Author: The Hippo Press

Family fun for whenever

Fest fun

• The 31st annual Children & Arts Festival in downtown Peterborough will take place Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the theme “Let Your Garden Grow!,” according to childrenandthearts.org. The day begins with a pancake breakfast from 7 to 9:30 a.m. and will include a 10:15 a.m. performance by the Flying Gravity Circus at 10:15 a.m., a parade at noon, puppet performances, live music and other performances, demonstrations and hands-on activities, a food court and more, according to the website, where you can see a map of the event.

Storytime

• Wonderland Books & Toys, Maple Valley Plaza, 245 Maple St. in Manchester, holds a drop-in storytime every Saturday at 3 p.m., according to wonderlandbooksandtoys.com.

• Author Katie Zito-Skinner will read from and discuss her book Ada and the Moon at Balin Books, Somerset Plaza, 375 Amherst St. in Nashua, on Sunday, May 17, at 2 p.m. The book is illustrated by her brother, artist Anthony Zito, whose work you can see at zitogallery.com.

Animal storytime

• Bookery, 844 Elm St. in Manchester, will hold a storytime and craft with Emily Stekl, author of the book Happy Hedgehog, on Saturday, May 16, at 11:30 a.m., according to bookerymht.com, where you can RSVP to the event.

• The titular caterpillar ofThe Very Hungry Caterpillar will be at the Books Alive event this Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday, May 17, at 10 a.m. at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, 6 Washington St. in Dover, according to childrens-museum.org, where you can purchase admission for the morning (9 a.m. to noon) or afternoon (1 to 4 p.m.) sessions. The costumed character will pose for photos and kids can take part in the storytime and craft, the website said.

• The lights are only slightly dimmed for the Little Lunch Date screening of The Sheep Detectives (PG, 2026) on Tuesday, May 19, at 11:30 a.m. at Chunky’s in Manchester, according to chunkys.com, where you can purchase admission tickets for $5 each.

New (to you) storytime

• The Friends of the Brookline Public Library Book Sale will take place Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature children’s and young adult books as well as nonfiction, fiction and antiquarian books, according to an email from the Friends. The sale will also feature DVDs, audiobooks, CDs and puzzles and, from 2 to 4 p.m., grab a bag of books for $5, the email said. The library is located at 16 Main St. in Brookline; see brooklinelibrarynh.org.

On stage

• Finding Nemo Kids will be presented by the Majestic Academy at the Majestic Theatre, 880 Page St. in Manchester, on Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 16, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 17, at 2 p.m. “Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS is a 30-minute musical adaptation of the beloved 2003 Pixar movie Finding Nemo, with new music by award-winning songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez,” according to majestictheatre.net, where you can purchase tickets. “Following the show we will invite the audience to join Robert Dionne as he leads an interactive and fun sing-along of some great kid’s tunes!” the website said.

• Disney Alice In Wonderland Jr. will bepresented by the Bedford Youth Performing Company on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, at 1 p.m. at the Derryfield School in Manchester. See bypc.org for tickets.

• All Shook Up presented by the Peacock Players and featuring performers ages 14 through 18 in Nashua wraps up a two-weekend performance with a school show Thursday, May 14, at 10 a.m. and then Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, at 2 p.m. at 14 Court St. in Nashua, according to peacockplayers.org, where you can purchase tickets.

Family fun for whenever

Storytime

• Wonderland Books and Toys, 245 Maple St., No. 12, in Manchester, will hold its Stuffy Sleepover Storytime on Friday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. Register via a link on the store’s Facebook page for this free event where kids can attend a storytime with their stuffy on Friday evening and then leave their stuffy for a sleepover at the store, to be picked up Saturday, according to a Facebook post. See wonderlandbooksandtoys.com.

On stage

• The Manchester Community Theatre Players wrap up a production of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown with shows on Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 10, at 2 p.m. at the MCTP Theatre, the North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St. in Manchester. See manchestercommunitytheatre.com for tickets.

• 101 Dalmatian Kids will be presented by Ovation Theatre Company with performers ages 7 to 14 on Friday, May 8, through Sunday, May 10, at Ovation Studios, 61 Harvey Road in Londonderry, according to ovationtc.com, where you can purchase tickets.

• The SpongeBob Musical will be presented at the Amato Center, 56 Mont Vernon St. in Milford, on Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m., and on Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10, at 2:30 p.m. See amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company.

• And the older kids can catch Majestic Academy Teens’ production of Legally Blonde, The Musical, at the Derry Opera House, 29 West Broadway in Derry, on Friday, May 8, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 9, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 10, at 2 p.m. See majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469 for tickets, which will also be on sale at the door, the release said.

• The Palace Youth Theatre, with performers in grades 2 through 12, will present Romeo & Juliet Wednesday, May 13, and Thursday, May 14, at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in Manchester, according to palacetheatre.org, where you can purchase tickets.

Music!

• Concord Community Music School, 23 Wall St. in Concord, will hold Kids Music Day on Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring Mr. Aaron, Miss Heather and Miss Julieann with concerts, demonstrations, an instrument petting zoo and more, according to ccmusicschool.org. For kids who want to see even more musical goings-on, the student piano recital starts at 1 p.m.

• For the sci-fi fans old enough to appreciate a live quintet performance, the Principal Winds Quartet of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will present “Space Heroes” in the planetarium at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord on Saturday, May 9, at 3:30 (listed as “sold out” on May 4) and 6:30 p.m. Musical selections from TV and film will be paired with “stunning visuals,” according to starhop.com/discover/spaceheroes, where you can purchase tickets.

Game time!

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats kick off a six-game stand versus the Reading Fightin’ Phils on Tuesday, May 12, with a 6:03 p.m. game time. Tuesday will be “Tenders Tuesday,” when the team will play as the Manchester Chicken Tenders (the game is one of the Reading Challenge Days, for kids who earned those tickets), according to milb.com/new-hampshire. The Wednesday, May 13, game is at 11:05 a.m.