pottery, mixed media, photography, fabric art and more, is open today from noon to 4 p.m. The Craftworkers’ Guild’s Holiday Fair 3A Meetinghouse Road, behind the library, in Bedford; thecraftworkersguild.org), open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through today. The Artisan’s Market at the Cider Mill Gallery (24 Francestown Road, Route 136, in New Boston, 487-5522) is open Friday, Dec. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 24

Looking for some holiday eats? While deadlines for special orders have probably passed, a pie or cookie plate may be available for last-minute pickup and there are restaurants with special meals or limited hours for today and tomorrow. Check out Matt Ingersoll’s listing of food-related gifts, holiday eats to bring home and places to dine out in the Dec. 9 issue of the Hippo at hippopress.com, where you can find the e-edition. The stories start on page 22.

Sunday, Dec. 26

Get in one last dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy when the New Hampshire School of Ballet presents The Nutcracker Suite at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) today at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $22.

Monday, Dec. 27

New England’s own Recycled Percussion kicks off a string of more than a dozen shows at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) today with a show at 7:30 p.m. Future dates include Tuesday, Dec. 28, through Saturday, Jan. 1, at 4 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 2, at 4 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 8, at 4 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35 through $45.

Tuesday, Dec. 28

See Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney (aunt of George) in White Christmas (1954) at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) today at 10 a.m., part of the Senior Movie Mornings Series. Tickets cost $10.

Wednesday, Dec. 29

Looking for something interesting to pour at your New Year’s Eve gathering? WineNot Boutique (25 Main St. in Nashua; winenotboutique.com, 204-5569) has some opportunities for trying new beverages this week. Today it’s a sake tasting, starting at 5 p.m. Tomorrow, Dec. 30, it’s a tasting of exotic sparkling wines. Both events are free but online pre-registration for a specific time slot is required.

Save the date: Thursday, Jan. 27

Tickets are on sale now for the 18th annual Winter Wine Spectacular to benefit Easterseals, scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Manchester. Tickets cost $65 for the grand tasting (the room featuring wine and restaurant vendors serving hundreds of different bottles for tasting) and $145 for “full access,” which includes access to the Bellman’s Cellar Select Room (which opens at 5:30 p.m. and features a selection of $200 high-end wines). See nhwineweek.com.

Featured photo: Recycled Percussion. Courtesy photo.

Big Events December 16, 2021 and beyond

Thursday, Dec. 16

The Peacock Players present A Christmas Carol: An Original Live Radio Play at the Court Street Theatre (14 Court St. in Nashua; peacockplayers.org) tonight and Friday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 18, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 19, at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $19.

Friday, Dec. 17

Angel City Music Hall (179 Elm St. in Manchester; angelcitymusichall.com) will hold its “Ugly X-Mas Sweater Party” at 7 p.m., featuring contests, giveaways and live music by the Rock Junkies, according to the website.

Saturday, Dec. 18

Another chance to wear that sweater: The sixth annual Ugly Sweater 4 Miler will be held today at 9 a.m. at Backyard Brewery (1211 S. Mammoth Road in Manchester). The cost for this 21+ event is $40 and includes a Tito’s Handmade Vodka ugly sweater for the first 75 registrants. All registrants get a unisex-fit long-sleeve shirt and one Tito’s Handmade Vodka signature cocktail. Proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Greater Nashua, the Animal Rescue League of NH and Pope Memorial SPCA Concord. Visit totalimagerunning.com. Find more charitable runs and discussion of what makes these events a good time in the Nov. 11 cover story on page 10.

Saturday, Dec. 18

It’s the last weekend of pre-Christmas craft fairs!

• Bazaar Craft Fairs will hold a Holiday Crafts and Vendor Fair today from 9 am. to 2:30 p.m. at Eagles Wing Function Hall (10 Spruce St. in Nashua), featuring more than 35 vendors, according to the event’s Facebook page.

• Pipe Dream Brewing (49 Harvey Road in Londonderry; pipedreambrewingnh.com, 404-0751) will host its annual Holiday Craft Fair today from noon to 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 21

See some classic holiday movies on the big screen this week at the Music Hall (28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org, 436-2400). Today, White Christmas(1954) screens at 3 p.m. and Love Actually(R, 2003) screens at 7 p.m. Tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 22, catch It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) at 3 and 7 p.m. And on Thursday, Dec. 23, it’s The Grinch (PG, 2018) at 3 p.m. and Last Christmas (PG-13, 2019) at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for 60+.

