• New Year’s eats: Join the Copper Door Restaurant (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677; 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033; copperdoor.com) for a special New Year’s Eve prix fixe dinner menu, which will be served on Friday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 8 p.m. at both locations, featuring meals of two, three or four courses. Options include sesame tuna risotto, crispy pork and beef meatballs, fish chowder, sausage and kale soup, shaved Brussels sprout and arugula, grilled filet oscar, braised short rib, soy honey-glazed salmon, seafood-stuffed haddock, truffled mushroom ravioli, duck confit risotto, sugar cookie cupcakes, German chocolate cake, and vanilla Funfetti cheesecake. The cost is $69 for a two-course meal, $79 for a three-course meal and $89 for a four-course meal. Reservations are highly recommended. The Copper Door’s regular menus will also be available from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at both locations, and live music will be featured from 6 to 9 p.m. For more ideas on how to spend New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day (there may still be time to plan depending on where you go), visit issuu.com/hippopress.com and click on the Dec. 16 issue to read the e-edition for free. Our New Year’s Eve listings begin on page 30.
• Eat organic: Now through Jan. 2, early bird registration rates are available for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire’s 20th annual Winter Conference, to be held virtually over the course of a week from Sunday, Feb. 6, through Saturday, Feb. 12. According to a press release, the conference will feature more than 20 workshops and panel discussions, addressing a wide range of topics for farmers, gardeners, eaters and educators, from growing practices to food preservation and more. The theme of this year’s conference is “Collaboration & Self-Reliance: Building a Stronger NH Food System.” Registration ranges from $35 to $65 ($50 to $80 after Jan. 2). Visit nofanh.org/winterconference.
• Wine and dine: Get your tickets now before they’re gone to a winter wonderland wine pairing dinner at Zorvino Vineyards (226 Main St., Sandown) on Saturday, Jan. 22. Tickets are $70 per person and include a cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., followed by a four-course meal at 7:30 p.m. — servings will include winter vegetable and feta galette, pancetta and parsnip salad, Maine lobster croquette, cola braised short rib and lemon cranberry bliss featuring cranberry white chocolate shortcake and mascarpone-limoncello cream. Visit zorvino.com.
• Food truck fest to return: A new date has been set for the Great Bay Food Truck Festival — the second annual event will return for the first time since 2019 on Saturday, May 7, from noon to 5 p.m. at Stratham Hill Park (270 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham). The rain-or-shine festival is being organized by the Stratham Parks and Recreation department in conjunction with the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce, and will feature dozens of food trucks and vendors, as well as lawn games, live music and more. Visit greatbayfoodtruckfestival.com.
Keith McDonald is the owner and founder of NH Tap, a Milford-based company that builds custom water filtration systems for homes in New Hampshire.
Explain your job.
I schedule and run free water tests for people who [request them]. Then, when people decide they want to move forward with cleaning their water, I engineer and design a custom system for them and have it built. Then I send it over to our installation team to have it installed.
How long have you had this job?
I’ve been in the water treatment industry since I was 22, and I’m 38 now. We started NH Tap in 2017.
What led you to this career field and your current job?
I’m from Jaffrey, originally. I moved to Florida to pursue a professional breakdancing career, and I was actually very successful. I got hired … to dance professionally everywhere from Disney to Universal Studios. At the same time, I got introduced to the water treatment industry. I learned so much, in Florida, about public water. … When I moved back home to New Hampshire, I saw a real need here. There were no companies really focusing on public water … so I saw an opportunity and started NH Tap.
What kind of education or training did you need?
All the chemistry I needed to understand and the engineering skills I needed in order to design systems were self-taught; I read a lot of college publications. … I also had a fantastic mentor in Florida who [taught] me about water and how to present and communicate things about water and design systems … and taught me a lot about the business side of things.
What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?
We have slate blue or battleship gray polos that say ‘NH Tap’ across the upper chest area.
How has your job changed over the course of the pandemic?
The pandemic was actually really good for us. More and more people from the cities outside of New Hampshire, like Boston, were moving to New Hampshire, and many of them were going from having public water to having a private well for the first time. They had no idea what it meant to have clean water because they were used to just turning the faucet on and having the city provide what was considered to be clean water.
What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?
