Thousands Attend the 19th Annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival
Jennifer Jones

Being a newcomer to the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival the last thing I expected to find when I attended what has been voted One of the Top 100 Events in North America several times were crafters like myself. My grandmother introduced me to arts and crafts at the young age of four years old. Ever since then I’ve been drawn to art stores and craft fairs to both create my own crafts and to view others’ work.

Just as I arrived off the bus at the festival I fought the overpoweringly good smells of seafood and viewed the crafts first. The craft booths had creative names such as Ecoquette, Village Mixes, Scorpio Jewelry, and Little House of Treasures; all names that would attract fellow crafters and out of state tourists. At times the craft booths seemed to draw larger crowds than some of the festival’s food stands.

As I browse about the booths I notice that people loved purchasing homemade crafts. Keepsake items and collectibles; items that people could remember the festival with, sold well. Handmade candles, animal wood carvings, stone necklaces, and hand knit sweaters, hats, and scarves among other things were bought with smiles.

Being thoroughly overwhelmed by the crowds, I picked my way through the river of people and bought a savory lobster roll from The Beach Plum’s food stand. As I ate I watched sunbathers soaking up the sun and a few beachgoers braving the cold, Atlantic Ocean waves. Just as big waves of people flowed out of food tents with plates of fried calamari and lobster ravioli. Others ordered some of the restaurants non-seafood offerings such as grilled teriyaki chicken and barbequed beef ribs. From my spot on the sidewalk I could see a pair of children staring wide-eyed at a selection of animal wood carvings; their heads bobbing in the sea breeze and gaily painted sides catching the sunlight. Today I was using solely for taking it all in: Thousands of people enjoying the wonderful weather and the just as wonderful seafood and crafts.

Before I returned home from the first opening day of the 19th Annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival I had enjoyed several more samplings of great food and another view at the crafts. I made mental notes of what I was going to buy from the crafters when I came back. I knew Saturday was going to be rainy so I planned to enjoy it all again on Sunday.

When Sunday came I invited my mother and brother to join me on the 19th Annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival’s last day until the following year. None of my family had ever been to the festival, but I now had. I was their tour guide; the festival my sanctum. My family was just as impressed with the festival as I was. They loved the food, the beach, crowds and crafts. As we walked and ate together we talked about how much the festival has helped New Hampshire become a famous tourist destination. Every year the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival is sponsored by the Hampton Area Chamber of Conference.

The festival impacts the seacoast greatly, bringing people from all over New England and beyond every year. Thousands of people travel to Hampton Beach every year; many several times after their first visit.

The weekend after Labor Day, in September of 2009, will be the festivals’ 20th consecutive year of being held. Each year new people attend the festival for excellent, restaurant prepared seafood, fun events, and unique homemade crafts. The rest of my family and I will definitely be attending the 20th Annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival next year; prepared for a second time of our lives to remember.

Finding New England Craft Shows

Crafts shows have become traditional and effective marketing events highlighting and featuring crafts and artworks. In general, such shows and fairs have been instant hits in population centers in the rural and suburban settings. Craft shows are also lucrative and effective when staged and held at urban centers, but the overall and general sales generations are almost always dwarfed by such initiatives staged at the bush. New England is a region where crafts shows are almost always successful.