Things to do in Portsmouth, NH

American Legion Post 6

Service & community

American Legion post where veterans and their families gather for fellowship, veteran support and community service.

Atlantis Aquatics

Water sports & lakes

Competitive swim club training in Portsmouth, on New England Swimming's list of New Hampshire teams.

Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire

History & heritage

Promotes awareness of African American history in NH through guided tours, talks, Juneteenth and a yearly conference.

Office at 222 Court St; tours and programs year-round; volunteer sign-up on the website.

Coastal Conservation Association of New Hampshire

Fish, game & animals

Volunteer marine conservation group; runs oyster shell recycling for Great Bay and a kids' fishing trip.

Join online; volunteer opportunities are listed on the website.

Gather

Service & community

Seacoast hunger-relief nonprofit with a free pantry market, mobile markets and kids' meals; volunteers welcome.

124 Heritage Ave, Unit 3; pantry Mon-Thu 10 AM-4 PM, Fri 10 AM-2 PM

GFWC Portsmouth Women's City Club

Service & community

Women's volunteer club in the GFWC federation doing community service, charity projects and social events around Portsmouth.

1st Monday noon-2 PM, October-May, clubhouse at 375 Middle Rd

Great Bay Bridge Club

Hobbies & games

ACBL duplicate bridge club running open games for Seacoast players; bring a partner or call ahead to find one.

Mondays 10:30 AM, Portsmouth Senior Activity Center, 125 Cottage St.

Great Bay Masters Swimming

Water sports & lakes

Adult swim team for ages 18 and up focused on fitness, friendship and fun; a registered U.S. Masters Swimming club.

See the Workouts page on the team site for the current schedule.

Great Bay Trout Unlimited

Fish, game & animals

Trout Unlimited chapter for southeastern NH anglers, focused on the Great Bay and Bellamy River watersheds.

First Monday of each month, 6 p.m., Roundabout Diner, Portsmouth traffic circle.

Gundalow Company

Water sports & lakes

Nonprofit sailing the gundalow Piscataqua on public, school and free veteran sails; members and volunteers welcome.

Public sails weekend afternoons, late May to late October, from the Portsmouth waterfront.

Japan-America Society of New Hampshire

History & heritage

Membership group, founded 1988, running cultural and educational programs linking New Hampshire and Japan.

Based at 82 Court St; hosts the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day bell-ringing each September.

Kiwanis Club of The Seacoast, Portsmouth, NH

Service & community

Kiwanis service club of volunteers who raise money and run projects to help local children and families; new members welcome.

Wednesdays 7:00 AM, Roundabout Diner, 580 US 1 Bypass

Knights of Columbus Portsmouth Council 140

Service & community

Catholic men's fraternal council that does parish and community charity work, from food drives to fundraising dinners.

Moffatt-Ladd House & Garden Museum

History & heritage

Historic house museum run by the Colonial Dames of America in New Hampshire, telling Portsmouth's story from colonial times.

Open daily except Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in season.

New Hampshire Art Association

Arts, music & crafts

Statewide nonprofit for artists with juried shows, a speaker series and a member gallery.

Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, 136 State St, Portsmouth; join via the website.

New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway Alliance

Hiking & outdoors

Nonprofit building and promoting the Seacoast Greenway rail trail from Portsmouth to Seabrook for walking and biking.

Volunteer or adopt a trail marker through the website.

Osgood Lodge #48 IOOF

Service & community

Odd Fellows lodge: a fraternal order built on friendship, mutual aid and local charity; prospective members welcome.

1st and 3rd Thursdays, 7:30 PM, September to June, 651 Maplewood Ave, Portsmouth.

Pease Golf Course Leagues

Cycling, running & sports

Nine-hole match-play Men's League and a Women's Golf Night at Pease Golf Course.

See the course leagues page or ask the golf shop for schedules.

Piscataqua Youth Sailing Association

Water sports & lakes

Nonprofit promoting youth sailing and sailboat racing for Seacoast NH and southern Maine kids, with scholarships available.

Seasonal programs; info sessions and sign-up details are posted on the website.

Port City Makerspace

Hobbies & games

Nonprofit community workshop with wood, metal, machine, electronics, bike and auto shops for members of any skill level.

Visitor hours Tuesday-Saturday, noon-8 pm, 68 Morning St.; tours by sign-up.

Portsmouth Athenaeum

History & heritage

Membership library and museum, incorporated 1817, with a local-history archive, exhibits and cultural programs.

See the website for public hours, exhibits and membership.

Portsmouth Elks Lodge #97

Service & community

Elks fraternal lodge that supports veterans, youth programs and local charities and hosts social events for members and guests.

Contact the lodge about membership

Portsmouth Historical Society

History & heritage

Runs museum exhibitions, the John Paul Jones House and historic walking and cemetery tours in downtown Portsmouth.

10 Middle St; exhibitions and tours run spring through fall, schedule on the website.

Portsmouth Lions Club

Service & community

Lions service club of local volunteers supporting sight and hearing causes, youth and neighbors in need; new members welcome.

Portsmouth Men's City Basketball League

Cycling, running & sports

City recreation basketball league for men 18 and older, open to residents and nonresidents.

Mon/Thu, October to January, Spinnaker Point gym; tryout scrimmage in early October.

Portsmouth Poet Laureate Program

Arts, music & crafts

Nonprofit that appoints the city's poet laureate and sponsors poetry events for all ages.

Join the mailing list or volunteer for the board via the website.

Portsmouth Pro Musica

Arts, music & crafts

Auditioned choral ensemble in its 42nd season, performing in Portsmouth and Exeter.

Tuesdays 7-9:30 PM, United Methodist Church, 129 Miller Ave, Portsmouth.

