Wednesday, February 15, 2017

February 17, 18, 19, 2017

Steel Magnolias at Peterborough Players

“What’s Happening”

February 17, 18, 19

17, 18, Friday and Saturday, - Steel Magnolias at Peterborough Players - An American classic that is popular around the world (not to mention the basis for the award-winning film of the same name), Steel Magnolias celebrates the bond of female companionship. Six strong Southern women gather weekly at Truvy’s beauty shop, where all the ladies who are anybody go to have their hair done. Full of heart and humor, the play is a funny and moving story of love, loss, and enduring friendship.  Playwright Robert Harling said “…while gorgeous, magnolias are fragile and bruise easily—qualities often attributed to Southern women. My extraordinary life experiences with my sister and mother showed me that women are indeed gorgeous, but their lives can be fragile. But underneath, they possess a tensile strength stronger than anything I could ever muster.” We’re pleased to bring Harling’s band of hilarious spitfires back to the Players. Friday, 7:30, Saturday 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. Repeats Feb. 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26. For tickets, pricing and more information visit peterboroughplayers.org.

18, 19 Saturday and Sunday, Midwinter Mischief at Old Sturbridge Village,
This February, Old Sturbridge Village is introducing an interactive and intimate way of experiencing the Village. Midwinter Mischief combines theatrical storytelling, historical interpretation and period dining to offer guests a daytime winter adventure…
Imagine the tale of a Yankee peddler passing through the village who decides to settle down at the Bullard Tavern on a cold winter's night. There the peddler spends every dollar he has earned on food and drink, racking up a tab far beyond his means. After being confronted over his debt, the peddler fills up his cup with ashes from the hearth and promises the tavern owner that he will return with a cup overflowing of gold. From the Bullard Tavern, costumed storytellers, artisans and villagers will entice tavern guests to wander deep into the village where they will find evidence of the peddler’s adventures and schemes.
Admission to a Midwinter Mischief includes the one-hour and 45-minute outdoor/indoor experience and a period-inspired lunch in the Village’s Bullard Tavern where guests can enjoy live music, demonstrations, and a cash bar featuring hot beverages and 1830s-inspired libations. Each day, the first experience departs the Bullard Tavern at 9:30 am and the last at 3:00 pm, with experiences beginning every 15 minutes. The Bullard Tap Room opens at 9:00 am where guests can purchase hot and cold beverages and breakfast pastries. At 11:00 am the Bullard Great Room opens for the inclusive 19th-century inspired lunch and a cash bar. Midwinter Mischief was written and directed by P.J. Griffith. Timed tickets must be purchased in advance – either online below or at the museum’s Visitor Center. Non-members: $30 Adult | $20 Youth, OSV Members: $20 Adult | $10 Youth – osv.org

19, Saturday - The Hangman Streamed in HD at Peterborough Players – 1:00 p.m. Olivier and Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh (The Pillowman, The Cripple of Inishmaan, In Bruges) return to the West End with Matthew Dunster’s award-winning production of his deeply funny new play Hangmen. In his small pub in the northern English town of Oldham, Harry (David Morrissey – The Walking Dead, State of Play) is something of a local celebrity. But what's the second-best hangman in England to do on the day they've abolished hanging? Amongst the cub reporters and pub regulars dying to hear Harry’s reaction to the news, his old assistant Syd (Andy Nyman – Peaky Blinders, Death at a Funeral) and the peculiar Mooney (Johnny Flynn – Clouds of Sils Maria) lurk with very different motives for their visit.  Peterboroughplayers.org

17-26, Mariposa Museum presents Protect the Sacred: Art of Indigenous Resistance. Artwork by 20 Native American artists is from 31 years of environmental and cultural activism by Honor the Earth, a non-profit organization founded in 1993 by Winona LaDuke and Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. As the world’s attention focuses on history’s largest gathering of indigenous people in Standing Rock, North Dakota, to protect water from a transnational pipeline, this exhibit illuminates the importance of native voice to the effort to protect the planet and address issues of climate change. The largest non-profit indigenous organization in the U.S., Honor the Earth works to illuminate and restore traditional knowledge systems and practices linked to living sustainably on the earth, including protection of water and non-industrial food systems and foods, while also addressing the poverty and social injustices that plague native communities. According to its curators, “This exhibit brings awareness to issues affecting native people everywhere. Our mission is to create awareness and support social and environmental issues while showcasing empowering indigenous art from across the country. Art has power. We believe it plays an important role in activism. Art has the ability to wake people up. Through it, we can evoke emotion, tell stories, inspire, and motivate. When channeled as a vehicle for issues of conscience it can become a catalyst for meaningful change. People are working hard to make a shift politically and socially; we must take this opportunity to show solidarity and remind our [indigenous] communities of how resilient we are.”
26 Main Street, Peterborough, New Hampshire, mariposamuseum.org

