The Best Events Happening in September

Don’t miss the NHSCOT 50th Annual Highland Games & Festival, happening in Lincoln on September 19-21, 2025

Hopkinton State Fair, Contoocook, Aug. 28 to September 1

New Hampshire has no shortage of storied fairs, and kicking off the season of fall agricultural fun is the annual Hopkinton State Fair. From demolition derbies and educational exhibits to livestock shows and decadent fried dough, this Labor Day weekend tradition is fun for the whole family. This year, the world famous frisbee dogs, the Disc-Connected K9s, will be preforming all three days of the fair! hsfair.org

Vintage & Vine, Portsmouth, September 4

Stroll among Strawbery Banke Museum’s historic houses and gardens, while sampling wonderful wines offered by local wine brokers and wineries and enjoying delicious appetizers prepared by greater Seacoast-area top chefs and caterers. The mini wine auction adds to the excitement of the evening – and the funds raised for Strawbery Banke educational programs and preservation efforts. strawberybanke.org

Hampton Beach Seafood Festival, Hampton Beach, September 5-7

Sendoff summer with a bang at the 36^th annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival! With over 50 local food vendors located up and down the boulevard, make sure to bring your appetite. Get ready to “Rock ‘n’ (Lobster) Roll” with a weekend-long lineup of music and live entertainment at two music stages. With a 5k, a Lobster Roll Eating Concert and so much more, this is a beach weekend you won’t want to miss.  seafoodfestivalnh.com

11^th Annual Manchester Brewfest, Manchester, September 13

Enjoy more than 25 breweries serving up samples of delicious beer, mead and seltzer all along the Merrimack River at Arms Park in downtown Manchester, while supporting a good cause. This year’s event will benefit Webster House: Building Children’s Future Together. manchesterbrewfest.com

Sunflower Picking at the Farm, Dover, September 13-14

Head over to Tendercrop Farm for a full day of fun! Enjoy 5 acres of amazing colorful varieties of sunflowers, while listening to music by DJ Laura and navigating your way through the corn maze! There will also be local craft vendors, a beer shed, brick oven pizza, face paining, PYO Sunflowers for $1 per stem and more! tendercropfarm.com

Auburn Day & 32^nd Annual Duck Race, Auburn, September 13

Each September, hundreds of people gather in beautiful Auburn to enjoy a family-friendly and fun-filled day to benefit the Auburn Historical Association. The cornerstone for this annual event is the famous duck race, which awards cash prizes for the 10 fastest ducks, including $1,000 for first place. Other event highlights a cookie baking contest, apple pie contest, climbing wall, plenty of New Hampshire artisans and vendors, food and more. auburnhistorical.org

Hampton Falls Craft Festival, Hampton Falls, September 13-14

For the 17^th year, the Hampton Falls Town Common will come alive with music and fun as over 75 Juried artisans from all over New England will display and sell their American made works. castleberryfairs.com

Star Island Gosport Regatta, Portsmouth/ Star Island, September 13

All are invited to this open sailing race from Portsmouth Harbor to Gosport Harbor at the Isles of Shoals. Spectators are welcome to enjoy the sailing competition from the deck of M/V Thomas Laighton, Isles of Shoals Steamship Company. There will also be festivities after the race for the whole family, such as an award ceremony, delicious barbecue, music, kite festival and games and activities for children. starisland.org/regatta

NH Highland Games & Festival, Loon Mountain Resort, Lincoln, September 19-21

Heading north for this beloved fest, you could almost convince yourself that the mountains on the horizon are the rolling hills of the Scottish Highlands — and once you hear the bagpipes and spot the sea of tartan on the festival grounds, you’ll really start believing it. Heavy athletics, dancing, music and arts are all on the docket this year, as are other fun festival activities. nhscot.org

LebFest, Lebanon, September 20

LebFest is a family-centered, free community event for all ages with over 70 booths of activities, games, crafts, raffles, local vendors, music, food vendors and a Mac & Cheese competition featuring local restaurants. LebFest celebrates the Upper Valley community as a great place to live and raise a family! lebanonnh.gov

11^th Annual Claremont Brewfest, Claremont, September 20

Celebrate more than 10 years of beers at the combo brewfest and 5K race held by the Kiwanis Club of Claremont, where attendees can sample beers from more than 30 New England breweries and vote for your favorite. The VIP hour is from 12 to 1 p.m. (and will have special brews only available during the hour) with general admission from 1 to 4 p.m. claremontbrewfest.com

Portsmouth Fairy House Tours, Portsmouth, September 21-22

The world’s largest fairy house tour is back for a weekend of magic. Peruse the enchanted fairy and gnome homes, watch a ballet, visit Pickwick’s Fairy Bazaar, take a photo in the fairy photobooth, add a bit of whimsy to your outfit at the fairy face painting studio and more. Tour more than 250 fairy houses made by professionals, community members, and students. portsmouthfairyhousetour.com

Granite State Comic Con, Manchester, September 19-21

New Hampshire’s premier comic and pop culture festival returns for its 22^nd year. Drop on by the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown in Manchester to unite over your most ecstatic fandom, whether that’s listening to guest speakers like actor Will Friedle and gaming director Amanda Kahl, or digging the vendors and exhibitors set up in the hotel’s Expo and Armory areas. granitecon.com

Deerfield Fair, Deerfield, September 25-28