Four out of five of our top weekend events take place partially or entirely outdoors, inviting you to indulge in local arts while also getting outside in the summer air. Here are some of the highlights.
Coastal Art
Detail of Sunny Day Dunes by Renee Giffroy.
The first Friday of July brings new shows to local galleries. The Dover Art Walk takes place from 4-8 p.m. on July 7, while Portsmouth’s Art ’Round Town is 5-8 p.m. Among the highlights is a pair of exhibits with coastal themes at the New Hampshire Art Association’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery. Photographers Norm and Aaron Ramsey show a collection of their work in “Rise: Regional Retrospectives,” while Renee Giffroy displays detailed images of hulls in “Boatscapes.”
Headliner Concerts
The signature series of the Cochecho Arts Festival kicks off on Friday, July 7, at 6 p.m. at Henry Law Park in Dover. The summer’s first Friday Night Headliner Concert features local rock band Wellfleet, along with opener Easy River, on the stage of the Rotary Arts Pavilion. Guests can bring picnic blankets and lawn chairs to the outdoor show by the banks of the Chochecho River. The series continues every Friday night through Aug. 18. Details here.
Lab Rats
The Players’ Ring’s summer Late Night Series continues with Patrick Gabridge’s “Lab Rats,” which opens Friday night and remains on stage through July 16. Presented by New World Theatre, the show is a “sharply comic love story” about two 20-somethings who scrape by as test subjects in various medical experiments. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m. and Sundays at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12 (with discounts for students and seniors), available here.
Independence Jam
The Fourth of July celebration continues this weekend with a special First Friday event presented by TEAM (Town Exeter Arts Music). The Independence Jam takes place Friday, July 7, in downtown Exeter. From 5-8 p.m., Groove Lounge presents live music at the bandstand with Bria Ansara and guests. At 8 p.m., regional rock band Cold Engines performs at Exeter Town Hall ($10). There will also be an art walk featuring gallery receptions and kids’ activities. Learn more here.
Iron Pour
Sanctuary Arts in Eliot, Maine, hosts its ninth annual open house on Sunday, July 9, featuring an iron pour and a tour of the sculpture gardens. Guests can carve their own tile sand molds for $15 apiece, then watch members of the Green Foundry fill them with molten iron, and bring home the finished product. Proceeds will help Sanctuary Arts complete their gas-fired ceramic kiln. The event is from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; for more information, click here.