250814 – Page 2

Mamoul, baklawa and shawarma

Find treats, meats and more at Mahrajan

One of Nikki Bullock’s earliest memories of the maharajan is tied to her memories of her mother. “I think my earliest memory is of my mother cooking for it,” Bullock said. ”She was the co-chair [of the festival] for a very long time and the head chef. She passed away a year ago, and I’ve kind of taken over her role, but I think definitely my earliest memories are her standing behind the tent.”

The Mahrajan Middle Eastern Food Festival at Our Lady of the Cedars Church has been a mainstay of Manchester’s summer food festival season for decades, said Thomas Steinmetz, the church’s pastor.

“Our festival is an annual festival that we have. It’s called a mahrajan, which means ‘big festival.’ It’s an Arabic word, and this is a Lebanese food festival, actually. The parish here was founded by Lebanese families and so they have continued to perpetuate the food and the culture in the parish. It has a variety of attractions including quite a menu of different Lebanese food, a cash bar, and things for the kids like a petting zoo.”

For Nikki Bullock, this festival is an opportunity to show how much Lebanese food culture has in common with other Mediterranean cultures, but with a definite Lebanese slant. She used kibbeh as an example. On a surface level, kibbeh seems very much like Greek kebabs.

“We kind of call it Lebanese meatloaf,” she said, “but it’s baked, spiced ground beef with cracked wheat and pine nuts and lamb and onions. I think the biggest flavor differences between this and other Middle Eastern foods is definitely those spices. We have a lot of allspice and cinnamon, sumac and cumin, spices like that.” While there are traditional versions of kibbeh that are served raw, she said, the kibbeh at Mahrajan is not. “We don’t mess around with that. It is totally baked to temperature.”

As you’d expect from a Middle Eastern food festival, there are plenty of grilled meats, Bullock said — “there’s lamb kebabs, chicken kebabs, and chicken and lamb shawarma” — but what she personally looks forward to is falafel [deep fried balls of herbs and chickpeas]. “The falafel is just something that is hard to master making at home,” she said. “I work in the kitchen, so I get it hot out of the fryer, which is pretty magical.”

According to Bullock, one of the big draws at Mahrajan each year is the pastries.

“I think every culture in that region of the world has its own baklava interpretation,” she said. “So the Lebanese have — we call it baklawa. It’s very similar to the Greek, but we use a simple syrup as opposed to a honey. So it’s a little bit lighter, a little crunchier. I mean, I love both, but I think ours is a little less sweet. But we have a hot chocolate version, a walnut version, and a pistachio version with a little rose water. So we bring in a little, again, a little bit of that Middle Eastern flavor in there. We also have what we call date fingers — it’s like a buttery pastry dough and then there’s dates in the middle of that and that has powdered sugar on top. And we have a nut version of that too, called mamoul, which I believe is still one of the oldest cookies in the world, the mamoul. It’s super-unusual. It has an ingredient in it called makhali, which is actually ground cherry pits that we kind of sprinkle on the pastry.” Bullock remembers seeing a challenge on The Great British Baking Show a few seasons ago when the contestants baked cookies from Cyprus that used makhali. “I remember seeing that and getting really excited,” she said. “I was like, ‘I can bake that!’”

Mahrajan Middle Eastern Food Festival
When: Friday, Aug. 15, from 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 16, from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 17, from noon to 5 p.m., according to the website.
Where: Our Lady of the Cedars Church, 140 Mitchell St., Manchester, 623-8944, olocnh.org
More: bestfestnh.com

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 25/08/14

News from the local food scene

• Greenleaf is closing: Beloved fine dining restaurant Greenleaf(54 Nashua St., Milford, 213-5447, greenleafmilford.com) has announced that it will close its doors at the end of August. In an online statement, owner Chef Chris Viaud wrote that “rising costs of labor and goods within an industry that already has the burden of profit margins” necessitated the closing. Greenleaf’s final service will be Saturday, Aug.30. Visit facebook.com/greenleafmilford.

• Caroline’s moves: Upscale catering company Caroline’s Fine Food (404-6500, carolinesfood.com) and its sister company The Pot Pie Bar (432-1927, thepotpiebar.com) have moved to a new location at 649 Mast Road in Goffstown. They are open for business Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Pot Pie Bar’s menu changes frequently; updated menu information is available at thepotpiebar.com.

• Cooking affordably: The Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway, Derry, 432-6140, derrypl.org) will host “Shopping on a Budget” on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 6 p.m. Looking to learn how to stretch your food dollar? Join Cooking Matters for this interactive workshop to discuss budgeting and cook some delicious meals. Each participant receives a $10 grocery store gift card for attending (limit one per household). Space is limited. Call 432-6140 or visit derrypl.org to register.

• “Dinner and a MOO-vie”: Sunday, Aug. 17, beginning at 6:30 p.m., the Joppa Hill Educational Farm (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford, 472-4724, sites.google.com/theeducationalfarm.org/joppahillfarm) will host a catered dinner from the Potato Concept, followed by a showing of Trolls World Tour on the big screen with concessions from Ken’s Corn, Sweet Heat and The Inside Scoop. Tickets are $23.18 and must be purchased in advance.

• Italian grilling: Tuscan Market (Tuscan Village, 9 Via Toscana, Salem, 912-5467, tuscanbrands.com) will host a hands-on summer grilling class called “In the Beer Garden with Chef Jarret” on Saturday, Aug. 16, at noon. In this class you will grill rib-eyes marinated in garlic and spices from the Tuscan Market’s butcher shop. Try some delicious condiments and learn techniques to make you a master on the grill. Tickets are $71.21 through eventbrite.com.

Kiddie Pool 25/08/14

Family fun for whenever

Days of excitement

• Londonderry’s Old Home Days continue through Saturday, Aug. 16. Thursday, Aug. 14, will include the second annual Color Run at 5:30 p.m. at the Londonderry Town Common, according to londonderrynh.myrec.com. The live action 2025 Lilo & Stitch will screen in the common at dusk on Thursday as part of the Londonderry Police Association Movie Night, according to the Old Home Day Facebook page. On Friday, Aug. 15, the day will include a Home Run Derby with town employees (12:30 p.m.) followed by an afternoon softball tournament, all at Matthew Thornton Elementary school, according to a post on the page. On Friday evening, from 6 to 9 p.m., there will be a “Food Truck Alley” set up at Londonderry High School, followed by fireworks at 9:15 p.m., the page said. On Saturday, Aug. 16, the day will include a parade, booths on the common, a touch a truck, a historical society encampment, a pie eating contest and more, according to londonderrynh.gov.

Living history

• History Alive 2025 will present a weekend of reenactments on Saturday, Aug. 16, and Sunday, Aug. 17, at Jones Road in Hillsborough. The weekend will feature reenactments of historical battles across the centuries — including Roman and Viking battles and the French and Indian War through World War II, according to historyalivenh.org. The event will also feature other historical demonstrations as well as drawing and cartooning workshops with Marek Bennett, whose works include the Freeman Colby graphic novels about a real-life New Hampshire teacher in the Civil War. See the website for details, tickets and a schedule.

Beach trip

• The Hampton Beach Children’s Festival continues through Friday. On Thursday, Aug. 14, the fun includes Foo Family Band (1 p.m.) and ice cream with the lifeguards (3:30 p.m). The festival culminates on Friday, Aug. 15, with a parade at 10 a.m. and a performance by Mr. Aaron at the Seashell at 11 a.m. See the full schedule at hamptonbeach.org.

Treasure Hunt 25/08/14

Dear Donna,

I’m wondering if I could sell these. They belonged to my wife. She used them for bookends. She passed last year and I don’t want to throw them away. I would love to find a new home for them.

Thank you, Donna.

Emile

Dear Emile,

I am smiling though thinking of how your wife used the old shoe forms. She must have been a creative lady.

Even though most shoe forms don’t bring a lot of value, they do have many uses today. As your wife showed us.

The values all depend on age, size, unusual forms and sometimes even makers. An average price for a common adult size matching pair would be in the range of $20 to $30.

So, Emile, I do think you can sell them and someone will find a new use for them. You can try a local antique shop. Remember, though, you will get less because they then have to market them. It sounds to me like it will make you happy just finding them a new home.

Thank you, Emile, for sharing your story with us and thank you for not tossing them.

In the air

Greeley Park Art Show returns

Now in its eighth decade, the Greeley Park Art Show returns to Nashua as park renovations have reduced the amount of space available for the event. About 50 artists will show their work, along with children’s activities like puppet shows, rock painting, artmaking, a story hour, cornhole, and giant Jenga and Connect Four games.

Other attractions include food trucks and music from local guitarist George Packer (weather permitting). Bedford resident Ron Marcoux is a perennial favorite at the event. He will be back to demonstrate his woodworking techniques, and several other artists will also show off their creative process.

Two juried competitions are planned, one for adults and another for young artists.

Award categories include 3D, acrylic, mixed media, oil, pastel, photography, watercolor, digital art, and drawing/illustration. A Best of Show prizewinner will have their work displayed at ArtHub, a downtown gallery co-run by one of the event’s organizers, Sonia Guthrie.

The Adult competition will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16, with cash prizes totaling over $4,000. Artists up to age 18 vie on the following day. “The only difference is you don’t give them money; you can’t do that,” Guthrie said of the kids’ contest in a recent phone interview. “So they get prizes, more artwork supplies, that sort of thing.”

Additionally, as the show closes on Sunday, the Nashua Area Artists Association will present a scholarship check to at least one high school student with plans to pursue a degree in art.

“The overall goal is to promote the arts and artists,” Guthrie said. “Not just established, but brand new ones — kids. Greeley Park is the year-end celebration of that.”

