Author: Amy Diaz

Amy Diaz is the executive editor and writes about movies and compiles the Kiddie Pool column. Reach her at adiaz@hippopress.com.

Family movie night

A look at the Oscar-nominated animated features

This year’s Oscar-nominated animated features are all fairly kid-friendly — though the fact that your family can watch these movies together won’t necessarily mean the whole family will want to.

“This is a great movie,” deadpanned my most sarcastic child about 20-ish minutes into Arco (rent or purchase), a French animated movie that in its English dub features the voices of Mark Ruffalo, Natalie Portman, Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg, Flea, America Ferrera and more. Arco is a boy living about 1,000 years in the future and eager to go back in time, as his parents and older sister frequently do, to see dinosaurs. He steals a time-traveling flying suit and zooms off, only to land in the 2070s in a world of robot nannies and suburban homes existing in bubbles meant to protect them from rainstorms and wildfires. Arco is found by Iris, a girl around his age, and the two work on trying to get him back to his time, while dodging a trio of goofballs who have stumbled on the diamond Arco needs to power his suit. While I don’t exactly agree with my kids — the bored one who stayed to complain about the movie, the even more bored one who lasted about five minutes during the most action-packed sequence before deeming it too boring — Arco does have a chilliness and a calm that counteracts the adventure of its premise. It is, however, lovely to look at and there is real emotion behind the relationships, including between Iris and Mikki, her robot nanny.

Their relationship is very similar to one between the main character and her caregiver in Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (rent or purchase). As a baby, Amélie is decreed a “vegetable” by her doctor, but when she’s about 2 years old, an earthquake and a few squares of white chocolate wake her up to the world — specifically, her world in mid-20th-century Japan where her Belgian diplomat father and concert pianist mother are living with Amélie’s two older siblings. When the kind and thoughtful Nishio-san comes to work for the family, Amélie bonds with her, learning how to be in the world and to process experiences of grief and joy. Their relationship is very sweet and the movie is rendered in a kind of picture-book brightness that I enjoyed but could be too gentle for kids looking for, say, demons and sword fights.

KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix) on the other hand delivers when it comes to action and was a movie that I think my kids watched on repeat for about a month after its June release. The trio Huntrix is a hugely popular KPop girl band who are also secret demon fighters, the latest in a long line of fighters throughout history whose voices create a protective shield between our world and the demon world and who have the ability to spot and battle any demons that sneak through. With its pop music soundtrack (including original song nominee “Golden”) that to me sounds like the music you hear at a workout class and its stretches of tinny earnestness, this one is very much not for me, though I do appreciate the elements of the movie reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (“into every generation,” etc.) and Jem and the Holograms (secret identities and a “totally outrageous” stage presence). And the movie has its moments of goofy fun, particularly as Huntrix is faced with battling demons taking the form of a floppy-haired boy band.

My kids enjoyed KPop Demon Hunters and they liked, well enough, Zootopia 2(rent or purchase), a movie whose most “adults friendly” quality is that I, the parent, could let myself snooze through the movie knowing my kids would be reasonably entertained and kept in a Disney safe space. As with its previous outing, Zootopia 2 features a fox (Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman) and bunny (Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) working together to fight injustice. This time both Judy, the cop trying to prove herself, and Nick, a former guy on the make, are police officers. They attempt to overcome big-animal privilege and prove their own abilities in the investigation of some sneaky goings on that may have links to the founding of Zootopia and the longtime mammal/reptile divide. As with the first movie, it is jarring when the movie attempts to map people-world racism and classism onto animals. There are several instances of “wait, what?” with the whole Movie Saying Something vibe here. But it also features lots of quick moments of animal goofiness, usually involving one of the mile-long list of big-name voice actors — Idris Elba again, Andy Samberg, Ke Huy Quan, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, to barely name a few.

But the winner of this year’s nominees in terms of “won’t hurt the parents, won’t bore the kids” is, in my opinion, Elio (Disney+, rent or purchase). (Winner for me but probably not for Oscar. Gold Derby and my kids agree that, as one kid said “oh, KPop Demon Hunter is going to win, 100 percent.”) Released to absolute “meh” reactions in June, Eliois a Pixar movie, and while not one of Pixar’s best it is a solid tale of a kid trying to find his place in the world. Or really, in the universe, as Elio (voice of Yonas Kibreab), a boy who longs to be abducted by aliens, feels he doesn’t fit in to this world, especially after the death of his parents. He fears his aunt Olga (voice of Zoe Saldaña), an Air Force officer, resents having to care for him as it means she’s had to give up on entering the astronaut program. However, her position at an Air Force base does mean he’s nearby when they receive what seems to be a message from deep space. Elio manages to send a message back to the aliens, lending them to think he is the leader of Earth. He is whisked to space and finds himself involved in interplanetary politics — and, for the first time in a long time, making a friend. Where the movie really gets me is in its use of sound clips of Carl Sagan, which bring a hopefulness to this sweet tale that still manages to pack in lots of alien capers and physical comedy laughs.

Featured photo: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Actors and actresses

Catching up on Oscar nominated (and not) performances

In catching up on the Oscar-nominated actor and actress performances, I also checked out some of the performances of non-nominated recent actress-spotlighting movies. Which is to say I made an excuse to go see “Wuthering Heights”(in theaters), a 2026 release that has a good shot at production and costume design nods in next year’s awards season. This Emerald Fennell-directed (she also adapted the screenplay) version feels as much like an adaptation of the Kate Bush song “Wuthering Heights” as it does of Emily Bronte’s book — we mostly get main characters and vibes but only a loose riff on plot from the original text.

Margot Robbie is the Cathy and Jacob Elordi is the gruff Heathcliff, an idea the movie sells mostly by making him look like 2 feet taller than her and eventually giving him a gold tooth. In Bronte-era England, child Heathcliff is “adopted” by Cathy’s drunken father (Martin Clunes) and the two grow up together, forming a deep attachment that turns all heaving chests and longing looks as they get older. But as Cathy’s dad has gambled away the family fortune, Cathy feels compelled to marry wealthy neighbor Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif) to secure her future. Angry Heathcliff runs away for a few years and comes back with money of his own but still as angry and heaving as ever. Everybody here seems more comically unhinged than in the book with Edgar’s ward, Isabella (Alison Oliver), whom Heathcliff marries out of revenge, being the kookiest. Perhaps the movie’s most compelling character is Nelly (Hong Chau), presented here not as a servant who grows up with the main characters but as Cathy’s hired companion who is the child of a titled father and mother who is unmentioned (but it’s implied was not married to him) and is stuck by classism and racism in a lonely existence. There are problems with story and character construction but while not good exactly the movie is an enjoyable watch with Cathy’s enormous red dresses, the windy cliffsides and its “let’s do a silly one” approach to the material. For actresses, this movie probably gives more interesting stuff to do to Chau and even Oliver (she wins the “understands the assignment” award with the delivery of a wink) than Robbie, though she does get some great costumes.

Speaking of unhinged fun, I also checked out The Housemaid (rent or purchase), an adaptation of the book by Freida McFadden, directed by Paul Feig and starring Amanda Seyfried having the most fun. She plays Nina Winchester, wife of extremely rich Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar) and mother of sullen child Cece (Indiana Elle). She hires Millie (Sydney Sweeney) as a live-in housemaid — which is a relief for Millie, who is out on parole and in desperate need of a job and a place to live to keep from going back to prison. I haven’t read the book so I had the fun of spending the first chunk of the movie trying to figure out who — the perfect wife, the doting husband, the eager housemaid — will go bananas. The movie then takes you on a fun rollercoaster ride, in which all performers acquit themselves quite well but Seyfried is the standout. This is a truly fun movie night watch.

I also wanted to see what all the fuss (i.e. gleeful derision) was about Ella McCay (Hulu, rent or purchase), a James L. Brooks movie starring Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis and Albert Brooks, among others. This strange dramady with its 1990s vibes (but set for no particular reason in the late aughts) feels very much “what if a tween girl became governor.” The movie writes Ella, an adult woman in her mid 30s, as if she was 13 Going on 30-ed from a middle school student government meeting to the lieutenant governor’s office of some pretend state. Here, this patronizingly drawn character gets the top spot when the previous governor is appointed as a U.S. Secretary of something. Ella is supposed to be hyper-competent and love government and public policy but the character acts as though she’s never paid attention to politics at all, even during an election (including her own). This disconnect does fit with the rest of the movie in that nothing about the characters really makes sense. Everybody — Ella’s beloved aunt played by Curtis, Ella’s estranged father played by Woody Harrelson, Ella’s bodyguard played by Kumail Nanjiani — seems like they are in their own separate movie, with tones and plot focuses entirely different from each other. It’s so thoroughly weird and sexist in a very specific mid 1990s way that I almost recommend it as an oddity that needs to be seen to be believed. Almost.

Back to the Oscars and the lead actress nominations. I enjoyed Jessie Buckley’s performance as Agnes, aka Mrs. Shakespeare, in Hamnet (available for rent or purchase). It really is her movie as she plays a mother dealing with grief and a wife dealing with an artistic husband who needs London — and a life largely away from Agnes and her children — to succeed. She does good work making us feel the weight of all this.

Song Sung Blue (Peacock, rent or purchase) gives Kate Hudson her Oscar nomination for playing Thunder, the stage name for Claire, wife of Lightning or Mike (Hugh Jackman), a journeyman musician playing rock medleys at fairs and the like. When he meets Claire he is both instantly smitten and inspired by her to create a Neil Diamond Experience act, which he names Lightning and Thunder, giving Claire a nickname that she finds delightfully empowering. Hudson is truly the movie’s center, turning in a strong performance of someone who has to fight her way through considerable life hurdles while trying to keep optimistic about what she can accomplish. She’s able to show us all of of that, and a sense of humor, in small gestures and expressions. I am fully team this-era Kate Hudson. I also liked what Ella Anderson and the musician King Princess do here, playing Claire’s and Mike’s, respectively, teenage daughters from previous marriages. This is a movie tells a straightforward story but truly sings because of its performances. Plus some extremely fun music, including, of course, “Sweet Caroline” — bum bum BUM.

As mentioned in my year-end look at films, I lovedRose Byrne as a mom clinging to sanity in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You(HBO Max and for rent and purchase). I saw Bugonia(Peacock, rent and purchase), which got Emma Stone a nomination, a while back and generally did not enjoy it or her performance, which felt like a faded copy of a role she’s played a lot recently, including in 2023’s Poor Things.

In the supporting actress category, I feel like there are no bad options of the three performances I’ve seen: Amy Madigan in Weapons(HBO Max, rent or purchase); Wunmi Mosaku forSinners (HBO Max, rent or purchase) and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another (HBO Max, rent or purchase).

I’m setting aside for a moment the two actress nominations for Sentimental Value, which I’ll catch up with when I see the movies nominated for International Feature Film. The movie also earned a supporting actor role. And, in the leading actor category, The Secret Agent, another international film nominee, got a nod.

Diving into the rest of lead actor nominations, I finally caught up with Richard Linklater’sBlue Moon (Netflix, rent or purchase), which received a nomination for Ethan Hawke’s performance as Lorenz Hart. I found Blue Moon thoroughly charming even though (or maybe because) it is self-consciously talky. Hawke is great as suffering chatterbox Hart, living through the nightmare that is longtime professional partner Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) getting raves on the opening night of Oklahoma!, his first production with Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney). Hart praises the musical, derides the musical, snobbily bemoans its popular aspects and begs Rodgers to do another brand new production with him. Through it all he bounces clever anecdotes off the bartender (Bobby Cannavale), the piano player (Jonah Lees) and fellow patron E.B. White (Patrick Kennedy). Hart is at Sardi’s, right where he shouldn’t be to endure all this but also maybe right where he can’t help but be. Among his disappointments is Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley), a 20-year-old Yale student attending the party who Hart is in love with? Or fascinated by? Or some other kind of tragic situation, that he seems to realize is doomed and yet still has a “but maybe?” hope about it. Hawke turns in a good performance bringing humanity to a character who could have been written off as a passive aggressive blowhard.

Speaking of aggressive aggressive blowhards, let’s talk Marty Supreme(rent or purchase). Directed and co-written by Josh Safdie, this movie has that Safdie brothers sweaty desperate energy that made Uncut Gems such a — not pleasure, exactly. Engaging cinematic panic attack, maybe? Here, while my gut “ugh, with this guy” reaction to Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Mouser, wanna-be table tennis star in the 1950s, didn’t really change throughout the movie I did warm to how good Chalamet was at being a jerk on the come up, whose single-minded graspiness has just enough of a spark of charm. He is a good table tennis player and he is horrible at everything else, including basic “being a human” things. He is a guy whose whole vibe is asking for money he will definitely never pay back. It shouldn’t shock Odessa A’zion’s Rachel, Marty’s sometimes situationship, when his immediate reaction to her pregnancy is something like “it’s not mine.”

Solid performances are also to be had from Fran Drescher as Marty’s mother, from Tyler the Creator and Luke Manley as Marty’s friends, from Gwyneth Paltrow as a 1930s film star trying to organize a theatrical comeback and even from, I guess, Kevin O’Leary, Mr. Wonderful himself, as Paltrow’s husband demonstrating a different kind of jerkishness from Marty’s.

Of the movies I’ve seen before, One Battle After Another also got nominations for Leonardo DiCaprio in lead (shrug, sure), and Benicio Del Toro (yay!) and Sean Penn (boo for this cartoon character) in supporting. I would be delighted to watch Michael B. Jordan win for his double performance in Sinners and Delroy Lindo win supporting for his role in that movie. And I didn’t dislike Frankenstein(Netflix) as much as many critics — it’s so pretty! — but c’mon with that Jacob Elordi supporting nomination (for the role of the Creature).

Best Summer Ever

Your guide to summer 2026 day camps

Time to plan your kid’s best summer ever.

Some summer day camps start sign-ups early in the calendar year, or even earlier for return campers. Some summer camp details don’t come out until spring. But you can start planning — and in many cases, registering — for weeks of summer adventure now.

If you’re new to the day camp game, keep in mind that return campers often get early access to sign-ups, so taking a second-choice week or program for this summer can help you get your top picks next summer. (The very first week of camp and the week around July 4 are often easier gets at a popular camp.) Also, other campers’ plans can change, so ask about and sign up for wait lists when possible.

Here is a roundup of day camps in the greater Manchester, Concord and Nashua areas with full- or half-day program options. Information is based on websites and social media pages, unless otherwise stated, that have announced summer 2026 camp plans (even if it’s just a plan to have plans later in the spring). Some camps may have extended care options or teenage counselor-in-training options not mentioned here. All phone numbers listed here have the 603 area code unless otherwise noted. Some camps that ran in previous years but have not yet updated their 2026 information are included with a note to check back for updates (camp offerings may change for this year). See websites or call for costs, which can vary based on number of weeks in camp, siblings at the camp during a summer, memberships, etc.

Know of a camp we missed? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com and we’ll get it in an upcoming Kiddie Pool column.

