Are you itching to get out and try something new, but aren’t sure where to look and what to do? Have no fear, “Spontaneity” is here! In our new series, we’ll prove a region-by-region breakdown of events and activates from across the Granite State that you won’t want to miss. From arts and crafts, to hole-in-the-wall music venues, our short list will have something for everyone, no matter what you’re looking to do. If you see something you like, make sure you act fast- we’re only looking at what’s going on this weekend.
Have an event we should know about or that should be considered for the next edition of “Spontaneity”? Shoot me an email at [email protected]
Seacoast:
BLEND.Comedy: Live Stand-Up
Oct. 28, 7 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.
BLEND603
82 Fleet Street, Portsmouth
BLEND.Comedy brings a fresh stand-up comedy lineup by transforming the BLEND.603 Gallery of artist, Brian René Bergeron, into a comedy club every weekend. From West Coast headliners to local up-and-comers, audiences are guaranteed a fun ride from a diverse mix of voices. Featuring a mix of the best headliners it’s quickly becoming a destination show for locals and tourists alike.
Peter Dryden’s Contemporary Line Dance Class
Oct. 28, 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.
The Fox Run Mall
50 Fox Run Road, Newington
Get your boo-gie on at the Fox Run Dance Hall, located in the Fox Run Mall in Newington, this weekend for a Halloween Contemporary Line Dance Class with Peter Dryden. This weekend’s class will feature witchy music, and a costume contest with prizes!
Merrimack Valley:
New Hampshire Coin Expo
Oct. 27 and 28
DoubleTree Hilton
700 Elm Street, Manchester
Calling all coin collectors, and coin enthusiasts! The New Hampshire Coin Expo is this weekend, at the DoubleTree Hilton in Manchester. This weekend long event will feature dealers and collectors from all across the East Coast to buy, sell and trade items of numismatic interest, as well as gold and silver bullion. The NH Coin Expo will showcase hundreds of cases of coins (some that date back to the BC era) – even if you aren’t a coin collector, this expo is something you won’t want to miss. The expo will also offer free appraisals, so you can bring in those old coins you have laying around to see how much they’re worth!
Murder Mystery Dinner: Best Laid Plans
Oct. 27 at 6 p.m.
Capitol Center for the Arts
44 S. Main Street, Concord
You’re invited to the estate of Sir Warren Peace for a night of mystery, intrigue and murder. With a killer crowd of people just waiting for murder to arrive on the scene, this night will keep everyone looking over their shoulder and guessing who the next victim will be. Bribe suspects for clues and gather information to uncover the unhinged guest who is whacking all the invitees, but be careful, you could be next. Dress your best in evening wear and suits, this is a refined party after all. Can’t make it this Friday? Don’t worry, there will be another murder at the Midnight Masquerade on Saturday.
Monadnock:
Halloweenie Weekend
Oct. 27 through Oct. 31
The Park Theatre
19 Main Street, Jaffery
Are you in the mood for something scary? The Park Theatre is showing classic Halloween and horror movies all weekend long. From “The Exorcist,” to “Ghostbusters” to “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane,” there’s something for everyone to be scared by. The Park Theatre is also hosting live events, like a Halloween Dance Party, a costume contest and trick or treat. If you aren’t sure what to do this Halloweekend, The Park Theatre is sure to have something for you.
Bernie’s Mitten Maker
Oct. 27 at 6 p.m.
The Toadstool Bookshop
12 Emerald Street, Keene
Bernie’s Mitten Maker is a raw and honest account of the joy, stress, and shock of sudden internet fame. Told with captivating storytelling, this memoir explores the many roads that led to the Bernie Sanders mitten meme sensation that followed the 2021 presidential inauguration. Jen Ellis’s debut publication reads like an intimate conversation with an old friend. Vermont teacher, mother, and crafter, Ellis weaves the stories of her life together with humor and thoughtful insight. She shares her struggles with childhood trauma, infertility, and homophobia and shows us how crafting can build community and generosity can bring joy. Join the Toadstool Bookshop for a presentation by Ellis, followed by a book signing!
Lakes:
Beans and Greens Haunted Maze Night
This weekend, 7 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.
