Does Wolfeboro Roll Up Its Sidewalks by 8?

I'm down here at the Wolfeboro town docks, taking in the superb annual laser show with its smoke machines and a thousand other like-minded guests. Who says Wolfeboro has no nightlife? Well, truth be told, most places shut down no later than 8 p.m. But that doesn't mean there's no pulse. You just have to look a little harder...

Many businesses are closed by 6. Not that it's practical or reasonable for a shoe store, an iconic paper store, and definitely not the federal post office, to extend hours into the night. Still, some folks like to take in local culture and events after dark. Sure, Wolfeboro has its fair share of grandpas and grandmas, but even they like to break free from the tedium of the medium Netflix streams.

Let's get to it.

Brewster has a fine sounding music hall for accomplished traveling musicians. Saw a Celtic ensemble there just last weekend that warmed up the evening from 7 p.m. to 9 real nice. Too bad not a one possessed the enchanting Irish lilt, but their fiddles, accordion, and piano skills were not underwhelming. Woo wee, pushing it by staying up past the 8 o'clock curfew, too. It was worth it. Got to chat up a local during intermission and compare notes on how we came to reside in the best (shhh) town in all of North America. Unless you're looking to party. For that, you need to find yourself a city.

that doesn't mean there's no pulse. You just have to look a little harder...

The Village Players and Kingswood Arts Center put on some worthwhile productions. My wife and I have been to several since settling in Wolfeboro ten years ago. It's always great seeing local talent bring their craft to the stage. Want to make an evening of it? Grab a pair of tickets at Black's, pick up some takeout from Butternuts Good Dishes or Louis Pizza, relax by the docks until showtime, then stroll the short quarter-mile to the theater.

Wolfeboro may be America's Oldest Summer Resort, but there's no shortage of things to do year-round. You won't notice many overweight people in these parts either—thanks to the abundance of outdoor activities and the town's active spirit. If you find yourself bored here, that's a failure of imagination.

So, on a summer evening, even up to 8 p.m. (sometimes later), grab an ice cream and walk it off with a leisurely stroll through the scenic downtown, from the docks to Back Bay, from Sewall Road to Brewster Academy. This isn't the place for adrenaline junkies or night owls. But if music, the arts, or a good meal with a ball game on TV sound like your kind of evening, Wolfeboro's prepared to please.

Sorry folks, it's currently overbooked! I'm on the waiting list. That's a first! I feel like I'm waiting for a book title to become available. I guess these library events are a hot ticket after all! Maybe I'll see you there. Maybe I won't.