Piscataqua Riverfest, NH Makers Fest and much more: 10 things to do this weekend
It's going to be a very festive weekend on the Seacoast, with many outdoor events planned, and it looks like the weather is going to cooperate beautifully. From the Piscataqua Riverfest in Portsmouth to the 10th annual NH Maker Fest in Dover to World Ocean Day Celebration in Rye, it's a classic June weekend on the Seacoast.
Sail into the Piscataqua Riverfest
The Piscataqua Riverfest is this Saturday, June 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the grounds of Strawbery Banke Museum and along the banks of the river in Portsmouth's Prescott Park. There'll be a boat show of vessels up to 26-feet-long and the Great Little Gundalow Derby where kids can build their own model gundalow with provided parts, launch it into the river and race with the tide. There'll also be local food, music, demonstrations and various vendors. The regatta and boat show require separate tickets so visit piscataquariverfest.wordpress.com for more information.
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10th annual NH Maker Fest in Dover
The 10th annual NH Maker Fest, an all-ages celebration of creativity and innovation, hosted by the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire will take place Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Maker Fest is a gathering of fascinating, curious, local people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From artists to entertainers, to entrepreneurs to homesteaders, the Maker Fest is a venue to discover something new. It will take place in and around the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in the center of Dover and you can get in for a suggested donation of $5. To learn more about the Fest and what makers will be there, visit childrens-museum.org.
A Summer Social in Prescott Park
The Prescott Park Arts Festival is hosting a Summer Social from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring ice cream until it runs out or melts, whichever happens first. The festival decided to cancel its annual Chowderfest because it is still a tough ask this year for restaurants to spare staff, supplies, food and energy that the event requires when they're dealing with shortages in staff and supplies themselves. The Summer Social will also features treats from The Prop, the park's concession stand, and lots of family-friendly games and activities. Visit prescottpark.org for more info.
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June Jamboree to benefit Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse
This Saturday, June 4, 1 to 5 p.m., there'll be a June Jamboree at the Kittery Lions Club with a silent auction, free pizza and entertainment. This event is a fundraiser for a much needed new walkway at Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse. Pizza will be from Jitto’s, Badger’s Island Pizza, AJ’s Wood Grille Pizza, The Breadbox and the Flatbread Company. Entertainment will begin at 2 p.m. with June and the Honey Badgers. At 3:30 p.m.,students of the McDonough–Grimes Irish Dance of Dover, taught by John Grimes of Riverdance fame, will perform.
At the event you’ll also be able to bid on silent auction items including lighthouse replicas, original art, restaurant gift certificates, signed books, and more. The silent auction will run from 1 to 4:30 p.m. For information, visit portsmouthharborlighthouse.org/2022/05/30/join-us-for-a-june-jamboree-at-the-kittery-lions-club.
Kittery police press conference on cold case
On Saturday, June 4, the Kittery Police Dept will be holding a press conference and special community event that is open to the public in regards to the 1983 missing persons cold case of Reeves Johnson. The event is free to attend at the Star Theater inside the Kittery Community Center at 120 Rogers Road and starts around 11 a.m. with a reading of Reeves’ story told by Kristen Seavey of the "Murder, She Told" podcast. Reeves K. Johnson III, age 31, went missing sometime after returning to his Kittery home from his job as a welder for Donnelly Manufacturing in Exeter, N.H. on Feb. 3, 1983. Reeves’ whereabouts still remain a mystery 39 years later.
The press conference with an announcement from the Kittery Chief of Police, Robert Richter will begin around 1 p.m. after a break. For more info and to RSVP, which is required for entry, visit murdershetold.com/reevesjohnson.
Durham Day
The annual Durham Day will take place in downtown Durham on Saturday, June 4 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. with a variety of activities, food and entertainment. The event is at 66 Main St. and Jenkins Court. Visit the Taste of Durham for food samples from town restaurants. Enjoy music by Sneaky Miles and family-friendly games.
True crime writer to speak in Exeter
Water Street Bookstore in Exeter will host author Elon Green, whose debut non-fiction book "Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York" won the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime in 2022. Green will talk with true crime podcaster Rebecca Lavoie Saturday, June 4 at 7 p.m. His book tells the story of the Last Call Killer, who preyed upon gay men in New York in the ’80s and ’90s. Yet because of the sexuality of his victims, the sky-high murder rates and the AIDS epidemic, his murders have been almost entirely forgotten. There's been a decades-long chase to find him.
