Portsmouth’s know for having a tremendous about of history and amazing people who contributed to its success, and in honor of Women’s History Month: Here’s 5 Notable Women From Portsmouth’s Past Ida Barbour Ida Barbour was born around 1878 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She lived with her family in the first free Black section of the …
The Hill House Museum Presents: Picture This! A Photographic Journey By: Audrey Lassiter, Hill Hour Volunteer During the month of April, The Hill House Museum presents Picture This! a curated photography exhibition of Portsmouth, Virginia featuring over 600 pictures, memorabilia, and historic maps. Take a journey through Portsmouth’s past with images of Downtown, Olde Towne, …
History Alive A merry troupe of entertainers, Mary Veale and her clan portray characters from Portsmouth’s past while educating and entertaining with stories, songs, and word origins from the Colonial Era and beyond. Guests enjoy these knowledgeable folks as they bring to life real historic figures. But don’t confuse them with historic re-enactors. On the …
Virginia’s Favorite Restaurant Week Returns to Portsmouth Enjoying Portsmouth’s Restaurant Week Portsmouth is a city filled with centuries of history, a vibrant Cultural Art’s District, and amazing restaurants, which means that there’s always something new to see and try! But if you’re looking for a great way to experience the best Portsmouth dining all in …
Virginia’s First Casino History: Rivers Casino Portsmouth Rivers Casino Portsmouth is the first permanent casino in the state of Virginia and is proud to call Portsmouth home. It began with a referendum back in 2020 where 67% of the Portsmouth voters voted in favor of bringing gaming to our city. Since that time, Rivers Casino …
Rivers Casino Portsmouth The City of Portsmouth and Rush Street Gaming LLC., are proud to bring you Virginia's first permanent casino! Let the games begin! Casino History: Rivers Casino in Portsmouth, Virginia is the first permanent casino in the state of Virginia. It began with a referendum back in 2020 where 67% of the Portsmouth [...]
5 Chill Places to Go in Portsmouth for New Year’s Eve Although some years you may love to party it up until sunrise, other years you might prefer a more relaxing way to ring in the New Year. Escape your routine and visit the small seaport town we call Portsmouth. Stay overnight at a luxury …
New Year’s Happenings Looking to discover fun this New Year’s Eve? Then, Go Different and plan New Year’s Eve fun in Portsmouth, Virginia. This year, there’s plenty to do for yourself or the whole family! Activities for kids start in the morning and for adults, the fun continues until the wee hours. Join us for …
As Told by Portsmouth Boat Club Member, Mo Whitlow. The Race to Cock Island was created in 1987, to bring big boat sail racing back to Portsmouth and to showcase and promote the hospitality and history of Olde Towne Portsmouth. From its beginning, the race and events were designed by sailors. Founding chairman, Mo Whitlow …
Atlantis is your one-stop destination for comics, cards, games, and good times. Want to connect with staff, get product updates, stream announcements, and talk with your fellow gamers and comic fiends? Join them! Located is in the midtown area just off I-264 near Victory Crossing.
Digital Brochures Welcome to Portsmouth, Virginia's Historic Seaport®. To better assist you and to be more environmentally-friendly, we have created a page just for Portsmouth, Virginia's digital brochures. Below, you will find many different ways to navigate, enjoy, and explore this wonderful city. Download them to your desktop or mobile device and we look forward to [...]
Welcome to Olde Towne Portsmouth! Virginia’s historic seaport® is well-known as an epicenter of American naval and shipping history. A lesser known fact is that Portsmouth’s busy harbor also made it a major hub of the Underground Railroad. Countless enslaved Americans from southern Virginia and North Carolina, with help from Free Blacks, local spies and …
Walking Tours "In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks" - John Muir "I love walking because it clears your mind, enriches the soul, takes away stress and opens up your eyes to a whole new world.” - Claudette Dudley Immerse yourself in the great outdoors at one of our nature [...]
The 2022 Umoja Festival happens May 27-29, 2022, in Festival Park in Portsmouth. Join in a grand celebration of unity at Portsmouth’s Annual African American culture and heritage celebration promoting cultural diversity and unity. Bring the entire family to enjoy all the festivities including live music, kids activities, international foods and so much more! Take …
Plan Your Getaway DIFFERENT Things to Do OLDE TOWNE Historic District UNIQUE Dining EVENTS OUTDOORS MUSEUMS A Seaport City as Unique as You Things have always been a little different in Portsmouth. And that’s just fine by us. Our friendly and historic seaport city is filled with all kinds of different people and unique places [...]
The first weekends with the Portsmouth Museums is an exciting time to visit. Festivities kick off on the First Friday of each month (April-October) with live music, adult beverages, and a gathering of friends in the courtyard at the Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center. On First Saturday mornings, the courtyard features more live music to …
British Occupation of Portsmouth in 1781 A Post Such As Portsmouth is a 2-day re-enactment designed to entertain and educate the public of the occupation of Portsmouth by the British forces in 1781. It is open and free to everyone; and it features a variety of civilian and military impressions, as well as members of …
The Portsmouth Paddle Battle returns to the Elizabeth River for its 2nd Annual splash on September 10, 2022. It takes place from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Benefitting the Friends of the Naval Shipyard Museum, the event features two racing categories: Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) and Kayaking. The race begins at High Street Landing and …
Valentine’s Weekend Since Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday this year, why not make it a multi-day weekend celebration in Portsmouth, Virginia! It’s a great time to get away from home for a night or two and enjoy Virginia’s Historic Seaport®. Our local merchants have sweetened the deal with some special lodging and dining offers …
Encouraging guests to try something new and experience everything Portsmouth has to offer. Portsmouth, VA Restaurant Week is a time for the Portsmouth restaurant community to show off our wide variety of gourmet specialties. Local chefs are preparing special menus that are guaranteed to leave you wanting more. Participating restaurants will offer options for 2 …
BLACK HISTORY NOW 2022 Presented by the Portsmouth Museums and the Portsmouth Public Libraries Black History month can be traced back more than 100 years, thanks to two gentleman scholars, Carter Woodson and Jesse Moreland. African Americans from Portsmouth made significant contributions from early American days to present. These contributions are recorded in history …
Portsmouth’s Olde Towne Scottish Walk tradition is modeled after Scotland’s Hogmanay Festival. Hogmanay Festival is a Scottish tradition celebrating the New Year that dates back hundreds of years and is celebrated by millions of people all over the world. The Olde Towne Scottish Walk takes place on December 31st. It begins at the corner of …