GENERAL INTEREST

• Adventure Camp Concord Parks & Recreation, 225-8690, concordparksandrec.com Rec Adventure Camp (for kids in grades 3-5) and Adventure Camp (for grades 6-8) will run 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with weeklong sessions June 22-Aug. 14. The “base camp” will be the City Wide Community Center, with out-of-town trips Mondays through Thursdays, according to the Concord Parks & Recreation Spring 2026 Brochure.

• Adventure Camp Nashua Adult Learning Center, 40 Arlingston St., Nashua, nashuaalc.org/for-children/adventure-camp Camp for grades 1-6 runs 7 a.m.-6 p.m. and includes pool time, field trips, theme days, bicycling and roller blading, arts and crafts, STEM activities, sports, an afternoon snack and more, according to the website, where camp online registration is listed as “coming in March.”

• Adventure Teen Camp from Amherst Parks & Recreation, amherstnh.recdesk.com Open to rising 7th- to 9th-graders, the two-week camp is “focused on adventure, leadership and community involvement” July 13-24, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with field trips and an overnight whitewater rafting trip.

• Amherst Parks & Recreation amherstnh.recdesk.com Camps include Lakeside Discovery Camp (grades 1-7), Outdoor Discovery Camp (grades 1-7), Mini Outdoor Discovery Camp (ages 4-5) and Counselor In Training Camps (for grades 8-9) with sessions from the week of June 22 through the week of Aug. 10.

• Boys & Girls Club of Central and Northern New Hampshire nhyouth.org/school-age/camp/ Summer camps serve different ages based on location. Most camps are open 7 a.m.-6 p.m., and most run 10 weeks. Locations offering summer camps include Bradley Street Clubhouse, Christa McAuliffe School, Penacook Elementary School and Boys & Girls Club at Penacook Community Center in Concord; Maple Street School in Hopkinton; Weare Middle School in Weare; First Baptist Church in New London; Pittsfield Elementary School in Pittsfield; Simonds Elementary School in Warner; Suncook Clubhouse in Allenstown; Epsom Central School in Epsom, and Andover Elementary School in Andover. See the website for more locations — including in the Kearsarge-Sunapee Region, Lakes Region, North Country, Suncook Region and Upper Valley — and details specific to each location.

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Manchester — Union Street Clubhouse 555 Union St., Manchester, 625-5982, bgcgm.org/programs/summer_programs Camp programs at the Union Street location run 10 weeks beginning June 22 and include Kidz Kamp, grades K-1, and Tween & Teen Camp Summer Program Full Day, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., grades 6-12. Camps can run as long as 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua 1 Positive Place, Nashua, 883-0523, bgcn.com/summer-camp Last year the club ran weeklong sessions from late June through late August for ages K through 12th grade, with kids grouped in programs by age. Check with the website for updates on this year’s programming.

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem 3 Geremonty Drive, Salem, 898-7709, salembgc.org/summercamp Weeklong camps for ages 4-15 (grouped into programs by age) June 16-Aug. 21, 8:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with extended care options. Camps offer pool time, weekly field trips and more, the website said.

• Boys & Girls Club of the Souhegan Valley 56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, svbgc.org, 672-1002. The Boys & Girls Club will hold summer camp open houses on Saturdays, March 7, April 25 and May 2, 8 a.m.-noon. The summer camp program of weeklong sessions (each with a theme) runs June 15-Aug. 21. The camp takes a variety of field trips and offers swimming and outdoor play. Camp runs 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. with dropoff as early as 7 a.m. and pickup as late as 6 p.m. Camp Souhegan is open to rising K through 10th-graders.

• Brentwood Recreation Day Camp run at the Brentwood Recreation Complex, 190 Route 125, Brentwood, brentwoodnh.gov The camp for rising 1st- through 8th-graders features weeklong sessions June 22-Aug. 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with before and after care options. Non-resident registration opens March 2.

• Camp Carpenter 300 Blondin Road, Manchester, nhscouting.org/camp-carpenter This Scouting America camp offers programs for boys and girls in grades 1-5. Weeklong camps run through July and the first week of August with day and overnight camp options (including half-week overnight). Day camps run 8:15 a.m.-4 p.m. (after care available until 5 p.m.) and include waterfront programs, archery and BB guns and more.

• Camp Coolio run by New Boston Recreation, newboston.recdesk.com. Open to New Boston residents only for kids age 6 or entering first grade in the fall of 2026 and up, the camp has seven weeklong sessions, the week of June 29 through the week of Aug. 10 (no camp on July 3). Registration opens March 2 at noon.

• Camp Foster 36 Camp Allen Road, Bedford, 644-0102, operated by the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester, mbgcnh.org/programs/summer_programs This 10-week camp, with different themes each week and activities including swimming, arts & crafts, field games, sports, boating, canoeing and more, starts June 22 for campers entering grades 2-7. A bus takes campers from Union Street Clubhouse in Manchester to Camp Foster at 8:20 a.m. and returns at 4:15 p.m. Before (as early as 6:30 a.m.) and after (as late as 6 p.m.) care is available at the Clubhouse, including breakfast and dinner.

• Camp Kettleford 26 Camp Allen Road, Bedford, girlscoutsgwm.org/en/activities/camp-and-outdoors/kettleford.html This day camp of the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains offers weeklong sessions for girls in grades K-8 and two-week programs for girls in grades 6-8. Buses are available from some locations in surrounding towns to Kettleford. Open house Saturday, May 16, 3-4:30 p.m. Sessions run June 29-Aug. 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Each session has a theme. The Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains also operates Camp Seawood, a day camp in Portsmouth, and Camp Farnsworth, the council’s overnight camp in Vermont.

• Camp Lincoln 67 Ball Road, Kingston, 642-3361, ymcacamplincoln.org, hosted by Southern District YMCA, sdymca.org Six sessions — a one-week session June 15-19 and five two-week sessions running June 22-Aug. 21 — offer a traditional day camp experience to campers grades K-9, grouped in programs by age. On-site specialty camps for grades 4-9 offer options for a specialty focus for part of the camp day, such as Woodworking, Mountain Biking or Dungeons & Dragons. Off-site specialty camps for grades 5-9 offer field trips and a camp for grades 6-9 focuses on outdoor activities. Counselor in Training sessions are available for 14-year-olds and by invitation for 15-year-olds.

• Camp Lovewell 2nd Nature Academy, 10 Groton Road, Nashua, 881-4815, camplovewell.com This outdoor adventure day camp offers nine weeklong sessions, June 22-Aug. 21 (no camp on July 3), 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with extended care available. Campers age 6-14 participate in outdoor camp activities including swimming (in pool and pond), archery, arts & crafts, kayaking, sports, field games, hiking and nature exploration, theater and more, the website said.

• Camp Naticook merrimackparksandrec.org Weeklong camp sessions at Wasserman Park in Merrimack run June 22-Aug. 21 for kids entering K through grade 5. A traditional day camp, Camp Naticook features sports, games, arts & crafts, nature exploration, swimming, boating and more.

• Camp Otter 66 Hooker Farm Road, Salem, camp.mvymca.org/camp-otter A day camp for ages 6-13 on Captain’s Pond with “weekly themes, a swimming area for both instructional and free swim time, boating, basketball/volleyball courts, a baseball/soccer field, an archery and air rifle range, arts & crafts, ropes courses and more. Daily transportation is provided throughout the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire,” according to the website. The camp is operated by Merrimack Valley YMCA, based in Massachusetts (mvymca.org), and runs the weeks of June 22-Aug. 28, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Camp Ponemah Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com Weeklong camps June 15-Aug. 28, with dropoff 7:30-9 a.m. and pickup 3:30-4 p.m., extended care to 5 p.m. available most weeks (not Fridays). Swim lessons available as an add-on. Camp is for grades K-7. A Little Warriors program for ages 4-5 runs seven weeks (weeks of June 22-Aug. 10), dropoff 7:30-9 a.m. and pickup at 12:30 p.m. Troop T is for grades 8-9 with weekly sessions June 22-Aug. 14 and includes field trips, volunteer opportunities, hikes and more, the website said.

• Camp Trek Teen Adventure Camp merrimackparksandrec.org Weeklong camp sessions meet in Merrimack for grades 5-9 and run June 22-Aug. 21, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily with daily field trips that depart between 8:30 and 9 a.m. and return before 4 p.m. (extended care options available). Camp fees cover transportation fees and admissions to field trip locations, the website said.

• Camp Witzel bedfordnh.myrec.com Weeklong sessions run June 22-Aug. 7 (with a four-day week the week of June 29) for ages 6-13, running 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with before and after camp care options. Each week has a theme and Wednesdays feature field trips.

• Easterseals NH’s Camp Sno-Mo Hidden Valley Reservation, 260 Griswold Lane, Gilmanton Iron Works, 364-5818, eastersealsnh.org/camping “Camp Sno-Mo is Easterseals NH’s overnight camping and recreation program for children and adults with disabilities,” according to an email from Easterseals NH. The camp serves children and teens with disabilities ages 11 to 21 in sessions running Sunday to Friday, June 28 to Aug. 14, the email said. Camps for ages 22+ are offered in two sessions Aug. 16 to Aug. 28, the email said.

• Girls Inc. of New Hampshire 340 Varney St., Manchester, 623-1117; 27 Burke St., Nashua, 882-6256; girlsincnewhampshire.org Eight weeklong sessions of camp, June 22-Aug. 14, featuring field trips, weekly themes and more for girls ages 5+ at the Manchester and Nashua locations. Breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner are provided. Cost is $225, with sliding fee scales, financial assistance and scholarships available. There is also a Young Women’s Leadership Program for rising 7th- to 9th-graders.

• Granite State YMCA graniteymca.org/camps/day-camp The Granite State YMCA operates eight day camps and two overnight camps, Camp Foss for girls ages 7-15 (campfoss.org) and Camp Mi-Te-Na for boys ages 7-15 (campmitena.org). See the website for day camp offerings in Rochester and Greenland. Camps generally run weekly June 22-Aug. 21. Most camps run 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., with before and after care options. Most camps have new camper orientation days, camp open houses in the spring and camp family nights including the Camper of Character celebrations.

YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown (116 Goffstown Back Road) features Camp Halfmoon (232-8699; ages 6-14, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. There are several specialty camps with offerings, grouped by age, for ages 7 and up. Teen Trip camp (232-8610) during five select weeks includes daily field trips for kids age 12-16. Halfmoon also has Leader in Training (ages 13-14) and Counselor In Training (age 15-16) programs. Aftercare swim lessons are also available. The Allard Center also offers several ninja and gymnastics camps (232-8662), with offerings for kids as young as 4 and, for gymnastics, as old as 18 and as old as 14 for ninja. Tennis Academies (232-8612) are available for several weeks for kids ages 6-16. Adventure Clubs (232-8607) for ages 10-15 feature daily trips and activities.

Concord Day Camp (228-9622) Nine weeks of camp are available for ages 6-12 with a few specialty camps for ages 8-12 and a leader-in-training option for ages 13-14 and counselor-in-training option for ages 14-16. This is a day camp experience with themed weeks and field trips.

YMCA of Downtown Manchester (30 Mechanic St., 232-8656) The summer program at this location runs all nine weeks, 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (no extended care options; swimming lessons are available as an add-on) with themed weeks for ages 6-12. Specialty camps for ages 8-12 include Culinary Quest, Adventures in Art and a sports-themed camp. A Teen Trip camp runs during five of the weeks and features daily field trips for ages 12-16.

YMCA Day Camp of Hooksett (Hooksett Memorial School, 5 Memorial Drive, Hooksett, 623-3558) This traditional day camp runs for nine weeks (weeklong themed sessions June 22 through Aug. 21) for ages 6-10. Teen camps available for ages 11-13. Limited leader in training (ages 13-14) and counselor in training (14-16) camps are available.

Camp Pa-Gon-Ki (206 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 437-9622) Camp runs 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. with no extended care options for all nine weeks plus the precamp week. Pa-Gon-Ki is a traditional day camp with emphasis on the outdoors and is for ages 6-15, divided in age groups (swim lessons are available). The location also features several specialty camps with focus on arts, sports, STEAM, music and more as well as leader-in-training (ages 13-14) and counselor-in-training (14-16) camps.

Windham Explorers Camp (Windham Center School, 2 Lowell Road, 437-9622) This location offers weeklong camps (June 22-Aug. 14) STEAM camp for ages 6-13, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. with different themes each week.

• Hooksett’s Best Summer Camp 1271 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 660-7472, hooksettsbest.com Camp for ages 4.9-12 years runs 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and features classes in martial arts and dance, weekly field trips and pizza parties and more. See the website to inquire for information on enrolling.

• Hudson Parks & Recreation Summer Program hudsonnh.gov/recreation Check back for updates on 2026.

• IMAGINE CampsNew Morning Schools, 23 Back River Road, Bedford, 669-3591, newmorningschools.com Indoor and outdoor activities and clubs for kids ages 6-12. Camp is open 7 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays with weekly and daily options and runs the weeks of June 15-Aug. 17 (with four-day weeks June 29 and July 7). There is a preschool camp for ages 3-6 who are independent bathroom users with full-day, half-day and extended care options.

• Krazy Kids 60 Sheep Davis Road, Pembroke, 228-PLAY, krazykids.com Weeklong sessions for kids in grades K-6, June 22-Aug. 21. The camp runs 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., extended care available at 7:30 a.m. and through 5:30 p.m. Indoor and outdoor activities plus weekly field trips.

• Manchester Parks & Recreation Fun in the Sun manchesternh.gov/ Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Programs-and-Activities The camp, slated to run July 6 through Aug. 14, will feature games, arts & crafts, swim lessons and more for Manchester residents, grades 1-8, according to the website, where you can check back for dates with registration typically opening up on April 1, according to the department.

• Manchester Police Athletic League 409 Beech St., Manchester, 626-0211, manchesterpoliceathleticleague.org MPAL is open to kids ages 5-18 who are attending school. Check back for updates on summer 2026.

• Meeting House Montessori School 28 Logging Hill Road, Bow, 224-0004, meetinghousemontessori.com Check back for details about 2026 summer camp.

• Melody Pines 510 Corning Road, Manchester, 669-9414, melodypines.com A classic summer day camp with swimming, paddle boarding, arts and crafts, sports, water games, wall ball, gaga, and more, Melody Pines fills up fast — as of Feb. 11, all weekly sessions were filled but waitlist for the week of June 15 was still available.

• My Gym Children’s Fitness Center 410 S. River Road, Bedford, 668-7196, mygym.com/bedford My Gym offers programming for kids under 1 and as old as 10. Call for updates on this summer.

• Nashua PAL Youth Safe Haven 52 Ash St., Nashua, 594-3733, nashuapal.com The Nashua PAL Youth Safe Haven Summer Program is open to all youth ages 7-18 in Greater Nashua. “During the summer school break, the Youth Safe Haven is open during each weekday afternoon. We stay busy with lots of sports, crafts, and other engaging opportunities. Also, PAL youth take a lot of field trips during the summer (and throughout the year). PAL Youth Safe Haven members have many opportunities to earn fun and mind-expanding field trips! Trips include places like Beaver Brook, shows, sports events, state and national parks, beaches, zoos, water/amusement parks, and more,” according to the website. Contact Nashua PAL for details on this coming summer.

