It\u2019s been a year of milestones, achievements and unforgettable moments in New Hampshire\u2019s arts and entertainment scene.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As we approach the new year, we look back on some of the most memorable events, performances and experiences that defined 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Nearly all of these topics were covered in the Union Leader\u2019s NH Weekend this past year. This countdown spotlights 10 that stood out the most, from quirky pop culture highlights to moments that drew regional or, in some cases, national attention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
10. Dancing your cares away with \u2018Fraggle Rock Live\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nKicking off the countdown is the long-overdue live debut of Jim Henson\u2019s \u201cFraggle Rock,\u201d which stopped at Concord\u2019s Capitol Center for the Arts in early April.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nRemarkably, the tour marked the first time in the franchise\u2019s 40-plus-year history that \u201cFraggle Rock\u201d was brought to the stage \u2014 a debut decades in the making.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nDrawing inspiration from both the original 1980s television series and its recent Apple TV+ reboot, the show struck a careful balance between nostalgia and freshness, appealing to longtime fans while introducing the Fraggles to a new generation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
9. NH represents at the 2025 Oscars<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nFilmmaker Robert Eggers, originally from Lee, earned four Academy Award nominations for his gothic period horror film, \u201cNosferatu,\u201d at the 97th Oscars in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe remake of the 1922 classic \u2014 itself inspired by Bram Stoker\u2019s \u201cDracula\u201d \u2014 received nods for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThis was Eggers\u2019s fourth feature film and the second time one of his projects earned an Oscar nomination (his 2019 film \u201cThe Lighthouse\u201d also picked up a Best Cinematography nod). He\u2019s also known for films like \u201cThe Northman\u201d and \u201cThe Witch,\u201d the latter following a Puritan family preyed upon by an evil force in 1630s New England.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEggers is already set to follow his Oscar-nominated success with a new period horror film titled \u201cWerwulf,\u201d which Focus Features has slated for a Dec. 25, 2026, theatrical release, according to industry databases.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
8. UFO Festival marks 60 years of the \u2018Incident at Exeter\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nSept. 3 marked 60 years since the infamous \u201cIncident at Exeter,\u201d when teen Norman Muscarello and two Exeter police officers reported witnessing a UFO.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe case thrust New Hampshire into the national spotlight, and the town has embraced its place in UFO lore in the decades since.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe annual two-day Exeter UFO Festival, held on Labor Day weekend, brings together enthusiasts, skeptics and curious visitors for panels, storytelling and community activities centered on the paranormal and unexplained.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nOne of the festival\u2019s most popular features is its guided trolley tours, which take visitors to the site of the original incident in nearby Kensington. The narrated tours make several stops at local points of interest before culminating at the location of the famous encounter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
7. Jeff Dunham talks to NH Weekend ahead of Manchester show<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nNo. 7 on the list is comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, who brought his \u201cArtificial Intelligence\u201d tour to the SNHU Arena in Manchester in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThis wasn\u2019t the first time Dunham and his cast of loudmouthed comedic puppet pals had visited the Granite State \u2014 and it likely won\u2019t be the last.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nI later caught up with Madison Griffin, director of marketing for the SNHU Arena, who shared that Dunham nearly sells out every time he comes, drawing more than 9,000 fans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nDuring our brief interview, I learned quite a bit about the master of puppets, from the inspiration behind his many characters to his creative process and performance routines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt was a fun conversation that definitely earns its place on this list.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
6. \u2018Stand By Me\u2019 cast<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThis event brought the surviving cast of the beloved 1986 coming-of-age film \u201cStand by Me\u201d together for a special 40th anniversary live screening and Q&A at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord in December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nI spoke with Wil Wheaton, who portrays Gordie Lachance, the film\u2019s narrator and central character.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nAs it was the first stop of their nationwide tour, it was a unique opportunity to hear Wheaton\u2019s thoughts on revisiting the film and what it has meant to him and his fellow cast members, Jerry O\u2019Connell and Corey Feldman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHe also shared memorable tidbits from the set, including stories surrounding the infamous train trestle scene.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt would be remiss to include this event without acknowledging the late director Rob Reiner, the visionary behind \u201cStand by Me\u201d and many other iconic films of the \u201980s and \u201990s, from \u201cThis Is Spinal Tap\u201d and \u201cThe Princess Bride\u201d to \u201cMisery,\u201d \u201cWhen Harry Met Sally\u2026\u201d and \u201cA Few Good Men.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
5. BankNH Pavilion\u2019s milestone 30th season<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThe Pavilion partners with Live Nation Entertainment to bring some of the biggest names in music to New Hampshire each year. An estimated 300,000 fans attended concerts over the 2025 season, enjoying acts like Shania Twain, Goo Goo Dolls, Pantera, Rod Stewart and Blink-182. This year also marked the first Pavilion performance by Neil Young, a milestone General Manager R.J. Harding said had been more than 20 years in the making.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt may be cold outside now, but the Pavilion is already booking for summer 2026. Notable acts scheduled so far include a dual headlining show featuring Styx and Chicago, Motley Crue with Tesla and Extreme, and \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic \u2014 with many more announcements expected in the months to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
