Tall ships, visual arts, free comics, bluegrass and beer, rock ’n’ roll — if you can’t find something fun to do this weekend, well, there’s just no hope for you. Here are some of the top upcoming happenings.
Sail Portsmouth
The Oliver Hazard Perry. photo by Peter Marsh
Three tall ships sailed into Portsmouth Harbor on Wednesday, July 25, and two of them will remain through the weekend. The fully rigged, three-masted ship Oliver Hazard Perry, docked at the Commercial Fish Pier on Peirce Island, is open for tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day through Sunday, July 29. The schooner Harvey Gamage, docked at the UNH Pier, is offering two-hour day sails each day through Sunday. For more information, click here.
Street Scene
In the latest exhibit at the 3S Artspace gallery in Portsmouth, innovative photographers Jon Horvath and Hans Gindlesberger mash up iconic images with virtual landscapes through an intelligent computer process. The resulting composite images produce a dialogue between the physical and the virtual, the past and the present, and other relations. An opening artist reception takes place Friday, July 27, from 5-8 p.m. The “Street Scene” exhibit runs through Aug. 26. For more information, click here.
Dover Rock City
The Flight Artist Spotlight Series shines a light on local music, and it will present three bands on Friday, July 27, from 7-9 p.m. Performing at Flight Coffee in Dover are rock band Wizardess, featuring Jon McCormack, Stu Dias, Richard Habib, and Mike Klempa; high-school band Apollo, featuring Jackson Bower, Ryder Jackson, Elliott Spurr, and Winston Filgate; and dub trio Cartel of the Suns, featuring Dan McGary, Rob Ziminsky, and Kelly Bower. Donations are accepted; learn more here.
Free Comic Book Day 2
The nationwide Free Comic Book Day takes place every spring, but Jetpack Comics in Rochester is offering a summer sequel that also serves as a community fundraiser. Jetpack is partnering with Crosspoint Church to help with its Operation Backpack, which collects school supplies for families in need. During the event on Saturday, July 28, visitors get two free comic books and special discounts, with more free comics available if they donate specific items. Learn more here.
Smuttynose Bluegrass Festival
Bluegrass, banjos, and beer are among the highlights of the Smuttynose Bluegrass Festival, taking place at the Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton on Saturday, July 28, from 2-8 p.m. The event features live performances by The Crunchy Western Boys, The River Valley Ramblers, Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards, Stillhouse Down Bluegrass, and Southern Rail. Smuttynose will release its new Cherry Sour, and there will be other featured beers and a food-truck-style menu. Tickets are $25; learn more here.
For a full calendar of local events, click here.