18, 19 Saturday and Sunday – Family Winter Tracking Walk at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Saturday, 10:30-11:30, Instructor: Ann Marie Pilch. Join us for an outdoor exploration of animal tracks and signs. Learn to recognize basic track patterns and how animals adapt to the lean winter months. Pre-registration required, max 25 people/5 families - limit 5 people per family. All ages, Member: $15/family, Nonmember: $20/family plus cost of admission. Also going on this weekend at Tower Hill is Winter in Bloom; In Living Color; Stems and Stones, A Love Story; and Sunday afternoon tours. For more information visit towerhillbg.org.

18, Saturday Open House - Cross -Country Skiing/Snow-Shoeing at Saima Park, 10:00am-2:00pm - Groomed trails open to the public for cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing at the Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Rd., Fitchburg. No fee. Limited supply of ski equipment available to borrow. Visit saima-park.org.

18, 19, Saturday and Sunday – Frozen Fruitlands, 12:00-5:00 p.m, - Winter at Fruitlands means outdoor fun and adventure each weekend! Every Saturday and Sunday, January through March, bring your winter boots, sleds, snowshoes, or cross-country skis for some high energy fun as you explore our frozen hills and woodland trails. Then come warm up with us. There will be a toasty fire outside the visitor center and hot chocolate available inside the building. A Fruitlands staff member will be available to recommend trails and to answer questions. Be sure to check in at the Gift Shop for an admission sticker. Frozen Fruitlands includes admission to the Art Museum. Members are free, non-members $5.00, 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard MA - www.fruitlands.orgFrozen Fruitlands join The Trustees at Frozen Fruitlands on Saturdays and Sundays through March, and explore the hills and trails for sledding, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing followed by a warm up with hot chocolate at the fire outside the visitor’s center. Check in at the Gift Shop for admission, which also includes the Art Museum, featuring two exhibitions: “Find Your Park: National Parks in New England,” a photography exhibition celebrating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary and “Comforts, Cures, and Distractions” which invites visitors to reflect on the challenges and also fun and creativity of New England winters before modern conveniences.

18, 19, 20, Saturday, Sunday, Monday – Winter at Windblown Cross-Country Ski Are, 40 Kilometers of new snow, 100% of trails are open, group and private lessons Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (please call to register). You can call the ski shop between 9 am and 5 pm when we are open to talk to a real person 603-878-2869. Shelters available year-round for overnight camping, call 603-878-0540 for reservations. 1180 Turnpike Road,  New Ipswich, New Hampshire, windblownxc.com



Thursday, February 9, 2017

Snow, beautiful snow!!! Feb. 10, 11, 12, 2017











“What’s Happening”

February 10, 11, 12

10, 11, Friday and Saturday, Mass Appeal, at Peterborough Players - Father Tim Farley, a popular, gregarious priest of a prosperous Catholic congregation, has his well-ordered world turned upside down by the arrival of Mark Dolan, a fiery, idealistic young seminarian. Mark challenges both Fr. Farley’s humorous sermons and some long held traditions of the Church leading to a conflict that raises difficult questions for both men: What is the price of honesty? How far do ends justify means? A close and oftentimes comedic friendship develops between the two, and when Mark faces a personal crisis at the seminary, Father Farley is forced to make a choice that will forever alter both their futures.  “A tender comedy about the meaning and power of both secular and religious love.” -The New York Times, Friday, 7:30, Sat., 2:00 and 7:30, 603-924-7585, www.peterboroughplayers.org.

11, Saturday Open House - Cross -Country Skiing/Snow-Shoeing at Saima Park, 10:00am-2:00pm - Groomed trails open to the public for cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing at the Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Rd., Fitchburg. No fee. Limited supply of ski equipment available to borrow. Visit saima-park.org.

