Some prefer to bask in the shade of a chestnut tree. Some prefer to bask in the shade of a chestnut tree reading “Faust.” Others choose to cruise the beach strip in souped-up Hondas. But still other Seacoast residents opt to celebrate summer by attending the wealth of festivals offered in the Portsmouth area. This year’s festivals offer an array of art, food, music and activities, cramming mass quantities of culture into local venues throughout the summer months. What follows is a sampling of some of this summer’s most anticipated festivals.

Prescott Park Arts Festival, begins June 7
www.prescottpark.org

The summer-long festival in Portsmouth’s scenic waterfront park kicks off on Saturday, June 7, with the 24th annual Chowder Festival, featuring chowders from 14 area restaurants. The event launches a festival that will not come to an end until the food runs out at the Chili Cook Off on Saturday, Oct. 4.

The 34th annual Prescott Park Arts Festival differs from past years in a number of ways. It is the first festival to be held since Benjamin Anderson took over as executive director. Anderson, who also runs the Great Waters Folk Festival in Wolfeboro, wrangled a stellar lineup of musical acts for the Wednesday night concert series, bringing in names like The Wailin’ Jennys (July 9), the John Jorgenson Quintet (July 30)  and Livingston Taylor (Aug. 20).

Anderson booked a mix of local and national acts for this year’s eight music events. Internationally renowned Irish fiddler Eileen Ivers will share a bill with local rockabilly crooner Elsa Cross during the Rhythm & Roots Fest on Aug. 9, while Slaid Cleaves will follow The Molenes at the Americana Fest on July 26, and Chris Smither will perform alongside the Jason Spooner Trio during the Folk Festival on July 19. 

The festival will present its main stage production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” every Thursday and Sunday at 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., through August. There will also be a couple of art shows and other special events.
As always, there is no fixed cost for any of the festival events, although suggested donations will be collected. Anyone who purchases a $40 membership can attend all events for free. Anderson said the festival garnered about 350 members last year—a number he hopes to match or exceed in 2008.
Anderson said he has enjoyed his new role as executive director and expects this year’s festival to be one of the best yet. “The art community here is so strong, it’s definitely very appealing,” he said. “It’s been a great experience.” 

Seacoast Local Festival, June 7
www.seacoastlocalfest.org

The third annual festival hosted by Seacoast Local comes to Portsmouth’s Market Square for an afternoon of festivities from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 7. The on-street fair will feature 26 non-profit organizations from the area, as well as live dance and music performances.

The organizations will sponsor information booths and interactive games aimed at fostering connections between local residents and non-profit groups in the community. The various nonprofits involved work to help those in need, showcase the arts, encourage local agriculture and preserve natural resources. The organizations, in turn, rely on community members to volunteer their help and provide financial support.

Seacoast Local is itself a grassroots nonprofit organization that promotes community involvement in local businesses, agriculture, arts and the environment. The group held its first festival in the summer of 2006 and hopes this year will top the previous events.

Market Square Day, June 14
www.proportsmouth.org

Portsmouth’s main square is usually bustling with shoppers, diners and tourists throughout the summer. But at no time is the foot traffic heavier than on Market Square Day, when tens of thousands of people celebrate all things Portsmouth. Organized by Pro Portsmouth, the 31st annual festival begins at 9 a.m. with a 10K road race that starts at Market Square, winds through the city and ends at Prescott Park. Throughout the day, a diverse array of musicians, dance companies and performers will provide entertainment, while upwards of 100 area vendors set up booths offering food, clothing, art, jewelry and other crafts and merchandise. The square and much of downtown will be closed to vehicular traffic until the festival ends at 5 p.m.

The Daniel Street stage will host Stratham-based band Reef, bluegrass group American Flyer and Exeter’s Skamasutra. The North Church stage will present the Seacoast Civic Dance Company, traditional music from Salt River and folk songs from Nice & Naughty. The Pleasant Street stage will feature the gospel music of Rock My Soul, the jazzy funk of Amorphous Band, the African drumming of Foté and the good-ol’ rock of Truffle.   
The festival is free, although registration for the road race is $20 to $25.   

Dover Arts Alive, June 28
www.dovermainstreet.org

Calling all artists: Dover Main Street and the Dover Mill Arts Collaborative are seeking exhibitors for the 2008 Arts Alive festival scheduled for Saturday, June 28, in Henry Law Park in downtown Dover from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Painters, sculptors, craftsmen and other artists are invited to display and sell their creations, while performing artists entertain guests throughout the day at the Rotary Pavilion. Artists can register online at www.dovermillarts.com/artsalive. The application and $99 registration fee are due by Friday, June 13. More than 50 artisans are expected to participate. 
The second annual event is underwritten by the Dover Landing Development Team, which is spearheaded by Dickinson Development, the real estate firm planning the 21-acre waterfront development project at the historic Dover Landing adjacent to Henry Law Park. Visitors to Arts Alive will find designs and drawings of the project. 
Dover Main Street is a non-profit downtown revitalization organization of volunteers. Dover is one of 20 Main Street Communities in New Hampshire. The Dover Mill Arts Collaborative is a non-profit artisan community based in Dover’s Picker Building at One Washington Center. 