Thursday, Dec. 23

Get Christmas with the Spain Brothers, who will be joined by Green Heron, tonight at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588). Tickets cost $29.

Save (it for later) the date: March 24, 2022

The English Beat will play the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) on Thursday, March 24, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $40.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Big Events December 9, 2021 and beyond

Thursday, Dec. 9

Productions of A Christmas Carol take place on stages throughout the area this weekend. Tonight, the Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) continues its run (shows continue through Dec. 22) with shows at 7:30 p.m. tonight and tomorrow; 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, and noon on Sunday, Dec. 12.

The Hatbox Theatre’s (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com) production (which continues through Dec. 19) has showtimes Friday, Dec. 10, and Saturday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 12, at 2 p.m.

For a slightly different take on the main character, the Majestic Theatre presentsScrooge in Loveat the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway in Derry) on Friday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 12, at 2 p.m. This continuation of the Christmas Carol story looks at Scrooge a year later when the ghosts return to help Ebenezer find love, according to majestictheatre.net.

Friday, Dec. 10

This week’s craft fairs kick off tonight.

• The Great New England Craft & Artisan Show (gnecraftartisanshows.com) runs today from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Hampshire Hills Athletic Club (50 Emerson Road in Milford). Admission is free; Santa will make an appearance on Saturday.

• The Auburn Village School (11 Eaton Hill Road in Auburn) will hold its Holiday Craft and Vendor Fair Saturday, Dec. 11, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with more than 30 vendors and crafters, kids crafts and games, concessions and a visit from Santa, according to the school’s Facebook page.

• Bishop Brady High School (25 Columbus Ave. in Concord; bishopbrady.edu) will hold its Craft Fair on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• On Saturday, Dec. 11, the Holly Jolly Craft Fair (joycescraftshows.com/nh-craft-fairs-schedule) will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel (2 Somerset Plaza in Nashua).

• The Canterbury Community Farmers Market Association (canterburyfarmersmarket.com) will hold a special indoor holiday-themed market with food, art and crafts on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. inside the gymnasium of Canterbury Elementary School (15 Baptist Road).

• The NH Audubon McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; nhaudubon.org) will host a Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Nature Store will also be open.

• The Wrong Brain Holidaze Bizaare (facebook.com/wrongbrain) will take place Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Millspace (55 Main St. in Newmarket) featuring artwork and artisan crafted items.

• The Santa’s Workshop Craft Fair will run at the Derry VFW (18 Railroad Ave. in Derry) on Sunday, Dec. 12, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 10

Celebrate the annual Amherst tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. at the Amherst Town Green. Treats will be available for purchase, according to amhersttreelightingfestival.weebly.com. Keep the holiday spirit going in Amherst with a performance by the Souhegan Valley Chorus Saturday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m. at Souhegan High School (tickets on sale at the door) and a free holiday concert by the Amherst Town Band Sunday, Dec. 12, at 2 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 11

The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; shakersorg) kicks off two weekends of its “Merry Merry Canterbury” celebration today. The events take place Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 (as well as Dec. 18 and Dec. 19) from 1 to 5 p.m. Reserve a spot in advance for $20 per adult (free for kids). The days will include a seasonal display in the bar, a craft, a 19th-century magic show and carols. (For $50, attend the Candlelight Tours the following weekend.)

Saturday, Dec. 11

Take a drive and see some lights: Light Up New Boston will take place on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. Find a map to houses with holiday displays at newbostonnh.gov. The event follows the S’mores with Santa event from 4 to 6 p.m. which features a tree-lighting, a chance to meet Santa and s’mores.

Featured photo: Glass art window by Doris massetti. Courtesy photo.

Big Events December 2, 2021 and beyond

Friday, Dec. 3

Need a little naughty mixed into your holiday celebrations? Join Fright Kingdom (12 Simon St., Nashua) for its Krampus-themed holiday event, “The Fright Before Christmas,” tonight through Sunday, Dec. 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. each night, featuring a costume contest, scary winter wonderland and more. Tickets are $29 and must be purchased in advance. Visit frightkingdom.com or call 809-1173.

Saturday, Dec. 4

There are several art gallery shopportunities today (find more details on these and other holiday events in Hippo’s Holiday Guide, starting on page 10 of the Nov. 25 issue; the e-edition is available at hippopress.com).

Studioverne Fine Art Fused Glass and Creative Framing Solutions (81 and 83R Hanover St., Manchester; facebook.com/verneorlosk) host a Holiday Open House from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Picker Collaborative Artists (3 Pine St., Nashua) host their Holiday Open House from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See pickerartists.com.

The Concord Arts Market hosts a Mini Holiday Arts Market at the Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord) from noon to 3 p.m. See concordartsmarket.net.

Art Gallery 46, at Remember This Antiques and Collectibles (46 Route 101A, Amherst) has its Holiday Open House from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; see facebook.com/ artgallery46.

Saturday, Dec. 4

More holiday fairs today!

Arlington Street United Methodist Church (63 Arlington St., Nashua; asumc.org, 882-4663) holds its Holly Town Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring vendors with handmade items, baked goods, to-go lunches from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and more.

The GFWC Hudson Women’s Club hosts its fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hudson High School; in addition to crafts, the event features gift baskets, food, a penny raffle and more. See facebook.com/GFWCHWC.

The Amherst Lions Club holds its Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Amherst Middle School (14 Cross Road). See e-clubhouse.org/sites/amherstnh.

Christmas in Strafford, an event featuring 17 stops and pieces from more than 50 artists and craftspeople, runs today; see the map at christmasinstrafford.com.

A Holiday Craft Fair at Somersworth High School (11 Memorial Drive) runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; see nhfestivals.org.

Saturday, Dec. 4

Manchester’s Christmas parade returns! The Manchester Holiday Parade will take place today at 4 p.m. on Elm Street. The event follows the BASC Santa Claus Shuffle, a 3-mile road race presented by Millennium Running. The main race — which features samples of “Santa’s four major food groups,” milk & cookies, maple, chocolate and candy — starts at 3 p.m. A 100-yard Lil Elf run starts at 2:30 p.m. Register by Friday, Dec. 3, at millenniumrunning.com/santa.

Find more information on runs in December, including the Jingle Bell Run scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 5, at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester in the Nov. 11 issue of the Hippo, where Meghan Siegler looks at charitable runs in a story that starts on page 10.

Save the Date! Saturday, Dec. 11

Save the date for delicious cookies: on Saturday, Dec. 11, you can find two cookie tours in New Hampshire. The Currier & Ives Cookie Tour will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature nearly a dozen businesses in the Monadnock region. Tickets cost $15 per person; see currierandivescookietour.com. On Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12, the Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie and Candy Tour runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at participating inns in the White Mountains region. Tickets cost $35; see countryinnsinthewhitemountains.com.

Featured photo: The BASC Santa Claus Shuffle. Photo courtesy of Millennium Running.

Big Events November 25, 2021 and beyond

Thursday, Nov. 25

Turkey day! But first, turkey trot. In the Nov. 11 issue of the Hippo (you can find the e-edition at hippopress.com), Meghan Siegler looked at charitable races, such as the many turkey trots scheduled for today. Find info on races today in Bow, Manchester, Derry, Hampstead, Merrimack, Windham and Exeter, among many other towns, in the story, which starts on page 10. Feeling ambitious? The Amherst Junior Women’s Club is also hosting the Trot Off Your Turkey 5K tomorrow (Nov. 26) and Bishop Brady High School in Concord is hosting its Galloping Gobbler 4-Miler on Saturday, Nov. 27.

Thursday, Nov. 25

After your turkey dinner, head for a ride to see the lights: The New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s annual Gift of Lights opens today and runs through Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Loudon (running daily, Sundays through Thursdays from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 4:30 to 10 p.m.). The show features 2.5 miles featuring 3.5 million lights with a variety of arches and attractions, according to nhms.com. Tickets cost $30 to $35 per car load ($60 per limo or bus). Upcoming theme nights are Dress Your Pet (Monday, Nov. 29), Crazy PJ Night (Tuesday, Nov. 30) and Crazy Sweater Night (Wednesday, Dec. 1).

Friday, Nov. 26

The Craftworkers’ Guild opens its doors for its Holiday Craft Shop at the Kendall House (behind the Bedford Library, 3A Meetinghouse Road in Bedford) today through Dec. 22. The show is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and online shopping is available at thecraftworkersguild.org.

Friday, Nov. 26

The Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road in Canterbury; shakers.org, 783-9511) will hold a Holiday Open House today through Sunday, Nov. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free hot chocolate and cider at the museum store and Shaker Stories Tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 27

The Manchester Holiday Event, put on by New England Premier Events, runs today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Manchester Downtown featuring demonstrations, shopping, giveaways, swag bags and more, with proceeds to help the New Hampshire Breast Cancer Coalition, according to myneevent.com/upcoming-events. Tickets cost $5.

