Make your plans in advance and then turn off your devices for a screen-free weekend. The 2019 Seacoast Digital Fast begins with an event at Portsmouth Public Library on Friday, May 3, at 5:30 p.m. and continues for the next 48 hours. There’s plenty else to do during that time; here are some highlights.
Seacoast LGBT History
A new exhibit at the Portsmouth Athenaeum focuses on the history of the region’s LGBTQ community. “Seacoast LGBT History: 50 years of Rainbow Reflections” opens during Art ’Round Town on Friday, May 3, from 5-8 p.m., and runs through July 6. Presented by the Seacoast NH LGBT History Project, the exhibit features artifacts collected over the last four years and maps highlighting places and events important to the region’s LGBT community. For more information, click here.
7SSC presents ‘Othello’
In April, Seven Stages Shakespeare Company reached a major milestone: with their final ShakesBEERience event of the season, they’ve made it through Shakespeare’s entire canon. Next up, 7SSC is presenting a full production of “Othello” at the Wentworth Lear Historic Houses in Portsmouth. Directed by Alex Hernandez, the show runs May 3-11. Show times are 7 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Thursdays, with a 2 p.m. matinee on May 11. Tickets are by donation. Learn more here.
BHTNH Spring Symposium
It’s been a busy week for the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. The organization just moved into a new location in downtown Portsmouth, and its 2019 Spring Symposium is coming up on Saturday, May 4, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Titled “Emancipation & the 13th Amendment: The Legacy of Enslavement,” the event features a walking tour, interactive discussions, an artistic presentation, a catered lunch, and more. Tickets are $20-$30. Learn more here.
Free Comic Book Day
For the last 13 years, Jetpack Comics has organized Free Comic Book Day festivities across Rochester. The upcoming festival on Saturday, May 4, will be Jetpack’s last (no, the store is not closing, it’s just their last year as an organizer of the event). The celebration includes a comic convention, costume contest, live entertainment, and other special events — and, oh yeah, free comic books. The city-wide event takes place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, click here.
Runs, Walks, and Cycles
The first weekend of May is a popular one for running, walking, and cycling around the Seacoast. Highlights include the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s annual 5K Road Race/Walk in Dover on Saturday, May 4, at 9 a.m.; the 10th annual Cycle the Seacoast, starting at Cisco Brewers Portsmouth on the morning of Sunday, May 5; and the third annual Portsmouth Half Marathon, starting at Lowes in Greenland on Sunday at 8 a.m., with an after-party at Mercedes-Benz of Portsmouth.
To see a complete calendar of local events, click here.