South Berwick Strawberry Festival, June 28
www.southberwickstrawberryfestival.com

Fill up on strawberry shortcake and cheesecake at the South Berwick Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 28, on the Central School grounds at 197 Main St. The annual event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. is filled with food, entertainment and 110 New England artisans.

Strawberry desserts will be served under a tent on the school’s front lawn starting at 10 a.m. But there will also be a roast beef supper at the First Parish Federated Church starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 27, then a pancake breakfast at Central School Food Court from 6 to 10 a.m. the next morning. Chicken barbeque will be available for lunch in the food court.

The Strawberry Festival is going green this year. The committee will serve dessert on biodegradable bowls, plates and spoons, in collaboration with BioSmart, a company that sells sugarcane bagasse tableware. Bagasse is the biomass remaining after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract their juice. In order to promote these products, the company is offering visitors a promotional deal. The $20 package includes 50 round plates, bowls, forks and cups, and one Bio Bag. BioSmart will donate 10 percent of the proceeds to the Strawberry Festival until Aug. 31.

Entertainment will be provided on two stages. On the front Central School stage at 9 and 10 a.m. is professional silly man Todd Wellington; from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. is Women of Note, an all women a capella group; and from 2 to 4 p.m. is music from the Funky Divas of Gospel. On the Food Court stage at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. is the Northern Explosion Cloggers; from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. is Marcus Gale; and from 2:30 to 4 p.m. is Chronic Jazz Syndrome.

Children’s activities in the field include a dunk tank, climbing wall, giant tiger slide, face painting, photo booth, safari jungle, games, sand art and pony rides. Wildlife Encounters will be in the field house all day.

The entire event is free, including parking and shuttle service. The Strawberry Festival Committee is a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers. All proceeds from the festival are given back to the community in the form of grants and scholarships. Over the past 32 years, the Festival Committee has provided over $150,000 to the local community and students. 

Cochecho Arts Festival, begins July 4
www.cochechoartsfestival.org

This year’s Cochecho Arts Festival opens with a bang on Friday, July 4, at Henry Law Park in Dover. The Spectras—a local favorite with the soul sounds of Motown, the rhythm of rock and the brassiness of swing—perform on the Rotary Arts Pavilion stage at 7 p.m., followed by a fireworks display from Maglaras Park.

The Friday night series continues with Good Mem’ries Big Band on July 11, Makem & Spain Brothers on July 18, Pondering Judd on July 25, Don Campbell Band on Aug. 1, James Montgomery on Aug. 8, All Together Now on Aug. 15 and Entrain on Aug. 22.

Tuesday mornings are dedicated to children. The series of 10:30 a.m. children’s concerts begin on July 8 with Marcus Gale and continue with Jody Gourlay on July 15, the Nancy Kelly Breton School of Dance on July 22, Julie and Brownie on July 29, Judy Pancoast on Aug. 5, BJ Hickman on Aug. 12 and Wayne from Maine on Aug. 19. All performances are at the Rotary Arts Pavilion.

Look for a giant inflatable shark with a guitar to find the upcoming noontime events on Thursdays. The “Shark in the Park” lunch series opens on July 10 at Henry Law Park with Big John and the Twins. Then it’s the Twitch, the Jen Thayer Band, Truffle, Four Sticks and, finally, the Casual Labor Band on Aug. 14.

Commemorative festival buttons are $10 for the concert series. A “Button Benefits” incentive program makes button wearers eligible to receive special promotions on Friday nights from downtown restaurants and merchants.

Buttons and official festival programs will be available beginning the week of June 23 at the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce office, as well as at the events. Program will also be available at local visitor centers and downtown merchants.

here are some other festivals coming to a town near you this summer

Master Sand Sculpting Competition, June 13-27: $10,000 prizes, Hampton Beach, www.hamptonchamber.com

Moonlight Madness, June 28: Recall the 1950s with an Elvis band, vintage cars and games of Hula-Hoop, yo-yo, bubblegum blowing and Elvis impersonations, 4-9 p.m., downtown Rochester, www.core-nh.org.

An American Celebration, July 4: A raucous, old-fashioned Fourth of July, admission is free for kids and half-price for adults, noon-5 p.m., Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, www.strawberybanke.org.

American Independence Festival, July 21: A glimpse of town life during the American Revolution, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., downtown Exeter, www.independencemuseum.org.

Bow Street Fair, July 19-20: 42nd annual juried arts fest, Portsmouth, www.seacoastrep.org.

Stratham Fair, July 24-27: Traditional family fair, www.strathamfair.com

Eliot Antique Tractor and Engine Show, July 25-27: Traditional family event, Raitt Farm, 207-748-3303.

York Days, July 25-Aug. 3: Community festival throughout York Beach, Maine, www.parksandrec.yorkmaine.org.