Summer concerts, Festivals & happenings
Celebrate Summer on the Seacoast!
Save these dates for seaside concert series, on going museum exhibits and so much more happening all summer long in Portsmouth & the Seacoast.
Pro Portsmouth - Children's Day
May 5, 2024
An estimated 10,000+ “children” visit Portsmouth to take part in an afternoon of fun on the Seacoast.
This Festival combines family-friendly activities, entertainment and usually, an ice cream sundae – all sponsored, hosted and supported by the Downtown Merchants, area companies, civic organizations and volunteers of the Seacoast. From a cruise aboard the M/V Thomas Laighton to a hoola-hoop contest, the day is filled with something for everyone.
Prescott Park Arts Festival - 36TH Annual WOKQ Chowder Festival
June 1, 2024
The WOKQ Chowder Festival is back to kick off summer season at Prescott Park Arts Festival. Dozens of restaurants join in the fun with piping hot chowder recipes to enjoy, live music, and refreshing drinks. We will be having fun until the chowder runs out!
Free for season pass holders.
4th Annual Piscataqua Riverfest
July 20, 2024
Traditional boat show of stunning wooden boats on the grounds of Strawbery Banke
Maritime demonstrations including a blacksmith, oar making, rope maker, wood art, touch tank, science experiments, and remote control boat models
Vendors of unique maritime goods
Food trucks
Desserts including cupcakes, cake pops, and ice cream sandwiches & sundaes
A beer garden served by Maeve’s Mobile Cocktail Hour with local brews
Musical performances from local musicians
Family fun activities including Lindsay & Her Puppet Pals, children’s music from Sammie Haynes, and face painting
By the waterfront, the Gundalow PISCATAQUA offers harbor sails from Prescott Park, down the namesake river past the shipyard, forts, and lighthouses.
Free entry into the Strawbery Banke Museum all day!
Seacoast residents and visitors alike are invited to join the celebration to promote the health, history, and resiliency of the Piscataqua Region. The complex river system is surrounded by people and organizations working hard to protect it, and their stewardship makes Portsmouth a top destination for exhibiting the rich maritime heritage.
47th Annual Market Square Day
June 8, 2024
Two performance stages feature local and regional musicians. The day ‘kicks off’ with the Market Square Day 10K Road Race. Most of Downtown Portsmouth is vehicle-free and pedestrian-friendly from 9am ’til 4pm.
The first Market Square Day took place in 1978; Pro Portsmouth marks its’ anniversary each year on Market Square Day.
Black Heritage Trail - Juneteenth Festival
June 7, 13, 19, 2024
For the 2024 Juneteenth Celebration, the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire celebrates this collective endeavor and the Black artists creating the most compelling art of our time. These programs offer a provocative intersection of history, media, performance, and ideas that deepen our understanding of our nation’s history and centers the Black experience.
The Gundalow Concert Series & Speaker Sails
Concert Series - Thursdays & Sundays 6 - 8 pm
Speaker Series - Tuesdays at 6pm
Concert Series – The Gundalow Company presents our relaxing sunset sail accompanied by multiple musicians all summer long playing a mix of music genres.
Tickets: $45 for adults and half price for kids
Location: Prescott Park Dock, next to the historic Sheafe Warehouse
Speaker Sails – Every summer evening sail on Tuesdays has a guest speaker onboard to talk about cultural, historical, or environmental topics.
Tickets: $35 for adults and half price for kids
The Atlantic Grill Music By The Sea at The Seacoast Science Center
Thursdays, 6-8:30 pm, gates open at 5pm
Thursday, July 11 – Jumbo Circus Peanuts
Jumbo Circus Peanuts us a local 12-piece band, legendary for their party antics and get-you-up-on-the-dance-floor tunes.
Thursday, July 18 – Mica’s Groove Train
Mica’s Groove Train is an exciting neo-soul band making waves in the music industry. Their raw talent and versatile sound has kept their broad fan base strong and growing.
Thursday, July 25 – The Crab Shack Band
The Crab Shack Band packs the dance floor with contemporary and classic tunes, with a little country, some R&B, and disco in the mix.
Thursday, August 1 – Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree, the region’s premier U2 tribute band, is back by popular demand and has been filling the dance at MBS for the past decade.
Tall Ships Festival - July 25 - 28, 2024
Parade of Sail - July 26, 2024
The Parade of Sail kicks off Sail Portsmouth with our visiting tall ships escorted by hundreds of private pleasure craft and commercial fishing boats up the Piscataqua River to the Memorial Bridge and then to the docks.
Tall ships sailing in the Parade will be USCGC Eagle, S/V Denis Sullivan, and Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey.
Owners of private vessels are welcome to join the festivities by joining in the Parade and escorting the tall ships up the river.
Best Viewpoints
The most accessible sites for the public to enjoy the Parade are:
The Commons, New Castle
Fort McClary State Park, Kittery
Four Tree Island, Portsmouth
Memorial Bridge sidewalk, between Portsmouth and Kittery
USCGC Eagle will be docked at the Port of Portsmouth, 555 Market Street. The last tour begins at 4:30 PM and the ships close at 5 PM.
The tours are often the highlight of Sail Portsmouth, creating one of the busiest, fun-filled summer weekends on the Seacoast. On the way to the tours, people can linger in the maritime tent to enjoy the exhibits and may even meet 19th Century reenactors from Strawbery Banke Museum in period costumes and encounter friendly roaming pirates on the dock. Food and drinks will be available as will some live entertainment.
Please note: the tall ship is FREE to tour and no tickets will be sold. Please plan to arrive early as we expect crowds, and visitors should expect to wait in line to board the ship.
ALL SUMMER LONG
Legally Blonde, The Musical- Prescott Park Arts Festival
Harvard’s beloved blonde takes the Wilcox Main Stage by pink storm in this fun, upbeat story of self-discovery.
A fabulously fun award-winning musical based on the adored movie, Legally Blonde The Musical follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances – this musical is so much fun, it should be illegal!
The Arts Festival is excited to fill the summer air of Prescott Park with upbeat and empowering tunes from this modern hit musical based on the cult classic film.
Running most Thursdays through Sundays at 7pm from June 21 – August 11. Dates and times subject to change.
Live Under The Arch - The Music Hall
Enjoy live performances on Chestnut Street! The Music Hall is bringing in local and regional artists and authors, so these shows are more like your home away from home, just like The Music Hall is!
Friday, June 14, Dead Meat – Tribute to the Grateful Dead
Thursday, August 8, Assembly of Dust
Saturday, August 17, Save Ferris
Sunday, August 25, Perpetual Groove
Portsmouth Historical Society
Portsmouth Historical Society welcome visitors to their current exhibition “The Matter of Memory.” This exhibition examines the role of museums as both guardians and creators of individual and community memory. Free curator tours are offered every First Friday and 12:00 and 5:30pm.
Strawbery Banke Museum - Tuesdays on the Terrace
Enjoy acoustic music amid the summer splendor of Puddle Dock with Strawbery Banke’s popular annual outdoor concert series. Tuesday evenings June 18 – August 27 from 5:30 to 7 PM, a variety of local musicians perform on the open-air stage.