The Market Square Day Festival and Road Race kick off summer of 2023 in style
PORTSMOUTH — Cool temps to start the day for the runners – check. Sun poking through the clouds, temperature ticks up – check. A bit of rain around 2 p.m., just because – check. And, finishing the day in style with bright sunshine and blue skies: that was Market Square Day 2023.
As 703 runners and walkers crossed the finish line on Marcy Street, on the grounds of Strawbery Banke Museum, Peter Anania awarded plaques to the first female and male finishers from Portsmouth, Ashley Busa and Peter Carignan. This kept a tradition alive that began at a 10 mile race in 1923 with Frederick S. Gray, and continued in 1973 when Peter was awarded a plaque as the first Portsmouth boy to finish the 10 mile sponsored by a downtown restaurant, A Horse of A Different Color.
Overall, top finishers were: female: Ashley Busa, Samantha Hamilton, Kelley Kelly, and male: Thomas Paquette, Chris Ritchie, Mike Fisher.
Meanwhile, just blocks away, performances were underway on the Pleasant Street Stage, featuring The Chickenshack Bluegrass Band, the Maine Marimba Ensemble, Vital Tones, and, TJ Wheeler & The Smokers with Hatrack Gallagher.
An abundance of crafters, local businesses and food vendors set up shop on the streets of Portsmouth featuring local and regional craftspeople, businesses, and nonprofits.
Many area businesses made Market Square Day possible, in particular the 2023 Program Partner, Mass General Brigham Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, supporters of all programming for the year, and Road Race Co-Title Sponsor, Primmer, Piper, Eggleston & Cramer, as well as Festival and Race Supporting Sponsors M&T Bank, Xfinity, Duckfeet, Fidium Fiber, Runner’s Alley, Coca Cola Beverages Northeast, When Pigs Fly Bread, alpha graphics, Blue Dolphin, ad cetera graphics, and InHouse Digital.
Market Square Day is produced by Pro Portsmouth. Pro Portsmouth, Inc. is a 501c (3) organization serving the Seacoast area. Its Mission is to promote the arts, culture, history and community of the area through such events as Children’s Day, Market Square Day, Summer in the Street and First Night Portsmouth. For more information on the group, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.proportsmouth.org
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: The Market Square Day Festival and Road Race kick off summer of 2023