4.<\/strong> \u2018Jesus Christ Superstar\u2019 lights up the Palace<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nLanding at No. 4 is the Palace Theatre\u2019s electrifying production of \u201cJesus Christ Superstar,\u201d the groundbreaking rock opera that helped redefine what musical theater could be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe show opened on Good Friday, bringing Andrew Lloyd Webber\u2019s vision to life with a raw, high-energy intensity. First released as a concept album in 1970 before arriving on Broadway the following year, \u201cSuperstar\u201d remains one of the most enduring and provocative works in the musical theater canon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nPalace Theatre Artistic Director Carl Rajotte said in April that the show became one of the most successful presales of the season up to that point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
3. 25 years of competitive sandcastles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf any destination in New Hampshire could justify its own Top 10 list, Hampton Beach might be it. Still, for the sake of this countdown, I\u2019ll stick to the highlights \u2014 and there were plenty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nChief among them was the 25th annual Master Sand Sculpting Classic, a milestone event that once again proved to be one of the summer\u2019s biggest draws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHeld in mid-June, the international competition brought elite sand sculptors from around the world to Hampton Beach and drew an estimated 100,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, according to Lisa Martineau, co-marketing director for the Hampton Beach Village District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nFirst place went to \u201cAligned\u201d by Melineige Beauregard of Captain Cook, Hawaii, with \u201cThe Creation of the Mermaid\u201d by Ilya Filimonstev of Moscow, Russia, earning runner-up honors \u2014 just two examples of the creativity that continues to define the event a quarter-century in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
2. NH Highland Games takes a shot at history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nOne of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nTo celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhile the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBeyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
Kicking off the countdown is the long-overdue live debut of Jim Henson\u2019s \u201cFraggle Rock,\u201d which stopped at Concord\u2019s Capitol Center for the Arts in early April.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Remarkably, the tour marked the first time in the franchise\u2019s 40-plus-year history that \u201cFraggle Rock\u201d was brought to the stage \u2014 a debut decades in the making.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Drawing inspiration from both the original 1980s television series and its recent Apple TV+ reboot, the show struck a careful balance between nostalgia and freshness, appealing to longtime fans while introducing the Fraggles to a new generation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
9. NH represents at the 2025 Oscars<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nFilmmaker Robert Eggers, originally from Lee, earned four Academy Award nominations for his gothic period horror film, \u201cNosferatu,\u201d at the 97th Oscars in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe remake of the 1922 classic \u2014 itself inspired by Bram Stoker\u2019s \u201cDracula\u201d \u2014 received nods for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThis was Eggers\u2019s fourth feature film and the second time one of his projects earned an Oscar nomination (his 2019 film \u201cThe Lighthouse\u201d also picked up a Best Cinematography nod). He\u2019s also known for films like \u201cThe Northman\u201d and \u201cThe Witch,\u201d the latter following a Puritan family preyed upon by an evil force in 1630s New England.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEggers is already set to follow his Oscar-nominated success with a new period horror film titled \u201cWerwulf,\u201d which Focus Features has slated for a Dec. 25, 2026, theatrical release, according to industry databases.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
8. UFO Festival marks 60 years of the \u2018Incident at Exeter\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nSept. 3 marked 60 years since the infamous \u201cIncident at Exeter,\u201d when teen Norman Muscarello and two Exeter police officers reported witnessing a UFO.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe case thrust New Hampshire into the national spotlight, and the town has embraced its place in UFO lore in the decades since.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe annual two-day Exeter UFO Festival, held on Labor Day weekend, brings together enthusiasts, skeptics and curious visitors for panels, storytelling and community activities centered on the paranormal and unexplained.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nOne of the festival\u2019s most popular features is its guided trolley tours, which take visitors to the site of the original incident in nearby Kensington. The narrated tours make several stops at local points of interest before culminating at the location of the famous encounter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
7. Jeff Dunham talks to NH Weekend ahead of Manchester show<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nNo. 7 on the list is comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, who brought his \u201cArtificial Intelligence\u201d tour to the SNHU Arena in Manchester in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThis wasn\u2019t the first time Dunham and his cast of loudmouthed comedic puppet pals had visited the Granite State \u2014 and it likely won\u2019t be the last.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nI later caught up with Madison Griffin, director of marketing for the SNHU Arena, who shared that Dunham nearly sells out every time he comes, drawing more than 9,000 fans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nDuring our brief interview, I learned quite a bit about the master of puppets, from the inspiration behind his many characters to his creative process and performance routines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt was a fun conversation that definitely earns its place on this list.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
