Kiddie Pool 22/09/15

Family fun for the weekend

Fairs and festivals

• The Humane Society for Greater Nashua is holding its annual fundraiser the Wags to Whiskers Festival on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack). The festival is billed as “New England’s largest pet dog event” and will have demonstrations by the Granite State Disc Dogs and the Merrimack Police Department K-9 Drei. There will also be dog-friendly vendors, giveaways, carnival games and prizes, adoptable dogs and puppies, and food trucks. Tickets to the festival are $12 per person, free for kids and teens ages 17 and under. For more information visit hsfn.org/wags-whiskers-festival.

• Get ready for a fun-filled day at the Granite State Fair (formerly the Rochester Fair), which opens on Thursday, Sept. 15, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 18, as well as the following week on Thursday, Sept. 22, through Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Rochester Fairgrounds (72 Lafayette Road). The fair will have midway rides, a full schedule of live music, local vendors and exhibitors, a cornhole tournament, circus performances and a delicious variety of fair food. Advance tickets are $10 per person and are available through Sept. 14. Tickets at the door are $12 per person and free for kids ages 8 and under. Visit granitestatefair.com.

• Festivities will take over the town at the Hollis Old Home Days on Friday, Sept. 16, and Saturday, Sept. 17, at Nichols Field and the adjacent Lawrence Barn (Depot Road, Hollis). There will be a town parade, midway rides, hot air balloon rides, a local artisan market, live entertainment, and a fireworks celebration on Saturday evening. The event is free. For more information visit hollisoldhomedays.org.

Derryfest returns to MacGregor Park (East Broadway, Derry) on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event will have live entertainment all day, ranging from games and live animal demonstrations to local crafters and vendor booths. For more information, visit derryfest.org.

• Celebrate Pelham with Pelham’s Old Home Day on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 3 Main St. A variety of activities, including a pancake breakfast, craft vendors, food trucks, a town parade, live performances, a penny sale and a cornhole tournament will be the highlights of the day. For more information visit pelhamoldhomeday.org.

• The annual Fall Equinox Festival, held by TEAM Exeter, is back for the eighth year on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Swasey Parkway. The fest will feature live music, artisan vendors, local food, children’s activities, dance performances and cultural exhibits. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person or $20 per family. For more information visit teamexeter.com.

• Celebrate the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. Dover) coming back from their week of annual maintenance with the Toddler Fest starting on Friday, Sept. 16, and running through Sunday, Oct. 2. Each day will have different themes and activities, ranging from the bubble dance party to clay nature play. Toddler Fest is included in the price for regular tickets to the museum, $12.50 per child and adult. For more information and a full schedule, visit childrens-museum.org.

Movie Night

• Go on an adventure with Shrek (PG, 2001) on Friday, Sept. 16, at dusk in Greeley Park (100 Concord St. in Nashua). This is part of Nashua’s “Pics in the Park” screenings. The movie follows ogre Shrek as he rescues the princess Fiona with the help of his friend, the donkey named Donkey. This movie is free to attend.

All about animals

• Learn all the different ways to find animals with naturalist and author Susie Spikol as she talks about her new book How to Prowl for an Owl, Make Snail Slime, and Catch a Frog Bare-Handed and 50 Other Activities to Get Wild with Animals on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. at The Toadstool Bookshop (12 Depot Square, Peterborough). Spikol will teach kids how to treat their backyard and neighborhood like their own nature preserve through her new book. The event is free to attend; the book costs $18 and can be purchased at toadbooks.com.

Touch a truck

• The Nashua Parks & Recreation Department is bringing back Wheels & Wings at the Nashua Airport at Boire Field (93 Perimeter Road) on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than just trucks will be at this free touch-a-truck event. There will be various fire trucks, police vehicles, planes, helicopters and electric cars on display for kids to learn about and explore. While admission is free, the local nonprofit 68 Hours of Hunger will be in attendance to collect nonperishable food donations. See “Wheels & Wings 2022” on Facebook for more details.

Treasure Hunt 22/09/15

Dear Donna,

My mom passed along a newspaper article from the Hippo with your contact information. She is looking to see if the Hummel collection is worth anything and how to sell them if they are worth something. She doesn’t have social media so that is off the table.

Thank you,

Karen

Dear Karen,

M.J Hummel figurines have quite a history and are still being made today.

The first thing you want to do is verify that all of them are true Hummels. They all should have the name imprinted into the porcelain. Then each will have a stamp of a V with a bee on the bottom. This will help give you the age with the help of a book or your help online. This is a process, but each one carries a different value, and beware — many reproductions were made.

The only reason for doing research is to determine if she has any rare ones. Common mass-produced ones are worth today around $10 to $20 each, even if you see they are in a price guide for much more. This is due to the fact that so many were made. People collected them thinking they would be an investment. Too many made it through time so now only the rare hold value. People do still collect them because they are sweet and still done well.

