2023 Hampton Beach Seafood Festival: 5 reasons to go on final day Sunday

HAMPTON — Saturday marked the second day of three for the 34th Hampton Beach Seafood Festival in 2023, bringing crowds and food vendors from all over the country to enjoy the end-of-the-summer party.

Over a half-mile stretch of Ocean Boulevard — from Hillcrest Inn to Ashworth by the Sea — there were more than 50 food vendors, 70-plus artisans and thousands of visitors. Out-of-state license plates such as Massachusetts, New Jersey and Wyoming filled the Ashworth Avenue parking lot.

From live music to lobsters, aerobatic air shows to artisans, here are five reasons why you should consider attending the final day of the event on Sunday, Sept. 10:

A seafood galore for foodies

New Jersey-based Seashore Seafood offers more than 10 seafood dishes, serving customers food that came fresh off the pan. One of many vendors at the festival, Seashore's offering include everything from its popular jambalaya (with mussels, shrimp and crawfish) to coconut shrimp.

“The crowd here is fantastic,” said Mindy McPherson of Seashore Seafood. “We love the people, the weather is beautiful, the area is very hospitable and we have a great relationship with the committee.”

A Hampton Beach Seafood Festival veteran of four years, McPherson said preparation begins between 5 and 6 a.m. each day with the help of 16 staff members. All of its ingredients are sourced locally, she added.

“You better believe it,” said McPherson, about returning to Hampton Beach next year.

Other dishes Seashore is serving include fried calamari and the Admiral platter (with lobster, Cajun shrimp and coconut shrimp).

Britney Hopkins of The Jolly Lobster was seen Saturday presenting a fresh batch of 15 lobster rolls for the long line of awaiting customers. Within minutes, it was gone, leaving the 16th person in line having to wait for the next batch.

Hopkins said the family-run eatery from Lowell, Massachusetts, has been participating in the festival for the past 15 years. She said it “is the one time of the year where we all can enjoy, but also work in a fun setting.”

The Jolly Lobster also serves clam chowder, crab cakes, shrimp cocktail and lobster bisque.

Satisfy your sweet tooth cravings

It is Bearded Baking Co.’s inaugural year at the festival in 2023, offering its wide-array of award-winning pastries. The Manchester-based bakery opened a second location in Hampton six months ago.

“We found out a week ago that there was someone who backed out,” said owner Jon Buatti, on how the business landed a spot in the festival. “We jumped in, we’re selling pastries and we’re having fun.”

By 11 a.m., just an hour after the gates opened, Buatti said he’d sold more than 100 products. The homemade sweets include bismarks (raspberry or fresh whipped-cream-filled donuts), Parisian tortes and its bestseller, lobster tails — a lobster-shaped pate a choux with ricotta or chocolate filling.

The afternoon heat inspired a long line of customers waiting for liquid nitrogen-infused desserts from another vendor.

“It’s kind of like a fruit loop-type ball,” said Chris Gines. “It’s crunchy … once you freeze them the nitrogen soaks into the ball and when you bite into it it evaporates. It’s a nice, refreshing dessert.”

Other offerings include donut ice cream cones. Gines said the two bestselling flavors are apple pie (cinnamon sugar cone lined with caramel, apple pie filling, streusel topping and vanilla ice cream) and pumpkin pie (cinnamon sugar cone lined with pumpkin pie, pumpkin sauce, graham cracker and vanilla ice cream).

Rob Holland’s aerobatic air show

Local band All Day Fire had just finished performing its cover of Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville” at the festival's Beach Bar as Rob Holland arrived in his plane over the ocean to perform his aerobatic air show.

The 49-year-old pilot from Nashua arrived in Hampton Beach around 1:15 p.m. He also performed Saturday at the Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show at Pease Air National Guard Base in Portsmouth. His “nonstop, action-packed” 13-minute act includes flying sideways, rolling the plane and coming in close contact with the water.

Holland has performed in past editions of the Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show, but it was his first time putting his aerobatic skills on display over Hampton Beach.

Holland is scheduled to perform again Sunday, Sept. 10, arriving between 1 and 1:15 p.m. Visitors at the Beach Bar or along the sidewalk will have the best view of the act.

The largest beach bar in New England and 'immersive' art gallery

For those who are 21-plus, admission to the festival includes the festival's 40,000-square-foot Beach Bar – billed as the largest in New England – offering more than 12 options of adult beverages, live music and a sandy “dance floor.”

Sunday’s performances will include Dave Macklin Band from noon to 2:30 p.m. and Freight Train from 3 to 5 p.m.

More: Thunder Over NH Air Show at Pease draws thousands: Here's what it's like to be there

This year marks the festival's third annual Pop-up Art Show Contest, where 17 local artists created immersive arts that are being voted on and available for auction.

With her painting titled “Ethereal,” first-timer Gina Tetreault created an ode to the universe. Her painting, which took 11 hours, features a woman at the back of a mountain with jet-black hair resembling the galaxy.

“It’s all connected,” she said.

Local artist Alyssa Pine, who founded the contest, said the event has grown bigger over the years, starting with 10 contestants in the first year. Each visitor gets a ticket to vote for their favorite painting.

“Every artist always tells me that it’s their favorite event of the year,” she said. “You get to paint in the sun, you get to talk to people and they can enjoy your art.”

Local artisans selling goods

Aside from food, there are many local artisans at the festival, one of them being Koastal Kooks, a garment company that was started by University of New Hampshire students in 2020. From hoodies to T-shirts and hats to sweatpants, the idea behind the company is celebrating efforts in trying something new.

“A ‘Kook’ is a term used to describe a beginner surfer, someone that doesn’t have a clue what they’re doing,” said Luke Bednarek. “But the important part is that they’re trying … I guess the abstract meaning behind it is the idea of going and trying things.”

Bednarek said 2023 is the business' second time at the festival, and it definitely won’t be the last.

First-time participant Susan Swietek of Hubba Hubba Food, known for its spice mixes, said everything she sells is homemade. Her best-seller is a bread-dipping mix called Dip Me Daddio, she added.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years and attending (other events) for years,” she said. “It’s a new event for me and a lot of people are new people.”

Sunday's Hampton Beach Seafood Festival schedule

Beach Bar Stage

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – 5K Awards and Art Show Ceremony

12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Dave Macklin Band

3 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Freight Train

Seashell Stage

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – The Bel Airs

2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Lobster Roll Eating Contest

3:40 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Brandy

Cash is needed for some vendors who do not accept credit cards. ATM machines are available throughout the festival.

Information: seafoodfestivalnh.com

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 2023 Hampton Beach Seafood Festival: 5 reasons to go on final day