Holidays in full swing: Our Seacoast things to do list features parades, shows and more
'The Nutcracker' at Rochester Opera House
The Sole City Dance Company will present its annual performances of "The Nutcracker" at the Rochester Opera House Dec. 1-4, featuring professional dancers, and some 67 local dancers, age 7 to 17 as well as adult dancers from Sole City.
This year’s show will feature an aerial performance, dancers en pointe and numerous partnering dances. Sole City Dance welcomes professional dancers Katherine Duffy and John Deming as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier, and Anna Winslette, now a member of the Portland, Maine, Ballet and an alumnus of Sole City Dance, as Snow Queen. The 2022 production is being directed by Moriah Bureau and Deborah Grammatic of Sole City. Tickets can be purchased at rochesteroperahouse.com, at the Opera House box office, or by calling (603) 335-1992.
Downtown Dover Holiday Stroll
On Thursday, Dec. 1, Dover businesses will stay open late for an evening of festive fun from 4 to 7 p.m., and participating stores will have special promotions and sales, refreshments, snacks, gifts, and more. Get some hot cocoa, shop, and write letters to Santa. Updates and special promotions being planned by Dover businesses will be posted on the Facebook event page www.facebook.com/events/1192437751359585.
Kittery Art Association Holiday Show & Artisan Bazaar
The Kittery Art Association's annual Holiday Show and Artisan Bazaar opens Thursday, Dec. 1 and runs through Dec. 18 Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The KAA gallery is now open at 2 Walker St. in the Kittery Foreside. For more information, visit kitteryartassociation.org or contact KAA atinfo@kitteryartassociation.org or (207) 451-9384.
Holiday Block Party in Exeter
Join the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce and the Exeter Parks and Recreation Department, along with area businesses and organizations, for the Holiday Block Party in downtown Exeter on Thursday, Dec. 1, starting at 4 p.m. Holiday music will fill the air with the Exeter High School Vocal Ensemble and Party Time DJ performing. At 5 p.m., Santa arrives at the bandstand by way of the Exeter Express. You can visit with Santa at the bandstand or you can take a ride on the Exeter Express railroad train located in front of the Exeter Town Office building. The train and Santa will head back to the North Pole at 7 p.m. Visit Olaf and the Food Truck Garden next to Town Hall. Event is free. For more information, visit exeterarea.org or call the Exeter chamber at 603-772-2411.
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Holiday pop-up shopping event in Rochester
Alex and Associates, located at 1 Windhaven Drive, Rochester, will host a pop-up holiday shopping event on Thursday, Dec. 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. Lots of great vendors offering gifts and certificates. Parking is on site and at building next door.
'Nut/Cracked' at The Dance Hall
The Bang Group will perform its "Nut/Cracked" on Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. at The Dance Hall in Kittery. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and children. It’s The Nutcracker, but definitely not as we know it. Mixing Tchaikovsky’s original score with music by Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller and others, the company turns the sugar-coated ballet into a percussive piece of dance theater. Tickets available at thedancehallkittery.org.
Button Factory Open Studios
The 35th Button Factory Open Studios will take place on Friday, Dec. 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3 and 4, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the factory at 855 Islington St., in Portsmouth. Friday night will feature resident artists only; Saturday and Sunday will feature resident and guest artists hosted in select studios. Visit buttonfactorystudios.com for directions and links to the artists' websites, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Event is free and open to the public.
Shop at 3S holds opening celebration
On Friday, Dec. 2 from 5 to 8 p.m., the Shop at 3S, an artisan retail store inside 3S Artspace of Portsmouth, will hold an opening celebration. The event coincides with the opening reception for two new exhibits in the 3S Gallery and will feature music by exhibiting artist Roger Clark Miller, food by Mezzanine Catering and a cash bar. Shoppers will also receive a 10% discount throughout the weekend. The store is open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Vintage Christmas Kick-Off Party
The Vintage Christmas Kick-Off Party on Friday, Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m., will take place at the Portsmouth Historical Society’s Welcome Center and Galleries at 10 Middle St. where the 32nd annual Gingerbread Contest entries are on display. Community Judges Awards will be announced and, visitors can cast their votes for the People’s Choice Awards. A lucky few raffle winners may even take a gingerbread masterpiece home. The gingerbread festivities continue outside the Portsmouth Historical Society at 18 local businesses with a Downtown Scavenger Hunt. Admission is free for all. For more information about the exhibit and related events, visit portsmouthhistory.org/exhibitions/gingerbread2022/
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Opening reception at The Franklin Gallery
The Franklin Gallery at RiverStones Custom Framing, 33 North Main St. in Rochester, will host an exhibit during the month of December titled “Here and There; Far and Near.” It features the work of Tom Glover and Lawrence Driscoll. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Dec. 2 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to view the exhibit and meet the artists. Light refreshments will be served.
