photo by Kris Winters

Top five things to do: June 8-10

Top Weekend Events
A roundup of weekend entertainment on the Seacoast

Correction: The Longboard Sunday event is on June 24, not June 10 as originally published. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Tens of thousands of people will flock to downtown Portsmouth on Saturday for the annual Market Square Day celebration. But that’s not the only notable event taking place this weekend.

Wet Was the Light

The Word Barn in Exeter has become one of the region’s foremost hubs for poets and poetry. On Friday, June 8, from 7-9 p.m., the venue’s Silo Series will present “Wet Was the Light: Three New Hampshire Poets.” Former Portsmouth poet laureate Mimi White, recording artist and writer Jim Rioux, and widely published poet Mary Saliba will share their recent work. There is a $5 suggested donation, with wine and beer available by donation. For more information, click here.

Soggy Po’ Boys Record Release

Soggy Po' Boys

At this point, it’s hard to imagine the local music scene without the omnipresent Soggy ’Po Boys, whose irresistible, New Orleans-infused jazz has been heard at countless shows around the region. They’ll release their fifth studio album (and first as a septet), “Smoke,” featuring eight new original tunes, at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth on Friday, June 8, at 8 p.m. Fellow local favorites Gretchen and the Pickpockets open the all-ages show. Tickets are $13-$15; learn more here.

Market Square Day

Market Square Day

Somewhere between 60,000 and 80,000 people are expected to visit downtown Portsmouth on Saturday, June 9, to take part in the Market Square Day festival. The annual event features live music, entertainment, and activities spanning several venues and performance areas. Dozens of local vendors, artists, and artisans will set up tents in Market Square to offer food, crafts, and other products. There’s also an historic walk on Friday, June 8, at 6 p.m. Learn more here.

World Ocean Day Family Festival

World Ocean Day

World Ocean Day takes place Sunday, June 10, and the Seacoast Science Center in Rye is celebrating with a free family festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will include a mock seal rescue for kids, tours of a life-size inflatable whale, a family march for the ocean, live music, face painting, games, mascots, food, a beach cleanup, and the opening of the center’s newest exhibit, “H2O Today.” For more info, click here.

Longboard Sunday

Longboard Sunday

Surfing season is year-round in New Hampshire, with the best waves often arriving in the worst weather. But local surfers can celebrate a summer kick-off at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth on Sunday, June 24, from 2-5 p.m., during “Longboard Sunday: Surf Movies, Music, and Shapers.” As the title suggests, the event includes surfing movies, live music, and local shapers and artists. Tickets are $10; proceeds benefit the New Hampshire chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. Learn more here.

For a full calendar of local events, click here.