Holiday Festivities
Celebrate the holidays in one of the world's Christmas capitals!
“For all the beauty Portsmouth offers during the summer, the holiday season just may be its finest time of year. The Christmas spirit you find here isn’t garish or overblown. It’s tasteful and subtle, more vintage than big-box store.” — Yankee Magazine
The holidays in New England are cozy and beautiful, and Portsmouth is no exception. Take a holiday tour around town, or drive through Portsmouth and its neighboring towns for Christmas lights sight-seeing and wintertime fun. See below for some of our recommendations of places to see and things to do!
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Please continue to check back for more details on Holiday activities.
Latkepalooza Community Hanukkah Celebration
Please join Temple Israel for a community-wide hanukkiah lighting, crafts, music, dancing, and of course latkes and donuts! Bring your family’s favorite hanukkiah and nosh with us as we celebrate the festival of lights.
Sunday, December 10 from 4 PM to 6 PM.
Players' Ring - Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
Adapted by Tom Frey in cooperation with Ensemble Players.
This timeless tale has been produced at the Ring for 28 consecutive years, surprising you Christmas after Christmas with an interesting adaptation, a different director, a new design… This coming Holiday Season, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” will come to life onto the intimate Ring’s stage in the adaptation of Tom Frey, a Maine-based Dickens’ scholar who extensively researched the author’s own notes from his live readings in the UK and the US! True to the original and very dynamic, this production is made extra special by the punctuation of uplifting a cappella music, as Madrigal singers act as narrators who help Scrooge in his journey to redemption, together with all of your favorite characters and ghosts from the original novella.
- Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm
- Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30pm
- Wednesday & Thursday at 7pm
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY
The special holiday production of It’s a Wonderful Life returns to New Hampshire Theatre Project!
”A sweet production – polished, smooth and engaging”
Jeanné McCartin, 2018 – The Edge Review
SUN – NOV 26 | 2:30PM
THU – NOV 30 | 7:30PM
FRI – DEC 1 | 7:30PM
SAT – DEC 2 | 4:00PM
SUN – DEC 3 | 2:30PM
THU – DEC 7 | 7:30PM
FRI – DEC 8 | 7:30PM
SAT – DEC 9 | 4:00PM
SUN – DEC 10 | 2:30PM
The Dance Hall - The Bang Group’s Nut/Cracked
It’s The Nutcracker, but definitely not as we know it. The Bang Group has taken every little girls favorite Christmas show and torn it limb from limb. Mixing Tchaikovsky’s original score with music by Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller and others, the company turns the sugar coated ballet into a percussive piece of dance theatre. Expect tap dancing, singing and some unusual pointe shoe activity. Nothing is sacred as Nut/Cracked twists and melds various dance traditions into an ode to American eclecticism which honors the power of the human urge to dance while riding Tchaikovsky’s voluptuous waves of rhythm.
David Parker’s Bang Group first brought the house down with their performance of Nut/Cracked at The Dance Hall in 2016. This hilarious rendition of the storied holiday production is performed to perfection by a company of exquisitely trained artists.
The Bang Group, a rhythm based, theatrical dance company based in New York City, tours extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe.
$25 advance | $30 day-of | Student $15
Art 'Round Town Gallery Walk
The FIRST FRIDAY of every month, year round, downtown Portsmouth celebrates its inspired art community with big city style by presenting its Art ‘Round Town gallery walk.
As a thriving creative community rich in history, Portsmouth retains and honors its past while continuously cultivating an exciting contemporary art scene. Within its early-nineteenth century brick facades, cobblestone sidewalks, and streetscapes, the collective Portsmouth art galleries represent the work of international and national artists from as distant as Europe, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles and as near as down the street.
Friday, December 1st from 5 PM to 8 PM.
Hearth Market - Light the Night
Join Hearth Market as we illuminate our holiday tree in the courtyard at Brick Market. With a special guest from the Music Hall’s Holiday Production, “The Sound of Music.” We will also be partnering with Gather NH to collect nonperishable items for their food pantry to nourish individuals and families in need during the holiday season and beyond. Hearth will be providing complimentary hot cocoa and music. More details to come!
Friday, December 1st from 5 PM to 7 PM.
Hearth Market - Holiday CELE-BEER-ATION
The Beer Rats, 1:00-4:00pm (inside)
Taylor O’Donnell, 6:00-9:00pm (inside)
– SmuttyNose Finest Kind IPA
– Earth Eagle Lager
– Tributary Pale Ale
– North County Cider
– Island District
– Stoneface IPA
– 603 Brewery
– Deciduous Brewery
– Tuckerman Brewing Cider
Loaded Question Brewing - Krampus Nacht
Wentworth by the Sea - Illumination 2023
First Night
Sunday, December 31st from 2 PM to 8 PM.
