The Hippo Press – Page 10

Kiddie Pool 26/02/26

Family fun for whenever

February vacation week fun

• Pats Peak, 686 Flanders Road in Henniker, patspeak.com, has extended its POP Ticket (pay one price for skiing, snowboarding, snowtubing, rentals and lesson tips) days for every day through Saturday, Feb. 28. The POP tickets cover night activities starting at 4, 5 or 6 p.m. and running through 9 or 10 p.m. depending on the day (with ticket prices based on start time), according to the website.

• Wonderland Books and Toys, Maple Valley Plaza, 245 Maple St., No. 12, in Manchester, wonderlandbooksandtoys.com, has a variety of activities scheduled for the rest of vacation week, according to its Facebook page. On Thursday, Feb. 26, there will be a drop-in story time from 11:30 a.m. to noon; a reading of Part 3 of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland from 1 to 1:30 p.m. (recommended for ages 7+), and a bookstore scavenger hunt from 2 to 5 p.m., the post said. On Friday, Feb. 27, the fun includes Pokemon Day to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first Pokemon video games from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a reading of Part 4 of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland from 1 to 1:30 p.m. (recommended for ages 7+), and Board Game Afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m. Activities for Saturday, Feb. 28, include a 3D model building project (ages 6+; see post for pricing) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the wrap-up reading of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland from 1 to 1:30 p.m., and a 3 to 3:30 p.m. story time, the post said.

Theater by kids

• The Community Players of Concord Children’s Theatre Project Winter Vacation Theatre Camp presents The Rainbow Fish Musical at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St., Concord, 228-2793, theaudi.org) Friday, Feb. 27, at 6:30 p.m. A family treat for all ages, this is a children’s classic set to music, performed by a cast of 30 young actors ages 8 through 14. It is adapted from The Rainbow Fish, the award-winning book by Marcus Pfister. This event is free and open to the public, though donations will be accepted.

• How I Became a Pirate (Younger@Part), presented by the performers in grades 2 to 12 from the Palace Youth Theatre vacation camp, will be on stage at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St. in Manchester, on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 11 a.m. See palacetheatre.org for tickets.

• For the older crowd, Cabaret presented by the Palace Teen Apprentice Company and the Palace Teen Company, performed by student actors ages 12 to 18, will be on stage at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in Manchester, on Sunday, March 1, at 2 p.m. See palacetheatre.org for tickets.

Save the date

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 707 Huse Road in Manchester, chunkys.com, will hold Girl Scout Cookie Bingo for all ages on Friday, March 13, at 6:45 p.m. Winners of each round of bingo will receive boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. See the website for tickets.

• Kids Con New England — a celebration of comic books, comic book creators, comic book readers, superheroes and more — will take place Sunday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sheraton in Nashua. See kidsconne.com for tickets and for a list of artists and authors scheduled to attend as well as activities and programming scheduled throughout the event. Tickets cost $16 for ages 5 and up and $60 for a family of four.

• Enjoy the “comedy canine cabaret” of Mutts Gone Nuts on Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m. at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, according to tickets.anselm.edu, where you can purchase tickets.

This Week 26/02/26

Thursday, Feb. 26

The Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey present The Greatest Show on Earth returns to the SNHU Arena in Manchester starting Thursday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. with a run of seven performances through Sunday, March 1. See snhuarena.com for tickets. The show is described as “a high-energy, music-driven experience with bold circus performances, unforgettable characters, and a nonstop party vibe,” according to a press release.

Thursday, Feb. 26

Patrick Swayze! Jennifer Grey! Jerry Orbach! The lift! Getting Baby out of a corner! Relive it all at Dirty Dancing in Concert tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Art’s Chubb Theater, 44 S. Main St. in Concord. The event pairs a screening of the movie with a live performance of the songs and a post-screening party, according to ccanh.com, where you can buy tickets.

Friday, Feb. 27

Enduring ’80s band The Smithereens will perform at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com) tonight at 8 p.m. with special guest vocalist John Cowsill. Tickets start at $50.