A former public radio producer, Lavoie combined her love for audio and true crime when she created the popular podcast, “Crime Writers On” in which she and her co-author husband, Kevin Flynn, discuss true crime podcasts, pop culture and other media with fellow New Hampshire crime writers Toby Ball and Lara Bricker. Following Green’s talk in Exeter, there will be a Crime Writers On meetup at Water Street Bookstore. For more information, visit waterstreetbooks.com.
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Paws Walk to benefit NHSPCA
This Sunday, June 5, the New Hampshire SPCA is calling on pet lovers to become pet lifesavers at Paws Walk at Stratham Hill Park. The walk is one of the NHSPCA’s most critical fundraisers and directly helps thousands of animals each year.
The day’s festivities kick off at 10 a.m., with the one-mile fundraising walk at noon. Paws Walk features a Vendor Village with local businesses selling goodies for you and your pets, plus food trucks, games, and more. There will be dog agility demonstrations from the New England Agility Team and an interactive herding dog show by Heart Stone Farm. Guests will get the chance to meet some adorable, adoptable dogs during the Dogs on the Catwalk segment, and kids can enjoy a fun craft or adopt a new stuffed animal pet from the Humane Education booth.
Music will be provided all day long by DJ Ron Reid of Sounds Spectrum and Kelly Brown of iHeartMedia’s The Morning Buzz will be on hand as master of ceremonies.
Register yourself or a team for Paws Walk in advance at nhspca.org or directly at the park on June 5. Adult registration is $35, children are $25. All walkers who raise $100 will be entered to win a beautiful wine and chocolate gift basket donated by Barbara Lyden. There'll be a raffle with a vacation to Mexico, Red Sox Tickets, a deluxe gas grill, or an Allen Wayside Furniture shopping spree. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the park or online at give.classy.org/PawsWalkRaffle2022.
Seacoast Science Center celebrates World Ocean Day
The Seacoast Science Center will host a World Ocean Day Celebration on Sunday, June 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An internationally recognized day to honor the world’s ocean and celebrate all it provides, World Ocean Day is a great opportunity for families to have an exciting shared learning experience focused on the important role the ocean plays in our everyday life. There'll be learning stations that teach about life in and around the ocean; hands-on activities by local organizations; several naturalist-led seaside exploration opportunities will be offered. Pre-registration for these sessions is required. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., you can walk through the Blue Ocean Society’s life-size inflatable whale and learn about how baleen whales eat and digest their food from an inside view. At 12:30 p.m., there will be presentations by SSC’s Marine Science Fellows, and a Beach Cleanup. At 1:30 p.m., everyone is invited to play a round of Ocean Trivia led by the Marine Mammal Rescue team and join SSC in celebrating its 30th birthday. Lexie’s Burger Bus and other vendors will be on site for lunch, and snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. Admission to the World Ocean Day Family Festival is $5 for Seacoast Science Center members; $15, non-member adults; $13 for non-member seniors and military members; $10 for non-member child ages 3-12, and no charge for children under age 3. Your ticket purchase also includes admission to Odiorne Point State Park. Purchase a tickets at seacoastsciencecenter.org/events/world-ocean-day/
Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra concert to feature Young Artist winners
The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will perform its spring concert on Sunday, June 5 at 3 p.m. at The Music Hall in Portsmouth. A pre-concert talk with Music Director John Page will be offered at 1:45 p.m. The final concert in the PSO’s 2021-2022 season features Brahm’s Academic Festival Overture and Dvorak’s New World Symphony.
The June 5 concert program also includes both the 2020 and 2022 Young Artist Competition winners. This year’s winner, Sean Jang will perform the first movement of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor Op. 45 and 2020 winner Maxine Park will perform the first movement of Chopin’s Piano Concerto in E minor.
The PSO’s annual Young Artist Competition is open to high school students who are studying any instrument. This year’s finalists Akira McDowell, flute; Elsie Munsterteiger, flute; Hannah Rubin, piano; Jenny Qu, viola; Jennifer Jang, violin; and Sean Jang, violin, performed their pieces live for judges in late April.
Tickets to the June 5 concert are $35-$25, adults; $30, seniors; and $20, students (through college) and can be purchased online at themusichall.org.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Piscataqua Riverfest, NH Makers Fest: 10 things to do this weekend