Portsmouth Recreation Pickleball

Cycling, running & sports

City-run pickleball with daily group rotational play, indoor drop-in sessions and free beginner clinics.

Group play daily 9 am-noon at South Mill Pond courts; indoor play at Spinnaker Point.

Portsmouth Senior Activity Center

Service & community

City-run center promoting healthy aging through social, fitness, creative and learning activities for older adults.

Contact Portsmouth Recreation's Senior Services for the schedule

Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra

Arts, music & crafts

Nonprofit orchestra presenting symphonic, chamber and family concerts on the Seacoast.

Musicians join by audition; details on the website.

Portsmouth Toastmasters

Hobbies & games

Toastmasters club for Seacoast adults working on confident speaking, feedback and leadership skills.

1st and 3rd Thursday, 6:15-8 pm, Community Campus, 100 Campus Dr.

Portsmouth Writers' Night Out

Arts, music & crafts

NH Writers' Project gathering where Seacoast writers meet, mingle and talk shop; open to all.

Meets at Liars Bench Beer Company, 459 Islington St; check the page for dates.

Ranger Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution

History & heritage

DAR lineage society chapter serving Portsmouth, New Castle, Rye, Hampton and Greenland.

Second Monday of the month, except Jan, Feb, Jul and Aug; contact the chapter to attend.

Rotary Club of Portsmouth NH

Service & community

Rotary service club running community projects, scholarships and fundraisers around Portsmouth; guests welcome.

Thursdays 12:15 PM, Portsmouth Country Club, 80 Country Club Ln, Greenland

Rotary Club of Seacoast Portsmouth

Service & community

Rotary service club running community projects, scholarships and fundraisers around Portsmouth; guests welcome.

Thursdays 7:30 AM, The Golden Egg, 72 Mirona Rd

Sail Portsmouth (Piscataqua Maritime Commission)

Water sports & lakes

Volunteer nonprofit that brings tall ships to Portsmouth and sends local teens to sea on its Sea Challenge sail training trips.

Summer maritime festival; annual membership meeting in February. Volunteer via the website.

Salt Pump Climbing Co. Portsmouth

Hiking & outdoors

Indoor bouldering gym with memberships, classes and youth climbing instruction for Seacoast climbers.

199 Constitution Avenue, Portsmouth; open daily, hours on the website.

Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders

Cycling, running & sports

Volunteer nonprofit working since 1992 to make the NH Seacoast better for biking; lists local bike shop rides and events.

See the Events and Bike Shop Rides pages on the site.

Seacoast Camera Club

Arts, music & crafts

Photography club for all skill levels with speakers, photo walks and a library exhibit.

2nd and 4th Tuesdays Sept-May, currently on Zoom.

Seacoast Composite Squadron

Cars, bikes & planes

Seacoast unit of the Civil Air Patrol for youth cadets and adult volunteers interested in aviation and community service.

Thursdays 6-9 pm, Building 145, Pease Air National Guard Base, Newington.

Seacoast Paddleboard Club

Water sports & lakes

Social stand-up paddleboard club for all skill levels with community paddles, beach cleanups and themed events.

Tuesday Night Community Paddles in season; see the events calendar.

Seacoast Table Tennis Club

Cycling, running & sports

Year-round drop-in table tennis for all ages; players under 18 play free.

Thursdays 5:30-8 pm at the Community Campus gym, Portsmouth; $5 per person.

Seacoast Trail Riders

Snowmobile & OHRV

Mostly dirt-bike riders who trail ride, race and run charity events that raise money for local towns.

Join through the club site; members get access to a private Facebook group.

Seacoast Ultimate

Cycling, running & sports

New group promoting ultimate (frisbee) across the greater NH Seacoast, with chances to learn, play and teach.

Subscribe to the group's newsletter for updates.

Sounds of the Seacoast

Arts, music & crafts

Women's a cappella barbershop chorus, a Harmony, Inc. chapter founded in 1979.

Mondays 6:30 PM, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 22 Fox Run Rd, Newington.

St. Andrew's Lodge No. 56

Service & community

Masonic lodge (Free & Accepted Masons): a men's fraternity built around fellowship, self-improvement and charity.

2nd Monday 7:00 PM, Portsmouth Masonic Temple, 351 Middle St

St. John's Lodge No. 1

Service & community

Masonic lodge (Free & Accepted Masons): a men's fraternity built around fellowship, self-improvement and charity.

1st Wednesday 7:00 PM

Strawbery Banke Museum

History & heritage

Ten-acre living history museum with costumed roleplayers, historic houses and craft demonstrations; volunteers and members welcome.

14 Hancock Street; open Wed-Mon 10 AM-4 PM, guided tours Tuesdays.

The Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth

Service & community

Business association for Greater Portsmouth: networking events, promotion and advocacy for local employers.

Office at 500 Market St; mixers and forums listed online

The Granite YMCA of The Seacoast

Service & community

Community Y with fitness, swimming, child care, camps and youth and family programs; financial aid is available.

Join online or at the branch front desk

The Players' Ring

Arts, music & crafts

Nonprofit 75-seat black box theater presenting local productions and new plays by area artists.

105 Marcy St, Portsmouth; auditions and volunteer roles posted online.

USTA Adult Tennis Social League - Portsmouth

Cycling, running & sports

Evening social tennis leagues for adults 21 and over at recreational and intermediate levels.

Tue (intermediate) and Thu (recreational) 7-9 pm, Sept-Oct, South Mill Pond courts.

VFW Post 168

Service & community

Veterans of Foreign Wars post offering camaraderie and support for veterans who served overseas, plus community service.

2nd Wednesday 6:00 PM

Voices from the Heart

Arts, music & crafts

200-voice women's chorus singing soulful music from many cultural and musical traditions.

Weekly rehearsals at South Church in downtown Portsmouth.