Portsmouth summer 2024: Guide to festivals, tall ships, music, shows, history, food, more

PORTSMOUTH — It’s shaping up to be a summer of song, sea, history and the arts in Portsmouth in 2024. There are many ways to celebrate the season in the city.

Read on to learn about the not-to-be missed special events and gems that make summer shine in Portsmouth. We cover everything from maritime history and events, to historic homes to new restaurants and breweries, to live concerts and shows, festivals of all kinds and more.

Enjoy Portsmouth on the water

At the heart of the city is its maritime history from its beginnings as an abundant fishing ground to its world-class shipbuilding reputation that has spanned centuries. A visit to Portsmouth is not complete without getting out on the water, sailing the Piscataqua River, Portsmouth Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean, which brought settlers to its shores.

2024 Sail Portsmouth tall ships festival

This year’s Sail Portsmouth Festival will bring the nation’s most famous tall ship, the Coast Guard’s cutter The Eagle to the Piscataqua River. It will arrive in the Parade of Sail from the mouth of the river into Portsmouth on the morning of Friday, July 26 and dock at the State Pier on Market Street for public tours on Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28. Two additional tall ships — the Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey and the S/V Denis Sullivan — will join the Eagle in the Parade of Sail and then offer sails for the public to experience life on the sea in a tall ship. There’ll also be a dockside tent with educational and entertaining activities. Visit sailportsmouth.org for tickets and information.

More: Eagle to lead Sail Portsmouth tall ships festival in 2024. Here are the details.

Cruise to lighthouses

Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses will offer two Sunset Lighthouses Cruises this summer on June 21 and 28 aboard the M/V Granite State, departing from Rye Harbor on Route 1A in Rye. The cruises will pass close to Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, Whaleback Lighthouse, and White Island Lighthouse in the Isles of Shoals. The narrator will be lighthouse historian/author Jeremy D’Entremont, and there will be raffles for prizes and a snack bar on board.

The group will also offer a Five Lighthouse Cruise Saturday, Sept. 21 leaving at 8:30 a.m. Information: portsmouthharborlighthouse.org.

Explore on The Heritage

You can learn about Portsmouth Harbor on a narrated cruise on The Heritage, a 49-passenger boat where you can see the city, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and lighthouses from the water, and learn about the river’s role in the area’s eco-system. Information: portsmouthharbor.com.

Visit the Isles of Shoals

Sail out to the Isles of Shoals, which are about seven miles from Portsmouth, with the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company for trip into an earlier time and a serene setting. You can also disembark for a tour of Star Island, once home to grand hotels and world-famous artists, and now home to educational retreats run by the nonprofit Star Island Corporation, which now owns the island. Visit islesofshoals.com/ to see when its Thomas Leighton’s next trip is and don’t miss the boat.

Sail on The Gundalow

You can learn about the area’s maritime heritage sailing aboard an authentic gundalow, a cargo barge with a shallow draft that was commonly used to transport goods and materials around the area’s rivers and estuaries for centuries. The Gundalow Company offers sails of different kinds and themes on the Gundalow Piscataqua several times a day during the summer. Visit gundalow.org/sahttps://portsmouthwatertaxi.com/il-with-us for tickets and times.

Portsmouth Water Taxi

New this year is a water taxi service located at the Sullivan Boat Launch on Pierce Island in Portsmouth. You can get a ride into Portsmouth by boat so you can enjoy the city on foot with no worries about parking or having to drive home. Information: portsmouthwatertaxi.com or call 603) 550-1380.

Historic museums and sights in Portsmouth

Strawbery Banke Museum

You can stroll through centuries as you tour the historic homes preserved at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth. The museum has some hidden gems you don’t want to miss this summer.

There’s a new activity, “Think Blue, What Can You Do?” in the museum’s Water Has A Memory exhibit; new features at the Walsh House like an interactive dining etiquette lesson from 1802; Guided Garden Tours on weekdays from June 10 to Sept. 29 to learn about preserving the museum’s heirloom flora; and Behind-The-Scenes Guided Tours where you can handle objects and learn history firsthand.

‘The Matter of Memory’ exhibit

Over at the Discover Portsmouth Center at 10 Middle St., the Portsmouth Historical Society presents “The Matter of Memory,” its exhibition this summer which is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit studies the role of museums in preserving and shaping a community’s memory and how these institutions’ choices affect how we understand our history. Information: portsmouthhistory.org.

