Arts and Recreation

America's #1 Earth, Wind & Fire Tribute Band to Bring Funk and Soul to The Park Theatre in Jaffrey, NH

"Let's Groove Tonight" steps onto the Park's stage on Saturday, January 17

Photo courtesy of The Park Theatre

JAFFREY, New Hampshire (January 6, 2025) Get ready to boogie! America's premier Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band, Let's Groove Tonight, is set to deliver an unforgettable night of classic hits at The Park Theatre on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

Featuring original band touring saxophonist Curtis Johnson, who toured with the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire, Let's Groove Tonight recreates the iconic sounds of hits like "September," "Let's Groove," "Boogie Wonderland," "Shining Star," and more with authentic energy, dynamic horns, soulful vocals, and high-energy choreography.

The dance floor will be open, inviting audiences to groove the night away in the intimate setting of this historic and award-winning 330-seat venue.

Tickets are priced at $35, $45, and $55 and are available now at theparktheatre.org/earth-wind-fire or by calling the box office at (603) 532-8888.

Don't miss this chance to experience the next best thing to Earth, Wind & Fire live! Celebrated local songwriter/singer/musician, Eve Pierce, will be performing (free-of-charge) in The Park's Lounge Room starting at 6:00 p.m. ID required for alcoholic beverages.

The Park Theatre is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, NH, just 95 minutes from downtown Boston and 30 minutes from Worcester, MA. The facility is completely accessible.

Gardening

Low Maintenance Impatiens for Sun and Shade

The unique impatiens balsamina has cup-shaped flowers that grow by the leaves all along the upright stems.
Photos courtesy of MelindaMyers.com

by Melinda Myers
Impatiens' easy-care nature, season-long bloom, and shade tolerance made it one of the most popular garden annuals. The introduction of downy mildew-resistant varieties has helped it maintain this status. For these reasons as well as its butterfly and hummingbird appeal the National Garden Bureau has declared 2026 Year of the Impatiens.

The name impatiens is Latin for impatient. It refers to the fact that the seeds abruptly exit the ripe seed pods. Orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) and yellow jewelweed (Impatiens pallida) are also known by the common name touch-me-not since their ripe seed pods burst at a slight touch. These two North American native plants attract and support bumblebees, other long-tongued bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Some impatiens species' flowers undergo a sex change as they mature known as sequential hermaphroditism. Their flowers start as male and after the pollen sheds, they morph into a female.

Most gardeners are familiar with Impatiens walleriana, also known as Busy Lizzie, and have grown them in containers, hanging baskets and garden beds. You will find a variety of colors and double-flowered varieties like Musica®, Silhouette series, Glimmer^TM and Fiesta. Look for Beacon®, Glimmer^TM, and Imara XDR which are resistant to downy mildew disease that devastated many plantings of impatiens starting in 2011.

New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) is resistant to downy mildew, grows 12 to 15 inches tall and prefers partial shade. Introduced to the United States in the 1970s, you'll find cultivars with dark green, bronze and variegated leaves and large white, pink, red, orange and violet flowers. Look for the flower color and plant size that best fits your container or garden design.

Interspecific hybrid impatiens were bred by crossing two different species of impatiens for some adaptability or aesthetic benefit. Bounce, and Spectra® grow well in part sun to shady locations while Solarscape® XL and Sunpatiens thrive in a full or half day of direct sunlight. All are downy mildew resistant.

For something different try growing a few Garden Balsams (Impatiens balsamina). Popular during the Victorian era, its cup-shaped flowers grow by the leaves all along the upright stems. The peppermint stick garden balsam cultivar has red and white flowers that are spotted, striped and ruffled. Camellia balsam impatiens have large double flowers reminiscent of the flowers on a camellia shrub.

Keep the soil consistently moist for healthy and attractive impatiens. Spread a layer of leaves, evergreen needles or other organic mulch over the soil surface to help retain moisture and suppress weeds. Regular fertilization according to label directions will help you maximize the floral display.

Pinch back leggy impatiens plants as needed. Use a sharp bypass pruner or snips to reduce the plants by up to one half their height. Make the cut just above a set of leaves or node to encourage more compact growth and a better-looking plant in just a couple of weeks.

With the many color choices and their adaptability, you are sure to find the right impatiens for your containers and garden beds.

Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardener's Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses "How to Grow Anything" instant video series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda's Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.