Category: Family Fun

Family fun for the weekend

It’s showtime at the Palace!

• Join the Lost Boys in Neverland for the Palace Theatre’s (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) next Children’s Summer Series play, Peter Pan. Watch the magical journey of Wendy, John and Michael Darling and their guide, Peter Pan, as they fight pirates, rescue Native American princess Tiger Lily, and cause mischief with the Lost Boys in Neverland. The show runs through Friday, July 29. Show times are Tuesday through Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10 each.

• It’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! The Palace Youth Theatre Summer Camp in Manchester (palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) will present Mary Poppins Junioron Friday, July 29, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 30, at 11 a.m. The show follows the two young Banks children, Jane and Michael, and their practically perfect nanny, Mary Poppins. The show is performed by campers entering grades 2 to 12. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for kids.

• Don’t forget your shoes for the classic fairy tale Cinderella, which is following Peter Pan in the Palace Theatre’s Children Summer Series (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588). The show will run Tuesday, Aug. 2, through Friday, Aug. 5. Show times are Tuesday through Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10 each.

More kid-friendly theater

• The Peterborough Players continue their presentation of The Emperor’s New Clothes at their new outdoor space, the Elsewhere Stage, on the grounds of the Players (55 Hadley St. in Peterborough; peterboroughplayers.org) on Friday, July 29; Saturday, July 30; Saturday, Aug. 6; Wednesday, Aug. 10; Friday, Aug. 12, and Saturday, Aug. 13, with all shows starting at 10:30 a.m. The show is performed by the Players Second Company, which features young professionals and is geared toward a younger audience. Tickets are $15 each for adults, $10 each for children, available online or at the door.

• The North Country Center will present Return to Oz for the Art’s IMPACT Program, a touring children’s theater troupe, Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets are free but must be reserved online.

Movie date

• Get ready for some super-pet fun at Chunky’s three locations (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, and 150 Bridge St., Pelham) for a sensory-friendly showing of Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022, PG) on Thursday, July 28, at noon. Paws of Fury follows Hank, a down on his luck hound in a land filled with cats, who goes on an epic journey to become a fierce samurai to defeat the evil that threatens his new home. The theaters will keep the volumes low and the house lights turned up for this showing, according to the website. Tickets are $5.99 each and can be purchased at chunkys.com.

• Super pets will take over the screen at O’neil Cinema (24 Calef Hwy., Epping) for a sensory-friendly showing of DC League of Super-Pets (2022, PG) on Saturday, July 30, at 10 a.m. The movie follows Superman’s dog, Krypto, and a group of other animal heroes as they work to save the Justice League after the group has been kidnapped. O’neil Cinema will have the volume be softer and the lights on for this showing. More information can be found at oneilcinemas.com.

Playing in the park

• Princesses and knights in shining armor will turn Greeley Park (100 Concord St., Nashua) into a real-life picture book. The Nashua Summer Fun program is bringing back the annual Fairy Tale Festival on Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will feature fairy tale characters, a costume parade around the park at 12:45 p.m., a bounce house, vendors and more. Visit nashuanh.gov.

• Keach Park (9 Newton Ave. in Concord) is being taken over by the Friends Program for a Friend-a-Palooza on Saturday, July 30, from 2 to 5 p.m. There will be family-friendly activities ranging from face paint and giant bubbles to Zumba classes and a read-athon. The event is free and will include special outreach to at-risk youth in the local area. Visit friendsprogram.org.

National Night Out

• Meet some of your local first responders during National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 2. Across New Hampshire, police and fire departments are giving families a chance to get up close and personal with the police officers and firefighters who protect local towns. Twenty towns in the Granite State participate in this event. Visit natw.org to learn which towns in New Hampshire are participating.

Concord’s night out will be at Rollins Park (33 Bow St.) from 5 to 8 p.m. and will have touch a truck, arts and crafts, music, a rock climbing wall, and more.

Goffstown’s night out will be more of a block party with food and entertainment. It will run from 5 to 8 p.m. at 27 Wallace Road.

Manchester’s night out will be at the JFK Coliseum parking lot (303 Beech St.), will begin at 5 p.m., and will have a K-9 display, as well as many of the first responder vehicles.

The night out in Nashua will be at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua (1 Positive Place) from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and will have food, games and demonstrations.

New look at nature

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) will reopen its Cochecosystem Nature exhibit, which has been reimagined and celebrates the wildlife along the Cocheco River, on Wednesday, Aug. 3, according to a press release. “Visitors will be immersed in the sights, sounds and activities of the animals and people who make their lives along New Hampshire’s rivers,” the release said. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the exhibit space overlook the actual river, the release said. On Aug. 3, kids will also be able to make their own beaver paw track at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Reserve a time spot for admission online in advance; admission costs $12.50 for everyone over 12 months old, $10.50 for 65+. The museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays with times from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon.

