Portsmouth Entertainment

With large numbers of tourists flocking to the city every year and others staying a short time before going to or coming back from France, Portsmouth experiences plenty of demand for evening entertainment. Visitors and locals alike flock to the citys popular bars and nightclubs, with many opening throughout the week, not just at the weekends. Those preferring a more sedate evening can enjoy good food at one of the citys reputable restaurants or seek out something a little more cultured at one of the theatre venues on offer.

Nightlife

Portsmouth has a thriving night scene and is hailed as one of the UKs premier clubbing destinations, offering venues such as Tiger Tiger, Tangerine Suite and Time and Envy. If you need somewhere to warm up before a night of clubbing or you like to have a few drinks with friends in a lively atmosphere, then Portsmouth has an abundance of pubs and bars across the city centre.

Portsmouth is well-known for its selection of traditional old English pubs where locals gather to enjoy locally-brewed beers and pleasant conversation. The atmosphere at these venues is warm and visitors are always welcome. The Portsmouth Brewery is a popular spot with real ale lovers, brewing its own traditional beer on the premises and offering a courtyard patio for fine summer nights

Theatre and music

Portsmouth has a small selection of live venues where its possible to catch stage performances in genres such as comedy, dance, musicals, ballet and theatre as well as popular music. The Guildhall in Guildhall Square attracts big names from the world of comedy and pop music, while the New Theatre Royal offers classical music, dance and popular stage productions. The Portsmouth Arts Centre and the Studio Theatre also offer a good selection of audio and visual aesthetics.

Festivals

There are a number of annual summer festivals that are unique to the city, with highlights including:

• Market Square Day is an annual affair offering both day and evening activities revolving around the community, with an emphasis on culture and regional arts. More than 250 stalls offering foods and handicrafts among other things are on hand, while local performers play live music throughout the event (June).
• Portsmouth International Kite Festival is generally held on Southsea Common in Southsea and sees professional kite fliers from many countries assemble to show off not only their impressive flying skills but also their unique and brightly-coloured kite designs (August).
• Newmarket Heritage Festival is held just outside of Portsmouth in the small town of Newmarket and is an annual celebration of culture, history and heritage featuring music, dance, craft demonstrations and more.