Children and the Arts 30th anniversary celebration includes tribute to festival founders

Ra Eldredge, right,  longtime art teacher at The Well School, looks on as some of her creations pass by in the parade. 

Ra Eldredge, right,  longtime art teacher at The Well School, looks on as some of her creations pass by in the parade.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

From left, Dahlia Kangas, Adeline Kangas, Nouvelle Hagman, Francine Hagman, Georgina Hagman and Olivia Kangas with their balloon animals. 

From left, Dahlia Kangas, Adeline Kangas, Nouvelle Hagman, Francine Hagman, Georgina Hagman and Olivia Kangas with their balloon animals.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Vinny the Bubble Guy with young admirers outside of Bass Hall. 

Vinny the Bubble Guy with young admirers outside of Bass Hall.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

People line up to watch the parade in front of the Monadnock Center for History and Culture.

People line up to watch the parade in front of the Monadnock Center for History and Culture. STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Lionheart Classical Academy created the lion from “Aesop’s Fables.” 

Lionheart Classical Academy created the lion from “Aesop’s Fables.”  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Percussionists from the ConVal High School Marching Band. 

Percussionists from the ConVal High School Marching Band.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The theme for Lionheart Classical Academy was “Tell Me a Story.” 

The theme for Lionheart Classical Academy was “Tell Me a Story.”  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Members of Wilton’s Flying Gravity Circus on their unicycles. 

Members of Wilton’s Flying Gravity Circus on their unicycles.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

High Mowing School brought a dragon. 

High Mowing School brought a dragon.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The Monadnock Community Early Learning Center was dragon-themed for the 30th anniversary of Children and the Arts. 

The Monadnock Community Early Learning Center was dragon-themed for the 30th anniversary of Children and the Arts.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Festival-goers admiring the “tape art” installation on the side of Roy’s Market. 

Festival-goers admiring the “tape art” installation on the side of Roy’s Market.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The group from Francestown Elementary School passing the Peterborough Town House. 

The group from Francestown Elementary School passing the Peterborough Town House.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

A “big puppet” of a National Park ranger created by the Children and the Arts Committee. 

A “big puppet” of a National Park ranger created by the Children and the Arts Committee.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Students from The Well School carrying a banner thanking Children and the Arts for 30 years of collaboration. 

Students from The Well School carrying a banner thanking Children and the Arts for 30 years of collaboration.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Roz Hanchett, founder and director of Robin’s Nest Preschool, with some young studemts. 

Roz Hanchett, founder and director of Robin’s Nest Preschool, with some young studemts.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

From left, Carol Crocker (rear), Aurora Crocker and Carol Lampert at the Union Congregational Church cupcake stall. 

From left, Carol Crocker (rear), Aurora Crocker and Carol Lampert at the Union Congregational Church cupcake stall.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The Children and the Arts 2025 parade arrives on Grove Street. 

The Children and the Arts 2025 parade arrives on Grove Street.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Preschoolers from The Well School walk in the parade for the first time. 

Preschoolers from The Well School walk in the parade for the first time.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Families taking in a display at The Caterpillar Lab booth. 

Families taking in a display at The Caterpillar Lab booth.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Sam Jaffe, director of The Caterpillar Lab (center front) shares a presentation. 

Sam Jaffe, director of The Caterpillar Lab (center front) shares a presentation.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Students from The Well School parade their “Birds of a Feather” puppets.

Students from The Well School parade their “Birds of a Feather” puppets. STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The crowd heads for Putnam Park after the parade. 

The crowd heads for Putnam Park after the parade.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

A young fan waves at the Monadnock Center for Early Learning “dragons.” 

A young fan waves at the Monadnock Center for Early Learning “dragons.”  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The Well School dragon makes an apperance. 

The Well School dragon makes an apperance.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Chelsea and Bryan Artim and their children wait for the parade. 

Chelsea and Bryan Artim and their children wait for the parade.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The celebration fills Grove Street. 

The celebration fills Grove Street.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Visitors waiting to spin the The River Center prize wheel. 

Visitors waiting to spin the The River Center prize wheel.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The view from Putnam Park.

The view from Putnam Park. STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The parade concluded with surprise “Big Puppets” depicting the founders of Children and the Arts, Jeannie Connolly and Terry Reeves. 

The parade concluded with surprise “Big Puppets” depicting the founders of Children and the Arts, Jeannie Connolly and Terry Reeves.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

 Hancock Elementary School was nature-themed this year. 

 Hancock Elementary School was nature-themed this year.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

The loading dock at Roy’s is temporarily beautified by “tape art.” 

The loading dock at Roy’s is temporarily beautified by “tape art.”  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Participants in “tape art” admire their work.

Participants in “tape art” admire their work. STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

A huge group from Peterborough Elementary School makes its way down Grove Street. 

A huge group from Peterborough Elementary School makes its way down Grove Street.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Forrest Shamazu from The Caterpillar Lab. 

Forrest Shamazu from The Caterpillar Lab.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Sarah Daume, center, longtime preschool teacher at The Well School, with some of her students. 

Sarah Daume, center, longtime preschool teacher at The Well School, with some of her students.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Dublin Consolidated School students had puppets and costumes depicting the film “The Water Horse.” 

Dublin Consolidated School students had puppets and costumes depicting the film “The Water Horse.”  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

Mountain Shadows School community members. 

Mountain Shadows School community members.  STAFF PHOTO BY JESSECA TIMMONS

By JESSECA TIMMONS

Monadnock Ledger Transcript 

Published: 05-20-2025 12:10 PM

Modified: 05-22-2025 3:12 PM

The 30th Children and the Arts Festival took over downtown Peterborough on Saturday with a parade of children, big puppets, song, dance, theater and art.

The annual parade down Main and Grove streets includes every elementary school  in the ConVal district, including independent schools,  preschools and the Lionheart Classical Academy charter school. 

This year’s parade culminated with surprise “Big Puppets” depicting two of the founders of the Children and the Arts Festival, Terry Reeves and Jeannie Connolly.

“I was definitely shocked when I saw the puppets. Rachelle (Beaudoin) made it and kept it a secret. I was sitting right next to her when she was making it and I didn’t even know,” Reeves said on Monday. “She even asked me, ‘How do you make a puppet look like a certain person?’ and I said, ‘Oh, just do your best.’”

Reeves said she was trying to position the puppets in the procession leaving Peterborough Elementary School when someone asked her, “Terry, did you even look at the puppet?”

“I was shocked seeing Jeannie and Terry on the puppet’s name tags! It was a lovely surprise until the very end of the parade,” Reeves said. 

Reeves said that while she and Connolly were involved from the beginning, the “actual founders” were PES moms Laura Hanson and Nancy Brown.

“They had the seed of the idea for bringing more arts to children in Peterborough. They got an arts grant, and then the figured out what to do with it, and then we all helped,” Reeves said. 

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Reeves said watching the 30th anniversary of the event she helped create was an amazing experience 

“It was just an extraordinary day. Tina Kriebel and her whole committee did a fabulous job. They just went over the top with all these incredible new ideas. I was very proud of the work they have done, and it is very nice to see that the baton has passed to this incredible new group and that the event will keep going.”

The 2025 Children and the Arts Committee was Kriebel (chair), Beaudoin, Serena Berube, Morgan Carpenter, Jen Christensen,  Beth Crooker, Dana Dash, Jennie Dilley, Aimee LaRue, Lauren Mann,  Heather McClusky,  Natasha Meehan, Karrie Mitschmyer,  Mackenzie Nichols, Ava O’Neill, Monica Riffle, Amy Theriault and  Denise Zimmer. 

For information, go to childrenandthearts.org.