PORTSMOUTH, NH (June 8, 2023): Prescott Park Arts Festival, an independent arts nonprofit returns to their idyllic home along the Piscataqua river in downtown Portsmouth for another summer of art in the park. With accessibility at the heart of their mission, the Arts Festival is proud to offer concerts, movies, and the main stage musical to the Seacoast community and its visitors all summer long for an optional, suggested donation.

Once again, the Arts Festival is excited to offer the fun and interactive, Movie Night Movie Series, presented by Wentworth-Douglass Hospital. The seacoast can gather in the park to sit back to watch some favorite flicks on the big screen!

“Movie nights in the park are always such a fun time. We do our best to offer a nice mix of movies in genre, along with some family faves,” explained Executive Director, Courtney Perkins. “The Prop, our onsite kitchen, will serve delicious movie popcorn and snacks and drinks too. It’s especially nice to see folks dress-up for different movies and take part in this summer tradition in the park. We hope people will come down and enjoy the movie magic on the big screen throughout the summer this season.”

This is the seventh consecutive year that Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has served as the primary sponsor of the Festival’s movie series.

“We are thrilled at how this event has grown in popularity in our community year after year,” says Linda Staniels, event operations manager at Wentworth-Douglass. “Engaged communities are healthy communities and by collaborating with the Prescott Park Arts Festival we have found an equally committed partner dedicated to the health, wellbeing, and enrichment of Seacoast area residents. We hope these screenings offer families an opportunity to take a timeout and gather together to escape into a world of wonder and entertainment.”

In addition to the movie line-up for the summer, the Arts Festival is delighted to announce two more concerts in the River House Restaurant Concert Series!

The first concert announced this week is Soccer Mommy with Purr on Sunday, July 30. Stage name of Sophie Allison, Soccer Mommy is a singer/songwriter who channels the sound of 1990s indie rock into her own distinctive, conversational, and confessional style. Upon its June 2022 release, her newest album, Sometimes, Forever reached 137 on Billboard's Top 200 and went to 14 on the Alternative chart, an aesthetically adventurous work and mesmerizing collection that feels both informed by the past and explicitly of the moment. It’s a fresh peek into the mind of an artist who synthesizes everything — retro sounds, personal tumult, the relatable disorder of modern life — into original music that feels built to last a long time. Maybe even forever. Opening the evening will be Purr, the project of New York City born and raised songwriters Jack Staffen and Eliza Callahan. The duo previously captured attention and earned a name for themselves during their college days for releasing stripped down, warm-toned pop simply under their names, Jack and Eliza.

The second concert is Rayland Baxter. The  Tennessee-bred singer/songwriter is known for his limitless imagination as a collector and collagist of sound within alternative country. Baxter’s lush instrumentation compliments his warm vocals and introspective lyrics perfectly. Baxter is also the son of legendary musician, Bucky Baxter. Come and see him play the Wilcox Main Stage on Wednesday, August 16.

All screenings and performances are offered for no fixed admission. Season Passes are available for purchase, as are select blanket and table reservations in The Kane Company VIP Seating Area. These are great ways to support the Arts Festival in keeping the arts accessible for all. As always, reservations are not required to attend any of the shows.

In addition to the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Movie Night Series and the River House Restaurant Concert Series, Prescott Park Arts Festival offers their signature musical theater production, Little Shop of Horrors, presented by Service Credit Union. Tables in the The Kane Company VIP Seating Area can be reserved for all of the Festival’s series, in addition to limited blanket reservations, in front of the Wilcox Main Stage. The Best Seat in the House, sponsored by Key Auto Group, is a special seating area at the front of the VIP section that is available for reservation as well.

This Week's Announcements  
Movies are a suggested $5 donation per person
Concerts are a suggested $10 donation per person



Blanket & Table Reservations open to Season Passholders on Thursday, June 8 at 10am
Blanket & Table Reservations open to the General Public on Tuesday, June 13 at 10am

As always, Arts Festival events are ACCESSIBLE TO ALL and we do not sell tickets. While we do ask for, and appreciate, a suggested donation at the gate, this is entirely optional and no one is ever turned away. Instead of giving at the gate, audience members may also make an online General Admission Donation prior to coming to the Park.

Reservations are not required to attend any of our concerts.


PLUS TWO MORE CONCERTS IN THE

CONCERT SERIES
SOCCER MOMMY
WITH PURR
Sunday, July 30
7pm

The first concert announced this week is Soccer Mommy with Purr on Sunday, July 30. Stage name of Sophie Allison, Soccer Mommy is a singer/songwriter who channels the sound of 1990s indie rock into her own distinctive, conversational, and confessional style. Upon its June 2022 release, her newest album, Sometimes, Forever reached 137 on Billboard's Top 200 and went to 14 on the Alternative chart, an aesthetically adventurous work and mesmerizing collection that feels both informed by the past and explicitly of the moment. It’s a fresh peek into the mind of an artist who synthesizes everything — retro sounds, personal tumult, the relatable disorder of modern life — into original music that feels built to last a long time. Maybe even forever.

Opening the evening will be Purr, the project of New York City born and raised songwriters Jack Staffen and Eliza Callahan. The duo previously captured attention and earned a name for themselves during their college days for releasing stripped down, warm-toned pop simply under their names, Jack and Eliza.

RAYLAND BAXTER
Wednesday, August 16
7pm

The second concert is Rayland Baxter. The  Tennessee-bred singer/songwriter is known for his limitless imagination as a collector and collagist of sound within alternative country. Baxter’s lush instrumentation compliments his warm vocals and introspective lyrics perfectly. Baxter is also the son of legendary musician, Bucky Baxter. Come and see him play the Wilcox Main Stage on Wednesday, August 16.

EMAIL FOR PICTURES, QUOTES, OR MORE INFO

FACT SHEET

Established in 1974, the festival stays true to its mission of accessibility to the arts by offering all of its events with no fixed admission. All shows in The River House Restaurant Concert Series have an optional, suggested donation of $10. All movie screenings, presented by Wentworth-Douglas Hospital have an optional, suggested donation of $5. Reservations are not required to attend any of our concerts.

Tables in the VIP Seating Area can be reserved for all concerts, in addition to limited blanket reservations, in front of the Wilcox Main Stage. Key Auto Group’s Best Seat in the House is also available for reservation at all performances.
 

Reservations for this wave of concerts will open:
Thursday, June 8 to Season Passholders
Tuesday, June 13 to the general public.
 
All reservations can be made at: www.prescottpark.org.
 
About Prescott Park Arts Festival

aFor nearly 50 years, Prescott Park Arts Festival has served the Seacoast community with family-friendly entertainment, inspiring artistic offerings, providing a public place to gather and share unique experiences. In an idyllic natural setting along the Piscataqua River in beautiful downtown Portsmouth, the Festival presents more than 90 arts events to nearly 150,000 people each season including a film series, music festivals and concerts, food festivals, dance, children’s events and the signature summer musical. Accessibility is deeply rooted in the Festival’s values and we proudly have a suggested donation model to ensure that everyone has access to these diverse, family-focused performances.