Here is your guide to NH Seacoast events and beyond for September! This is in no way intended to be a comprehensive event guide, so if you have suggestions or any great events that we’ve missed, please leave a comment to let us know!
September 1 (Hampton) :: Every night during the summer there is entertainment on the Sea Shell Stage. With over 80 shows featuring music from the 50’s – 90’s and beyond, everyone is invited to dance in front of the stage. There are two shows each night. The first show is from 7-8 pm and the second show is from 8:30-9:30 pm.
September 1 (Portsmouth) :: Families First welcomes all parents and children at their Parenting Classes, Parent-Child Groups and Parent Groups. Advance signup is needed for most programs and is always needed for child care; click the “sign up now” link under each program description or call (603) 422-8208 x2.
September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Stratham) :: Story Time with the Animals is for kids ages 2-5 years. Come join in the Humane Education Classroom at the NHSPCA’s Learning Center for Pets and People every Thursday at 10:30am. Children listen to a story about an animal, color a picture of an animal and visit with REAL animals in the classroom (hamsters, bunnies, birds, chinchillas and sometimes kittens). No registration is required. A donation of $5 is suggested and appreciated.
September 2-3 (Dover) :: Dover Greek Festival features the sights, sounds, and tastes of Greece right here in southern New Hampshire. Tireless volunteers have been hard at work preparing your favorite Greek food and pastries! Enjoy delicious food, delightful drinks, and entertainment the entire family will enjoy. Free admission makes for a fun time for the entire family, including a Kid’s Corner.
September 3 (Hampton Falls) :: 2016 marks the 42nd year running that Applecrest has invited the community to celebrate and share in the harvest. These festivals offer a break from the tangle of everyday living with pure and simple, honest-to-goodness family fun. They’re a time when moms and dads, grandparents and grandchildren, can reconnect with each other and with the land to make memories that last a lifetime. So, grab the gang and come visit Applecrest where, as always, admission and parking is FREE. The Fall festivals launch on the first weekend in September and run from 11 – 5, both Saturday and Sunday, every weekend, through the end of October. See you at the farm!
September 2, 4 (Portsmouth) :: Prescott Park presents Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, Swan Lake, in partnership with the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra and Great Bay Academy of Dance. This classic story is a tale of love and loss as Odette (the white swan) tries to win the love of her prince while Rothbart and Odile (the black swan) try to ruin their love. This fantastic collaboration will be performed twice on the stage complete with a LIVE orchestra.
September 3-4 (Exeter) :: The Exeter UFO Festival is held in Exeter in part because of a famous 1965 incident where a UFO was seen flying around. Also, New Hampshire was where Betty and Barney Hill famously said they were abducted by aliens in 1961. Not only is the Exeter UFO Festival an educational experience for both believers and skeptics, it’s a fun time for families and friends. There are activities for the kids and a lecture series featuring an esteemed panel of experts for the adults. Lectures will be held in the historic Exeter Town Hall. Festival activities will be held outside of Town Hall and in Town House Common Park located at the corner of Front and Courts Streets.
September 3, 10, 17, 24 (Epping, Newington, Seabrook) :: Let your kids explore their creativity while you shop at Michael’s! Only $2 per child reserves 30 minutes for your creative kid. Sessions starting every half hour at 10:30am, 11:00am and 11:30am. Register that morning in-store with an associate to join the fun! 11 Brickyard Square, Ste 19, EPPING, NH 03042-4405 (603) 679-1096; 45 Gosling Rd, NEWINGTON, NH 03801-2802 (603) 334-6502; 700 Lafayette Rd, Seabrook, NH (603) 760-7377.
September 4 (Hampton) :: Labor Day Fireworks on Hampton Beach! Fireworks are held weekly every Wednesday during the summer, on the beach at the top of B and C Streets, beside the Atlantic Ocean. Bring a blanket and the whole family to experience the magic of the night sky lit by a display of beautiful fireworks special for Labor Day.
September 4 (Newburyport, MA) :: In the Asian tradition, the Newburyport Lantern Festival will remember families and friends and make wishes for the future. Come decorate, light, and float lanterns at dusk. Bring a picnic supper, chair or blanket and a FLASHLIGHT! Enjoy live performances and decorate your lantern with a special message. Calligraphers and decorating materials will be available. The event is free with a suggested donation of $10 per lantern.