Watching the youngsters interact with exhibitor demonstrations is Guthrie’s favorite part of the show. “Sometimes they sit down and kind of roll their eyes and go, ‘Oh, my Mom told me to sit here,’” she said. “Then they get into it and it becomes more fun for them.”

Guthrie welcomes an infusion of new blood into the Nashau art scene.

“The truth of the matter is many of our artists are getting older,” she said, adding some long-term members are skipping the show this year. “So we want to encourage the younger people to keep going with their art — if they have it and love it, they should do it.”

She has a message for anyone who feels more like a dabbler than artist: “There is no not good enough — you are what you are, you can learn to do better … but you’re still way ahead of people who don’t do it at all. Some of that is just confidence — there are an amazing number of people who are very reluctant to call themselves an artist.”

To claim the name, Guthrie continued, “you just have to be willing. I always think of Van Gogh; he never sold a painting. His sister-in-law is the only one that ever sold anything of his, and most of those were after he passed. Just because you haven’t sold yet doesn’t mean anything. To be a part of the art world is fun and exciting.”

At a time when arts organizations are losing funding and struggling to stay afloat, Guthrie believes NAAAis in a good place.

“If we break even, we figure we’re ahead of the game,” she said. They were helped by a $175,000 grant from newly opened The Nash Casino.

Guthrie hopes people will come out and support the event, especially anyone looking to create who needs encouragement.

“Camaraderie between artists is important,” she said. “They march to a different drum than the average person. Sometimes they really need that feedback from others that says, ‘Come o n, just keep going.’”

After School Adventure

Your guide to sports, theater, music and more extracurricular excitement

Get your kid excited about the new school year by finding new activities to learn or a new team to join or level up on a favorite pastime. Here are some of the organizations offering kids after-school adventure this school year. And, for adults looking to try something new, many of these organizations and venues also offer classes and workshops for adults. For music, dance and more, also inquire about private lessons. Information comes from the organizations’ websites and social media; call or go online for specifics on cost and other details.

General interest

• Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis, 465-7787, beaverbrook.org) offers two-, three- and five-day preschool options for kids ages 3 to 5 starting Sept. 3 as well as home-school programs for ages 7 through 14 starting Sept. 9.

• Boys & Girls Club of Central and Northern New Hampshire (The Bradley Street Clubhouse is at 55 Bradley St. in Concord, 224-1061; this club has other locations in Andover, Berlin, Belmont, Lisbon, Laconia, Holderness, Epsom, Hopkinton, Pittsfield, Warner, Weare, Allenstown and Bradford and operates in some Concord schools; nhyouth.org) has early learning centers for infants through pre-K at nine locations. It offers before- and after-school programs for grades K-8 as well as drop-in after-school programming for high schoolers at its clubhouses in Concord, Laconia and Suncook, according to the website.

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Derry (40 E. Derry Road, Derry, 434-6695, derrybgclub.org) offers after-school programming as well as arts, health, education, leadership and sports programs, including basketball, karate and wrestling (for pre-K through eighth grade), according to the website.

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester (555 Union St., Manchester, 625-5031, mbgcnh.org) offers morning and after-school programs at its Union Street Club House for grades K-12 (morning program at the club house is for grades K-8) as well as morning and after-school programs at Manchester’s Gossler Park Elementary Schools, Highland-Goffes Falls School and Jewett Street School.

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua (1 Positive Place, Nashua, 883-0523, bgcn.com) offers before-school programming (for grades K-6) as well as after-school programming for grades K-2. The Clubhouse program is open for after-school programming to grades 3-5 with the Stahl Teen Center for grades 6-12. The Greater Nashua club also offers early learning day care for infants through pre-K.

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem (3 Geremonty Drive, Salem, 898-7709, salembgc.org) offers after-school programming for grades 1-5 from 3 to 7 p.m. and for grades 6-12 from 2:10 to 7 p.m. The club also offers a preschool for kids “3.9-5 years of age,” according to the website.

• Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, 672-1002, svbgc.org) offers after-school programs for kids in grades 1-12, with before-school programming for Milford students in grades K-5. The club also offers arts, STEAM, theater and dance.

• Concord Parks & Recreation (concordnh.gov/1984/Parks-Recreation) offers fall programming including ballet & tap (ages 2 to 6), a nature program that meets weekly in September (ages 2 to 5), arts programs (ages 6 to 12 and 8 to 16), baking (ages 8 to 12 and 10 to 15), a nature class for ages 6 to 10 and more. See the website for the brochure. Most programs begin the first or second week of September.

• The Culinary Playground (16 Manning St., Suite 105, Derry, 339-1664, culinary-playground.com) offers one-hour cooking classes for “mini chefs” (ages 3 to 6) as well as classes for ages 6 through teens (and for adults). The classes for kids ages 6+ include one-off classes of a few hours, such as Apple Cinnamon Cobbler on Saturday, Sept. 27 (with sessions for ages 6 to 10 and 10+) and six-week classes that meet once weekly for 90 minutes such as All About Baking, with sessions Sept. 8 through Oct. 13 and Oct. 20 through Nov. 24 and classes for ages 6 to 11 and 11+, according to the website.

• Daniel Webster Council Scouts SA (625-6431, nhscouting.org) is the center of information for New Hampshire Scouts (formerly the Boy Scouts of America). Contact them for information about joining a local pack. Packs and Dens set their own start dates, meeting days and times and meeting locations. Many Packs hold fall activities where potential new members can learn more about Scouting.

• Franco-American Centre (100 Saint Anselm Drive, Davison Hall, No. 1798, Manchester, 641- 7114, facnh.com) offers French classes for kids ages 6 through 11, with a fall semester running Sept. 30 through Dec. 2, the website said. Private and semi-private French classes are also available for elementary and high school age students.

• Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains (1 Commerce Drive, Bedford, 888-474-9686, girlscoutsgwm.org) offers programs for girls in kindergarten through grade 12, focused on leadership-building, community engagement, STEM and nature. Visit their website or call to learn how to join a local troop or join as a solo Girl Scout. Troops set their own start dates, meeting days and times, and meeting locations. Information events about Girl Scouts are usually held at the beginning of the school year and throughout the year.

• Girls Inc. of New Hampshire (340 Varney St., Manchester, 623-1117; 27 Burke St., Nashua, 882-6256, girlsincnh.org) offers after-school programming in Manchester and Nashua, with members arriving at centers via buses, according to the website. The girls get snacks, homework time and structured programs, the website said.

• Granite YMCA (30 Mechanic St., Manchester, 623-3558; 116 Goffstown Back Road, Goffstown, 497-4663; 206 Rockingham Road, Londonderry; 437-9622; 15 N. State St., Concord, 228-9622; 35 Industrial Way, Rochester, 332-7334; 550 Peverly Hill Road, Portsmouth, 431- 2334; 35 Bartlett Ave., Somersworth, 692-2081; graniteymca.org/child-care) offers before- and after-school programming as well as Early Learning Centers, depending on the location. Manchester, Goffstown and Concord are among the locations that offer swimming lessons for kids as young as 6 months. Goffstown and Concord also have swim teams — the Sailfish Swim Team in Concord is open to ages 6 to high school. The Tiger Sharks Swim Team in Goffstown is open to ages 5 to 19 and usually begins practice in October, the website said. The YMCA locations also offer a variety of athletic classes for kids, depending on the location. The Goffstown YMCA offers classes and programs in gymnastics and ninja, indoor tennis for ages 4 to 17, climbing and martial arts, according to the website. Some locations also offer teen nights and other family programming. Brochures for the fall sessions are available on the website.

• Hampshire Hills Athletic Club (50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com) offers kids swim lessons as well as swim team prep for ages 6 to 14. Tennis programs are offered for kids as young as 3.

• Manchester Police Athletic League (409 Beech St., Manchester, 626-0211, manchesterpoliceathleticleague.org) offers athletic and enrichment programs including aikido, boxing, baton twirling, dodgeball, girls empowerment, Girl Scouts, jiu jitsu, skateboarding and wrestling, as well as occasional cooking classes. The fall schedule will begin on Thursday, Sept. 4.

• Mathnasium (257 DW Highway, Nashua, 242-2004; 1 Bicentennial Drive, Manchester, 644-1234; mathnasium.com) offers math classes for kids in grades K-12.

• Merrimack Parks & Recreation (merrimackparksandrec.org) offers fall programming including paint and play (ages 1 to 6), little scientists (ages 3 to 6), soccer (grouped by age for ages 1 to 5) and programs for days the school is off or early release.

• Naticook After School (merrimackparksandrec.org) offered at Mastricola Elementary School, Thornton’s Ferry Elementary School, Reeds Ferry Elementary School and James Mastricola Upper Elementary School in Merrimack for one to five days a week.

• NH Audubon (including Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way in Auburn, 668- 2045; McLane Center, 84 Silk Farm Road in Concord, 224-9909; nhaudubon.org) offers family-friendly events as well as home-school programming.

• The Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (vlacs.org) offers full- and part-time school options for students in elementary through high school, including offering students enrolled in a local school the opportunity to take classes not available in their school or accelerated classes.

• YMCA of Greater Nashua (24 Stadium Drive, Nashua, 882-2011; 6 Henry Clay Drive, Merrimack, 881-7778, nmymca.org) offers before-school (at Amherst Middle School and the Merrimack YMCA) care as well as after-school programming at schools in Amherst and Mont Vernon as well as at the Nashua and Merrimack YMCAs. The YMCA also offers swim lessons and swim team, dance, ninja, preschool sports, basketball, archery, soccer, flag football, tennis, volleyball, gymnastics and martial arts, according to the website. The Y also offers teen sports programs and leagues, the website said. The YMCA also offers full-day child care and early education for ages 6 weeks to kindergarten at its Merrimack facility as well as a three-hour kindergarten readiness program for ages 3 to 5 in Nashua.

