DOVER — Summer looks like it’ll be packed with fun activities in the Garrison City. With a Porchfest neighborhood music festival, a new city park slated to open, fireworks, a celebration of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” a concert series and fun events for kids, there will be no shortage of things to do.  

Here’s what to know about events in Dover in summer 2026:

Porchfest Dover

Looking for an afternoon of free music? Porchfest has got you covered. The city’s first Porchfest Sunday, June 14, will feature local performances outside people’s homes and downtown, bringing the community together. There are more than 30 bands to perform, according to organizer Steve Sulewski, and 14 stages.

Sulewski said he recently moved to Dover and is from Massachusetts. He previously hosted Porchfest events for multiple years and had a great experience, and said he was reminiscing on that, and thought “maybe we could start our own Porchfest.”

So, with a community effort, Porchfest will come to Dover. He said they thought to have the effort start out small with only a few houses for the event. However, there was a huge interest, with many bands asking to perform, and Matt Freeman stepped in and helped get the word out. Sulewski said there’s a “wide variety of talent,” such as rock, alternative, hip hop, jazz and blues. The performers list and with locations and times are posted at porchfestdover.com.

Nebi Park to open

The more than 3-acre public park, called Nebi Park, in the Waterfront District has been coming along. Mayor Dennis Shanahan said an opening ceremony open to the public is currently in the works, and the week of July 13 is being considered for the event.

Water access, a gathering space, public restrooms and a walkway along the Cocheco River will be featured at the park, according to Chris Parker, deputy city manager.

The park will feature a public pavilion, and Cochecho River Recreation was recently approved for a lease to operate at the pavilion. CRR will offer kayak rentals for river use on weekends and provide opportunities for residents to keep personal kayaks at the waterfront. Rentals may extend to weekdays in the future.

Parker noted the operator also hopes “to work with the Recreation Department to offer youth education and group tours of the River and educational programming about the ecosystem.”

Dover Public Library to reopen, ribbon cutting

The Dover Public Library at 73 Locust St. has undergone major renovations over more than a year, and is scheduled to reopen Friday, June 26 at 9 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The public is invited to attend and explore the renovated library during an open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, June 26, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 27.

The renovation is adding approximately 3,000 square feet, library director Denise LaFrance previously said. The children’s room on the ground level is also expanded, LaFrance has said.

40th annual Cochecho Arts Festival

The summer long 40th annual Cochecho Arts Festival presented by the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce is set to bring music and arts to the city. Starting July 10, weekly Friday night concerts featuring many local artists are free to the public, located at the Rotary Arts Pavilion Stage at Henry Law Park from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Here’s the schedule:

• July 10: Jon Nolan & Good Co.
• July 17: Lightheaded Collective & Diaspora Radio plays “Let it Be” by The Beatles
• July 24: Coyote Smoke & Sneaky Miles
• July 31: Wheel of Awesome
• August 7: Foxglove & Caitlin Piper
• August 14: The Speed of Sound