Category: Family Fun

Family fun for the weekend

Summer shows

• The 2023 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series has two shows left at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org): Catch Frozen Kids Thursday, Aug. 17, at 10 a.m and 6:30 p.m. and Friday, Aug. 18, at 10 a.m. The series then wraps up with Finding Nemo Jr. Tuesday, Aug. 22, through Friday, Aug. 25, with shows at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 10 a.m. on Friday. Tickets cost $10.

• The Palace Youth Theatre also has two upcoming shows featuring young performers (campers in grades 2 through 12). On Friday, Aug. 18, and Saturday, Aug. 19, both at 7 p.m., catch High School Musical Jr.On Saturday, Aug. 26, at noon, see Winnie the Pooh Jr. Tickets for either show start at $12.

Beach fun

• The Hampton Beach Children’s Festival wraps up with events Thursday, Aug. 17, and Friday, Aug. 18. On Thursday activities include a performance by magician Fran Flynn at 12:30 p.m., ice cream with the lifeguards at 1:15 p.m. and paint with Alyssa Pine at 2 p.m. On Friday, the children’s costume parade will start at 11 a.m. (meet up at 10:15 a.m.) and there will be a performance by Mr. Aaron at noon. Most of the events take place at the Hampton Beach Sea Shell stage; see hamptonbeach.org.

• Also at the beach: There are four more evenings of fireworks scheduled at Hampton Beach at the top of B and C streets — Wednesdays, Aug. 23 and Aug. 30; Sunday, Sept. 3, and Saturday, Sept. 9. All fireworks start at 9:30 p.m. Monday night movies on the beach next to the playground also continue through August with Strange World (PG, 2022) on Monday, Aug. 21, at 7:40 p.m. and Sing 2 (PG, 2021) on Monday, Aug. 28, at 7:30 p.m., according to hamptonbeach.org.

Audition call

• The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) is seeking an actor between the age of 8 and 18 who is able to play 12 for the role of “Young Simon” in the October-November professional production of Kinky Boots. Auditions are open to BIPOC talents of all genders who are 5 feet 2 inches and under, according to a press release. Virtual submissions can be sent to [email protected]; include a current picture, resume and short video of vocal abilities, the release said.

• The Peacock Players (14 Court St. in Nashua; peacockplayers.org) have upcoming auditions for two shows. Auditions for an October production of James & the Giant Peach Jr. are slated for Wednesday, Aug. 23, and Thursday, Aug. 24, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for ages 6 to 14. Auditions for a November Teen Mainstage production of Beauty and the Beast will be held Sunday, Aug. 27, and Monday, Aug. 28, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Schedule an audition time and find all the details on the website.

Family fun for the weekend

Try-athalon

• The 11th Annual Friends of Aine Kids’ Try-athlon will be held Sunday, Aug. 13, in the morning at the Bedford Town Pool (County Road near the intersection with Nashua Road). The race features three events — swimming (25 or 50 yards, depending on age), running (½ mile or 1 mile) and biking (1 or 2 miles) — and is a fundraiser for the Friends of Aine Center for Grieving Children & Families (friendsofaine.com). Registration costs $40 per child. Race day registration starts at 6:30 a.m., Nashua and County roads close at 7:30 a.m. and all bikes must be in the swim-to-bike transition area by 7:45 p.m. A pre-race meeting is at 7:45 a.m. and then the older group (ages 11 to 15) begin the Try-Athlon at 8 a.m., adaptive athletes start at 8:25 a.m., ages 8 to 10 start at 8:30 a.m. and ages 4 to 7 start at 8:45 a.m., according to the schedule at friendsofaine.com, which also explains course details, where to park and what to bring.

Baseball & wizards

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats were slated to begin a six-day stretch of games against the Fightin Phils (Reading, Pennsylvania.) on Tuesday, Aug. 8. Games on Thursday, Aug. 10, and Saturday, Aug. 12, (both beginning at 7:05 p.m.) will feature post-game Atlas Fireworks. Saturday is also “Wizards & Wands” night. The game on Friday, Aug. 11, at 7:05 p.m. celebrates UNH Men’s Soccer; on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 1:35 p.m. the first 1,000 fans receive a cooler courtesy of Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast.

Movies!

• 2004’s Shark Tale(PG) will screen at all three area Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com) on Monday, Aug. 14, at 11:30 a.m. as part of the theater’s Little Lunch Date series, when the lights will be slightly dimmed. Reserve a seat with a $5 per person food voucher.

• O’neil Cinemas (Brickyard Square 24 Calef Hwy., Epping, 679-3529, oneilcinemas.com)will screen the final movie of its Summer Kids Series on Monday, Aug. 14, and Wednesday, Aug. 16, at 10 a.m. Catch 2016’sThe Secret Life of Pets (PG), which features the voices of Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate and Lake Bell. Tickets cost $3 and the theater also has an $8 popcorn-and-drink combo as well.

Registration is open!

• …for so many fall events but specifically for Girls on the Run, which opened its registration for the fall on Aug. 7. Find a location to register for the program (which puts you in a lottery for available slots) at girlsontherunnh.org. The after-school running program is open to 3rd through 5th graders and 6th through 8th graders, the website said. Registration is open through Aug. 17 with the season beginning Sept. 11. A culminating 5K takes place on Nov. 18. Girls age 16 to 18 can also register for a junior coach program.

