What follows are just a few of the events happening in New Bedford this week. For more events, visit our arts and culture calendar. And learn how to get your event listed here. We want to hear from you.
COMMUNITY
10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 8
AHA! NEW BEDFORD
Live music, art, history, more
While the city’s monthly arts night downtown hasn’t fully ripped off the “VAHA” mask, its July lineup tilts almost completely toward in-person events and is packed with live music. A few highlights:
- SUMMER SOUND SERIES: Longtime local rocker Butch McCarthy launches a summer series of weekly concerts in Custom House Square. Bring a chair and take-out; the beer garden opens at 2 p.m., live music at 4.
- HIP-HOP DANCE DEMOS: The third of five monthly 3rd EyE events teaching “the 5 pillars of hip-hop” is about b-boys and b-girls. Learn about all five pillars — the other four are knowledge, graffiti, MC’ing, and DJ’ing — and their role in shaping the culture.
- SEA SHANTIES & MORE: Maritime music exploded on TikTok earlier this year. Find out why at this Fishing Heritage Center presentation of The Johnson Girls, an all-women a cappella group that has been singing salty songs for decades.
- VICTORIAN EYE CANDY: The Preservation Society leads an architectural walking tour of some of the West End’s grandest homes.
- SUMMER SPARKLE: The festivities extend to the South End with tours of Kilburn Mill art studios. Stop by Judith Klein’s latest exhibition featuring her work and that of eight other local artists.
- LIVE CAPE VERDEAN MUSIC: Starting at 5:30 outside Celia’s Boutique and Alison Wells Art Gallery, Candida Rose and Zerui Depina, fresh off his gig Friday at the Morna Lounge, will perform a show reminiscent of the outdoor “tocatinha” performances in Cabo Verde.
- Plus there will be “bossas, ballads, and blues” under the Jazz Wall, a picnic at the Rotch-Jones-Duff mansion, new exhibitions at Gallery X and Co+Creative Center, family-friendly activities, a Symphony Orchestra popup, and Seaport Artwalk. Even the popup vaccine clinic (4-7 p.m., 399 Acushnet Ave.) promises a good time with free food, brass band, and ice cream truck.
MUSIC
3-7 p.m., Sunday, July 11
REGGAE AT WEST BEACH
Sand, sun, Latin rhythms
The summer series featuring live DJs at West Beach Pavilion spinning rocksteady, roots, and dancehall is back. But this year it’s adding different genres and live bands. Rhode Island’s Jesus Andujar and his Grupo Sazon start things off with live merengue, salsa, Latin jazz, and bachata. There will be food trucks and free dance lessons.
FESTIVAL
3-8 p.m. Thursday, July 8; noon-8 p.m. Friday, July 9-Sunday, July 11
WHALING CITY FESTIVAL
West End summer tradition
The Whaling City Festival returns to Buttonwood Park through Sunday, July 11, with carnival rides and games, dozens of arts & crafts and other retail vendors, wrestling matches, and the classic car and bike show noon-4 on Sunday.
And then there’s the food. The scent of fried dough, kettle corn, blooming onions, gyros, barbecue, and pizza will fill the air alongside fare from local vendors such as J & J Seafood.
A mobile vaccine clinic will be available.
Wrestling showtimes: 7 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday.
FOOD
2-6 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays & Fridays, through Oct.29
NEW BEDFORD FARMERS MARKET
It’s farmers market season
Buy fresh food from local vendors through the fall. Mondays: Brooklawn Park; Thursdays: Buttonwood Park; Fridays: Clasky Common.
ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
10 a.m. Saturday, July 10
SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS YOUTH ORCHESTRAS
Music in the park
Under the program affiliated with New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, youth come together to make music Saturday mornings in a different New Bedford park each week. The focus will be on chamber music, fiddle styles, and pop tunes. This week’s session takes place in New Bedford Historical Park (downtown near the murals.)
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