Arts

• Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford 672-2500, creativeventuresfineart.com) offers classes and workshops including sessions for adults and sessions geared to kids. Upcoming offerings include Painting Fun for Children and Tweens, Thursdays, Aug. 21 and Aug. 28, 4:30 to 6 p.m., for ages 8 to 12, and Friday Homeschool Art Class Fridays, Aug. 22 and Aug. 29, 1:30 to 3 p.m, for ages 6 to 18.

• Hollis Artspace (30 Ash St., Hollis, 465-4300, hollisartspace.com) offers classes and workshops such as the “Magical Maps & Dragon Eggs” (featuring illustration and clay work) on Monday, Aug. 25, 10:15 a.m. to noon, for ages 6 to 10. See the website for the fall offerings.

• Kimball Jenkins School of Art (266 N. Main St., Concord, 225-3932, kimballjenkins.com) offers youth classes and teen classes in subjects such as puppet making, knitting, drawing, water color and more in two fall sessions — Sept. 15 to Oct. 18 and Oct. 20 to Nov. 22.

• Let’s Play Music! (145 Hampstead Road, Derry, 425-7575; letsplaymusic.com) offers art classes (grouped by age) for kids ages 6 to 12 as well as classes for teens. Classes have open enrollment for students to join any time there are openings in a class.

• Paint pARTy (135 N. Broadway, Salem, 898-8800, paintpartynh.com) offers classes for kids in grade 1 through high school (as well as adults).

• Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester, 232-5597, 550arts.com) offers after-school class sessions of eight to 10 weeks in the fall, winter and spring, with fall classes (starting the week of Sept. 15) on clay (with sessions for ages 9 to 12 and for teens), drawing and painting (with sessions for ages 7 to 11) and drawing and illustration (for teens, ages 10+), according to the website. The center also offers one-day workshops and family workshops.

Dance

• Allegro Dance Academy (100 Factory St., Nashua, 886-7989, allegrodancenh.com) offers preschool dance classes (for ages 18 months to 5 years); recreational dance classes (for ages 6 to 18) in ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, musical theater, hip-hop including a boys-only class, tap and tumbling), and competitive dance (for ages 6 to 18), according to website information about last year. Check back for updates on this fall.

• Ameri-kids Baton & Dance (Candia Youth Athletic Association, 27 Raymond Road, Candia, 391-2254, ameri-kids.org) has offerings this fall including competition teams, acro, baton & dance and twirlers, according to the studio’s Facebook page. Classes begin on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Email contact@ameri-kids.com.

• Bedford Dance Center (172 Route 101, Bedford, 472-5141, bedforddancecenter.com) offers classes for all ages (starting with a preschool ballet program for ages 3 to 5.5) and levels in ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, tap, hip-hop and acro. Classes for the new school year begin Tuesday, Sept. 2.

• Bedford Youth Performing Company (155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org) offers dance classes starting with preschool ballet for ages 2 to 5 years old. Dance offerings for school-age kids include ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap and acro. Enrollment is open now and classes begin the week of Aug. 25.

• Broadway Bound Performing Arts Center (501 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-8844, broadwayboundpac.com) offers classes in ballet, hip-hop (including a boys-only class), jazz, lyrical, tap and tumbling and it has special needs, competition and performing company classes. Kidz Kombo classes have offerings for kids age 2 to kindergarten. Classes begin Sept. 8.

• The Cadouxdle Dance Studio (297 Derry Road, Hudson, 459-4392, thecadouxdledancestudio.com) is enrolling now for ballet classes, grouped by age, for ages 3 to 10, with a session running from September to December.

• Concord Dance Academy (26 Commercial St., Concord, 226-0200, concorddanceacademy.com) offers a competition program for ages 5 to 18 as well as recreational classes grouped by age in tap, acro, jazz, karate, ballet, lyrical and hip-hop for ages 7 to 13+. Combo classes in ballet, tap, jazz and tumbling are available for ages 2 to 4 and ages 5 to 7 (for whom there are also karate classes). Classes start Sept. 15.

• Creative Dance Workshop of Bow (1355 Route 3A, Bow, 225-7711, nhdances.com) offers classes and teams in cheer. For dance, the studio offers a competition team and classes, including classes for kids as young as 2 years old (these are combo classes, which are also available to kids up to 9 years old). Classes for school-age kids include ballet and pointe, tap, jazz, musical theater, acro, lyrical/contemporary and hip-hop. The school also offers voice lessons. Classes start the week of Sept. 15.

• The Dance Company (130 Route 101A, Amherst, 864-8374, thedancecompanyonline.com) offers classes for kids as young as 2 years old (including ballet, tap, acro, tumble and “hippity-hop”). Classes for school-age kids include jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, hip-hop and acro, with some combination classes, as well as performance teams — all grouped by age and level.

• Dance Connection Fitness & Performing Arts (8 Rockingham Road, Windham, 893-4919, danceconnectionnh.com) will kick off fall classes Sept. 15. The studio offers classes (depending on age) in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop and cheerdance, as well as combo classes for ages 2.5 (ballet/tap) through teen. Gymnastics classes with varying genre focuses are offered for ages 3 through 12. The studio offers all-boys tap (ages 5 to 9) and hip-hop (ages 4 to 12, grouped by age) as well as hip-hop classes for boys and girls (ages 6 to 17). There are also company classes, which meet several times a week, grouped by level.

• Dance Visions Network (699 Mast Road, Manchester, 626-7654, dancevisionsnetwork.com) begins its school year classes Sept. 8. The studio offers tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, contemporary, hip-hop (for ages 8+) and tumbling for ages 2.5 through adult as well as a competition team, the website said.

• The Dancing Corner (23 Main St., Nashua, 889-7658, dancingcorner.com) offers classes for kids as young as 3 years old (pre-dance classes, which are available for ages 3 to 6, grouped by age). Classes for older kids include ballet and pointe, jazz, tap, hip-hop, lyrical, and musical theater, as well as movement and fitness-based classes. The studio also has a non-competitive dance company that performs for the community at events and at local nursing homes, the website said. Classes begin Sept. 3.

• Dimensions in Dance (84 Myrtle St., Manchester, 668-4196, dimensionsindance.com) offers Twirling Twos and Pre Ballet classes as well as classed (grouped by age and level) in acro-jazz, ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, pointe, tap and more. The studio also offers a Little Artists program for ages 3 to 6 on Wednesdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. with a mix of dance, music, art, theater and literature. Classes begin Sept. 8.

• Happy Feet Dance School (25 Indian Rock Road, Windham, 434-4437, happyfeetdanceschool.biz) ages 6 and up (grouped by age and skill level) include ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, contemporary and more. Classes for ages 2 to 5 include Tiny Tots, Creative Dance and Kinder Kids classes. Programs offering two or more classes a week and participation in the Fancy Feet Performing Company are also available. The new season begins Wednesday, Sept. 3.

• Kathy Blake Dance Studios (3 Northern Blvd., Amherst, 673-3978, kathyblakedancestudios.com) offers preschool classes for ages walking to 5 (including ballet, tap and AcroDance) and performing arts classes for ages 5 to 18 that include AcroDance, ballet, jazz, musical theater jazz, hip-hop, lyrical/contemporary, tap and tap/ballet and tap/jazz combos. There are also Rhythm Works Integrative Dance for ages 3 through teen and dance teams for ages 4 to 18.

• Londonderry Dance Academy (21 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 432-0032, londonderrydance.com) begins its new school year on Tuesday, Sept. 2, with registration open Aug. 15. The academy offers classes, grouped by age and level, in ballet (to students as young as 2 through teen), pointe, tap and jazz (ages 5.5 and up), contemporary (ages 6 to teen), Triple Threat Prep (ages 8 to 17), hip-hop (ages 6+) and acro (ages 7+).

• Martin School of Dance (288 Route 101, Bedford, 488-2371, martinschoolofdance.com) classes start Sept. 2. The school offers programming for ages 18 months to 6 years in tap, ballet and tumbling, and for ages 5 to 8 in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap and acro. Programs for dancers aged 7+ include Commercial Division featuring classes in contemporary, jazz, tap, hip-hop and acro, and Academy Division, which focuses on ballet.

• Melissa Hoffman Dance Center (210 Robinson Road, Hudson, 886-7909, mhdcdance.com) offers toddler classes (for ages baby through 6 years old); recreational dance classes (for ages 5 to 13+ grouped by age) in ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, tumble, lyric and modern; competitive dance classes, and Broadway Dance classes (ages 4 to 12+).

• Miss Kelsey’s Dance Studio (2626 Brown Ave., Manchester, 606-2820, mkdance.com) offers classes for ages 1.5 years old through adults and begins its fall season Sept. 8. Classes include Acro, ballet, breakdance workshops and camps, lyrical/contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, musical theater and tap with preschool classes in movement and pre-dance combo classes.

• Nancy Chippendale’s Dance Studios (49 Range Road, Building 2, Suite A, Windham, 458-7730, chippswindham.com) offers recreational (ages 3 to 18) and competitive (ages 8 to 18) dance classes as well as a Babysteps program for ages 1 to 4, all grouped by age and level. Recreational classes include combos of ballet, jazz, tap and hip-hop.

• New England School of Dance (679 Mast Road, Manchester, 935-7326, newenglandschoolofdance.com) kicks off its season Sept. 8 for school-age kids’ classes. Offerings (which can vary by age and level) include ballet, pointe, tap, contemporary, jazz, tumble and theater dance. A preschool program offers a fall, winter and spring session — the fall session runs the week of Oct. 6 through the week of Nov. 11 — with classes for kids starting at 18 months through 4 years old. The school also has a competitive performing company.

