What's New

Portsmouth Public School grades 1 through 9 start a new school year on Tuesday, August 29 and grades 10 through 12 start on Wednesday, August 30. Drivers are urged to be extra cautious on City streets and to watch for crossing guards at key locations around the City.

The Portsmouth City Council, Planning Board and Planning & Sustainability Department invite the public to provide input on the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for Fiscal Years 2025 to 2030 (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2030). Residents are asked to submit projects for consideration in the next CIP by September 15, 2023.

The City of Portsmouth Parks & Greenery Department invites the public to join members of the gardening team every Friday for free weekly tours of the formal gardens. The tours take place at 10 am and 1 pm, on Fridays, July 7 through August 18 while the gardens of Prescott Park reach their summer peak following weeks of planting, weeding and cultivation.

Portsmouth NH 400th, Inc and the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth are celebrating Portsmouth’s 400th anniversary on Wednesday evening, August 16 with a sit-down dinner and entertainment on Congress Street from Market Square to Maplewood Avenue. The event starts at 5:30 pm and ends at 9 pm with clean up and breakdown following immediately afterward.

The Department of Public Works Parks & Greenery Division is trimming, mowing, and conducting garden maintenance as the rains of June give way to abundant plant growth. Prescott Park Garden Tours on Fridays and the seeding in recent construction areas such as Pannaway Park are seasonal reminders of the effort to sustain the urban forest, green spaces and the City’s environment.

Portsmouth Citywide Neighborhood Committee Celebrates National Night Out on August 1, 2023

Sail Portsmouth welcomes a parade of tall ships and flotilla of other vessels to Portsmouth on Thursday, July 27 starting at 6:15 pm. Two of the tall ships will then be open for ticketed public tours on Friday, July 28 through Monday July 31, between 10 am and 5 pm, at the Portsmouth Commercial Fish Pier, at 1 Peirce Island Road, across from Prescott Park.

Kelli Barnaby, City Clerk for the City of Portsmouth, has announced the filing period for candidates interested in running for office in the Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. The Municipal Election filing period opens Monday, August 28, 2023, and ends on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

Non-Partisan Offices

The following Non-Partisan Offices will be filled by the Municipal Election on November 7, 2023:

As the commemorations of Portsmouth NH’s 400th anniversary heat up with summer events in full swing, Museums for All has named Portsmouth a “Hub City” thanks to its concentration of museums offering free and discounted admissions.

The US House of Representatives on behalf of the National Park and Recreation Association has designated July as Park and Recreation Month to celebrate the vital role park and recreation professionals play in bringing people together, providing essential services and fostering the growth of communities by making a positive impact on their residents every day.