"Secret Dance Floor" Debuts at Shamrock Festival Concert

Park Theatre debuts hidden dance floor at Chris Fitz Band Dance Concert

JAFFREY, New Hampshire (March 15, 2022) This weekend, "Where did that come from?" may be the question many people ask who have attended events at the Park Theatre's Eppes Auditorium. Where there was auditorium seating, there is now a "secret dance floor." This weekend, it will make its debut at the Chris Fitz Band Dance Concert on Saturday, March 19 at 7:30pm. The concert is the final event of the Shamrock Festival.

Thanks to an innovative seating system (designed by Irwin Seating of Grand Rapids, Michigan), the entire lower mezzanine section of seats and aisles in the auditorium telescopes to a depth of about 3 feet. The 161 seats retract against the upper mezzanine seats creating a flat floor measuring about forty feet by forty feet. Perfect for dance space, mosh pit, gala dining space, trade show or a creative theatrical production. The floor space can be further enlarged by the removal of the 58 orchestra seats.

"It's a versatile auditorium. Designed to have multiple uses and configurations. When people walk in for the Chris Fitz Band concert, they will be astonished that the lower mezzanine section is completely gone, and the upper mezzanine becomes balcony seating. It is very easy to retract the lower seats. You make a couple of seat setting changes, push a button on the remote control, and in less than 20 minutes, you have 1,600 square feet of flat floor, 2,000 if we remove the orchestra seats as well. We can't wait to debut it with the concert this Saturday night. Chris' fans love to dance and boogie at his exhilarating blues-rock performances," said Steve Jackson, CEO and Managing Director of The Park Theatre.

The bar will be open before and during the concert. ID's are required. Bernie & Louise Watson will be performing in The Lounge from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. before the concert. Tickets for the Chris Fitz Band Dance Concert are $20. They can be bought online at theparktheatre.org, by calling (603) 532-8888 or at the box office. The Park Theatre performing arts center is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, NH. The facility is fully accessible.

Events at Nova Arts Next Week

Nova Arts is proud to continue in person entertainment at 48 Emerald St in Keene NH!

Monday, March 21, Rick from Pile will be playing. Thursday, March 24 there will be a Honkytonk Night with The Rear Defrosters. Saturday, March 26 Melodious Zach will create the ambiance for the Artist Reception for Keene State College Muralists.

Pile is an American indie rock band originally from Boston, Massachusetts now based in Nashville, Tennessee. Rick Maguire started as a solo act in the late 2000s. You'll love this show if you love indie lyrics with rock instrumentation! Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and music will start at 8:00 p.m.

The Rear Defrosters are essentially the house band here at Nova Arts, and we couldn't be happier about it. Come and see what all the fuss is about as the band, led by Michael Roberts, explores a wealth of country and western, classic honkytonk, and bluegrass. We are asking for a suggested donation of $5-10 per person, but no one will get turned away (unless we're full). Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and music will start at 8:00 p.m.

Melodious Zach has been performing music professionally since 2004, with over 100 ASCAP-registered songs to his credit, and 89 released song recordings. His album The Salem Album serves very Halloween meets pop music. In November and December of 2021, Emily Lambert's KSC Design class did mural proposals for some of the blank panels on the Wilson St. side of our building. You can see the results, as we selected five amazing entries that are now residing on the wall. Join us as we celebrate the artists: Lucas Mohr, Annabelle Koutroubas, Shannon Parks, Kate Fisher, and Kiera Flanders! Donations will be accepted online via the link above, or in person in cash. This event is in the cafe from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for these events can be purchased on our website novaarts.org, under the event tab.

Nova Arts is supported by and under the fiscal sponsorship of Arts Alive.

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Foreclosure Counseling & First-Time Homebuyer Education Grants

Boston, MA (March 15, 2022) - Today, the Baker-Polito Administration's Division of Banks (Division) awarded over $2.5 million in grants to fund first-time homeownership education programs and foreclosure prevention counseling centers throughout the Commonwealth. The funds awarded through the Chapter 206 grant program went to a total of 24 organizations including 9 regional foreclosure prevention centers and 15 consumer counseling organizations.

Chapter 206 grants assist homeowners who are often experiencing some type of financial hardship caused by either a loss of or reduction in income or a medical issue as well as prospective homebuyers who are determining if homeownership is right for them. The Division administers funding of these grants with fees associated with the licensing of mortgage loan originators. Funded organizations served over 11,000 Massachusetts consumers and homeowners in 2021.

"The past two years have presented significant challenges to both current and future homeowners. It is more important now than ever to ensure that the residents in the Commonwealth are able to secure and maintain ownership of housing," said Edward A. Palleschi, Undersecretary Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. "Organizations receiving Chapter 206 grants provide citizens with vital services across the state. These grants further the Office's mission to protect and empower Massachusetts consumers."

"We are proud to be able to support programs offering homeownership education and foreclosure counseling to consumers for the fifteenth consecutive year with Chapter 206 funding," said Commissioner of Banks Mary L. Gallagher. "The funded organizations have demonstrated strong work plans to continue to serve clients with innovative methods both in-person and remotely."

Click Here to read full press release with list of grantees.

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce announces 2022 Election Series Podcast

Podcast offers state candidates the opportunity to connect with voters in the North Central Massachusetts region

(North Central, MA--March 14, 2022) - The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce today announced it has launched a podcast series focused on providing the region's businesses and residents the opportunity to hear directly from candidates running for state offices in the upcoming 2022 election.

The podcast, Inside North Central Massachusetts 2022 Election Series, features candidates running for Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and State Auditor. The Chamber has invited all the major Democratic and Republican candidates for these open statewide offices to participate in the podcast series.

"We wanted to make sure candidates are aware of the issues important to our region," said Roy M. Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. "This podcast series connects us with those who are seeking to represent us at the state level while providing the region's voters the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates so they can make informed decisions when they head to the polls later this year."

This special election series of the Inside North Central Massachusetts Podcast is part of the Chamber's continuing efforts to promote civic engagement and advocate for regional equity. In addition to this podcast series, the Chamber is also a founding member of Elect North Central Massachusetts, a non-partisan coalition of media, education and community leaders in North Central Massachusetts with a mission to make the democratic process accessible and assure local and regional issues are examined and addressed by candidates running for statewide and federal offices.

The special election podcast covers several topics relevant to businesses and residents in North Central Massachusetts, such as the candidate's platform, their qualifications for the office they are seeking, workforce challenges in the region, economic development, tourism, pandemic response and equitable recovery, and climate change.

The podcast is currently live on the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce website, and also available on Apple Podcasts® as well as on Spotify®.

The Primary Election is scheduled for Tuesday, September 6, 2022, and the General Election is set for Tuesday, November 8, 2022, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Candidates already invited to participate in the podcast include:

Governor
Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz *
Geoff Diehl
Chris Doughty
Attorney General Maura Healey
Darius Mitchell
Orlando Silva

Lieutenant Governor
Bret Bero *
Kate Campanale *
Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll *
Representative Tami Gouveia *
Senator Adam Hinds *
Senator Eric Lesser *

Attorney General

Andrea Campbell Shannon Liss-Riordan
Jay McMahon
Quentin Palfrey *

Auditor
Anthony Amore *
Chris Dempsey *
Senator Diana DiZoglio *

* Already appeared on the podcast or confirmed for an upcoming episode