Category: Family Fun

Family fun for the weekend

Showtime

• The Southern New Hampshire Youth Ballet is performing Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Balleton Sunday, April 2, at 4 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). The dancers will also perform The Ugly Duckling. Fancy Nancy follows two girls, Nancy and Bree, as they audition for the exciting and glamorous ballet Deep-Sea Dances. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $20 for children ages 12 and younger. See palacetheatre.org.

• Classic fairytales are retold in the Sondheim classic Into the Woodsperformed by the Palace Youth Theatre on Monday, April 3, and Tuesday, April 4, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for children ages 6 to 12. For more information, visit palacetheatre.org

Bunnies, eggs and more

• Join the Lions Clubs of Pinardville and Goffstown on Saturday, April 1, at Roy Park playground (31 Rosemont St., Goffstown) for an Easter egg hunt. Ages 1 and 2 hunt at 9 a.m., ages 3 to 5 at 9:45 a.m., ages 6 to 9 at 10:30 a.m., and ages 10 to 12 at 11:15 a.m. The clubs encourage hunters to bring their own egg baskets. Visit goffstownlions.org.

• Starting on Saturday, April 1, Charmingfare Farm (774 High St., Candia) will have Easter egg hunts from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The hunts will continue on Sunday, April 2, and Saturday, April 8, and Sunday, April 9. Kids ages 2 to 12 can hunt for a dozen candy-filled eggs that are prepackaged for them to bring home. The farm’s website gives a hint on where the eggs are located: Find the Easter Bunny and you will find the eggs. The hunt costs $22 a person and tickets must be purchased in advance at visitthefarm.com.

• Join the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford) for its Egg-citing egg hunt on Saturday, April 1, at either 10 a.m. or noon. In addition to collecting eggs, kids can meet the Easter bunny, and get a special prize if they find the special golden egg. Tickets for the egg hunt cost $20 and can be purchased at theeducationalfarm.org

• The Easter Bunny will arrive at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) on a student-built airplane at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 1. He will pass out candy and be available for photos until 12:30 p.m. Visit nhahs.org.

Outdoor activities

• Ring in spring at the Goffstown Citizens Committee SpringFest 2023 at Goffstown High School (27 Wallace Road) on Saturday, April 1, at 10 a.m. There will be a kids’ carnival featuring bounce houses, slides, table games, face painting, a vendor area with 70 booths set up, a food court for snacks and meals, and more. Tickets are $5 for adults; children 12 and younger are free. Visit allevents.in/goffstown/200024205160156.

• The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford) is hosting Goat Stories and Masks for kids ages 1 to 6 on Monday, April 3, at 1 p.m. Kids will get to go around the farm and see and learn more about the goats before having the chance to make their own goat mask out of material provided for them. Tickets cost $15 per child. Visit theeducationalfarm.org for more information.

Save the date

• Join the Our Promise to Nicholas Foundation at the NH Sportsplex (68 Technology Drive, Bedford) for an indoor maze and egg hunt on Saturday, April 8, at 8:30 a.m. There will be 15,000 plastic eggs filled with candy and other prizes for kids to find spread out across the plex’s turf. Tickets for one egg hunter cost $8 online, $10 at the door, with pricing options available for families and larger groups as well. Visit ourpromisetonicholas.com to purchase tickets.

Family fun for the weekend

Showtime

• The Broadway classic Singin’ in the Rainis being performed by the Palace Youth Theatre Company at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester) on Thursday, March 23, at 7 p.m. The show follows silent film actors as they learn to adapt as “talkie” movies become increasingly popular. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for kids ages 6 to 12. Visit palacetheatre.org

• Have a magical night at the Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road., Concord) Discovering Magic with Andrew Pinard on Sunday, March 26, at 2 p.m. The family-friendly magic show by Pinard will feature everything from sleight-of-hand tricks to lessons in history and science while the master magician beguiles his audience. Tickets are $22 for adults, $19 for students, seniors and members, $16 for senior members. Visit hatboxnh.com.

• Be our guest as the Bedford Youth Performing Company presents Beauty and the Beast at Derryfield School Theatre (2108 River Road, Manchester) on Friday, March 24, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 25, at 1 and 7 p.m. Join Belle as she learns that there is more to people, or Beasts, than meets the eye. Tickets cost $17.50 for general admission, $15 for students and seniors. Visit bypc.org for more information or to purchase tickets.

• A teen version of the cult classic movie turned off-Broadway show Heathers the Musical is being performed at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester) by the Palace Teen Company on Wednesday, March 29, and Thursday, March 30, at 7 p.m. The show follows Veronica as she tries to find her way through school and deal with her new mean-girls friend group, the Heathers. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for kids ages 6 to 12. The Palace website notes that the show contains mature content including mentions/depictions of suicide, school violence, and the use of a prop gun. Visit palacetheatre.org.

