Portsmouth Announces July 3 Independence Day Celebration At South Mill Pond

PORTSMOUTH, NH — Portsmouth will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with its annual Independence Day celebration on Friday, July 3, 2026, at South Mill Pond, with a rain date of Sunday, July 5.

The alcohol-free, family-friendly event is sponsored by Wilcox Industries and will include a new laser show sponsored by Key Auto Group of Portsmouth, along with the annual fireworks display.

According to the city, the event is dedicated to honoring veterans and will begin at Leary Field at 1:30 p.m. with opening ceremonies. Live music by Black Sheep, Texas Pete and the Redemption Band is scheduled along with food trucks and family activities. At about 9 p.m., Ally White will sing the National Anthem, followed by the Independence Day fireworks and laser show at 9:15 p.m.

The city said Portsmouth’s colonial and Revolutionary-era history makes this year’s celebration part of the broader national commemoration. It also announced several temporary parking and traffic restrictions tied to the event. Portsmouth Police Chief Mark Newport has enacted temporary no parking regulations starting at 12 p.m. on Thursday, July 3, on a list of streets and parking areas near South Mill Pond, including Parrott Avenue, Junkins Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Pleasant Street, Richmond Street and the South Mill Pond Playground Parking Lot. Drivers are urged to follow street-level signs, and vehicles left in restricted areas will be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

Beginning at 6 a.m. on Friday, all South Mill Pond recreation facilities will close for fireworks and laser show setup. The city said the tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts, dog park, playground, baseball fields, and the Junkins Avenue parking lot will all be closed. Vehicles left in the parking lot will be towed at the owner’s expense because of safety concerns related to fireworks operations.

Parrott Avenue will close to vehicular traffic starting at 7 p.m., and Junkins Avenue will close at 8 p.m. According to the city, recreation areas around South Mill Pond will reopen at dawn the following day. If the event is delayed by rain, the same closure times will apply on July 5.

A limited amount of ADA-accessible parking will be available in the Public Library lot on Parrott Avenue until 7 p.m. The Foundry Garage will charge a $10 prepaid entry fee, and the Hanover Parking Garage will charge a $15 prepaid entry fee for arrivals between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

More information is available at portsnh.co/fireworks and portsnh.co/250.