September 4 (New Castle) :: Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse Open Houses run every Sunday from 1 – 5 pm. No reservations are needed; tours are on a first come, first served basis. Children must be 42 inches tall to climb to the top, and adults are not permitted to carry children up the stairs. Visitors get to climb to the lantern room to enjoy the magnificent view and to see the fourth-order Fresnel lens up close. Volunteers will tell visitors about the history of the light station, and there will be souvenirs for sale.There are 44 stairs to the watch room and a seven-rung ladder to the lantern room. Flat shoes (not sandals or flip-flops) are strongly recommended to climb the ladder into the lantern room.
September 5 (Seabrook) :: Friends of the Seabrook Rail Trail and Recycled Sports of NH are providing a Bike Sale/Swap for local bike shops, neighborhood families, and bike enthusiasts to sell vintage and late model used bicycles and bike products. Proceeds to benefit the rail trail project. Setup is at 7 am.
September 6, 13, 20, 27 (Portsmouth) :: Big Fish Little Fish at Seacoast Science Center encourages children and a favorite adult to learn about the world around them through guided outdoor exploration. Each week you’ll take a short hike to immerse in nature, getting your hands dirty as you discover the fascinating plants and animals that live the different habitats of Odiorne. Big Fish Little Fish meets Tuesday mornings 9:30-10:45.
September 9 (North Hampton) :: Child & Infant CPR: This one-session course is based on the American Heart Association “Family and Friends” curriculum and covers CPR for infants from birth to one year and children up to eight years of age. Instructors combine video and hands-on practice using infant and child manikins to teach: Infant & Child CPR; Safety hazard prevention; Choking- saving skills. Class is priced per couple. Best if taken between 26-35 weeks of pregnancy. Note: Due to the nature of this class, infants and children are not permitted to attend. Please arrange for childcare.
September 9 – 11 (Hampton) :: Hampton Beach Seafood Festival features 60 of the Seacoast’s top restaurants serving an abundance of mouthwatering seafood. Choose from favorites like fried clams, shrimp, and lobster (steamed, fried, or in a roll) to non-seafood items like BBQ Ribs, “Blooming Onions” and sumptuous desserts. Eighty arts & crafts vendors promoting locally made products and hundreds of Ocean Boulevard merchants will be offering end-of-the-season sidewalk sales. Enjoy continuous entertainment on two stages featuring 15 of the top local bands playing a variety of music. There is a Kiddie Land and a spectacular fireworks display on Saturday at 8:15 pm. Also included is a thrilling skydiving demonstration, Sunday at 5 PM; wicked bites culinary chef demonstrations Saturday and Sunday 11 AM to 4 PM; a 200-foot beverage tent serving beer and wine; and an annual lobster roll eating contest Saturday at 2 pm. The festival is located on Ocean Boulevard (Center Beach) is closed to traffic and becomes a pedestrian mall.
September 10 (Newington) :: Register for the Fox Point 5 Mile Road Race!
September 10 (Portsmouth) :: Jackson Hill Cider Day boasts children’s games and activities, seasonal refreshments, and artisans demonstrating their crafts, including spinning, basket making, and colonial carpentry. Help grind apples and press cider. Be sure to tour the oldest house in New Hampshire and Maine, and visit with farm animals from Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm who make their yearly visit to Jackson House. The program includes music by New England Irish Harp Orchestra and performances by New Hampshire Theatre Project, sponsored by Ricci Lumber. $6 adults, $3 children, free to Historic New England members.
September 10 (Portsmouth) :: Sidewalk astronomy in downtown Portsmouth is offering the public the opportunity to observe the moon, planets and other celestial highlights through members’ telescopes. Viewing will begin around dusk and continue for several hours. Complete cloud cover or rain will force cancellation.
September 10 – 11 (Lee) :: DeMeritt Hill Farm will be featuring live entertainment including PREHISTORIX (educational reptile show) from 11 am – 3 pm. There will be a barnyard bouncy house with slide, photo opportunities with the tractors, face painting and children’s games. There will be pony rides all weekend.
