Get ready for another weekend of music, theater, film, dancing, and the outdoors. Here are some highlights.
SeaCHANGE 2025 at Green Acre
How can the arts become a haven for healing, peace, dignity, and community resilience? The fourth annual SeaCHANGE conference will explore that question through conversations, workshops with artists, an open mic night, dancing, and more. The weekend-long event takes place at Green Acre in Eliot from Friday through Sunday. Single-day passes are $80, two-day passes are $130, and three-day passes are $225. Learn more here.
Telluride by the Sea at The Music Hall
The Music Hall in Portsmouth will screen seven new films this weekend, all fresh from their premiers at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado. The lineup at this year’s Telluride by the Sea festival from Friday through Sunday includes “Jay Kelly,” “Nouvelle Vague,” “La Grazia,” “Bugonia” (pictured), “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Value,” and “A Private Life.” Tickets to individual films are $31.50; full festival passes are $125-$500. Learn more here.
“Waiting for Godot” at The Players’ Ring
The Players’ Ring kicks off its 2025-2026 main-stage season with Samuel Beckett’s tragicomedy “Waiting for Godot.” Directed by Bretton Reis, the play is on stage in Portsmouth Sept. 12-28; show times are Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $29-$32. Learn more here.
Live music at The Stone Church
The Sheila Divine headlines a night of post rock, post punk, and indie rock with guests Hallelujah the Hills and The Rupert Selection at The Stone Church in Newmarket on Friday at 8 p.m. ($15-$20). Tribute band Ramble On Rose follows with two sets of music by The Grateful Dead on Saturday at 8 p.m. ($15-$20). Learn more here.
Dancing at The Rockingham Ballroom
Dance the weekend away at The Rockingham Ballroom in Newmarket. Get a lesson from 603 Line Dance, followed by open dancing and song requests with a live deejay, on Friday at 8 p.m. ($15). Then, throw it back to the days of big hair and neon flair during an ’80s & ’90s Dance Party on Saturday at 8 p.m. ($15). Learn more here.
Regional rock at WSCA Radio
The weekend gets off to a loud start at WSCA Radio in Portsmouth when rock bands Fun City Fan Club, Pregame Rituals, and Hell Beach share the Button Factory Stage on Friday at 8 p.m. ($10-$15). It then gets even louder with the blistering triple-bill of Bastard Curse, Bamino, and TFR on Saturday at 8 p.m. ($10-$15). Learn more here.
SOME Fest 2025 at The Dance Hall
Celebrate music, art, and community at The Dance Hall in Kittery on Saturday. SOME Fest 2025 will feature more than a dozen rock and punk acts from 11 a.m.-8 p.m., plus a pop-up gallery and multimedia arts market ($15-$25). Come back on Sunday for Jazz Casual with the Ayan Imai-Hall Quartet from 5-6:30 p.m. ($10-$18). Learn more here.
Five Lighthouse Cruise from Rye
Cruise around the harbor for some spectacular views of local lighthouses this weekend. Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses’ annual Five Lighthouse Cruise departs Rye Harbor State Marina aboard the M/V Granite State on Sunday at 8:30 a.m., passing close by White Island Light, Boon Island Light, Cape Neddick “Nubble” Light, Whaleback Light, and Portsmouth Harbor Light before returning at 1 p.m. Tickets are $60. Learn more here.
Herbal Foraging at Tuckaway Farm
Local herbalist Alison Magill returns to Tuckaway Farm in Lee on Sunday to lead another monthly installment of Wild and Weedy Wellness. The event from 1-5 p.m. begins with a two-hour foraging walk in search of aster, elderberries, goldenrod, sumac, and assorted seeds, followed by a workshop on how to prepare what you gather. Tickets are $30 for the walk only or $65 for the walk and workshop, with package discounts for families. Learn more here.
High Tea album release at The Press Room
Extend your weekend a little with a special concert at The Press Room in Portsmouth. Massachusetts-based folk-punk duo High Tea will celebrate its brand new album, “A Small Notion,” with a release show featuring guests Milk St. and Bird Friend on Monday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12-$15. Learn more here.
See the full calendar for more local events.
