2023 Lantern Festival
Overview
As an official program partner of the Portsmouth NH 400 Celebration, the Alliance for Greater Good is hosting a Lantern Festival. Our theme is "Illuminating 400 Years of Community Kindness." This is a family-friendly, community event and fundraiser. Enjoy some good vibes with DJ Skooch, face painting for the kids, and decorate lanterns to light and launch on the South Mill Pond at dusk.
All proceeds raised through the sale of lanterns (less credit card fees) will be donated to Seacoast Mental Health Center, which provides a broad, comprehensive array of high quality, effective and accessible mental health services to local residents.​
Details
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Date: Saturday, September 30th, rain date is October 1st
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Time: Festival begins at 5:00 PM; a short ceremony starts at 6:30 PM followed by the launch of lanterns
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Location: South Mill Pond, Corner of Parrott Ave & Rogers St, Portsmouth, NH
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Music: Celebrate community kindness with music by DJ Skooch
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Ceremony: Prior to the launch of lanterns, there will be a brief ceremony that includes:
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Jay Couture, President & CEO, Seacoast Mental Health Center
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Deaglan McEachern, Mayor, City of Portsmouth​
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Frequently Asked Questions: Click on the button to view FAQs.​
Volunteer: We will need 80+ volunteers on the day of the Lantern Festival. Click on the Volunteer button to learn more about the volunteer opportunities and to sign up.
​Buy Lanterns: All proceeds from the sale of lanterns will be given to Seacoast Mental Health Center (SMHC). Decorate and bring your lantern to the Lantern Festival on September 30th.
Be a Kindness Champion: All proceeds will be given to SMHC and will help us host kindness conversations and lantern decorating activities for children of all ages.
Thanks to our Sponsors
1623 - 1722
In 1705, an accidental fire consumed the house of Reverend Nathaniel Denison Rogers, killing three people, including his mother and 17-month-old daughter, Elizabeth. The town came together and rebuilt his house. This is just one example of community kindness in response to a family tragedy in Portsmouth.
1723 - 1822
For over 200 years, Gather has been serving Seacoast residents facing hunger. The agency was founded in 1816 by a small group of women committed to feeding the families of fishermen and continues to actively serve food-insecure community members to this day.
1823 - 1922
During the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth / Portsmouth Peace Conference the Wentworth By-the-Sea hotel donated accommodations to all delegates for the full 30 days that the conference lasted; and the Russian delegates were met with a warm welcome from Portsmouth’s Russian-Jewish immigrant merchants.
1923 - 2022
In 1939, Josie Fitts Prescott gave what is the core of Prescott Park to the city of Portsmouth. Josie continued to work on the project until she died at the age of ninety-one on October 2, 1949. Before her death, Josie set up a private trust of $500,000 to fund the park. Prescott Park remains a public park, enjoyed by the community and its visitors.
2023 & Beyond
In 2023, the Alliance for Greater Good and its sponsors will host the Portsmouth NH 400 Lantern Festival to ignite community kindness and improve access to mental health services by raising funds for the Seacoast Mental Health Center.