Portsmouth NH is Calling: Your Summer 2026 Guide

by Christina Marmonti

Summer 2026 · Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The Seacoast Is Ready for You

From Chowderfest to riverside concerts, Portsmouth is packing its summer with exactly the kind of magic New England does best.

Read the full guide →

Posted May 27, 2026 · Summer Planning

If you haven't already circled Portsmouth on your summer map, it's time to pick up the pen. The Granite Post just dropped a seriously good guide to everything happening along the Piscataqua this season — and friends, it is a lot. Festivals, food, live music, history, art, and more fresh seafood than you can responsibly eat in one afternoon. We're sharing it here because you deserve to have a great summer, and Portsmouth makes that very easy.

The kickoff

Chowderfest Starts It All

The unofficial start of summer in Portsmouth is Chowderfest, the beloved tasting fundraiser for the Prescott Park Arts Festival. Think warm cups of chowder, breezy waterfront air, and the particular joy of arguing with your companions about which version is best. It's the kind of event that makes you feel like a local even if you're driving in from an hour away — which, let's be honest, many of us will be doing.

The Prescott Park Arts Festival runs all summer long from there, with shows, concerts, and this year's production of Cinderella giving the whole season a theatrical heartbeat. There's not a bad seat in the park.

"Don't wait — take the tour, buy the ticket, taste the seafood, and enjoy the sweet sound of music on a summer breeze."

What to expect

A Summer's Worth of Reasons to Go

The full Granite Post guide covers everything from historic tours and river excursions aboard the Gundalow on the Piscataqua to Market Square Day and the Sea Glass Festival. If you've been looking for an excuse to make a day — or a whole weekend — out of a Portsmouth trip, this is it.

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Arts & performance

Prescott Park Arts Festival's full season, including Cinderella and a summer concert series.

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Food & festivals

Chowderfest, fresh seafood on the waterfront, and a city full of great restaurants.

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On the water

The Gundalow Company's river trips from Prescott Park are a Portsmouth classic.

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History & art

Museums, galleries, and walking tours through one of New England's oldest port cities.

Our take

Worth Every Mile of the Drive

For those of us in the Lakes Region, Portsmouth is close enough to be a spontaneous day trip and special enough to deserve real planning. The beauty of this Granite Post guide is that it does the planning for you — just pick what sounds good, pack a light jacket (this is still New Hampshire), and go.

Summer has a way of filling up fast. Block the dates now. The chowder won't wait.