— Katelyn Sahagian

Family fun for the weekend

Movie Madness

• Take the teens and the Marvel-loving tweens to Merrimack’s 2022 Summer Movies in the Park which is featuring Spider-Man: No Way Home (PG-13) on Saturday, July 23, beginning at 8:15 p.m. at Wasserman Park (116 Naticook Road). The movie is free to residents and nonresidents. For more information and future movie listings, visit merrimackparksandrec.org/movies-in-the-park.

• All three of Chunky’s Cinema Pub’s locations (707 Huse Road in Manchester, 151 Coliseum Ave. in Nashua, 150 Bridge St. in Pelham; chunkys.com) are bringing back Little Lunch Date on Wednesday, July 27, at 11:30 a.m. The theater will be dimmed, not dark, and it will be a low-stress environment for kids, according to the website. The movie will be How to Train Your Dragon (PG), which follows Hiccup, the son of the chief of his Viking village, as he befriends a rare type of dragon, the night fury named Toothless. The movie is free, but reserve your seats by purchasing $5 food vouchers in advance. The doors open an hour before the start of the movie. For more information, visit chunkys.com.

• The featured movie for Manchester’s Summer Series Movies in the Parkat Veterans Park (723 Elm St.) at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27, is Encanto (PG). Encanto follows the life of the Madrigals, a magical family that lives in a small village in Colombia. When the family’s magic starts to disappear, it’s up to Mirabel, the only Madrigal born without magic, to save the day. And, of course, nobody talks about Bruno. The movie will also screen at 3 p.m. that day at the Manchester City Library (405 Pine St. in Manchester; manchester.lib.nh.us). Find more information about the outdoor series at manchesternh.gov/Government/City-Calendars/Upcoming-Events-in-Manchester.

Museum Fun

• The New Hampshire Children’s Museum (9 Washington St., Dover) is hosting author and tap dancer Aaron Tolson on Saturday, July 30, at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tolson will read his new children’s picture book, Tiny Tap Shoes, about Steve, a tiny fairy who loves to tap dance. After the reading Tolson will lead kids in a mini tap demonstration. The event is included in registration for the museum. Register online in advance for morning or afternoon playtime and learn more about this event at childrens-museum.org.

Out in Nature

• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (Route 113, Holderness) is holding a Family Picnic Fundraiser on Saturday, July 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. Families will get to learn all about different insects, and there will also be live animal programs, live music from Green Heron, food, drink, games and even a chance to taste some insects. Ticket prices are $75 for ages 21 and older; $20 for ages 12 to 20; $10 for ages 6 to 11; free for ages 5 and under. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit nhnature.org/picnic.

• Laconia Public Library (695 N. Main St.) is hosting Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in the garden for the Wednesday Special on Wednesday, July 27, at 1 p.m. The focus of the event will be the wildlife that depends on the water in New Hampshire. This event is for children up to age 12 and advance registration is not required.

— Katelyn Sahagian

Family fun for the weekend

Pics in the park

• The movie being shown on Friday, July 15, for Greeley Park’s (100 Concord St., Nashua) pics in the park is Jurassic Park (PG-13). Explore the world that captivated audiences in 1993 and launched a series of sequels still going strong today. The movie follows paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) as they explore an island that has brought dinosaurs back to life. The movie will start at dusk and is free to attend. Visit nashuanh.gov/546/SummerFun for more information.

Truck time

• The Hollis Social Library is hosting its annual Touch-A-Truck with the local fire, police and public works departments on Tuesday, July 19, at 3 p.m. at the Lawrence Barn Community Center (28 Depot Road, Hollis). There will be a local popcorn vendor, as well as trucks that drive around Hollis to keep the town safe and running. Registration is recommended for the event so that if there is inclement weather, the library can contact attendees. Visit hollislibrary.libcal.com for more information or to register.

Mini camps

• The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane, Exeter) is holding three “Reflective Patriot” mini camp sessions on Thursdays, July 14, July 21 and July 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kids ages 6 to 10 will be immersed in 18th-century life, learning how the people who built America lived. Each day of the camp will follow one of the following themes: freedom, compromise, and we the people. Kids will get to look into historical figures, dress up in revolutionary-period clothing, try some colonial crafts, and make their own printing presses. Price for members is $45 per one day, $120 for all three. Price for non-members is $55 per day, $150 for all three. For more information and to register for the camp, visit independencemuseum.org.

• Science never was so fun at The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; 742-2002, childrens-museum.org) as with their Science Fun mini camp from Tuesday, July 19, to Thursday, July 21. Kids ages 4 and 5 will take part in messy experiments, fun crafts, art projects and more. The half-day program starts with playtime in the museum and includes indoor and outdoor (weather permitting) activities. Cost is $110 for Museum members, $125 for non-members. Online registration and pre-payment are required. Register online at childrens-museum.org.