• New Hampshire Academie of Dance (1 Action Blvd., No. 4, Londonderry, 432-4041, nhadance.com) offers classes for kids as young as 8 months through 16+. Classes grouped by age and level include ballet, tap, hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acro and aerial (offerings vary based on age). The school will hold an open house on Friday, Aug. 22, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

• New Hampshire School of Ballet (183 Londonderry Tpke., Hooksett, 668-5330, nhschoolofballet.com) offers classes for ages 2½ and up; classes include ballet, jazz, tap, tumbling, lyrical, contemporary, modern and hip-hop. Classes start Sept. 8 with registration running August to September.

• NH Scot (nhscot.org)offers Highland Dance classes Mondays at 25 Triangle Park Drive in Concord. An eight-week fall session begins Oct. 6 with a beginner and new students class (for ages 5 and up) from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. and an 18+ class 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.

• N-Step Dance Center (1134 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 641-6787, nstepdance.com) offers classes grouped by age and level for ages 7+ in ballet, contemporary (for ages 10+), jazz, lyrical, musical theater, tap and tumbling (for ages 5+). Classes for younger kids include Tiny Tots (1.5 + years old), Predance (2.5+ years old) and Kindercombo (age 5+). Classes start the week of Sept. 8.

• Palace Theatres Dance Studio (most classes at Forever Emma Studios, 516 Pine St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org) will begin its fall session, which runs through early November, with classes starting as early as Sept. 2. Offerings include Intro to Dance (for 3- to 5-year-olds), theater dance (for grades 1-5), hip-hop and contemporary (grades 4-12), jazz (grades 6-12), technique (grades 6-12) and tap (grades 6-12). The session culminates in a showcase on Nov. 9. The Palace will have auditions for its Palace Teen Company and Palace Teen Apprentice Company on Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 5 p.m., according to the Palace Youth Theatre Facebook page. Email MeganAlves@PalaceTheatre.org to sign up or MeganQuinn@PalaceTheatre.org with questions.

• Rise Dance Studio (125 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 402-2706, risedancenh.com) offers classes to ages 3 to 18, by age and level, in pre-dance, ballet, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop. Classes start Sept. 8.

• Scottish Arts (nhssa.org/dance) offers Highland Dance classes for kids as young as 4. See the website for updates.

• Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater (19 Harvey Road, Bedford, 637-4398, snhdt.org) offers programs for preschool (18 months to 6 years old), youth (7 to 18 years old) and pre-professional (ages 10 to 18). Dance taught includes ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern and contemporary. Auditions for the Nutcracker and the school’s student company will be held Friday, Aug. 22, and Saturday, Aug. 23.

• Turning Pointe Center of Dance (371 Pembroke St., Pembroke, 485-8710, turningpointecenterofdance.com) offers classes, which start in September, for ages 3+ as well as private lessons. Classes, grouped by age and level, include ballet, jazz, pointe (by invitation), tap, lyrical, hip-hop and combo classes.

• Unbound Dance Academy (237 Londonderry Tpke., Hooksett, 714-2821, unbounddanceacademy.com) kicks off the new season Sept. 15. “All ages and abilities welcome,” says the website for Unbound Dance, which has classes in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, contemporary, lyrical, musical theater, hip-hop and acro. The school will hold an open house with tryout classes for ages 3 to 12 on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to its Facebook page.

Gymnastics

• A2 Gym & Cheer (16B Garabedian Drive, Salem, 328-8130, a2gc.com) kicks off fall classes on Sept. 2. The school offers gymnastics and tumbling classes for kids aged 18 months through high school as well as competitive programs and open gym opportunities.

• Flipz the Gym for Kids (Flipz Gymnastics, 14 Chenell Drive, Concord, 224-3223, flipzgymnastics.com) offers classes, grouped by age, for kids ages 1 to 7. An Intro to Gymnastics class for ages 5 to 7 has two fall sessions — Sept. 3 through Oct. 8 and Oct. 15 through Nov. 19.

• Gymnastics Village (13 Caldwell Drive, Amherst, 889-8092, gymnasticsvillage.com) starts its school year Aug. 27. The school offers preschool programs (18 months to 3 years old), after-school programs for ages 5 and up, ninja classes for ages 6 to 14 and girls’ and boys’ competitive gymnastics teams.

• Gym-Ken Gymnastics (184 Rockingham Road, Windham, 434-9060, gymkengymnastics.com) begins its session Aug. 24, according to its calendar. Offerings include preschool classes (for kids who are walking through kindergarten), recreational classes for grades 1-8 (including a boys class for grades 1-3), parkour for grades 1 and above, tumbling classes for grades 1 and above and a girls’ competitive team.

• Impact Gymnastics (301 River Road, Bow, 219-0343, impact-gymnastics.com) begins its classes Sept. 2. Offerings include coed preschool programs (for kids who are walking through age 5), girls’ recreational gymnastics (with classes for ages 5 to 8 and 8+), a Girls Stars program (which starts at age 4), boys’ programs starting at ages 5, coed home-school programs and coed special athletics programs.

• Noha’s Gymnastics Academy (200 Perimeter Road, Manchester, 518-7660; 30 Pond St., Nashua, 880-4927; ngacademy.us) offers recreational classes in both cities with classes for kids who are walking through grade 8 as well as competitive teams for girls and boys.

• Palaestra Gymnastics Academy (8 Tinkham Ave., Derry, 818-4494, pgagym.com) runs its fall session for preschool classes, recreational gymnastics and tumbling Sept. 8 through Dec. 6. The academy also has a competitive team.

• Phantom Gymnastics (142 Route 111, Hampstead, 329-9315, phantomgymnastics.com) has a competitive team, parkour (grouped by age for ages 4 to 13+), preschool classes (for ages 6 months through 4 years) and classes for ages 5+ as well as open gym opportunities. The school also offers CPR classes.

• Sky High Gymnastics (185 Elm St., Milford, 554-1097, skyhighgym.com) offers after-school programs (the school is a Milford Schools bus stop, according to the website) as well as classes (grouped by age) for ages infant through 18. Classes include cheer and tumbling, tumbling and gymnastics. There are also open play opportunities.

• Southern New Hampshire Gymnastics Academy (4 Orchard View Drive, No. 11, Londonderry, 404-6181, snhga.com) offers gymnastics classes for ages 18 months through 18 years and has a tumbling program and a competitive team.

• Spectrum Gymnastics (26 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 434-8388, spectrumgymnast.com) offers preschool classes for walkers through kindergarten and school-age classes for girls and boys (grades 1 to 5 for boys, according to the website) as well as a competitive team.

• Tumble Town Gymnastics (444 E. Industrial Park Drive, No. 10, Manchester, 641-9591, tumbletownnh.com) begins its school year Sept. 2. The school offers recreational classes for ages 4 and up as well as pre-team and competitive team programs.

Martial Arts

Note: most of the locations mentioned here offer classes and training for adults, sometimes in disciplines not offered for kids.

• American Dragon Shaolin Kempo (146 Londonderry Turnpike, Unit 11, Hooksett, 629-9118, americandragonnh.com) offers classes for juniors, teens and adults.

• Aqueous Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (30 Harvey Road, Bedford, 566-7775, aqueousbjj.com) offers a Little Warriors program for kids.

• ATA Martial Arts of Merrimack (707 Milford Road, Merrimack, 881-5435, atabbanh.com) offers kids’ classes starting at 3.5 years old.

• Averill’s Martial Arts Academy (3 N. Main St., Concord, 223-0300, averillsmartialarts.com) offers youth boxing.

• Balance Point Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (50 Emerson Road, Milford, 470-7136, balancepointbjj.com) offers classes for ages 4 to 13.

• Bedford Martial Arts Academy (292 Route 101, Bedford, 626-9696; Bedford Martial Arts Academy East, 273 S. River Road, Bedford; 703-2327, bedfordmartialartsacademy.com) offers programs for ages 3 through 17. The academy also offers an after-school program with sessions at its Route 101 location as well as other locations in Bedford, Chester, Peterborough and Windham.

• Blue Wave Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (1 Progress Ave., Nashua, 321-5032, bluewavejj.com) offers kids’ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes for kids ages 3 through teen.

• Bodyworks Martial Arts Training Center (45 Chenell Drive, Concord, 225-5620, bodyworksnh.com) offers classes for kids age 4 and up.

• Brazilian Top Team Londonderry (73 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 212-9258, bttlondonderry.com) offers kids classes for ages 4 to 6 and 7 to 16.

• Bulsajo TaeKwonDo (703-1914, bulsajotkd.com) offers classes at locations in Goffstown for ages 6 and up.

• Capital City Tae Kwon Do (78 Fisherville Road, Concord, 227-0555, capitalcitytkd.com) offers tae kwon do for ages 6 to 12.

• Central Tae Kwon Do Academy (222 Central St., Suite 8, Hudson, 882-5617, central-tkd.com) offers children’s tae kwon do classes as well as taerobics classes.

• Checkmate Martial Arts (200 Elm St., Manchester, 666-5836, checkmateselfdefense.com) offers kids and teen karate classes (starting at age 4), youth boxing and youth Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

• Chung’s Tae Kwon Do Academy (115 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 883- 2577, chungs-tkd.com) offers children’s classes for various levels.

• Concord Karate Studio and Academy (89 Fort Eddy Road, No. 3, Concord, 224-5425, cks-nh.com) offers an after-school program with three- and five-day options, for kids kindergarten through grade 8. Karate classes are available for ages 3 and up, with preschool, kindergarten and older kid programs as well as classes for teens and adults.

• Determined Martial Arts (Salzburg Square, 292 Route 101, Amherst, 672-3570, determinedma.com) offers classes for ages 4 and up including teen classes for ages 13+.

• Dojo Sante (1 Winn Ave., Hudson, 467-9384, mbsdojosante.com) offers kids’ programming starting with age 3.