To not be in any rush, and to enjoy every step of the process. … I’m not in a rush to grow anymore. I wake up every morning, motivated, and focus on being diligent and patient and persistent so that I can just enjoy everything as it grows organically.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
The importance of building a fantastic team. You have to get all the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and all the right people in the right seats before you can figure out where to drive it. I have those seats filled now, and I can honestly say that I have no stress or anxiety, because everything is so streamlined, thanks to my team.
What was the first job you ever had?
I worked at Athens Pizza in Jaffrey.
What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?
Do nothing out of selfish ambition. I’ve learned to actually put others before myself, and the more I continue to do that, the more joy I have in building NH Tap.
Five favorites Favorite book: The 4-Hour Workweek Favorite movie:Fantastic Mr. Fox Favorite music: Breakdance beats Favorite food: Arepas Favorite thing about NH: Nothing beats a New Hampshire summer.
Get the family out of the house by sending them to a museum.
• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) is closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Otherwise, the museum is open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $15, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (children under 13 get in free) and can be purchased on site (masks for all are required), according to the website. This Thursday, Dec. 30, Kevin Horan will perform from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of the museum’s weekly Art After Work programming (admission to the museum is free after 5 p.m.). On Sundays the Winter Garden Cafe offers a special brunch menu starting at 10 a.m. featuring mimosa flights, according to the website. Current exhibits include “As Precious As Gold: Carpets from the Islamic World,” “WPA in NH: Philip Guston and Musa McKim” and “Tomie dePaola at the Currier,” featuring the works of dePaola, writer and illustrator 270 children’s books.
• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays (it will be closed New Year’s Day) and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Current displays and exhibits with hands-on examinations of science include BiologYou. Purchase reservations in advance via the website (masks are required for all visitors age 2 and up); admission costs $10 per person ages 3 and up.
• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum) is closed New Year’s Day but otherwise open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the Millyard Museum costs $8 for adults, $6 for 62+ and college students, $4 for children 12 to 18 and free for children under 12. In addition to the permanent exhibits about Manchester’s history, the museum currently features the “New Hampshire Now” photography exhibit.
• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820), featuring exhibits about the people and events of New Hampshire’s aviation history, will be closed for New Year’s Day but open Wednesday, Dec. 29, through Friday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 2, from 1 to 4 p.m., and thereafter Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Exhibits include the annual “Festival of Holiday Toy Planes and Model Aircraft.” Admission costs $10, $5 for 65+ and children (6 to 12) and a family max of $30; children 5 and under get in free (masks are required), according to the website.
• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is closed New Year’s Day but will be open daily through Friday, Dec. 31, and Sunday, Jan. 2, and Monday, Jan. 3, with sessions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The center recommends purchasing timed tickets in advance; admission costs $11.50 for adults, $10.50 for students and seniors and $8.50 for kids ages 3 to 12 (admission is free for children 2 and under; masks required for visitors over the age of 2). Planetarium show tickets are also available and cost $5 per person (free for children 2 and under); see the website for the schedule of planetarium shows.
• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (2 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) requires pre-purchased admission (which costs $11 per person, $9 for 65+ and no charge for children under 1). The museum will be open Tuesday, Dec. 28, through Thursday, Dec. 30 (from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.) and Sunday, Jan. 2 (from 9 a.m. to noon). Masks are required for all guests over 24 months, the website said.
The museum will hold its annual family New Year’s Eve celebration on Friday, Dec. 31. Two time slots are available to reserve, from 9 a.m. to noon or from noon to 3:30 p.m. Museum staff will stage four “countdowns to midnight,” at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. during the morning session, and at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. during the afternoon session. Everyone will receive a noisemaker and will get to create their own sparkly party hat.
Although we had a little snow on the ground for much of November and December, snow has been scarce as we move toward the new year. If this continues, does this have any consequences for our gardens? Yes, it can.
If we have bare ground and a very cold winter, roots will see colder temperatures than they might prefer. Like that pink fluffy fiberglass in the walls of our homes, snow is a great insulator. Snow holds tiny pockets of air, holding in warmth from the soil and preventing icy north winds from stealing warmth from the soil.
Lacking snow, what can one do? Fall leaves are great. If you have a leaf pile somewhere, think about moving some to spread around your most tender plants, especially things planted this year. Perennials and woody plants are most vulnerable to the cold their first winter.
I have a tree peony that I planted this year, quite a pricey plant. Unlike the common perennial peony, the stems of the plant are woody and do not die back to the ground each winter. And the blossoms are much more dramatic, up to a foot across.