6. \u2018Stand By Me\u2019 cast<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThis event brought the surviving cast of the beloved 1986 coming-of-age film \u201cStand by Me\u201d together for a special 40th anniversary live screening and Q&A at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord in December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nI spoke with Wil Wheaton, who portrays Gordie Lachance, the film\u2019s narrator and central character.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nAs it was the first stop of their nationwide tour, it was a unique opportunity to hear Wheaton\u2019s thoughts on revisiting the film and what it has meant to him and his fellow cast members, Jerry O\u2019Connell and Corey Feldman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHe also shared memorable tidbits from the set, including stories surrounding the infamous train trestle scene.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt would be remiss to include this event without acknowledging the late director Rob Reiner, the visionary behind \u201cStand by Me\u201d and many other iconic films of the \u201980s and \u201990s, from \u201cThis Is Spinal Tap\u201d and \u201cThe Princess Bride\u201d to \u201cMisery,\u201d \u201cWhen Harry Met Sally\u2026\u201d and \u201cA Few Good Men.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
5. BankNH Pavilion\u2019s milestone 30th season<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThe Pavilion partners with Live Nation Entertainment to bring some of the biggest names in music to New Hampshire each year. An estimated 300,000 fans attended concerts over the 2025 season, enjoying acts like Shania Twain, Goo Goo Dolls, Pantera, Rod Stewart and Blink-182. This year also marked the first Pavilion performance by Neil Young, a milestone General Manager R.J. Harding said had been more than 20 years in the making.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt may be cold outside now, but the Pavilion is already booking for summer 2026. Notable acts scheduled so far include a dual headlining show featuring Styx and Chicago, Motley Crue with Tesla and Extreme, and \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic \u2014 with many more announcements expected in the months to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
4.<\/strong> \u2018Jesus Christ Superstar\u2019 lights up the Palace<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nLanding at No. 4 is the Palace Theatre\u2019s electrifying production of \u201cJesus Christ Superstar,\u201d the groundbreaking rock opera that helped redefine what musical theater could be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe show opened on Good Friday, bringing Andrew Lloyd Webber\u2019s vision to life with a raw, high-energy intensity. First released as a concept album in 1970 before arriving on Broadway the following year, \u201cSuperstar\u201d remains one of the most enduring and provocative works in the musical theater canon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nPalace Theatre Artistic Director Carl Rajotte said in April that the show became one of the most successful presales of the season up to that point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
3. 25 years of competitive sandcastles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf any destination in New Hampshire could justify its own Top 10 list, Hampton Beach might be it. Still, for the sake of this countdown, I\u2019ll stick to the highlights \u2014 and there were plenty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nChief among them was the 25th annual Master Sand Sculpting Classic, a milestone event that once again proved to be one of the summer\u2019s biggest draws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHeld in mid-June, the international competition brought elite sand sculptors from around the world to Hampton Beach and drew an estimated 100,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, according to Lisa Martineau, co-marketing director for the Hampton Beach Village District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nFirst place went to \u201cAligned\u201d by Melineige Beauregard of Captain Cook, Hawaii, with \u201cThe Creation of the Mermaid\u201d by Ilya Filimonstev of Moscow, Russia, earning runner-up honors \u2014 just two examples of the creativity that continues to define the event a quarter-century in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
2. NH Highland Games takes a shot at history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nOne of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nTo celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhile the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBeyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
Filmmaker Robert Eggers, originally from Lee, earned four Academy Award nominations for his gothic period horror film, \u201cNosferatu,\u201d at the 97th Oscars in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The remake of the 1922 classic \u2014 itself inspired by Bram Stoker\u2019s \u201cDracula\u201d \u2014 received nods for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
This was Eggers\u2019s fourth feature film and the second time one of his projects earned an Oscar nomination (his 2019 film \u201cThe Lighthouse\u201d also picked up a Best Cinematography nod). He\u2019s also known for films like \u201cThe Northman\u201d and \u201cThe Witch,\u201d the latter following a Puritan family preyed upon by an evil force in 1630s New England.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Eggers is already set to follow his Oscar-nominated success with a new period horror film titled \u201cWerwulf,\u201d which Focus Features has slated for a Dec. 25, 2026, theatrical release, according to industry databases.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
8. UFO Festival marks 60 years of the \u2018Incident at Exeter\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nSept. 3 marked 60 years since the infamous \u201cIncident at Exeter,\u201d when teen Norman Muscarello and two Exeter police officers reported witnessing a UFO.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe case thrust New Hampshire into the national spotlight, and the town has embraced its place in UFO lore in the decades since.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe annual two-day Exeter UFO Festival, held on Labor Day weekend, brings together enthusiasts, skeptics and curious visitors for panels, storytelling and community activities centered on the paranormal and unexplained.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nOne of the festival\u2019s most popular features is its guided trolley tours, which take visitors to the site of the original incident in nearby Kensington. The narrated tours make several stops at local points of interest before culminating at the location of the famous encounter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
7. Jeff Dunham talks to NH Weekend ahead of Manchester show<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nNo. 7 on the list is comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, who brought his \u201cArtificial Intelligence\u201d tour to the SNHU Arena in Manchester in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThis wasn\u2019t the first time Dunham and his cast of loudmouthed comedic puppet pals had visited the Granite State \u2014 and it likely won\u2019t be the last.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nI later caught up with Madison Griffin, director of marketing for the SNHU Arena, who shared that Dunham nearly sells out every time he comes, drawing more than 9,000 fans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nDuring our brief interview, I learned quite a bit about the master of puppets, from the inspiration behind his many characters to his creative process and performance routines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt was a fun conversation that definitely earns its place on this list.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
6. \u2018Stand By Me\u2019 cast<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThis event brought the surviving cast of the beloved 1986 coming-of-age film \u201cStand by Me\u201d together for a special 40th anniversary live screening and Q&A at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord in December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nI spoke with Wil Wheaton, who portrays Gordie Lachance, the film\u2019s narrator and central character.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nAs it was the first stop of their nationwide tour, it was a unique opportunity to hear Wheaton\u2019s thoughts on revisiting the film and what it has meant to him and his fellow cast members, Jerry O\u2019Connell and Corey Feldman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHe also shared memorable tidbits from the set, including stories surrounding the infamous train trestle scene.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt would be remiss to include this event without acknowledging the late director Rob Reiner, the visionary behind \u201cStand by Me\u201d and many other iconic films of the \u201980s and \u201990s, from \u201cThis Is Spinal Tap\u201d and \u201cThe Princess Bride\u201d to \u201cMisery,\u201d \u201cWhen Harry Met Sally\u2026\u201d and \u201cA Few Good Men.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
5. BankNH Pavilion\u2019s milestone 30th season<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThe Pavilion partners with Live Nation Entertainment to bring some of the biggest names in music to New Hampshire each year. An estimated 300,000 fans attended concerts over the 2025 season, enjoying acts like Shania Twain, Goo Goo Dolls, Pantera, Rod Stewart and Blink-182. This year also marked the first Pavilion performance by Neil Young, a milestone General Manager R.J. Harding said had been more than 20 years in the making.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt may be cold outside now, but the Pavilion is already booking for summer 2026. Notable acts scheduled so far include a dual headlining show featuring Styx and Chicago, Motley Crue with Tesla and Extreme, and \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic \u2014 with many more announcements expected in the months to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
4.<\/strong> \u2018Jesus Christ Superstar\u2019 lights up the Palace<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nLanding at No. 4 is the Palace Theatre\u2019s electrifying production of \u201cJesus Christ Superstar,\u201d the groundbreaking rock opera that helped redefine what musical theater could be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe show opened on Good Friday, bringing Andrew Lloyd Webber\u2019s vision to life with a raw, high-energy intensity. First released as a concept album in 1970 before arriving on Broadway the following year, \u201cSuperstar\u201d remains one of the most enduring and provocative works in the musical theater canon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nPalace Theatre Artistic Director Carl Rajotte said in April that the show became one of the most successful presales of the season up to that point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
3. 25 years of competitive sandcastles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf any destination in New Hampshire could justify its own Top 10 list, Hampton Beach might be it. Still, for the sake of this countdown, I\u2019ll stick to the highlights \u2014 and there were plenty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nChief among them was the 25th annual Master Sand Sculpting Classic, a milestone event that once again proved to be one of the summer\u2019s biggest draws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHeld in mid-June, the international competition brought elite sand sculptors from around the world to Hampton Beach and drew an estimated 100,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, according to Lisa Martineau, co-marketing director for the Hampton Beach Village District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nFirst place went to \u201cAligned\u201d by Melineige Beauregard of Captain Cook, Hawaii, with \u201cThe Creation of the Mermaid\u201d by Ilya Filimonstev of Moscow, Russia, earning runner-up honors \u2014 just two examples of the creativity that continues to define the event a quarter-century in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
2. NH Highland Games takes a shot at history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nOne of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nTo celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhile the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBeyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
Sept. 3 marked 60 years since the infamous \u201cIncident at Exeter,\u201d when teen Norman Muscarello and two Exeter police officers reported witnessing a UFO.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The case thrust New Hampshire into the national spotlight, and the town has embraced its place in UFO lore in the decades since.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The annual two-day Exeter UFO Festival, held on Labor Day weekend, brings together enthusiasts, skeptics and curious visitors for panels, storytelling and community activities centered on the paranormal and unexplained.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
