Visitors to next year’s Prescott Park Arts Festival will be treated to a more pleasant summer experience, thanks to pending upgrades and improvements to the park’s pavilion building, which houses its restrooms and concession kitchen.

The Portsmouth City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 17 to grant the festival a long-term lease on the building and earmark funds to expand the public restroom facilities. The renovations will also include upgrades to the kitchen to bring it up to current code and expand its offerings with healthier food options.

In July, the festival was awarded $250,000 in tax credits through the N.H. Community Development Finance Authority Tax Credit Program to support the kitchen renovations. Organizers will also be collecting private donations to cover the cost.

The bathrooms experience heavy use during the summer months, when the Arts Festival presents numerous outdoor concerts, theatric productions, food festivals and films. Also open in the spring and fall, the restrooms are heavily used but in aged condition. The partnership with the City Council will help meet the public’s demands for the facilities.