Category: Family Fun

Family fun for whenever

Fall fun

• Joppa Hill Educational Farm (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford, 472-4724, theeducationalfarm.org) will hold a Fall Fair on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will feature artisan booths, food trucks, vendors, tractor rides, apples, pumpkin decorating, live music, kids’ activities and farm fun. Tickets cost $15 (plus fees) per person or $30 (plus fees) per family.

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St., Candia, visitthefarm.com, 483-5623) holds its Pumpkin Festival Saturday, Oct. 5, and Sunday, Oct. 6, as well as Saturday, Oct. 14, through Monday, Oct. 16. Admission costs $29 per person (23 months and younger get in free). Pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, take a tractor- or horse-drawn wagon ride, enjoy live music and more. The festival also features a cow milking contest (not involving a real cow), pumpkin art, costumed characters and a visit with the farm’s animals. Charmingfare’s Halloween events include children’s trick-or-treat (the last three weekends in October) for families and younger kids and Harvest of Haunts (Oct. 19, Oct. 20, Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 in the early evening) for families and ages 12 and under (but who are old enough for some spookiness).

• Applecrest Farm Orchards (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest. com) continue their weekend celebrations with the Fall Festival this week, which will feature live music from Reunion Hill Band on Saturday, Oct. 5, and Unsung Heroes on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. Look for activities including the corn maze, tractor rides, visits with barnyard animals, lawn games and a traditional corn roast, according to the website.

Science Fiesta!

SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester, see-sciencecenter.org) is holding a Science Fiesta on Friday, Oct. 4, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to celebrate the Latino contributions to STEM, according to the website. This family event will feature food from Don Quijote, science demonstrations, music and more and is sponsored by SEE, Centro Latino de New Hampshire and Nashua Family Network, the website said. Entry is free with registration on the website, where you can also find information on bus transportation to the event for those living in Manchester.

For the little guys

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, childrens-museum.org) wraps up its annual celebration of the youngest museumgoers — Toddlerfest continues through Sunday, Oct. 6, with daily activities for little kids. Some of the events planned for this week include princess storytime on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; parachute play at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 4; Hispanic Heritage Month crafts on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Science Friday experiment at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and more. Admission costs $12.50 for everyone over 12 months; $10.50 for 65+. The museum has sessions Wednesday through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. and Tuesdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Family fun for whenever

Deerfield Fair

• “147 years of agricultural family fun!” is how the Deerfield Fair describes itself at deerfieldfair.com. The fair kicks off Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 a.m. and offers a full day of live music, performances including puppets and magic and agricultural shoes and competitions. The fair runs through Sunday, Sept. 29, and is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets cost $12 for ages 13 and older, kids ages 12 and younger and all military get in for free. Senior days are Thursday and Friday when tickets for $65+ purchased at the gate cost $9. See the website for early ticket purchases. Ride Special Wristband Days are sold Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for unlimited rides until 6 p.m. for $35 and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with unlimited rides until 7 p.m. for $35. Ride ticket singles cost $1.50 with discounts for bulk purchases.

Some of the highlights from the fair entertainment and events schedule include (see the website for a full schedule):

• Thursday: BJ Hickman Magician at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Relaxation Stage (also appearing through the weekend); Lindsay and her Puppet Pals at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the Bandstand Stage (also appearing Friday); Bryson Lang Juggling & Comedy Show at 1 p.m. at the Bandstand Stage (also appearing through the weekend); Pig scramble for ages 8 to 10 at 2 p.m. at the Swine Area

Friday: The Flying Wallendas at noon and 3 p.m. at the Main Stage (also on Saturday and Sunday); Pig scramble for ages 11 to 13 at 2 p.m.; The Incidentals at 7 p.m. at the Relaxation Stage

Saturday: 4-H Dairy Goat show at 9 a.m. at the Sheep Barn Area; Pig scramble for ages 8 to 10 at 2 p.m. at the Swine Area; Sheep shearing at the Sheep Barn 2 p.m.; Aim High Canines at the Swine Ring 3 p.m.; Truck Pull at the Tractor Pull Area 5 p.m.: Shakerz Band at 7 p.m. Relaxation Stage

Sunday: The Bel Airs (doowop and vintage rock ’n’ roll) at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Relaxation stage; Dog demonstration, sheep dog herding at the Special Events Area at noon; Pig scramble for ages 11 to 13 at 2 p.m. at the Swine Ring; Pig scramble for adults at 2:15 p.m. at the Swine Ring; Fry Pan Toss for women 18+ at the Tractor Pull Area at 4 p.m.; Double Take at 5 p.m. Relaxation Stage

Strolling performers throughout the weekend include Pirate Man Dan, Seacoast NH Ukulele, Wicked Witches of the Lakes Region and Mixtape A Cappella Group, according to the website.

