Our top-five weekend events feature quite a range of the arts, including happenings related to books, music, theater, storytelling, visual art, and… UFOs. Check out the full roundup below.
Area art walks
A vintage motorcycle jacket by Caleb Cole is among the items on display in “Made Masculine” at the UNH Museum of Art.
The first Friday in September brings new art exhibits to galleries across the Seacoast. In downtown Portsmouth, Art ’Round Town takes place from 5-8 p.m. The monthly Dover Art Walk is from 4-8 p.m. Also just opened are two new exhibits at the UNH Museum of Art in Durham: “Made Masculine” and “Willie Cole: On-Site.” The opening reception for those shows takes place Thursday, Sept. 7, but the art is already on display. For more info, click here.
Peace Treaty book signing
In celebration of the 112th anniversary of the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, which ended the Russo-Japanese War in September 1905, Discover Portsmouth will host a special program on Friday, Sept. 1, coinciding with Art ’Round Town. Author Anne Gordon Perry will offer a short talk on her new book, “Unseen Witness: Sarah Farmer & The Portsmouth Peace Treaty,” and sign copies. The event takes place from 5-8 p.m.; for more information, click here.
The Dance Hall in fall
The Freight Hoppers
The Dance Hall in Kittery, Maine, kicks off its seventh fall season this weekend with a pair of concerts featuring nationally touring acts. First up are The Freight Hoppers, a four-piece old-time string band, on Friday, Sept. 1, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. After that is the Moonshine Rhythm Club, an old-school swing and jazz group, on Saturday, Sept. 2, from 8-10 p.m. Each show is $16 in advance or $20 at the door. For more information, click here.
Exeter UFO Festival
New Hampshire is a known hotbed for unidentified flying objects. An infamous UFO sighting occurred in Exeter in September 1965, and Portsmouth residents Betty and Barney Hill were allegedly abducted by aliens in 1961. The annual Exeter UFO Festival celebrates this history with lectures and activities around Town Hall on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 2 and 3, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for the Exeter Area Kiwanis Club; for more info, click here.
True Tales Live
Six local storytellers will share real-life tales involving the theme of “Challenges and Discoveries” on Sunday, Sept. 3. “True Tales Live – Onstage!,” presented as part of Act One’s Festival 2017, takes place at West End Studio Theatre in Portsmouth at 2 p.m. The speakers are Sharon Jones, John Lovering, April Purington, John Rocheleau, Judith Rubenstein, and Annette Slattery (a different set of storytellers will perform on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 2 p.m.). Tickets are $18-$20, available here.
For a full calendar of events, click here.