Category: Family Fun

Family fun for the weekend

Trucks and eats

• The Touch-a-Truck and Food Truck Festival in the parking lot of Hopkinton High School (297 Park Ave. in Hopkinton) will feature trucks to check out (fire truck, police cruiser, etc.) and trucks selling eats on Saturday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for kids, with proceeds benefiting the Library of Things at the Hopkinton Public Library. See hopkintonpubliclibraryfoundation.org.

Grow gardeners

• New Hampshire Audubon McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord) will hold a “Buds & Blooms: Beginner Botany” program geared toward kids and families, all about native plants and pollinators, on Saturday, June 11, from 10 to 11 a.m. The event is free but register in advance at nhaudubon.org. Head back to the McLane Center the next day, Sunday, June 12, from noon to 4 p.m. for a native plant sale.

Game on!

• Concord Skate Park (15 Loudon Road, Concord) will host its second annual Rumble in the Rubble Skate Jam on Saturday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to skating, there will be prizes, raffles, food, music and more. Skaters of all experience levels are welcome. See concordskatepark.com.

• The 78th annual New Hampshire Soap Box Derby race will be held on Sunday, June 12, at 120 Broadway in Dover, with races running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free for spectators. Kids ages 7 and older can create a gravity-powered car and race it down a track in hopes of making the All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship. See soapboxderby.org/new-hampshire.aspx.

• The next home games of the Nashua Silver Knights (a team in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League) at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St. in Nashua) are Tuesday, June 14, at 6 p.m. against the New Britain Bees and Thursday, June 16, at 6 p.m. versus the Brockton Rox. See nashuasilverknights.com for tickets.

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats will return to Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester with a game on Tuesday, June 14, at 6:35 p.m., the first of six days of games against the Somerset Patriots. Wednesday, June 15, will feature two games, with the first starting at 5:05 p.m. See nhfishercats.com.

On with the show

• Catch the first of nine movies the Prescott Park Arts Festival has on the schedule for screening in Prescott Park in Portsmouth this summer with the screening of Pixar’s Soul(PG, 2020) on Friday, June 10, at 8:30 p.m., screened in collaboration with the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. A $5 per person donation is suggested to make a reservation (with other options for a table or blanket). See prescottpark.org/events/category/movie or blackheritagetrailnh.org/events.

• Get your little dancers excited about taking some lessons. The Martin School of Dance in Bedford is presenting its recital Toy Story on Sunday, June 12, at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) at 2 p.m. Doors open at 1 p.m. Tickets cost $33; see martinschoolofdance.com for more about the school.

And speaking of kid fare on the Cap Center stage, Blippi the Musical, based on the Blippi educational character that got its start on YouTube (according to Wikipedia), will come to the Cap Center on Friday, June 17, at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. and tickets start at $39.50 plus fees (an extra $50 gets you the photo experience package), according to the Cap Center website.

• The Palace Teen Apprentice Company, which features student actors ages 12 through 18, will present Seussical Jr. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Wednesday, June 15, and Thursday, June 16, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 to $15.

Family fun for the weekend

More SEE

The SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org) is open seven days a week through Labor Day. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Admission costs $10 for all guests 3 and up and advance reservations are recommended. And plan now for SEE’s Kickoff to Summer event June 20 through June 26, which will feature three daily shows with yo-yo performer Brett Ooch and hands-on activities, according to the website.

Fun for all

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2022) will hold “Exploring Our Way: Sensory Friendly Playtime” on Tuesday, June 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. “These monthly, low-sensory events are designed for children with autism spectrum or sensory processing disorders allowing them to explore the museum along with their families without the noise, crowds, and stimulation of a typical open day,” the website said. Reserve a spot online in advance. Admission costs $11 for everyone over 1 year old ($9 for 65+).

Kids on stage

The Palace Youth Theatre will presentOliver! Jr.on Tuesday, June 7, and Wednesday, June 8, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588). Tickets cost $15 for adults.

Summer of outdoor exploring!

If you’re planning some nature adventures this summer, check out NH Fish and Game’s website, wildlife.state.nh.us, specifically the “Connect Kids to Wildlife” section (under the “Education” tab). In addition to information on wildlife programs, the site has some fun printable PDFs to take with you on a hike. One is a pocket guide to animal tracks but it’s likely most kids will be all about the guide that’s all about poop. The “Wildlife Scat” printout offers a guide to figuring out what animal made the poop you might find out in the woods — or in your yard.

Family fun for the weekend

Under the sea, on stage

• The Palace Youth Theatre will presentThe Little Mermaid Jr.on Thursday, May 26, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588). Tickets cost $12 to $15 for the show, which features performers in grades 2 through 12.

The cold never bothered her

Also at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) this week, Dimensions in Dance Presents The Snow Queenon Saturday, May 28, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. “The story of the Snow Queen is told through dance … ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, acro, pointe and lyrical,” according to the Palace website. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $20 for kids.

Museum fun

• Thursday, May 26, is the final World Culture Thursday on the schedule at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2022). At 10 a.m. during the morning play session (9 a.m. to noon) and at 2 p.m. during the afternoon play session (1 to 4 p.m.) the World Culture event features a craft, game or other activity celebrating a different culture. The sessions are part of regular admission, which costs $11 for everyone over 1 year old ($9 for 65+). Reserve an admission spot online before heading out. The Children’s Museum is closed Mondays and is open Wednesdays through Saturdays for morning and afternoon sessions and Tuesdays and Sundays for morning sessions only.

Nature on land, nature on water

• Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (23 Science Center Road in Holderness; nhnature.org, 968-7194) opened its public trails at the beginning of May (daily hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last trail admission at 3:30 p.m.) and last weekend it started its Squam Lake Cruises, which are on the schedule daily at 1 p.m. The cruises are about 90 minutes long on a canopied pontoon boat and advance reservations are required. Cruises cost $27 for adults, $25 for 65+ and $23 for youth up to ages 15).

Prefer to stay on land? The three-quarters of a mile live animal exhibit trail features coyote, fisher, foxes, bobcats, black bear, river otters, deer, owls, raptors and more, according to the press release, which recommends planning a two-and-a-half-hour visit to walk the trail, which winds through meadows, forests and marsh boardwalks. Admission costs $22 for adults, $20 for ages 65+, $16 for ages 3 to 15, and is free for children 2 and under.