More maple

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St., Candia) is celebrating Maple Month with its Maple Express event on Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, March 26, with entry times starting at 10 a.m. featuring a ride to the sugar shack, where you can watch the syrup making process, get a look at tree tapping, meet farm animals and taste syrup on silver dollar pancakes, according to the website. Admission costs $22 per person and can be purchased in advance at visitthefarm.com.

• Ben’s Sugar Shack has two weekends left in their educational maple tours at the Temple Sugar House (83 Webster Hwy., Temple). Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, March 26, are the last days to try out the location’s maple doughnuts and maple ice cream. Tours run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekend. Visit bensmaplesyrup.com for more information.

Spring celebrations

• Celebrate the Irish in you at the Manchester St. Patrick’s Parade on Sunday, March 26, at noon. The parade will start at the corner of Elm and Salmon streets and end at the grandstand on Central Street. The parade will have pipe-and-drum bands, Irish step dancers, school marching bands, police motorcycles and more. Visit saintpatsnh.com for more information.

• Join the Greater Merrimack and Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce for the Southern NH KidsFest on Saturday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Westwood Park Branch of the YMCA of Greater Nashua (90 Northwest Boulevard, Nashua). In addition to kids’ games, activities and live music, parents and caregivers can learn more about year-round classes, summer camps, and businesses that cater to kids. Visit gmsvcc.org.

Family fun for the weekend

Showtime!

• The Peacock Players’ (14 Court St., Nashua) youth mainstage production Once Upon a Mattress is opening on Friday, March 17, at 7 p.m. The show, which is a musical retelling of The Princess and the Pea, runs at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through March 26. Tickets start at $12 and can be purchased at peacockplayears.org.

• Join the Kids Coop Theatre for Big, The Musical at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway in Derry) on Friday, March 17, at 7 p.m. The show, based on the 1987 movie, features performers age 8 to adult and also runs Saturday, March 18, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 19, at 1 p.m.. Tickets cost $15 and are available at kidscooptheatre.ludus.com.

• Join Chunky’s 707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com) for a little lunch date featuring the movie Home (PG 2015) on Friday, March 17, at 3:45 p.m. Tickets are free, but a $5 food voucher is required to reserve a spot.

Books galore

• Children’s author Matt Tavares is doing a book signing at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) with his debut graphic novel, Hoops, on Thursday, March 16, at 6:30 p.m. The novel, based on a true story, follows Wilkins Regional High School girls’ basketball team in 1975 and how the girls grow from having to make their own uniforms and practice at an elementary school while being undefeated. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com for more information.

• The annual Friends of the Nashua Library Book Sale is happening at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St.) on Saturday, March 18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, March 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. Books, movies, music, games, puzzles and more will be on sale, prices ranging from 25 cents to $2. Visit nashualibrary.org.

Indoor adventures

• Join the New Hampshire Historical Society (30 Park St., Concord) for a family fun day on Saturday, March 18, at 10 a.m. Families can tour the historic buildings, test their local trivia knowledge and do a New Hampshire-themed craft. For more information, visit nhhistory.org.

• Learn more about the Girl Scouts at their sign up and unicorn party on Monday, March 20, at 6 p.m. at the Center Woods School’s music room (14 Center Road, Weare). Girls will get to do a unicorn-themed craft as well as find out what the Scouts are all about. Visit girlscoutsgwm.org for more information.

• The Nashua School District Art Exhibition is on Tuesday, March 21, at 6 p.m. at the Nashua High School South (36 Riverside Ave.). Students in all grades will have their artwork on display, and there will be activities like face painting, a scavenger hunt and a $5 ice cream social. Visit nashua.edu/south for more information.

Summer camp catch-up

• Executive Health and Sports Center’s (1 Highlander Way, Manchester) 2023 Summer Camp is open for registration. The camp has eight sessions, each session being one week long. The kids are broken into groups for ages 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10. Pricing for a partial week starts at $130, for a full week at $275. Visit ehsc.com to register.

• Registration is open for You’re Fired’s summer camp Camp Fired. The summer camp will have eight week-long sessions for kids ages 5 to 12 running from June 26 through Aug. 25. Registration for one week is $135, and for two or more weeks it’s $125 per week. For more information or to register, visit yourefirednh.com

Save the date

• The Girl Scouts are offering a kindergarten readiness series on April 4, April 6, April 11 and April 13 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Marion Gerrish Community Center (39 West Broadway, Derry). Girls entering kindergarten in the fall in Derry and the surrounding area are welcome to come and meet new teachers and friends. Visit girlscoutsgwm.org for more information.