Museum fun

• The SEE Science Center’s (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) Tuesday Storytime Science program is geared toward a broader age group in the summer, according to the website. The storytimes, which include a craft and feature a STEM topic, are geared toward families with children ages 2 to 8, the website said. Storytimes take place Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.; pre-registration for the storytimes (which cost $3 in addition to the general admission) are recommended, the website said. Go online to register for the storytime and for an admission timeslot (general admission costs $10 per person, free for kids under 3).

• Learn about how bubbles are made at the Science of Bubbles with Sages Entertainment hosted at The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; 742-2002, childrens-museum.org) on Sunday, July 17, at 11 a.m. Young learners will watch Sages Entertainment, a husband-and-wife performance team, known for their bubble performance that incorporates elements of STEAM and magic. The performance will teach kids all about the science behind bubbles. Cost for the show is included in tickets for entrance to the museum; preregistration is required. Tickets for the museum are $12.50 for adults and children; children younger than 1 are free. For more information and to register for a visit, go to childrens-museum.org.

• The last chance to build your own boat this summer at the New Hampshire Boat Museum (399 Center St., Wolfeboro) is on Sunday, July 17. The program helps families learn how to use regular and power tools to build a real boat that can be taken out onto the lake. Families will get to choose to build a two-person canoe, a one-person kayak, a paddleboard, Bevin’s Skiff, or the Optimist sailboat dinghy. Another session is coming for teens and adults ages 12 and older in August. Scholarships are available for those who meet the requirements. Each boat has a different cost attached, ranging from $895 to $1,630. Registration costs $55 for members and $75 for non-members. For more information or to register, visit nhbm.org/boat-building.

–Katelyn Sahagian

Family fun for the weekend

Farm fun

• Get some family fun, farm-style, at J & F Farms (124 Chester Road in Derry; jandffarmsnh.com) on Friday, July 8, at their Friday Family Fun event from 4 to 7 p.m., with a petting farm, food truck, live music and $5 per person hayrides, according to the farm’s Facebook post. A Sunday Funday event will feature many of the same attractions from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a post said, and of course at both events you can load up on farm goodies from the farm stand.

Brand-new play center

• The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane in Exeter; independencemuseum.org) has a new interactive space, the Foy Family Children’s Library. The library has a reading nookfilled with books about American history, a dress-up area where kids can wear 18th-century-style clothing, a play kitchen area and historic games. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the museum costs $8 for adults; $6 for seniors, students, educators and first responders; $4 for children 6 to 18 years old; and free for children under 6.

Movie time

• O’neil Cinemas’ Summer Kids Series continues on Monday, July 11 with a 10 a.m. showing of Hotel Transylvania: Transformia(PG, 2022). The movie will also screen on Wednesday, July 13, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $2 for attendees age 11 and lower, $3 for ages 12 and older, and the cinema is offering a $6 popcorn-and-drink combo pack. See oneilcinemas.com/epping-nh/events.

And for the older crowd that might need a more relaxed movie-going environment, the theater’s weekly Sensory Friendly Flix film on Saturday, July 9, is Thor: Love and Thunder(PG-13, 2022) at 10 a.m., when house lights will be higher and noises will be a little less loud, the website said.

• After a fun-filled day in the sun, relax with Movie Night Mondays on Hampton Beach (next to the playground) on Monday, July 11, starting at dusk. The movie lineup will run through Aug. 29. Bring a chair or a blanket to set up for the free show. The first in the family-friendly movie series is Paw Patrol (G, 2021). For more information and for a full lineup of all the summer shows and approximate dusk times, visit hamptonbeach.org. Rain dates are Tuesdays.

• And while you’re not watching a movie you do get to enjoy some movie theater candy at Theater Candy Bingo, which will be held at Chunky’s in Manchester (707 Huse Road) on Wednesday, July 13, at 6:30 p.. and in Nashua (151 Coliseium Ave.) on Thursday, July 14, at 6:30 p.m. The event, described as family friendly and offering chances to win movie theater candy and other prizes, costs $10 per person to reserve a seat ($5 for a food voucher plus the candy). See chunkys.com.

Story time!

• Petals in the Pines (126 Baptist Road, Canterbury) is bringing Peter Rabbit to life with an in-garden reading of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” on Saturday, July 9, and Sunday, July 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. and on Monday, July 11, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Children will get to participate in activities like seed starting and gardening, play in the award-winning outdoor classroom, and pose for a character photo. The event requires registration and tickets are $12 for adult and one child, $6 for each additional child, and infants are free. Reservations can be made at petalsinthepines.com/kids-workshops.

