Here are the dates for this year’s open houses at the lighthouse in New Castle and for three scenic lighthouse cruises. Please note that no reservations are needed for the open houses, but tours are on a first come, first served basis. No children less than 42 inches tall are allowed to climb to the top, and adults are not allowed to carry children up the stairs.

Visitors get to climb to the lantern room to enjoy the magnificent view and to see the fourth-order Fresnel lens up close. Volunteers will tell visitors about the history of the light station, and there will be souvenirs for sale. To climb the lighthouse, a donation of $2 for adults and $1 for children is suggested. There are 44 stairs to the watch room and a 7-rung ladder to the lantern room. Flat shoes (not sandals or flip-flops) are required to climb the ladder into the lantern room.

This year’s open houses will be on Saturdays, all from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., on the following dates: May 24, June 28, July 26, Aug. 23, Sept. 27, and Oct. 11. More dates may be added; check for www.portsmouthharborlighthouse.org for possible additional dates and for directions to the lighthouse.

You can also join Friends of the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse (FPHL) for a sunset cruise aboard the M/V Granite State, departing from Rye Harbor on Route 1A in Rye, on Friday, June 20, at 7:00 p.m. The boat will cruise close to Portsmouth Harbor Light, Whaleback Light, the Wood Island Lifesaving Station, and White Island Light in the Isles of Shoals. There is a snack bar on board and there will be raffles and narration on the history of the lighthouses. Tickets are $20. Call Granite State Whale Watch at (603) 964-5545 for reservations.

FPHL’s parent organization, the American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF) is one of the most respected names in the preservation of our nation’s historic lighthouses. ALF is kicking off the 2008 "lighthousing" season with a May weekend of events in Portsmouth. The weekend will get underway with ALF’s first-ever "Lighthouse Trivia Challenge" on Friday, May 16, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Portsmouth Elks Lodge at 500 Jones Avenue. Contestants will test their lighthouse knowledge as they compete for prizes. All who attend this event are eligible to be entered as contestants. The evening will also feature a light buffet dinner with seafood chowder and assorted sandwiches.

On Saturday morning, May 17, there will be a lighthouse cruise aboard the motor vessel Thomas Laighton, sponsored by the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company. It will provide close views of five lighthouses: Portsmouth Harbor, Whaleback, White Island, Boon Island, and the famous Cape Neddick "Nubble" Light. Box lunches are available, and there will be raffles and lighthouse merchandise available on board.

On Saturday evening, May 17, beginning at 6:30 p.m., there will be a dinner event at the Portsmouth Elks Lodge, with a full buffet including roast beef, chicken, and haddock. The special guest speaker at the dinner will be Chris Mills, a former lighthouse keeper and acclaimed author from Nova Scotia.

Tickets for the Friday evening event are $35 for adults, $25 for children. Tickets for the Saturday cruise are $45 for adults and $35 for children, and tickets for the Saturday evening dinner are $45 for adults and $35 for children. Package tickets for the whole weekend are available, with a discount for ALF members. Check the ALF web site at www.lighthousefoundation.org or call (207) 594-4174 for details or to order tickets.