I have done two things for it: I mulched around the base with chopped leaves, and I wrapped some burlap around it to protect the stem itself and the flower buds that are already in place for next summer. This will help to keep January’s cold winds from affecting it. We have done the same for tender heirloom roses, with good success. Shrub jackets made of synthetic breathable material are also available instead of making your own from burlap.
I worry about voles chewing through the burlap, nesting inside, and then eating the tender bark of my young tree peony. I had some Bobex brand deer repellent and decided to spray the burlap. It is made with rotten eggs and other nasty stuff and might deter voles.
My wife, Cindy, and I recently used burlap to prevent hungry deer from eating the leaves and branches of a pair of large yews. First I drove four 1-inch-diameter hardwood stakes into the ground around each 6-foot-tall shrub. I stood on a step ladder and used a 3-pound short-handled sledge hammer to drive the stakes in about a foot. Then we draped the burlap over the top of the stakes and stapled the burlap to hold it in place on windy days. We used a heavy-duty carpenter’s stapler, as a desk stapler would not work. We have done this before, and the deer cannot get to one of their favorite winter meals. The wrapping we did was open to the top as deer can’t reach that high, but smaller plants should be completely wrapped.
Another hazard for plants is heavy snow and ice that fall off roofs or are pushed up by snow plows. Last winter I made three A-frame plywood protectors for small shrubs to protect them. Each used four stakes and two pieces of plywood. At the top of each stake I drilled a hole and slid through both a piece of wire that connected the two stakes. This is a cheapskate’s way of avoiding the cost of hinges. And it works just fine! If the ground is not frozen, push the stakes into the soil, but if it is frozen, it should stand up fine anyway.
Later, after the holidays, recycle your evergreen tree in the garden. After I take off decorations, I use my pruners to cut off all the branches. This helps me find every last little ornament, and then I have a nice stack of evergreen branches to use around or over tender plants. The branches are good windbreaks for small shrubs, and hold snow through winter thaws as they sit over tender perennials. If you use a fake tree, watch for discarded trees waiting curbside, and snag one (or more) for use in the garden.
Composting in winter is a chore that some gardeners don’t bother doing. But you should, as it is a waste to put your moldy broccoli in the landfill. For many gardeners the compost pile is a considerable distance from the house, requiring warm coats, gloves — and perhaps snowshoes. But there is an easy solution.
Invest in an extra garbage can, a large one that will hold 30 gallons or more. Place it inconspicuously but conveniently near the house. Ideally, you have a kitchen door behind the house, and can bring food scraps to it without bundling up for the cold.
Your winter compost will freeze, and will not break down during the cold months. So chop any big things to smaller pieces to allow it to pack down well. Then, come spring, you will have to shovel the material into a wheelbarrow and bring it down to your regular compost pile after it has thawed.
Of course, commercial compost bins are available to buy instead of the Mr. Thrifty 30-gallon plastic can. But since compost does not break down outside in winter, a plastic bin may not hold all the material you produce. If you fill the first garbage can, an extra can is a smaller investment than a bin made just for compost. And those rotating bins? I’ve rarely met anyone who keeps turning them every week anyhow.
So get creative and protect your plants however you can. And if you have a great idea, write me so I can share it with others.
Featured photo:This tree peony had 10-inch-wide blossoms. Photo by Henry Homeyer.
Decorative lights continue at LaBelle Winery’s Derry location with LaBelle Lights, an imaginative display on the winding pathways of the winery’s LaBelle Links golf course.
“The golf course lent itself to create this beautiful walking path,” said Michelle Thornton, Director of Marketing and Business Development for LaBelle Winery.
LaBelle Lights opened Nov. 18 and runs through Feb. 26. This self-paced, all-outdoor stroll through dazzling lights opens at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights..
“It’s an ideal place for families,” said Project Manager Danielle Sullivan. “Young kids come and they just love it.”
The walk takes 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how fast or slow you decide to walk. Each month has a theme: in December, the focus was Christmas and the holidays.
“People are pretty joyful on the walk,” Thornton said. “And what I really think is beautiful is that people walk at their own pace and they experience the lights differently, but everyone experiences it with joy.”
On the stroll, there are four bridges on the path, each with a different scene. There are also many attractions along the way, including a tunnel of lights, a snowflake field and a selfie station made of wine barrels called The LaBelle Barrel Tree that was hand-crafted by a LaBelle artisan.
