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Happy 30th ~ Market Square Day in Portsmouth New Hampshire

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine NH and Maine Broker

Market Square Day - Portsmouth New Hampshire

An event that started 30 years ago, Market Square Day in Portsmouth New Hampshire, continues to this day, even bigger and better than the original founders of this fabulous event could ever have allowed themselves to imagine! 


Market Square Day Portsmouth



Market Square Day was originally created to celebrate the revitilization and renovation of the downtown area of PortsmouthPro Portsmouth, which now organizes this yearly event, continues to bring thousands and thousands of people from all over the New England area to come see what Portsmouth is all about.

 

 Market Square Day - Portsmouth New Hampshire



The first Market Square Day was quite local in nature - welcoming residents and families downtown to a small family town celebration.  It was such an overwhelming success, this event was put on the following year, and every year thereafter.Market Square Day - Balloon Arch - Portsmouth NH








I've been going to Market Square Day since the very first one, and I love each and every one!  I must admit, I did miss a few years here and there, but I've been to about 75% of them, and it is such fun to see all the people who come to Portsmouth to celebrate what this wonderful town is all about!



Market Square Day - Face Painting Tent - Portsmouth NH


For a number of years, I was a volunteer for some of the events surrounding Market Square Day.  There is a 10K Market Square Day Road Race that starts the Painted Pirate Girl - Portsmouth New Hampshireday off, along with an area chuch pancake breakfast.  Then the downtown area fesitivities begin - loads of fun for people of all ages.

 




About 1,500 runners take part in the Road Race, which starts right in the heart of downtown.  The race winds its way around town, and finishes at Strawberry Banke, where a huge hospitality tent awaits the runners with fruits, beverages, massages, and more.

 

Market Square Day - Fried Dough and Sausages - Portsmouth NH - Ann Cummings



Market Square Day in Portsmouth New Hampshire is all about food, fun, dance, live music, vendors, art, and more.  There are several staging areas set up around the downtown area where live bands play throughout the day - talk about great music!  Kettle Corn - Market Square Day - Portsmouth NH - Ann Cummings

 




The music just makes your feet wanna get up and dance!  All kinds of music can be heard throughout the day - great oldies music, folk music, big band sounds, and more. 



This year, despite the drizzly dreary weather, it was estimated that about 60,000 people came to celebrate our gorgeous town.  Not bad, not bad at all considering our population is about 23,000.

 


Enjoy the pictures from this year's Market Square Day, and if you can make it next year, I've no doubt at all that you'll have a great time as well.  Market Square Day in Portsmouth NH is always the second Saturday each June.

  Jumbo Circus Peanuts Band - Portsmouth NH Market Square Day - Ann Cummings   Water Monkey Tent - Market Square Day - Portsmouth NH - Ann Cummings   Island Smoothies - Market Square Day - Portsmouth NH - Ann Cummings



Warren's Lobster RollsFried Fresh Dough
Here's a picture of some yummy piping hot fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar -
<---    YUMMY!!!!


This food booth was selling their freshly-made to order delicious lobster rolls - FULL of lobster meat and NO fillers!!! 
       DELICIOUS!!   --->

 




To see more about Portsmouth New Hampshire and the surrounding Seacoast areas, be sure to click on the picture below.  This will take you to a great community tour.........ENJOY!!  There are a number of pictures included in the tours in this link, so it may load a little slower on your computer - worth the wait!!

                                                          Portsmouth New Hampshire - Ann Cummings

 




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RE/MAX New Hampshire

                                  
  Ann Cummings, Maine and New Hampshire REALTOR
  RE/MAX Coast to Coast
  Portsmouth NH
  ann@anncummings.com
  888-349-5678 x 3839
  Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine                    REALTOR



                                     Ann Cummings New Hampshire REALTOR

 

 

Posted by

Ann CummingsREALTOR, e-PRO, GRI, CBR

Ann Cummings and Jim Lee formed a team in July of 2010.
Each bring over 30 years of successful real estate experience to the table so with Ann and Jim you truly do get two Realtors for the price of one. We’re dedicated to delivering exceptional service to you our clients and customers; past, present, and future.

Jim LeeCRS, ABR, GRI, e-PRO

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

Ann: You cut off the poor girl's head! Just kidding...wonderful presentation!

Jun 11, 2007 05:24 AM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Hey Sally - you're funny!  I did crop the picture to show just her shirt.  I had asked her if I could take a picture of her t-shirt, and I could tell she didn't want her face in the picture.

Thanks for the feedback!  Market Square Day is a good old-fashioned fun day!

