Special Events & Trips

Pizza and playtime while parents get a night without the kiddos! 5:00-8:00pm. 

• Friday, February 14 - Valentine Theme

Location: Community Campus. $20 residents | $25 nonresidents. Pre-registration required.

Portsmouth Rec's annual family dance complete with DJ, dance contests, and light refreshments. This special family dance is a fun way for families to celebrate Valentines Day and DANCE!

Come dressed to impress or fun valentines-y clothes. And don't forget your dancing shoes.

• Saturday, February 8, 2025 from 6:00-8:00pm. Location: Community Campus Gym

$20 per family | $25 at the door. Light refreshments served. Please only register one member of your family. You will be prompted during checkout to tell us how many members of your family will be coming. 

Register Here (Using our new registration portal MyRec)

Portsmouth’s annual tribute to the love we have for our community! Let’s show ourselves, each other, and our community some love as we decorate the tree in Market Square with Valentines. Create your own or use our templates.
Valentines can be dropped off or mailed to Community Campus, 100 Campus Drive, Portsmouth or at Connie Bean, Senior Activity Center, Indoor Pool or Spinnaker Point.

• Hearts available online, at the senior center or at the campus as of January 10

  • 2025 Heart Templates

• Deadline to submit heart is Monday, February 10

• Hearts hung on the tree between February 12 and February 14

  

Meet us at the Indoor Pool for a casual float and fun party to kick away the winter blues! Tropical music and relaxing on pool noodles. Refreshments provided. A fun time to connect and meet friends old and new. Ramp entry to get in/out of pool. Changing facilities on site. Don’t want to swim, just come to enjoy the tropically warm pool air! 

• Tuesday, February 11, 2:00pm
• RSVP required 603-610-4433

Location: Portsmouth Indoor Pool. FREE

A special treat for this St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrate with a homemade Corned Beef Lunch and tunes of the northeast’s premiere roots band – EJ Ouellette & Crazy Maggy. Tap your toes or get up and dance as you let the Luck o’ the Irish take lead on this awesome day. 

• Tuesday, March 11 at 11:00am
  • Corned Beef Luncheon Served at 11:30am
  • Concert and Dancing from 12:00pm - 2:00pm

RSVP required 603-610-4433

Location: Community Campus Gym. $10 residents | $15 nonresidents

With the O’McMurphy Brothers & Fabulous Fiona Finely

Enjoy lunch and a fun celebration of all things Irish: the music, heritage and humor come alive with this fun-loving trio. Price includes your transportation, lunch, taxes, gratuities, and live show.

• Friday, March 14. Leaving Senior Center at 10:30am
• RSVP required 603-610-4433

$129 residents | $139 nonresidents

Join the Recreation Department for a trip to see the World Champion Boston Celtics take on the Miami Heat at the TD Garden!

The price of the ticket includes a seat in the balcony level, coach bus transportation to and from Boston and all gratuities.

This trip is open to all ages. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

The bus will depart from the Senior Activity Center at 125 Cottage St., Portsmouth. 

Register Here (Using our new registration portal MyRec)

Join the Recreation Department for a trip to the Big Apple! We will be taking a coach bus, complete with wifi, power at every seat, and a restroom on board. Leaving early from Portsmouth, we arrive in midtown Manhattan in the late morning, giving you until dinner time to spend the day shopping, sightseeing, taking in a show, visiting museums, or try some of everything. 
Cost includes roundtrip transportation and all gratuities. 

• Saturday, April 5, 2025
• $100 Residents | $110 Nonresidents

Trip is open to all ages, but those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The bus departs the Senior Center at 125 Cottage St. at 5:30am and departs New York at 7:00pm.

Register Here (Using our new registration portal MyRec)

Portsmouth Rec's annual egg hunt returns with an added sensory sensitive time for kiddos who need a quieter and less hectic plastic egg gathering experience. 

Bring your own basket to run around the park collecting eggs. Our furry, bunny friend just might make an appearance. While we love the older siblings to be on site to “help”, please note this event is for the little kids. 

Saturday, April 12
10:00am: Preschool - Grade 2: Sensory Sensitive Hunt ONLY
10:30am: Preschool Ages
11:00am: Grades K-2

• Location: Langdon Park (across from City Hall on Junkins Ave). Free; Everyone Welcome. 
• Parking: Lower City Hall Parking Lot. The end of Lincoln Street will be closed for the hunt.