• Looking for more afters-chool excitement for your kids? Check out next week’s issue, which will feature our annual guide to extracurriculars. If you know of a program featuring art, dance, sports or stop-motion animation (really!), let us know at [email protected] for possible inclusion in the listing.

Family fun for the weekend

Make it a museum day

• The SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) is open daily through Labor Day — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission costs $12 for ages 3 and up.

• Check out the new Science Playground at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827). The playground can be accessed from inside the Discovery Center through October from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is included in admission to the center, which cost $12 for adults, $9 for ages 3 to 12 and $11 for ages 13 through college and for seniors, according the the website. Planetarium shows cost an additional $6 per person. The center is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Sept. 3.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820) is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for ages 13 and up, $5 for ages 6 to 12 and ages 65 and up, and $30 for a family, according to the website.

Save the date for the museum’s PlaneFest on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day’s activities are held outdoors and are free to families, with a focus on elementary and middle school-age kids, according to a press release.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) continues its Wacky Art Wednesdays, Learning Garden Fun on Thursdays and Science Fridays with programming at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays with sessions from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon. Admission costs $12.50 ($10.50 for seniors).

And, save the date: The museum will hold its Teddy Bear Clinic from 9 to 11 a.m., with teddy bear snacks from 11 to 11:30 a.m. The event, which is sponsored by Portsmouth Regional Hospital, features a check-up for a teddy bear or other stuffie kids bring with them, and ends with the “patient” getting a certificate of wellness, according to a press release. The clinic is part of morning admission to the museum.

Also in August, the Children’s Museum will hold a Kick Off to Kindergarten on Sunday, Aug. 13, from 1 to 3 p.m. The event is free for kids entering kindergarten and their families; register by Monday, Aug. 7, according to the website. The event will include a craft, a scavenger hunt, Biscuit the Dog reading Biscuit Goes to School and more, the website said.

Family fun for the weekend

Art!

• The Vernon Family Farm (301 Piscassic Road in Newfields, vernonfamilyfarm.com) will hold a Van Gogh Sunflowers art workshop on Thursday, July 27, from 2 to 4 p.m. for kids (ages 6 to 12) and parents where kids will create a painting inspired by “Sunflowers.” The farm also will hold a Mini Masters class for kids (ages 0 to 3) and parents on Friday, July 28, from 10 a.m. to noon. The cost for one kid and parent is $43.50 for either class. Go online to register or call 340-4321.

Music!

• Mr. Aaron will perform at the Manchester City Library (405 Pine St. in Manchester; manchester.lib.nh.us) Thursday, July 27, from 6 to 7 p.m. A familiar performer at family-friendly music events, Mr. Aaron has a packed schedule of appearances at area libraries and other locations. See mraaronmusic.com.

Theater!

• The 2023 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series at The Palace (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) presents Peter Pan Thursday, July 27, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and Friday, July 28, at 1 p.m.

The Palace Youth Theatre summer camp will present Elf Jr.on Friday, July 28, and Saturday, July 29, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre. Tickets range from $12 to $15.

Next week, the children’s series will feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Aug. 1 to Aug. 4. Children’s Series productions have shows Tuesday through Thursday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and Friday at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $10.

• The youth performers with RB Productions are putting onNewsies Jr. at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, July 28, and Saturday, July 29, at 7 p.m. Tickets to the shows start at $15.75.

• There will be two productions on the stage this Saturday, July 29, at the Prescott Park Arts Festival. Camp Encore! will presentInto the Woods Jr. at 1 p.m. and the summer production of Little Shop of Horrorswill be on the stage at 7 p.m. Little Shop of Horrors continues through Sunday, Aug. 13, with shows Thursdays through Sundays at 7 p.m. See prescottpark.org.

Movies!

• Catch Coco (PG, 2017) Thursday, July 26, at dusk (around 8 p.m.) in Veterans Park (Elm Street between Central and Merrimack streets) in Manchester as part of the city’s Movies in the Park lineup. Concessions will be available for purchase; bring chairs, blankets and snacks, according to the event’s Facebook post.

• Teens and their parents (or maybe especially their parents) may want to check out the Movies in the Park in Merrimack offering this Saturday, July 29: Top Gun: Maverick (2022, PG-13), which is slated to start at 8:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to Merrimack residents and non-residents. Screenings are held in Wasserman Park (116 Naticook Road, Merrimack). In the event of inclement weather, a decision will generally be posted to Merrimack Parks & Recreation’s website or Facebook by 1 p.m. as to whether or not it will be postponed. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org.

• If you’re at Hampton Beach on Monday, July 31, the “Movie Night Mondays” screening (next to the playground) at dusk is slated to be DC League of Super-Pets (PG, 2022). See hamptonbeach.org for the full schedule and the approximate dusk times; rain dates are on Tuesdays for all films.

• The Summer Kids Series Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at O’neil Cinemas (24 Calef Hwy., Epping, 679-3529, oneilcinemas.com) will feature The Boss Baby: Family Business (PG, 2021) on Monday, July 31, and Wednesday, Aug. 2. Tickets cost $3.

• Regal Cinemas in Concord (282 Loudon Road, Concord, regmovies.com) will screen The Boss Baby: Family Business (PG, 2021) and Doolittle (PG, 2020) on Tuesday, Aug. 1, and Wednesday, Aug. 2, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $2.