One of the festival\u2019s most popular features is its guided trolley tours, which take visitors to the site of the original incident in nearby Kensington. The narrated tours make several stops at local points of interest before culminating at the location of the famous encounter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
7. Jeff Dunham talks to NH Weekend ahead of Manchester show<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nNo. 7 on the list is comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, who brought his \u201cArtificial Intelligence\u201d tour to the SNHU Arena in Manchester in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThis wasn\u2019t the first time Dunham and his cast of loudmouthed comedic puppet pals had visited the Granite State \u2014 and it likely won\u2019t be the last.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nI later caught up with Madison Griffin, director of marketing for the SNHU Arena, who shared that Dunham nearly sells out every time he comes, drawing more than 9,000 fans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nDuring our brief interview, I learned quite a bit about the master of puppets, from the inspiration behind his many characters to his creative process and performance routines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt was a fun conversation that definitely earns its place on this list.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
6. \u2018Stand By Me\u2019 cast<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThis event brought the surviving cast of the beloved 1986 coming-of-age film \u201cStand by Me\u201d together for a special 40th anniversary live screening and Q&A at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord in December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nI spoke with Wil Wheaton, who portrays Gordie Lachance, the film\u2019s narrator and central character.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nAs it was the first stop of their nationwide tour, it was a unique opportunity to hear Wheaton\u2019s thoughts on revisiting the film and what it has meant to him and his fellow cast members, Jerry O\u2019Connell and Corey Feldman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHe also shared memorable tidbits from the set, including stories surrounding the infamous train trestle scene.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt would be remiss to include this event without acknowledging the late director Rob Reiner, the visionary behind \u201cStand by Me\u201d and many other iconic films of the \u201980s and \u201990s, from \u201cThis Is Spinal Tap\u201d and \u201cThe Princess Bride\u201d to \u201cMisery,\u201d \u201cWhen Harry Met Sally\u2026\u201d and \u201cA Few Good Men.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
5. BankNH Pavilion\u2019s milestone 30th season<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThe Pavilion partners with Live Nation Entertainment to bring some of the biggest names in music to New Hampshire each year. An estimated 300,000 fans attended concerts over the 2025 season, enjoying acts like Shania Twain, Goo Goo Dolls, Pantera, Rod Stewart and Blink-182. This year also marked the first Pavilion performance by Neil Young, a milestone General Manager R.J. Harding said had been more than 20 years in the making.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt may be cold outside now, but the Pavilion is already booking for summer 2026. Notable acts scheduled so far include a dual headlining show featuring Styx and Chicago, Motley Crue with Tesla and Extreme, and \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic \u2014 with many more announcements expected in the months to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
4.<\/strong> \u2018Jesus Christ Superstar\u2019 lights up the Palace<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nLanding at No. 4 is the Palace Theatre\u2019s electrifying production of \u201cJesus Christ Superstar,\u201d the groundbreaking rock opera that helped redefine what musical theater could be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe show opened on Good Friday, bringing Andrew Lloyd Webber\u2019s vision to life with a raw, high-energy intensity. First released as a concept album in 1970 before arriving on Broadway the following year, \u201cSuperstar\u201d remains one of the most enduring and provocative works in the musical theater canon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nPalace Theatre Artistic Director Carl Rajotte said in April that the show became one of the most successful presales of the season up to that point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
3. 25 years of competitive sandcastles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf any destination in New Hampshire could justify its own Top 10 list, Hampton Beach might be it. Still, for the sake of this countdown, I\u2019ll stick to the highlights \u2014 and there were plenty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nChief among them was the 25th annual Master Sand Sculpting Classic, a milestone event that once again proved to be one of the summer\u2019s biggest draws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHeld in mid-June, the international competition brought elite sand sculptors from around the world to Hampton Beach and drew an estimated 100,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, according to Lisa Martineau, co-marketing director for the Hampton Beach Village District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nFirst place went to \u201cAligned\u201d by Melineige Beauregard of Captain Cook, Hawaii, with \u201cThe Creation of the Mermaid\u201d by Ilya Filimonstev of Moscow, Russia, earning runner-up honors \u2014 just two examples of the creativity that continues to define the event a quarter-century in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
2. NH Highland Games takes a shot at history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nOne of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nTo celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhile the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBeyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
No. 7 on the list is comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, who brought his \u201cArtificial Intelligence\u201d tour to the SNHU Arena in Manchester in March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
This wasn\u2019t the first time Dunham and his cast of loudmouthed comedic puppet pals had visited the Granite State \u2014 and it likely won\u2019t be the last.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
I later caught up with Madison Griffin, director of marketing for the SNHU Arena, who shared that Dunham nearly sells out every time he comes, drawing more than 9,000 fans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
