Memorial Day Weekend is packed with local events. Here are some highlights.
Meet the Artists at 3S Artspace
“Dispatches from the Border,” an exhibit of photographic narratives on the war in Ukraine, is on display at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth. The featured artists — Ukrainian photographer Anastasiia Zazuliak and Seacoast resident Patrick Patterson — will be on hand Friday from 5-8 p.m. and will give a talk around 7 p.m. Learn more here.
‘The Man on the Hill’ at the ROH
A theatrical rock opera showcasing a variety of musical styles will be staged at the Rochester Opera House on Friday from 7-9 p.m. “Man on the Hill” is a musical in the spirit of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Tommy,” and “Bat Out of Hell,” featuring country, pop, rock, reggae, folk, and novelty songs. Tickets are $20-$22.50. Learn more here.
Bluegrass at The Word Barn Meadow
Fans of bluegrass music will be in heaven at The Word Barn Meadow in Exeter this weekend. On Friday from 7-9 p.m., local acts Jake Davis & The Whiskey Stones and OldHat Stringband split the bill ($22). On Saturday from 8-9:30 p.m., Zachariah Hickman’s supergroup Barnstar! (above) takes the outdoor stage ($35). Learn more here.
April Verch & Cody Walters at The Dance Hall
Fiddler April Verch and banjoist Cody Walters play traditional music hailing from the Ottawa Valley to the hills of Appalachia. The husband and wife duo will bring their timeless sound to The Dance Hall in Kittery for an evening of virtuosic strings, dance, and song on Friday from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. Learn more here.
Concerts at The Stone Church
Coming up at The Stone Church in Newmarket: Blues legend James Montgomery brings an all-star band to town on Friday from 8-11 p.m. ($35). Local band The Honey Bees and Eleanor Buckland (of Lula Wiles) split the bill on Saturday from 6-9 p.m. ($15). Local reggae act Redemption follows at 10 p.m. ($12). And string duo Jim Prendergast and Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki play an outdoor “Irish Night” matinee on Sunday from 4-6:30 p.m. ($20). Learn more here.
Seacoast Food Truck Festival
The Great New England Seacoast Food Truck Festival will feature live music, artisan vendors, food trucks, a beer tent, a “Kidz Zone,” and more. Upwards of 40 vendors will be on hand in the Old Navy parking lot at the Kittery Premium Outlets for the outdoor event on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $5. Learn more here.
Neon 90’s at Newburyport Brewing
Guests will be dancing and beer will be flowing when cover band Neon 90’s plays classic danceable hits from the 1990s at Newburyport Brewing Co. on Saturday from 6-9 p.m. ($10). The next afternoon, from 4-7 p.m., Soul Sundays returns to the beer garden with singer Evan Goodrow and a crew of his musical friends ($10). Learn more here.
Country Night at The Rockingham Ballroom
Kathleen Crocker of 603 Line Dance will lead a lesson on line dancing during the next installment of Country Night at The Rockingham Ballroom in Newmarket on Saturday at 8 p.m. Following the lesson, the band will take requests for open dancing on the large wooden floor until 11 p.m. Tickets to the BYOB event are $15. Learn more here.
Alex Cuba at The Music Hall
Cuban-Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist Alex Cuba kicks off this year’s Live Under the Arch concert series outside The Music Hall in Portsmouth this weekend. He’ll play his Cuban pop-soul songs during two shows on Chestnut Street on Sunday at 6 and 8 p.m. Tickets are by the table at $25 per person. Learn more here.
Nnamdi at The Press Room
Multi-instrumentalist performer, composer, and producer Nnamdi will play a Memorial Day show at The Press Room in Portsmouth on Monday at 8 p.m. The Chicago-based, Nigerian-American artist combines hip-hop, experimental rock, gospel, and jazz stylings to create a unique solo sound. Tickets are $15-$18. Learn more here.
See the full calendar for more local events.