Category: Family Fun

Family fun for the weekend

Arts and crafts

• The Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester) will hold a storytime and craft on Saturday, Oct. 8, beginning at 11:30 a.m. featuring the book A Spoonful of Frogs and a fun science experiment about frogs. The event is free, but registration is encouraged. Visit bookerymht.com to reserve tickets.

• Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. in Boscawen) is holding a free make and take craft session on Saturday, Oct. 8, from 1 to 3 p.m. Drop by and make a fall hedgehog out of autumn leaves, according to a press release. The gallery is providing everything needed to make this craft. Visit TwiggsGallery.WordPress.com.

Festival fun

• The annual Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia) Pumpkin Festival continues this Saturday, Oct. 8, through Monday, Oct. 10, with time slots starting at 10 a.m. Ride down to the pumpkin patch on either a tractor train or a horse-drawn wagon, or pick up the decorative squash at the market stand. In addition to the pumpkin picking, there will be pony rides, a cow milking contest, pumpkin art and animal visits. Ticket costs start at $22. Visit visitthefarm.com.

• The seventh annual scarecrow festival is back this year at the Concord Free Public Library (129 Main St.) starting on Tuesday, Oct. 11, and running through Halloween. There will be scarecrows made by a number of local organizations, including Appleton Design Group, Concord-Carlisle Community Chest, Concord Family Network, Concord Rec, Joy Street life + home and West Concord Green Thumbs. The festival runs all day long and there is no registration required. Visit concordlibrary.assabetinteractive.com for more details about the festival.

• The Pembroke Town Library (313 Pembroke St.) is holding a fall festival on Wednesday, Oct. 12, starting at 4 p.m. This is the inaugural fall festival for the library and activities include trick-or-treating around the library, apple cider and doughnuts, a screening of the movie Halloweentown (1998) and a pumpkin light up viewing. The event is free to attend and registration is not required. Visit pembroke-nh.com/pembroke-town-library for more information.

Showtime

The Palace Youth Theatre is putting on a production of Freaky Friday at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) on Tuesday, Oct. 11, and Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. The show is about what happens when an organized mother and a rebellious daughter switch bodies and spend a day in each other’s shoes. Ticket prices start at $12.

Save the date

• The Girl Scout expo will be held on Sunday, Oct. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the NH Sportsplex in Bedford. Purchase tickets, which are $5, online in advance at bit.ly/GirlExpo2022 or at the door. The expo will have events including giveaways for the girls, live performances, hands-on exhibits and more. The program is appropriate for girls in grades kindergarten through grade 12 and adults, and they do not need to be members of the Girl Scouts to participate.

Family fun for the weekend

Festivals galore

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St., Candia) is holding a multi-day pumpkin festival featuring pumpkin picking, tractor train rides, horse-drawn wagons, pumpkin art, live music and more. Visit their website to pick a date and time to attend. Available dates are Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 8, through Monday, Oct. 10. Tickets are $22 per person and must be purchased in advance online (free for kids ages 23 months and under). Go to visitthefarm.com to purchase tickets and for more information.

• Join DeMerritt Hill Farm (20 Orchard Way, Lee) for Pumpkinfest on Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be pumpkin rock painting and naming contests for the chance to win prizes, as well as face-painting and pre-picked pumpkins available for purchase. Visit demerritthillfarm.com for more details.

• There will be a harvest fest on the lawn of the Taylor Library (49 E. Derry Road, Derry) on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring games, crafts, snacks, music, balloon twisters and a special visit from the Derry Fire Department. Visit taylorlibrary.org for more information.

• The educational farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford) is hosting a Fall Fest on Sunday, Oct. 2, from noon to 4 p.m. The fair will have tractor rides, a pumpkin patch, crafts, a petting farm, live music, tasty treats and more. No registration is needed. Visit theeducationalfarm.org

• The last days of Toddlerfest are this week, with the final day being Sunday, Oct. 2, at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover). The annual celebration offers guests up to age 5 experiences with music and movement, science, art and storytelling. The festival is included in the price for tickets for general admission. Visit childrens-museum.org to purchase tickets and for more information.

Explore science

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester) is inviting kids and families to make their own Simon Says game on Saturday, Oct. 1, to celebrate the 100th birthday of Ralph Baer, the game’s creator. Participants will need to bring a laptop capable of downloading Arduino IDE software to be able to participate. The program runs from 1 to 3 p.m. and costs $5 plus regular admission. The project is recommended for kids ages 12 and older. Visit see-sciencecenter.org for more information.