One last tip, Karen: Any of them that have any damage have no value. I guess for selling them I might try a more retail environment, like a consignment store at the holiday time.

I hope this was helpful and thanks for sharing with us.

Treasure Hunt 22/09/08

Dear Donna,

I just got this sweet lot of old seed sleeves. I thought I might be able to do something creative with them.

I paid $10 for the bunch . Can you tell me if I got a good deal?

Thanks ahead, Donna.

Laura

Dear Laura,

I think you did find a little treasure!

All old garden pieces have a collectible and decorative value today. Seed packets are usually in the range of $2 to $15 each . This depends on the age (the older, the better), graphics producer, rarity and, as always, condition. So if you have more than a dozen, Laura, you got a good deal.

As far as decorating with them I say yes. No matter what you decide to do with them, they will bring color and conversation into your home!

Thanks for sharing your treasure with us.

Kiddie Pool 22/09/08

Family fun for the weekend

Free Saturday

• Take a free trip to the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) this Saturday, Sept. 10, when, as with the second Saturday of every month, New Hampshire residents get free admission to the museum. (Normally, admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17; children 12 and under get in for free.)

• Enjoy a free movie under the stars in Concord. The movie Encanto (PG, 2021), the Disney animated musical famous for not wanting to talk about Bruno (no no no), will screen Saturday, Sept. 10, at Keach Park, 20 Canterbury Road in Concord, as part of a joint effort between Red River Theatres and the Concord Multicultural Festival. The screening starts at sunset (about 7 p.m.); bring a blanket and some snacks.

Benson Park Family Fun Day, which will be held at the Benson Park Ampitheatre (Benson Park is on Kimball Hill Road in Hudson), will run Saturday, Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free community event will feature games, a raffle, a coloring booth and performances such as a concert from “Let’s Play Music” (featuring local youth talent) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a Wildlife Encounters live animal education program from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and magic with Jim Leach from 2:45 to 3:15 p.m. See friendsofbensonpark.org for more about the event (the website recommends bringing a picnic and lawn chairs) and about the park, where the Friends of Benson Park are currently operating the seasonal store Friday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Rockin’ kids

• The student performers of the Palace Youth Theatre will present Rock of Ages: Youth Editionat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Friday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for children and are available for purchase online.

Time with nature

• Kids can learn more about the butterflies on the move at “Buds & Blooms: The Magic of Monarch Migration” on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org, 668-2045). The session, which requires parental supervision and is suited for children ages 4 to 12, will explain the monarch butterfly’s journey south from New Hampshire to northern Mexico, according to the website. The event is free but pre-registration is required to reserve a spot.

Treasure Hunt 22/09/01

Dear Donna,

Can you give me any information on the necklace/pin? It’s marked Jerusalem 900 on the back.

Thanks.

Betty

Dear Betty,

Your cross pendant brooch is called a Five Fold Cross. It was made in Jerusalem to represent five crosses, the main one in the center and one smaller one on each corner.

This design made up the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. They’ve been made since the 1280s. The 900 mark means it is almost all sterling. The stone in the center is purple glass that looks like amethyst but is not a real gemstone. Still the presentation of the piece looks substantial and beautiful.

Your piece, Betty, is in the $125 range and a nice piece of religious memorabilia. Thanks for sharing with us. I hope this was helpful.

Donna

Note: When you own an older piece of jewelry it’s better to leave it in the original condition that you found it in rather than polish it. The piece through age earned that finish!

Kiddie Pool 22/09/01

Family fun for the weekend

Movie night

• The final Movies in the Park from Merrimack’s Parks & Recreation takes place Saturday, Sept. 3, at dusk (about 7:30 p.m.) in Wasserman Park. The screening of Sing 2 (PG, 2021) is free for Merrimack residents and nonresidents, according to merrimackparksandrec.org.

Weekend at the museum

• At the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002), Sunday, Sept. 4, is the last day the museum will be open before its annual maintenance period, according to the website. Until then, head to the museum for play windows of either 9 a.m. to noon (through Sept. 4) or 1 to 4 p.m. (through Saturday, Sept. 3). Buy admission for a specific time period in advance for $12.50 for adults and everyone over 12 months old and $10.50 for seniors age 65+. The museum will reopen on Friday, Sept. 16, with Toddlerfest, its annual week of activities and events geared toward the littles. See the schedule of events, including the Saturday, Sept. 17, performance by musician Steve Blunt, on the museum’s website.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) has been open daily during the summer and is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Sunday, Sept. 4. Reserve admission for an arrival time (between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.); admission costs $12 for adults, $11 for students and seniors and $9 for kids ages 3 to 12; kids up to age 2 get in free. Planetarium shows, which take place hourly from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m., cost an additional $5 per person. After Labor Day, regular admission is available Friday through Sunday. And save the date for AerospaceFest on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This outdoor event is free and features hands-on science activities, live music from Mr. Aaron and more.