Historic Portsmouth walking tours

The Portsmouth Historical Society presents the Historic Portsmouth walking tour daily during the summer. It also offers four themed walking tours highlighting the city’s LGBTQ history, women’s history and others. Visit portsmouthhistory.org/walking-tours.

Black Heritage Trail tours

The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire is offering 11 different Sankofa guided walking tours covering a variety of events and aspects of the city’s Black history. Check topics and times, and register at blackheritagetrailnh.org/sankofa-guided-walking-tours-2.

John Paul Jones House

The John Paul Jones House at 43 Middle St. opens on Memorial Day Weekend for tours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays to Mondays, and contains the society’s ongoing history exhibits. Information: portsmouthhistory.org/jpj.

Juneteenth celebrations

This year’s Juneteenth celebrations presented by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire will have the theme “Dreaming Black Art: Gateways to a New Awareness.” Events in June in Portsmouth include an artist reception, an in-depth conversation on Black masculinity, a live concert, a children's drumming workshop, African drumming, and more. The annual ceremony at the African Burying Ground in Portsmouth will take place at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 19 and that night there’s a concert celebrating “The Magic Of Motown” at The Music Hall at 7:30 p.m. Visit blackheritagetrailnh.org/juneteenth-celebration-2024.

Portsmouth’s historic homes

Historic New England oversees three of the city’s most popular historic houses and will hold free Open Houses for the public on Saturday, June 1. The Jackson House, 76 Northwest St., will be open 11a.m. to 3 p.m.; The Langdon House, 143 Pleasant St., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Rundlet-May House, 364 Middle St., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will also host special events like “From the South End to the West End: A Walking Tour of Portsmouth” on June 28, July 12 and Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. leaving from the Langdon House; “Behind the Scenes of the Rundlet-May House” on June 29 and July 27 at 10 a.m.; and the Jackson House and Christian Shore Landscape Tour, Aug. 24 at 2:30 p.m. Call (603) 436-3205 for more information and tickets or visit historicnewengland.org.

Frederick Douglass Reading

Community leaders will gather at Strawbery Banke Museum’s Goodwin Garden on Hancock Street to read Frederick Douglass’ “What To The Slave Is Your Fourth of July?” and reflect on its meaning from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 29. This event is free and open to the public. Visit blackheritagetrailnh.org/frederick-douglass-statewide-readings.

Portsmouth’s flair for flavor

Summer is here and the eating is easy in Portsmouth. With more restaurant seats than residents, Portsmouth has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to excellent chefs, welcoming restaurants, variety of cuisines and great food to experience.

Chowderfest kicks off a season of seafood

Celebrate New England’s quintessential chowder culture at the annual Chowder Festival Summer Kickoff on Saturday, June 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Chowder Festival presents chowders from 20 to 30 local restaurants to sample as they compete for the prized Golden Ladle.You can vote for the People’s Choice award winner, a restaurant that will reign along with the judges’ choice for the Seacoast’s best chowder. Tickets to this fundraiser for the Prescott Park Arts Festival are available at prescottpark.org.

Taste a local oyster

Oysters are a rising star of the region’s cuisine. Farmed right here in the Great Bay and the waterways around Hampton and Seabrook, local oysters are a must-try on a visit to Portsmouth. Check out the Little Bay Beauties or 603 Oysters and others at Franklin Oyster House or Row 34 and don’t miss the Shuck a Buck on Tuesdays at Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Cafe. Shuck a Buck season at Jay’s ends June 25 and starts up again in the fall.

More: Portsmouth's booming restaurants hit 36,000 seats in city of 22,000 residents

Portsmouth Farmers’ Market

The Portsmouth Farmers’ Market takes place each Saturday during the summer and features an array of local produce, meat, crafts, artisans, products and music. It runs from 8 a.m. to noon at the parking lot in front of City Hall at 1 Junkins Ave. in Portsmouth.

Tour breweries in Portsmouth

You can easily take a stroll through Portsmouth’s downtown and visit multiple breweries. Park in one of the city’s two garages or Uber in and taste a sample, from Great Rhythm Brewing, 105 Bartlett St.; Loaded Question Brewing, 909 Islington St., Suite 2; Liars Bench Beer Co., 459 Islington St. and Earth Eagle Brewings, 175 High St..