Farm fun

• NOFA-NH and Brookford Farms are celebrating their respective 50- and 10-year anniversaries with a pizza party, live music, and farm tour at 250 West Road, Canterbury, on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. In addition to everything listed above, there will also be a hay maze, apple cider pressing, encounters with wildlife, and more. Visit nofanh.org.

Showtime

• The run of The Little Mermaidat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) is ending with its final performance on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 2 p.m. The show follows the adventures of the little mermaid, Ariel, who falls in love with a human she rescues. Tickets start at $25 and can be bought at palacetheatre.org.

Sports fans

Got kids who love sports? They might be keen to watch older kids play the sports they are just starting to enjoy. Hippo’s sports writer, Dave Long, suggests a few upcoming games your kids might want to check out:

• Boys Soccer – Concord at Nashua South, today, Thursday. Sept. 29, at 4 p.m. These two are bunched at the top of the Division 1 standings with several others. So October will be wild as very good teams battle all month for who’ll be seeded where come tournament time. And kicking off the race will be the Crimson on the road vs. the Titans at Nashua’s Stellos Stadium (7 Stadium Drive).

• Football – Campbell at Trinity, Friday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. An earlyseason battle of teams that come into tomorrow’s clash at Trinity High School (581 Bridge St. in Manchester). The winner takes the lead to be the top seed in the Division 3 tournament.

• Girls Soccer – Derryfield at Trinity, Sunday, Oct. 2, at 4 p.m. A Manchester city battle at Trinity. With the Pioneers being relatively new to D-3, it’s not quite a rivalry game. But with them now meeting twice a year, it’s probably not far off. The next edition comes Oct. 21 on the synthetic at D-field that looks to be twice regulation size when you drive up to it on North River Road.

Family fun for the weekend

Festival fun

• Presentation of Mary Academy (182 Lowell Road, Hudson) is hosting its annual fall fun fest on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The festival will have events such as ax throwing and a touch-a-truck. There will also be food trucks, face-painting, craft vendors, a bake sale and raffles. Visit pmaschool.org for more information.

• The Town of Chester is closing its year-long series of 300th anniversary celebrations with a Tricentennial Grand Finale festival on Saturday, Sept. 24, beginning at noon at 4 Murphy Drive in Chester. There will be live music and food vendors. The highlight of the day will be a “mega” parade that kicks off at 2 p.m. on Chester Street. The night will close out with a fireworks display at 8 p.m. Visit chesternh300.org for more information.

Movie time

• The three locations of Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham) will have a little lunch date featuring the 2015 movie Home (PG) on Friday, Sept. 23. Home follows Tip, a young girl trying to find her mother after Earth is taken over by the alien race called the Boov. She meets and befriends a runaway Boov named Oh and together they escape the Boov, and search for Tip’s mom. The movie starts at 3:45 p.m. and tickets cost $5. Visit chunkys.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

Outdoor adventures

• Explore the outdoors in a book with author Susie Spikol as she talks about her newest book, The Animal Adventurer’s Guide: How to Prowl For an Owl, Make Snail Slime, and Catch a Frog Bare-Handed, at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) on Saturday Sept. 24, at 11 a.m. The book is filled with crafts, activities and adventures children can go on in their backyard. Spikol is bringing a craft for attendees to participate in at the event. The event is free to attend and more information about it can be found at gibsonsbookstore.com.

• The annual Fairy House Tours are back this year on Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. There will be hundreds of little fairy houses on the grounds of the Strawbery Banke Museum, Governor John Langdon House, Prescott Park Arts Festival and the Gundalow waterfront. There will also be fairy inspired dances by the Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater, performed at the Prescott Park Arts Festival’s main stage in the gardens of the Governor John Langdon House and The Players’ Ring. Tickets cost $12 for an adult, $8 for a senior, $6 for a child, or $30 for a family of four. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit friendsofthesouthend.betterworld.org.