During our brief interview, I learned quite a bit about the master of puppets, from the inspiration behind his many characters to his creative process and performance routines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
It was a fun conversation that definitely earns its place on this list.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
6. \u2018Stand By Me\u2019 cast<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThis event brought the surviving cast of the beloved 1986 coming-of-age film \u201cStand by Me\u201d together for a special 40th anniversary live screening and Q&A at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord in December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nI spoke with Wil Wheaton, who portrays Gordie Lachance, the film\u2019s narrator and central character.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nAs it was the first stop of their nationwide tour, it was a unique opportunity to hear Wheaton\u2019s thoughts on revisiting the film and what it has meant to him and his fellow cast members, Jerry O\u2019Connell and Corey Feldman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHe also shared memorable tidbits from the set, including stories surrounding the infamous train trestle scene.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt would be remiss to include this event without acknowledging the late director Rob Reiner, the visionary behind \u201cStand by Me\u201d and many other iconic films of the \u201980s and \u201990s, from \u201cThis Is Spinal Tap\u201d and \u201cThe Princess Bride\u201d to \u201cMisery,\u201d \u201cWhen Harry Met Sally\u2026\u201d and \u201cA Few Good Men.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
5. BankNH Pavilion\u2019s milestone 30th season<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThe Pavilion partners with Live Nation Entertainment to bring some of the biggest names in music to New Hampshire each year. An estimated 300,000 fans attended concerts over the 2025 season, enjoying acts like Shania Twain, Goo Goo Dolls, Pantera, Rod Stewart and Blink-182. This year also marked the first Pavilion performance by Neil Young, a milestone General Manager R.J. Harding said had been more than 20 years in the making.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt may be cold outside now, but the Pavilion is already booking for summer 2026. Notable acts scheduled so far include a dual headlining show featuring Styx and Chicago, Motley Crue with Tesla and Extreme, and \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic \u2014 with many more announcements expected in the months to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
4.<\/strong> \u2018Jesus Christ Superstar\u2019 lights up the Palace<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nLanding at No. 4 is the Palace Theatre\u2019s electrifying production of \u201cJesus Christ Superstar,\u201d the groundbreaking rock opera that helped redefine what musical theater could be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe show opened on Good Friday, bringing Andrew Lloyd Webber\u2019s vision to life with a raw, high-energy intensity. First released as a concept album in 1970 before arriving on Broadway the following year, \u201cSuperstar\u201d remains one of the most enduring and provocative works in the musical theater canon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nPalace Theatre Artistic Director Carl Rajotte said in April that the show became one of the most successful presales of the season up to that point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
3. 25 years of competitive sandcastles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf any destination in New Hampshire could justify its own Top 10 list, Hampton Beach might be it. Still, for the sake of this countdown, I\u2019ll stick to the highlights \u2014 and there were plenty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nChief among them was the 25th annual Master Sand Sculpting Classic, a milestone event that once again proved to be one of the summer\u2019s biggest draws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHeld in mid-June, the international competition brought elite sand sculptors from around the world to Hampton Beach and drew an estimated 100,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, according to Lisa Martineau, co-marketing director for the Hampton Beach Village District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nFirst place went to \u201cAligned\u201d by Melineige Beauregard of Captain Cook, Hawaii, with \u201cThe Creation of the Mermaid\u201d by Ilya Filimonstev of Moscow, Russia, earning runner-up honors \u2014 just two examples of the creativity that continues to define the event a quarter-century in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
2. NH Highland Games takes a shot at history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nOne of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nTo celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhile the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBeyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
This event brought the surviving cast of the beloved 1986 coming-of-age film \u201cStand by Me\u201d together for a special 40th anniversary live screening and Q&A at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord in December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
I spoke with Wil Wheaton, who portrays Gordie Lachance, the film\u2019s narrator and central character.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As it was the first stop of their nationwide tour, it was a unique opportunity to hear Wheaton\u2019s thoughts on revisiting the film and what it has meant to him and his fellow cast members, Jerry O\u2019Connell and Corey Feldman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
He also shared memorable tidbits from the set, including stories surrounding the infamous train trestle scene.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
It would be remiss to include this event without acknowledging the late director Rob Reiner, the visionary behind \u201cStand by Me\u201d and many other iconic films of the \u201980s and \u201990s, from \u201cThis Is Spinal Tap\u201d and \u201cThe Princess Bride\u201d to \u201cMisery,\u201d \u201cWhen Harry Met Sally\u2026\u201d and \u201cA Few Good Men.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
