It’s another celebratory weekend on the Seacoast, brimming with film, theater, beer, food, music, and more. Here are some of the top events coming up around the region.
New Hampshire Film Festival
About 10,000 attendees are expected to hit downtown Portsmouth during the 18th annual New Hampshire Film Festival from Thursday to Sunday, Oct. 11-14. Dozens of domestic and international independent films will be screened at four different venues (The Music Hall, The Loft, Discover Portsmouth, and 3S Artspace). There will also be panels, workshops, and networking events with filmmakers, screenwriters, and other industry professionals. Day passes are $25-$40; weekend passes are $100 ($225 for VIPs). Learn more here.
The Brechtones
You can usually count on local playwright Billy Butler to deliver quality Halloween-season theater. Throw in a live band, improvised beat poetry, and local legend Bruce Pingree as Death the bartender, and a good time is pretty much guaranteed. All those things appear in Butler’s “The Brechtones,” running at The Players’ Ring in Portsmouth from Oct. 12-28. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $18. Learn more here.
NH Brewfest & Beer Releases
It’s a big weekend for beer. The 10th annual New Hampshire Brewfest, a fundraiser for the Prescott Park Arts Festival, hits Cisco Brewers Portsmouth on Saturday, Oct. 13. There are sessions from 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m.; tickets are $40. Also Saturday, from 12-8 p.m., Tributary Brewing in Kittery hosts the fall release of its Russian imperial stout, Mott the Lesser. And on Friday, Oct. 12, from 6-9 p.m., the Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton introduces its Chupa Mexican Stout.
Seacoast Rep Season Reveal
The Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth is unveiling the titles for its 2019 season with a concert and celebration on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 8-11 p.m. The Rep will offer a sneak peak at 15 major productions, as well as some surprises. The event will include songs and performances from each main-stage offering coming up next year. Tickets are $25 (free for members and sponsors), which includes free beer and wine. For more information, click here.
Food, Field & Folk
The second annual Food, Field & Folk celebration will again feature dinner, drinks, music, and a bonfire at Vernon Family Farm in Newfields. Presented by Bright & Lyon, the event takes place Sunday, Oct. 14, from 3-8 p.m., beginning with hors d’oeuvres and beverages. Chef Matt Provencher of The Foundry Restaurant will prepare a four-course meal using local ingredients and served at a community table. Then comes live music by the bonfire. Tickets are $100; learn more here.
BONUS: ShakeBEERience
Usually we stick to weekend events for our top-five roundups, but we couldn’t resist adding a note about the seventh season of ShakesBEERience, which opens on Monday, Oct. 15, at 6:30 p.m. Seven Stages Shakespeare Company’s play-reading series, in which actors perform with a script in one hand and a beer in the other, kicks off at the Clipper Tavern in Portsmouth, where Glenn Provost directs “Timon of Athens.” The event is free (donations accepted); learn more here.
For a complete calendar of local events, click here.