• Nashua Parks & Recreation summer camp nashuanh.gov/534/Summer-Camps According to the City’s website, “The City of Nashua offers a wide range of engaging summer camps. With full-day and half-day options, sports, music, art, STEAM activities, and swim lessons, there’s something for everyone.” Summer camp registration opens March 2, when camp information and a flyer featuring camp offerings will be available, according to an email from the parks department.

• North End Montessori School 698 Beech St., Manchester, 621-9011, northendmontessori.com The School offers summer camp programs for ages 2-5 as well as a camp for elementary school students. This year the camp theme for ages 6-12 is “Animal Kingdom” with different themes during each of the 11 weeklong sessions (with 5-day, 3-day and 2-day options).

• 2026 PMVP Summer Camp pelhamweb.com Camp for Pelham residents only is for ages 6-13/14 (no rising high schoolers) and runs Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., the weeks of July 6-Aug. 14, at Veterans Memorial Park.

• Sky Meadow Country Club 6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-9000, skymeadow.com Sky Meadow will offer a camp for ages 4 to 10 for six weeks, June 22 through Aug. 7 (no camp the week of July 13), featuring golf two days a week, swimming daily, pickleball and more, according to an email from the club.

• Specialty Camps from Concord Parks & Recreation, 225-8690, concordparksandrec.com Look for specialty camps including dance, basketball and soccer in the department’s Summer Camp Guide, due in the second half of March, according to the Concord Parks & Recreation Spring 2026 Brochure.

• Stay & Play Camp Concord Parks & Recreation, 225-8690, concordparksandrec.com Open to kids in grades 1-5 with eight weeklong sessions, June 22-Aug. 14, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Stay & Play Camp features traditional camp activities at the City Wide Community Center, according to the Concord Parks & Recreation Spring 2026 Brochure.

• Strawbery Banke Museum 14 Hancock St. in Portsmouth, 433-1100, strawberybanke.org/camps Camps are offered for ages 6-8, 7-9, 9-11, 10-12 and 12 to 17, with camps running 9 a.m. to 3 p.m in weeklong sessions with themes related to different aspects of history, such as handmade crafts, architecture, food, storytelling and more, according to the website. Offerings vary by week.

• Summer Rec Camp from Hopkinton Recreation hopkintonnh.myrec.com Six weeklong sessions will be held the weeks of June 22-July 27, each week with a theme and a Wednesday field trip. Camps run 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and are for ages 6-11.

• Summer Playground Program From Goffstown Parks and Recreation, goffstownnh.gov Held at Barnard Park, this eight-week program is open to Goffstown residents ages 7 (or completed first grade) through 13. Weeklong sessions June 22-Aug. 14 offer programming Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Summer Playground Program From Londonderry Parks and Recreation, londonderrynh.myrec.com Camp runs at South Elementary School from June 29 through Aug. 7 for ages 6-12 with full-day (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and morning- or afternoon-only options, according to a department flyer. The program is currently open to resident sign-up with non-resident registrations to open at a later date depending on availability, the flyer said.

• SummerQuest at World Academy, 138 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, 888-1982, worldacademynh.com. Camps are available, divided by age, for grades 1-4 and grades 5-8, featuring weekly themes and a variety of activities including outdoor games and activities, field trips, projects and more. There is also a specialty camp for grades 5-8 that runs in the mornings (with full day options). See the website for details.

• Teen/Tween Summer Program Boys & Girls Club of Greater Manchester, Union Street Clubhouse, 555 Union St., Manchester, 625-5031, bgcgm.org The club is open to members entering grades 6-12 all summer long, daily noon-6 p.m. This is a drop-in program with daily activities.

• Voyager Camp From Londonderry Parks and Recreation, londonderrynh.myrec.com Camp for ages 11-15 is a field-trip-based program with participants having the option to visit two or three locations each week. The program currently has a wait list but the department may open additional spots, according to a department email.

• YMCA of Greater Nashua nmymca.org The YMCA of Greater Nashua offers camps at Camp Sargent (141 Camp Sargent Road, Merrimack); Merrimack YMCA (6 Henry Clay Drive. Merrimack); Nashua YMCA (24 Stadium Drive, Nashua) and Westwood Park YMCA (90 Northwest Blvd., Nashua). Weeklong camps run June 22-Aug. 28.

Camp Sargent offers traditional day camp activities such as swimming, boating, arts & crafts, hiking, games, gaga ball and more, 8:30 a.m.-4:15 p.m. with before and after care options. A general Summer Fun camp is open to grades K-8, with specialty camps, grouped by ages for kids as young as kindergarten and as old as 9th grade and Leaders In Training programs for grades 9-12.

Merrimack YMCA Camp Camp runs 9 a.m.-4 p.m., with before and after camp options. Camp offerings include a recreational camp for grades 1-6 and Camp Create specialty camps with focus on the visual and performing arts for grades 1-6.

Nashua YMCA offers Little Investigators Camp for ages 3-5. This camp runs nine weeks, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. with no extended care options.

Westwood Park YMCA offers sports camps (see sports section)

ACADEMICS

• Academic & College Prep Programs The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road, Manchester, derryfield.org/about/summer-programs Offerings include “Jumpstart Your College Essay” for rising 12th-graders, 9 a.m.-noon the weeks of June 22, July 6 and July 27; and “SAT/ACT Prep” for rising 11th- and 12th-graders, Aug. 3-7, 9:15-11:45 a.m. for verbal and 12:15-2:45 p.m. for math.

• Academic Enrichment at University of New Hampshire Durham campus unh. edu/youthprograms Academic-focused camps include “Camp Pageturner” (weeklong sessions for grades 1-6, the week of June 22 through the week of July 27); “Writer’s Academy” (weeklong session June 22-26 and July 13-17, grouped by age for grades 5-12, 8:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m.; $325) and “Summer Literacy Support” (sessions starting June 22 for grades K-12), as well as other programs specifically for teens and high school students.

• Health Career Exploration Camp run by Southern New Hampshire Area Health Education Center (Southern NH AHEC), Lamprey Health Care, see snhahec.org or call 224-7360 “This summer, Southern NH Area Health Education Center is offering week long Health Career Exploration Camps for students entering grades 9-11, with locations in Manchester, Nashua, and the Seacoast during late July and August. Camps will include campus tours, hands on learning activities, a nursing simulation lab tour, and CPR certification,” according to an email from Lamprey Health Care. Go online for updates and to fill out a form to receive 2026 information.

• Nashua Community College 2026 Summer Camps Nashua Community College, 505 Amherst St., Nashua, nashuacc.edu Camps will run Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon, according to an email from the college. Camps scheduled so far include “Automotive — General Vehicle Maintenance and Information” for rising 6th-graders through rising high school seniors, running the weeks of July 6 and July 13, the email said. There is also a camp on tabletop role-playing games (see the Games section). “More camps are expected to be added to the schedule throughout the early spring. Please check online, nashuacc.edu/summer-camp, or contact Danielle Pinkerton at DPinkerton@ccsnh.edu to learn more or sign up,” the email said.

ART

• Art Around the World Camp from Amherst Parks & Recreation amherstnh.recdesk.com Camp runs the week of July 6-9, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at Wilkins Elementary School for grades 1-5.

• The Canvas Roadshow/Hammer & Stain NH 25 S. River Road, Bedford, thecanvasroadshow.com, 913-9217 Five weeklong camps are offered, starting the week of July 6 with the final camp running week of Aug. 17. Three weeks feature Art & Yoga, recommended for ages 7-12 and running 9 a.m.-2 p.m. A teen camp the week of July 13 is recommended for ages 12-16 and runs 9 a.m.-noon, as does an art-only camp the final week for ages 7-14.

• Children’s Museum of New Hampshire 6 Washington St., Dover, childrens-museum.org, 742-2002 Camps run Tuesday-Thursday 8:30-11:30 a.m. and are divided by age. Mini camps for ages 4-5 are themed art (starting July 7), science art (July 14), gnomes & fairies (July 28) and animals (Aug. 4). Camps for ages 6-7 are Slimey Science (July 14), Ancient Greek (July 28) and Eco Builders STEAM (Aug. 4). 3D Print it camps run the week of Aug. 11 for ages 8-10 and the week of Aug. 18 for ages 10-12+.

• Creative Ventures Gallery 411 Nashua St., Milford, creativeventuresfineart.com, 672-2500 Two camps are currently listed: The Magic of Summer Camp for ages 8-12, Monday, Aug. 3, through Thursday, Aug. 6, 9 a.m.-noon; and Fantasy and Character Art Camp for ages 8-12, Monday, Aug. 10, through Thursday, Aug. 13, 9 a.m.-noon.

• Currier Museum of Art 150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org The Currier will offer a three-day Art Ventures workshop to “invite young artists to explore exciting materials, learn new techniques and express their ideas in a supportive and playful studio environment,” according to an email from the Currier. The workshops will run July 15-17, July 22-24, Aug. 12-14 and Aug. 19-21, 9:30 a.m.-noon for ages 6-8 and ages 9-12 and 1:30-4 p.m. for ages 12-14, the email said. Registration will open March 20. Check currier.org for updates.

• Hollis Artspace 30 Ash St., Hollis; hollisartspace.com, 465-4300 According to the website, camps will be announced in early March and will be half-day camps.

• Hopkinton Recreation hopkintonnh.myrec.com Summer Art Camp for rising 1st- through 5th-graders will be held Aug. 3-7, 8:30 a.m.-noon and Aug. 3-6, 1-4:30 p.m., both at the Maple Street School in the art room.

• Kimball Jenkins 266 N. Main St., Concord, kimballjenkins.com, 225-3932 Camp registration will open March 2, according to the website. Kimball Jenkins will offer three two-week sessions, for ages 6-14, that run 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. with extended before and after care options from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On the final Fridays of the session, campers will have an art show to showcase their works, the website said. Themes are KPopolooza (July 6-17), Color Explosion (July 20-31) and Fantasy Fairytales and Mystical Creatures (Aug. 3-14).

• Paint pARTy 135 N. Broadway, Salem, 898-8800, paintpartynh.com Half-day (9 a.m.-noon) camps run Monday-Thursday with some weeks geared to grades 1-4 and others for grades 5-8. Camp weeks start July 6 through the week of Aug. 10. Kids will draw and “work with various mediums such as acrylic paints, pastels, watercolor and clay,” the website said.

• SEE Science Center 200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org SEE offers art-focused camps including “Silk Painting Chemistry” July 6-10 for ages 6-13; “Comics Arts Camp” July 13-17 for ages 8-15, and “Resin Art Camp” July 27-31 for ages 9-15. Camps are 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

• Studio 550 Community Art Center 550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com Weeklong camps run from 2 or 2:30 to 5 p.m. and are Arts Explorer (ages 7+) and Teen/Tween Clay (ages 10+), with the Arts Explorer camps having different themes for each session. There are four teen sessions (starting June 22 with the last one the week of Aug. 10) and nine Arts Explorer sessions (the weeks of June 22-Aug. 17).

• Under the Moon Creative Art Studio The Mills, 155 Dow St., Manchester, 851-4996, underthemoonartstudio.com The summer camp geared toward ages 6-10 runs Aug. 3-7, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

• Windham Recreation windham.recdesk.comWindham Recreation offers Camp Art Outside in Griffin Park for kids entering grades 1-6, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Aug. 3-6.

• You’re Fired 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 641-3473; 133 Loudon Road, No. 101, Concord, 226-3473; 264 N. Broadway, Salem, 894-5456; yourefirednh.com Camp Fired 2026 will take place at all three locations with eight weeklong sessions, running 8:30-11 a.m., geared toward ages 5-12, according to the website and an email from You’re Fired. Each week has a different theme.

AVIATION & SPACE

• Aviation Museum of NH27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, aviationmuseumofnh.org, 669-4820 Flights of Discovery Summer Camp features three two-week sessions (two for ages 10-13, one for ages 14-17) that run Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and offer an in-depth look at aviation with hands-on activities, guest speakers, field trips and more. Camp sessions for ages 10-13 start June 22 and Aug. 3; session for ages 14-17 starts July 13.

• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center 2 Institute Drive, Concord, 271-7827, starhop.com Three of the Center’s six weeklong STEM camps are focused on space or rockets: “Star Hunters” July 6-10, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., for ages 8-11; “Blast Off!” July 20-24, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., for ages 8-11, and “So You Want to Be An Astronaut” July 27-31, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., for ages 5-7.

• WinnAero’s Ace Academy Laconia Airport 65 Aviation Way, Gilford, winnaero.org/register Aviation- and aerospace-related camps are available for grades 3-12 July 6-10 and July 13-17 with half-day camps available for elementary schoolers and full-day camps for middle and high schoolers.

DANCE

• Allegro Dance Academy 100 Factory St., Suite F2, Nashua, 885-7989, linktr.ee/allegrodancenh The school will run camps and classes July 13-Aug. 13 and registration will open April 3, according to an email from the school.

• Bedford Dance Center 172 Route 101, Bedford, 472-5141, bedforddancecenter.com Offerings include weekly classes, July 13-24, in the afternoons on a variety of subjects for dancers age 6+.

• Bedford Youth Performing Company155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org BYPC’s dance and movement camps include a Dance Boot Camp for ages 12+ (June 15-19), Acro Camp for ages 8-12 (July 27-31) and themed preschool camps for ages 3-6. The school also offers dance classes throughout the summer as well as classes and camps in music and theater.

• Broadway Bound Performing Arts Center 501 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-8844, broadwayboundpac.com Offerings include classes and workshops in a variety of subjects and for different age groups. Camps include Musical Theatre Camp June 29-July 17, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., for ages 6-18; Kids Dance Camp July 27-31, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., ages 4-13, and Intensive Dance Camp, Aug. 4-8, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., for ages 13-18.

• Concord Dance Academy 26 Commercial St., Concord, 226-0200, concorddanceacademy.com Dance Camp runs July 27-31, with full-day and half-day options and before and after care. The camp is available as a mini camp for ages 3-5, a recreational camp for ages 4-12 and an intensive camp for ages 8-13. There are also Summer Intensive programs, with two multi-week sessions offering weekly classes for ages 5-18 in a variety of subjects.

• Creative Dance Workshop of Bow 1355 Route 3A, Bow, 225-7711, nhdances.com Offerings include weeklong camps 9 a.m.-3 p.m., for ages 5-12, the week of June 22 and then the week of July 13 through the week of Aug. 10.

• The Dance Company 130 Route 101A, Amherst, 864-8374, www.thedancecompanyonline.com Offerings include dance parties; weekly classes and clinics for ages walking through 18, and camps such as Camp Theatre Kids, June 22-25, 9 a.m.-noon, ages 4-7; Camp Acro, July 7-9, 10 a.m-1 p.m., ages 7-11; Camp Dance, July 7-13, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., ages 5-10; Camp Theatre, July 20-24, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., grades 2-12, and Level Up, Aug. 10-14, ages 6-10 (9-11:30 a.m.) and ages 11+ (noon-5:30 p.m.).

• Dance Visions Network 699 Mast Road, Manchester, 626-7654, dancevisionsnetwork.com Summer offerings include Technique classes for ages 7+ in July and August; a mini camp July 14-16 for ages 3-6 (9 a.m.-noon); 3-Day Camp July 21-23 for ages 7-15 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.), and a Summer Dance Intensive Aug. 3-7 for ages 9+, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Dimensions in Dance 84 Myrtle St., Manchester, 668-4196, dimensionsindance.com Summer programming includes a fairy tale camp for ages 3-6 (July 20-24, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.); Level 1 Dance Camp for grades 1-2 (July 20-24, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.); Level 2 Dance Camp for grades 2-3 (July 20-24, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.); Level 3 & 4 Junior Intensive for grades 3-7 (July 27-31, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) and a summer dance intensive for grade 7 through college (July 27-31, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and Aug. 3-7, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.).

• Happy Feet Dance School 25 Indian Rock Road, Windham, 434-4437, happyfeetdanceschool.biz The school will offer weekly dance classes, themed dance party days and a princess camp July 14-16, 10-11:30 a.m.

• Kathy Blake Dance Studios 3 Northern Blvd., Amherst, 673-3978, kathyblakedancestudios.com The studio will offer six-week classes for all ages (3-adult) as well as themed dance camps for ages 3-10 (different age groupings on different weeks) each week with a different theme (the weeks of July 13 through Aug. 3) and a dance intensive for ages 7-18, Aug. 10-14.

• Londonderry Dance Academy 21 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 432-0032; londonderrydance.com “TheAcademy offers a ‘Back to the Barre Summer Dance Intensive’ Aug. 17-21, 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. for ages 7+. The curriculum includes a variety of dance genres, with an in-studio presentation at the end of the week. … There is also a Creative Kidz Camp for ages 3 to 6.5 in two weeklong sessions — June 22-26 and Aug. 17-21 — 9 to 11:30 a.m. which features art, dance, music and dance theater,” according to an email from the academy.

• Melissa Hoffman Dance Center 210 Robinson Road, Hudson, 886-7909, mhdcdance.com Camps run July 6-10, 9 a.m.-noon (ages 5-8); July 13-17, 9 a.m.-noon (ages 5-8); July 20-24, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (ages 8-12) and July 27-31, 9 a.m.-noon (ages 5-8), according to the Center’s Facebook page.

• Miss Kelsey’s Dance Studio 2626 Brown Ave., Manchester, 606-2820, mkdance.com The studio will have one- to three-day camps and workshop days for ages 3-18 running June 23 through July 31, according to an email from the studio. See app.gostudiopro.com/online/index.php?account_id=3136 to register.

• Nancy Chippendale’s Dance Studios 49 Range Road, Building No. 2, Suite A, Windham, 458-7730, chippswindham.com Last year the school offered summer dance camps for preschool through 1st grade and grades 2-5. Check back for updates on 2026.

• New England School of Dance 679 Mast Road, Manchester, 935-7326 newenglandschoolofdance.com The school offers classes for ages 3-6, 7-11 and 12+ as well as “Focus Workshops” on specific styles of dance. Mini camps for ages 3-6 run July 16 and Aug. 6, 9 a.m.-noon. A summer intensive will run July 27-30, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (ages 7-11) and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (12+).

• New Hampshire Academie of Dance 1 Action Blvd., No. 4, Londonderry, 432-4041, nhadance.com The school will offer weekly classes July 14 to Aug. 13 for students as young as 8 months through classes for adults. The school will also feature camps for ages 3 to 5 July 20-23, 9 a.m. to noon; ages 3 to 6, Aug. 10-13, 9 a.m. to noon; ages 6 to 10, Aug. 3-7, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with an end of week showcase, and a performing arts camp for ages 6 to 12, June 22-26, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with an end of week performance, according to a brochure posted to the school’s Facebook page.

• N-Step Dance Center 1134 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 641-6787, nstepdance.com The school offers summer classes and intensives as well as weeklong musical theater camps with different themes each week, the weeks of July 6, July 20 and July 27.

• Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater 19 Harvey Road, Bedford, 263-3803, snhdt.org Camp offerings include four sessions of two-hour Princess Camp for ages 3-6; Young Dancer Workshop for ages 6-8 and ages 9-12 (July 13-17, 9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.), and a Summer Intensive for ages 10-19 (July 27-Aug. 14). The school also offers open summer classes; see the website for details.

• Turning Pointe Center of Dance 371 Pembroke St., Pembroke, 485-8710, turningpointecenterofdance.com Last year the school offered summer classes as well as a half-day camp for ages 5-7 (morning) and ages 9-11 (afternoon). Check back for this year’s offerings.

• Unbound Dance Academy 237 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett, 777-0050, unbounddanceacademy.com Camp offerings include “Musical Theatre Camp Experience: Mary Poppins” July 6-10, ages 8-17, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; Princess Camp, July 13-17, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., ages 4-7; Advanced Acro Camp, July 13-15, 5-6:30 p.m.; Beginner/Intermediate Acro Camp: Acro & Conditioning, July 20-21, 5-6 p.m.; Pom Dance Prep Intensive, July 22, 5-6:30 p.m., ages 10+; Cheer Prep Intensive, July 29-30, 4-6:30 p.m., ages 8+; Sparkle & Petite Dance Intensive, July 27-28, 10-11:30 a.m., ages 5-9, and Level Up! Dance Intensive, Aug. 3-5, 9 a.m.-noon, ages 10+.

GAMES

• Chess Wizards bedfordnh.myrec.com Bedford Parks & Recreation offers a chess camp with full-day (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) and half-day (9 a.m.-noon or noon-3 p.m.) options June 29-July 2 and July 6-10, geared to ages 5-12

• Chess Wizards A camp in New Boston runs the week of Aug. 17-21 with full-day (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) and half-day (9 a.m.-noon or noon-3 p.m.) options, according to chesswizards.com. The camp is open to grades K-6 and registration opens March 2 for New Boston residents and March 16 for non-residents, according to an email from New Boston Recreation. See newboston.recdesk.com.

• “DND” Tabletop Role-Playing-Games at Nashua Community College, 505 Amherst St., Nashua, nashuacc.edu Camp runs the week of July 20, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon, for rising 6th-graders through rising high school seniors. “Flex your creative writing and storytelling skills! Learn world-building, character development, and how to run an engaging campaign,” according to an email. See nashuacc.edu/summer-camp or contact Danielle Pinkerton at DPinkerton@ccsnh.edu to learn more.

• Summer Chess Champs Camp hopkintonnh.myrec.com Chess Wizards will hold a camp for ages 5-12 for full-day (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) or half-day (9 a.m.-noon or noon-3 p.m.) Aug. 10-14 at the Hopkinton Library.

GYMNASTICS

• A2 Gym & Cheer 16B Garabedian Drive, Salem, 328-8130, a2gc.com “Registration will open on our portal April 15th,” according to an email from the school.

• Gymnastics Village 13 Caldwell Drive, Amherst, 889-8092, gymnasticsvillage.com Last year the school offered full-day and half-day Gymnastic Camp and Ninjaz Cam for ages 6-14, with half days available for ages 4-5. Check back for updates for 2026.

• Gym-Ken Gymnastics 184 Rockingham Road, Windham, 434-9060; gymkengymnastics.com Last year the studio offered classes for walkers through preschoolers as well as tumbling and parkour classes and a day camp. Check back for updates for 2026.

• Impact Gymnastics 301 River Road, Bow, 219-0343, impact-gymnastics.com Full-day weeklong camp for ages 5-13 runs 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (early and late care options available) with different activities scheduled for each day and different themes each week.

• Noha’s Gymnastics Academy 200 Perimeter Road, Manchester, 518-7660; 30 Pond St., Nashua, 880-4927; ngacademy.us Full- and half-day (morning or afternoon) weeklong camps offered in both locations, June 8 -Aug. 21. Each week has a different theme.

• Sky High Gymnastics 185 Elm St., No. 2, Milford, 554-1097, skyhighgym.com Full- and half-day camps offered June 15-Aug. 28, with weekly sessions each with a different theme, and drop-off that starts as early as 7:30 a.m. and ends by 5 p.m. The camp, for ages 4.5-12, includes indoor and outdoor play, crafts, daily gymnastics class and more.

• Southern New Hampshire Gymnastics Academy 4 Orchard View Drive, No. 11, Londonderry, 404-6181, snhga.com Last year the school offered weeklong camps with full- and half-day options for ages 4 and up. Check online for updates.

• Tumble Town Gymnastics 444 E. Industrial Park Drive, No. 10, Manchester, 641-9591, tumbletownnh.com Weeklong camps are the week of July 6 through the week of Aug. 10.

MARTIAL ARTS & NINJA

• ATA Martial Arts of Merrimack 707 Milford Road, Unit 2C, Merrimack, 881-5435, atabbanh.com Call for updates on 2026 summer camps.

• Bedford Martial Arts Academy 292 Route 101, Bedford, 626-9696, bedfordmartialartsacademy.com Camp features field trips, dodgeball, obstacle courses, indoor and outdoor activities, playground and pool activities and more, according to the website. Contact the school for details.

• Empowering Lives Martial Arts 542 Mast Road, No. 15, Goffstown, 978-414-KICK, martialartsnewhampshire.com Last year the school offered weeklong summer camp. Call for details about 2026.

• Granite State American Kenpo Karate 290 Derry Road, No. 5, Hudson, 598-5400, gsakenpo.com Camp offers indoor and outdoor games, arts & crafts, field trips, park visits, outdoor play and more, according to the website. Contact the studio for details.

• Inner Dragon Martial Arts 77 Derry Road, Hudson, 864-8756, innerdragonma.com Last year’s camp ran 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and featured games, weekly field trips, weekly library trips, reading challenges and more according to the school, which said the program offers weekly, five-week and full-summer options. Check back for 2026 availability.

• USA Ninja Challenge Manchester 444 E. Industrial Drive, Manchester, 935-7100, ninjamanchesternh.com Camps are weekly, 9 a.m.-noon, for ages 6-12. Call or go online for 2026 details.

• USA Ninja Challenge Concord 14 Chenell Drive, Concord, 228-9936, ninjaconcordnh.com The Concord USA Ninja Challenge offers camps 9 a.m.-noon for weeklong camps grouped by age and skill. Camps are for Advanced (July 20-24), ages 6-9 (July 6-10, July 27-31 and Aug. 17-21) and ages 9-14 (July 13-17 and Aug. 3-7).

• USA Ninja Challenge at Gymnastics Village, 13 Caldwell Drive, Amherst, 889-8092, gymnasticsvillage.com Ninja camp is available for ages 6-14 with a full-day or half-day or daily option for weeklong camps held the weeks of June 22 through Aug. 17.

• USA Ninja Challenge Hudson 17 Friars Drive, Unit 18, Hudson, 417-6820, ninjahudson.com Week-long camps or by the day, 9 a.m.-noon, for ages 6-12, the weeks of June 22, July 6, July 20, Aug. 3 and Aug. 17.

MEDIA & FILM CAMP

• ConcordTV Video camps 170 Warren St., Concord, yourconcordtv.org Previous years’ camps offered beginner and advanced sessions to teach video creation and editing skills geared to ages 11-15. Check back for 2026 camp info.

• Film & Audio Camp at Let’s Play Music in Derry (145 Hampstead Road, 425-7575), Manchester (2626 Brown Ave., 218-3089) and Hudson (136 Lowell Road, 882-8940) letsplaymusic.com/summer-camps Geared to ages 10-18, Film & Audio Camp will run Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sign up online for site- and date-specific information.

• 2026 LACTV Media Camp at Londonderry Access Center TV, 281 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 432-1147; find them on Facebook Media Camp (where kids learn to create short-form videos and longer TV and get experience working in professional TV and podcast studios) will run July 6-17, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for grades 5-8. Call or email Erin at erowe@londonderrynh.org to register.

• SEE Science Center 200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org “Animation with Lego Camp” is open to ages 8-12 and teaches campers to make stop-motion animation with Lego with groups creating a three-or-so-minute short film, according to the website. The camp runs Aug. 10-14 or Aug. 17-21, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

• Triple Threat Film Camp at Londonderry Dance Academy, 21 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 432-0032, triplethreattheatercamp.com “Geared to ages 8-16, this camp will teach students how to write, direct, shoot and edit a short film. Students will also act in a short film directed by an industry professional. The camp will run June 22-July 2, 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m.” according to an email from the academy.

MUSIC

• Bedford Youth Performing Company155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org BYPC’s summer music offerings include Rock Band Camp with sessions for grades 4-6 (the weeks of June 22 and July 20) and grades 7+ (weeks of July 6 and Aug. 3) and a Recording camp for grades 7+ (Aug. 10). All camps are 3-8 p.m., except for the July 20 camp, which runs 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The school also offers Kindermusik drop-in classes, private lessons, dance camps and preschool offerings.

• Concord Community Music School 23 Wall St., Concord, 228-1196, ccmusicschool.org Offerings include Music & Movement, Tuesday mornings June 2-July 14 (ages 5 months to 6 years); Piano Dynamos Camp, June 22-26 (ages 9-15); Summer String Camp, June 22-26, (ages 8-15); Summer Jam Camps, July 6-10 and July 13-17 (grades 5-12); Creative Arts Camp, July 20-24 and July 27-31 (grades 1-6); Spotlights Theater Arts Camp, Aug. 3-7 (grades 1-6); Instant Folk Ensemble Workshop, July 30, 5:30-7:30 (teens-adult); Intro to Suzuki Violin, Mondays, July 6-Aug. 24, 4-4:30 p.m. or 5-5:30 p.m., and Summer String Orchestra, Mondays, 6 to 7 p.m., June 29-Aug. 3 (ages 9-16), as well as private lessons. Most weeklong camps run 8:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

• Let’s Play Music locations in Derry (145 Hampstead Road, 425-7575), Manchester (2626 Brown Ave., 218-3089) and Hudson (136 Lowell Road, 882-8940) letsplaymusic.com/summer-camps Summer camp offerings include Vocal Virtuoso Camps (ages 8-13), Intro To Music & Arts Camp (ages 7-12), Ready to Rock Camp (ages 7-12) and Rock Band Camp (ages 10-16). These camps run Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Ready to Rock Camp for ages 4-6 runs Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Manchester Community Music School 2291 Elm St., Manchester, 644-4548, mcmusicschool.org Offerings include Guitar Camp, June 22-26, 10 a.m. to noon (ages 8-12); Music Exploration Camp, July 13-17 and Aug. 17-21, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (ages 6-9); String Camp, July 20-24, 9 a.m. to noon (ages 5-10), and Mic Drop Camp, Aug. 3-6, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (ages 9-12), as well as private lessons and summer ensembles.

• Nashua Community Music School 2 Lock St., Nashua, 881-7030, nashuacms.org Camp offerings include half-day camps (9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) for ages 4-7 (Broadway Babies, July 6-10; Instrument Adventures Jr., July 13-17, and Pop Star Jr., July 20-24) and full-day camps (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) for ages 8 to 12 (Broadway Week, July 6-10; Instrument Adventures, July 13-17, and Pop Star 2026, July 20-24).