Friday, Feb. 27

The Cue Zero Theatre Company (cztheatre.com) presents When the Rain Stops Falling at the Arts Academy of New Hampshire (19 Keewaydin Drive, Salem, 912-4944, artsacademynh.org) tonight and tomorrow, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 1, at 2 p.m. See the Cue Zero website for tickets.

Friday, Feb. 27

DJ-based dance party Gimme Gimme Disco will take place tonight at 8 p.m. at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com). Disco attire is encouraged. Tickets start at $29 through the Center’s website. This is a general admission, open floor, 18+ show.

Saturday, Feb. 28

There will be a lecture at the New Hampshire Historical Society (30 Park St., Concord, 228-6688, nhhistory.org) this afternoon at 2 p.m. on Maple Sugaring in New England. Join Steven Roberge, University of New Hampshire’s State Extension Forester, to learn about the history, production and biology of maple sugaring. Admission is free for Society members, $10 for nonmembers. No registration required.

Saturday, Feb. 28

Catch blues-rock artist Brad Dubay tonight at 7 p.m. at the Big Bear Lodge at the Andres Institute of Art in Brookline. See andresinstitute.org to purchase tickets. Find more about Brad Dubay and hear his new album Planet 9 at braddubay.bandzoogle.com.

Monday, March 3

Manchester Artists Association will meet this evening at 7 p.m. in the community room at The Michael L. Briggs Public Safety Building, 405 Valley St. in Manchester, according to an email from the Association. The meeting wll feature the “Artists of the Month” selection followed by the featured speaker, Jim Roberts, “a renowned painter/printmaker” who will discuss “his approach to painting and on his career as an artist,” the email said. See jimrobertsart.com for more on Roberts.

Save the Date! Friday, March 13
Comedian Jim Gaffigan will perform at the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St. in downtown Manchester, 644-5000) Friday, March 13, at 7 p.m. as part of his “Everything is Wonderful!” tour. See snhuarena.com for tickets.

Featured photo: The Smithereens.

Quality of Life 26/02/26

Gold, silver, bronze, granite

In Olympic news, as reported by WMUR in a Feb. 19 online article, “Salem’s Caroline Harvey has been named the MVP of the women’s hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics in Milan.” Team USA got the gold medal with a 2-1 win over Canada in overtime. “In the tournament, Harvey was tied for the lead in points with nine and led all players in +/- at +14 and assists with seven.” A post from the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development at visitnh.gov/blog/winter-olympics-from-the-granite-state lists past and current Olympic athletes from New Hampshire and notes that Dartmouth College “has sent more athletes to compete in the winter Olympics than any other Ivy League institution.”

QOL score: +1

Comment: A Feb. 20 Instagram post by UNH (@uofnh) noted that “In 1994, UNH launched one of only three sled hockey teams in the entire country. Today, it’s an international force sending four athletes to the 2026 Paralympics.” Those games begin March 6. See nepassage.org/sled-hockey.

Don’t hit Happy Plowmore!

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation has announced the winners of its Second Annual “Name a Plow” Contest. According to the NHDOT website, “After a statewide call for submissions and more than 600 name suggestions with over 1,800 community votes, our judges tallied the results, and the winning names were chosen.” This winter’s winning names are Wicked Plowah, Plowabunga, The Blizzard Lizard, Winniplowsaukee, Sled Zeppelin, Happy Plowmore, and Skarupa Snow Scoopah, named for WMUR meteorologist Kevin Skarupa. “These plow names reflect the humor and spirit of New Hampshire and will be proudly displayed on our snow removal fleet throughout the winter,” the NHDOT website post said.

QOL score: +1

Comment: “Stay safe this season and remember to give snowplows plenty of room to work!” the NHDOT posted, with the hashtag #DontCrowdThePlow.

Property taxes not the highest

A Feb. 17 announcement by finance website WalletHub revealed that New Hampshire residents do not, in fact, pay the highest rates of property taxes in the country. “The average U.S. household pays $3,119 per year in property taxes on their home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau,” the announcement read. According to a ranking by the website, New Hampshire residents have the fourth highest property tax rate. According to the report, with a tax rate of 1.66 percent, the owner of a home assessed at $402,500 (the state average) owes $6,667 per year. The good news in a misery-loves-company sort of way, is that there are three states where residents pay even more.

