Hampton Beach Seafood Festival Returns September 11-13

People here in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts LOVE the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival. This year, it's happening on September 11, 12 & 13, 2026.

If you don't read anything else in this article, you must know about parking for the Seafood Festival. Scroll a little bit to get that wicked important information.

The Seafood Festival started in 1988 when a group of Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce business owners wanted to show off our incredible seafood here in New Hampshire. It's always held the weekend after Labor Day.

The main road, Ocean Boulevard is closed down and all kinds of food vendors and craft makers where visitors of the Seafood Festival can walk up and down the boulevard tasting everything they possibly can.

There are two stages with continuous entertainment with bands like:

Do not miss the fireworks display on Saturday night. There is a rain date for the following week, but we don't want to talk about rain.

Sunday is the famous Lobster Roll eating competition on the Seashell stage. You have to see this to believe it.

Get Your Picture Taken With Lobsters at the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival

It's such a festive time here in New Hampshire. How cute is this pic, by the way? It's me and my family.

Visit Award Winning Food Vendors at the Seafood Festival, NH

The food is the big star at the Seafood festival. Every kind of seafood you can imagine, all prepared by the best chefs, will be there. Come hungry and for goodness sake pace yourself. You *might* have time for dessert because, oh yes... the Festival has no shortage of sweet treats.

If you love a craft fair, you are going to love the Seafood Festival as well. There are homemade creations, New Hampshire gifts, jewelry, you name it, it's all there. Be careful to watch your spending! (It's me... I'm talking to me.)

Follow This Parking Tip to Get to the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival

Take the transportation provided by the Hampton Area Chamber. You can leave your car in several parking lots around Hampton and they will shuttle you to Ocean Boulevard. You will thank me. You can try to park at the beach, but you might have to walk quite a ways, but if you're up for it, go for it. All the parking and the shuttle routes to follow are here.

See you there!

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If you go to a show there, you might want to know a few things about the place before the show. We have a list of the top 11 (see what I did there?) things to keep in mind below.

Gallery Credit: Sarah Sullivan