What to Do This Presidents' Day Weekend

15 ideas for maximizing your long-weekend fun
Jocelyn Van Saun,

With Presidents' Day just around the corner, it’s time to start planning how you'll spend your three-day weekend. Here are some exciting local ways to turn your Saturday, Sunday, and Monday into Saturday, Sunday, and Fun-day.

Shop for Sales

As if you need more convincing than the word "shopping" itself, why not shop for less? Less money, that is. Presidents' Day weekend is the perfect time to hit up nearby shopping centers for some of the best sales of the year. If you're looking to invest in a little more than a new sweater, don’t miss your local car dealerships! Commonly referred to as the "Black Friday" of the auto sales industry, this weekend is known for great deals from such brands as Ford, Chevy, Honda, Kia, Nissan, and Toyota.

Don’t Miss:

Fun for the Family

If you can’t imagine loading your whole family into the car for a day of shopping, fear not: there are plenty of events around the state aimed to appease both you and your little ones. In Manchester, try the 34th Annual New Hampshire Farm and Forest Exposition. The fair features an industry trade show with nearly 100 exhibitors, free educational workshops, a winter farmers market, and lots of furry animals, along with lots of kid-friendly activities and demonstrations in the "Kid Zone." For the sports-inclined, try Squam Lakes’ Association’s Winterfest in Holderness. With offerings from ice skating, cross-country skiing and sledding to Nordic skating demos and winter mini golf, there’s something for everyone — including the return of the annual chili contest. Finally, celebrate the season further south on Saturday at LaBelle Winery’s Winter Family Fun Fest, featuring nature walks, sledding and vineyard snowshoe tours.

Revive the Romance

Post-Valentine's Day blues? Keep the love alive by spending some quality time with your significant other. Vis-a-vis means "face-to-face" in French and that’s exactly where you and your loved one will be when you book a Vis-A-Vis Sleigh Ride at Charmingfare Farm in Candia. For even more fun, hit the farm on Friday night for their weekly Sleigh Ride Cabarets, where you'll have the chance to cozy up around a warm fire and listen to live music after your horse-drawn sleigh ride.

Creative types can opt for Date Night in the Pottery Studio at Manchester’s Studio 550 on Friday, and old romantics in Center Sandwich can enjoy a classic dinner and a show. The town's Arts Center offers tasty treats and tip-top theatre with their dinner theatre production of A.R. Gurney’s Pulitzer-nominated play, “Love Letters.”

Adventure for Adrenaline

Searching for a thrill? Don't wait for spring to hit the outdoors. Ski and snowboard discounts abound for President’s Day, but some quirkier outdoor activities have their day this weekend, too.

Don’t Miss:

  • Mt. Sunapee: From February 18 until February 26, lift tickets are 20% off purchased in advance online.
  • Pats Peak: During holiday periods, the snow tubing hill is open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., with tickets priced at $18 for two hours or $20 for four hours.

Move to the Music

Every day is a good day for live music, but here's what’s happening during your three-day weekend. Jam out to a fusion of Pink Floyd, the Talking Heads, and Phish with Pink Talking Fish at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth on Saturday. On Sunday — as if you didn't already know — pop sensation Ariana Grande will be performing at the SNHU Arena in Manchester. Tickets are still available, so don't miss out! For a mellower sound as the weekend winds down, get your feet tapping with a pre-workweek drink and the musical stylings of the Brad Hallen Trio at The Press Room in Portsmouth on Monday at 9 p.m.

Whatever your ideal weekend consists of, pack this one full of plans and take Monday to rest and recuperate.

Find more of what’s going on around you by visiting our calendar page at www.nhmagazine.com/calendar.

Categories: Winter Events

More: