Category: Family Fun

Family fun for whenever

Spring carnival

• The Manchester Spring Carnival runs Wednesday, April 30, through Sunday, May 4, opening at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 2 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, according to fiestashows.com/fs/manchester. The carnival takes place in the JFK Coliseum parking lot at 303 Beech St. in Manchester. The carnival features more than 15 rides, game concessions and food concessions, the website said. Admission costs $5 per person (free for ages 12 and under), with additional prices for wristbands or megapasses for games. See the website for hours, rules and ride passes.

Pup performers

• Catch the talented dog performers of Mutts Gone Nuts! at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College in Manchester on Saturday, May 3, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $45 at tickets.anselm.edu. Get a sense of the show, where dogs do flips, leaps and tricks and even appear to dance, at muttsgonenuts.com.

Library fun

• Check out the all-ages Escape Room at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua; nashualibrary.org) running Wednesday, April 30, and Thursday, May 1, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day, according to the website. “Your trip to the library to play board games goes awry when you become a pawn in the game. Can you find all the clues, discover the secrets, and escape the board game before the room needs to be cleaned by the librarians?” the website said. The game takes about 15 minutes, the website said.

• The Manchester City Library (405 Pine St. in Manchester; manchester.lib.nh.us) will hold a May the Fourth Eve Star Wars Party on Saturday, May 3, from 10 a.m. to noon, according to the website. This all-ages drop-in event will feature Star Wars-themed crafts and activities, lightsaber training and Star Wars trivia, according to the website.

• Meet a box turtle and learn about wildlife conservation from a field biologist at Zoo New England on Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St. in Nashua; nashualibrary.org). The event is for all ages, according to the library website.

Family fun for whenever

Vacation day at the museum

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; aviationmuseumofnh.org) is open two extra days for April school vacation. The museum will be open Monday, April 28, and Tuesday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in addition to the regular hours, which are Wednesdays through Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for ages 13 and up, $5 for ages 6 to 12 and for veterans, active military and 65+, and free for kids 5 and under.

• There’s an extra day to see SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org): Monday, April 28, for April school vacation in addition to its regular Tuesday-through-Sunday days of operation. SEE is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Admission costs $14 for ages 3 and up.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com) is also open daily Wednesday, April 16, through Sunday, May 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $13 for adults, $12 for 62+ and ages 13 through college, $10 for ages 3 to 12 and free for ages 2 and under. Planetarium shows are an additional $7 for ages 3 and up.

Game time

• The Fisher Cats will kick off a series of games at Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester against the Portland Sea Dogs on Tuesday, April 29, with a 6:35 p.m. game. Other games are Wednesday, April 30, at 5:05 p.m. (Waggin’ Wednesday, when leashed dogs can come to the park); Thursday, May 1, at 6:35 p.m. (with a koozie giveaway); Friday, May 2, at 6:35 p.m. (Grateful Dead Night), and Sunday, May 4, at 1:35 p.m. (Cats Con — “game will celebrate our favorite movies, comic books, heroes, villains … featuring characters from Double Midnight Comics!”), the website said. See milb.com/new-hampshire.

Bout time

• Check out the double-header season opener for NH Roller Derby on Saturday, April 26, at JFK Memorial Coliseum (303 Beech St. in Manchester). Doors open at 3:30 p.m. At 4 p.m. it’s the NH Roller Derby Cherry Bombs vs. Twin State Derby’s Bandits, and at 6 p.m. it’s an open gender mixed scrimmage (for A level experienced skaters ages 18+; sign up online), according to nhrollerderby.com. Tickets at the door cost $15 for adults, $5 for veterans and NH Roller Derby vets and kids 12 and under get in free, the website said.

Family fun

• Chunky’s (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com) has upcoming family game nights. On Saturday, April 26, at 6 p.m. it’s a family trivia night about Bluey. On Sunday, April 27, at 1 p.m., and Friday, May 2, at 6:45 p.m., it’s a family-friendly theater candy bingo night, with a $10 ticket reserving you a seat (which comes with a bingo card, a box of candy for the pot and a $5 food voucher), according to the website. Chunky’s will also hold a family paint night event featuring A Minecraft Movie image on Friday, April 25, at 6 p.m. Admission costs $25 per person, the website said.