QOL score: -1, because 4th is still pretty high

Comment: WalletHub ranked New Jersey’s tax rate the highest at 2.11 percent (an average of $6,667) and Hawaii’s the lowest at 2.7 percent (a yearly average of $2,239). Visit wallethub.com/edu.

Last week’s QOL score: 50

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 51

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

News & Notes 26/02/26

ICE facility

The Department of Homeland Security “will not move forward with a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Merrimack,” according to a press release from Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s office on Feb. 24. “I thank [DHS Secretary Kristi] Noem for hearing the concerns of the Town of Merrimack and for the continued cooperation between DHS and New Hampshire law enforcement to secure our northern border, keep dangerous criminals off our streets, and ensure our communities are safe,” Ayotte said in the statement.

New library

The Daland Memorial Library in Mount Vernon is in its new home at 8 Lilac Lane in Mont Vernon after a grand opening on Feb. 22, according to the library’s Facebook page. The new library will be open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 to 1 p.m., according to a post. The new library replaces the 1909-built original library and is a 7,600-square-foot facility, according to a press release from Mont Vernon Library Charitable Foundation. See dalandlibrary.com.

Memorial

Swim With a Mission, “a New Hampshire-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting veterans through fundraising, community engagement, and grants to local veteran service organizations,” has awarded a $15,000 matching grant to support the “Gulf Wars and War on Terror Memorial being developed by the Manchester Veterans Council. This permanent memorial will honor the service members, civilians, and family members from New Hampshire who were impacted by the conflicts spanning from 1990 to 2021,” according to a SWAM press release. “To help complete this important tribute, SWAM is partnering with the Manchester Veterans Council to raise the remaining $30,000 needed for the project. Through SWAM’s matching grant, every dollar donated will be doubled, up to $15,000,” the release said. The memorial is slated for a Memorial Day 2026 dedication in Veterans Park in Manchester, according to SWAM. See the Manchester Veterans Council’s Facebook page for more information on recent donations and images of the planned memorial.

Parenting help

The Upper Room Family Resource Center, based in Derry, will offer a virtual class, “Managing Emotions in Children (ages 3-12),” on Wednesday, March 25, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., according to a press release. The free class “will help parents learn new strategies to understand and handle a child’s strong feelings such as fear, anger, sadness, disappointment and anxiety,” the release said. To sign up, call 437-8477, ext. 126, the release said, and see urteachers.org for more on the organization.

Barn assistance

April 15 is the deadline to apply for Historic Barn Assessment Grants, meant to help preserve privately owned historic New Hampshire barns, according to the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance. The program offers $400 or $250 grants (coupled with some matching funds from the property owner) to hire a barn consultant to “inspect the barn, determine its age and key construction features, [and] assess what’s required to stabilize, repair, and reuse the structure. Grant recipients will receive a written report; that can be used as a valuable planning tool that identifies problems, proposes specific preservation strategies, and offers cost estimates for the needed repairs,” according to nhpreservation.org, where you can find a list of participating towns and details on how to apply.

Shamrock Shuffle

The Northwestern Mutual Shamrock Shuffle, rescheduled after Manchester’s St. Patrick’s Day parade was canceled for the year, will now take place on Saturday, March 14, at 11 a.m. with Lil’ Leprechaun Runs for kids starting at 10:30 a.m. The 2-mile run/walk on Canal Street will begin and end at Harpoon Brewery and the first 1,000 registrants will receive kilts, according to millenniumrunning.com/shamrock.

Night out for a cause

The Pinnacle Foundation, an organization “formed to positively impact chronic homelessness, build a bridge to homeownership through financial literacy and education, and support our communities’ veterans’ immediate needs in the greater Manchester community,” according to pinnaclefoundationnh.org, will hold its winter fundraiser on Wednesday, March 4, at 5:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in Manchester. The event will feature live music by the Chad LaMarsh Band, a silent auction, keynote speeches and more. See pinnaclefoundationnh.org/2026-winter-fundraiser for tickets.