• Empowering Lives Martial Arts (542 Mast Road, No. 15, Goffstown, 978-414-5425, martialartsnewhampshire.com) offers martial arts classes for kids starting at age 4 as well as special abilities classes and Leadership Life Training, a by-invitation program for juniors and teens.

• Eric Menard’s Complete Martial Arts Academy (220 Innovative Way, Suite E, Nashua, 888-0010, cma-martialarts.com) offers martial arts classes for kids and teens.

• Gate City MMA (28 Charron Ave., Unit 8, Nashua, 722-0238, gatecitymma.com) offers kids’ MMA.

• Golden Crane Traditional Martial Arts (46 Lowell Road, No. 6, Windham, 437-2020, goldencranenh.com) offers kids’ programming starting with age 5 as well as a teen program for ages 12 to 15.

• Granite State American Kenpo Karate (290 Derry Road, No. 5, Hudson, 598-5400, gsakenpo.com) offers kids’ programming starting at age 3 as well as teen classes for ages 13+. The school also offers an after-school program in Hudson.

• House of the Samurai (28 Buttrick Road, Londonderry, 434-2265, samurainh.com) offers youth classes for ages 4 to 12 and teen classes for 13+.

• Independent Martial Arts School (138 Lake St., Nashua, 882-6917, imasnh.com) offers classes for kids including specialty classes.

• Inner Dragon Martial Arts (77 Derry Road, Hudson, 864-8756, innerdragonma.com) offers martial arts programs for kids and an after-school program in Hudson.

• Inspired Martial Arts (58 Range Road, Windham, 893-7990, inspiredmartialartscenter.com) offers kids’ martial arts programs.

• Karasu Tengu Academy (1 Chestnut St., No. 5D, Nashua, 689-4966, ktacademymma.com) offers Youth MMA Striking for ages 7 to 12 and youth Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

• Karate International of Windham (60 Rockingham Road, No. 14, Windham, 898-5367, windhamkarate.com) offers preschool (starting at age 4), kid and teen classes.

• Kenpo Academy of Self Defense (40 Manchester Road, Derry, 437-9900, kenpo-academy.com) offers programs for kids starting at 3 years old as well as classes for older kids, tweens and teens. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing are available for ages 16+.

• Leverage Jiu Jitsu (70 Pembroke Road, Concord, 738-0227, leveragebjjnh.com) has classes for kids starting at age 5.

• Manchester Karate Studio (371 S. Willow St., Manchester, 625-5835, manchesterkarate.com) offers karate programs for ages 3+ divided by age, including a teen class for 13+ (ages 14+ are eligible for adult classes).

• The Martial Arts Zone (31 Auburn St., Manchester, 206-5716, themartialartszone.com) offers a youth Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program for ages 5 to 11.

• Meikyo Dojo (292 Derry Road, Hudson, 415-9658, meikyodojo.com) offers kids’ and teens’ martial arts programs.

• Merrimack Karate (534 DW Highway, Merrimack, 424-7458, merrimackkarate.com) offers children’s programs for ages 6 to 12 and teen & adult programs for ages 13+.

• Mindset Wrestling (185 Elm St., Milford, 721-2551, mindsetwrestling.net) offers wrestling classes for grades K-5 and for grade 6 and up.

• Neil Stone’s Karate Academy (22 Proctor Hill Road, Hollis, 672-8933, neilstoneskarate.com) offers programs for kids as young as 2 through teen and adult. The school also has home-school programming and more.

• New England Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy (30 Henniker St., Unit 9, Concord, 369-4764, nebjj.com) offers kids programs starting at age 5.

• NH Kicks Taekwondo Family Fitness (90 Airport Road, Concord, 714-5472, nhkicks.com) offers programs for ages 5 to 12 and teens and up.

• Ocasio’s True Martial Arts – Plaistow (160 Plaistow Road, No. 5, Plaistow, 382-4199, ocasiostma.com) offers children’s classes starting at age 3.

• Phoenix Fire Martial Arts (79 Plaistow Road, Plaistow, 234-8665, phnixfire.com) offers classes for children through adults in Shotokan and teen through adult classes in Krav Maga.

• Professional Martial Arts Academy (15 E. Broadway, Derry, 434-7995, pmaderry.com; 501 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-0008, pmamerrimack.com; 37 Plaistow Road, Plaistow, 974-2455, pmaplaistow.com) offers kids’ programs in karate and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

• Souhegan Valley Karate Club (1 Main St., Brookline, 505-6777, svkc.online) offers “Karate Kids,” a program for ages 5 to 10.

• School of Warrior Arts (122 N. Lowell Road, Windham, 781-249-7073, facebook.com/schoolofwarriorarts), described as “a Holistic and Christ-centered education through the combative, creative, performing, and healing arts,” offers programs for children and teens.

• SDSS Martial Arts of Concord (124 Hall St., Suite E, Concord, 224-3777, sdsskungfu.com) offers kids’ (starting at age 4) and teens’ programs.

• Strikeback Dynamic Defense Systems (458 DW Highway, Merrimack, 262-9299, strikebackdds.com) offers youth and teen programs.

• Tiger Black Belt Academy (11 Kimball Drive, Unit 121, Hooksett, 627-7744, tigerblackbeltacademy.com) offers tae kwon do for kids starting at ages 3.5 through teens. The school also offers Kumdo, which means “way of the sword,” according to the website.

• Tim Barchard’s Professional Martial Arts Academy (15 E. Broadway, Derry, 434-7995, pmaderry.com) offers kids’ classes in martial arts and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

• Tokyo Joe’s Studios of Self Defense (85A Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 889-4165; 20 Hammond Road, Milford, 672-2100; tokyojoes.net) both locations offer kids’ martial arts programming.

• Tokyo Joe’s Studios and Team Link NH (1338 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 641-3444, tokyojoeshooksett.com) youth programs include karate (ages 3 to 12), Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (ages 5 to 15) and kickboxing (ages 5 to 15).

• The Training Station (200 Elm St., Manchester, 505-0048, thetrainingstationnh.com) offers programs for kids starting at age 4 running through teen classes (ages 12 to 14), with ages 15+ eligible for adult classes.

• Triumph Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (456 W. Hollis St., Nashua, 769-3819, teamtriumphbjj.com) offers kids’ classes.

• Universal Kenpo Federation (37 Wilton Road, Milford, 547-5226, facebook.com/UniversalKenpoFederation) offers private and group lessons.

• USA Ninja Challenge (locations at Gymnastics Village, 13 Caldwell Drive, Amherst, 889-8902, gymnasticsvillage.com; Flipz Gymnastics, 14 Chenell Drive, Concord, 224-3223, ninjaconcordnh.com; 17 Friars Drive, Unit 18, Hudson, 417-6820, ninjahudson.com; and 444 E. Industrial Park Drive, Manchester, 935-7100, ninjamanchesternh.com) offers classes for boys and girls age 2.5 through 17. Manchester, Concord and Hudson offer ninja teams for ages 6 up.

• Valle Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (44 Nashua Road, Unit 19, Londonderry, 553-1736, vallebjj.com) offers kids’ and teens’ classes.

• World Class Martial Arts (25 Nashua Road, Unit D3, Londonderry, 845-6115, londonderrymartialarts.com) offers classes for ages 3+.

Music

• AB Music School (4 Faxon Ave., Nashua, 978-677-9244, abmusicschool.com) offers music lessons for kids starting at age 4. Instruments taught include flute/piccolo, clarinet, ukulele, piano, violin, cello, oboe, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, viola and banjo, according to the website. The school also teaches music theory.

• Amy Conley Music (102 Elm St., Milford, 249-9560, amyconleymusic.com) offers early childhood classes, special needs classes, ukulele classes and more.

• Bedford Youth Performing Company (155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org) offers music starting as young as the Kindermusik program with offerings for infants to 1 year old. Instrument prep classes are available for kids 5 to 7 years old. For older kids (age depending on instrument), BYPC has private lessons in piano and keyboard, guitar, drums and percussion and voice (group voice lessons are also available). BYPC also has rock band ensembles for kids 10+ and 14+ (by invitation). Classes and lessons begin the week of Aug. 25.

• Bemish Green Piano Studio (188 Central St., Hudson, 235-9378, greenpiano.com) offers piano lessons. “Students are ready for lessons when they can recognize their letters and numbers and focus for at least a 30-minute lesson,” the website said.

• Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St., Concord, 228-1196, ccmusicschool.org) offers private lessons for voice, banjo, bass, bassoon, cello, clarinet, composition, double bass, fiddle, flute, French horn, guitar, mandolin, oboe, percussion, piano, recorder, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, tuba, ukulele, viola and violin. There are also group classes and ensembles for kids and teens (including, for teens, folk, rock and jazz bands). The school will hold an open house on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to noon.

• Don Sanni Guitar & Bass Lessons (108 Taylor St., Nashua, 882-7468, donsanni.com) teaches students 8 years old and up.

• Eric Dupont Drum Instruction (809-9575, ericdupontdrums.com) teaches drummers of all ages.

• Figaro Music Studios (254 N. State St., Unit G, Concord, 369-0265, figaromusicstudios.com) offers piano and guitar lessons as well as a preschool program (for ages 3 to 5) and a choir for ages 6 to 11.

• Jeanne Martin Piano Studio (38 Pearson Road, Merrimack, 493-2961, musictoenjoy.com) offers piano lessons.

• Jimmy Mags Music Lessons (321 Laxson Ave, Manchester, 682-2550, jimmymagsmusiclessons.com) offers guitar, bass and piano lessons.

• John Medeiros Jr. Music (498-3819, johnmedeirosjr.com) offers drum, guitar and bass lessons.

