An event that started 30 years ago, Market Square Day in Portsmouth New Hampshire, continues to this day, even bigger and better than the original founders of this fabulous event could ever have allowed themselves to imagine! 
Market Square Day was originally created to celebrate the revitilization and renovation of the downtown area of Portsmouth. Pro Portsmouth, which now organizes this yearly event, continues to bring thousands and thousands of people from all over the New England area to come see what Portsmouth is all about.
The first Market Square Day was quite local in nature - welcoming residents and families downtown to a small family town celebration. It was such an overwhelming success, this event was put on the following year, and every year thereafter.
I've been going to Market Square Day since the very first one, and I love each and every one! I must admit, I did miss a few years here and there, but I've been to about 75% of them, and it is such fun to see all the people who come to Portsmouth to celebrate what this wonderful town is all about!
For a number of years, I was a volunteer for some of the events surrounding Market Square Day. There is a 10K Market Square Day Road Race that starts the 
day off, along with an area chuch pancake breakfast. Then the downtown area fesitivities begin - loads of fun for people of all ages.
About 1,500 runners take part in the Road Race, which starts right in the heart of downtown. The race winds its way around town, and finishes at Strawberry Banke, where a huge hospitality tent awaits the runners with fruits, beverages, massages, and more.
Market Square Day in Portsmouth New Hampshire is all about food, fun, dance, live music, vendors, art, and more. There are several staging areas set up around the downtown area where live bands play throughout the day - talk about great music! 
The music just makes your feet wanna get up and dance! All kinds of music can be heard throughout the day - great oldies music, folk music, big band sounds, and more.
This year, despite the drizzly dreary weather, it was estimated that about 60,000 people came to celebrate our gorgeous town. Not bad, not bad at all considering our population is about 23,000.
Enjoy the pictures from this year's Market Square Day, and if you can make it next year, I've no doubt at all that you'll have a great time as well. Market Square Day in Portsmouth NH is always the second Saturday each June.
Here's a picture of some yummy piping hot fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar -
<--- YUMMY!!!!
This food booth was selling their freshly-made to order delicious lobster rolls - FULL of lobster meat and NO fillers!!!
DELICIOUS!! --->
To see more about Portsmouth New Hampshire and the surrounding Seacoast areas, be sure to click on the picture below. This will take you to a great community tour.........ENJOY!! There are a number of pictures included in the tours in this link, so it may load a little slower on your computer - worth the wait!!
Ann Cummings, Maine and New Hampshire REALTOR
RE/MAX Coast to Coast
Portsmouth NH
ann@anncummings.com
888-349-5678 x 3839
Servicing the Coastal Areas of NH & Southern Maine 
Let me put my years of experience here in the coastal areas of NH & southern Maine to work for YOU! Servicing the greater Portsmouth, Hampton, Exeter, Dover, NH areas & the southern tip of Maine.
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Ann: You cut off the poor girl's head! Just kidding...wonderful presentation!
Hey Sally - you're funny! I did crop the picture to show just her shirt. I had asked her if I could take a picture of her t-shirt, and I could tell she didn't want her face in the picture.
Thanks for the feedback! Market Square Day is a good old-fashioned fun day!
Portsmouth is such a great city I am not surprised at the turnout. Hope you didn't eat too much.
I do not see a photo of you having a good time?
Hi Jay - I'd say about half of the Market Square Days have had rainy weather, and it never seems to dampen the spirit at all. Rain or shine, loads of people always seem to turn out. I heard that of all the vendors who registered to be there only 3 cancelled out because of the weather. Just some fresh fries and some fried dough.... Had to indulge in some of that festival food! ;-)
Neal - oh, I was having fun! I was behind the camera for most of these shots. There was a constant smile on my face the whole time we were downtown. I just love these kinds of events!
Ann
Hey Ann - I'm back! What a great post about Market Square Day - did you have some fried dough for me? (hmmmmmm....it looks delicious!)
Thank You for this post. Very nice presentation. I did not know about this.
Hi Ines - YAY!!! I'm glad you're back! Yum, fried dough is a summer rite of passage here. There's a place down on the beach in Hampton Beach where every year, almost without fail, that we go and get some before all the tourists arrive. Doesn't it look just yummy in that picture??
Ann
Hi Dale - thanks for reading and commenting! Market Square Day is a very popular event here in Portsmouth every year. It sort of is the beginning of all the summer fairs and festivals here in town. Glad you enjoyed the pictures, and maybe next year you'll be able to come on down to Portsmouth from Charlestown.......
Ann
Woah! That is a lot of people! I love this time of year - Street fairs can be so much fun! Again, Ann, great job representing your city!
i haven't been to market square day in about 15 years.
thanks for rekindling the memories.
portsmouth is an incredible city.
hello from southwest florida.
Hey Mariana - thanks!! I have always loved the fairs and festivals that go on from late spring into the fall. I don't get to go to as many as I would love to, but I love them all! I love the food, the people, the energetic atmosphere - just plain good old-fashioned fun.
Ann
Hi Jay - Hello from the coast of New Hampshire to southwest Florida!
You are right, Portsmouth is an incredible place! I'm actually from central Florida but this has been my home for many years at this point. Glad you enjoyed this post and that it brought back good memories for you.
Ann
Ann - I see you are back to posting Localism.......and a great presentation!
Oh man, now I'm hungry. Fried dough and lobster rolls!!! Wonderful thing is, no umbrellas in these pictures :)
Hi Paula - I am, and thanks for reading and for the feedback!!
Hi Sue - NO umbrellas at that point, but it had started to drizzle again while I was downtown taking some of these pictures. I do remember plenty of Market Square Days WITH open umbrellas needed.
Ann
Oh man that fried dough looks AWESOME! I love that stuff!
Monika - me, too!!! And it was piping hot that day, fresh as can be!
Darn....missed it again this year! And it's one of my favorites!
Thanks for the tour...
Hi Joan - you'll have to mark it on your calendar for next year! It's always the second Saturday in June. There are some other nice festivals and fairs coming up in Portsmouth - maybe you can make one of those. Market Square Day is the largest, but the others are fun as well. And you'll probably be able to get fried dough at those, too! ;-)