The Seacoast Table Tennis Club offers table tennis for players of all abilities. Experienced competitive players and beginners are welcome. For tournament play, all ages and abilities welcome. Round robin format. 30 player cap. 

CLICK HERE for information on weekly practice on Thursday nights at Community Campus.

• Saturday April 12. Warmup at 9AM; Tournament begins at 9:30AM
• Signups start in February via Stadiumtt.com. $20 entry fee. For more information, call Nik at 781-879-2342

Location: Community Campus Gymnasium

Delicious supper, dessert and delightful company. 4:30pm seating, 5:00pm serving on each night. Please note, Supper Club has grown! We have moved to the gymnasium for a little more space.

• Tuesday, April 15
• Tuesday, May 13
• Tuesday, June 17

RSVP required 603-610-4433

Location: Community Campus Gymnasium. $7 residents | $10 nonresidents

The beloved annual swap returns thanks to a partnership with Portsmouth Recreation and Recover Girl!Bring clothing and accessories from your wardrobe that you’re ready to swap for new-to-you items. Don’t have a bag to swap...come shop anyway! Everyone welcome.

• Saturday, April 26. 10:00am - 2:00pm
• Location: Community Campus Gymnasium.
• Free Parking at the Campus

Pre-registration required. 20 people max.

• Birds and the Spring Migration: Saturday, April 26, 7:30 - 9:30am. Ages 10+. Meet at the Wentworth Coolidge Mansion. Bring your binoculars! Free
• Portsmouth’s Vernal Pools: Saturday, May 17, 9:00 - 11:00am. Ages 10+. Meet at the Jones Ave. Recreation Land parking lot. Free

• The Great Bog - A Portsmouth Success Story: Saturday, June 14, 9:00 - 11:00am. Ages 10+. Meet at the trail head off of Heather Lane and Buckminster Way. Free

   

1. Birds and the Spring Migration: Bird behavior and the spring migration are wonders of our natural world. In this program participants will learn why birds migrate, how they find resources to survive migration, and explore some of Portsmouth’s coastal birding spots and great conservation land. Participants will meet at the Wentworth Coolidge Mansion and bird the inner harbor and then walk the trails on the Portsmouth conservation land next door. Date of the program is in April 26, 7:30 to 9:30 AM. Family program with children 10 and older, 20-person limit. Bring binoculars if you have them.
2. Portsmouth’s Vernal Pools: This program will explore the Vernal pools located on the Portsmouth Jones Avenue Recreation Land. Participants will learn about the ecology of vernal pools, examine the unique animals that inhabit vernal pools and learn why vernal pools are an important habitat for forest ecosystems as well as enrich the lives of Portsmouth residents. Date of program is May 17 from 9 to 11 AM, 20-person limit, family program with children 10 and older. Participants will meet at the Jones Ave Rec land Parking lot located on Jones Ave.
3. The Great Bog: The Great Bog was a huge land conservation success story for Portsmouth. During this program will we explore the Great Bog entering the trailhead off Buckminster Way. Participants will learn about this land conservation success, examine firsthand the natural resources found there, and find clues to the lands past use.  Date of the program is June 14, 9 to 11 AM, 20-person limit, family program with children 10 and older. Meet at the trail head off of Heather Lane  and Buckminster Way. 

Guide: Steve Miller, 40+ years as an environmental educator, scientific diving officer, Masters in Ecosystem Ecology.

Steve is a member of the Portsmouth Recreation Department staff and works as a Lifeguard at the Indoor Pool. He has over 40 years’ experience as an environmental educator, providing science-based training and resources to municipal decision makers, as well as developing and implementing outdoor programming on marine ecology/natural history for students in grade school through adults. He earned a MS in Ecosystem Ecology and Wildlife, and a BS in Zoology. Before moving to NH, he had a career as the Scientific Diving Officer for the Smithsonian in Panama, at the Univ. of Southern California on Catalina Island, the Shoals Marine Lab in the Gulf of Maine, and with the International Field Studies in the Bahamas. Steve is an open water swimmer and competes in US Masters Swimming events.

Calling all Portsmouth Residents! Come listen to music, play and enjoy an evening out with Portsmouth Rec and Library combined to bring you a fun-filled summer kickoff.