'Nutcracker' at Star Theatre
The Dance Annex performs "The Nutcracker" at Kittery’s Star Theatre again this weekend, Dec. 3 and 4. Guest artists Naomi Sawyer of Northeastern Ballet Theatre and Assaf Benchetrit, formerly of The Joffrey Ballet, will join the cast in the lead roles. Local seventh-graders Amelia Gordon of Kittery and Willoughby Staley of York will share the role of Clara. Ian Rodgers will return as the Nutcracker Prince, and Spotlight Award-winner Don Goettler stars as the mysterious toymaker Drosselmeyer. Performances are at 1 and 6 p.m. both days. Tickets are $33 for adults and $25 for seniors and children, and are available through The STAR Theatre box office at 207-439-3800 or online at: https://kitterycommunitycenter.org/star-theatre/. For more information, visit www.thedanceannexstudio.com.
Exeter Festival of Trees
This year's Exeter Festival of Trees continues on Thursday, Dec. 1 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Exeter Town Hall. The public is invited to view the trees, place bids, take chances on the raffle tree covered with over $5,200 worth of gift certificates, and enjoy baked goods in the Cookie Room. For more information, visit exeterareacharitablefoundation/festivaloftrees or go to their Facebook page or call the Exeter Chamber of Commerce at 603-772-2411.
Con Tutti performs 'Sing We Joyous'
Usher in this holiday season with Con Tutti as they celebrate “Sing We Joyous” on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at South Church, 292 State St., Portsmouth. They will be accompanied by The Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki Trio. Tickets are $20 and on sale at singwejoyous.brownpapertickets.com.
Dover Festival of Trees
The 13th annual Dover Festival of Trees will take place on Friday, Dec. 2 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Rivermill at Dover Landing. Free and open to the public, the festival will feature more than 35 elaborate trees sponsored and decorated by local businesses, all available to be taken home through silent and live auction or raffle drawing. There'll be live choir performances, refreshments, free goodie bags for kids, a scavenger hunt for kids, and a visit from Santa. The main attraction will be the raffle tree, which will be fully decorated with hundreds of dollars in gift cards to local restaurants and retailers. Tickets for the raffle tree will be $5 each, or five for $20. For more information, contact Dover chamber at 603-742-2218 or visit www.dovernh.org/FOT.
Rochester Chamber’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting
The Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce will present its annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 2, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Central Square in downtown Rochester. This event will include the ceremony and lighting of Rochester’s tree. There'll also be a reading of "The Night Before Christmas" by Rochester City Mayor Paul Callaghan, and dance performances and caroling conducted by Studio 109 Dance, Voice & Drama, and complimentary cookies and hot chocolate, a visit from Santa Claus, and more. There will also be a collection of items to benefit the Homeless Center of Strafford County. For more information and a list of items needed for the Collection for the Homeless, contact the Chamber office at 603-332-5080 or visit www.rochesternh.org/treelighting.
Rochester Festival of Trees
Rochester Main Street will host its annual Festival of Trees at Studley's Flower Garden's greenhouse at 82 Wakefield St. on Friday, Dec. 2 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 3 from 2 to 6 p.m. Enjoy caroling, refreshments, and a visit from Santa while strolling through dozens of wonderfully decorated trees, generously donated by area businesses and organizations. They are fully decorated and are often stuffed with gift certificates and other fun prizes. Admission is just $5 and includes 5 raffle tickets. Children enter free. For more information, visit rochestermainstreet.org.
Somersworth Festival Association's Holiday Craft Fair
Somersworth Festival Association is hosting its 29th Annual Holiday Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 at Somersworth High School, 11 Memorial Drive, Somersworth. Vendors will be inside and outside. The cafeteria will be offering food for sale. For more info, email sfachild.festival@gmail.com, call (603) 692-5869, or visit www.nhfestivals.org.
HoliGAY Fair at Throwback Brewery
Seacoast Outboard and Throwback Brewery will host a HoliGAY Fair, Makers' Market and Campfire Social at Throwback Brewery in North Hampton on Saturday, Dec. 3 from noon to 4 p.m. Raindate is Sunday, Dec. 4. This will be a festive outdoor market featuring more than 20 local artisans. Food and drinks will be served outside with several blazing firepits for warmth. Music will be provided by Patti & The Pop Tarts marimba band and a campfire singalong led by Lezhang Seacoast. Event is free but reserve a spot at Eventbrite.