Jazz for a cause

Concord Community Music School, 23 Wall St. in Concord, will hold its annual Jazz Night Fundraiser on Saturday, March 21, at 7 p.m., with a pre-show reception starting at 5:30 p.m., according to a post on the school’s Facebook page. The evening will feature the James Fernando Trio and proceeds will benefit the school’s Financial Aid Fund. Seats cost $80 each or $300 for a table of four, the post said. Call 228-1196 or go to ccmusicschool.org to order tickets.

“Through the Trees,” an exhibition featuring the works of Amira Nguyen-Hasoon, Kate Knox, and Rebecca Desrochers, is on display through March 1 at See Saw Art, 66 Hanover St., Suite 201, in Manchester. The gallery will be open Friday, Feb. 27, from 2 to 6 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. and Sunday, March 1, from 1 to 4 p.m., according to seesaw.gallery.

Cue Zero Theatre will hold auditions for adults for its June production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company on Sunday, March 15, with callbacks on Thursday, March 19, at the Arts Academy of New Hampshire, 19 Keewaydin Drive in Salem, according to a press release. See cztheatre.com for character details and audition information.

The Wilton Actor Guild will present Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Mystery, a Ken Ludwig-penned sequel to Baskerville described as fast-paced and funny, on Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 7, at 2 p.m. at the Golden Brook School Auditorium, 112B Lowell Road in Windham, according to a press release. See windhamactorsguild.com for tickets.

You have until Sunday, March 1, to submit your 60-second film to the Tiny Film Festival at the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St. in Nashua. See nashualibrary.org/tinyfilmfestival for the rules. The films will be screened at the library on Friday, March 20, at 6 p.m.

Big Fun Science — 02/19/2026

on the cover

For 40 years SEE Science Center in Manchester has made science accessible to all ages — long enough that the kids who visited decades ago are now bringing their kids. Michael Witthaus takes a look at the center’s history and its plans for the future.

Also on the cover But first, vote! Vote now! Vote in Hippo’s Best of 2026 readers’ poll, where you can tell us where to get the best ice cream, cocktails and burgers — and rave about non-food faves. See hippopress.com for a link to the survey.

Plus, Michael Witthaus talks to Get the Led Out ahead of their Led Zeppelin tribute show in Concord (page 20). And find more live music in our Music This Week listings (page 21) and our Concert listings (page 22).

Read the e-edition

News & Notes 26/02/19

260219 Featured Content News

Queen City to Music City Southwest Airlines will offer nonstop flights from Manchester Boston Regional Airport to Nashville International Airport ...

Quality of Life 26/02/19

260219 News Quality Of Life

Challenge accepted! The Wildcats of Fall Mountain Regional High School faced the Purple Panthers of Nashua South last Thursday night, ...

Round ball up next

260219 News Sports

The Big Story – Hello, Basketball: There’s also the waning days of the Winter Olympics. Not really my cup of ...

This Week 26/02/19

260219 Featured Content News This Week

Thursday, Feb. 19 Nicholas Coates of Rotor Technologies, a Nashua-based manufacturer of unmanned helicopters — sometimes referred to as the ...

Big Fun Science

260219 Cover Stories Featured Content

SEE Science Center Celebrates 40 years of hands-on exploration The fun at Manchester’s SEE Science Center is multigenerational. A 30-year-old ...

Bite sized

260219 Art & Theater Featured Content

One-act plays in Nashua An upcoming weekend of short plays in Nashua gives aspiring playwrights, directors and actors an opportunity ...

Treasure Hunt 26/02/19

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260219 Family Fun Treasure Hunt

Hey, Donna, Do you know if my New England Patriots shirt could have value? I got it in the 1980s ...

The Weekly Dish 26/02/19

260219 Food

• The Moka Pot moves — a little: Popular coffee and sandwich shop The Moka Pot in downtown Manchester (854-5921, ...

