So it’s not summer yet – or even spring – and Christmas is definitely long over. We’re kind of in that awkward part of the year right now when there’s not really a whole lot going on.
Except school vacation.
February vacation might not have the same pizazz as summer or Christmas vacation, but time off is time off. It’s nice to get a little break to kind of recharge the batteries.
And with February vacation, the nice thing is that when you get back, it’s practically spring.
Well before we jump ahead to going back to school, let’s talk a little about what you can do while you’re off.
After all, it’d be a real shame to let a perfectly good February vacation week go by without doing something cool. The vacation gods will frown upon you – and you’ll just be kicking yourself in the future when there are no more February vacations.
Let’s see what’s going on.
Discovery Center
So obviously Tuesday is not the first day of the week, but it’s when we come out, so it’s the best we can do. Hopefully you found something stellar to do Monday without our help.
Speaking of stellar, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is open all week for school vacation, and it even has a brand-new exhibit on how climate change affects the oceans.
The place is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. all week, and Tuesday’s schedule of planetarium shows is as follows: Magic Tree House Space Mission at 11 a.m., Dawn of the Space Age at noon, From Earth to the Universe at 1, Tonight’s Sky at 2 and Cosmic Origins! at 3.
And you can check out that new climate change exhibit at any time. Not a bad deal.
For a complete schedule and more information, call 271-7827 or go to starhop.com.
Concord Public Library
Concord Public Library also has quite a bit going on during school vacation.
On Tuesday, you can get your pirate fix at Pirate Day from 2 to 3 p.m. Dress up like a pirate and do piratey things. From 4 to 5:30, the Teen Anime Club will meet and do its anime thing.
On Wednesday, there’s Family Story Time at 9:30 a.m., Movie Day at 2 p.m. and Paws for Pages at 5.
Thursday features Puzzle Day from 1 to 4 p.m. and the Teen Movie: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I at 2.
On Friday, musician Steve Blunt will perform a free show at 2. Bring the whole family!
Call 225-8670 or go to concordpubliclibrary.net. for more.
Bounce House Entertainment Center
The Bounce House Entertainment Center in the Steeplegate Mall is open all week, and although there isn’t anything special planned for the vacation week, there are some new attractions for you to try out.
The bounce house, laser tag and sumo wrestling spot just added KnockerBalls and got more laser tag equipment, so there’s plenty to keep you busy for hours on end.
What are KnockerBalls? They’re giant inflatable bubbles you put over your body so that you can run into your friends at full speed without busting open your head. Once you get familiar with the KnockerBall, you can pull of some pretty sweet maneuvers like front flips and barrel rolls.
Check out vipartyrentals.com for more information.
Concord City Auditorium
The Concord City Auditorium is known for putting on fun plays and musical performances, but there’s also some magic there from time to time. And wouldn’t you know it, this Saturday is one of those times.
The Great American Magic, Comedy & Vaudeville Show is a family-friendly celebration of vaudeville and variety arts, and it starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The performance features acts that have been honed for decades, as well as some newer pieces that explore the relationship between performer and audience.
All in all, it’s sure to be a pretty hilarious time for everyone in attendance.
Tickets are $15 or $12 for seniors and youth. For more information, call 228-2793 or go to concordcityauditorium.org.
Everett Arena
There’s always something to do at Everett Arena. Especially if you like ice skating.
During vacation week, the arena will be open for its usual public skating hours of 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $5 (kids ages 3 and under are free) and skate rentals are available in the pro shop for $5. Doesn’t sound like a bad deal.
But there’s something special going on at the arena Sunday.
Every year the Stephen Cmar ROTC Crusaders take on the Boston Bruins Alumni in a battle to raise money for the Stephen Cmar Scholarship Fund. Fans cheer on former hockey legends as they duke it out with friends and family of Cmar in a fun, family environment for a good cause.
This year’s Bruins Alumni team includes Bruce Crowder, Don Avery, Rick Smith and Ken Linseman.
The puck drops Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at cmarfund.com/bruins-fundraiser or in person at TSR Hockey for $15.
Call Everett Arena at 228-2784.