• New Hampshire Boat Museum (399 Center St., Wolfeboro) is hosting an outdoor story hour for kids ages 2 to 6 on Friday, July 8, at 10 a.m. The Wolfeboro Public Library children’s librarian, Jeanne Snowdon, will read stories and lead kids in a craft. This event is free for one child with an accompanying adult. For more information, visit nhbm.org.

Play ball!

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats run of games against the Hartford Yard Goats continues with games daily through Sunday, July 10 at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in Downtown Manchester. Games Thursday, July 7; Friday, July 8, and Saturday, July 9, start at 7:05 p.m. and Thursday and Saturday games feature post-game fireworks. Friday is North Woods Law night with a jersey giveway, according to the website. Sunday’s game starts at 1:35 p.m. See nhfishercats.com.

• The Nashua Silver Knights have home games Thursday, July 7, and Friday, July 8, at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St. in Nashua). Both games start at 6 p.m. and are against the Vermont Lake Monsters. Friday’s game features post game fireworks. See nashuasilverknights.com.

— Katelyn Sahagian

Family fun for the weekend

Shows galore

• O’neil Cinemas’ Summer Kids Series starts on Monday, July 4, with a 10 a.m. showing of Trolls: World Tour (PG, 2020). The movie will also screen on Wednesday, July 6, at 10 a.m. The series continues through the week of Aug. 8, with a new family-friendly film screening Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $2 for attendees age 11 and lower, $3 for ages 12 and older, and the cinema is offering a $6 popcorn-and-drink combo pack. For movie times, visit oneilcinemas.com/epping-nh/events.

• The Belknap Mill (25 Beacon St. E. in Laconia) continues its kicking off its Kids in the Park Summer Series on Monday, July 4, with live production ofSleeping Beauty by professional acting troupe Impact, will have an hour long runtime, and will begin at 10 a.m. A prince must work with a good fairy to wake up the princess and save her kingdom from the sleepy spell it was put under, according to the website. Attendance is free. The line-up of events includes storytimes, live dance, nature events and more. See belknapmill.org/mill-events.

• The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) begins its Children’s Summer Series with magician BJ Hickman, Tuesday, July 5, to Friday, July 8. Hickman, a Manchester native, is a member of the Academy of Magical Arts, Hollywood Magical Castle, and the International Brotherhood of Magicians, according to the website. His one-man shows are filled with comedy, audience interactions and mystifying illusions, the website said. Showtimes are at 10 a.m. on all days and 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday. Tickets cost $10.

Fairs for the crafty

• Artisans from across New England will be selling their homemade goods at the Hampton Falls Liberty Craft Festival, in the Hampton Falls town common (4 Lincoln Ave.) this weekend. There will be more than 75 juried artisans selling everything from custom smartphone cases and handmade beef jerky to decorative throw pillows and paintings. The festival will run Saturday, July 2, deom 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, July 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See castleberryfairs.com.

• Celebrate Independence Day with American-made and handmade products at the Gunstock 4th of July Weekend Craft Fair on Saturday, July 2, and Sunday, July 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Gunstock Mountain Resort (719 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford). More than 90 artisans will be selling carefully crafted goods, including cedar wood furniture, wildlife photography, gourmet oils and vinegars, New Hampshire maple syrups, and much more. The event is rain or shine and free to attend. Leashed dogs are welcome. Visit joycescraftshows.com.

Children’s Museum fun

The Children’s Museum (6 Washington St., Dover) has a whole host of activities for families to do in July. Every Tuesday and Saturday at 11 a.m., the Learning Garden will have Edible Education to help teach children about healthy food options and what is healthy for the environment. Wacky Art Wednesdays will run at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every Wednesday of July. Kids will get to create a unique art project that fits the museum’s weekly theme. Every Thursday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. is World Culture Thursday. Kids will do a craft, play a game, or make some art that celebrates a different culture from around the world. Science Fridays will have curious kids conducting experiments that launch into larger lessons about different topics in science. All of the programs above are drop-in and are included when families sign up for playtime at the museum. For more information visit childrens-museum.org.

Pick your own

• Have big berry fun over the long weekend at area pick-your-own strawberry farms. In last week’s (June 23) issue of the Hippo, Matt Ingersoll and Jack Walsh took at look at this year’s strawberry harvest, including a list of farms where you can pick your own or just buy berries and get right to the shortcake eating part of your day. Go to hippopress.com and look for the e-edition version of last week’s issue; the story is on page 22.

• Pumpkin Blossom Farm’s annual U-Pick Lavender is slated to start Wednesday, July 6 and will run through Sunday, July 24, at the farm at 393 Pumpkin Hill Road in Warner. Participants will receive sanitized picking supplies and will get instructions on how to bundle their freshly cut flowers. Picking is daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bundles will be discounted on Monday through Thursday, costing $10; Friday, Saturday and Sunday the bundles will cost $12. Visit pumpkinblossomfarm.com or call 456-2443.