• School of Rock Nashua 225 DW Highway, Nashua, 600-7625, schoolofrock.com/locations/nashua/music-camps Camp offerings include Rock 101 Camp, July 6-10 and Aug. 3-7; Best of the ’90s Camp, July 13-17 and Aug.10-14; ’80s Rock Camp, July 20-24 and Aug. 17-21; and Classic Rock Rewind Camp, July 27-31 and Aug. 24-28. Camps are for ages 7-18 and run 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• University of New Hampshire Summer Youth Music School Paul Creative Arts Center, 30 Academic Way, Durham unh.edu/youthprograms UNH offers instruction that concentrates on an instrument or voice part with a program that concludes with a concert. The school offers Junior (for kids who have just completed grades 6-8; July 18-22) and Senior (kids who have just completed grades 9-12; July 25-Aug. 2) sessions as well as a Chamber Intensive option. Junior and Senior sessions have overnight and commuter (8:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m.) options.

• Upbeat New Hampshire Summer Festival upbeatnewhampshire.org Summer Strings camp will run June 22-26 (or the first full week of summer vacation) 9 a.m.-noon at Nashua High School North Music Wing, 8 Titan Way, for musicians in grades 3-12, according to a camp email. The camp includes daily semi-private lessons, orchestra rehearsal, music theory and more, the email said. Register by emailing upbeatnewhampshire@gmail.com or going to upbeatnewhampshire.org/registration, the email said.

NATURE & THE OUTDOORS

• Beaver Brook Nature Camps Beaver Brook Association 117 Ridge Road, Hollis, 465-7787, beaverbrook.org Camp registration opens March 2 for members, March 4 for nonmembers. Seven sessions are offered the weeks of June 22 through Aug. 10 (no camp the week of June 29). Camp runs 9 a.m.-3 p.m. for ages 5-14 and features hiking, exploring, outdoor games, ponding, nature crafts, smores over a campfire and more, the website said.

• Gage Farm Schoolhouse 215 Wallace Road, Goffstown, 488-1599, gagefarmschoolhouse.com Nine weeklong sessions run the week of June 22 through the week of Aug. 24 (no camp the week of June 29) for kids ages 4-12 from 8:05 a.m. to 2 p.m., with extended hours options. Each week has a different theme, with outdoors, arts and science elements and more.

• Joppa Hill Educational Farm 174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford, 472-4724, theeducationalfarm.org Camp opportunities are offered for ages 5-8 and 9-12, with campers hiking, participating in farm chores and more. Most camps are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with an aftercare option. Camps run the week of June 22 through the week of Aug. 10.

• NH Audubon nhaudubon.org The NH Audubon offers nature day camps at the Massabesic Center in Auburn and the McLane Center in Concord June 29 through Aug. 21 for campers in K through 6th grade, grouped by age and running 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Camps involve a variety of activities including crafts, hikes, live animal presentations and more, depending on age, and each week has a specific theme. Leaders in Training programs for grades 8-10 run 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

• Upreach Therapeutic Equestrian Center 153 Paige Hill Road, Goffstown, 497-2343, upreachtec.org “Fun on the Farm” camp is offered for ages 8+ June 22-26, 9 a.m.-noon. Students learn the basics of horse care and anatomy and take part in horse-related activities.

SCIENCE & STEM

• Brainwave STEAM Camps 2nd Nature Academy, 10 Groton Road, Nashua, 881-4815, 2ndnatureacademy.com/brainwave Nine weeklong sessions of camps run the weeks of June 22 through Aug. 17, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. with extended care options. Campers ages 6-14 are grouped by age into camps with different themes each week — for example, July 20-24 camps include “Animate It! Create Stop Motion Shorts” for ages 8-10 and “Magical Mythical Cardboard Quest, 3D Cardboard Crafting” for ages 10-14.

• Camp Invention STEM Science Camp hopkintonnh.myrec.com Hopkinton Recreation will host Camp Invention featuring a weeklong camp Aug. 3-7, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., for rising first- through fifth-graders at Maple Street School. A second week may be available, according to the website, where you can check for updates.

• iDTech Camps at Southern New Hampshire University, 2500 N. River Road, Manchester, idtech.com/locations Weeklong camps (some with overnight options) are available for ages 7-17 on STEM subjects including video game design, BattleBots, Minecraft, Roblox, CrunchLabs and more. Weekly camps are offered the week of July 6 through the week of Aug. 3. Age groupings and weeks vary by camp subject.

• Inspirit AI at The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road, Manchester, derryfield.org/about/summer-programs According to manchesterinspiritai.paperform.co, “students will learn the fundamentals of AI in Python, and complete a mentor-led socially impactful AI project. No programming or computer science experience is required and advanced cohorts are available.” The program takes place at the Derryfield School, July 13-24, 9 a.m.-noon. See the Inspirit AI website for details.

• LetGo Your Mind STEM Programs letgoyourmind.com STEM Programs featuring Lego for kids ages 4 or 5 to 13, grouped by age, are available in several New Hampshire towns including Amherst, Bedford, Concord, Londonderry, Manchester, Nashua, New London, Pelham, Salem and Windham, according to the website, where you can find dates, locations and ages for each session.

• Manchester Community College STEM Summer Camps 1066 Front St., Manchester, mccnh.edu/summer-camps Camps for rising 6th- through 8th-graders include SparkForce Summer Camp (described as “Nuts,Bolts & Thingamajigs camps….This will include 3D printing, Laser Engraving/Cutting, CNC machining, and more”) July 13-17, and Robotics Camp July 20-23. Camps run 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center 2 Institute Drive, Concord, 271-7827, starhop.com The Center offers six weeklong STEM camps with three focused on terrestrial subjects: “Create, Code and Conquer” June 29-July 2, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., for ages 12-14; “Discover the Dinosaurs” July 13-17, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., for ages 5-7, and “Earth Explorers” Aug. 3-7, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., for ages 8-11.

• Play-Well TEKnologies Lego Camp via New Boston Recreation, newboston.reckdesk.com The camp runs Aug. 24-28, 9 a.m.-noon for ages 5-7 and 1-4 p.m. for ages 8-12. Registration opens March 2 for New Boston residents and March 16 for nonresidents, according to New Boston Recreation.

• SEE Science Center 200 Bedford St., Manchester, 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org Camps with a science and STEM focus include “Camp Summer Science” July 13-17 or July 20-24 for ages 7-13; “SciArt Camps” July 20-24 for ages 7-15; “BioTrekker Camp” July 27-31 for ages 11-14; “FIRST PLACE Invention Challenge” July 27-31 or Aug. 3-7 for ages 9-14; “Energy Innovators Camp” Aug. 3-7 for ages 10-14; “City Planning with Lego Camp” Aug. 3-7 for ages 8-12, and “iSpy Camp” Aug. 10-14 or Aug. 12-21 for ages 8-13. Camps are 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

• Southern New Hampshire Education Center 1E Commons Drive, No. 28, Londonderry, 818-8613, snhec.org Camps offered for K-6th grade include “Hogwarts STEAM Express” July 6-10, 8:30-3:30 p.m. (a morning-only option is available); “Camp Invention: Spark” July 13-17, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and LetGo Your Mind July 20-24 and July 27-31, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• STEM Launch Lab at Boys & Girls Club of Greater Manchester — Union Street Clubhouse 555 Union St., Manchester, 625-5982, bgcgm.org/programs/summer_programs According to the Boys & Girls Club website: “The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester is excited to partner with Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) on a … 5-week summer experience designed for youth entering grades 5-8. Participants will split their days between the Union Street Clubhouse and SNHU’s campus, giving them a unique blend of Club-based learning and real-world university experiences. Each week focuses on a different STEM theme, led by SNHU staff members working in the field, including engineering, aeronautics, robotics, coding, design thinking, and hands-on innovation.” The camp runs five weeks starting July 6, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

• University of New Hampshire STEM camps at the UNH Durham campus, unh.edu/youthprograms Science, Tech, Engineering & Math programs slated for this year include computer classes, marine science and more. See the website for updates. A Tech Camp is also slated for the UNH Manchester campus Aug. 3-7 and Aug. 10-14 for grades 5-12.

SPORTS

• Brazilian Soccer Camp — Epping programs.brazilianunited.com/buc/buc-summer-camp/epping-parks-recreation-department A camp is offered Aug. 17-21 with full-day (9 a.m.-3 p.m. for ages 8-14) and half-day (9 a.m.-noon for ages 7-14) options plus a Future Stars camp for ages 4-6 from 3 to 4 p.m.

• Brazilian Soccer Camp — Litchfield programs.brazilianunited.com/buc/buc-summer-camp/litchfield-parks-recreation A camp is offered July 27-31 in Litchfield Park at Sawmill with full-day (9 a.m.-3 p.m. for ages 8-14) and half-day (9 a.m.-noon for ages 7-14) options plus a Future Stars camp for ages 4-6 from 3 to 4 p.m.

• Brazilian Soccer World Cup Camp from the ACTIVE Brazilian United Soccer Academy, offered via New Boston Recreation, newboston.recdesk.com The camp will be offered the week of June 22-26 and the week of Aug. 17-21, with groupings for ages 8-14 (9 a.m.-3 p.m.), 7-14 (9 a.m.-noon) and 4-6 (3-4 p.m.). Registration opens March 2 at noon.

• Brazilian United Soccer Camp from Amherst Parks and Rec, amherstnh.recdesk.com. Camp will run June 22-26 for ages 4-14 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wilkins Elementary Upper Fields. See the recreation department’s website for a link to register.

• The British Are Coming Summer Soccer Camp mnsl.org/soccer-camp-in-manchester This camp run by Manchester North Soccer League has in the past offered full- and half-day options. Check back for updates for this summer.

• British Soccer Camp hopkintonnh.myrec.com The camp will run Aug. 17-21 in Houston Park with a Tiny Tykes program for ages 2-5 from 8 to 8:45 a.m.; half-day program for ages 5-14 from 9 a.m. to noon and a full-day program for ages 6-14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Capital City Sports & Fitness Youth Summer Sports Camp Capital City Sports & Fitness, 10 Garvins Falls Road, Concord, 224-7787, capitalcitysportsandfitness.com The camp for ages 5-11 offers weeklong sessions June 22-Aug. 14. Camps include swimming, a variety of sports (basketball, volleyball, football, soccer, futsal, dodgeball, kickball and pickleball), obstacle courses, arts & crafts, board games and more.

• Caramba Soccer Skills camp at Broken Ground Elementary School in Concord; 496-3579, soccerskillscamp.org Full-day and half-day (9 a.m.-noon) options are available for kids in grades 1-9 July 20-24.

• Challenger Soccer Camp pelhamweb.com/314/Challenger-Soccer-Camp Offered through Pelham Parks & Recreation, the camp will run June 22-26 for ages 2-14 with a Tiny Tykes program for ages 2-5 from 8 to 8:45 a.m.; half-day program for ages 6-12 from 9 a.m. to noon and a full-day program for ages 6-14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Camp is held in George M. Muldoon Park, 27 Muldoon Parkway in Pelham.

• Concord Crew concordcrew.org Learn-to-row sessions will be held June 22-July 9 and July 13-30, Monday-Thursday 4:30-6:30 p.m., open to kids in grades 7-12. Concord Crew also offers semi-private lessons, rowing skills and programs for college and competitive rowers; see the website for details.

• Conway Arena 5 Stadium Drive in Nashua, 595-2400, conwayarena.com Camp offerings include Conway Arena Rec Camp July 13-17, 8:30 to 3 p.m.; Pro Ambitions Camp (hockey) July 27-30, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Hockey Academy, Aug. 3-6; Girls Hockey Rec Camp, Aug. 10-14, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Nashua City Parks & Recreation Camp, Aug. 17-21, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the website, where you can find details and links to enrollment.

• Derryfield Athletic Camps The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road, Manchester, derryfield.org/about/ summer-programs Offerings include field hockey, basketball, Rafa Nadal Academy Camp (tennis), Magic Touch Soccer Academy and speed and conditioning. See the website for 2026 details.

• Executive Health & Sports Center 1 Highlander Way, Manchester, 668-4753, ehsc.com/summer-camps Camps, described as offering “fitness and fun,” run the week of June 15 through the week of Aug. 3, with a 7:30-9 a.m. drop-off time and a 3:30-5:30 p.m. pick-up time, geared toward kids in grades K-5, with camps grouped by age.

• Fisher Cats Baseball & Softball Camps Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive, Manchester, 641-2005, milb.com/new-hampshire In previous years, the Fisher Cats have held baseball and softball camps for ages 6-15, in weeklong sessions during the mornings, with campers receiving a ticket to the Fisher Cats game that occurs in the evening of the final day. Check back for updates on 2026.

• Foster’s Golf Camp Dropoff and pickup location is Derryfield Park, 581 Bridge St., Manchester; 622-1553, fostersgolfcamp.com Campers ages 7-16 travel to three different par-3 courses each week to participate in practice clinics, time on the driving range and nine holes of gold played with instruction, according to the website. Weeklong sessions run 9 a.m.-4 p.m., the week of June 15 through the week of Aug. 24.

• 4 Leaf Lacrosse NH Summer Day Camp 4leaflax.org Last year the weeklong camp was held at Ouellette Stadium at Southern New Hampshire University in north Manchester and open to grades K-10.

• Future Gen Sports Flag Football fgsflag.com Camps are offered in New Hampshire and Massachusetts including in Brentwood, Aug. 3-6, 9 a.m.-noon, for grades K-8.

• Hampshire United Soccer Club Summer Soccer Camp hampshireunitedsc.com Camp will run Aug. 3-7, for birth year 2012-2021 at Bean Fields in Amherst, according to an email from the club.

• International Mountain Climbing School 2733 White Mountain Highway, North Conway, 356-7064 climbimcs.com Day camps are offered to kids ages 8 to 17 (in groups of 8 to 12 and 13 to 17) with three-day sessions offered for alternating age groups starting June 29-July 1. See the website for all the session dates. Camps run 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• Jack Perri Basketball Camps jackperribasketballcamp.com Co-ed weeklong basketball camps for kids in grades 3-10 held at Southern New Hampshire University and run by Jack Perri, head coach of the SNHU men’s basketball team. The program also runs a high school showcase for grades 9-11 (check the website for updates). Sessions are June 29-July 2 and July 27-31. Before and after camp supervision is available for additional fees.

• JT Soccer Training info.abcsportscamps.com/jtsoccerCamps including full- and half-day options at Southern New Hampshire University for ages 5-14 July 6-10; a Raymond-based pre-season camp for ages 7-14 July 27-31, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; a Hooksett-based half-day camp for ages 3-14, July 27-31; SNHU Striker School for ages 10-15, Aug. 3-7, 4-6 p.m., and a SNHU Goalkeeper School for ages 10-15, Aug. 3-7, 4-6 p.m.

• Longfellow New Hampshire Tennis & Swim Club 140 Lock St., Nashua, 883-0153, longfellownh.com Hammel Tennis Camp offers weeklong tennis camps for ages 6-12 as well as middle school and high school age students with full- and half-day options as well as options to just do some days of the week. See the website for updated 2026 information and for descriptions of the skill level grouping.