• The SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) is also open daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last admission at 3 p.m.) on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, through Monday, Sept. 5. The center will close for annual renovations Tuesday, Sept. 6, through Friday, Sept. 16. Admission costs $10 for ages 3 and up. The center’s website recommends reserving a spot.

• Another museum open this weekend is the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820), whose hours are Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for age 13 and over, and $5 for 65+, veterans and active military and kids ages 6 to 12. Kids ages 5 and under get in free and there is a family maximum of $30, according to the website.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will be open Monday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — though normally closed Mondays, the museum is open on some holiday Mondays. Admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17; children under 13 get in for free. Or stroll the galleries for free on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of Art After Work (the weekly series offering free admission, live music and exhibit tours).

Treasure Hunt 22/08/25

Dear Donna,

After cleaning out my gram’s home recently, I have a pile of old silverware. Some is marked silver, silver plate and some has marks I’m not familiar with. Can you point me in a direction to figure out if there is any salvageable value here? Thanks for any advice.

Robert

Dear Robert,

I was smiling when I read how you referred to your grandmother as gram.

This is going to be more work for you and I will try to give you enough information to help. First the easy ones that will have a higher financial value will be marked Sterling or 925. The ones that have what are called touch marks have to have at least four to be of any value.

The rest would all be silver plated and have minimal if any value, depending on makers, patterns, condition and being mostly serving pieces. But don’t discard them; have them looked at even if there’s only minimal value on some.

So, Robert, I gave you a starting point but now that you have a separated pile of flatware, go to someone you can trust locally to give you a price for the sterling ones. Also see if they have any interest in the remaining pieces as well.

Some sterling will be worth more in weight and others for the makers and patterns as well. But you will make the final decision if you prefer to sell it as a lot or as individual pieces. If you think the price as a lot is fair to you, let the buyer do further work and figure each out.

It’s worth the effort, Robert, and I hope this turns out to be a treasure for you from your gram.

Donna

Note: I would go to a local antique store first. Then to a silver buyer and compare prices to make my decision!

Kiddie Pool 22/08/25

Family fun for the weekend

To the Moon

• The Manchester library is hosting an out-of-this-world talk via Zoom called Apollo to Artemis: NASA’s Most Recent & Next Missions to the Moon on Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 11 a.m. The talk will focus on the 50th anniversary of Apollo 17, NASA’s last manned mission to the moon, and the upcoming return mission to the moon, Artemis. The talk will be led by former high school teacher and NASA Solar System Ambassador Len Rabinowitz. Contact librarian Caitlin Dionne at 624-6550, ext. 7620, or by email at cdionne@manchesternh.gov for more details. Register online at manchester.lib.nh.us.

Outdoors, trucks and owls!

• Have a blast at the Field of Dreams Family Fun Day at Field of Dreams Inc. (48 Geremonty Drive Salem) on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be everything from obstacle courses and inflatable games to a petting farm, live music and local vendors. Tickets are $5 per person, children age 2 and younger are free. Visit fieldofdreamsnh.org.

• Learn all about farm equipment at the Touch-a-Tractor hosted by J&F Farms (124 Chester Road, Derry) on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Derry fire and police departments will have trucks and cop cars out in addition to the farm equipment. There will be live music from noon to 3 p.m., hayrides, food trucks, a petting farm, and more. Visit jandffarmsnh.com.

• This is the last week for All Things Owl at the New Hampshire Audubon. The photography exhibit at The McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) will close on Wednesday, Aug. 31. The exhibit features the work of Howard S. Muscott, a wildlife photographer who has been shooting for more than 45 years. The photographs feature owls from the North, include several species indigenous to New England. The exhibit is open during the museum’s regular hours, Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhaudubon.org.

Showtime!

• The last showtimes of Frozen Jr. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; 668-5588) are Thursday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Friday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. Follow Queen Elsa as she is crowned and comes out of hiding for one day, only to have her secret magic exposed. Her younger sister, Princess Anna, must help save their kingdom from the icy spell Elsa casts and bring her older sister home. Tickets cost $10 and are available at palacetheatre.org.

Kiddie Pool 22/08/18

Family fun for the weekend

Family fun

• Get kids interested in Manchester’s mural-creating event Community Canvas, which runs through Sunday, Aug. 21, at the Block Party held by My Turn and Arts Builds Community on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the rear of 50 Bridge St. in downtown Manchester, according to a post on Arts Builds Community’s Facebook page. The event will feature face painting and activities for kids as well as an opportunity to meet the artists involved in making the murals, the post said. Find out more about the Community Canvas event in the story on page 15 of the Aug. 11 issue of the Hippo. Go to hippopress.com to see the e-edition.

