As a cold spell settles in, I’ve been busting out my warmest sweaters and bundling up all day long, refilling the mug of tea at my desk practically every hour. I love the cold, though, and the way it brings the world into focus, with snow clinging to tree branches and icicles hanging from roofs. I find it all magical!
Concord has multiple winter celebrations happening this weekend, because, let’s face it, we have no other choice. It’ll be frigid whether or not we stay home and resent the darkness, so we might as well get outside and enjoy it.
You’ll find me and my colleague, Rebeca Pereira, at InTown Concord and The Hotel Concord’s Winterfest on Saturday. We’ll be stationed at a table with the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center to share our reporting project on Christa McAuliffe’s legacy, including a special edition of the Jan. 24 Concord Monitor. Winterfest takes place from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in downtown Concord with multiple attractions, including an ice-carving competition, food trucks, an ice bar, hot cocoa and more. And for anyone who stops by our table, we hope you’ll say hi! Visit intownconcord.org to learn more.
Despite the shivers, the cold spell means the outdoor ice rinks in Concord should be in prime skating condition in time for the 1883 Black Ice Pond Hockey tournament at White Park from Friday through Sunday. Over eight rinks, three days and eight divisions, the competition includes over 60 teams and 420 hockey players. Beyond the game itself, you definitely don’t want to miss family-friendly fun with bonfires, a rock climbing wall, fireworks, live entertainment, food trucks, games and ice sculptures. For the full schedule of events, visit blackicepondhockey.com.
And then, because the cold is indeed, well, cold, here’s an indoor activity for those of you who don’t want to venture outside for too long. Kimball Jenkins and the Concord Garden Club partner each year to create a display of floral arrangements that correspond with different works of art. You can catch Art and Bloom from today through Saturday at Kimball Jenkins. Check out https://www.concordgardenclubnh.com/art-and-bloom for more details.
Looking into next week as the Monitor publishes its project, “Christa’s Legacy: Concord’s Pioneer Woman, the World’s Teacher,” we will also be hosting a panel on our reporting on Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. in partnership with the Discovery Center. The panel features astronaut Ricky Arnold, who took Christa’s lessons into space in the 2010s; Kathleen Young, who produced the NHPBS documentary “Christa” last year; Amber Woods, who oversees the Discovery Center’s archival trove of Challenger memorabilia; and Kris Coronis Jacques, a former student of Christa’s and a current teacher in Hopkinton.
You will have the chance to hear from the panelists, ask questions, and get an inside glimpse into the Monitor’s special publication dedicated to Christa and the Challenger crew. We invite you to join us for an evening exploring how Christa’s legacy lives on in the Concord community — and in the world at large. For tickets, visit www.starhop.com.
Wishing you, as always, a wonderful weekend ahead!