September 10, 17, 24 (Rye) :: Family Skate at Rye Airfield has been base camp to both skaters and bikers for more than ten years offering over 50,000 sq ft of space. The skate park is set up to accommodate any experience level from beginner to expert.
September 16 (Newfields) :: Come enjoy time with family and friends at Vernon Family Farm’s Fire and Ice! Look forward to hay rides, farm pops (farm inspired frozen ice pops), baby chick viewing, cherry tomato piglet feeding, fire show (Jay Bono Fire and Flow will perform!), live music (Jake Davis & The Whiskey Stones), make your own everlasting bouquet, fire cooked food (3 Brothers Marketplace). Please feel free to BYOB. No pets allowed.
September 16 – 25 (Rochester) :: The Rochester Fair fair has something for everyone in the family! Check out the livestock, walk through the gigantic exhibit hall or get your adrenaline fix on New Hampshire’s largest carnival midway. With NH’s largest midway, tons of entertainment and delicious fair food, Rochester Fair is the premier event in the area for the entire family. Enjoy a night out at the fairgrounds and see what the best 10 days in Rochester looks like.
September 17 (Durham) :: At Ocean Discovery Day, UNH will open the doors of its marine research laboratories to highlight how scientists and students engage with their rich natural resources and utilize their proximity to the ocean for their studies. Head to the Chase Ocean Engineering Laboratory on the UNH Durham campus and enjoy family-friendly, hands-on demonstrations, tours and talks. Check out the hand-powered wave tank, watch animations of whale behavior underwater and drive mini-ROVs in the deep tank. Demos and talks on topics such as ocean renewable energy, aquaculture, seafloor mapping and underwater exploration are offered, while hands-on activities include marine life touch tanks, lobster banding and fish printing. This is a free day of ocean discovery!
September 17 (Manchester) :: Join the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHaD) for a very, merry un-birthday celebration with the Mad Hatter! He’ll be in Manchester for the Mad Hatter Tea Party before the CHaD Storybook Ball at Manchester Community College. This special event, presented by The Wright Family and Wells Fargo Advisors, offers youngsters a glimpse into the world of make believe that is the Storybook gala.
September 17 (Portsmouth) :: Bottomline Technologies Race for a Cause is a family-friendly event that includes a 5K run/walk, a Kids Fun Run, a themed basket raffle, and a donation drive. All net proceeds will benefit Families First!
September 17 (Salisbury) :: Don’t miss Greater Newburyport Mothers and Families Club’s Huge Fall/Winter Consignment Sale at the Boys and Girls Club in Salisbury. Great deals on Baby, Kid, and Maternity items and clothing. The consignment sale is an organized, store-like environment where individuals sell gently used baby and kids clothing, toys, and baby gear.
September 18 (Epping) :: Touch the Trucks is a great family/kid event in which kids get to see different trucks and vehicles up close. The event is entry by donation from 10 am-2 pm at Epping High School parking lot. All proceeds will go to Epping’s End 68 Hours of Hunger a local program that provides school kids in need with bags of food over the weekend. There will be police motorcycles, fire trucks, state police trucks, police command unit, armored humvee, race cars, tow trucks, HUGE dump trucks, big freight-liner, construction trucks and more for the kids to climb into.
September 18 (Kensington) :: Art and Soul is coming to the Farm at Eastman’s Corner to showcase their fine craftsmanship. These artisans are the best in their craft and will amaze you with what they can do. Live music will also be playing to create a great atmosphere for a shopping spree. BBQ will be available with purchase.
September 19 (North Hampton) :: Essential oils are powerful tools to support health: physically, mentally and emotionally. Join Natural Solutions for the Whole Family in learning how to easily incorporate these oils into your daily life. Learn some easy fall recipes for insect protection, immune support, and so much more!
September 25 (Dover) :: Register for the Seacoast Cancer 5k walk/run! Join a team or start your own and walk or run to support the Seacoast Cancer Center at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital. Race starts at 9 am at the hospital in Dover. Lots of fun for the whole family!
September 25 (Rollinsford) :: Register for the Salmon Run 5K road race! The kids fun run will take place at 9:30 at Rollinsford grade school. This road race is to support the Rollinsford Library.
