Category: Family Fun

Family fun for whenever

Everybody entertainment

• Catch the family-friendly magician Ben Pratt, whose show is described as “high energy and super fun,” at Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Pelham (150 Bridge St.; chunkys.com) on Thursday, Dec. 28, at 6:15 p.m.; at Chunky’s in Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave; chunkys.com) on Friday, Dec. 29, at 6:15 p.m. and at Chunky’s in Manchester (707 Huse Road; chunkys.com) on Saturday, Dec. 30, at 6:15 p.m. Admission costs $15.

• The Harlem Globetrotters 2024 will come to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com) with shows Thursday, Dec. 28, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $44 through $134, with pre-game VIP options.

• The Swiftie Party at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Nashua; palacetheatre.org) is billed as an all-ages dance party event with space still available for the party at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30. Admission costs $25 for adults and $20 for 12 and under.

More museums

Here are some museums with special offerings and hours through the holiday week.

• At the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820) see the exhibit “Flying Home for the Holidays,” on display through Jan. 14. The museum is open daily through Saturday, Dec. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as Sunday, Dec. 31, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for ages 13 and above, $5 for 65+, veterans/military and kids ages 6 to 12, and is free for ages 5 and under.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) has play sessions from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. daily through Saturday, Dec. 30. On Sunday, Dec. 31, a Family New Year’s Eve celebration takes place at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and will feature a “countdown to midnight” along with other activities. Buy admissions for a time slot online in advance; admission costs $12.50 for adults and children over 12 months, $10.50 for 65+.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will have December Days Thursday, Dec. 28, through Saturday, Dec. 30, with a lineup of family-friendly activities daily including a magic show on Friday, Dec. 29, at 2 p.m. (tickets cost $10 to $30, depending on age, and are available online); the museum will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (and until 8 p.m. on Dec. 28) during those days. The museum will also be open Sunday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for ages 65+, $15 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (children under 13 get in for free).

Family fun for whenever

Visit the museum

Entertain restless kids and visiting relatives at area museums.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820) is currently featuring the exhibit “Flying Home for the Holidays,” which will be on display through Jan. 14. The museum’s is open Friday, Dec. 22, and Saturday, Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be closed Sunday, Dec. 24, but open Wednesday, Dec. 27, through Saturday, Dec. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as Sunday, Dec. 31, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for ages 13 and above, $5 for 65+, veterans/military and kids ages 6 to 12, and is free for ages 5 and under.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) has play sessions from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, through Saturday, Dec. 23, and then, after Christmas, Tuesday, Dec. 26, through Saturday, Dec. 30. On Sunday, Dec. 31, a Family New Year’s Eve celebration takes place at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and will feature a “countdown to midnight” along with other activities. Buy admissions for a time slot online in advance; admission costs $12.50 for adults and children over 12 months, $10.50 for 65+.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will be open Thursday, Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with Art After Work (featuring free admission and live music from Green Heron) from 5 to 8 p.m. The museum will also be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, and Saturday, Dec. 23, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 24. From Thursday, Dec. 28, through Saturday, Dec. 30, the museum will feature a schedule of family-friendly activities as part of December Days, including a magic show on Friday, Dec. 29, at 2 p.m. (tickets cost $10 to $30, depending on age, and are available online); the museum will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (and until 8 p.m. on Dec. 28) during those days. The museum will also be open Sunday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for ages 65+, $15 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (children under 13 get in for free).

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Dr. in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, through Saturday, Dec. 23, and then closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The museum will be open daily from Tuesday, Dec. 26, through Sunday, Dec. 31, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $12 for adults, $9 for ages 3 to 12, $11 for 65+ and free for ages 2 and under, with planetarium shows an additional $6 per person ages 3 and up.

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Sunday, Dec. 24). Tickets cost $12 for ages 3 and up.

Family fun for whenever

It’s a party!

• Catch Mr. Aaron Holiday Party on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 11 a.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $13.75. Mr. Aaron (mraaronmusic.com) is described as “a multi-instrumentalist performer and composer making music and videos for kids and their grownups,” according to the venue’s website.

• The cast of the Palace Theatre’s A Christmas Carol will attend the storytime at Bookery Manchester (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Go online to reserve a spot for this free event.

• Enjoy a Grinch-centric storytime at Balin Books (375 Amherst St. in Nashua; balinbooks.com) on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. Both the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the new sequel How the Grinch Lost Christmas will be read and the event will feature hot cocoa, cookie decorating and crafts, according to the website.

Still a lot of Nutcracker

• Ballet Misha presents The Nutcrackeron Saturday, Dec. 16, at 1 and 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). Tickets cost $35 for adults and $30 for children under 18. Visit tickets.anselm.edu to purchase tickets online.

• Safe Haven Ballet performs The Nutcracker at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord) on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $45 for adults and $40 for students and seniors. Visit safehavenballet.org/events for more info.

• New England School of Dance presents The Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theater at Pinkerton Academy (5 Pinkerton St., Derry). Tickets cost $32.50. Visit facebook.com/newenglandschoolofdance.

• The New Hampshire School of Ballet presents The Nutcracker on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (14 Canterbury Road, Concord). Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at the studio (183 Londonderry Turnpike). There will be an additional performance on Sunday, Dec. 27, at 6 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased at the box office or online at palacetheatre.org.

Holiday on screen

• Elf (PG, 2003) will screen on Friday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at Flying Monkey in Plymouth (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com).

• The Polar Express (G, 2004) will screen Saturday, Dec. 16, at 10 a.m. at Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org)