• Let’s Play Music! (2626 Brown Ave., Unit A2, Manchester, 218-3089; 145 Hampstead Road, Derry, 425-7575; 136 Lowell Road, Hudson, 882-8940; letsplaymusic.com) has choral groups and musical theater programs and rock bands as well as private lessons in piano, guitar & bass, stringed instruments, singing, drums, horns and reed instruments, ukulele, banjo, mandolin and accordion. Kindermusik classes are available for newborns through 4 years old and Ready to Rock classes for kids as young as 4 years old through teens.

• Lidman Music Studio (419 Amherst St., Nashua, 913-5314, lidmanmusic.com) offers lessons in viola, violin and piano.

• Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St., Manchester, 644-4548, mcmusicschool.org) offers group programs, including a jazz ensemble, orchestras and choirs. Private lessons are offered in woodwind, brass, percussion, strings, voice, music theory, composition, piano, guitar, harp, ukulele, mandolin and more. Early childhood classes are also available. See the fall catalog on the website; classes begin in early September.

• Manchester Music Mill (329 Elm St., Manchester, 623-8022, manchestermusicmill.com) See mmmlessons.com for the lessons-related landing page. Lessons include guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, clarinet, flute, trumpet, trombone, piano and voice.

• Melody Music Studios (277-3289, melodymusicstudios.com) teaches lessons in piano, voice, guitar, drums, string instruments and woodwind and brass instruments.

• Merrimack Music Academy (1 Bryce Drive, Merrimack, merrimackmusicacademy.com, 493-9214) offers private lessons on guitar, bass, piano and voice.

• Mike Loce Music (5 Bowers Landing Drive, No. 304, Merrimack, 318-1723, mikelocemusic.com) teaches guitar, bass and ukulele to students of all ages.

• Music Class with Mr. Aaron (mraaronmusic.com/classes). See the website for classes with Mr. Aaron, a “multi-instrumentalist performer and composer” for kids and their grown-ups.

• Music Lessons By Lisa N (Concord, 781-832-2127, musicbylisan.wixsite.com) offers lessons in saxophone, clarinet, violin, piano, music theory and more and is now offering lessons at Ted Herbert Music in Manchester to ages 10+.

• Music Workshop of Concord (64 Dunklee St., Concord, 226-0690, musicworkshopofconcord.com) offers early childhood music classes (ages 2 to 6) and group and private piano lessons.

• Nashua Community Music School (2 Lock St., Nashua, 881-7030, nashuacms.org) offers private lessons in piano, guitar, voice, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone and percussion. The school also offers music therapy for all ages, a group music class and ensembles including a rock band for current students. The school’s family-friendly fundraising event, Play It Forward, which will feature the Teen Rock Band as the opening act (headliner is Big D and the Kids Table), will take place Saturday, Aug. 23, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch Biergarten in Merrimack. Tickets cost $40 (kids under 5 get in free).

• New Song Piano Studio (Derry, newsongpianostudio.com) offers piano lessons.

• NH Tunes (250 Commercial St., No. 2017, Manchester, 660-2208, nhtunes.biz) offers lessons in voice, guitar, piano, ukulele, drum, banjo/mandolin and band instruments. There are also music discovery lessons (where a student can try multiple instruments) and music production.

• North Main Music (28 Charron Ave., Nashua, 505-4282, northmainmusic.com) teaches students of all ages guitar, drums, piano, bass, voice, violin, saxophone, ukulele and trumpet.

• Palace Theatre Voice Studio (palacetheatre.org) offers vocal coaching for grades 2-12 and piano lessons for grades 1-12.

• Peter Hostage Music Lessons (12 Adams Road, Londonderry, 437-2575, peterhostagemusiclessons.com) offers lessons in piano, guitar, bass guitar, voice, drums, banjo and mandolin.

• Piano Studio of Jacqueline Morin (15 Marion St., Concord, 508-633-5534, missjackienotes.com) teaches piano to students from 4 to adult.

• The Real School of Music (10 A St., Derry, 260-6801, therealschoolofmusic.com) offers music lessons for students ages 5 and up, bands and ensembles for students 9 and up, Yamaha group classes for ages 3 to 7, musical theater for ages 7 to 14 and an adaptive music program.

• School of Rock Nashua (225 DW Highway, Nashua, 600-7625, schoolofrock.com) offers music lessons in guitar, drum, singing, bass, keyboard and piano. The school also offers music programs for kids as young as 4 years old that mix individual and group learning as well as house bands, songwriting lessons (ages 12 and up) and camps and workshops. Catch the Summer 2025 Season Finale at Spyglass Brewing in Nashua on Sunday, Aug. 24, from 2 to 5 p.m. with performances by an adult band, the Rock 101 band (ages 8 to 13) and a Performance Group band (ages 8 to 18).

• Scottish Arts (nhssa.org) offers individual lessons in bagpipe and fiddle. See the website for updates.

• Strings and Things Music (339 Village St., Concord, 228-1971, stringsandthingsmusic.com) offers lessons in voice, banjo, mandolin, bass, clarinet, djembe, drums, fiddle, flute, sax, guitar, piano, trumpet and ukulele, according to the website.

• Suzuki Violin Studio (890 Valley St., Manchester, 785-1884, musiclessonsnh.com) offers lessons in violin, viola, cello, guitar, bass and piano.

• Ted Herbert Music School (Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester; majestictheatre.net, tedherbert.com) offers lessons in brass, drums, guitar/bass, piano/keyboard, strings, theater/dance, voice and woodwind. Instrument rentals are available. The school also holds open mic nights for musicians of all levels.

• Travis Shelby Music Lessons (370-8853, travisshelbymusic.com) offers guitar lessons to all ages, skill levels and genre interests in Exeter, Manchester, Bedford, Nashua, Merrimack, Hooksett, Concord and Derry, according to the website.

• The Voice Studio (16 Crystal Ave., Derry, 560-2495, thevoicestudione.com) teaches lessons to students of all ages in voice, piano, guitar, bass, ukulele and saxophone. Twice per year the Studio holds a recording camp

• Weare School of Music (77 Barnard Hill Road, Weare, 206-0135, see listing on Facebook). “We teach all band instruments, strings, voice, piano, guitar, ukulele, and recorder. We also offer try-it lessons so you can figure out what instrument you might like to play,” according to a May Facebook post.

• Zagaria Vocal Academy Manchester-Hooksett (954-418-9730, musicandvoicelessonsmanchesternh.com) offers lessons in piano and trumpet.

Sports

• Amoskeag Rowing Club (amoskeagrowing.org) offers a youth rowing team for grades 7-12 with the fall practice schedule to begin Aug. 18.

• Baboosic Lake Rowing Club (baboosiclakerowing.org) offers a junior rowing program for high school students. According to the website and the club’s Facebook page, the spring season begins in March with registration open in February.

• Bedford Athletic Club (bedfordac.com) offers fall and spring recreational soccer (grades pre-K through 6); an adaptive program (ages 5 to 15), and a travel program with fall and spring seasons (for U8 through U15). The fall season begins in late August but registration is open through Sept. 28.

• Bedford Basketball League (bedfordbl.com) offers winter basketball for boys and girls with recreation programs (grades 1-8 plus a grades 9-12 Biddy League) and a travel program (for grades 3-8).

• Bedford Cannons Youth Lacrosse (bedfordcannons.org) offers spring programs for ages 4 and up as well as grades 1-8. Indoor winter skills begins in mid-January with outdoor practices and games usually beginning in April. Look for registration to open around December.

• Bedford Crew (bedfordcrew.org) begins its fall season Aug. 18 and is open to Bedford High School students. There is also a spring season and a fall “Learn to Row” session for Lurgio Middle School students.

• Bedford Little League (bedfordll.com) offers spring, summer and fall leagues, with the largest age range offered in spring teams — ages 4 through 13. Registration for spring begins in early December and registration for fall closed in mid-August.

• Bedford Youth Football & Cheer Bulldogs (bedfordbulldogs.org) offers football and cheer for ages 5 to 15 with programs in the fall (registration for fall 2026 will be in the spring) with programs including flag football for younger players and adaptive cheer.

• Bow Athletic League (bowathleticclub.com) offers programs including basketball, field hockey (grouped by age for grades K-8), soccer (grades 1-8, register now for fall soccer), golf (grades 1-8), wrestling (grades 1-8; last year practice began in November), lacrosse (8U to 14U for girls, 8U to 12U for boys) and baseball (ages 4 to 14) and softball (8U to 16U).

• Brazilian Art Soccer Training (basoccertraining.com) offers holiday and vacation camps as well as summer programming.

• Cannons Baseball Club (Manchester, facebook.com/CannonsNH) offers fall baseball and softball for players age 9 through 18U as well as other opportunities throughout the year.

• Cap City Basketball (based at Capital City Sports & Fitness in Concord; capcitybasketball.com) offers AAU basketball teams for boys and girls, grades 3 through high school, during spring and fall as well as vacation camps, a winter Sunday league and more.

• Capital City Sports & Fitness (10 Garvins Falls Road in Concord; 224-7787, capitalcitysportsandfitness.com) offers swim lessons for kids and teens starting at 6 months old. The facility is also the home for Cap City Basketball, Futsanity Academy and Skyhawks Sports.

• Concord Crew (concordcrew.org) offers fall, spring and summer youth and middle school programs, according to the website. Practices take place at Bert Wittemore Bouthouse, 15 Loudon Road in Concord.

• Concord Parks & Recreation (concordnh.gov/1984/Parks-Recreation) offers fall programming including preschool open gym (with sessions Sept. 16-Oct. 21 and Oct. 28-Dec. 9); yoga for parents and babies, preschoolers and preteens; tennis; flag football (for ages 6 to 14, starting Sept. 7); recreational soccer for preschool through 6th grade; fall archery (ages 7+) and more. See the website for the brochure. Most programs begin the first or second week of September.

