Treasure Hunt 26/04/30

Dear Donna,

I have an assortment of wooden balls — croquet balls and others that are larger with no painting on them. I thought before throwing them away I would check — if any interest I would love to give them away. Let me know your thoughts.

Thank you, Donna.

Cecile

Dear Cecile,

Old croquet sets can run in the range of $15 to $100+. That would be for a complete set. the older the better.

Cecile, I think having just the balls would be fun for someone for decorative purposes, crafts etc. I do think the larger brown balls could be bocce balls, from a totally different early game. If so they would be very heavy and a hard dense wood. I think finding a home for free could be tough unless you know someone. So maybe donate them to a church fair, thrift store, or even an antique shop. Cecile, I have to say it’s not often you hear “give away.” It made me smile! Because memories of playing croquet make smiles. I hope you find a new home and life for your collection of fun!

Kiddie Pool 26/04/30

Family fun for whenever

Fest fun

• Register now for the Woolly Wonder Fest at the Joppa Hill Educational Farm, 174 Joppa Hill Road in Bedford, on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature hands-on wool skirting, washing, carding and spinning; live fiber demonstrations, an opportunity to meet the sheep, music and more, according to the farm’s Facebook page. See jhef.org/events-at-the-farm.

On stage

• You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown will be presented by the Manchester Community Theatre Players on Fridays, May 1; Saturday, May 2; Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, May 3 and May 10, at 2 p.m. at the MCTP Theatre, the North End Montessori School, 698 Beech St. in Manchester. Described as an all-ages-friendly show, the play “explores life through the eyes of Charlie Brown and his friends in the Peanuts gang. This revue of songs and vignettes, based on the beloved Charles Schulz comic strip, is the ideal first show for those who would like to do a musical. Musical numbers include ‘My Blanket and Me,’ ‘The Kite,’ ‘The Baseball Game,’ ‘Little Known Facts,’ ‘Suppertime’ and ‘Happiness,’” according to a press release. See manchestercommunitytheatre.com for tickets.

• Shrek The Musical will be presented by Actorsingers on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm St. in Nashua, according to actorsingers.org, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Magician’s Elephant, based on the book by Kate DiCamillo, will be presented by the Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative in its New Hampshire premiere on Friday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St. in Laconia, according to powerhousenh.org, where you can purchase tickets.

On stage, canine edition

• Mutts Gone Nuts, described as “eight world-class stunt dogs in a hilarious comedy show” by muttsgonenuts.com, will perform Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m. at the Dana Center at Saint Anselm College in Manchester. See tickets.anselm.edu for tickets. See the Mutts Gone Nuts website for video clips from previous shows.

Treasure Hunt 26/04/23

Hello, Donna.

I read your column each week in the Hippo, and I wonder if you could help with a table. I’ve attached some pictures.

My parents got this from a cousin about 15 years ago. Someone was moving and my folks just took the table. It’s very heavy, has Italian marble in it and the dimensions are 102 x 40 x 29.

All of the original chairs are gone and years ago someone told me that it was an expensive table due to the marble. Is that true?

Any information would be appreciated.

Thank you.

John

Dear John,

Your table looks substantial and nice but doesn’t fall into my area for being antique. It does bring up a good point, though.

Even though a piece might not be considered to have an antique value, quality and some age would still give it a value. Better if you had a maker that was well-known in furniture. Then it would be quality, design and as always condition. Last would be finding it a new home.

John, not having the complete set can definitely matter in pricing it as well. My suggestion would be to go out to a few furniture consignment stores to see if you can get an idea of what pricing is for similar size and quality tables.Then you decide how to market it.

I apologize for not having more information for you. Good luck, John, and I hope your table finds a new home.

Kiddie Pool 26/04/23

Family fun for whenever

Signs of spring

• The Goffstown Citizens Committee will hold its annual SpringFest on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sullivan Arena at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, according to a press release. The day will feature a kids’ zone with bounce houses, slides, table games, glitter tattoos, face painting and more, the release said. There will be two food concessions areas with snacks and lunch and more than 100 booths from businesses and vendors offering product demonstrations, free samples and more, the release said. Admission costs $5 for adults and is free for children 12 and younger, the release said. See goffstowncitizens.org.