Fall family fun

• The Harvest Moon Festival at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum (18 Highlawn Road, Warner, indianmuseum.org, 456-2600) is Sunday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers something for the whole family. According to the website, the Harvest Moon Festival celebrates the traditional harvest season; it is a family-friendly event featuring craft demonstrations, activities for kids, and educational exhibits. Food for sale, prepared using Native American recipes, includes bison stew, chicken wild rice stew, several varieties of cornbread, and sweets. Tickets cost $13 for adults, $7 for children, and are available online.

Les Enfants

• The Franco-American Centre is offering Children’s Beginner French classes for ages 6 to 11 via Zoom. The classes will run Tuesday, Oct. 1, through Dec. 3, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The kids will learn “through various fun activities and games” and no French knowledge is required, according to a Franco-American Centre newsletter. The cost is $150, with discounts for multiple children. See facnh.com/product-page/children-s-beginner-french.

Save the date

• The Joppa Hill Educational Farm (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford, 472-4724, theeducationalfarm.org) will hold a Fall Fair on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will feature artisan booths, food trucks, vendors, tractor rides, apples, pumpkin decorating, live music, kids’ activities and farm fun. Tickets cost $15 (plus fees) per person or $30 (plus fees) per family.

• Tickets are on sale now for the Community Players of Concord’s Children’s Theatre Project production of Charlotte’s Web featuring 42 young actors ages 6 to 16, according to a press release. Catch the production on Friday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. or Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord. Tickets cost $15 and are available at CommunityPlayersofConcord.org or at the box office 90 minutes before each show, the release said.

Family fun for whenever

Special events

• Manchester Proud and the Manchester School District will present CelebratED! On Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Veterans Memorial Park in Manchester to celebrate the new school year, according to a press release. This free event offers entertainment, food, presentations from schools, music performances from schools, an art gallery in the park, nearly 60 organizations with booths and activities, food (including Kona Ice for kids, pizza and foods including Caribbean, Nepalese, Mexican, African, Thai and Mediterranean), the Bookmobile and more, the release said.

• Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester (669 Union St. in Manchester) will hold a Fall Equinox Celebration on Sunday, Sept. 22, with a service at 10 a.m. followed by a free family concert and activities on the lawn from 11:30 a.m. through 2 p.m., according to a press release. Amy Conley will play the guitar and banjo from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; there will be pumpkin painting and a chili luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (with a suggested donation of $5); there will be raffles and a free recital in the sanctuary from 3 to 4 p.m. featuring violin and piano performances by Elliott Markow, the release said.

On the pitch

• This weekend at Southern New Hampshire University, see the Penmen Men’s Soccer team take on Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 4 p.m. at Mark A. Ouellette Stadium (Victory Lane in Hooksett). The next home game for the Women’s Soccer team is next Saturday, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m. See snhupenmen.com.

• At Saint Anselm College, the Hawks Men’s Soccer teamwill take on Adelphi University on Saturday, Sept. 21, at noon at Melucci Field at Saint Anselm College in Manchester. The next Women’s Soccer home games will be Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 3 p.m. versus Saint Michael’s College and Saturday, Sept. 28, at noon versus Adelphi University. See saintanselmhawks.com.

• At Rivier College, the Raiders Women’s Soccer team will play their next home game on Saturday, Sept. 21, at noon against Simmons University at Joanne Merrill Field, 438 S. Main St. in Nashua. The Men’s Soccer home game this weekend is Saturday, Sept. 21, at 3 p.m. at Merrill Field, versus Thomas College. See rivierathletics.com.

Town celebrations

• Hollis Old Home Days take place Friday, Sept. 20, from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Nichols Field and Lawrence Barn on Depot Road in Hollis. The schedule includes midway and rides both days, kids’ art activities and scavenger hunt (Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), a pony pageant (Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m.), Granite State Disc Dogs (Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m.), dance and cheer performances, a DJ on Friday, live music on Saturday, a petting zoo, and fireworks on Saturday at 8 p.m., according to hollisoldhomedays.org.

• Derryfest will run Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at MacGregor Park in downtown Derry. The day will feature food, crafts, games, a line-up of vendors and a schedule of music and performances that runs throughout the day, according to derryfest.org, where you can find a map of the event.