New restaurant Bao 155

New on the corner of Congress St. and Maplewood Ave. is Bao 155, offering Thai street food from the same crew that owns Bamee Durham near the UNH campus in Durham. It’s in the building where the Portsmouth Health Food Store was located next to Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club. Check out its menu at bao155portsmouth.com.

Waterview Grill is new, too

In the spot on the waterfront where Poco’s and Rio Tequila Cantina were formerly located, you’ll find the new Waterview Grill. It’s owned by the Labrie Group — brothers and entrepreneurs Michael and Peter Labrie — which also owns Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club, the nearby River House restaurant and the Atlantic Grill in Rye. if it’s nice out, you can dine on the deck looking out at the city’s famous tugs. See what’s cooking at waterviewgrillnh.com.

More: Waterview Grill to replace Rio Tequila Cantina on Portsmouth waterfront this spring

Oar House turns 50

Just down Ceres Street from the Waterview, the Oar House restaurant is celebrating its 50th birthday this summer. New owners Casey Anderson and Halley Bushe plan to commemorate the year by spotlighting the history of the restaurant and the site within Merchant’s Row all year long. Anderson is a fourth-generation Portsmouth resident who bought the business from former owners Raymond Guerin and Peter DiZoglio in 2022 and also owns the seasonal restaurant Purple Urchin in Hampton Beach. Visit oarhousenh.com.

More: Oar House restaurant celebrating 50 years on Portsmouth waterfront

Wentworth By The Sea celebrating 150th anniversary

Next door on the island of New Castle, the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel is celebrating its 150th birthday with a reception Friday, June 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. The theme is “Gilded Era Dishes With Fresh Modern Twists.” According to the hotel’s website, Executive Chef Lee Michael combed through the hotel’s archives and menus for inspiration using Gilded-Era New England staples like pickled vegetables, lamb and salted cod “with fresh, approachable twists.” There’ll be a cash bar, drink specials and live jazz by the David Newsam Duo. Period costumes encouraged. Visit opalcollection.com/wentworth for tickets.

In addition to the party, the hotel is offering events to celebrate its history like Croquet on the Grand Lawn lessons, sessions to learn to cook dishes from the hotel’s Gilded-Era menus, hotel history tours, and High Tea in the Lobby as well as special menus and drinks at its Salt Kitchen & Bar restaurant during the month of June.

Food festivals

Other food celebrations near Portsmouth include the New England Hot Sauce Festival on July 27 newenglandhotsaucefest.com at the Smuttynose Brewing campus in Hampton

Smuttynose will celebrate its own 30th Birthday Bash on Saturday, July 13 from noon to 5 p.m. They’ll mark the anniversary by bringing back the company's very first beer Shoals Pale Ale to mark the occasion at their Hampton campus where they’ll also host the Smutty Games that day for teams to compete in and win prizes. Visit smuttynose.com/event/smuttynose-30th-anniversary-celebration.

The Portsmouth Food Truck and Craft Brewery Festival will take place on Saturday, Aug. 18 from noon to 5 p.m. at Cisco Brewers Portsmouth on the Pease Tradeport. Visit foodtruckfestivalsofamerica.com/portsmouth.

Vintage and Vine

History and wine blend at Vintage & Vine - A Wine Festival in Historic Style at Strawberry Banke Museum on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Rain or shine, for the 36th year, this fine wine and food festival will showcase the Seacoast’s best chefs and wine brokers and raise funds for the museum’s educational and preservation efforts. This event sells out quickly every year. Tickets go on sale for museum members June 10 at 10 a.m.; to the public June 17 at 10 a.m. Get them at strawberybanke.org/vintage-vine.

N.H. Brewfest

The 16th annual N.H. Brewfest will take place Saturday, Oct. 12 at Cisco Brewers Portsmouth and feature the state’s and the region’s best craft brewers. This is a fundraiser for the Prescott Park Arts Festival and the New England District of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. Visit prescottpark.org for tickets and information.

Summer happenings

There’s nowhere quite like Portsmouth in the summertime when celebrations of the long-awaited season break out on a daily basis. Here are some of the city’s seasonal highlights.

