Free events in Rockingham County, NH

Jill Nooney from Bedrock Gardens shares how the gardens at her family home moved from a private haven to a public garden. She will discuss the steps in that transition, including the 2023 donation of 25 acres in Lee, New Hampshire that she and her husband Bob entrusted to the Friends of Bedrock Gardens to ensure ongoing public access. This program is free and open to the public.

Enjoy a relaxed evening of open play centered on Riftbound, the League of Legends trading card game. Bring a constructed deck to face other players in casual matches. Participation is free, and attendees receive a Nexus Night promo pack.

Set along the shaded paths of Swasey Parkway beside the Squamscott River, the Exeter Farmers’ Market showcases local agriculture, food, and craft. Browse fresh produce, locally raised meats, dairy, baked treats, prepared foods, and distinctive handmade goods. Each week features community guests and live music from local Seacoast performers. SNAP is accepted at the Market Info booth, where shoppers can receive tokens and a matching benefit through Granite State Market Match. Portable restrooms are available. In accordance with town rules, pets are not permitted along the parkway, though service animals are welcome. Enjoy purchases at shaded picnic spots or benches, and look for parking in the Phillips Exeter Academy Water Street lot with accessible spaces, with additional options available nearby.

John Moro, RPh, MBA, a pharmacist and the owner of The Herbal Path, presents a talk in Portsmouth, NH on the ways stress can interfere with sleep, affect mood, and influence overall health. The session shares practical methods to bring balance back into daily life. This event is free, and capacity is limited.

Spend an evening playing Commander format games of Magic: The Gathering in a casual, welcoming setting. Admission is free and players of every experience level are welcome. Bring your own Commander deck, and check in inside the store when you arrive. If you need a deck, contact the store to ask about availability for purchase. Commander basics apply. Each deck uses one legendary creature as a commander plus 99 other cards, with only a single copy of any card except basic lands, and every card must match the commander’s color identity. Games are free-for-all multiplayer with two to six players. Each player starts at 40 life, commanders begin in the command zone, turns proceed clockwise, and the last player remaining wins. Parking options nearby include a free lot about a five minute walk away, a garage for one dollar per hour roughly six minutes away, and a lot behind the store that charges two dollars per hour for the first three hours then five dollars per hour after.

In Portsmouth, NH, the Portsmouth Farmers’ Market fills the City Hall parking lot with a colorful mix of nutritious produce, locally raised meats, fresh dairy, prepared foods, baked treats, and distinctive crafts. Each week brings community guests and live music from local Seacoast musicians. SNAP is accepted; visit the information booth to receive SNAP tokens and get a dollar for dollar match through Granite State Market Match. Portable toilets are available across the street at the South Mill Pond Playground, which also offers a shaded picnic area for enjoying market finds. Pets are not allowed, though service animals are welcome. Parking is available in the lower lot at City Hall, with additional spaces across the street at the South Mill Pond Playground, and accessible parking right in front of City Hall. An interactive map is available to see which vendors will be attending each week.

Alan Mearns brings a free classical guitar concert to Portsmouth as part of Guitar Sundays, featuring his bold arrangements of works by Bach, Chopin, and Albeniz alongside his own original pieces. He plays with an emphasis on beauty and emotional connection, approaching music as a spiritual art. Guitar Sundays is a monthly series welcoming all ages that spotlights classical guitarists from the Seacoast, the greater Boston area, and across the country, with no admission fee. The series collaborates with the Portsmouth Public Library, which hosts half of the concerts each year, and is supported by the Boston Classical Guitar Society and The Augustine Foundation, whose grants help PMAC present performers from beyond New England.