There’s nothing like hot chocolate in the middle of Winter, and this weekend offers two free opportunities for Upper Valley families at Dartmouth along that theme.

First, on Sunday, January 17th from 11am-12pm, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, stories will be read to children ages 3-8 accompanied by their parents, by the fireplace in the main room of the Dartmouth Outing Club House. There’s no cost to attend, and there will be marshmallows to roast, too. Hot chocolate and other goodies are available for purchase. It’s free to skate and sled there, too!

The next hot chocolate offering is a bit different – and very entertaining. On Saturday, January 16th at 11am in Alumni Hall, the Carolina Chocolate Drops will perform for free at a HopStop event. Your toes will tap when the amazing Carolina Chocolate Drops whisk you to the foothills of the North Carolina Piedmont region with their revved-up string-band sound. Playing the banjo and fiddle like their fingers are on fire, they'll take your breath away when they skillfully draw music from a jug, spoons and a washboard (watch the video above to see for yourself)! The HopStop event is presented in conjunction with the Carolina Chocolate Drops performance Saturday, January 16 at 8 pm in Spaulding Auditorium at the Hopkins Center.