Market Square Day

Portsmouth’s celebration of the heart of the city is Market Square Day, which will take place Saturday, June 8 from 9 to 4 p.m. The city’s largest street festival is free and will feature food, fun, entertainment, vendors, nonprofit organization, craftsmen and artisans, and the annual 10K race to kick off the morning. Information: proportsmouth.org.

'Legally Blonde' and concerts at Prescott Park Arts Festival

The city’s annual summer celebration of the arts, the Prescott Park Arts Festival, is celebrating its golden anniversary. This outdoor musical theater and concert series fills Prescott Park on Portsmouth’s waterfront just about every night of the summer. This summer, the festival will present “Legally Blonde, The Musical” most Thursdays through Sundays at 7 p.m. from June 21 to Aug. 11. You can bring a blanket or a chair and find your spot on the banks of the Piscataqua River, and enjoy a picnic and a great show. The performances are free. A donation at the gate is suggested for each attendee. You can buy a season pass, make a donation online, or reserve a blanket or a 4-person table with a great view for a fee at prescottpark.org.

The festival’s concert series lineup this year will include The Lone Bellow on Friday, June 14; the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on Wednesday, June 26; folk music icon Patty Griffin on Wednesday, July 17; and singer Allen Stone, who was a huge crowd pleaser at last summer’s concert series, on Monday, Aug. 5 among many others. All theater performances and concerts start at 7 p.m.

Pocket Gardens of Portsmouth Tour

The 35th annual Pocket Gardens of Portsmouth Tour will take place Friday, June 21 from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year's tour concentrates on gardens in the Little Harbor neighborhood bordered by South Street, Middle Street, and Miller Avenue and will feature eight private gardens, one public garden, and educational opportunities with John Forti, author of “The Heirloom Gardener: Traditional Plants and Skills for the Modern World;” Susan Pike, nature writer for seacoastonline.com; Pollinator Pathways representatives discussing native plants; Ikebana flower arranging demonstrations; musicians, plein air artists, and cookies. Tickets available at  portsmouthnhtickets.com/organizations/south-church and at five Seacoast locations. Visit southchurch-uu.org/what-we-offer/pocket-garden-tour.

Portsmouth Pride 2024

Portsmouth Pride will be celebrated with a parade anyone can join on Saturday, June 22. Gather outside 40 Pleasant St. at noon and march in the parade down Pleasant and State Street to Strawbery Banke’s Puddle Dock where the celebration will continue until 5 p.m. Enjoy food, music, 100-plus vendors, a beer tent and more. Visit seacoastoutright.org/portsmouth-pride for information.

Fill The Hall

Gather food pantry and The Music Hall are again joining forces for Fill The Hall. The mission is to fill all the theater’s seats with food donations to help feed our Seacoast neighbors in need. Donations will be accepted at 25 Chestnut St. on Saturday, June 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and you can always make a cash donation at gathernh.org.

Summer in the Street music series

The Summer in the Street series shuts down Pleasant Street downtown each Saturday afternoon and evening beginning June 29 to create a pedestrian-friendly performance venue in the heart of the city. Pleasant Street from Porter Street to Market Square closes from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays so folks can literally dance in the streets. The free performances begin at 5:30 p.m., but many have staked out their spot with their lawn chair long before that. Watch proportsmouth.org for announcements about this year’s performers.

Live Under The Arch series at The Music Hall

The Music Hall presents the Live Under The Arch series of outdoor concerts on Chestnut Street in front of the theater. Performing this year will be Dead Meat: A Tribute To The Grateful Dead on Friday, June 14; Assembly of Dust on Thursday, Aug. 8 and Perpetual Groove on Sunday, Aug. 25. Check out themusichall.org for tickets and more concert announcements.

Tuesdays on the Terrace Summer Concert Series

Strawberry Banke Museum presents Tuesday on the Terrace concert series from June 18 to Aug. 27 at 5:30 p.m. On the lawn of Puddle Dock, local musicians perform on the open-air stage. American band North River Music will perform June 18; Portsmouth’s own Sharon Jones on June 25; Beatles tribute 2 of Us on July 2; Kids’ Night with Sages Entertainment and DJ Skooch on July 9; Ben Baldwin and Kent Allyn, July 16; traditional bluegrass with Zoe & Cloyd on July 23; Cormac McCarthy on July 30; Truffle, Aug. 6; Sidewalk Boys, Aug. 13; Kids’ Night with Sages Entertainment and Mr. Aaron on Aug. 20; Liz and Dan Faiella on Aug. 27. Food and drinks are available for purchase. Bring your own chair or blanket.