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Annual Open Studio at Loomis Gallery
Loomis Gallery at 121 Dennett Road, Kittery, Maine, will hold its 2nd Annual Open Studio Art Event. The gallery is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stop in between now and Dec. 17th for three free chances to win one of five items. Names drawn on Dec. 20. See loomisgallery.com or call 207-703-8866 for more information.
Holiday Festival Concerts
The Community Chorus at South Berwick will perform two “Holiday Festival” concerts on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hussey Theater at Noble High School in North Berwick and on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. at Christ Church, Episcopal in Exeter. Advance tickets for the performances are $12 for general admission and can be purchased at www.ccsb-sing.org. At-the-door tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for seniors and students. More information can be found at www.ccsb-sing.org.
Portsmouth Holiday Parade
Portsmouth's annual Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting ceremony will be held Saturday, Dec. 3. The Tree Lighting in Market Square is from 5 to 5:30 p.m. and the parade steps off from Islington Street at 6 p.m. Rain date: Sunday, Dec. 4 at the same times.
Exeter Holiday Parade
The Exeter Holiday Parade will be on Saturday, Dec. 3 and the Exeter Area Garden Club has been named the 2022 Grand Marshal. The parade will step off from the Osram property on Portsmouth Avenue at 5:30 p.m. and wind its way to High Street, passing the Bandstand on Water Street before dispersing along Swasey Parkway. Awards for various parade units will be given out in front of the Bandstand. The 2022 theme for the Holiday Parade is “Toys, Trains and Candy Canes.” Follow the Exeter Holiday Parade Facebook page for the latest information about this year’s event.
Kittery Holiday Parade moved to Sunday
Due to predicted rain and windy conditions, the annual Kittery Holiday Parade has been moved to Sunday, Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. An important change has also been made to the parade route with the parade stepping off from the Traip Academy parking lot. The tree lighting at John Paul Jones Park will still take place at the conclusion of the parade.
Hampton Holiday Parade
Hampton Holiday Parade will step off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Hampton/North Hampton town line by the railroad bridge on Route 1 (Lafayette Road) and follows the roadway to end at Winnacunnet Road. This year the Hampton Holiday Parade, organized by Experience Hampton, is themed “It’s Only a Movie” in honor of the late Desi Lanio, former co-owner of Route 1's 401 Tavern.
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Berwick/Somersworth Holiday Parade
The Berwick-Somersworth Holiday Parade will kick off on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 1:30 p.m. in Berwick this year and march down Wilson Street to Allen Street (Route 236), turn right onto Sawmill Hill Road, before crossing the Berwick Somersworth bridge onto Market Street, and then onto High Street, left onto Constitutional Way and will end at the American Legion on the corner of Washington Street. Grand marshal is the Summersworth Historical Museum. There'll also be a tree lighting outside of Somersworth City Hall on High Street at 1 p.m. Also at VFW on High Street will be an ice sculpture demonstration. At 4:30 p.m. in Berwick, the Ladies Auxiliary will be offering free popcorn and hot chocolate as well as a photo booth.
York Festival of Lights Parade
The Festival of Lights Parade in York will begin Saturday, Dec. 3, at 4:30 p.m. and will consist of marching bands, floats, antique cars, public service organizations, business establishments and more. The route begins at Foster’s Clambake on Axholme Road and ends at Village Elementary School.
'A Rock & Roll Christmas' Holiday Parade
The Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual holiday parade with the theme this year of “A Rock & Roll Christmas” on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. Parade route begins on Wakefield Street by the triangle at the entrance to the Spaulding High School, proceeds south on Wakefield Street, turns right onto Union Street, turns left onto North Main Street to South Main Street, and disbands in front of the Rochester Common. For additional information, call the Chamber office at 603-332-5080. Entry forms and guidelines at rochesternh.org/parade.
Rye Holiday Parade
Rye will celebrate its Holiday Parade on Sunday, Dec. 4. It begins at 3 p.m. at Webster at Rye and continues to the Town Center where there will be hot chocolate and cookies at Rye Junior High School. A Candlelight Stroll through the town's historic properties will begin at Parsons Field with caroling and a tree lighting ceremony after the parade.
Suddenly Silver Bells with NH Gay Men's Chorus
The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates its 25th Anniversary winter concert series, Suddenly Silver Bells, this weekend with four concerts around the state. The Seacoast concert will take place at 4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 22 Fox Run Road, Newington. Children (ages 12 and under) are free. Tickets for adults are $20 and can be purchased at Eventbrite or at nhgmc.com/tickets/. Call (603) 263-4333 or visit www.nhgmc.com for more information.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast NH holidays in full swing: Things to do features parades