11, 12, Saturday and Sunday – Second Annual Winter Festival at Hollis Hills Farm - 10 AM to 4 PM both days. Join us at the farm for a weekend of winter fun! Come enjoy activities like snowshoeing, sledding, and cross-country skiing on our picturesque property. Enjoy good company and good food while warming up at the bonfire. Live music will be played by Patrick Barber both days for all to enjoy. With all of this snow, enjoying it while it is here is a must!
The menu at the farm this weekend will include:
-Pulled Pork Sandwiches
-Buffalo Chicken, Cheeseburger, and Chili hand pies
-Turkey Pot Pie Soup
-Apple Cider Donuts
-Guinness Beef and Chicken Pot Pie
-Regular Hot Chocolate and "Adult" Hot Chocolate
340 Marshall Rd. Fitchburg MA – hollishillsfarm.com.
We hope to see you there!

11, Saturday, Full Moon Ski and Snowshoe Night at Windblown -  6:00-10:00 p.m. With new snow and the full moon both on their way this weekend, we're delighted to offer this year's first Full Moon Ski and Snowshoe Night at Windblown. $14.00 trail ticket* Base Lodge with hot food for dinner Open
Ski Shop with ski and snowshoe rentals Open
*50% Discounted Trail Tickets available for those who purchase a day trail ticket on Saturday.

11, 12, Saturday and Sunday – Frozen Fruitlands, 12:00-5:00 p.m, - Winter at Fruitlands means outdoor fun and adventure each weekend! Every Saturday and Sunday, January through March, bring your winter boots, sleds, snowshoes, or cross-country skis for some high energy fun as you explore our frozen hills and woodland trails. Then come warm up with us. There will be a toasty fire outside the visitor center and hot chocolate available inside the building. A Fruitlands staff member will be available to recommend trails and to answer questions. Be sure to check in at the Gift Shop for an admission sticker. Frozen Fruitlands includes admission to the Art Museum. Members are free, non-members $5.00, 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard MA - www.fruitlands.orgFrozen Fruitlands join The Trustees at Frozen Fruitlands on Saturdays and Sundays through March, and explore the hills and trails for sledding, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing followed by a warm up with hot chocolate at the fire outside the visitor’s center. Check in at the Gift Shop for admission, which also includes the Art Museum, featuring two exhibitions: “Find Your Park: National Parks in New England,” a photography exhibition celebrating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary and “Comforts, Cures, and Distractions” which invites visitors to reflect on the challenges and also fun and creativity of New England winters before modern conveniences.

11, Saturday, Fitchburg Art Museum - A Curious Nature: Paintings by Shelley Reed bring together a selection of the artist’s magnificent, immersive black and white canvases from the past decade with striking, never-before-seen oils on paper. A gallery filled with her works vibrates between dense accumulations of animal and botanical details, and studies of figures in isolation. Reed purposefully plays with the pulse of her paintings, often juxtaposing raucous, dynamic actions with implied moments of pause. Her subjects stalk, contemplate, attack, parade and preen, all the while leaving viewers to wonder who is watching whom. The curiosity of a hound eyeing a tortoise, for example, or the fierce glare of a tiger over its shoulder are moments that feel astonishingly palpable, prescient, and alive. A Curious Nature will be on view from February 12, 2017 - June 4, 2017, and is organized by Curator Mary M.Tinti and Interim Curator Lisa Crossman. This exhibition is made possible in part by the Simonds Lecture Fund. Fitchburg Art Museum, 185 Elm Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420, Telephone: 978-345-4207 – www.fitchburgartmuseum.org.

11, Saturday – Organ Pipe Oligarchy – The Great Hall at Pakachoag Church, 2:00 p.m.  - This king of instruments teases with music inspired by regal benefactors, as reaction to political extremism, and as expression of national pride.
William Ness, Organ Faculty - Come enjoy the politically neutral ‘king of instruments’:  Pakachoag Church’s Dobson mechanical-action pipe organ, accompanied by: Scott Daugherty, Trumpet; Alice Daugherty, Flute; and the Great Hall chamber setting. Featuring royal fanfares to current day Americana. Great Hall at Pakachoag Church, 203 Pakachoag Street, Auburn, MA, 508-791-8159 –  www.pakmusic.org

11, Saturday, 2017 Camp Sunshine
Polar Dip at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area – Freezin’ for a Reason! 1:00 p.m., Registration: 11:00 a.m., Camp Sunshine is pleased to announce the 2017 Wachusett Polar Dip. We believe that together we can send many more children with life-threatening illnesses and their families to our one-of-a-kind retreat in Casco, Maine. With the strength of an event such as the 2017 Wachusett Polar Dip and the resources of Camp Sunshine, it is our goal to raise in excess of $40,000.00. That is enough to send 16 families from Massachusetts to Camp Sunshine. All participants who raise at least $100 will receive a highly coveted "I DID IT" event t-shirt. Too scared or too smart to take the plunge? There’s the option to participate in the “Chicken Dip” – where you’ll only need to dip your toes in! For more information visit: wachusett.com or csun.convio.net.

