Category: Family Fun

Family fun for the weekend

High-flying story time

• The picture book Paper Planes by Jim Helmore and Richard Jones is the focus of the storytime Saturday, Sept. 2, at Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com, 836-6600). The storytime and craft start at 11:30 a.m. and are free; register online.

Museum weekend

• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is open daily through Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (After Labor Day, the center returns to its Wednesday through Sunday schedule). The outdoor Science Playground can be accessed from inside the Discovery Center and is open through October from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is included in admission to the center, which costs $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 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. (The center will be closed Mondays starting Sept. 11.) Admission costs $12 for ages 3 and up. Register now for an event on Thursday, Oct. 5, when admission to the museum is free from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (registration is required), according to the website. At this family fun event, guests can explore the exhibits, view demonstrations and participate in science drop-in activities, the website said.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) is open daily through Saturday, Sept. 2, with sessions from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. and then Sunday, Sept. 3, from 9 a.m. to noon, and then the museum will be closed for its annual 13-day maintenance period. The museum (which is closed Mondays as well as for afternoon sessions on Sundays and Tuesdays) will reopen Saturday, Sept. 16, and will hold Toddlerfest, its annual celebration of the littlest museum-goers featuring special activities and events, Tuesday, Sept. 19, through Saturday, Sept. 30, including a reading of Eric Carle’s A Very Hungry Caterpillar with a visit from the Caterpillar (Sept. 29 and Sept. 30), a celebration of the museum’s 40th birthday on Sept. 23 and a Frozen dance party on Sept. 22.

Family fun for the weekend

Birds!

• If this week’s cover story has you inspired to do a little birding, check out the Birding Walk at the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org, 668-2045) on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 8 a.m. All ages and skill levels are welcome, according to the website. Register in advance; admission costs $10.

Author storytime

• Genie Ware, author of the book That Blankie, will be at Bookery Manchester (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 11:30 a.m. for a storytime and craft. Admission is free but register for a spot, online.

Game time

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats continue a six-game run at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. The games Thursday, Aug. 24, through Saturday, Aug. 26, are at 7:05 p.m. and the Sunday, Aug. 27, game starts at 1:35 p.m. Thursday and Saturday night’s games will feature post-game fireworks. On Friday, the first 1,000 fans get a free hat. Sunday’s game features a free pencil pouch giveaway. Before Sunday’s game, the park will also host a Princess Brunch at 10 a.m. (the cost is $26 per person). See milb.com/new-hampshire.

Movie time

• Chunky’s Cinema Pubs in Manchester (707 Huse Road, chunkys.com) and Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave.) will screen the early summer Pixar release Elemental (PG, 2023) on Thursday, Aug. 24. The movie screens at 11:45 a.m. in Manchester and 4 p.m. in Nashua.

• See Minions: The Rise of Gru (PG, 2022) on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 7:30 p.m. at Wasserman Park (116 Naticook Road in Merrimack). The event, which is part of the town’s Movies in the Park series, is free. See merrimackparksandrec.org, which also has a link to the movie’s trailer.

• Movie Night Mondays on the Beach wraps up at Hampton Beach with 2021’sSing 2(PG) on Monday, Aug. 28, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free; bring blanks and chairs.

• It’s the penultimate week of Concord Regal’s (282 Loudon Road in Concord; regmovies.com) Summer Movie Express Series, which runs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the afternoon. On Tuesday, Aug. 29, and Wednesday, Aug. 30, the movies start at 1:30 p.m. and are Trolls World Tour (PG, 2020) andDespicable Me(PG, 2010). The series wraps up Sept. 5 and Sept. 6 with Despicable Me 3 (PG, 2017) and Spirit: Untamed (PG, 2021)

Palace shows

• The 2023 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series wraps up at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) with a production of Finding Nemo Jr., which has show times at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 24, and 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 25. Tickets cost $10.

• The final production by the kid performers at the Palace Youth Theatre summer camp will also take place this weekend. Winnie the Pooh Jr. will be performed at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) on Saturday, Aug. 26, at noon. Tickets for the show start at $12.

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.