• Vacation hours at Krazy Kids (60 Sheep Davis Road in Pembroke; krazykids.com) will be Monday, April 28, through Thursday, May 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and then from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 2, with Glow Night hours from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Cowabunga’s (725 Huse Road in Manchester; cowabungas.com) will be open daily through April school vacation week with visits by different costumed characters scheduled for each day, Monday, April 28, through Friday, May 2, according to the website. The characters are slated to appear at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. for photos and to play a game, according to the website, where you can find the expected lineup.

Episode III

O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square (24 Calef Highway in Epping; oneilcinemas.com) is among the area theaters screening Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith(PG-13) a movie celebrating its (brace yourself) 20th anniversary. The theater will have more than one screening daily Thursday, April 24, through Wednesday, April 30.

Outdoor time

Trails open for the season at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (23 Science Center in Holderness; nhnature.org) on Thursday, May 1, from 9:30 a.m to 5 p.m. (with the last trail admission at 3:30 p.m.). Walk the ¾-mile live animal exhibit trail, which traverses meadows, forests and marsh boardwalks and features animals including coyote, fisher, red fox, bob cat, black bear, mountain lion, river otters, white-tailed deer, owls, raptors and more, according to a center press release. Admission costs $28 for adults, $26 for 65+ and $22 for ages 3 to 15, and is free for ages 2 and under, the release said.

Family fun for whenever

Free wild fun

• Discover Wild New Hampshire Day brings the state’s outdoor adventures to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department (11 Hazen Drive in Concord) on Saturday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free event features more than 100 educational and experiential exhibits, live animals, archery, casting, flying, an air-rifle range, retriever dogs, crafts, a Fish and Game biologist, a food truck alley and more according to the website. See wildlife.nh.gov/dwnh for a map with participating presenters and activities.

More museum

• Get an extra day to see SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org), which is open Mondays, April 21 and April 28, for April school vacation in addition to its regular Tuesday-through-Sunday days of operation. SEE is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Admission costs $14 for ages 3 and up.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com) is slated to be open daily Wednesday, April 16, through Sunday, May 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $13 for adults, $12 for 62+ and ages 13 through college, $10 for ages 3 to 12 and free for ages 2 and under. Planetarium shows are an additional $7 for ages 3 and up.

Papas Feroces

• The Fisher Cats continue a series of games against the Harrisburg Senators. On Thursday, April 17, at 6:35 p.m., it’s New hampSHIRE Night, with a theme around wizards and adventure. On Friday, April 18, at 6:35 p.m. the team will play as their Copa de la Diversion alter egos Gatos Feroces. On Saturday, April 19, at 4:05 p.m., the team will play as the New Hampshire Space Potatoes, honoring the Granite State’s potato and UFO history. And at the Sunday, April 20, game at 1:35 p.m., the first 1,000 fans will get a free scarf. See milb.com/new-hampshire.

Storytime

• Bookery Manchester (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) will host a storytime with author Duane “Archie” Archambault and his new book Conga’s Rescue Adventures, illustrated by Kolorful Highlights, on Saturday, April 19, at 1 p.m. Reserve a spot online.

Bunnies & eggs

• The Carriage Shack Farm, 5 Dan Hill Road in Londonderry, carriageshackfarmllc.org, will host an Easter Bunny Party on Saturday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kids can collect six eggs from egg stations, decorate their own Easter egg, take photos with the Easter Bunny and meet the farm animals, according to the website. Admission costs $12.95 per person for ages 16 and up, $11.95 for seniors and military, and $10.95 for children 15 and under, the website said. Buy tickets online or purchase them at the gate, the website said.

• Hudson’s Best Easter Egg Hunt will take place Saturday, April 19, with sessions at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Inner Dragon Martial Arts, 77 Derry Road in Hudson. The event will feature egg hunts, a photo op with the Easter Bunny and more, according to the description at funnels.hudsonmartialart.com/egghunt, where you can register for a time slot.

• Charmingfare Farm in Candia wraps up its Egg-citing Egg Hunt this Saturday, April 19, and Sundays, April 20 (Easter Sunday). Kids between the ages of 2 and 12 can hunt for a dozen eggs in Grandpa’s Barn, the website said. The event will also include an opportunity to meet the Easter Bunny, visit farm animals (including new spring babies) and more, according to the website. Time slots between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. are available on those days. Admission costs $29 per person.