Springfest Returns to Strawbery Banke with 'Red, White, & Bloom' for America’s 250th on May 9 and 10

PORTSMOUTH— Strawbery Banke Museum invites the public to celebrate spring, Mother’s Day weekend, and America’s 250th anniversary at Springfest: A Celebration of Gardens and Baby Animals, taking place Saturday and Sunday, May 9–10, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Advance tickets are encouraged at StrawberyBanke.org/tickets.

Set across the Museum’s historic campus, Springfest offers a lively, immersive experience where visitors can meet heritage-breed baby animals and their mothers, watch sheep shearing and sheepdog trials, and see working oxen in action. Throughout the site, heirloom gardens come into bloom, hands-on activities invite participation, and traditional skills—from gardening to honey extraction—bring the season to life.

This year’s theme, “Red, White, & Bloom,” ties the festival to the nation’s 250th anniversary, highlighting how agriculture, foodways, and seasonal rhythms have shaped New England communities across generations.

New for 2026, Springfest introduces expanded experiences for visitors of all ages:

• A two-day ticket, allowing guests to return and explore more

• The Portsmouth Orange Cake Bake-Off (Sunday) in partnership with Portsmouth Historical Society, where local bakeries reinterpret a classic 19th-century New Hampshire recipe

• Adoptable animals from the New Hampshire SPCA, offering the chance to meet dogs and rabbits looking for homes

Guests can also shop the popular Springfest Plant Sale, featuring greenhouse-grown hanging baskets, herbs, heirloom vegetables, and perennials.

Admission includes access to Strawbery Banke’s historic houses, gardens, and landscapes, where more than 350 years of history unfold across the Puddle Dock neighborhood—making Springfest both a seasonal celebration and a gateway to the Museum’s full visitor experience.

“As we mark America’s 250th, ‘Red, White, & Bloom’ invites visitors to experience how agriculture, gardens, and animals  connect past and present and to see themselves as part of that ongoing story,” said Linnea Grim, president and CEO, Thomas W. Haas Endowed Chair. 

Springfest runs rain or shine. Tickets are valid for both days, and members receive discounted admission.

Springfest is sponsored in part by Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine; Harbour Women’s Health; Lincoln Financial; Lonza; Newburyport Bank; Northeast Delta Dental; Piscataqua Savings Bank; Portwalk Place; R.M. Davis; Seacoast Kids Calendar; & The Fabulous Find. 

For tickets and more information, visit StrawberyBanke.org/springfest. 

About Strawbery Banke Museum
Strawbery Banke Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is a nearly 10-acre history museum in downtown Portsmouth, NH, interpreting over 350 years of history—from Indigenous peoples to the present day. The Museum features historic houses on their original sites, heirloom gardens, traditional crafts, and costumed roleplayers sharing stories of Puddle Dock residents. Strawbery Banke welcomes visitors, members, schoolchildren, and volunteers year-round for daily programs, exhibits, skating, and signature events.