Category: Family Fun

Family fun for the weekend

Winter fun

• Snow tubing opens Thursday, Jan. 6, at McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Court, Manchester), from 4 to 6 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on its “Bonneville Thrill Hill.” Special rates are $23 and can be purchased at McIntyre’s Guest Services (tubing tickets are available for purchase 30 minutes prior to each session). You can also dress in your favorite neon-colored clothing for a special ’80s-themed race on Saturday, Jan. 8, from 5 to 7 p.m., which is open to all ages and abilities. Registration is $20 (includes your lift ticket) and $15 for season passholders. Visit mcintyreskiarea.com or call 622-6159.

Stories and shows

• Join the Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester) for a Saturday storytime and snowflake craft event on Saturday, Jan. 8, at 11:30 a.m., featuring a reading of Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Visit bookerymht.com or call 836-6600.

• Tickets are on sale now to the Palace Youth Theatre’s production of Matilda Jr., which runs from Wednesday, Jan. 12, through Thursday, Jan. 20. The show is performed by student actors in grades 2 through 12. Visit palacetheatre.org or call the box office at 668-5588 to buy tickets.

State of the art

• New Hampshire residents receive free admission to the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) on Saturday, Jan. 8, when the galleries will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., including an exhibit from local children’s book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola that runs until Feb. 13. As of Thursday, Jan. 6, Covid vaccination cards are required for all visitors ages 5 and up. Masks are also required for those ages 2 and up. Visit currier.org or call 669-6144.

• The Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester) will hold a family clay sculpting workshop on Friday, Jan. 7, at 4:15 p.m. that’s available to all ages and skill levels. Choose between one of three projects: pinch pot animals, a slab mug or bubble jars, animals or fairy houses. Most projects are widely customizable, and the instructor is also available to help. The cost is $25 for the one-hour session. Visit 550arts.com or call 232-5597.

Cold-blooded friends

• Join New Hampshire Audubon for cold creatures and hot cocoa, a special event happening on Saturday, Jan. 8, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Massabesic Audubon Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn). Attendees will meet some of the center’s animal ambassadors and learn all about the survival strategies of snakes, turtles, frogs and other cold-blooded animals during New Hampshire’s harsh winter conditions. Hot cocoa will be provided. The cost ranges from $12 for Audubon members to $15 for non-members and masks are required. Visit nhaudubon.org or call 668-2045.

Out of this world

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord) is holding its next Super Stellar Friday event online via Zoom on Friday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m. Presenter and museum education director Mirka Zapletal will explore the climates of the Moon and Mars, as well as the conditions that astronauts have to contend with as they journey away from Earth. Admission is free but registration is required. While its Super Stellar Fridays are virtual, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Now through Feb. 23, applications are being accepted for the museum’s annual Alex Higgins Memorial Space Camp Scholarship. Visit starhop.com or call 271-7827.

Family fun for the weekend

Head to the museum

Get the family out of the house by sending them to a museum.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) is closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Otherwise, the museum is open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $15, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (children under 13 get in free) and can be purchased on site (masks for all are required), according to the website. This Thursday, Dec. 30, Kevin Horan will perform from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of the museum’s weekly Art After Work programming (admission to the museum is free after 5 p.m.). On Sundays the Winter Garden Cafe offers a special brunch menu starting at 10 a.m. featuring mimosa flights, according to the website. Current exhibits include “As Precious As Gold: Carpets from the Islamic World,” “WPA in NH: Philip Guston and Musa McKim” and “Tomie dePaola at the Currier,” featuring the works of dePaola, writer and illustrator 270 children’s books.

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays (it will be closed New Year’s Day) and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Current displays and exhibits with hands-on examinations of science include BiologYou. Purchase reservations in advance via the website (masks are required for all visitors age 2 and up); admission costs $10 per person ages 3 and up.

• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum) is closed New Year’s Day but otherwise open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the Millyard Museum costs $8 for adults, $6 for 62+ and college students, $4 for children 12 to 18 and free for children under 12. In addition to the permanent exhibits about Manchester’s history, the museum currently features the “New Hampshire Now” photography exhibit.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820), featuring exhibits about the people and events of New Hampshire’s aviation history, will be closed for New Year’s Day but open Wednesday, Dec. 29, through Friday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 2, from 1 to 4 p.m., and thereafter Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Exhibits include the annual “Festival of Holiday Toy Planes and Model Aircraft.” Admission costs $10, $5 for 65+ and children (6 to 12) and a family max of $30; children 5 and under get in free (masks are required), according to the website.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is closed New Year’s Day but will be open daily through Friday, Dec. 31, and Sunday, Jan. 2, and Monday, Jan. 3, with sessions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The center recommends purchasing timed tickets in advance; admission costs $11.50 for adults, $10.50 for students and seniors and $8.50 for kids ages 3 to 12 (admission is free for children 2 and under; masks required for visitors over the age of 2). Planetarium show tickets are also available and cost $5 per person (free for children 2 and under); see the website for the schedule of planetarium shows.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (2 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) requires pre-purchased admission (which costs $11 per person, $9 for 65+ and no charge for children under 1). The museum will be open Tuesday, Dec. 28, through Thursday, Dec. 30 (from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.) and Sunday, Jan. 2 (from 9 a.m. to noon). Masks are required for all guests over 24 months, the website said.

The museum will hold its annual family New Year’s Eve celebration on Friday, Dec. 31. Two time slots are available to reserve, from 9 a.m. to noon or from noon to 3:30 p.m. Museum staff will stage four “countdowns to midnight,” at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. during the morning session, and at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. during the afternoon session. Everyone will receive a noisemaker and will get to create their own sparkly party hat.

Family fun for the weekend

See Santa

• As of Dec. 20 a few slots were still open for Santa’s Christmas celebration at Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia; visitthefarm.com) on Thursday, Dec. 23 and Friday, Dec. 24. Attractions include a horse-drawn wagon, live animal Nativity, visits with Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and live “reindeer,” s’mores kits available for purchase, and hot cocoa and complimentary sugar cookies provided by Mrs. Claus.

• And as of early this week, a few slots still appeared to be available for Afternoon Tea with Santa Claus atYa Mas Greek Taverna & Bar (125 Bridge St. in Pelham; yamasgreektaverna.com), on Thursday, Dec. 23, and Friday, Dec. 24, with times at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The cost is $55 for adults and $35 for kids. Find the link to the eventbrite registration page in a Nov. 25 post on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

At the movies

• The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org) will host a screening of the 2018 animated film The Grinch (PG) on Thursday, Dec. 23, at 3 p.m., with a children’s storytime preceding it at 2 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students, and includes access to the storytime. If you want to attend just the storytime and not the movie screening, admission is $5 per family.

• Also in theaters for the G- and PG-rated crowd: Sing 2 (PG), the animated sequel to the 2016 movie about singing and dancing animals, is slated to open Wednesday, Dec. 22. Clifford the Big Red Dog (PG), the live-action plus CG dog movie, is in theaters and on Paramount+. Encanto (PG), Disney’s latest animated movie, featuring songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is in theaters and will stream on Disney+ starting Dec. 24.

See some lights

Get some hot chocolate to go and buckle in the family for a ride to see some displays of holiday lights:

• Find a map to all the entrants in the Manchester’s Holiday Lights Contest at manchesternh.gov. The site also features three different routes to see lights in different city neighborhoods.

• The Southern New Hampshire Tour of Lights features a listing of decorated homes in Amherst, Bedford, Milford, Jaffrey, Antrim, Fitzwilliam, Keene, Merrimack, Peterborough, Rindge and Troy. See the rec department websites of participating towns for lists of houses on the tour, which runs through Dec. 27.

• Find a list and map of lit-up homes in New Boston at newbostonnh.gov/recreation.

