Winter Archives - NH Grand

Wrap Up the Year in Style

During December plan a visit to Northern New Hampshire, where our shops are brimming with gifts for everyone on your list, outdoor recreational opportunities abound — we have our fingers crossed for lots of snow! — and the pace of life is a bit more relaxed during this hectic season.

Bring the kids for a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Santa’s Village, curl up by the fire with a cup of cocoa or opt for some snowmobiling at Tall Timber Lodge, and browse the beautiful handcrafts at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Littleton Fine Craft Gallery. We’ve also put together a selection of Holiday Shopping ideas to help you find the perfect gift for all your family and friends.

Winter Is Better at Pittsburg’s Tall Timber Lodge

Generations of guests have made themselves right at home at Tall Timber Lodge, a “Northwoods Tradition” since 1946. Be part of that tradition this winter. Come for the snowmobiling and some backcountry skiing and snowshoeing, or just to kick back and relax. Settle in with comfortable lodging, along with exceptional dining in the award-winning Rainbow Grille & Tavern while you explore the region’s many activities.

Eight cozy lodge rooms await guests, or choose from one of the handsomely furnished one- to four-bedroom cottages overlooking Back Lake, some with gas fireplaces and two-person Jacuzzis. Porches and decks afford incomparable views.

With its extensive trail system Pittsburg rightly claims its place as New England’s Snowmobile Capital. Guests are encouraged to bring their sleds or rent one at Tall Timber. Those looking for a quieter pace can choose to explore the beautiful backcountry region on cross-country skis or snowshoes. Snowshoes are available for Tall Timber guests at no charge and OHRV registrations are available onsite for snowmobiles.

Shop the League of NH Craftsmen Gallery in Littleton for Unique Gift Items

Begin or continue a cherished tradition and gift yourself or someone special with the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s annual Christmas ornament. The expansive gallery highlights the state’s finest craftsmen working in jewelry, clay, glass, fibers, wood, metal, photography, baskets, printmaking and mixed media. Browse the gallery’s well-curated selection of items to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list in every price range. Or give a gift certificate to the Littleton Studio School, which offers a variety of art and craft classes in clay, jewelry, metals, mixed media, painting, basketry and more, including classes for kids.

A Magical Time of Year to Visit Santa’s Village

You don’t have to travel to the North Pole to visit Santa and his elves this Christmas season, because the jolly old elf always takes time out of his busy schedule on December weekends to travel to Santa’s Village in Jefferson to meet all the boys and girls and listen to their heart’s desires.

The elves have been busy, and the park glimmers and glows with over 500,000 colorful lights and glittering holiday decorations.

Snuggle in for a ride on the Skyway Sleigh Monorail or the Merry Christmas Ferris Wheel, take a spin on the SS Peppermint Twist or the Christmas Carousel, or experience the thrill of the Chimney Drop. Up to 18 rides will be operating (weather permitting).

Need a break from a whirlwind of rides? Settle down for a jolly good time at “A Tinkerdoodle Christmas,” a 3-D show that will leave the whole family laughing at the antics of L. Fastidious Tinkerdoodle as he prepares Santa for his yearly journey on Christmas Eve.

Warm up with some wassail, grab some grub at the heated seating areas, do some holiday shopping, be amazed by the choreographed lighting shows, visit Santa’s reindeer, and stroll around the winter wonderland that is Santa’s Village. You’ll take home memories that you and your children will never forget.

Santa’s Village also celebrates New Year’s Eve in style with a huge Partybration bash from 4 to 9 p.m. on December 31, when the clocks are turned ahead so youngsters can celebrate ringing out the old year and ringing in the new. Admission includes food, soft drinks and all of the wonderful rides and displays throughout the park, capped off with a blazing fireworks display. Reservations must be made online.

The Cog in Winter

Throughout the winter as conditions permit, the Mount Washington Cog Railway makes its way to Waumbek Station. Waumbek is located in an alpine meadow just below 4000’ and provides stunning views to the north and west. Passengers leave the train for about 25 minutes to enjoy complimentary hot refreshments, warming huts and a fire pit. Weekend and holiday week round trips to Waumbek are roughly 1 hour, at reduced fares.

CANCELLED – Annual Maple Season Dinner at The Rocks

THE ANNUAL MAPLE DINNER HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS.

The Rocks will once again celebrate the transition from a long winter to a welcome spring with its annual Maple Dinner on March 27 at 5:30 p.m. This year’s dinner will be held at Chef Joe’s in Franconia following the loss to fire of the program center at The Rocks. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit The Rocks. Programs at The Rocks offer opportunities to learn about maple sugaring, growing Christmas trees and sustainably managing forests and wildlife habitat. The 1,400-acre property has trails open to the public that wind through fields and forest with stunning views of the Presidential Range. For more information please visit www.therocks.org.

Folk Duo-Hungrytown in Concert at Tillotson Center

After more than 15 years of world-wide touring and three album releases, Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson — otherwise known as the folk duo Hungrytown — have earned a reputation for the quality and authenticity of their songwriting. “It’s great to hear an act eschew sentimentality in favor of honesty and to prove that you don’t have to go raiding the memory of others to find the stuff that really good songs are made of,” writes Jedd Beaudoin of Popmatters.

Admission $10/Students $5.

