Portsmouth NH 400th Inc. Plans Great Portsmouth NH 400 Community Picnic, Free and Open to the Public on Sunday, October 1, 2023
Leary Field, adjacent to Parrott Avenue in Portsmouth, the location for the Great Portsmouth NH 400 Community Picnic on October 1.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire – Portsmouth NH 400th, Inc. announces plans for The Great Portsmouth NH 400 Community Picnic, to take place on Sunday, October 1st, from 12 noon to 3 pm at Leary and Central Fields. The event is free and open to everyone in and involved in the Portsmouth community, providing food, entertainment and lawn games/activities for kids and families on the field.
Picnic-goers are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets, coolers, side dishes and beverages (but no alcohol allowed on City property). The picnic will be held inside the Connie Bean Center, on the same date and time, in the event of rain.
The PNH400 team has enlisted the support of members of the City Council to grill and serve hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers -- while supplies last and contingent on Health Department requirements. Flatbread will offer free pizza, Pease Development Authority is sponsoring free ice cream and free snacks will be available. All food will be served first come, first served, while supplies last.
The Great Portsmouth NH 400 Community Picnic is presented by AC Hotel/ Envio/Rooftop, Residence Inn/Venue, Hampton Inn and Residences at Portwalk (Opus and Aria).
The entertainment includes two bands on the infield of Leary Field. Councilor Rich Blalock is organizing a pickup wiffle-ball game to take place on Central Field.
PNH400 volunteers will help with street crossings, parking and event management and are working with the Portsmouth Police and Fire Departments to ensure a safe and entertaining picnic for the community. ADA-accessible parking will be provided. See PortsmouthNH400.org calendar page for details when finalized.
“The goal of Portsmouth NH 400 is to make the celebration of the city’s 400th anniversary as fun and inclusive as possible,” said PNH400 Managing Director Valerie Rochon. “We have designed each of our signature events to be as safe and welcoming as their venues have permitted, which can be a challenge when excitement grows and the spaces cannot. We have planned the Great Portsmouth NH 400 Community Picnic to take place in one of the city’s largest and most accessible places – Leary and Central Fields – in the middle of downtown Portsmouth. There’s still lots of 2023 left and many more opportunities to join the celebration. We look forward to seeing everyone who can make it on October first!”
About Portsmouth NH 400
Portsmouth NH 400th seeks to give the community an inclusive opportunity to tell the stories that are important to them, through programs, events, exhibits and legacy projects. Portsmouth NH 400th will celebrate the diverse and animated social, political, intellectual, cultural, economic and spiritual history of Portsmouth from before settlement in 1623 to the present. Portsmouth NH 400th invites individuals and organizations considering programs and events for the Portsmouth NH 400th Anniversary celebration to join the collaborative effort. A key intention is for the Portsmouth NH 400th team to engage the next generation(s) in exploring what the City’s 2023 legacy might be and how they might steward Portsmouth and its history beyond 2023. The Portsmouth NH 400th anniversary celebrations are made possible in part thanks to the support of Bank of America, Piscataqua Savings Bank, Service Credit Union, Local IQ, VisitNH.Gov, Lemay Family Goodworks, Blythe Brown, members of the 400 Shoalers Club and 1623 Revolutionaries Club, and additional sponsors and donors. For more information, please visit PortsmouthNH400.org