5. BankNH Pavilion\u2019s milestone 30th season<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nThe Pavilion partners with Live Nation Entertainment to bring some of the biggest names in music to New Hampshire each year. An estimated 300,000 fans attended concerts over the 2025 season, enjoying acts like Shania Twain, Goo Goo Dolls, Pantera, Rod Stewart and Blink-182. This year also marked the first Pavilion performance by Neil Young, a milestone General Manager R.J. Harding said had been more than 20 years in the making.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nIt may be cold outside now, but the Pavilion is already booking for summer 2026. Notable acts scheduled so far include a dual headlining show featuring Styx and Chicago, Motley Crue with Tesla and Extreme, and \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic \u2014 with many more announcements expected in the months to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
4.<\/strong> \u2018Jesus Christ Superstar\u2019 lights up the Palace<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nLanding at No. 4 is the Palace Theatre\u2019s electrifying production of \u201cJesus Christ Superstar,\u201d the groundbreaking rock opera that helped redefine what musical theater could be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe show opened on Good Friday, bringing Andrew Lloyd Webber\u2019s vision to life with a raw, high-energy intensity. First released as a concept album in 1970 before arriving on Broadway the following year, \u201cSuperstar\u201d remains one of the most enduring and provocative works in the musical theater canon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nPalace Theatre Artistic Director Carl Rajotte said in April that the show became one of the most successful presales of the season up to that point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
3. 25 years of competitive sandcastles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf any destination in New Hampshire could justify its own Top 10 list, Hampton Beach might be it. Still, for the sake of this countdown, I\u2019ll stick to the highlights \u2014 and there were plenty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nChief among them was the 25th annual Master Sand Sculpting Classic, a milestone event that once again proved to be one of the summer\u2019s biggest draws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHeld in mid-June, the international competition brought elite sand sculptors from around the world to Hampton Beach and drew an estimated 100,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, according to Lisa Martineau, co-marketing director for the Hampton Beach Village District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nFirst place went to \u201cAligned\u201d by Melineige Beauregard of Captain Cook, Hawaii, with \u201cThe Creation of the Mermaid\u201d by Ilya Filimonstev of Moscow, Russia, earning runner-up honors \u2014 just two examples of the creativity that continues to define the event a quarter-century in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
2. NH Highland Games takes a shot at history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nOne of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nTo celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhile the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBeyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
The Pavilion partners with Live Nation Entertainment to bring some of the biggest names in music to New Hampshire each year. An estimated 300,000 fans attended concerts over the 2025 season, enjoying acts like Shania Twain, Goo Goo Dolls, Pantera, Rod Stewart and Blink-182. This year also marked the first Pavilion performance by Neil Young, a milestone General Manager R.J. Harding said had been more than 20 years in the making.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
It may be cold outside now, but the Pavilion is already booking for summer 2026. Notable acts scheduled so far include a dual headlining show featuring Styx and Chicago, Motley Crue with Tesla and Extreme, and \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic \u2014 with many more announcements expected in the months to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
4.<\/strong> \u2018Jesus Christ Superstar\u2019 lights up the Palace<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nLanding at No. 4 is the Palace Theatre\u2019s electrifying production of \u201cJesus Christ Superstar,\u201d the groundbreaking rock opera that helped redefine what musical theater could be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe show opened on Good Friday, bringing Andrew Lloyd Webber\u2019s vision to life with a raw, high-energy intensity. First released as a concept album in 1970 before arriving on Broadway the following year, \u201cSuperstar\u201d remains one of the most enduring and provocative works in the musical theater canon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nPalace Theatre Artistic Director Carl Rajotte said in April that the show became one of the most successful presales of the season up to that point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
3. 25 years of competitive sandcastles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf any destination in New Hampshire could justify its own Top 10 list, Hampton Beach might be it. Still, for the sake of this countdown, I\u2019ll stick to the highlights \u2014 and there were plenty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nChief among them was the 25th annual Master Sand Sculpting Classic, a milestone event that once again proved to be one of the summer\u2019s biggest draws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHeld in mid-June, the international competition brought elite sand sculptors from around the world to Hampton Beach and drew an estimated 100,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, according to Lisa Martineau, co-marketing director for the Hampton Beach Village District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nFirst place went to \u201cAligned\u201d by Melineige Beauregard of Captain Cook, Hawaii, with \u201cThe Creation of the Mermaid\u201d by Ilya Filimonstev of Moscow, Russia, earning runner-up honors \u2014 just two examples of the creativity that continues to define the event a quarter-century in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
2. NH Highland Games takes a shot at history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nOne of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nTo celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhile the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBeyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
Landing at No. 4 is the Palace Theatre\u2019s electrifying production of \u201cJesus Christ Superstar,\u201d the groundbreaking rock opera that helped redefine what musical theater could be.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The show opened on Good Friday, bringing Andrew Lloyd Webber\u2019s vision to life with a raw, high-energy intensity. First released as a concept album in 1970 before arriving on Broadway the following year, \u201cSuperstar\u201d remains one of the most enduring and provocative works in the musical theater canon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Palace Theatre Artistic Director Carl Rajotte said in April that the show became one of the most successful presales of the season up to that point.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