• Hooksett Old Home Day is Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with fireworks scheduled after dusk. The day starts with a parade from Lamberts Park to Donati Park (behind Town Hall, 35 Main St., Hooksett) at 10 a.m. Check out the Heritage Trolley Tour from noon to 3 p.m. Free amusements including a rock wall and bungee jump, photo booth, module rainbow house, a dry slide and more will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A petting farm will run from noon to 4 p.m. A magic show with BJ Hickman is slated to start at 11:05 a.m. and 2 p.m. Music and performances will run throughout the afternoon and fireworks are slated for 7:30 p.m., all according to hooksettoldhomeday.org. The event will also feature eating competitions — watermelon at 12:15 p.m., pizza at 1:30 p.m. and pie at 3 p.m., the website said.

• And for something a little more low-key and eats-focused, the East Kingston Summer Market will be held Sunday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the East Kingston Public Library (47 Maplevale Road, East Kingston, 642-8333, eastkingstonlibrary.org). Find produce, crafts and live music, according to the library website.

Fun with wings

• Wheels & Wings 2024 will feature fire trucks, police vehicles, airplanes, helicopters, DPW vehicles, electric cars and other things that go ready for exploration on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Nashua Airport (93 Perimeter Road in Nashua), according to the Nashua Parks and Recreation Facebook page. This event is free.

• Portsmouth Fairy House Tours take place Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Portsmouth at the Strawbery Banke Museum, John Langdon House, Prescott Park and Gundalow waterfront, where you can find hundreds of fairy houses on display, according to fairyhousetour.com. Saturday will kick off with an opening day fairy parade at 9:30 a.m. Through the weekend, see “fairy-inspired performances” by the Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater, The Players’ Ring and the New Hampshire Theatre Project, the website said. The weekend will also feature a fairy book and photo display and a live creation of a fairy house sculpture for permanent display in downtown Portsmouth, the website said. Tickets cost $12 for adults in advance ($15 at the gate), $8 for 65+ ($10 at the gate), $5 for children ages 3 to 12 ($7 at the gate) and $30 for a family pack of four tickets ($35 at the gate). Children under 3 get in for free, the website said. See the website for information about joining the parade.

Celebrate pie

• The Great New Hampshire Pie Festival will take place at the New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Highway, Milton, nhfarmmuseum.org) on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $15 ($5 for kids 12 and under, and free for pie-bakers). Local bakeries will have pies for sampling while local pie makers will compete in a pie contest (kids 12 and under can enter a pie in their own category). The day will also feature a pie crust rolling demonstration, a raffle, a silent auction, tractor rides, visits with the animals, tours of historic buildings and live music from Lance Maclean and the Moose Mountain String Band, according to the website. Lunch will be available for purchase, the website said.

Pick for your own pie

Looking to pick apples for pie or other fall treats? Check out the story in last week’s paper, the issue of Sept. 12, which includes listings for some area pick-your-own orchards. The story starts on page 10; find the issue in our digital library at hippopress.com. Some locations with special offerings this weekend include:

• Applecrest Farm Orchards (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest. com) Open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The orchard also features a corn maze and weekend festivals, such as this weekend’s Autumn Equinox Festival, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. featuring live music including Back Woods Road on Saturday and Unsung Heroes Band on Sunday. Fall festivals may also include a traditional corn roast, fresh press apple cider and lawn games, the website said.

• Appleview Orchard (1266 Upper City Road, Pittsfield, applevieworchard.com, 435- 3553) is open Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 7 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Find a playground, farm animals, picnic areas and more, the website said.

• Gould Hill Farm (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, 746-3811, gouldhillfarm.com) Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and this Saturday, Sept. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. catch internationally touring folk rock singer-songwriter Justin Cohn, according to the website.

• Mack’s Apples/Moose Hill Orchard (230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 434- 7619, macksapples.com) has opened its pumpkin patch. Find more about the weekend’s happenings on their Facebook page, such as last weekend’s Bee Train ride for kids.

On stage

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland will be presented by the Powerhouse Theatre Collaboration (powerhousenh.org) at Prescott Farm in Laconia Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22, with performances beginning every 20 minutes from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Book a time slot online.

• Camp Rock The Musical is presented by the Palace Youth Theatre, with performers in grades 2 to 12, on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $12 to $15.

Save the date

• The Players’ Ring (105 Marcy St. in Portsmouth; playersring.org) will present Lindsey and Her Puppet Pals on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. “Lindsay’s funny, fast-paced, and highly interactive variety show delights the young and the young at heart!” according to the website. “This program is a great fit for ages 3-8 and families.” Tickets cost $18 general admission, $15 for ages 12 and under.