This Is The Absolute Best Town In New Hampshire To Visit During The Halloween Season
By Ken MacGray|Published October 24, 2022
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Ken MacGray
Author
Hey! I'm a freelance writer and guidebook author. I've authored "New Hampshire's 52 With A View - A Hiker's Guide", serve as editor of Appalachian Mountain Club's "Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide", and and am co-editor of the "White Mountain Guide", also for AMC. I'm currently beginning work on the 6th Edition of AMC's Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide, which will be published in 2025. I live in southern New Hampshire and can usually be found wandering throughout the state's mountains and forests.
The City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire is known for its historic architecture and long history as an industrial and shipbuilding hub. In summer, visitors flock to Portsmouth to soak in the culture, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment, all within minutes of New Hampshire’s seacoast. But the appeal of Portsmouth doesn’t stop when summer does. There is still plenty to do and see during the fall and especially during the spooky season of Halloween. Here’s why Portsmouth is the best Halloween town in New Hampshire.
This all-inclusive event celebrates community, creativity, and free expression works its way through downtown Portsmouth. Anyone is welcome to dress up and participate with no registration required. Just show up to march in costume, or enjoy from the curb as a spectator. More information is available on the event's website.
This family-friendly trick-or-treat event, with the route led by lit Jack-o’-lanterns, visits historic houses in Portsmouth’s oldest waterfront neighborhood. More information and tickets are available at the Strawberry Banke website.
Author Roxie Zwicker leads an extended ghost tour to haunted spots in Portsmouth. Locations include an 18th century burial ground and local stores where the spirits keep shopkeepers on their toes. This walking tour also showcases the city's beautifully preserved architecture and tells the tales of ghosts who reside in the shadows, backyards, and alleyways. To book a ticket, visit the event's website.
Open to all paddlers and their vessels, this fun aquatic parade also offers participants a chance to impress (or horrify) the judges in order to win some great prizes. More information is available on the Portsmouth Halloween Parade website.
Unleash your inner Gallagher, but instead of a watermelon, smash a pumpkin instead! Choose a pumpkin from the pile, select your tool of choice (mallets, two-by-fours, or a trusty Louisville Slugger) and smash away! This cathartic event has become a Portsmouth tradition for young and old alike. More information is on the Portsmouth Farmer's Market Facebook page.