3. 25 years of competitive sandcastles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf any destination in New Hampshire could justify its own Top 10 list, Hampton Beach might be it. Still, for the sake of this countdown, I\u2019ll stick to the highlights \u2014 and there were plenty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nChief among them was the 25th annual Master Sand Sculpting Classic, a milestone event that once again proved to be one of the summer\u2019s biggest draws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nHeld in mid-June, the international competition brought elite sand sculptors from around the world to Hampton Beach and drew an estimated 100,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, according to Lisa Martineau, co-marketing director for the Hampton Beach Village District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nFirst place went to \u201cAligned\u201d by Melineige Beauregard of Captain Cook, Hawaii, with \u201cThe Creation of the Mermaid\u201d by Ilya Filimonstev of Moscow, Russia, earning runner-up honors \u2014 just two examples of the creativity that continues to define the event a quarter-century in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
2. NH Highland Games takes a shot at history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nOne of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nTo celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhile the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBeyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
If any destination in New Hampshire could justify its own Top 10 list, Hampton Beach might be it. Still, for the sake of this countdown, I\u2019ll stick to the highlights \u2014 and there were plenty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Chief among them was the 25th annual Master Sand Sculpting Classic, a milestone event that once again proved to be one of the summer\u2019s biggest draws.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Held in mid-June, the international competition brought elite sand sculptors from around the world to Hampton Beach and drew an estimated 100,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, according to Lisa Martineau, co-marketing director for the Hampton Beach Village District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
First place went to \u201cAligned\u201d by Melineige Beauregard of Captain Cook, Hawaii, with \u201cThe Creation of the Mermaid\u201d by Ilya Filimonstev of Moscow, Russia, earning runner-up honors \u2014 just two examples of the creativity that continues to define the event a quarter-century in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
2. NH Highland Games takes a shot at history<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nOne of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nTo celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhile the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nBeyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
One of the Granite State\u2019s most enduring cultural traditions reached a major milestone in 2025, as the NH Highland Games & Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary while aiming for the record books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
To celebrate the occasion, NHSCOT attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest single bagpiping performance ever, rallying pipers from competitive bands, casual players and even local fire departments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The goal was to surpass the standing record by playing \u201cScotland the Brave\u201d continuously for five minutes \u2014 a mark set in May 2012 by 333 pipers from Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
While the record ultimately remained unbroken (the official count came in at 231 pipers, just over 100 short), the moment underscored what has sustained the Games for half a century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Beyond the massed pipes, the anniversary weekend once again filled Loon Mountain in Lincoln with heavy athletics, sheepdog trials, Highland dancing, fiddling, clan gatherings and live music, reinforcing its status as a must-see event each year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
1. Manchester turns into Phish Country<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\nIf you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNot only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nEach night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nElm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nReconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nA highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNext week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
If you were in downtown Manchester the weekend of June 20\u201322, it was impossible to ignore: Phish fever had taken over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Not only was it the first time since 2010 that the jam-band juggernaut played SNHU Arena, it was also the first time in the venue\u2019s history that the same band performed three nights in a row.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Each night sold over 10,000 tickets, with more than 4,400 fans purchasing three-day passes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Elm Street was closed for \u201cShakedown Street,\u201d a bustling marketplace of fan art, crafts and merchandise. Local businesses \u2014 from coffee shops and ice cream parlors to restaurants and bars \u2014 extended hours, offered special menu items, and turned spaces into pop-up beer gardens. Phish-inspired creativity thrived everywhere: the DoubleTree hosted PhanArt, showcasing artists like New Hampshire natives Ryan Kerrigan and Kellen Rattigan, while after-parties kept the music going across downtown venues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Reconnecting with Jodie Nazaka, director of the City of Manchester\u2019s Economic Development Office, I got a sense of the weekend\u2019s sheer scale: All hotels in Manchester were fully booked, more than half of visitors came from 30 or more miles away, and city attendance totaled 92,000 out-of-market visitors, with an overall spend of more than $14.6 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A highlight of the year and an easy choice for No. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Next week in NH Weekend: A preview of some of the most exciting events and happenings to look forward to in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n