• Concord Soccer Association (concordsoccer.com) offers fall and spring soccer for kids born in 2021 through U18 and U19 for girls (U19 boys will be available in spring). Opening day for the fall season will be Sept. 6. There are also travel teams for boys (birth year 2017 through 2009) and girls (birth year 2017 through 2014 plus 2007). There is also a winter futsal program.

• Concord Youth Hockey Association and the Concord Capitals (leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=cyha1) offers a youth program for birth years 2020 through 2014 and then the Capitals travel team for ages 9 to 11. There are also learn to skate/learn hockey programs for ages 4 to 9. Registration is open now for the 2025-2026 school year.

• Conway Arena (5 Stadium Drive, Nashua, 595-2400, conwayarena.com) offers learn to skate (ages 3 to 9) and learn to play hockey (ages 5 to 9), youth leagues, camps and clinics and more.

• Derry Diamond Athletic Association (derryll.org) offers baseball programs (ages 6 to 15) and softball (8U and up) in fall and spring (as well as winter and summer offerings). Registration is open now; waitlists and late fees begin on Aug. 21, the website said.

• Derry Demons Football and Cheer (derrydemons.com) offers flag football (ages 5 to 8), tackle football (ages 8 to 12) and cheer (grades K-5). Registration for fall programs is in late spring into summer. Camps and clinics have also been offered.

• Derry Soccer Club’s Hawks (derrysoccerclub.org) offers a full year (fall and spring) of soccer with practices for 2025-2026 slated to begin on Sept. 2 for U4 through U18. Registration is open now.

• Derry Wolverines Youth Football and Cheer (derry-wolverines.sportngin.com) offers football for grades 7-8 and cheer for grades 6-8, with registration opening in March for the following year.

• Executive Swim Club (gomotionapp.com/team/neehsc/page/home) is a year-round competitive team with seasons September through March and April through August. Registration is open now.

• FC Stars New Hampshire Region (starsofma.org/new-hampshire) has soccer teams for boys and girls (birth year 2007/2008 through 2016).

• 4 Leaf Lacrosse (4leaflax.org) offers programming around northern New England including in Hooksett and Dover. Supplemental tryouts for the boys’ travel team will be held at the NH Sportsdome in Hooksett on Sunday, Sept. 14. Goalie training will be offered in Hooksett Sundays, January through February, for grades 3-12 (grouped by age). See the website for other offerings.

• Futsal NH (futsalnh.com) offers futsal training and leagues, which last year ran from December to mid March.

• Futsanity Academy (based at Capital City Sports & Fitness in Concord; soccerskillscamp.org) offers an indoor futsal program, which last year ran from November into February for boys and girls in age groups U8-10, U11-12 and U13/14 and ninth-graders.

• Girls on the Run New Hampshire (137 Water St., No. 3, Exeter, 778-1389, girlsontherunnh.org) is offered for girls in grades 3-5 and 6-8 with a junior coach program for girls 16 to 18 years old. Registration for the lottery for a spot on a team opened Aug. 6 for spots first come, first served. See the website for locations, which set their own weekly meet-up and run schedules, or to start a team. The fall season culminates in a 5K on Nov. 15.

• Goffstown Junior Baseball (goffstownjrbaseball.com) offers baseball programs starting at age 4. Last year registration for spring opened Jan. 1.

• Goffstown Screamin’ Eagles ( goffstownscreamineagles.isportz.us) offers competitive cheer for ages 5 to 15. There are also camp and clinic opportunities.

• Granite State Kids New Hampshire Junior Team Tennis (granitestatekids.com) offers a fall tennis program for ages 5 through 11+ in Bedford as well as spring and summer programs. The fall session begins Monday, Sept. 1.

• Greater Manchester Colt League (manchestercoltleague.com) is registering now for the fall league. The program serves players ages 12 through 23.

• Healthy Kids Running Series (healthykidsrunningseries.org) offers a fall running series with races on Sundays, Sept. 14 through Oct. 12, in the afternoon at locations in Amherst, Manchester and Nashua, according to the website. The series is open to kids in grades pre-K through 8 with age-appropriate events including 50- and 75-yard dashes and the 1/4-mile, the 1/2-mile and the 1-mile run, according to the website. The cost is $16.90 for a single-day walk-up on race day or $48.70 for the whole series, the website said.

• Houligan Lacrosse (based in Epping, houlaganlacrosse.com) offers fall, spring and summer teams for boys and girls in grades 1-12.

• Hudson Litchfield Bears (hudsonlitchfieldyouthfootballandcheer.sportngin.com) offers cheer for ages 5 to 14, tackle football for ages 6 to 13 and flag football for ages 5 to 7. Registration for the fall season has already taken place; practices usually begin in August.

• Londonderry Soccer Club (londonderrysc.org) offers fall and spring recreational programs (for U3 through U18) as well as a travel program (U8 through U18).

• Londonderry Wildcats (lyfs.org) offers cheer programs (ages 5 to 14), flag football (grades K-2) and tackle football (for grades 2-6) with practices that begin in July. Check back with the website for information on next fall, summer and other programming.

• Manchester Angels (maysl.org) offers a recreational spring soccer league for U4 through U19.

• Manchester Basketball League (manchesterbasketballleague.com) offers basketball programs for boys and girls ages 4 through 12 (13+ for boys). The new season begins in October.

• Manchester Bears (manchesterbears.com) offers youth football for grades 2-8. The fall session began on Aug. 11.

• Manchester Cal Ripken Baseball (manchestercalripken.org) offers baseball programming for boys and girls ages 4 to 12. Registration for spring baseball began in January last year, according to the organization’s Facebook page.

• Manchester Central Little League (sports.bluesombrero.com/manchestercentral) offers baseball, including T-ball for ages 4 to 8, for spring.

• Manchester East Soccer League (mesl.org) offers intra-league competition for ages 4 to 18 and inter-league competition for ages 12 to 18, according to the website. Register for the fall season through Aug. 31.

• Manchester Girls Softball League (mgslnh.com) offers softball for ages 4 to 18. Last year, registration for the spring season started in November, according to the Facebook page, which also showed registration in November for winter clinics.

• Manchester NH Little League (manchesternhlittleleague.com) offers spring baseball as well as clinics and other programming before the season.

• Manchester North Soccer League (mnsl.org) is a recreational league for ages 5 to 19.

• Manchester Parks & Recreation (manchesternh.gov/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Programs-and-Activities) offers programs including fencing, tennis, swimming lessons (in summer), ice skating lessons September through March, Stick & Puck in West Side Arena and more.

• Manchester Regional Youth Hockey Association (mryha.org) offers hockey travel teams for U6/U8 through U18, recreational leagues for 6U through 15U (a 24-week program that starts in late September), learn to skate and learn to play hockey programs (with the first session starting Sept. 19), a girls’ high school boot camp (Sept. 8 through Nov. 26) and skills programs for 6U through 15U (also starting Sept. 8).

• Manchester Soccer League (manchestersoccerleague.com) offers a fall program in partnership with the Beech Street Football Club for ages 4 to 15.

• Manchester South Junior Soccer (msjsl.com/manchestersouthsoccer) offers fall soccer (U6 through U19), spring skills and drills (ages 4 to 13) and winter indoor soccer (U6 through high school). The fall season starts Aug. 23.

• Manchester South Sabres (manchestersouthsabres.com) offers flag football for ages 5 to 7, tackle football for ages 8 to 13 and cheer for ages 5 to 14. The first day of practice was July 28.

• Manchester Thunder (manchesterlacrosse.com) offers girls’ lacrosse for grades K-8. Last year, registration opened in December with indoor training beginning in March and April.

• Meraki Volleyball (merakivolleyball.com) offers volleyball for girls in U12 through U17/18 age groups with tryouts at the NH Sportsplex in Bedford starting in early October and the season beginning in November. Boys’ teams are for age groups 14U through 18U and practices for boys begin Aug. 18. There are also boys’ and girls’ training programs.

• Merrimack Jr. Tomahawks (merrimackjrtomahawks.org) offers cheer (grades K-8), flag football (ages 5 to 7) and tackle football (grades 2-8). Practices begin in August.

• Merrimack Youth Baseball (myabaseball.com) offers seasonal programs for T-ball (ages 3 and 4) and baseball (ages 5 through 16). Last year, spring registration opened in February.

• Milford Community Athletic Association (mcaa.us) offers programs including baseball (for ages 5 to 15), soccer (for ages 3 to 11), basketball (for grades K-8) and softball (for ages 6 to 11). Fall soccer registration is open through Aug. 17 with the season set to begin in early September, according to the association’s Facebook page, where you can find a link to register. Fall baseball and softball registrations are also open.

• My Gym Bedford (410 S. River Road, Bedford, 668-7196, mygym.com/bedford) offers classes for infants starting at 3 months old through preschool with a few classes for older kids (up to 10 years old, according to the website) including ninja training and gymnastics.

• My Gym Londonderry (30 Main St., Londonderry, 818-4107, mygym.com/londonderry) offers classes for infants starting at 3 months old through just under 6 years old (5 years and 11 months, according to the website), including, for the older part of that age range, gymnastics and ninja jr.

• Nashua Blast Lacrosse (nashualacrosse.com) offers a Little Stix program (ages 4 to 6) as well as boys’ and girls’ teams for 8U through 14U.

• Nashua Cal Ripken Baseball (nashuacalripken.org) offers fall baseball for ages 4 to 12 as well as baseball and T-ball in the spring.

• Nashua Parks & Recreation (nashua.recdesk.com) offers Biddy Basketball for ages 7 to 15 (last year’s registration was in September for the winter season) and Fall Babe Ruth Baseball (ages 13 to 16) and Softball (ages 7 to 14) with a spring season that starts in April (registration for that begins in February).