In January the music and light displays will have a “fire and ice theme,” with fire and ice performers, bonfires and specially themed food at LaBelle Market and cocktails at Americus, the on-site restaurant, on Friday, Jan. 14, and Saturday, Jan. 15, according to the website. In February LaBelle Lights will have a Valentine theme.
“So even if you come in December to see the LaBelle Lights, there will be something new to see and experience in January and February,” Thornton said.
Special events, like the New Year’s Eve dinner and Big Band celebration on Dec. 31, also include a free stroll through LaBelle Lights.
The walking paths are kept clear for guests to walk and are also handicapped-accessible. Thornton reminds visitors that winter nights can get cold and to dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear.
Tickets are transferable for another date. Tickets can be purchased at the door, but advanced ticket purchase is recommended.
LaBelle Lights
When: through Feb. 26, open Thursdays through Saturdays, 4:30 to 9 p.m. Where: LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111 in Derry (labellewinery.com, 672-9898) Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for ages 4 to16, free for ages 3 and under. Parking is free. (Tickets can be purchased through the website and at the door.)
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• Nashua arts venue gets an official name: The performing arts venue currently under construction in downtown Nashua formerly known as the Nashua Performing Arts Center has been renamed the Nashua Center for the Arts, Nashua Community Arts announced in a press release. The new name was chosen by a local anonymous donor who gave $1 million to the venue. “The center will be home to much more than theatrical and musical performances,” Nashua Community Arts board member Phillip Scontsas said in the release. “It will be hosting films, a variety of attractions like celebrity chefs and reality TV stars, recitals, and competitions … and art exhibitions in the gallery.”
• Last call for holiday art: There’s still time to check out these holiday art exhibits.
“Small Works — Big Impact,” the annual holiday exhibit at Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford), is going on now through Friday, Dec. 31, in person at the gallery and virtually on the gallery’s website (creativeventuresfineart.com/product-category/small-works-show). The exhibit features non-juried small works of art in a variety of media and styles, created by area professional and nonprofessional artists, priced affordably for holiday gift buying. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.
The New Hampshire Art Association’s holiday exhibition, “Let it Snow,” is upat the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) now through Sunday, Jan. 2. It includes works in a variety of media, as well as books and cards for sale. Gallery hours are Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
Painting by Heather Morgan, featured in “The Dysfunction of Social Practice” exhibit at Kimball Jenkins Estate. Courtesy photo.
• Theater auditions: Manchester-based Cue Zero Theatre Co. is looking for actors for two upcoming shows. Auditions for the March production of Deadly will be held on Sunday, Jan. 2, from 3 to 6 p.m., and Monday, Jan. 3, from 7 to 10 p.m., with callbacks on Wednesday, Jan. 5, in the evening. Deadly is a nine-person ensemble theater piece that uses movement in nine parts to explore the modern-day seven deadly sins. Auditions for the April production of Puffs! Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, a comedy about students at a magic school, will be held on Sunday, Jan. 16, and Monday, Jan. 17, from 7 to 10 p.m., with callbacks on Tuesday, Jan. 18, from 7 to 10 p.m. All auditions will take place in person at Granite State Arts Academy (19 Keewaydin Drive, No. 4, Salem). All performers must be at least 18 years old and must fill out an audition form online and sign up for a time slot in advance. Visit cztheatre.com or email cztheatre@gmail.com.
• Exhibits at the Mansion: The Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord) has two exhibitions up now through Jan. 14. “Salon 2021,” on view in the Carolyn Jenkins Gallery in the Carriage House, features a curated collection of offbeat and experimental small works in a variety of media by regional artists with diverse studio practices and artistic approaches. “The Dysfunction of Social Practice,” on view in the Jill C. Wilson Gallery in the Kimball Jenkins Mansion, is a collaboration between Kimball Jenkins and Manchester art gallery Kelley Stelling Contemporary, featuring paintings, sculpture and performance works by New Hampshire artists Zach Dewitt, Emmett Donlon, Rosemary Mack, Heather Morgan and Meghan Samson. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with evening and weekend visits available by request. Visit kelleystellingcontemporary.com and kimballjenkins.com, or call 225-3932.