• NH Climbing & Fitness 10 Langdon Ave., Concord, 715-9171, nhclimbinggym.com/camps Four summer camp offerings serve ages 5 to 17 (ages vary for each camp) and will run 9 weeks, June 22-Aug. 21. Camp offerings include Indoor Camp, Outdoor Skills Camp, Adventure Camp and Advanced Climbing Camp, according to an email from NH Climbing and Fitness. See the website for details.

• NH Hoop Skills nhhoopskills.com Day camps for girls in grades 2-10 led by Karen Pinkos, head coach of the Southern New Hampshire University Women’s Basketball team, are offered in two sessions: June 22-25 and July 13-16, with camps running 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The camp takes place at the Stan Spiro Field House on the SNHU campus in Manchester. An Elite Clinic for girls in grades 9-12 is also available; see the website for updates.

• NH Spartans nhspartans.com The NH Spartans have basketball camps at Pick Up USA in Manchester July 13-16 and Aug. 3-6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The Spartans also have camps at the Sports Barn in Hampton, including a girls-only camp and a 3v3 competition camp.

• NH Tomahawks nhtomahawks.com The Tomahawks have summer offerings for boys and girls ages 5-17, for all positions including goalies. Camps, divided by age and ability, run 9 a.m.-noon at Joppa Fields in Bedford June 22-25, June 29-July 2 and July 20-23. The Tomahawks also have summer leagues and other training opportunities.

• Nike Basketball Camps 800-645-3226, ussportscamps.com/basketball/nik A Nike Basketball Camp will be held at Saint Anselm College the week of June 22 and the weeks of July 6 to July 27, with half-day options for ages 7-9 and full days for 7-16. Nike Basketball Camp at St. Christopher Academy will run the weeks of June 29 and Aug. 10, with full-day (ages 7-15) and half-day (ages 7-15) options. A camp is also offered in Hampton.

• Paul Hogan Basketball Camp hogancamps.com Paul Hogan Basketball Camps offer “day and overnight camps focused on developing your game and skills. Overnight camps at NHTI (grades 5-12) and co-ed day camps in multiple NH towns (grades 1-8),” according to an email from the camp. Camps held at NHTI in Concord include Point Guard & Post Player Basketball Camp for grades 5-12 June 27-29 for girls and June 30-July 2 for boys, with extended care and a post-camp shooting session offering. Rip City Basketball Camps for grades 4-10 will run June 22-25, July 13-16 and July 20-23, 8:45 a.m.-3 p.m. Specialty Basketball Camp will be held Sunday, July 26-Thursday, July 30, for grades 5-12 (see website for times each day). Shooters Gold Camp will be held at multiple locations around the state including Bow Middle School July 6-9 (grades 1-4, 8-10 a.m.; grades 5-8, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.).

• Planet Tennis USA camps planettennisusa.usCheck back for 2026 tennis programs for ages 8-16.

• Redline Bedford 21 Commerce Park North, Bedford, redlineathletics.com/location/bedford Redline is planning to offer a variety of summer camps and skill clinics for athletes of all levels, according to an email from the training facility. Check the website for updates and on Instagram at @redlinebedford, the email said.

• Seacoast United Soccer Club seacoastunited.com The club offers camps with full- and half-day options for ages 6-14 as well as sessions for ages 3-5 at locations in New Hampshire including Bedford, Concord, Epping, Hampton and Portsmouth as well as in Maine and Massachusetts. In addition to general skills camps, Seacoast offers Advanced Training Camps (some of which are only for club members) and Goal Keeper programs.

• University of New Hampshire summer sports camps unh.edu/youthprograms UNH hosts camps (both day and overnight) related to basketball (a boys and a girls camp), field hockey, football, gymnastics camp, girls ice hockey, Wildcat Hockey School, girls soccer, track and field, volleyball camp, boys soccer and girls lacrosse. See the website for details and availability.

• Weare Athletic Club and Challenger Sports challengersports.com A soccer camp will run July 6-10 at Weare Middle School for ages 3-14 — 8-8:45 a.m. for ages 3-5; 9 a.m.-noon for ages 6-14, and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. for ages 7-14, according to the Challenger Sports website. Challenger Sports will also hold a pre-season Aug. 3-7 with similar hours and age divisions, the website said.

• Westwood Park Sports Camps Westwood Park YMCA, 90 Northwest Blvd., Nashua, nmymca.org Sports camps for kids in grades 1-12 run weekly June 22-Aug. 21, with many camps running 9 a.m.-4 p.m., with before and after care options. Camps, which are divided by age and vary according to age, specialize in sports including basketball, flag football camp, Girls on the Go, Ninjazone, pickleball, soccer, performance training, sports sampler and volleyball. See the brochure online for dates and times for specific camps.

• Windham Recreation windham.recdesk.comWindham Recreation offers sports camps in the summer including Intro to Flag Football (July 20-22, 4-6 p.m.) for ages 7-12; Beginner Golf for ages 5-9 (July 13-15 and July 27-29, 4-6 p.m.), Camp On The Move for grades 1-6 (June 22-25, 8:30-11:30 a.m.), Camp Mini Hawk for a variety of sports for ages 4.5-6 (June 15-18, 9-11 a.m.) and Camp Multi Sport Tots ages 3-4.5 (June 15-18, 11:15-noon), according to the website.

• Windham Soccer Association and Challenger Sports challengersports.com Soccer camp will run July 20-24 at Griffin Park in Windham for ages 2-14 — 8-8:45 a.m. for ages 2-5, and for ages 6-14 either 9 a.m.-noon or 9 a.m.-3 p.m., according to the Challenger Sports website.

THEATER

Several of the dance studios also have theater and musical theater as part of their summer offerings. See the Dance section for more.

• Andy’s Playhouse 582 Isaac Frye Highway, Wilton, 654-2613, andyssummerplayhouse.org For a one-time registration fee students can participate in Andy’s programming, which includes a series of mainstage productions that feature multi-day rehearsals followed by performances; studio series workshops, which will also culminate in a performance, and more. Some programs are age-specific. See the website for dates and details.

• Bedford Youth Performing Company155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org BYPC’s summer theater camps include Taste of Broadway for grades 1-8 (June 15-19); Finding Nemo Kids Musical Theatre Production Campfor grades 1-4 (June 22-26); Annie Jr. Musical Theatre Production camp for grades 5-10 (June 22-26); Madagascar Kids Theatre Production camp for grades 1-4 (Aug. 3-7); Aladdin Jr. Theatre Production Camp for grades 5-10 (Aug. 3-7) and Triple Threat Camp (Aug. 10-14) Camps run 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The school also has preschool camps as well as music and dance offerings.

• The Children’s Theatre Project Summer Vacation Theatre Camp from Community Players of Concord 435 Josiah Bartlett Road, Concord, communityplayersofconcord Camp will run Aug. 3-7 for young actors ages 8 to 13 with the five days spent learning how to sing, dance and act in a musical which will be performed on Friday evening at the Concord City Auditorium, according to an email from the Players. Information about the camp will be posted on the website in the coming months, the email said.

• Derryfield Repertory Theatre The Derryfield School, 2108 River Road, Manchester, derryfield.org/about/summer-programs Two sessions run July 6-17 (rising 4th- through 12th-graders) and July 20-31 (rising 4th- through 8th-graders), 9 a.m.-3 p.m., which include a full lunch in the registration price. Workshops during the camps include improvisation, acting, singing, scriptwriting and dancing with groups assigned by age, the website said.

• Kids Coop Theatre 232 N. Broadway, Salem, kctnh.org Two camp sessions — June 22-26 and July 27-31 — are available both for ages 7-12, running daily 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Derry Opera House, according to Kids Coop’s Facebook page. The sessions culminate in a Friday afternoon performance, the post said.

• Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts 880 Page St., Manchester, 669-7469, majestictheatre.net Majestic offers half-day camps (9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) for ages 5-7 June 22-27 and July 13-18 as well as full-day camps (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) for ages 8-14 July 6-11, July 20-25 and July 27-Aug. 1. Each camp has a different theme and ends with a showcase on the Saturday following the camp week.

• Merrimack Summer Stage Theater Program merrimackparksandrec.org The camp runs July 27-31, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., at Wasserman Park Theater culminating in a production of Finding Nemo Jr. Camp is open to ages 8-15.

• New London Barn Playhouse 84 Main St., New London, 526-6710, nlbarn.org/summer-camps Eight weeklong sessions run the week of June 22 through the week of Aug. 10, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., divided into Barnie Buddies (ages 6-8) and Main Street Players (ages 9-11) with different themes each week culminating in a showcase at the end of the week.

• Palace Youth Theatre Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org/pyt Weeklong summer camps for ages 5-8 run daily 9 a.m.-1 p.m. the week of June 22 through the week of Aug. 10, with each week having a different theme and ending with a showcase. One- and two-week sessions for grades 2-12 run 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and feature one or two performances of a production at the end of the session. Productions for this age group are Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical (June 22-July 3); The Music Man Kids (July 6-10); The SpongeBob Musical Youth Edition (July 13-24); Miss Nelson Is Missing The Musical (July 27-31); Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr. (Aug. 3-14) and Shrek The Musical Kids (Aug. 17-21).

• Peacock Players 14 Court St., Nashua, 886-7000, peacockplayers.org Weeklong camps for rising kindergarteners through ninth-graders (grouped by age) will run the week of July 13 through Aug. 10. Each week has a different theme and ends with a show. Camp runs 9 a.m. (drop-off starts at 8:45 a.m.) to 5 p.m. (pick-up is 4-5 p.m.).

• Triple Threat Theater Camp Londonderry Dance Academy, 21 Buttrick Road, Londonderry; 432-0032, triplethreattheatercamp.com “The Triple Threat Theatre Camp for ages 6 to 17 runs July 6-24, 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. … A Junior Program for ages 5.5 to 9 has weeklong sessions the weeks of July 6, July 13 and July 20, 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. … Triple Threat offers the Broadway Edge. TTTC brings industry professionals with extensive Broadway careers to focus on the core curriculum of acting, dance and voice. The program culminates with an on stage performance,” according to an academy email.

• University of New Hampshire Theatre & Dance Stars unh.edu/youthprograms Theater camps are offered for grades 3-5 (July 6-10), grade 1-3 (July 13-17), grades 6-9 (July 13-17) and grades 5-12 (July 20-24). Camps run 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., except the grade 1-3 camp, which runs 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

• Winnipesaukee Playhouse Theatre Camp 33 Footlight Circle, Meredith, 279- 0333,winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org Weeklong camp sessions are available for ages 5-11 the week of July 6 through the week of Aug. 10 on a variety of themes, running 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Camp for ages 12-14 runs daily for two weeks, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., July 6-Aug. 14, with different themes each week. An optional meal plan is available.

Oscar documentaries

Many of this year’s Oscar-nominated feature-length (four of the five nominees) and short-film documentaries (three of the five) are available for home viewing and make for compelling, though not particularly lighthearted, watches.

My pick in the Documentary Feature category would be The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix), a chilling look at a sour neighbor relationship that turns tragic and is told largely through police body cams. The movie gets the drumbeat of dread going from the beginning.

It’s often the inmates telling their own story in The Alabama Solution (HBO Max), which looks at the abuse and neglect of prisoners in the state’s prison system and their attempts to get somebody to listen to their plight. Come See Me in the Good Light (Apple TV+) is a sad, beautiful and frequently funny look at Colorado Poet Laureate Andrea Gibson as they battle an incurable cancer, fighting for a chance to do one last live show and get more time with their wife, poet and author Megan Falley. In Mr. Nobody Against Putin (VOD and streaming on Kino Film Collection), a videographer at a school in Russia is horrified by the increasing amount of government propaganda pushed on the students and unsure how to help them and himself.

Of the short documentaries: I watched the 33-minute All the Empty Rooms (Netflix) in small chunks over several days — it offers heartwrenching interviews with four families whose kids were killed in school shootings and gives us a look at the bedrooms they left behind, with all their photos and stuffies and bits of hopeful kid-ness. In Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud (HBO Max), Craig Renaud talks about the work and death of his journalist brother, including a look at Brent’s focus on the people caught in war zones. Also on HBO Max, The Devil Is Busyoffers a well-constructed day-in-the-life of a woman who works at a women’s health care clinic and the stress and threat of violence she and her colleagues face.

27 Reasons to Get Excited for January

January can be awesome! Here are 27 reasons to get excited about the chilly first month of 2026.

1. Sure, the holiday season ends, but Girl Scouts cookie season begins Jan. 1, when local Girl Scouts will start taking orders (in person and via their own online stores), according to the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. If you don’t know a Girl Scout, look for a cookie booth — those will start Feb. 20 and run through mid March. Find a booth at girlscoutsgwm.org/en/cookies/find-cookies.html or text COOKIES to 59618 and you can get the Cookie Finder app, which “also offers troop links so customers can select a local troop to support,” according to an email from the group. And be on the lookout for this year’s new flavor, Exploremores: “This is a rocky road ice cream-inspired sandwich cookie filled with the flavors of chocolate, marshmallow and toasted almond crème,” the email said.

2. Ease into the new year with a short, afternoon-start-time road race. The Apple Therapy & Derry Sports and Rehab Millennium Mile, a 1-mile downhill race starting in front of Londonderry High School in Londonderry, will take place Thursday, Jan. 1, at 2 p.m., according to millenniumrunning.com. For a bit more of a challenge, check out the 3-mile HPM Insurance Snowflake Shuffle in Bedford on Sunday, Jan. 11, at 9:30 a.m., see millenniumrunning.com/snowflake.

The Freeze Your Buns 5K Series from the Gate City Striders returns for another season of runs in the whatever-winter-gives-us weather. The runs — “a great fun winter running series for runners of all abilities. Run on relatively flat, low-traffic roads, the series is beginner friendly. If you’re just starting out running for the new year, welcome! If you’re a seasoned runner, welcome back!” — step off at 9 a.m. on the road between Conway Area and the Nashua YMCA on Sundays starting with Jan. 4, according to gatecity.org/freeze-buns-5k-series. Register for the full series of five races or for individual races, which take place into March.

Other running opportunities this winter include the Hopkinton Winter 5K Series, which kicks off Sunday, Jan. 18, in Contoocook and features three races through the beginning of March. See fleetfeet.com/races/nh/contoocook/173314-hopkinton-5k-series-race-1-1-18-9-am.

3. Fathom Entertainment has some specialty screenings on its schedule, including Kidz Bop Live: The Concert Movie, which will screen Friday, Jan. 2, through Monday, Jan. 5, at 1 p.m. at O’Neil Cinemas in Londonderry and Epping and at 11 a.m. at Regal Fox Run in Newington (11:45 a.m. on Jan. 5). A 40th anniversary screening of Labyrinth (PG, 1986) will screen Thursday, Jan. 8, through Sunday, Jan. 11, at O’Neil Cinemas in Londonderry and Epping, Regal Fox Run in Newington and Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem; see fathomentertainment.com for times. Fathom will also screen the three Lord of the Rings movies at Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem and Regal Fox Run in Newington: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (PG-13, 2001) will screen Fridays, Jan. 16 and Jan. 23; The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (PG-13, 2002) will screen Saturdays, Jan. 17 and Jan. 24, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (PG-13, 2003) on Sundays, Jan. 18 and Jan. 25.