Beans and Greens Farm
245 Intervale Road, Gilford
Are you ready to be scared? Prepare for the fright of your life at the Beans and Greens Farm’s Haunted Maze night. With live scare actors around every turn, this haunted maze is a scream. Can you escape the maze before the chainsaw man finds you? Find out this weekend!
Picfolio with Gay Ayers
Oct. 29, 12 p.m.- 3 p.m.
League of NH Craftsmen- Meredith Fine Craft Gallery
279 Daniel Webster Hwy, Meredith
A Pic-folio is an accordion book, using paper folded in a particular way that will accommodate 10 photos. They are held together with a ribbon. These make wonderful small gifts or keepsakes! Students will use 10-11 photos, 4” x 6” that you will provide, and the instructor will guide you through cutting, gluing, arranging, and assembling to make a beautiful picfolio book of your treasured photographs. Students will need to bring: 11 4″x6″ borderless photos, old catalogs to glue on, a cutting mat, and a small metal triangle. All other materials will be supplied by the instructor.
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee:
Hopstop Family Show: Music and Mask Making with the Villalobos Brothers
Oct. 29, 11 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Hopkins Center for the Arts
4 E. Wheelock Street, Hanover
Celebrate Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) with music and mask making. Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated by people of Mexican heritage. People make shrines to honor the deceased relatives featuring the person’s favorite food and drink, and gifts. This holiday is a joyful celebration of those who have passed instead of a day of mourning. Join the the Grammy-winning Villalobos brothers who have captured the hearts of audiences around the world with their virtuosic musicianship, infectious energy and profound messages of love, brotherhood and social justice. You will learn more about the Day of the Dead and how to create traditional Mexican masks found at the celebration. This workshop is best suited for youth ages 7 and up, but children 5 or younger can participate with adult assistance. This workshop is free. Please make sure to wear clothes which can get dirty as we will be using paint and other materials which can damage clothing.
Live Music
Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m.- 11:30 p.m.
The Anonymous Coffeehouse
10 S. Park Street, Lebanon
This weekend, Liz Simmons, Friction Farm and 2×2 will be performing at the Anonymous Coffeehouse. Lix Simmons is an Indie Music Award-winning songwriter with a new soon-to-be-released solo album. In addition to leading her own bands for over 10 years, she has also been a backing vocalist for folk greats Melanie, Tom Chapin, and Livingston Taylor. Modern-folk duo Friction Farm, is a husband and wife team of traveling troubadours. Aidan Quinn and Christine Stay, combine storytelling, social commentary and humor to create songs of everyday life, local heroes, and quirky observations. 2 x 2 is Valerie Kosednar, Mark Grieco, and Betsy and Lee Rybeck Lynd, each veteran singers and performers in their own right. 2 x 2 sings songs of life, love, and hope in many styles and languages drawn broadly from the folk repertoire. You won’t want to miss this night of good music, and great food.
White Mountains:
Gathering of the Jack-o-Lanterns
Oct, 28, 1 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Littleton
The spectacle of hundreds of carved and lit pumpkins set on the rocks on the Ammonoosuc River is not to be missed. The Gathering of the Jack-o-Lanterns features a bonfire, haunted riverwalk, and fun happening all day for the whole family.
The rek’- lis Horror Halloween Party
Oct. 27, 8:30 p.m.
rek’- lis Brewing Company
2058 Main Street, Bethlehem
Spooky season is here, and it’s time to party! Join rek’-lis Brewing Company for their 5th annual Halloween party. Dust off your best costumes, and get ready to work the runway – they’re kicking off the party with a costume cat walk competition! With food, beer, cocktails, a DJ and more, you’re in for a scary fun time.
Great North Woods:
Studio Two: A Beatles Tribute by Acoustic Duo
Saturday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Kaufmann Theater at the Tilly
14 Carriage Lane, Colebrook
Join members of the Touring Show Studio Two for an acoustic duo. Studio Two is a headlining Beatles band that pays tribute to the early Beatles years, choosing songs from the pre-Sgt. Pepper era. Featuring graduates from Berklee College of Music and Beatles devotees, Studio Two band mates met in a “cellar full of noise” in a town slightly west of Liverpool (Milford, New Hampshire!) to pay homage to the greatest rock band of all time. Band members are experienced musicians of today’s generation dedicated to preserving the memory and fan culture of The Beatles generation.