Saturday, Nov. 27

Enjoy the sounds of Neighbor at Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) tonight at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $20 general admission (plus fees).

Sunday, Nov. 28

Symphony NH presents Holiday Brass at 3 p.m. at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Dr., Manchester; anselm.edu, 641-7000). Tickets $32 to $45.

Save the Date! Through Feb. 26, 2022

Get more light show at LaBelle Lights at the LaBelle Winery Derry location (14 Route 111), which opened last week and will run through Feb. 26, 2022. The light display is set up on the LaBelle Links golf course along a paved walking path with coordinated music and 15 light features that will be changed periodically throughout the run of the event, according to a press release. Tickets cost $15 and will be available for purchase onsite or in advance at the website, where you can find days and hours of operation (which are primarily Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from 4:30 to 9 p.m. with some additional days throughout the run). The LaBelle Links will also have a few special events and some theme weeks. See labellewinery.com.

Featured photo: 2020 Thanksgiving 5K. Courtesy photo.

Big Events November 18, 2021 and beyond

Friday, Nov. 19

The Peacock Players wrap up two weekends of presenting The Wedding Singer with a show tonight at 7 p.m. (as well as Saturday, Nov. 20, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m.). The show runs at Court Street Theatre (14 Court St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $14 to $19 and are available at peacockplayers.org.

Saturday, Nov. 20

The 21st annual Fez-tival of Trees starts today at the Bektash Shrine Center (189 Pembroke Road in Concord; nhshriners.org) and is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. most days through Sunday, Nov. 28. See multiple fully decorated trees, which will be raffled off. Admission costs $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and kids 12 and under get in free.

Saturday, Nov. 20

It’s another weekend to get in some craft fair shopping.

Today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the First Parish Church (47 E. Derry Road in Derry; 434-0628) will hold its 77th annual Sugar Plum Fair. In addition to crafters, find raffle baskets, a cookie walk and the Hungry Caterpillar food truck, according to fpc-ucc.org.

The YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown (116 Goffstown Back Road; graniteymca.org) will hold its craft fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring more than 40 vendors, homemade baked goods, door prizes, membership discounts and more, according to the center’s Facebook page.

The Deerfield Community Church (15 Church St.; 463-7734, deerchurch.org) will hold its fair today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the website.

Londonderry High School (295 Mammoth Road; lhs.londonderry.org, 432-6941) will hold its craft fair today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the website.

Thorton’s Ferry School (134 Camp Sargent Road in Merrimack; 889-1577) will hold its annual holiday craft fair with more than 80 crafters and vendors from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a raffle room and silent auction, concession cafe, bake sale, book fair and a free Elf Clinic, according to pttf-events.com. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the website said.

Trinity Episcopal Church (200 High St. in Hampton; trinityhampton.org, 926-5688) will hold its Holly Berry Fair today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sister church Christ Episcopal Church (1035 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth; christepiscopalchurch.us) will hold its Holly Berry Fair at the same time, featuring a cookie walk, baked goods, a silent auction, crafters and vendors and more, according to the website.

Thrive Outdoors (190 Elm St. in Manchester; 625-6600, thriveoutdoorsnh.com) will hold a Crafts Holiday Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Today and tomorrow, Nov. 21, check out the Bow PTO craft fair (Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at Bow High School (55 Falcon Way in Bow). Admission costs $2 and the fair will feature more than 150 artists, according to bowpto.digitalpto.com.

The Spelled Out Psychic Fair and Full Moon Market will be held at the Hunt Memorial Building (6 Main St. in Nashua) today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free; the event includes psychic readers as well as crafters and more, according to a press release; see spelledoutshop.com.

The Seacoast Artisans 22nd annual holiday fine arts and craft show will run today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 35 Lafayette Road in Lafayette Crossing Plaza, Hampton. Admission costs $5 (kids 14 and under get in free). See seacoastartisansshows.com.

Sunday, Nov. 21

Catch the Freese Brothers Big Band today at 2 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; 668-5588, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $29.

Save the Date! Friday, Dec. 10

Matt Nakoa will play the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Friday, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m. Tickets for the singer-songwriter’s show cost $22 (plus fees) in advance and an extra $2 at the door. See and hear Nakoa at mattnakoa.com.

Featured photo: Matt Nakoa. Courtesy photo.