Also under the heading of specialty screenings, NHTI Friday Night at the Movies on Friday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. will feature Easy Living(1937) written by Preston Sturges and starring Jean Arthur, Ray Milland and Edward Arnold, according to a press release. The movie will be shown in Sweeney Hall Auditorium at NHTI in Concord and admission costs $10 cash or check at the door, the email said.

And Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street in Wilton, 654-3456, will screen Annie Laurie (1927), a silent film starring Lillian Gish with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, on Sunday, Jan. 25, at 2 p.m. Admission is free with a donation of $10 per person encouraged.

4. Shake off the post-holiday blues with Tupelo Night of Comedy at the Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com, on Friday, Jan. 2, at 8 p.m., featuring Will Noonan, Andrew DellaVolpe and Mona Forgione, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. The line-up of January shows at the Tupelo includes the Pizzastock Showcase 2026 on Sunday, Jan. 4, at noon with host Lorelei Stahl and bands Rite of Passage, Punching Pedestrians and Spectrum; Beck-Ola (celebrating the music of Jeff Beck with Johnny A) on Friday, Jan. 9; The Dave Matthews Band Tribute (Saturday, Jan. 17); Beatlejuice on Saturday, Jan. 24, and more, according to the website, where you can find the complete schedule and ticket information.

5. The farmers markets have moved inside for the winter. The Downtown Concord Winter Farmers Market takes place Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon, at 7 Eagle Square, according to downtownconcordwinterfarmersmarket.com, where you can find a rundown of vendors and links to information on musicians performing each week. The Milford NH Indoor Farmers Market takes place on specific Saturdays — including Jan. 10 and Jan. 24 — from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Milford Town Hall Auditorium on the Oval, according to milfordnhfarmersmarket.com. The Salem NH Farmers Market is at the Fisk School, 14 Main St. in Salem, during winter, Sundays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to salemnhfarmersmarket.org.

6. Area libraries have plenty of fun slated for January. The Griffin Free Library, 22 Hooksett Road in Auburn, griffinfree.org, will hold a White Elephant Gift Exchange on Saturday, Jan. 3, from 10 a.m to 2 p.m., according to the website.

The Manchester City Library, 405 Pine St., manchester.lib.nh.us, will hold Reading Dragons & Friends, “a collectable card game that you add to by reading” for ages 5 to 18, from Monday, Jan. 5, through April 4, according to the website. Register at the Children’s Reference Desk or go to manchesternh.readsquared.com. On Saturday, Jan. 10, at noon, the library will host “The Dangerous Art of Chainsaw Sculpture” with Master Chainsaw Sculptor Dr. “The Machine” Jesse Green, according to the website.

The Hooksett Library, 31 Mount Saint Mary’s Way, hooksettlibrary.org, will hold its monthly Kids Comic Club on Monday, Jan. 5, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (register online); several virtual author discussions, and a program called “Emergency Preparedness with Hooksett Fire and Troop 603” on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 6 p.m. (register online).

The Amherst Town Library, 14 Main St., has a month full of events including the Zoom event in collaboration with other libraries “Presidential Series with Doodler Heather Rodgers: #1 George Washington ‘Devourer of Villages” on Friday, Jan. 9, at 10:30 a.m.; register online, according to amherstlibrary.org.

The Friends of the Derry Libraries Book Sale will take place Saturday, Jan. 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Derry Public Library, 64 E. Broadway, derrypl.org. The Library will hold a puzzle swap on Saturday, Jan. 24, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

The Bedford Public Library, 3 Meetinghouse Road, bedfordnhlibrary.org, will hold its 2026 Winter Reading Challenge Kickoff on Sunday, Jan. 11, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. with hot cocoa, crafts and other activities, according to the website, where you can register.

Goffstown Public Library, 2 High St., goffstownlibrary.com, will celebrate National Popcorn Day on Saturday, Jan. 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Children’s Room, according to the website.

Among its other offerings in January, the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St., nashualibrary.org, will host an author talk with Laura Knoy for her book The Shopkeeper of Alsace (which will be available for purchase) on Sunday, Jan. 25, at 1 p.m.

7. Get more laughs at one of several other comedy shows slated for January. Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 707 Huse Road in Manchester, chunkys.com, will feature Joey Carroll Saturday, Jan. 3, at 8:30 p.m., and Carolyn Plummer on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 8:30 p.m. On the schedule at Headliners Comedy Club at DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Manchester are Dan Crohn on Saturday, Jan. 10; Tim McKeever on Saturday, Jan. 17, and Cory McGee on Saturday, Jan. 31, according to headlinersnh.com. Headliners’ lineup also includes Frank Santorelli and Friends at Eastside Tavern in Rochester on Friday, Jan. 23, at 8 p.m. At Fulchino Vineyard in Hollis, catch Don Gavin on Saturday, Jan. 3, according to fulchinovineyard.com.

8. Get your basketball live and in person at local colleges. The Southern New Hampshire University Penmen women’s team next plays at Stan Spirou Field House on Sunday, Jan. 4, at 1:30 p.m. versus American International College — the first of five home games slated for January. The men’s team will face off against American International College at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday — the first of its five January home games. See snhupenmen.com. The Saint Anselm College Hawks men’s and women’s teams each have six home games scheduled for January. The women play at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium in Manchester on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 5:30 p.m. against Pace. The men’s team also plays on Jan. 7 at 7:30 p.m., facing Bentley. See saintanselmhawks.com. (The Hawks and Penmen next face off on Jan. 13 at SNHU — women’s game starts at 5:30 p.m. and men’s game starts at 7:30 p.m.) Rivier University Raiders games take place at Muldoon Center in Nashua. The men’s team plays their next home game on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 1 p.m. (youth sports day, according to the school website) against Anna Maria College; the women’s team plays Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 4 p.m. versus Mitchell College. See rivierathletics.com. At NHTI, all Lynx home games are at the Dr. Goldie Crocker Wellness Center on campus in Concord. The men’s and women’s teams will play their next home games on Thursday, Jan. 22, versus Central Maine Community College, according to nhtiathletics.com.

9. Get some motivation to get outside. Beaver Brook Association, 117 Ridge Road in Hollis, beaverbrook.org, has winter hike series starting in the first full week of January including Monday Fitness Hikes (starting Jan. 5) at 9 a.m.; Easy Fitness Walks on Mondays at 10 a.m.; Fast Fitness Hikes on Tuesdays (starting Jan. 6) at 8:30 a.m.; Lunchtime Express Hikes on Thursdays (starting Jan. 8) at noon; Fitness Hikes Fridays (starting Jan. 9) at 9 a.m. and Easy Fitness Walks Friday at 10 a.m., according to the website.

Keep your eyes on the Joppa Hill Educational Farm website; the Bedford location is planning a Star Gazing Party in January. See jhef.org/events-at-the-farm.

Learn to ski locally — the McIntyre Ski Area, 50 Chalet Way in Manchester, mcintyreskiarea.com, has programs to help kids and adults learn to ski and improve their skills, including a five-week Women of Winter program projected to start Monday, Jan. 5, at 10 a.m., and evening adult classes on Mondays and Tuesdays. See the website for pricing and signup information.

The New Hampshire Audubon has trails at its Auburn and Concord centers and at the Wildlife Sanctuaries; see nhaudubon.org for maps and trail information. And enjoy an artistic perspective on the outdoors with the exhibit “Outings” featuring the landscape works of Nick Amadeo, opening Friday, Jan. 9, with a reception at 6 p.m. at the Massabesic Audubon Center, 26 Audubon Way in Auburn, according to nhaudubon.org. The exhibit will be on display through Saturday, Feb. 28. On display through Saturday, Feb. 7, at the McLane Center, 84 Silk Road Farm in Concord, is “Enchanted Owls,” an exhibit of fiber art, the website said. Both centers are open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

10. Embrace the ice with Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encantoon Thursday, Jan. 8, and Friday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 10, at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St. in Manchester, according to snhuarena.com, where you can find tickets. If the show inspires you to get out on the ice yourself, check out some local ice skating rinks. The JFK Coliseum, 303 Beech St. in Manchester, manchesternh.gov, has several public skating days each week (see the calendar on the city’s website for hours each day) $5 per person, cash only, with skate rentals, skate assist trainers and skate sharpening on weekends, school vacations and holidays, the website said. Nashua has outdoor rinks at Roby Park, Labin Park and Four Corners, open weather permitting; see nashuanh.gov for hours. Conway Arena, 5 Stadium Drive in Nashua, offers public skating and skate rentals; see conwayarena.com for the schedule. Douglas N. Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road in Concord, concordnh.gov, offers public skate through March 12 on Sundays, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Mondays through Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with rentals, skate assist trainers and skate sharpening available, the website said. White Park Pond in Concord offers outdoor skating, weather permitting.

11. Actorsingers Second Stage, actorsingers.org, will present Stephen Sondheim’s Company on Friday, Jan. 9, and Saturday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 11, at 2 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St. in Nashua. See nashuacenterforthearts.com for tickets. Other shows at Nashua Center for the Arts in January include La Sanse Nashua, a celebration based on the Puerto Rican Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián (Saturday, Jan. 17); the ballet Giselle presented by the Grand Kyiv Ballet (Thursday, Jan. 22), and music including Pink Talking Fish, a Pink Floyd/Talking Head/Phish tribute band (Saturday, Jan. 24).

12. The Aaron Tolson Dance Institute’s Winter Intensive will take place Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, according to tickets.anselm.edu, where you can find the schedule of intermediate and advanced classes. Also at the Dana Center this month is “Bedford Rotary Presents: Regional Idol Scholarship Competition” (Saturday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m.) and 1964 The Tribute on Sunday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m., according to the website.

13. Head to the Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St. in Manchester, currier.org, on Saturday, Jan. 10, for the monthly free admission for New Hampshire residents on the second Saturdays of each month. THe museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Current exhibitsinclude “Joined Together: 30 Years of the Furniture Masters” (through Feb. 8); “Embellish Me: Works from the Collection of Norma Canelas Roth and William Roth” (through March 15); “Flourishing: Paintings by Wendy Edwards” (through April 5; There will be an Art Talk with Wendy Edwards on Sunday, Jan. 25, at 2 p.m.), and Frank Lloyd Wright in Manchester: The Histories of the Zimmermans and Kalils” through June 2026). On Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 19), the Currier will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature curator-led tours of Black American artists in the Currier collection, artmaking for all ages and “a keynote presentation with Jada Hebra, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Southern New Hampshire University,” according to an email from the museum.

14. Book events abound in January. At Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 S. Main St. in Concord, gibsonsbookstore.com, catch Sally Cragin with Llewellyn’s 2026 Moon Sign Book: Plan Your Life by the Cycles of the Moon on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 6:30 p.m.; Gary Fitzgerald with Capitalism Converts Christianity on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 6:30 p.m.; the Poetry Society of New Hampshire with poet David Banach on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 4:30 p.m.; Kelly Scarborough with her book Butterfly Games in conversation with Laura Knoy on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m., and Kristi DeMeester with her book Dark Sisters on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 6:30 p.m. At Balin Books, 375 Amherst St. in Somerset Plaza in Nashua, balinbooks.com, see Rev. Steve Edington with his new book, The Gospel According to Jack: Tracking Kerouac in My Life on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 2 p.m.; Lloyd Corricelli discussing the Ronan Marino Mystery series on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 2 p.m., and Nicholas Efstathiou and his book Killers in Their Youthon Saturday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. At Bookery, 844 Elm St. in Manchester, bookerymht.com, catch Sharon Kurtzman with The Lost Baker of Vienna on Friday, Jan. 9, at 12:30 p.m.

15. Vote for pizza, vote for ice cream, vote for the best southern New Hampshire hike. Voting on Hippo’s Best of 2026 opens Thursday, Jan. 15. Find a link to our annual survey at hippopress.com.

16. The Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St. in Manchester, palacetheatre.org, presents the jukebox musical Rock of Agesas its next big production, running Friday, Jan. 16, through Sunday, Feb. 8 — this after Recycled Percussion wraps up a series of shows that started Dec. 31 and runs through Jan. 11. Shows at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in Manchester, include comedy from Jimmy Cash (Saturday, Jan. 10), Joe Fenti (Friday, Jan. 16) and the Ladies of Laughter Comedy tour with Cathy Boyd, G.L. Douglas and Ellen Karis (Friday, Jan. 23), and The Granite Stage on Thursday, Jan. 29, described as a “community talent showcase,” according to the website.

17. Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St. in Manchester, will present A Tribute to Maynard James Keenan (playing the music of Tool, A Perfect Circle and more) and the local band The Dirty Taps on Friday, Jan. 16, at 8:30 p.m. according to a post on the venue’s Facebook page, where you can find a link to purchase tickets. Other shows at Jewel in January include The Magic Mike Show Live with Absolute Men on Friday, Jan. 23, at 8:30 p.m.; Gene Loves Jezebel, Black Season Witch, Gossip Collar and Silver Rein on Friday, Jan. 30, and Ritual Arcana on Jan. 30, the Facebook page said.

18. Saturday, Jan. 17, is the winter Free Fishing Day in New Hampshire, which means “[s]tate residents and nonresidents alike can fish any inland water — or saltwater — in New Hampshire that day without a fishing license,” according to wildlife.nh.gov. “Note that season dates, bag limits and all other fishing regulations must be followed on Free Fishing Day,” the website said.

19. The New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park St. in Concord, nhhistory.org, will host a curator’s tour, with director of education Elizabeth Durbulle, of the exhibition “If You Had to Choose: Patriots and Loyalists in Revolutionary New Hampshire” on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 2 p.m. Admission to the museum costs $10 for ages 18 and over (under 18 get in free) and the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the website. Other museum events this month include a lecture and book-signing with Mel Allen and his book Here in New England: Unforgettable People, Places and Memories That Connect Us All on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m.; a screening and discussion at Red River Theatres in Concord on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 10 a.m. of “Spirit of Service,” an excerpt from the The American Revolution documentary followed by a discussion (tickets are $5; see redrivertheatres.org) and Family Fun Day on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 2 to 4 p.m., with activities geared to ages 6 to 10, according to the website.

20. RB Professional presents Grease on stage at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord, ccanh.com, on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m. Other shows at the Chubb Theatre this month include Mania! The ABBA Tribute (Thursday, Jan. 8) and Drum Tao! (Thursday, Jan. 22). At BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St. in Concord, shows include NightOUT with the Free Range Revue presents Get A Clue, “an interactive Clue-themed Cabaret” according to the website (Friday, Jan. 9), a sing-along screening of 2021’s Encanto(Sunday, Jan. 11), and Locally Sourced — Fox & Flamingos with Phoenix Syndicate (Friday, Jan. 23).

21. Get some Tuesday night comedy at “Wrong Hill to Die On” on Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Shaskeen in Manchester. Tickets cost $7.18 and are available at eventbrite.com by searching “Wrong Hill to Die On.” According to the event description there: “Comics defend the worst opinions ever in a chaotic live debate show where logic dies and laughter thrives. The Wrong Hill to Die On is a live comedy show where comedians go head-to-head defending the worst opinions imaginable. From ‘traffic lights are government mind control’ to ‘cats should be allowed to vote,’ each performer must argue their absurd stance with total conviction while hosts and the audience roast, challenge, and cheer them on.” Hosts are Nick Sands and Alex LaChance; contestants are Matt Barry, Mona Forgione, Zach Remi and Tristen Hoffler; special guest host is Ken Murphy and opening comic is Derek Zeiba, according to an event promo card.