Tillotson Center Presents: Filmed Live – Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show

Filmed live at the 3Arena Dublin, the exact spot where it all began, the 25th Anniversary Gala Performance will bring Riverdance to the big screen for the very first time! The new 25th Anniversary show catapults Riverdance into the 21st century and will completely immerse you in the extraordinary and elemental power of its music and dance.

Admission $10 adults, $5 students.

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner & Auction at St. Kieran Arts

Get your Irish on and join St. Kieran Arts as it presents its St. Patrick’s Day Dinner & Auction. Doors open at 5 p.m., with remarks from the Executive Director at 5:30, followed by dinner at 6 p.m.

Tickets: $30 all seats. Advance tickets only.

Randy & Brad at St. Kieran Arts

Randy & Brad played their first show together when they were 11 years old and in the 5th grade Talent Show. They played “5 Foot Two” and “Bye Bye Blackbird” with Randy on Sax and Brad on Snare Drum. They won the Talent Show and have been playing in bands together ever since. From the first “horn band” in NH in 1967 called “Train,” then on to the nationally recognized recording act “Oak,” to today’s current “The Voice,” together since 1989.

Now Randy & Brad have chosen to also perform as a Duo playing a wide variety of songs from artists as varied as Elton John, Supertramp, Doobie Brothers, Billy Joel, and Jethro Tull to dance hits by Michael Jackson, Wild Cherry, Earth, Wind and Fire, and the O’Jays to current hits by Bruno Mars and Walking the Moon to real oldies from the 60’s by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Rasberries, Badfinger, The Foundations, Moody Blues and going even further back to Glenn Miller and Louis Armstrong. Rock, Oldies, Disco, Soul, Contemporary and Country. Randy & Brad can do it all.

Tickets: $15 all seats

CANCELLED — NH Maple Experience at The Rocks

THE NH MAPLE EXPERIENCE AT THE ROCKS HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS.

Steam billows from the sugarhouse, silver-gray buckets hang from sugar maple trees, and the clop-clop of horses’ hooves serves as a soundtrack during maple sugaring season at The Rocks. As the days warm and lengthen toward springtime, the sweet traditions of sugaring are celebrated here.

“We created the New Hampshire Maple Experience to share both the history and the continuing practice of maple sugaring in New England,” said Nigel Manley, longtime manager at The Rocks, which serves as the North Country Conservation and Education Center for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

“This is a hands-on experience, and we encourage participants to learn about the process of turning sap into maple syrup, from identifying sugar maple trees to tapping a tree to collect sap.”

Maple tours will be offered at The Rocks March 14, 21-22, 28-29, and April 4. Participants will enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride through the historic estate, learning to identify different types of trees along the way. They’ll be invited to tap a sugar maple and take a tractor-drawn wagon ride to The Rocks’ own sugarhouse. There, fourth-generation sugar maker Brad Presby will demonstrate the process of boiling gathered sap into syrup. Adjacent to the sugarhouse is an interactive maple museum, where visitors can see how sugaring has evolved over many years. No maple tour would be complete, of course, without a maple syrup tasting, which includes fresh donuts. Maple tours run from 10 – 4. All activities are included in the cost of $15 ($12 for children). Reservations are recommended and may be made by calling (603) 444-6228 or emailing [email protected].

Bretton Woods Nordic Marathon

The Bretton Woods Nordic Center at the Omni Mount Washington Resort is home to such classic events as the Mount Washington Cup and the Geschmossel; the longest running citizen’s Nordic race in New Hampshire. We invite all Nordic skiers to be part of an epic, classic technique event to benefit the New England Ski Museum.

Staged between the historic Mount Washington Hotel and majestic Mount Washington, the New England Ski Museum’s Bretton Woods Nordic Marathon at Omni Mount Washington Resort has quickly become a North Country winter tradition. This 42-kilometer, classic-format, cross-country ski race showcases one of the largest Nordic systems in the northeast. In the tracks of the famed 1982 US National Championships and such legends as Bill Koch and Tim Caldwell, this race is steeped in history and Nordic skiing tradition. The course layout provides a challenge to experienced racers while making use of terrain that is accessible and enjoyable for skiers of all abilities.

Past winners include Olympians Justin Freeman (2010, 2011) and Dorcas Wonsavge (2009, 2010) and top collegiate racers. Participants range in age from 11 to 83, with a two lap course and rest stations. The Bretton Woods Nordic Marathon is a great event for recreational and competitive skiers alike; there is also an option to ski on an untimed basis.

More info: https://www.brettonwoods.com/Winter_Sports/Nordic/marathon

46th Annual Mount Washington Cup Nordic Race

Join us for this the Sapphire Anniversary of our annual 10k Freestyle (skate ski) Race, which is part of the ZAK Cup Series. Located on the grounds of the historic Omni Mount Washington Resort and the White Mountain National Forest, the Bretton Woods Nordic Center is one of the largest cross country areas in the East. The 100-km trail network crosses open fields, meanders through woods of spruce and fir, passes beaver ponds and mountain streams, and traverses open hardwood stands.

Please call the Bretton Woods Nordic Center at 603.278.3322 for more information. To register online, please visit www.skireg.com/46th-annual-mt-washington-cup-skate-race
by March 6th, 2020.