Final preparations are being made for the annual Main Street Portsmouth Scavenger Hunt on from 1 to 4 p.m. on May 7.

“One of the things we (Main Street Portsmouth) do annually to get people downtown is have a scavenger hunt. In the past, they’ve (scavenger hunts) been held in the spring and encompassed various architectural stops around town,” said Joseph Pratt, Executive Director of Main Street Portsmouth.

He said the architectural feature stops included everything from church steeples to decorative windows.

Pratt said this year’s hunt will include something different, which will provide a new challenge for participants.

“We decided to help area merchants. We’re going to be hiding six Portsmouth Block Bricks, in shops along Second, Chillicothe and Gallia Streets,” Pratt said. When someone finds a clue to the next location, they will be greeted by the owner or an employee of the business and given the next clue.

“The clues range everywhere from crossword puzzles with questions to riddles,” Pratt said. “Each clue from the hunt is a piece of a physical puzzle. Participants would hold on to the clues and at the end of the day, you assemble the puzzle at the starting point and you’ll be given a prize.”

Pratt said the organizers of the hunt are excited about the changes to the event, because it gets people to come downtown for recreational purposes, but it gets them downtown for business.

“Participants will get a chance to see shops and the products they have to offer while they hunt for clues,” Pratt said.

The scavenger hunt will be done by individuals and not teams, with the starting point for the event is going to be at Primitive Corner on the corner of Second and Court Streets in Portsmouth.

“If you want to participate you’ll show up on May 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Primitive Corner. There you will receive your first clue and then you’ll go from business to business depending on where the clue takes you,” Pratt said. “At the end you’ll go back to Primitive Corner and assemble the clues, where prizes will be awarded.”

For more information about the event visit the Main Street Portsmouth Facebook page or call 740-464-0203.