Natural elements
The New Hampshire Art Association has an exhibition, “Impressions: Nature,” featuring the work of Allenstown artist Daniela Edstrom, on view now through Feb. 17 at the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (49 S. Main St., Concord). Edstrom’s art explores the abstract qualities of light, form and color found in the New England landscape. “Sunlight and its play of light and shadow is perceived as halos of vibrating strokes and bold minimalist shapes,” the artist said in a press release. “Elements such as leaves, trees – the organic aspects of the woodland environment – are seen in emphatic primary colors and highlighted by gestural marks of rich complementary hues.” Gallery hours at the Chamber are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All works are for sale. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
ART
Exhibits
• “SMALL WORKS — BIG IMPACT” Creative Ventures Gallery presents its annual holiday exhibit in-person at the gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford) and virtually on the gallery’s website (creativeventuresfineart.com/product-category/small-works-show). The exhibit features non-juried small works of art in a variety of media and styles, created by area professional and nonprofessional artists, priced affordably for holiday gift buying. Now through Dec. 31. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.
• “LET IT SNOW” The New Hampshire Art Association presents its holiday exhibition. Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth). Now through Jan. 2. Features works in a variety of media, as well as books and cards for sale. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org.
• EMILY NOELLE LAMBERT Solo exhibition by New York City artist Emily Noelle Lambert. Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). On view now through Jan. 9. Masks required inside the gallery. Visit anselm.edu/dana-center-humanities or call 641-7700.
• “THE DYSFUNCTION OF SOCIAL PRACTICE” Kelley Stelling Contemporary presents an exhibition featuring paintings, sculpture and performance works by five New Hampshire artists. Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord). Now through Jan. 14. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with evening and weekend visits available by request. Visit kelleystellingcontemporary.com.
• “SALON 2021” Exhibition features offbeat and experimental works in a variety of media by regional artists with diverse studio practices and artistic approaches. The Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord, 225-3932, kimballjenkins.com). Now through Jan. 14. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with evening and weekend visits available by request.
• “BIG GIFTS IN SMALL PACKAGES” The Seacoast Artist Association’s annual holiday exhibit, featuring a variety of small works of art priced under $100 for gift buying. Now through Jan. 7. 130 Water St., Exeter. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 to 4 p.m. Visit seacoastartist.org or call 778-8856.
• “AS PRECIOUS AS GOLD: CARPETS FROM THE ISLAMIC WORLD” Exhibit features 32 carpets dating from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester). On view now through Feb. 27, 2022. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “1,000 CRANES FOR NASHUA” Featuring more than 1,000 origami paper cranes created by hundreds of Nashua-area kids, adults and families since April. On display now at The Atrium at St. Joseph Hospital, 172 Kinsley St., Nashua. Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org.
• “NEW HAMPSHIRE NOW” A collaborative photography project presented by the New Hampshire Historical Society and the New Hampshire Society of Photographic Artists, on display in eight exhibitions at museums and historical societies across the state. Nearly 50 photographers participated in the project, taking more than 5,000 photos of New Hampshire people, places, culture and events from 2018 to 2020 to create a 21st-century portrait of life in the Granite State. Exhibition locations include Belknap Mill Society in Laconia; Colby-Sawyer College in New London; Portsmouth Historical Society; Historical Society of Cheshire County in Keene; the Manchester Historic Association; Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University; and the Tillotson Center in Colebrook; with the flagship exhibition at the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord. Visit newhampshirenow.org and nhhistory.org.
Tours
• NASHUA PUBLIC ART AUDIO TOUR Self-guided audio tours of the sculptures and murals in downtown Nashua, offered via the Distrx app, which uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provides audio descriptions at each stop on the tour as tourists approach the works of art. Each tour has 10 to 15 stops. Free and accessible on Android and iOS on demand. Available in English and Spanish. Visit downtownnashua.org/nashua-art-tour.
Workshops and classes
• WINTER ART CLASSES Art classes for teens and adults, including Pottery, Stained Glass, Intermediate Watercolor and Clay Hand Building. Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester). Five-week sessions. Classes met for two hours a week. Call 232-5597 or visit 550arts.com for the full schedule and cost details.
• GENERAL ART CLASSES In-person art classes for all levels and two-dimensional media. held with small groups of two to five students. Private classes are also available. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Students are asked to wear masks in the gallery. Tuition costs $20 per group class and $28 per private class, with payment due at the beginning of the class. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.
• DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org.
THEATER
Shows
• SCENE CHANGES Produced by New World Theatre. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Jan. 7 through Jan. 23. Showtimes are on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members and $16 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com.
Classical
• NEW YEAR’S EVE CHAMPAGNE POPS The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra presents its New Year’s Eve concert. The Music Hall Historic Theater (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth). Fri., Dec. 31, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $38. Visit themusichall.org or call 436-2400.