11, 12, Saturday and Sunday, Tower Hill Botanical Gardens, 10am–5pm
Our second weekend features floral arrangements by individuals and Garden Clubs. Saturday, February 11, 1pm: A film screening of Portrait of a Garden (in Dutch with English subtitles), Members $5, Non-members $20, includes admission. Registration required.
Saturday, February 11 and Sunday, February 12, 11am-3pm: Hands-On activities. Free with admission.
Saturday, February 11, 10–11:30am: Shadow boxes for ages 10+ with an adult. Member: $25/adult-child pair, Nonmember: $45/adult-child includes cost of admission for child and adult. Fee includes all materials. Pre-registration required.Saturday, February 11, 3pm: Floral Design demo with Erica Jones, Creative Director at O Luxe Design. O Luxe has been featured in The Knot, Boston Weddings and more. Free with admission.
Sunday, February 12, 11:30am: Floral Design demo with Flowers by Justine. Justine is known for creating timeless, classic and lush floral designs. Free with admission.
Sunday, February 12, 1pm: Gardens of Awe and Folly: A Traveler’s Journal on the Meaning of Life & Gardening Talk and Book-Signing. Free with Admission; pre-registration required.Sunday, February 12, 2–3:30pm: Garden Tours. Meet at the Master Plan map at 2pm. 11 French Drive, P.O. Box 598, Boylston, MA 01505-
Phone: 508.869.6111 | Web: www.towerhillbg.org




Friday, February 3, 2017

February 4, 5, 2017

Super Bowl Weekend!


Here are some great ways to have fun waiting for the New England Patriots to play in the Super Bowl this Sunday. Go Patriots!!

What’s Happening” 

February 3, 4, 5, 2017

3, 4, Friday and Saturday, Mass Appeal at Peterborough Players - Father Tim Farley, a popular, gregarious priest of a prosperous Catholic congregation, has his well-ordered world turned upside down by the arrival of Mark Dolan, a fiery, idealistic young seminarian. Mark challenges both Fr. Farley’s humorous sermons and some long held traditions of the Church leading to a conflict that raises difficult questions for both men: What is the price of honesty? How far do ends justify means? A close and oftentimes comedic friendship develops between the two, and when Mark faces a personal crisis at the seminary, Father Farley is forced to make a choice that will forever alter both their futures.  “A tender comedy about the meaning and power of both secular and religious love.” -The New York Times, Friday, 7:30, Sat., 2:00 and 7:30, 603-924-7585, www.peterboroughplayers.org.

3, 4, 5, Friday, Saturday, Sunday – Events at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area
Friday and Saturday - Riding On Insulin is a Utah-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to empower, activate and connect the global diabetes community through shared experience and action sports. The organization offers 1-day ski and snowboard programs in 15 locations throughout the United States, and also in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Saturday - KISS 108 Winter Games, Join the Kiss 108 Radio Street Team for a day of family fun activities from 11am-5pm. The day will start with games, prizes and giveaways outside then transition into the Coppertop Bar for some trivia and games for some apres ski fun! 
Clif Big Air Bag Comp, Join us for our first Air Bag event of the season! Prizes for best "Hang Time" and "Best Trick."
Saturday night - Midnight Madness, We're adding two extra hours of skiing and riding and lots of fun activities to the schedule on the first Saturday of February. We'll be open until midnight a DJ from 8pm-midnight, live music in the Coppertop from 8-11pm and snow tubing from 6-10pm! There will be fire pits to warm-up by and breakfast specials in the cafeteria!
Sunday - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, USASA Slopestyle Event, Join USASA for this one-day qualifying competition. Competitors are tasked with throwing their best set of tricks along the course while vying for a coveted spot in the national championships at the end of the season. www.wachusett.com

4, Saturday – Keene Ice and Snow Festival, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Central Square and Railroad Square, Keene NH - A day of family fun. Ice sculpting, train ride, s’mores, children’s crafts, face painting by Emily Sodders, live music, ice princess, snowman and penguin characters, warming station. Enjoy unique downtown shopping and lunch at one of many restaurants. Follow us on face book at Keene Ice & Snow Festival with current information. www.monadnocktravel.com

