Prescott Park Arts Festival Has Big Plans

The Memorial Bridge is not the only big development project happening along the city's waterfront these days. The Prescott Park Arts Festival is also forging ahead with its capital campaign to give its space a makeover.

Ben Anderson, executive director of the PPAF, recently updated the City Council on where the arts festival's plans stand. This summer, PPAF concert goers will be able to enjoy a brand new restrooms and concessions building that will be bigger and offer them more food choices.

By the summer of 2014, Anderson said PPAF officials hope to renovate the mainstage pavilion to replace the tents and trailers currently used to give performing artists dressing rooms and house equipment with a new permanent building. The mainstage will also have a new roof to prevent inclement weather from canceling shows.

The utility poles that currently obsure the park’s open space will be replaced as more power lines are placed underground by 2014, the festival’s 40^th anniversary, Anderson said.

The PPAF improvements should further enhance what is already a very popular attraction for Portsmouth area residents and visitors. According to Anderson, the  festival generates $6 million per year and sees as many as 75,000 visitors as it enters its 39^th year this summer. Prescott Park Arts Festival officials recently announced that that will accompany another stellar lineup of performing artists.

Within the last six months, and $250,000 of tax credits from the New Hampshire Community Development Corp. In September, the city of Portsmouth formally approved the project and will be providing $200,000 towards the estimated $560,000 cost.