Typically, our weekend entertainment roundup is a top five. But we just couldn’t quite narrow this one down. We feel all of the below events are equally worthy of recognition. And so, this week, we present a top seven. Voila.
Historic Tours of Portsmouth
Visitors to Portsmouth can follow the route that George Washington walked during his four-day visit to the city in 1789. The Portsmouth Historical Society presents The Portsmouth Path of President Washington on three straight Saturdays starting July 11 from 3:30-5 p.m. ($12-$15). Looking for more local history? Historic New England hosts regular tours of the John Paul Jones House, and Discover Portsmouth offers a Historic Downtown Walking Tour.
‘Home and Away’ at Buoy
Buoy in Kittery is hosting a “reception with distance” on Friday, July 10, for a new show of works by Boston-based artist and educator Yoav Horesh. “Home and Away” features photographs Horesh took between 2018 and 2020 around New England and during a cross-country road trip. The reception takes place from 6-9 p.m. in the garden outside the gallery; the show is on view by appointment through Aug. 15. Fore more information, click here.
‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ at The Rep
The Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth is back in the business of live, in-person theater (with a limited capacity, socially-distanced seating, and other safety protocols, of course). Obie-winning musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” — about a German rock goddess who’s fallen victim to a botched sex change — is on stage through July 25; show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25-$35; learn more here.
Virtual Cycle for Life – Seacoast Safari
The annual Seacoast Safari Cycle for Life is going virtual this year on Saturday, July 11. Participants can register online and choose from route mileages of 30, 65, or 100 miles. The virtual program begins at 7 a.m., and the ride can take place anywhere. The registration fee is $25, with a suggested fundraising minimum of $295. Proceeds go toward finding a cure for all people living with cystic fibrosis. For more information, click here.
American Independence Festival
The American Independence Festival kicked off on July 4 and continues through July 16, with the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence taking place virtually on Saturday, July 11, at 10:30 a.m. Presented by the American Independence Museum in Exeter, the reading will be performed by Greg Gilman, a descendent of John Taylor Gilman, who read aloud the Dunlap Broadside when it arrived in Exeter on July 16, 1776. Learn more here.
The Midnight Wrens at The Stone Church
UPDATE: This event has been postponed due to rain in the forecast. New date TBD.
The Midnight Wrens are a veritable Seacoast supergroup, featuring members of such noted local bands as Percy Hill, The Kenny Brothers, Groovechild, Say Zuzu, and others. They’ll play an outdoor show in the beer garden outside The Stone Church in Newmarket on Saturday, July 11, from 5-8 p.m. Tickets are sold by the table, with four seats going for $30, or six seats for $40. Food and beverages will be available to order. Learn more here.
Live Under the Arch: Kioea
UPDATE: Due to Saturday’s weather forecast, this event has been moved to Sunday, July 12.
The Music Hall and Mr. Kim’s invite guests to enjoy dinner and a concert on Chestnut Street in downtown Portsmouth on Saturday, July 11, at 6:30 or 8:30 p.m. Instrumental band Kioea — consisting of Carand Burnet on guitar, Jonathan Blakeslee on double bass, and Jim Rioux on drums — will perform under the arch while Mr. Kim’s serves cuisine. Tickets (including food) are $35-$43, with a bottle of wine available for $35. Learn more here.
For a complete calendar of local events, click here.