Button Factory Stage at WSCA

Portsmouth Community Radio WSCA presents concerts on its Button Factory Stage such as songwriters Wes Pearce, Jon Hatchett, & Hamilton Belk  on  Sunday, June 16. Check out their schedule and get tickets at wscafm.org.

Ukraine’s DakhaBrakha to perform

DakhaBrakha, a music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine, known for its theatrical shows with strong visuals, will perform at 3S Artspace on Friday, June 21 at 7 p.m. They have played in major international festivals throughout Eastern and Western Europe, Russia, Asia, Australia, and North America. Tickets at 3sarts.org.

More live music

There are a host of venues around Portsmouth that offer live music regularly if not daily. Check out Jimmy’s Bar and Grill at jimmysoncongress.com; The Music Hall and The Music Hall Lounge, themusichall.org; The Press Room, pressroomnh.com; The Goat, goatnh.com/portsmouth/calendar; The River House restaurant, riverhouse53bow.com, among other bars and restaurants that support live music all year long.

Seacoast Repertory Theatre

The Seacoast Rep’s musicals are alway top-notch and a great way to spend an evening. This summer, they’re presenting “Joseph” from June 7 to July 13; "Rock of Ages" from July 19 to Sept. 1. Visit SeacoastRep.org.

Players’ Ring Theatre

The Players’ Ring Theatre offers a variety of plays for adults evenings and on the weekends they offer productions for children during the day. Neighboring The Puddle Dock Restaurant offers a 10% discount for theater patrons. The Puddle Dock’s sister restaurant Tour on Lafayette Road does the same. Visit playersring.org for showtimes and tickets.

New Hampshire Theater Project

The New Hampshire Theatre Project is presenting the dramatic comedy “Romeo and Her Sister” June 7 to 23 at its West End Theater. Visit nhtheatreproject.org.

Boston Dance Theater at 3S Artspace

Boston Dance Theater returns to 3S Artpsace on May 31 and June 1 with "Pinnacle Works: Galili, Goecke, & Pereira,” contemporary dance works by three choreographers, “each decorated by royalty for their contributions to performing arts,” according to 3S Artspace’s website. Tickets at 3sarts.org.

New for game show fans

Game Show Face Off has opened in the Fox Run Mall. At the venue, you and your friends can play game shows live in a studio just like you see on TV. It’s for those 18 and over and you can reserve the venue for one hour to play three games with up to 20 of your friends. The venue is used for team building experiences for workplaces, but it is open for the public on weekends. Reserve your game show slot at gameshowfaceoff.com.

3S Artspace will host “The Crossword Show” on Saturday, June 22 at 7:30 p.m. Zach Sherwin is the show host and will preside over two comedians who will solve an actual crossword puzzle live on stage. Information: 3Sarts.org.

For art lovers

On the First Friday of every month, downtown Portsmouth’s art and museum galleries host the Art ‘Round Town gallery walk from 5 to 8 p.m. Galleries stay open late to welcome the public with receptions and a chance to meet the artists they represent. Find participating galleries at goportsmouthnh.com/art-round-town.

A YART Sale

Also for art lovers, 3S Artspace will hold its annual YART Sale, a yard sale featuring the work of local artists at great prices, on Sunday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Artwork is discounted to 40% or more off fair market value price. Many of the artists will be present to meet the public.

Fourth of July fireworks

The city of Portsmouth hosts a large fireworks display to celebrate Independence Day traditionally scheduled for the evening of July 3 after dusk. Keep an eye on cityofportsmouth.com/city/master-calendar for details as the holiday gets closer.

Movie Mondays

Movies will be shown on a big screen Monday nights at Prescott Park after dusk falls. Check out prescottpark.org for this year’s films when they’re announced. A donation of $5 per person is suggested.

Telluride By The Sea

And fresh off the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, the Telluride by the Sea Festival will take place the weekend of Sept. 12-14 at The Music Hall in Portsmouth and feature new films that debuted at 50th Telluride Film Festival over Labor Day weekend. The films to be shown in Portsmouth will be announced by The Music Hall right before Labor Day weekend. Weekend passes are on sale now at themusichall.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth NH summer 2024 guide to fun