• Nashua Police Athletic League (52 Ash St. in Nashua, 594-3733, nashuapal.com) offers programs including boxing (ages 11+), cross-country, Storm Football & Spirit (ages 5 to 15, flag football for ages 5 to 7 and cheer for ages 5 to 14), street hockey and track and field (last school year’s program started in April).

• NE Inferno Baseball (noreastersbaseball.com) operates in regional facilities including in Nashua (3 Progress Ave.) with programs starting at U8/9, depending on location.

• New England Crusaders (necrusaders.com) offers coed basketball skills programs for ages 3 to 8 and girls’ basketball teams for grades 4 through high school (there is also a girls’ training program for grades 6-8 that last year started in December). Tryouts for the spring teams were held in January last year. Tryouts for fall are Aug. 13 and Aug. 20 at the Presentation of Mary, 182 Lowell Road in Hudson: 6 to 7:15 p.m. for grades 4-7 and 7:15 to 8:30 for grades 8-11.

• New England Storm (new-england-storm.com) offers AAU basketball for boys and girls in grades 3-12 (varying by season) with fall, spring and summer programming. Last year, tryouts for spring took place in early January. Last year there was also a winter program for girls in grades 6-8.

• NH Climbing and Fitness (10 Langdon Ave., Concord, 715-9171, nhclimbinggym.com) has climbing classes for ages 3 through 5, 6 through 8 and 9+. Clubs and teams are available for ages 8 through 19.

• New Hampshire Mountain Kings Hockey (Tri-Town Arena, 311 W. River Road, Hooksett, mountainkingshockey.com) offers youth hockey (starting with teams for kids under 8 years old), Academy hockey and other options for teens, skating lessons (starting Sept. 8), figure skating and more. The hockey season runs September through March with tryouts usually in March and April, according to a brochure on the website.

• New Hampshire Junior Roller Derby (nhjrd.com; facebook.com/NHJrRollerDerby) teaches roller derby to any gender ages 8-17.

• New Hampshire Spartans Youth Basketball (nhspartans.com) offers AAU basketball with programming during all seasons and teams on the Seacoast and in Derry. Tryouts for fall will be Saturday, Aug. 23, at Pickup USA Gym in Manchester for boys and girls in grades 3 through high school. Times are 10 to 11 a.m. for boys and girls in grades 3-6, and 11 a.m. to noon for boys and girls in seventh grade through high school. Contact Chris Coates at CoatesNew@hotmail.com with questions, according to an email.

• New Hampshire Sportsplex (68 Technology Drive, Bedford, 641-1313, nhsportsplex.com) offers youth flag football (grouped by ages) for ages 5 through high school; youth recreational soccer in five age groups; youth 3 x 3 basketball, softball and a Lil Athlete series of offerings (such as Lil Laxers and Lil Dribblers) to introduce younger kids to specific sports. See the website for the seasons for these sports. The Sportsplex is also the indoor home to sports clubs, such as the NH Tomahawks Lacrosse, New England Phantoms Flag Football and more.

• New Hampshire Tomahawks Lacrosse (nhtomahawks.com) offers fall, spring and summer lacrosse teams for boys and girls, graduation year 2037 and older, and indoor winter leagues as well as clinics, some for kids as young as 3 years old.

• North Manchester Hooksett Baseball (nmhll.com) offers spring T-ball, adaptive challenger divisions and baseball, with programs for ages 4 through 16.

• One Dream Basketball (based at the NH Sportsplex in Bedford; onedreambasketball.com) has boys’ basketball teams for grades 3 to varsity and girls’ basketball teams for grades 5 through varsity. Tryouts for the fall teams take place Saturday, Aug. 16, for boys grades 3-8 and Sunday, Aug. 17, for girls teams and for boys grades 9-11, according to the Facebook page, where you can find the times for each grade. One Dream has teams in the fall and in the spring, with tryouts for both sessions (look for spring tryouts to take place in January).

• Phantoms Flag Football (nhsportsplex.com/phantoms-flag-football.html) operates out of the NH Sportsplex in Bedford and offers teams in the 8U, 10U and 12U age divisions. Its most recent season ran April through August with tryouts starting in the end of March; see the website or the NH Sportplex Facebook page for updates.

• Plex Softball Club (based at NH Sportsplex in Bedford; plexsoftballclub.com) offers an indoor Friday Night Softball League for U12 through U18 with games that start in late December. Outdoor teams play in the spring and the club offers other training opportunities.

• Queen City F.C. (qcfcnh.com) is a nonprofit organization offering competitive soccer in Manchester. Find them on Facebook for information about tryouts.

• Queen City Flag Football (queencityflag.com) offers flag football for ages 4 through 12+, with fall programs (registering now) and spring programs including a girls-only division offered in spring.

• Rivals Elite Basketball (rivalselite.com) offers boys’ and girls’ AAU basketball programs in New Hampshire for grades 3-12. Tryouts take place Aug. 12 through Sept. 2 — see the website for dates and times according to age — at Essex Sports Center in Middleton, Mass. (some boys’ tryouts will take place in Manchester) though practices for the Lady Rivals will take place at Salem High School in Salem, N.H.

• Summit Field Hockey (summitfieldhockey.com) offers indoor and outdoor field hockey, with an indoor travel team and academy and outdoor fall, spring and summer season as well as clinics and more. The fall season starts Sept. 7 with registration open now for grades K-8.

• Vertical Dreams (250 Commercial St., Manchester, 625-6919; 25 E. Otterson St., Nashua, 943-7571; verticaldreams.com) has offered youth climbing teams and climbing clubs at both locations. Check back for updates.

• The Volley Llamas Volleyball Club (volleyllamas-nh.com) offers teams for teenagers, grouped by age, with practices twice a week. Tryouts are Saturday, Aug. 16, and Sunday, Aug. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. for ages 12 to 15 and from 6 to 8 p.m. for ages 16 to 18, all at Capital City Sports & Fitness in Concord.

• Weare Athletic Club (weareathleticclub.com) offers flag and tackle football, soccer, softball, lacrosse, field hockey, cheer, baseball and basketball. See the website for information about seasons and registration.

• Wrestling Rebels (Boys & Girls Club of Greater Derry, 40 E. Derry Road, Derry, 434-6695, derrybgclub.org/team-page) is a youth wrestling club for boys and girls K through eighth grade. The wrestling season usually starts in October with an information night early in the month, based on Facebook posts from last year.

Theater

• Actorsingers (219 Lake St., Nashua, 889-9691, actorsingers.org) community theater group holds auditions for Teen Actorsingers productions in spring.

• Bedford Youth Performing Company (155 Route 101, Bedford, 472-3894, bypc.org) offers performance and acting classes, grouped by age, for ages 4 through 12+, as well as musical theater and performance by-invitation classes. An acting and improv class is available for ages 13+. BYPC also has productions kids can join including a production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever for grades 1-6, a March musical for grades 7-12 and a spring musical for grades K-6. Classes begin the week of Aug. 25.

• Broadway Bound Performing Arts Center (501 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-8844, broadwayboundpac.com) offers classes in musical theater and theater arts. Classes start the week of Sept. 8.

• The Community Players of Concord (communityplayersofconcord.org) offer winter and summer vacation camps and workshops as well as audition opportunities through their Children’s Theatre Project.

• The Dance Company (130 Route 101A, Amherst, 864-8374, thedancecompanyonline.com) offers theater classes for ages 4 to 18 with ensembles grouped by age as well as an all-ages home-school ensemble and a by-audition troupe. The Dance Company also has theatrical productions with shows for kids, grouped by age with 30-minute or one-hour productions, in grades K-12.

• Kids Coop Theatre (46 E. Derry Road, Derry, kctnh.org) is open to kids ages 8 to 19. Check their website for upcoming productions and audition dates. Beetlejuice Jr. will be performed Nov. 21-23 at the Derry Opera House with auditions to take place in late August or early September (check the website for updates on auditions and for fall workshops).

• The Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts (880 Page St., Manchester, 669-7469, majestictheatre.net) provides performing opportunities in community theater productions and workshops year-round. Upcoming shows include Monster Mash Cabaret on Oc.t 25 (for ages 10 to 17), It’s A Wonderful Life Dec. 12-14 (for all ages), Seussical Jr. Jan. 23-25 (ages 8 to 16), High School Musical Jr. March 27-29 (ages 8 to 16), and Legally Blonde May 8-10 (ages 13 to 18). See the website for audition updates.

• Palace Academy and Palace Youth Theatre (688-5588, palacetheatre.org) The Acting Studio offers “diverse range of courses year-round, including Improv and Acting Games, Scene Study, Mini Camps, and much more,” according to the website. The Palace Youth Theatre holds auditions for grades 2-12 for productions throughout the year (see the upcoming schedule at palacetheatre.org/youth-theatre-in-manchester-palace-youth-theatre/pyt-season). The next auditions will be for an October production of Beetlejuice Jr. the week of Sept. 15.

• Peacock Players (14 Court St., Nashua, 886-7000, peacockplayers.org) offers vacation week camps as well as productions for youth (ages 6-14), teens (ages 14-18), crossover (ages 6-18) and all ages. Peacock Players also features private lessons in voice, piano and music theory and acting and monologue coaching.

• Riverbend Youth Company (Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley, The Amato Center for the Performing Arts, 56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company) presents mainstage plays and musicals with performers ages 6 through 18. Visit the Company’s website for news of upcoming auditions and productions.

Tag: 250814

Mamoul, baklawa and shawarma

The Weekly Dish 25/08/14

Kiddie Pool 25/08/14

Treasure Hunt 25/08/14

In the air

After School Adventure

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!