Jun 11, 2007 05:32 AM
Jay McGillicuddy
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty - Exeter, NH
Real Estate Broker
Portsmouth is such a great city I am not surprised at the turnout. Hope you didn't eat too much.
Jun 11, 2007 05:51 AM
Neal Bloom
Brokered by eXp Realty LLC - Weston, FL
Realtor CRS-Weston FL Real Estate
I do not see a photo of you having a good time?
Jun 11, 2007 05:52 AM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Hi Jay - I'd say about half of the Market Square Days have had rainy weather, and it never seems to dampen the spirit at all.  Rain or shine, loads of people always seem to turn out.  I heard that of all the vendors who registered to be there only 3 cancelled out because of the weather.   Just some fresh fries and some fried dough....  Had to indulge in some of that festival food!   ;-)

Neal - oh, I was having fun!  I was behind the camera for most of these shots.  There was a constant smile on my face the whole time we were downtown.  I just love these kinds of events!


Ann

Jun 11, 2007 06:15 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL
Hey Ann - I'm back!  What a great post about Market Square Day - did you have some fried dough for me? (hmmmmmm....it looks delicious!)
Jun 11, 2007 09:34 AM
Dale Baker
Baker Energy Audits and Commercial Properties Inspections - Claremont, NH
New Hampshire Relocation Real Estate Information
Thank You for this post. Very nice presentation. I did not know about this.
Jun 11, 2007 09:46 AM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Hi Ines - YAY!!!  I'm glad you're back!  Yum, fried dough is a summer rite of passage here.  There's a place down on the beach in Hampton Beach where every year, almost without fail, that we go and get some before all the tourists arrive.   Doesn't it look just yummy in that picture??

Ann

Jun 11, 2007 10:46 AM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Hi Dale - thanks for reading and commenting!  Market Square Day is a very popular event here in Portsmouth every year.  It sort of is the beginning of all the summer fairs and festivals here in town.  Glad you enjoyed the pictures, and maybe next year you'll be able to come on down to Portsmouth from Charlestown.......

Ann

Jun 11, 2007 10:48 AM
Derek and Mariana Wagner
The Artisan Group- Keller Williams Premier Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
The Artisan Group - Colorado Springs REALTORS®
Woah! That is a lot of people! I love this time of year - Street fairs can be so much fun! Again, Ann, great job representing your city!
Jun 11, 2007 11:15 AM
Jay Beckingham
Christensen Financial Mortgage - Port St Lucie, FL
Seniors ROCK!

i haven't been to market square day in about 15 years.

thanks for rekindling the memories.

portsmouth is an incredible city.

hello from southwest florida. 

Jun 11, 2007 12:00 PM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Hey Mariana - thanks!!  I have always loved the fairs and festivals that go on from late spring into the fall.  I don't get to go to as many as I would love to, but I love them all!  I love the food, the people, the energetic atmosphere - just plain good old-fashioned fun.

Ann

Jun 11, 2007 12:36 PM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Hi Jay - Hello from the coast of New Hampshire to southwest Florida! 

You are right, Portsmouth is an incredible place!  I'm actually from central Florida but this has been my home for many years at this point.  Glad you enjoyed this post and that it brought back good memories for you.

Ann

Jun 11, 2007 12:37 PM
Paula Henry
Home to Indy Team @ HomeSmart Realty Group - Avon, IN
Realtor - Indianapolis Real Estate - 317-605-4174
Ann - I see you are back to posting Localism.......and a great presentation!
Jun 11, 2007 02:42 PM
Sue Argue
Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH
NH Home Stager
Oh man, now I'm hungry. Fried dough and lobster rolls!!! Wonderful thing is, no umbrellas in these pictures :)
Jun 11, 2007 04:00 PM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Hi Paula - I am, and thanks for reading and for the feedback!!

Hi Sue - NO umbrellas at that point, but it had started to drizzle again while I was downtown taking some of these pictures.  I do remember plenty of Market Square Days WITH open umbrellas needed.


Ann

Jun 11, 2007 09:02 PM
Monika McGillicuddy
Prudential Verani Realty - Atkinson, NH
NH Real Estate Broker
Oh man that fried dough looks AWESOME!  I love that stuff!
Jun 12, 2007 12:14 PM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent
Monika - me, too!!! And it was piping hot that day, fresh as can be!
Jun 13, 2007 01:20 PM
Joan Mirantz
Homequest Real Estate - Concord, NH
Realtor, GRI, CBR, SRES - Concord New Hampshire

Darn....missed it again this year! And it's one of my favorites!

Thanks for the tour...

Jun 15, 2007 11:33 AM
Ann Cummings
RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent
Hi Joan - you'll have to mark it on your calendar for next year! It's always the second Saturday in June. There are some other nice festivals and fairs coming up in Portsmouth - maybe you can make one of those. Market Square Day is the largest, but the others are fun as well.  And you'll probably be able to get fried dough at those, too!  ;-)
Jun 15, 2007 12:55 PM