We’ve reached mid-April, which means school vacation is right around the corner – next week, in fact.
If you’re like us, you never really plan anything more than a few days in advance, which could mean some unhappy campers at home during vacation.
But fear not, because, once again, we’ve done the legwork for you. We hit up all of our family-fun sources to find out what’s going on around here during vacation week. All days of the week refer to vacation week (April 23-29), not this week. Here are some of the highlights:
April Vacation Video Camp
Discover the thrilling world of action filmmaking at ConcordTV’s video camp. Campers will be introduced to the basic concept of video production and given the opportunity to create their own videos and short films. Camp runs April 24-28 from 12:30 to 5 p.m. and is for kids ages 9 to 14. The cost is $100 for residents, $110 for nonresidents.
For more info, call 226-8872 or go to yourconcordtv.org/training-and-classes.
Fairy Tea Party
Head over to the Kimball Jenkins Estate on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. for the third annual Fairy Tea Party. It will be a fun day of tea, snacks, crafts and just having a good time.
Tickets are $10 and are required for every attendee (kids and parents), and can be bought at kimballjenkins.com/upcomingevents.
Audubon Field Trip: Woodcock Walk
Do you like birds, and walking at night? Then join Pam Hunt at the Audubon McLane Center from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday for a free spring field trip to see and hear the mating display of the American Woodcock. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll hear an owl as well. Contact Hunt at 753-9137 or biodiva@myfairpoint.net.
Green Thumb Day
Keep the Earth Day mojo going by doing some planting of your own in Concord Public Library’s Blanchard Room on Monday from 3 to 4 p.m. This free program is for kids ages 3 and up.
Feathered Friends Day
Fill up the Blanchard Room at Concord Public Library from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday to watch a short video about birds, then make a craft to help the birds make their nests. The free program is for ages 4 and up.
Upcycled Book Flowers
The library’s Blanchard Room will see a lot of traffic next week, including on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to noon, when kids ages 5 and up will get to upcycle pages from discarded books into beautiful spring flowers.
Nature Babes
The weekly family walk series known as Nature Babes is back for another season, with walks taking place every Thursday. Bring your baby on a nice walk on one of Concord’s dozens of trails. For more info, go to concordparksandrec.com or call 225-8690.
Video Game Club Vacation Tourney
The library’s Video Game Club meets every month, but during April vacation, there’s a big tournament. On Thursday from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., head down to the newly renovated auditorium to play some Mario Kart, Super Smash Brothers and other games in a fast-paced single-elimination tournament – on a huge projector screen.
The kids’ bracket (under 11) will play from 2:30 to 4:30 and teens will play from 4:30 to 6:30. It’s free and doesn’t require signup.
Kids’ Movie
Keep wearing out the library steps by checking out a free screening of Wall-E, rated G, in the auditorium from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday.
Discovery Center
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center will be open all vacation week, giving you one more week to check out the exhibit Great Balls of Fire, which wraps up April 30. There will also be five planetarium shows each day of vacation. For a schedule and more info, go to starhop.com.
Independent Bookstore Day
Go to Gibson’s Bookstore on Saturday for Independent Bookstore Day. There will be a special story time for kids at 10 a.m. followed by a “Wild Rumpous,” in which kids will be invited to just make a bunch of noise and be silly. There will be activities and small prizes available all day, so make sure you stop in.
Rattlebox party
To celebrate expanding into another room at the Concord Community Arts Center, Aaron Jones of Rattlebox Studio is throwing a celebration at the studio Saturday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. There will be music for kids, plus the chance to tour the new space and meet the Rattlebox team. For more, go to rattleboxstudio.com.