• Charmingfare Farm, 774 High St. in Candia, is celebrating Barnyard Babies & Beyond on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, with admission times starting at 10:30 a.m., according to its Facebook page, where you can find a link to tickets. Meet and pet baby farm animals, see a cow milking demonstration, check out the tractor “touch a truck” and more, according to the post. See visitthefarm.com.

Music!

• Mr. Aaron celebrates 10 years of making music for kids with a Double Digits Celebration on Saturday, April 25, at 4 p.m. at Rollins Park in Concord, according to facebook.com/mraaronmusic, where you can check back for weather-related updates. See mraaronmusic.com for more about Mr. Aaron and his music.

• Introduce the kids to the songs of Dave Matthews at The Rock and Roll Playhouse featuring the music of the Dave Matthews Band & More played by local musician Kevin Horan & Friends on Sunday, April 26, at 11 a.m. (doors open at 10:30 a.m.) at the BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St. in Concord. See ccanh.com for tickets; kids under 1 get in free, according to the website.

• Catch the music of Frozen, Wicked, K-Pop Demon Hunters, Moana, Taylor Swift and more at The Princess Concert on Monday, April 27, at 3:30 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord. See ccanh.com for tickets.

On stage

• The Magic School Bus, presented by TheaterWorks USA, will be at the Capitol Center for the Art’s Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord, on Friday, April 24, at 4 p.m. See ccanh.com for tickets.

• Comedy illusionist Ben Pratt will present a family-friendly show at Chunky’s, 707 Huse Road in Manchester, on Sunday, April 26, at 6:15 p.m. See chunkys.com, which describes the show as “loaded with audience participation and exciting fun for the entire family,” for tickets.

Fun and games

• Chunky’s in Manchester also has a few theater candy bingo events on the schedule. Catch bingo Tuesday, April 28, and Friday, May 1, at 6:45 p.m. See chunkys.com to purchase tickets.

• Remix Roller Skating & Event Center, 725 Huse Road in Manchester, will offer a Vacation Skate Party on Monday, April 27, with two-hour skate blocks and a free 20-minute roller skate lesson for the 10 a.m. block, according to skateremix.com, where you can purchase tickets for time blocks and find more upcoming all ages skate events.

• To Share Brewing Co., 720 Union St. in Manchester, is offering “an easy, family-friendly hang all week long,” according to its Facebook page. The brewery has activities planned throughout the week, such as a scavenger hunt on Tuesday and “Crafternoon” on Wednesday, and will have “Kid Snack Packs” available for purchase, the post said.

• Honey Cup Cafe & Tea Room, 150 Bridge St. in Manchester, has a Kids Tea Time available at 10 a.m. April 28 through May 1, by reservation only, according to a post on its Facebook page where you can find details on pricing and available tea time treats.

Vacation at the museum

Looking for something to do during spring vacation (the week of April 27 for many New Hampshire schools)? Some area museums offer extra hours or programming.

• The Aviation Museum of N.H. 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, will be open additional hours during Spring Break — Monday, April 27, and Tuesday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to a press release. The museum is also open its regular hours Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. The museum also will operate its Elite Flight Simulator on Monday, April 27; Wednesday, April 29, and Friday, May 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. in addition to its usual hours of Saturday 1 to 4 p.m., the release said. The simulator, open to ages 13 and up, offers the experience of flying a single-engine plane, the release said. Families with kids ages 12 and younger can attend “Story Time, which will take place on Tuesday, April 28, and Thursday, April 30, with programs at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Participants will enjoy reading several aviation-themed stories as well as additional activities. Admission to Story Time is free and is first-come, first-served. Afterward, families may explore the Aviation Museum at no charge,” the release said. See aviationmuseumofnh.org for regular admission prices and for details.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, 6 Washington St. in Dover, will be open Tuesday, April 28, for an afternoon play session from 1 to 4 p.m. as well as its usual hours of morning play sessions (9 a.m. to noon) Tuesdays and Sundays and morning and afternoon sessions Wednesdays through Saturdays. See childrens-museum.org.

And save the date for Farm Day with Sturgeon Creek Farm on Sunday, May 3, from 10 a.m. to noon, when visitors will get to meet some of the animals from Sturgeon Creek Farm in Eliot, Maine, on the museum’s Play Patio, according to a museum newsletter. Reserve admission online.

• Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St. in Manchester, is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to currier.org. Additionally, the museum has workshops April 29 through May 1, for ages 6 to 15 (grouped by age) called “Spray: Big Colors, Bold Moves” and themed around the current “SPRAY: Jules Olitski in the 1960s” exhibition, according to the website, where you can find pricing.

• The Millyard Museum, run by the Manchester Historic Association, is in the same building at the SEE Science Center — 200 Bedford St. in Manchester. It is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to manchesterhistoric.org, where you can find downloadable Gallery Games to help kids engage with the museum.

• New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park St. in Concord, offers historical exhibits and is open its regular hours Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to nhhistory.org, where you can find admission information.

• SEE Science Center, 200 Bedford St. in Manchester, will be open Monday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in addition to its regular hours of Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See see-sciencecenter.org.

Treasure Hunt 26/04/16

Dear Donna,

I have a tin full of assorted mostly damaged pieces of old jewelry. I don’t want to throw it away if someone can find a use for it. Can you help me with any information on where to take it? Sell or donate, what’s best? Thank you for any help.

Deb

Dear Deb,

I think before I did anything with it I would go through it. Bring it to a local store you can trust. What to look for would be pieces of gold or silver. Or any signed jewelry, watches etc. that stand out.

After that I would feel safe to either sell it as a lot or even possibly donate it. Crafters love jewelry fragments to remake into new pieces etc.

Wherever you bring it to for help, they might even be interested in purchasing it — an antique collectible shop, jeweler. Even if you don’t find any hidden valuable pieces, the tin lot should be worth at least $25. Cross your fingers! Maybe a tiny treasure is there.

Kiddie Pool 26/04/16

Family fun for whenever

Wild!

• Discover WILD New Hampshire Day is Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the NH Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive in Concord, according to wildlife.nh.gov/dwnh. Described as a family-friendly event, Discover WILD New Hampshire is free to attend and will feature more than 100 education and experiential exhibits, according to the website.

Exhibits include live animals, big fish, trained falcons, archery, an air-rifle range, a retriever dog demonstration and wild craft activities, the website said. Attendees can also meet a Fish and Game biologist and a conservation officer, the website said.

There will also be a food truck alley including Bubble Bee Milk Tea and Dumplings, Koz’s Haute Box, Smoke Shack, The Pink House Food Truck and Wicked Good Wood Fired Pizza, according to the exhibitor map available on the website.

• To celebrate this year’s Concord Reads book — Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell by Sy Montgomery — the Concord Public Library is holding an event with Reptiles of New England that will feature a variety of reptiles including snakes on Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. at the City Wide Community Center auditorium, 14 Canterbury Road in Concord, according to concordnh.gov/1983/Library, where you can register for the event.

On stage

• Epping Community Theatre will present the “revoluting children” of Roald Dahl’s Matilda Jr. Friday, April 17, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.; and Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, at 2 p.m. at the Epping Playhouse, 38 Ladds Lane in Epping, according to eppingtheater.org, where you can purchase tickets.

• The Palace Youth Theatre, with performers in grades 2 through 12, will present the Young@Part edition of Monty Python’s Spamalot on Tuesday, April 21, and Wednesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St. in Manchester. See palacetheatre.org for tickets.

Storytime

• Maine author and illustrator Alexandra Thompson will be at Bookery, 844 Elm St. in Manchester, for a storytime with her new book Hazel & Herbert! on Saturday, April 18, at 11 a.m. See bookerymht.com.

• Wonderland Books and Toys, Maple Valley Plaza, 245 Maple St. in Manchester, holds weekly drop-in Saturday storytimes at 3 p.m., according to wonderlandbooksandtoys.com.

Game time!

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats began a six-game series against the Chesapeake Baysox on April 14 that continues through the weekend with games on Thursday, April 16, and Friday, April 17, at 6:03 p.m. and Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, at 1:05 p.m. At Saturday’s game the team will play as the New Hampshire Space Potatoes, its first use of that alternate identity this season. After Friday’s game, stay for fireworks. See milb.com/new-hampshire for tickets.

Family movie theater fun

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 707 Huse Road in Manchester, has a few family events on the schedule. On Saturday, April 18, at 6 p.m. it’s family trivia night all about the Zootopia movies. Doors open an hour before trivia start time, according to chunkys.com, where you can purchase tickets. On Tuesday, April 21, it’s a special screening of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (PG, 2026) at 11:30 a.m. with a $5 admission price and the screening room lights slightly dimmed, according to the website.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!