• Get ready to search high and low at the 5th Annual Great MassabeSEEK Scavenger Hunt on Sunday, Sept. 25, at the New Hampshire Audubon Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn). The event will run from 1 to 4 p.m. and there will be several activities throughout the day, including a s’mores bonfire, yard games, a live animal exhibit, a craft room and more. Tickets for people ages 12 and older are $25, for ages 3 to 11 they are $15, and children younger than 3 are free. To register or for more information, visit nhaudubon.org

• The Bow Mills United Methodist Church (505 South St., Bow) is hosting its 17th Annual Pumpkin Patch starting on Monday, Sept. 26. The pumpkin patch currently has more than 1,000 pumpkins in it. The patch is open weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. The pumpkin patch will remain open until Oct. 31. For more information, visit bowmillsumc.org.

Family fun for the weekend

Fairs and festivals

• The Humane Society for Greater Nashua is holding its annual fundraiser the Wags to Whiskers Festival on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack). The festival is billed as “New England’s largest pet dog event” and will have demonstrations by the Granite State Disc Dogs and the Merrimack Police Department K-9 Drei. There will also be dog-friendly vendors, giveaways, carnival games and prizes, adoptable dogs and puppies, and food trucks. Tickets to the festival are $12 per person, free for kids and teens ages 17 and under. For more information visit hsfn.org/wags-whiskers-festival.

• Get ready for a fun-filled day at the Granite State Fair (formerly the Rochester Fair), which opens on Thursday, Sept. 15, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 18, as well as the following week on Thursday, Sept. 22, through Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Rochester Fairgrounds (72 Lafayette Road). The fair will have midway rides, a full schedule of live music, local vendors and exhibitors, a cornhole tournament, circus performances and a delicious variety of fair food. Advance tickets are $10 per person and are available through Sept. 14. Tickets at the door are $12 per person and free for kids ages 8 and under. Visit granitestatefair.com.

• Festivities will take over the town at the Hollis Old Home Days on Friday, Sept. 16, and Saturday, Sept. 17, at Nichols Field and the adjacent Lawrence Barn (Depot Road, Hollis). There will be a town parade, midway rides, hot air balloon rides, a local artisan market, live entertainment, and a fireworks celebration on Saturday evening. The event is free. For more information visit hollisoldhomedays.org.

• Derryfest returns to MacGregor Park (East Broadway, Derry) on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event will have live entertainment all day, ranging from games and live animal demonstrations to local crafters and vendor booths. For more information, visit derryfest.org.

• Celebrate Pelham with Pelham’s Old Home Day on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 3 Main St. A variety of activities, including a pancake breakfast, craft vendors, food trucks, a town parade, live performances, a penny sale and a cornhole tournament will be the highlights of the day. For more information visit pelhamoldhomeday.org.

• The annual Fall Equinox Festival, held by TEAM Exeter, is back for the eighth year on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Swasey Parkway. The fest will feature live music, artisan vendors, local food, children’s activities, dance performances and cultural exhibits. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person or $20 per family. For more information visit teamexeter.com.

• Celebrate the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. Dover) coming back from their week of annual maintenance with the Toddler Fest starting on Friday, Sept. 16, and running through Sunday, Oct. 2. Each day will have different themes and activities, ranging from the bubble dance party to clay nature play. Toddler Fest is included in the price for regular tickets to the museum, $12.50 per child and adult. For more information and a full schedule, visit childrens-museum.org.

Movie Night

• Go on an adventure with Shrek (PG, 2001) on Friday, Sept. 16, at dusk in Greeley Park (100 Concord St. in Nashua). This is part of Nashua’s “Pics in the Park” screenings. The movie follows ogre Shrek as he rescues the princess Fiona with the help of his friend, the donkey named Donkey. This movie is free to attend.

All about animals

• Learn all the different ways to find animals with naturalist and author Susie Spikol as she talks about her new book How to Prowl for an Owl, Make Snail Slime, and Catch a Frog Bare-Handed and 50 Other Activities to Get Wild with Animals on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. at The Toadstool Bookshop (12 Depot Square, Peterborough). Spikol will teach kids how to treat their backyard and neighborhood like their own nature preserve through her new book. The event is free to attend; the book costs $18 and can be purchased at toadbooks.com.

Touch a truck

• The Nashua Parks & Recreation Department is bringing back Wheels & Wings at the Nashua Airport at Boire Field (93 Perimeter Road) on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than just trucks will be at this free touch-a-truck event. There will be various fire trucks, police vehicles, planes, helicopters and electric cars on display for kids to learn about and explore. While admission is free, the local nonprofit 68 Hours of Hunger will be in attendance to collect nonperishable food donations. See “Wheels & Wings 2022” on Facebook for more details.