Or for something a little more organized, check out these ticketed events:

• The Gift of Lights at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106 North, Loudon), runs daily through Sunday, Jan. 2. The 2½-mile drive-thru light show features a variety of scenes making up more than 500 different light displays along the track. It’s open from 4:30 to 9 p.m. every Sunday through Thursday, and 4:30 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, depending on weather conditions. The cost ranges from $30 to $35 per carload, and is $60 per limo or bus. See nhms.com/events/gift-of-lights.

• LaBelle Lights continues at LaBelle Winery’s Derry location (14 Route 111) now through Feb. 26. This festive outdoor light show features displays that are being changed periodically throughout its run, taking place on the facility’s golf course along a paved walking path. The display includes a 15-foot-tall selfie station made of wine barrels, designed and installed by LaBelle vineyard manager and professional woodworker Josh Boisvert. Hours of operation are from 4:30 to 9 p.m. on select days throughout the season. Tickets are $15. See labellewinery.com/lights.

Day at the museum

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Otherwise, the museum is open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $15, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (children under 13 get in free) and can be purchased on-site (masks for all are required), according to the website. This Thursday, Dec. 23, Alli Beaudry will perform from 5 to 8 p.m., as part of the museum’s weekly Art After Work programming (admission to the museum is free after 5 p.m.). Kevin Horan is slated to perform Dec. 30. On Sundays, the Winter Garden Cafe offers a special brunch menu starting at 10 a.m. featuring mimosa flights, according to the website. Current exhibits include “As Precious As Gold: Carpets from the Islamic World,” “WPA in NH: Philip Guston and Musa McKim” and “Tomie dePaola at the Currier,” featuring the works of dePaola, writer and illustrator 270 children’s books.

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) is open Tuesdays through Fridays (it will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Day) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Though normally closed Mondays, SEE will be open Monday, Dec. 27. Current displays and exhibits with hands-on examinations of science include BiologYou. Purchase reservations in advance via the website (masks are required for all visitors age 2 and up); admission costs $10 per person ages 3 and up.

• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum) is normally open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (The museum will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day; it will be open until 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31.) Admission to the Millyard Museum costs $8 for adults, $6 for 62+ and college students, $4 for children 12 to 18 and free for children under 12. In addition to the permanent exhibits about Manchester’s history, the museum currently features the “New Hampshire Now” photography exhibit.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820), featuring exhibits about the people and events of New Hampshire’s aviation history, will be closed for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day but open Sunday, Dec. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 29, through Friday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 2, from 1 to 4 p.m., and thereafter Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Exhibits include the annual “Festival of Holiday Toy Planes and Model Aircraft.” Admission costs $10, $5 for 65+ and children (6 to 12) and a family max of $30; children 5 and under get in free (masks are required), according to the website.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day but will be open daily Sunday, Dec. 26, through Friday, Dec. 31, and Sunday, Jan. 2, and Monday, Jan. 3, with sessions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The center recommends purchasing timed tickets in advance; admission costs $11.50 for adults, $10.50 for students and seniors and $8.50 for kids ages 3 to 12 (admission is free for children 2 and under; masks required for visitors over the age of 2). Planetarium show tickets are also available and cost $5 per person (free for children 2 and under); see the website for the schedule of planetarium shows.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (2 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) requires pre-purchased admission (which costs $11 per person, $9 for 65+ and no charge for children under 1). The museum will be open Thursday, Dec. 23 (from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.) and Sundays, Dec. 27 and Jan. 2 (from 9 a.m. to noon), and then Tuesday, Dec. 28, through Thursday, Dec. 30 (from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.), with special programming on Dec. 31 (see box). Masks are required for all guests over 24 months, the website said.

• The New Hampshire Telephone Museum (One Depot St. in Warner; nhtelephonemuseum.org, 456-2234) is open Tuesday, Dec. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $7 for adults, $6 for 60+ and $3 for students.