It’s December, there’s a foot of snow on the ground, and Seacoast entertainment is increasingly dominated by the holidays. Here are some of this weekend’s highlights.
Holiday Theater, Round 2
Local dance and theater companies continue to launch their annual holiday productions this weekend at venues across the Seacoast. Among the new shows now on stage are Sole City Dance’s “The Nutcracker” at the Rochester Opera House (Dec. 4-8), The Bang Group’s “NutCracked” at The Dance Hall in Kittery (Dec. 6-7), “A Christmas Carol” at The Players’ Ring in Portsmouth (Dec. 6-22), and George Hosker-Bouley’s “A Dickens of a Christmas” at the York Community Auditorium (Dec. 6-8).
Button Factory Open Studios
The 33rd annual Button Factory Open Studios begins with a preview on Friday, Dec. 6, from 5-8 p.m., and continues on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Button Factory tenants and guest artists will offer a wide range of paintings, photography, printmaking, jewelry, fiber arts, floor cloths, pottery, sculpture, stained glass, handcrafted furniture, custom picture framing, bookbinding, and more. It’s an excellent opportunity to do some holiday shopping while supporting local artists and craftspeople. Learn more here.
‘Forward’ at Nahcotta
The first Friday of December brings both Art ’Round Town in Portsmouth and the Dover Art Walk. A highlight of the former is Nahcotta’s third annual holiday group show, “Forward.” The gallery selected nine artists to show work in the exhibit, which is on display through Dec. 28. An opening reception takes place Friday, Dec. 6, from 5-7 p.m. Twenty-five percent of profits from sales of artwork will go to a nonprofit of the artist’s choosing. Learn more here.
Seacoast Holiday Parades
Several towns present their annual holiday parades this weekend. It starts with the Kittery Holiday Parade, which takes off from Post Office Square at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. Then, at 5 p.m., Portsmouth hosts a Tree Lighting Ceremony in Market Square, followed by the Portsmouth Holiday Parade. The Rye Holiday Parade forms behind Webster at Rye at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8. The theme of this year’s event is “Rock & Roll Holidays of the 1950s.”
Words & Song at The Word Barn
The Word Barn in Exeter hosts a special night of poetry and music on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 7-10 p.m. Presented by Bright & Lyon and The Silo Series, the event features Peter Mulvey, Mimi White, and Alison Harville. Mulvey is a musician and spoken-word artist who dabbles in several genres. White is a former Portsmouth poet laureate and recipient of the N.H. State Fellowship in Poetry. Harville is a poet, tarot-card reader, and business project manager. Learn more here.
For a complete calendar of local events, click here.