Dine out with Restaurant Week

260219 Featured Content Food

Downtown Manchester is setting the table For the second year, the Palace Theatre has organized a Restaurant Week in Manchester ...

Speakeasy reopens

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CodeX B.A.R. finds a new (secret) spot “You should have seen this place when we walked in the door,” MaryBeth ...

Chlorophyll Sour

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260219 Drink Food

Some drinks are worth devoting some time to. Herbal Green Gin 2 cups (16 ounces) London dry gin 1 large ...

Album Reviews 26/02/19

Album covers for The Grownup Noise, No Straight Line in the Universe and Jennie Arnau, A Rising Tide

260219 Albums Pop

The Grownup Noise, No Straight Line in the Universe (self-released) The focus of this Boston-based act, which has had a ...

The Music Roundup 26/02/19

260219 Music This Week

• Metal moments: The weekend starts early with four bands on the heavier side gathering at Showcase 603. Abel Blood, ...

Whole Lotta Zep

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260219 Featured Content Nightlife

Get the Led Out comes to Concord Paul Hammond has an extra ticket for Led Zeppelin’s reunion show. The caveat ...

This Week 26/02/19

Thursday, Feb. 19

Nicholas Coates of Rotor Technologies, a Nashua-based manufacturer of unmanned helicopters — sometimes referred to as the world’s largest drones — will give a presentation tonight at 7 p.m. at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, aviationmuseumofnh.org). The presentation, part of the museum’s ‘Exploring Aviation’ series, is open to the public. Admission is $10 per person.

Thursday, Feb. 19

Meet “Manchester’s Most Wanted” today from 5 to 7 p.m. with the Majestic Theatre at the Millyard Museum in Manchester. This will be an interactive night of high crimes, misdemeanors and mischief at the Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Suite 103, Manchester, 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org), withManchester’s Ten Most Wantedas depicted on a poster from the U.S. Post Office in the Queen City circa 1896. Enjoy cocktails, fun and the odd felony. Tickets are $30. Register at manchesterhistoric.org.

Thursday, Feb. 19

The Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St., Manchester, 644-4548, mcmusicschool.org) will hold a faculty concert, “Silver and Gold,” tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. in the School’s recital hall. It will feature Aubrie Dionne on flute, Brandon Newbould on trombone, and Justin McCarthy on the piano. This concert is free and open to the public. Registration through the School’s website is appreciated.

Thursday, Feb. 19

The Riverbend Alumni Company presents the Neil Simon play Rumors at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts, 56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford, tonight and tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 21, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 21

Explosive mixed martial arts returns to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com) today at 5 p.m. with Combat Zone 91. There will be 11 action-packed bouts. Tickets start at $41.

Saturday, Feb. 21

The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra (647-6476, nhphil.org) will perform The Many Shades of Love, a concert dedicated to romantic masterpieces, today and tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m. at the Seifert Performing Arts Center in Salem. Tickets cost $35.

Saturday, Feb. 21

The Stockbridge Theatre (22-98 Bypass 28, Derry, 437-5210, pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre) presents the Magnificent Monster Circus today at 2 p.m., performed by Puppet Showplace and CactusHead Puppets. Tickets are $18.

Tuesday, Feb. 24

United Way of Greater Nashua will be hosting a monthly series of five digital literacy classes at the YMCA. This month’s topic is learning to identify online scams. The meeting will be at the YMCA of Greater Nashua today from 2 to 3 p.m. Register at unitedwaynashua.org/digital-literacy.

Save the Date! Thursday, Feb. 26
The Greatest Show on Earth returns to the SNHU Arena in Manchester starting Thursday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. with a run of seven performances through Sunday, March 1. See snhuarena.com for tickets. The show is described as “a high-energy, music-driven experience with bold circus performances, unforgettable characters, and a nonstop party vibe fueled by today’s cultural influences,” according to a press release.

Featured photo:

Author: The Hippo Press

Kiddie Pool 26/02/26

This Week 26/02/26

Quality of Life 26/02/26

News & Notes 26/02/26

Big Fun Science — 02/19/2026

This Week 26/02/19

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