Press Room
17th Annual Kitchen Tour - Portsmouth, NH
- 4/12/2008
The kitchens we all dream of - sleek and contemporary, cozy and traditional, packed with innovation and imagination – will become a reality for one day as The Music Hall presents its popular annual Kitchen Tour. Now in its 17th year, this benefit for the Hall will feature kitchens and dining spaces in the historic seacoast community of Portsmouth, the seaport city recently named a “Distinctive Destination” for 2008 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The tour will be held Saturday, April 12, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The eight homes on this year’s tour range from the 1804 Langley Boardman House, one of the most notable Federal houses in Portsmouth that features the master cabinetry of the original owner, to the 1855 Colonial in the midst of restoration by the owner who runs a design/build company, to the exquisite 21st century open concept modern home with spectacular views of Little Harbor.
The Music Hall Kitchen Tour is self-guided. An easy-to-follow map is provided, and tour-goers can start and finish the tour anywhere they like. For visitors looking to turn their own dreams into reality, the craftsmen, artisans, designers and architects involved in the kitchens are noted in the tour’s guidebook along with detailed descriptions and insight into each kitchen with information such as the designer, the brand of cabinets, and type of granite countertops. The homes are all within two miles of downtown Portsmouth, making the tour easily walkable. The Music Hall encourages all of its visitors to have lunch in one of the 16 great local restaurants that are sponsoring the tour! Mary Horigan, Director of Corporate and Foundation Giving at The Music Hall notes, “Each year, we focus on a different Seacoast site and this year, our tour weaves through downtown Portsmouth. We’re excited to be back! The Kitchen Tour is The Music Hall’s biggest fundraiser of the year and we owe so much of our success to our incredible hosts, loyal sponsors, over 100 volunteers, our creative and hardworking committee, and our visitors - many of whom have made this a tradition each spring.”
Each year, the tour attracts over 1,000 visitors, who come out to support The Music Hall and to gain inspiration for their own kitchens. Proceeds from the tour are used immediately toward operating costs to support The Music Hall’s effort to provide the very best in the performing arts for the seacoast community. “People absolutely love it,” said Betsy Cole, co-chair of The Music Hall Kitchen Tour Committee. “Men especially are interested and curious about appliances and the layout. Homeowners, architects and designers will be on hand at most homes on the tour to answer questions and many participants come with a notebook to jot down ideas!”
“In addition to being a fundraiser for The Music Hall, the Kitchen Tour highlights the work of our local companies, architects, buildings, lighting , landscaping and sound systems, to name a few,” said Horigan.
Our Sponsors
A special message to our patrons: The Music Hall would like to thank its 2008 Kitchen Tour Sponsors and encourage all tour patrons to support the many businesses that are featured in the 2008 Kitchen Tour guidebook. Their sponsorship, along with our tour-patrons’ support, contributes to the success of this fundraiser to benefit The Music Hall.
Presenting Sponsors
Accent Home & Garden Magazine
DC Audio Video Systems
DeStefano Architects
Dovetailed Kitchens
Graf Design Associates
The Harbor Lights/The Lighting Center at Rockingham Electric
Piscataqua Landscaping
Roe G. Cole Custom Design and Construction
The Webhannet Company
Lead Sponsors
Hammer Construction
The Lollipop Tree
Taste of the Seacoast
Kitchen Tour Information
The Music Hall Kitchen Tour is self-guided with the aid of an easy-to-follow map. Tour-goers can start and finish the tour anywhere they like. Because of narrow streets and limited parking, we encourage car pooling, riding bikes or walking from our designated parking areas (all noted on the map). For visitors looking to turn their own dreams into reality, the craftsmen, artisans, designers and architects involved in the kitchens are noted in the tour's guidebook, along with detailed descriptions of the kitchens. Maps will be available on March 24 at www.themusichall.org or in our tickets outlet locations noted below.