4, Saturday, - The David Bromberg Quintet at The Bull Run Restaurant - “The reason man created stringed instruments. David touched them with a lover’s fingers and they moaned that true love right back at him. Wood and wire and flesh spoke.” - Jerry Jeff Walker on David Bromberg - If you have never attended a David Bromberg concert, you're in for an unforgettable experience! He is one of the most engaging, indeed mesmerizing, of performers. The guitar virtuoso, bandleader and former session man and his band of masterful musicians will enthrall you with an eclectic mix of blues, country, jazz and folk that is impossible to classify. His eponymous 1971 debut included “The Holdup,” a songwriting collaboration with former Beatle George Harrison, who also played slide guitar on the track. David also met the Grateful Dead and wound up with four of their members playing on his next two albums. David has spent his life absorbing music from its surviving creators and their recordings so convincingly, while adding his own instrumental twists, that he has become a part of music tradition itself, as close to the source of American roots music as anyone alive. Folk, blues, bluegrass, ragtime, rock, jazz, you name it – he has become The Real Deal. www.bullrunrestaurant.com.

4, 5 Saturday and Sunday – Frozen Fruitlands, 12:00-5:00 p.m, - Winter at Fruitlands means outdoor fun and adventure each weekend! Every Saturday and Sunday, January through March, bring your winter boots, sleds, snowshoes, or cross-country skis for some high energy fun as you explore our frozen hills and woodland trails. Then come warm up with us. There will be a toasty fire outside the visitor center and hot chocolate available inside the building. A Fruitlands staff member will be available to recommend trails and to answer questions. Be sure to check in at the Gift Shop for an admission sticker. Frozen Fruitlands includes admission to the Art Museum. Members are free, non-members $5.00, 102 Prospect Hill Rd., Harvard MA - www.fruitlands.org

4, Saturday, Winter Carnival at Nara Park, 4:00-7:00 p.m., NARA Amphitheatre, 25 ledge Rock Way, Acton, MA – Snow or No Snow, It’s a GO!! Sledding and ice-skating (weather permitting), Bring your own skates. “Frozen” dance party, fire spinner, food vendors, marshmallow toasting and campfires, Acton Minutemen Encampment and musket volley, animal adventure show, annual broomball, kids soccer with super soccer starts, hot chocolate bar, and more! FREE admission. www.acton-ma.gov.events.

4, Saturday – Winterfest at Rapscallion Brewery, 12:00-10:00 p.m. – Our annual Winterfest event featuring our 2017 Winterfest ale, food and live music from bluesman, Big Jon Short and bluegrass band Livestock. 195 Arnold Rd., Sturbridge MA – www.drinkrapscallion.com

4, Saturday – The 9th Annual “Some like it Hot Chili Cook-off” at Harvard Square – 1:00-2:30 p.m. The 9th Annual "Some Like it Hot Chili Cook-off" returns to Harvard Square on Saturday, February 4th, 2017 - a precursor to the Super Bowl! Join us for this fabulous, festive and FREE outdoor winter event! Come sample chili from Harvard Square's HOTTEST restaurants between 1:00pm - 2:30pm on Brattle Plaza (in front of Brattle Florist, 31 Brattle Street). Taste them all and vote for your favorite! The restaurant with the most votes will be presented with the highly coveted Harvard Square Chili Pot! Participants include Beat BrasserieCrema CafeEl Jefe'sEn BocaGrendel's Den J.P. Licks , Manoa Poke Shop and The Sinclair. While you are there, enjoy Harvard Square favorites, Grooversity, as they pump up the crowd with their infectious and heart stopping percussion combining traditional Brazilian grooves like Samba and Axe with Funk, Rock, Jazz and even Hip Hop.
Special thanks to our sponsors, Rescom and Camp Cody. Go Patriots!!! - Free and open to the public. www.harvardsquare.com

4, 5 Saturday and Sunday, Winter in Bloom at Tower Hill Botanic Garden10:00-5:00 p.m. Professional Designers Weekend, Our first Winter in Bloom weekend features floral arrangements by professional designers. Experience the latest trends and witness the creativity of the area’s top floral designers. Join us for In Bloom: Creating and Living With Flowers author talk and book-signing with Ngoc Nihn Ngo on Saturday, February 4, 1pm. Free with admission; pre-registration required. Enjoy a Floral Design Demo with Foret Design Studio on Saturday, February 4, 2pm. Free with Admission. Walk-Ins Welcome. www.towerhillbg.org


5, Sunday – GO PATRIOTS!!!!!