• The Elliot is holding a Summer Fest on Sunday, Aug. 21, from 10 am. to 2 p.m. at The Hill Bar & Grille at McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Court in Manchester). The event, hosted by the Elliot Community Ambassador Circle, will feature field games, face painting, music and a buffet lunch (with hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue chicken, cookies, brownies and more), according to https://bit.ly/3QLZtAd, where you can purchase tickets for $15 per person or $50 for a family of four (children under 12 get in free).

Beach week

• The Hampton Beach Children’s Festival continues through Friday, Aug. 19, with daily events on the beach. On Thursday, Aug. 18, the lineup includes DrumatiX (a tap dance and percussion performance) at 10 a.m.; Showtime Steve (juggling) at 11 a.m.; Hampton Beach Casino daily raffle at noon; Wayne from Maine (musical sing-along) at 1 p.m., and paint with Alyssa Pine at 2 p.m. On Friday, the week finishes off with a children’s parade at 11 a.m. (meet at 10:15 a.m. wearing a costume to participate), a grand finale with every child receiving a prize at noon at the Seashell Stage and a musical performance by Mr. Aaron, and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus at 1 p.m. Find the full schedule at hamptonbeach.org.

• And if you are near Hampton Beach on Monday, Aug. 22, head to the beach across from the playground for an outdoor screening of Sing 2 (PG, 2021) at dusk (approximately 7:34 p.m., according to the website). The screening is the last of the scheduled Movie Night Mondays of the summer season (the next week’s film is Space Jam: A New Legacy). Admission is free and bring your own blanket or chairs.

Trip to the farm

• Sunfox Farm (127 Mount Delight Road in Deerfield; sunfoxfarm.org, 244-9888) continues its Sunflower Festival through Sunday, Aug. 21. The farm is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; entry costs $10 per person on weekends and $8 per person on weekdays (children under 10 get in for free). Take pictures among the flowers and pick your own flowers for $2 per stem, according to the website. The weekends feature vendors and live music; this weekend’s lineup is Brad Myrick (10 a.m.), Rebecca Turmel (12:30 p.m.) and Joel Begin (3 p.m.) on Saturday, Aug. 20, and April Cushman (10 a.m.), John McArthur (12:30 p.m.) and Sam Hammerman (3 p.m.) on Sunday, Aug. 21, according to the website.

• Shop for some farm-fresh eats at Friday Family Fun at J&F Farms (124 Chester Road in Derry; jandffarmsnh.com, 437-0535) on Friday, Aug. 19, from 4 to 7 p.m. The evening will feature music from a Beatles tribute band, a food truck, hayrides, a corn maze, ice cream and the opportunity to meet and pet the farm’s animals, according to a post on the farm’s Facebook page. For $5 you can purchase a cup of grain to feed the animals, according to the website. Admission to the corn maze, which opened earlier in August, costs $10 per person, according to the website.

• Take the kids to meet some farm animals and climb on some tractors at the New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy. in Milton; nhfarmmuseum.org) for Truck and Tractor Day on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tractors, trucks, wagons and antique cars will be on display and tractor rides will take you around the farm to visit the cows, sheep, goats, horses, rabbits and chickens. Meet the blacksmith working the forge, purchase eats for a farm picnic and listen to music from Lance Maclean and the Moose Mountain String Band, according to the website. Admission costs $10 for adults, $7.50 for 65+ and $5 for ages 4 to 17; admission is free for kids under 4 and for active military, the website said.

On stage

• The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) finishes up its 2022 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series with two more plays on the schedule.Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs runs through this week: Thursday, Aug. 18, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Friday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m. Disney’s Frozen Kidsends the season next week with shows Tuesday, Aug. 23, through Thursday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Friday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10 per person.

• The young performers of the Palace Youth Theatre summer camp will present Legally Blonde the Musical Jr. on Friday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 20, at 11 a.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for kids.

Treasure Hunt 22/08/18

Dear Donna,

Can you share some information on this child’s tin plate? Thanks for any help,

Ann in Salem

Dear Ann,

Your tin ABC child’s plate is in good condition for its age and a sweet piece of history.

Your plate was made in England as a child’s souvenir for the 1851 Great Exhibition.

It’s tough to find ABC plates in mint condition because they were played with. But even with some wear and minor denting yours would be in the $70 range. This is because aside from being a child’s plate it’s a souvenir commemorative plate.

I hope this was helpful, Ann. There are many different tin ABC plates and they would make for a fun collection! Thanks for sharing with us.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!