22. The New England Winter Wine Spectacular takes place Thursday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. for general admission ticket holders and 5 p.m. for those with tickets that allow for early entry at the Doubletree by Hilton Downtown Manchester, 700 Elm St. in Manchester, according to nhwineweek.com, where you can purchase tickets for this event and find out about other New Hampshire Wine Week happenings. As in past years, this year’s Spectacular is preceded by a tasting with more wine education — this year it’s called the “Sommelier Select: An Intimate Evening of Discovery,” a blind tasting guided by sommeliers, and it takes place Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at the Grappone Center in Concord.

23. The Majestic Theatre will present Seussical Jr. on Friday, Jan. 23, through Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, according to majestictheatre.net, where you can purchase tickets. Majestic also has a benefit Bingo Night on the schedule at the studio theater, 888 Page St. in Manchester, on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m. and the revue Disco Inferno: The ’70s! on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. (see website for tickets to both events).

24. Only about a month after her birthday (Dec. 16, 1775), celebrate Jane Austen with the 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman and directed by Ang Lee, screening on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 10 a.m. at Red River Theatres, 11 S. Main St. in Concord, redrivertheatres.org.

25. The Concord NH Winterfest will take place in downtown Concord Saturday, Jan. 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with activities including a screening of the movie Balto (G, 1995) at Red River Theatres at 10:30 a.m., an ice carving competition and food trucks on the Statehouse Lawn, according intownconcord.org.

Alongside that event, the Concord Garden Club will take part in its 23rd annual “Art and Bloom” show in collaboration with the Women’s Caucus for Art, New Hampshire Chapter, and Kimball Jenkins Estate, 266 N. Main St. in Concord, where the show will be on display Thursday, Jan. 22, through Saturday, Jan. 24, according to a press release. “Club members and local floral professionals will create floral arrangements inspired by works of art and craft on display during Kimball Jenkins’ January art exhibition,” the release said. “Art and Bloom exhibit hours are Thursday, Jan. 22, 2 to 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The opening reception will be held on Thursday, Jan. 22, 5 to 7 p.m., and will have light snacks and drinks. … A donation of $10 to support the Kimball Jenkins Estate is suggested.”

And the Black Ice Pond Hockey Tournament is slated for Friday, Jan. 23, through Sunday, Jan. 25, at White Park in Concord (with a make-up weekend in March at the Tri-Town Ice Arena), according to blackicepondhockey.com, where you will be able to find a schedule of events.

26. There is lots of art to enjoy. Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester, mosaicartcollective.com, will open its show “Peaceful Rebellion” on Wednesday, Jan. 28, according to the December newsletter. The show will feature “works that celebrate the act of art making and the awareness and solace it provides us,” the newsletter said. An open call for works to be part of the exhibit has a deadline of Jan. 14; see the website for submission details. An opening reception for the show will take place on Saturday, Feb. 14, 4 to 8 p.m.

The Glimpse Gallery, 4 Park St. in Concord, theglimpsegallery.com, will continue its current show through Friday, Jan. 9, featuring the works of Peter Anderson, Alex Rybak, Julie Daniels, Laurie Weston, Erica Bodwell, Corey Garland and Kristin Selesnick.

“Shifting Light” is on display at Art 3 Gallery, 44 W. Brook St. in Manchester, art3gallery.com. “With the end of daylight savings, reduced daylight hours, and the angle of the sun, there is a literal shifting of light and shadows and this changes how we perceive our familiar yet transformed environment. Figuratively, the shifting of light can act as a beacon and pinpoint changes in how we look at the greater world around us, new angles or narratives that direct personal, social, or political change,” according to an email from the gallery, which is open Monday through Friday, 12:30 to 4 p.m.

“A Symphony of Light and Shadow: The Landscape Photography of Jeff Dachowski” is on long-term display at LaBelle Winery in Derry, 14 Route 111, according to a LaBelle press release. “This breathtaking collection showcases Dachowski’s masterful black and white landscapes,” the release said. See DachowskiPhotography.com for more about Jeff Dachowski and his work. The gallery is open Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; see labellewinery.com.

27. The Epping Middle High School Drama Club will present the radio play The War of the Worlds at the Epping Community Theater, 38 Ladd’s Lane in Epping, eppingtheater.org, on Friday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 31, at 2 p.m., according to the website, where you can purchase tickets. Other shows at the theater this month include Silk Purse, a Linda Ronstadt tribute, on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m.

Best movie of ‘a’ year

2025 adds some films to the canon

Was the best movie of 2025 1992’s Sneakers?

I feel like it was very much in the air with people who write and podcast about movies and pop culture, especially after the passing of Robert Redford. And once you acclimate yourself to the relaxing warm bath of its pacing, it is a very good time (it’s available for rent or purchase and would make a fine holiday movie night movie).

Similarly, the recent death of Rob Reiner has brought some of his all-time greats back into the conversation: 1989’s When Harry Met Sally … (Starz, purchase and at Red River Theatres on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 10 a.m.); 1987’s The Princess Bride (Hulu or purchase) and 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap (HBO Max, rent or purchase).

The streaming era has created a flattening of time where sometimes a movie of an earlier era bubbles up into the culture. This year’s release of Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest had me spending some time with the always excellent Inside Man from 2006 (streaming on Netflix, rent or purchase) and the very evocative of its time The 25th Hour from 2002 (rent or purchase). As I write this in mid-December, Kevin Smith’s Dogma from 1999 is No. 2 in Apple’s TV store (it is available for purchase) recently rereleased after decades of ownership woes. (It is still very much itself and the CCD alums who had affection for it in all its janky, occasionally problematic glory will probably still enjoy a watch.)

But 2025 has its own releases that will one day be your comfort rewatches and rediscoveries. Here are some of the movies from this year worth checking out.

• Speaking of nostalgia. Adam Sandler brings you to a reunion of 1996 culture with Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix). I deeply enjoyed the OG offenders of I Know What You Did Last Summer (Netflix, rent or purchase), particularly the former WB star who appears in a wins-the-whole-game cameo, but the new kids who commit vehicular manslaughter are nice too. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning(Paramount+, purchase and rental) makes you sit through a lot of “remember X plot point from the previous movies” before you get to the Tom Cruise crazy stunts portion of the film but there were some fun looks back at the franchise, which is hopefully over, right? Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (Peacock, rent or purchase) calls it a wrap on the Crawleys, probably, with a movie that recalled the cozy fun of the series.

• The best horror is weird. Weapons (HBO Max, rent and purchase) feels like at least as much an object of camp as it is an object of horror. It’s like goofy plus jump scares? Shell (YouTube Primetime, rent and purchase) is super-goofy body horror (specifically the middle-aged lady body in the harsh light of Hollywood) and features a fun faceoff between Elisabeth Moss and Kate Hudson. Drop (Prime Video, rent and purchase) builds its tension by showing us a first date where a woman terrorized by a mysterious texter doesn’t know who to trust. The Long Walk (rent or purchase), of Stephen King origins and anchored by a strong performance by Cooper Hoffman, gets you right in the “humanity is the true horror” spot.

• The right kind of dumb. The Liam Neeson- and Pamela Anderson-led franchise restart/sequel The Naked Gun (MGM+, Paramount+, rental and purchase) had me from its first goofy minutes when a thief steals a P.L.O.T. Device. M3GAN 2.0(Peacock, rental and purchase) was more pleased with itself than is usually tolerable but I enjoyed the “get in, loser” vibe of it all. A Working Man(MGM+, Prime Video, rental and purchase) does not reach the glorious Jason Statham-badassery heights of 2024’s The Bee Keeper (treat yourself — it’s streaming on Prime Video and available for rent or purchase) but it is still a fun dumb action movie and the villains are played as if maybe in the sequel they’ll turn out to be vampires.

• More! Like! This! In the movie G20 (Prime Video), President Viola Davis has to rescue a bunch of world leaders and the world economy from Bad Guys whilst doing hand-to-hand combat in formalwear. Dumb? Yeah! Awesome? Heck yeah! More! Like! This!

• Marvel tried things. Yes, Thunderbolts* (Disney+, rent or purchase) is a superhero movie about depression where the Big Bad is nihilism but it worked for me — I liked the scrappy gang of misfits. The Fantastic Four: First Steps(Disney+, rent or purchase) was visually very fun and had a nice “future is optimistic” tone. And yes, it’s all in service of more Avengers movies and the return of Robert Downey Jr. in same but for now, for this one, I had fun.

• DC got a win. Speaking of optimism and a future tinged with hope, Superman (HBO Max, rent or purchase) brought shiny new life to the DC movies. This Metropolis had comic book flair (other supers, kitschy villains) and managed an upbeat tone without getting, like, weird about it. Also, “a bit with a dog.” (Speaking of which, find 1998’s Shakespeare in Love on Paramount+ and for rent or purchase, which I might do after I get to Hamnet, in theaters now, one of this year’s releases still on my eager-to-see list along with The Testament of Ann Lee, slated for a Christmas Day release, and The Secret Agent, opening at Red River Theatres on Christmas Eve along with Marty Supreme and Song Sung Blue.)

• Family movie night. I know this isn’t a popular opinion, but I enjoyed the, a-hem, “live action” Lilo & Stitch(Disney +, rent or purchase), having no particular loyalty to the 2002 cartoon (also on Disney+). This year’s movie was perfectly acceptable fare with a nice blend of goofiness and sweetness about family in all its forms. Likewise, Pixar’s latest Elio(Disney+, rent or purchase) seemed to be received with a shrug at best but as a movie to watch with kids it’s a visually fun tale about a lonely boy who finally starts making new connections when he is accidentally transported to a spaceship where he is mistaken for the leader of Earth. And I’m a fan of Dav Pilkey books — the Captain Underpants and the like — both for their tales of adventure told with boy-accessible emotional themes and for their stylistic choices (spellings such as “supa cop” and drawings that look, correctly, as though two elementary schoolers crafted them). This year’s Dog Man(Netflix, rent or purchase), based on books that are supposed to be written by the Captain Underpants kids, is another similar success with fun visuals and laugh out loud silliness.

• Perfectly cromulent movie-night movies. Maybe these movies aren’t the best of the best but they are perfectly serviceable for an evening’s or snow day’s entertainment and are helped by solid duos in the leads: The Lost Bus (Apple TV) is based on a true story from the 2018 Camp Fire in California and succeeds due to the steady work of Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera. Another Simple Favor (Prime Video, rent or purchase) didn’t quite sparkle like the 2018 original (available for rent or purchase) but it did have a fun telenovela quality and nice chemistry between Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. Wicked: For Good (in theaters) suffers when it doesn’t put Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande together and is just generally darker than the first film but it is still a reasonably fun time. The Ballad of Wallis Island (Prime Video, rent or purchase) is a sweet melancholy tale about old friendship, longtime music fanship and trying to recapture a moment. Friendship is also a big part of My Dead Friend Zoe, which stars Sonequa Martin-Green trying to move on after time on the battlefield and the death of her friend played by Natalie Morales. The professional relationship that may or may not be a friendship between sad-charming George Clooney and sad-sweet Adam Sandler is the warm heart of Jay Kelly(Netflix). Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (HBO Max and rent or purchase) is a loose but fond jam session of comedy artists.

• Hot docs! Remember a very specific slice of the music of the 1990s with Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery (Disney+, Hulu), a very solid look back at the one-of-a-kind festival. Deaf President Now! (Apple TV) is a rousing look at a 1988 campus protest told by the now-middle-aged protesters. The Quilters(Netflix) and Final Finishers (Hulu) are two excellent shorts about, respectively, incarcerated quilt makers and the slowest finishers at the New York Marathon. The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix) is a chilling story, told through body cam footage, of a close-knit neighborhood and a difficult resident whose animosity for her neighbors has a tragic outcome. If you watch nothing else in this whole list, at least watch the first seven minutes of Ladies and Gentlemen … 50 Years of Saturday Night Life Music (Peacock), which is a delightfully-mixed tour (by Questlove) through SNL’s music performances. The meat of the documentary, equally excellent, digs into specific artists and how the music fits in with the show’s overall mission.

• Look for these. Rose Byrne is absolutely terrific in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You(rent or purchase), a movie full of people at their peak frustration points who are all wading through some kind of emergency. Byrne plays a mom looking after a sick daughter in the hotel room where they are waiting out repairs to their apartment after a burst water pipe.Her anger, fear, guilt and exhaustion are familiar to those who feel like they are forever failing at parenting — and funny! It’s funny! Sometimes! The Wedding Banquet (Paramount+, rent or purchase) is a sweet remake of the 1993 Ang Lee movie (which is available via Tubi, Pluto TV and Plex TV, according to Google) with solid performances from Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Bowen Yang and Han Gi-chan. One of Them Days (Netflix, rent or purchase) was an early 2025 release that offered solid comedy and a nice buddies-in-a-jam duo in Keke Palmer and SZA. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock, rent and purchase) is a surprisingly sweet installment in the story of the romance between Bridget and her Mr. Darcy and what comes after happily ever after. Roofman (MGM+, rent or purchase) features a nicely askew performance by Channing Tatum. Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (Netflix) is beautiful to look at and an interesting, Romantic in the 19th-century sense, treatment of the material. Highest 2 Lowest(Apple TV), Spike Lee’s movie based on Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low (HBO Max, Plex, rent and purchase) from 1963, features excellent performances, including by Jeffrey Wright in a supporting role and a return to Lee’s New York-as-character form. Train Dreams (Netflix) is quiet and beautiful and features a standout performance by Joel Edgerton as a mostly solitary woodsman born in the latter half of the 1800s and living long enough to see men go to space. Wake Up, Dead Man (Netflix) is an excellent third entry in the Knives Out franchise with Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc investigating both the mystery of a (sorta) locked room murder and the mystery of faith — solid performances and thoughtful examination of what religion is and can be at this moment in culture. I’m still not entirely certain what I thought about Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme (Prime Video, rent or purchase) or about Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another (rent or purchase). Both feature excellent, compelling performances by Benicio del Toro and both deserve credit for their visual styles. One Battle After Another was at its best for me in its lower-fi moments, particularly a set-piece car chase in the movie’s final third, which called to mind some of the scruffier films of the 1970s in look and tone. The movie is at the top of many a critic’s year end list, but for me, a different movie settled in that spot in April and never left.

• My favorite movie of the year is Sinners. Yes, there are still movies I haven’t seen (Avatar: Fire and Ash, in theaters now, for example), but I doubt any of them will hit me quite like Sinners, which actually gave me chills when I saw the “I Lied to You” scene in the theater. Director Ryan Coogler’s latest was a home run for me for its performances (the two Michael B. Jordans, Miles Caton, Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo among them), its ability to weave together its supernatural and its real world darkness, its standout production value including the way it used light and the overall point of view of the way it told its story. Seek it out on HBO Max, for rent or purchase.

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