History of First Night Portsmouth:
Pro Portsmouth became a member of the First Night Alliance in 1986 when it produced First Night Portsmouth on the Seacoast.
This celebration gives our Community the opportunity to come together as one, reflecting on the year that has passed and looking forward with hope and great anticipation to the year ahead. (And the date – never changes: December 31st)
Holiday Market at Cisco Brewers
*vendors- be aware that there are scammers that are sometimes trying to trick you into paying online. We will only discuss this event with you by email and accept payment day of event by check. Do Not pay by any other means.
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Please continue to check back for more details on Holiday dinner offerings.
Christmas Dinner at the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel
Holidays are times of joy and celebration!
We invite you and your family to join us for a very special day. • Reservations Required! Please Call (603) 559-2622• or through OpenTable via 250 Market’s page
GRAND BALLROOM
Serving 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Enjoy an elegant Christmas buffet prepared by our talented culinary team
The Beach Plum
Offering a gift card deal:
Buy $40, get $10 added free!
Buy $100, get $25 added free!
*Up to 1/2 of the gift card may be used on the day of your purchase.
Order your gift card online right away or buy in any of our three locations: Epping, Portsmouth, Salem, or North Hampton.
Festive Christmas Buffet - Wentworth by the Sea
If you are looking for a spectacular setting to have a Christmas Day Buffet with all the trimmings, then don’t miss this one! Enjoy a seemingly endless display of mouth-watering delicacies, complimentary champagne, delectable dessert displays and more!
Serving 10:00am-4:00pm
$89.95 per person plus tax & gratuity · $26.95 children under 12
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- Deluxe Chilled Salad Buffet
- New England Raw Bar
- Fresh Seasonal Sliced Fruit
- Smoothies
- Freshly Squeezed Juices
- Belgian Waffle Station
- Artisan Cheese Display
- Festive Carving Station
- Seasonally Composed Hot Entrees
- Dessert Display
Festive Christmas Dinner - Wentworth by the Sea
Enjoy a festive Christmas Dinner prepared by our team of award-winning chefs. Our special three-course holiday menu will feature delectable dishes below and much more!
Salt Kitchen & Bar
Serving 1:00pm-10:00pm
$69.95 per person plus tax & gratuity · $26.95 children under 12
For Reservations, please call 603.373.6566
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- Sous Vide Pork Chop
- grilled tomato vinaigrette, brown butter broccolini, shaved almonds, creamy polenta
- Scottish Salmon
- lobster stock risotto, confit tomatoes, sauteed spinach, fried garlic, cave aged cheese, butter sauce
- Sliced Prime Beef Tenderloin
- whipped potatoes, roasted jumbo asparagus, foie gras butter, roasted garlic demi glaze
- Coq Au Vin Chicken
- cipollini onions, bacon lardons, parsnip puree, king trumpet mushroom, fried carrots, barolo red wine sauce
Press Room
Visit Press Room this holiday season!
Christmas Eve: Open 11 AM – 5 PM
Christmas Day: Closed
New Years Eve: Open 10 AM – 1 AM
New Years Day: Closed
Christmas Buffet Dinner - Stage Neck Inn
Visit the Stage Neck Inn in York Harbor, Maine from on December 25, 2023 for their 2023 Christmas buffet dinner. This event is available for both in-house guests and the public – taking reservations now.
$129.95 per person plus tax & service charge ($39.95 for kids).
Breakfast Buffet: 7:30 to 10am
Christmas Buffet Seatings: 12 to 4pm, Reservations Required
Complimentary Soup & Make Your Own Sandwiches: 6 to 8pm (in-house guests only)
Call us today at (207) 573-7416 for more information or book your stay online now.
Christmas by Atlantic Grill
From the Atlantic Grill family to yours. Enjoy delicious food at home with loved ones.
All orders must be placed by 12pm, Tuesday, December 19th.
Pick-Ups will be scheduled for your choice of time Sunday, Dec 24th, 11am -3pm.
All items will be picked up cold with re-heat directions provided.
Orders may be placed on their website TheAtlanticGrill.com
or by emailing caitlyn@theatlanticgrill.com.
STAY
Portsmouth has many warm & inviting lodging properties to enjoy during your holiday getaway.
2nd Annual West End Holiday Shop Crawl
- Nest
- Decades
- Weekender House
- Seavey’s Marketplace
- Sweet Pea Consignment
- White Heron Tea & Coffee
- Papa Wheelies
- The Refill Station
- Pars Rugs
- Islington Bottle Shoppe
- Portsmouth Jewelers
- Piece O’Cake
Local holiday shopping win! We can’t wait to see you!!
