Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’

Third/final weekend:

Shows, Strolls, Stayovers + Free Heated Trolley
Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth

Invites Seacoast residents to
“Rediscover Your New Hampshire Holiday Traditions”

Jazz Nutcracker, Met Opera, Natalie, A Christmas Carol + Stroll
“One of the top ten things not to miss in New England” – Boston Globe
Look for red Vintage Christmas map/calendar!

Full Moon Over Market Square © David Murray, Clear Eye Photo

As they head into the final weekend of Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth, organizers were reflecting on last weekend. Amy Moy, Director of Marketing at Strawbery Banke Museum said, “This weekend’s colder temperatures did not deter over 2000 people from enjoying the warmth of the holiday season at the Candlelight Stroll. There was a great crowd at the crackling bonfire, standing-room-only in the toasty warm cider shed with live music keeping everyone entertained, and the warm glow of hundreds of candles to light the paths to the historic houses, exhibits, and entertainment. The Vintage Christmas trolley was filled with happy visitors from all over enjoying the free ride around town in the heated and distinctive trolley complete with decorations and holiday music. Magical holiday memories were made for the Vintage Christmas visitors this weekend. Come experience it for yourself in the final weekend of Vintage Christmas!”

Since it’s so close to the holiday, this third and final weekend of Vintage Christmas is focused on encouraging local residents to “Rediscover Your New Hampshire Holiday Traditions.” Seacoast residents have so many options to choose from this weekend! At The Music Hall, MaD Theatricals is gearing up for “Clara’s Dream: A Jazz Nutcracker” running through Saturday December 19, the Met@The Music Hall: Offenbach’s Les Contes D’Hoffmann about the author of the Nutcracker, the afternoon of Saturday December 19. Then on Sunday December 20, for two shows, Natalie MacMaster brings Christmas in Cape Breton to Portsmouth. Natalie is clearly looking forward to her visit to the Hall, “This place is like an extension of my living room; inviting and musical.  And the roar of the crowd is wondrous.” And, at Seacoast Repertory Theatre, A Christmas Carol will be playing.

Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth –is brought to you by The Music Hall, the landmark Victorian theater, and Strawbery Banke Museum, the ten-acre living history museum, both in the heart of historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Joining the two nonprofits this year are Presenting Sponsors the City of Portsmouth and Centrix Bank; Lead Sponsors: Hilton Garden Inn Portsmouth Downtown, Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth, Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, Weather Partner, WERZ; and Community Partners Great Bay Academy of Dance, MaD Theatricals and Seacoast Repertory Theatre. A handy calendar/map is available to visitors to make it easy to get around town.

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2^nd of 3 weekends: Shows, Strolls, Stayovers + Free Trolley

Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth

A Family Weekend: Nutcracker + Pops + Stroll

“One of the top ten things not to miss in New England” – Boston Globe

Look for red Vintage Christmas map/calendar!

Costumed Family at North Church © David Murray Clear Eye Photo

Imagine brick sidewalks sprinkled with snow. A man in a cape with a lantern on the corner asks if you know how to get to The Music Hall. He points up a darkened street, where a Victorian theater glistens, with wreaths and lights. Inside it’s warm and merry, children and parents thronging together up the grand staircases and into the hall decked with greenery and bows, a cluster of holiday dressed teddy bears greet you in the lobby. You smell rich pastries, mulled wine, and hot chocolate—mmm, time to get to your seat, the show is about to begin. The red curtain rises the rest is pure magic. Back out into the cold, a bright red trolley stops at the corner – you hop on and ride through the historic streets and gaily lit shops onto Strawberry Banke. You suck in your breath in surprise as big draft horse pulls a wagon of people into a lane lit with candle lanterns. The historic properties are all lit up with twinkly lights and lanterns. Carolers voices drift across the green, with a big bonfire in the center. The sound of fiddler coming from the cider shed, it’s all just bright and warm, and too much fun to miss. A vintage Christmas indeed!

It’s the second weekend of Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth -  all brought to you by The Music Hall, the landmark Victorian theater, and Strawbery Banke Museum, the ten-acre living history museum, both in the heart of historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Joining the two nonprofits this year are Presenting Sponsors the City of Portsmouth and Centrix Bank; Lead Sponsors: Hilton Garden Inn Portsmouth Downtown, Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth, Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, Weather Partner, WERZ; and Community Partners Great Bay Academy of Dance, MaD Theatricals and Seacoast Repertory Theatre. A handy calendar/map will be available to visitors to make it easy to get around town.

The focus of the second weekend is families. According to Amy Moy, Director of Marketing at Strawbery Banke, “Make new holiday family memories by enjoying music, family-friendly activities, horse-drawn carriage rides, a gingerbread house contest, costumed role-players in historic houses, and the glow of hundreds of candles at the Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke Museum. Ride in eco-friendly style aboard the free Vintage Christmas trolley to downtown Portsmouth and choose from a wide variety of local restaurants to enjoy a family dinner. Shop for a special gift in our unique sales-tax-free downtown stores. Enjoy An 1836 Portsmouth Nutcracker or the Holiday Pops at The Music Hall, or A Christmas Carol at Seacoast Repertory Theatre. Tuck your family in at either the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel or the Hilton Garden Inn Portsmouth Downtown and enjoy all that Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth has to offer!”

Ken Kiesler, conductor of Holiday Pops on Sunday Dec 13 at The Music Hall, talks about his memories of Portsmouth, “I have a warm place in my heart for Portsmouth which is why I do the work on the Holiday Pops and return there every year and why I’m delighted to be asked. I started coming to Portsmouth when I was eight years old when my brother was a UNH student. We would stay in Portsmouth three to four times a year at the Rockingham when it was a hotel. Then I lived on Marcy Street for several years before I went off to graduate school and to a career in conducting. It’s just a joy to be there and to see everyone and to be greeted at holiday time!”

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