Will also be a great time to meet the summer camp counselors for 2025.

• Friday, June 20: 5:00pm

Location: Field across from Connie Bean. Free and open to everyone. No preregistration required.

Featuring The GemsTones Band & Elvis

Live music so you can dance to! Hors d’Oeuvres and appetizers served with a couple fun surprises to kick off our summer. 

• Friday, June 20, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
• RSVP required 603-610-4433

Location: Senior Activity Center Assembly Hall. $7 residents | $10 nonresidents

Includes the South Beds, the Anchor Bed, the Flag Pole Bed, the Dock Bed, the Marcy Steet Beds, and the Formal Garden; about 15,000 flowers altogether. Flower ID, proper soil preparation, and flower maintenance routines are all discussed. In addition, the interns may cover other interconnected subjects including the value of milkweed to the monarch butterfly, its life cycle, how to attract our pollinators, ID of weed edibles, invasive plant displacement of our native plants, and general urban sustainability concepts.

• June 27 thru August 22. Fridays at 11:00am and 1:00pm. One-hour tour.

Location: Meet at the Liberty Pole on Marcy Street. Free. No preregistration required.

Portsmouth’s summer spectacular. Everyone Welcome! Street closures and parking information will be available closer to the event.

• Thursday, July 3 at 9:15pm
  • Rain Date: July 5

Location: South Mill Pond/Parrott & Junkins Ave area. Free; Open to the public.

LOCATION: AT COMMUNITY CAMPUS

Ages 50+ welcome. Hot dogs & Hamburgers served. Help us celebrate summer and seniors!

RSVP required 603-610-4433

• Thursday, July 18 at 11:30am

Location: Community Campus Gymnasium. $5 residents | $7 nonresidents

For more information on Senior Activity Center activities, please CLICK HERE.

LOCATION: SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER

Familiar tunes and a feel-good time with North River Music. Playing Americana rock/bluegrass from Crosby Stills and Nash, The Eagles and Dylan, and more! Chairs on site or bring your own. Concert outdoors under tent. Bring your own snacks or dinner. No Reservations needed, just show up!

• Friday, July 25 at 5:00pm

Location: Under the tent at Portsmouth Senior Activity Center. Free; Everyone welcome.

A special play party for grandparents and their grandchildren. Yummy treats included. 

RSVP Required 603-610-4433.

• Foam Party: Wednesday, May 21, 4:00pm - 5:30pm 
• Bubble Party: Wednesday, August 13, 4:00pm - 5:30pm

Location: Senior Activity Center Front Lawn. Free; everyone welcome.

New Hampshire Senior Games (NHSG) is for active, older adults to compete with peers in a variety of activities and, more importantly, to enhance their fitness, health and quality of life. NHSG is the leader in fitness for senior athletes in New Hampshire. Our mission is Fitness, Friendship and Fun. Whether you are just beginning a sport or event, or have been active all your life, there are sports and events here for you to compete in at your level. No experience necessary.

Portsmouth Recreation's Community Campus is the venue for the 2025 NH Senior Games - Table Tennis Tournament - Ages 45+ Round Robin Tournament hosted by NH Senior Games. 2025 sign ups are March thru April.

• Saturday August 16. Warmup at 9:00am; Tournament begins at 9:30am

Register at www.nhseniorgames.org $50 entry fee

For more information: Call Nik at 781-879-2342 (Seacoast Table Tennis Manager). Practice on Thursday nights at Community Campus. CLICK HERE for more information on weekly recreational table tennis play for all abilities.

Location: Community Campus Gymnasium

First Saturday of December - every year.

Saturday, December 6, 2025

The Portsmouth Holiday Parade is an annual favorite for people across the seacoast! The parade takes place each year on the 1st Saturday of December. The event is free and open to all. The evening begins in Market Square with the Mayor and City Council hosting the Tree Lighting Ceremony from 5:00-5:30pm. The parade then kicks off at 6:00pm and marches down Islington St., arriving in Market Square approximately 20-30 minutes later.

Following the parade is the Chamber's Shop & Stroll event where downtown shops and streets stay closed until 9:00pm for people to shop, eat and stroll their way through town. 

Check out the Holiday Parade Page for all the information.