Prescott Park Arts Festival

Our Mission:

Prescott Park Arts Festival inspires and connects our community through high quality arts and education, ensuring access for all and enriching lives across generations.

Our History:

Prescott Park Arts Festival (PPAF) is an anchor arts organization in the Seacoast Community of New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. The Festival has a rich 50-year history of presenting a 10-week summer season of inspiring, family-friendly arts programming, including themed music festivals, concerts, a film series, dance, children’s events, and signature musical theatre. Since its inception in 1974, PPAF’s recommended donation model has reduced barriers to high-quality art, and we can proudly say that no one has ever been turned away for the inability to make a donation. A strong economic engine for the region, PPAF’s 150,000+ annual audience members inject $5.5M into the local economy by filling downtown businesses and restaurants before and after performances.

Nestled along the banks of the Piscataqua River in downtown Portsmouth’s Prescott Park, the Festival combines a grassroots, community feel with the allure that accompanies the Grammy Award winning national touring acts that grace the stage. The Festival experience is as unique as each person coming through the gates; some purchase a season pass and attend every film, concert and see the musical again and again, while others make that annual pilgrimage from over an hour away as part of a family tradition that often spans generations. Some come once or twice a week throughout the summer, while others might come for an evening stroll through the park while their kids dance in the lawn to the soundtrack of that evening’s offerings. One thing is universal though, the Festival holds a beloved place in the hearts of all who do come through those gates. 

Thanks to the recommended donation model PPAF runs on, people have the freedom to shape their own experience and truly enjoy so much of what makes this place special: the charm, the uniqueness, and the beauty of its Portsmouth, NH home. We are a small, but mighty arts organization in a town of barely more than 20,000 people. We are proud of the level of talent on our stage and even more so that we do it , all without charging an admission price.

In 2008, PPAF introduced the Family-in-Need (FIN) program to ensure that everyone could have the special experience of coming through the gate, pass in-hand. Through FIN, PPAF donates hundreds of season passes in partnership with  local nonprofits providing direct social services. The passes are distributed  anonymously to those they serve, widening access and creating space for everyone.

Festival events include a summer-long musical theatre production with 25+ performances, a summer concert series featuring 20-25 well-known national touring acts as well as local and regional talent, and a movie series that has become a beloved family tradition.

As for education, PPAF offers the long-standing Camp ENCORE!, a multi-session youth theatre camp that was founded in 1998 where kids ages 6 - 17 gain hands-on experience with theatre arts, both onstage and behind the scenes. This program is about getting to know one’s self and building confidence through the love of musical theatre. Each session culminates in a fully produced musical on the Festival stage. In the spirit of its mission around accessibility, PPAF routinely provides full and partial tuition scholarships for those in need.

PPAF has raised the caliber and profile of its musicals and concerts, to include union equity actors and national touring acts. The Festival will continue to build upon the trust it has established with its audience by extending its track record of featuring less well-known, but immensely talented, artists. Some of the greatest Festival memories brought up by community members are of those less crowded nights, being introduced to a band they had not heard of previously, and being blown away by the talent and the shared community experience. What remains unchanged is PPAF’s deep commitment to accessibility and its pride in being the only venue on the Seacoast where folks can have that type of experience with no required ticket price. Everyone Has a Home Here. 

Who We Are

Since 1974, Prescott Park Arts Festival has served the community by presenting music, art, theater and dance on the banks of the Piscataqua River. During this time, the Festival has successfully reached over 3.5 million people through more than 10,000 productions offered at no fixed admission.

The mission of the Prescott Park Arts Festival is to provide financially accessible, multi-generational, high-quality, family entertainment and educational events to a large and diverse audience. The Festival promotes artistic excellence, demonstrates cultural leadership, sensitivity to the community and fiscal responsibility.

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