Summer 2025 shaping up to be an event-filled season in New Bedford

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Warm temperatures, ocean breezes, and a dazzling sun mark not only the onset of summer on the South Coast but also a slew of happenings to highlight the season. In New Bedford, a series of festivals, parades and free events provide residents with ideal ways to fill their summer days and nights.

Although New Bedford has traditional celebrations for national holidays such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, the city’s rich history and diverse population also bring myriad cultural celebrations from Cape Verdean Independence Month to the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament celebrating Portuguese culture. 

It’s “shaping up to be a jam-packed summer when it comes to events,” said Ashley Payne, the city’s director of tourism and marketing.

Payne said the city aims to create events that bring in people from outside of New Bedford while still catering to local residents.

This list highlights both beloved city traditions and new additions to the community. For even more, please check The Light’s Arts and Culture Calendar, which is updated daily.

Memorial Day Parade

Summer makes its unofficial debut with New Bedford’s Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26. Participants will gather at the intersection of Hathaway Boulevard and Parker Street around 10:30 a.m. before taking off at 11:30 a.m. to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country. 

The parade route wends east on Parker Street to Clasky Common Park, where a Memorial Day service includes readings of the Gettysburg Address and Logan’s Order, a call to remember those who have fallen in service. The names of New Bedford veterans who have passed will also be read in remembrance of their sacrifice. Family and friends of deceased veterans are invited to bring flowers honoring their loved one to the service, to be placed at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

This year’s Memorial Day parade grand marshal is New Bedford native Virginia Senna-Davis, who served the U.S. Navy for nine years before pursuing a career in health care administration for veterans’ services organizations. Senna-Davis also volunteers for the local Disabled American Veterans to assist veterans and their families with benefits. 

Prior to the parade, the New Bedford American Legion Post One will host its annual Memorial Day exercise at Veterans’ plot at 8:15 a.m. At 10 a.m., the New Bedford Port Society will hold its annual Fishermen’s Memorial Day Service, followed by a procession from the Seamen’s Bethel. 

Other Memorial weekend events will take place on Saturday, May 24, and Sunday, May 25. These include:

• Saturday, May 24, 9 a.m. — The Greater New Bedford Civil War Roundtable’s annual Remembrance Service in the Civil War section of the Rural Cemetery, 149 Dartmouth St. The service will feature a wreath-laying, a raising of the American flag, readings of Logan’s Order and the Gettysburg Address, a gun salute, laying of floral wreath and traditional military music. Mayor Jon Mitchell of New Bedford will deliver a keynote address.
• Sunday, May 25, 10 a.m. — A Memorial Day exercise at the Veterans’ plot located at Pine Grove Cemetery, 1100 Ashley Blvd. hosted by New Bedford American Legion Post One.
• Sunday May 25, noon — A second Memorial Day exercise by New Bedford American Legion Post One at the Vietnam Veterans’ Honor Roll (William Street side of the building) located at 133 William St. 

Pride Festival 2025

June not only marks the month of the summer solstice but also Pride Month for the LGBTQ+ community. 

Celebrations begin with Wild Yonder! the South Coast Pride Launch Party at Deep Pond Farm & Stables in Taunton on Saturday, May 31 from 6-10 p.m. For $50, indulge in a food truck dinner plate and live music before partaking in the party’s cornhole tournament, scavenger hunt and hobby horse races.

The South Coast LGBTQ+ Network will stage its annual Pride festival on June 7 from 12-5 p.m. at Buttonwood Park. The Network expects record attendance this year as the community “seeks solace from all the negative changes our society is undergoing,” according to its website.

“We want to do local things and know where people are at,” Andy Pollock, president of the South Coast LGBTQ+ Network, said. “That’s where the battles really happen and we can make change.”

The New Bedford Rude Boys, a ska, reggae and rocksteady infusion group, will lead the festival’s entertainment. Additional entertainment includes speakers, tribal dancers and drag performers. The event provides dancing, crafting, games, vendors and free T-shirts to all festivalgoers.

Pollock said one of the Network’s focuses is accommodating older adults in the LGBTQ+ community who are “often forgotten and isolated.” To accomplish this, the Network will set aside a tent closer to the entertainment for elders so they can celebrate comfortably. 

The Network also encourages supportive religious congregations to attend the festival, Pollock said.

The New Bedford Pride Block Party immediately follows the festival at the Gallery Bar from 6 p.m.-close. This 21+ event requires a $10 cover at the door. 

The Taunton Pride festival takes place the following weekend on June 14 from 12-5 p.m. with an afterparty at Bobby’s Nightclub from 6 p.m.-close. The Taunton Pride Afterparty is also 21+ with a $10 cover. 

The South Coast LGBTQ+ Network is looking for performers and food trucks until Friday, May 23. For those interested, check out its website. 

Other Pride Month related events held throughout June include: 

• June 6-27, Fridays at 5:30 p.m.: Kripalu certified yoga instructor Christopher Swanson will be leading Pride Yoga for yogis of all ages and experiences throughout June at Sangha New Bedford. The event is free and no registration is required. 
• June 12: Being Seen: Celebrating SouthCoast Pride Exhibition Opening — This art exhibition by Design Art Technology Massachusetts (DATMA) sheds light on the impact and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. The three-story textile installation, designed by New York-based textile artist Liz Collins, will be placed in front of New Bedford City Hall to increase LGBTQIA+ visibility throughout the South Coast. A multi-sensory exhibition at Gallery X accompanies this installation, displaying LGBTQ+ artworks and the history of the Pride Movement with a focus on local figures. The exhibition will open to the public Thursday, June 12, and an opening reception takes place Friday, June 13, 6-8 p.m. 
• June 12: AHA! PRIDE — Standing for Art, History, Architecture, AHA! creates art and culture experiences for New Bedford free of charge on the second Thursday of each month with live music performances, as well as art and poetry. Each session presents a different theme, with Pride as the theme for June. 
• June 23-28 6 p.m.: South Coast Pride Summer Art Group — This is an opportunity for attendees to express themselves using the visual arts. Materials and refreshments provided. 

Cape Verdean Recognition Week

July 5, 2025, symbolizes 50 years since Cape Verdean independence was declared. The City of New Bedford, where many of its citizens have Cape Verdean roots, is dedicating the entire month of July to Cape Verdean independence beginning this year. 

The Cape Verdean Recognition Parade, one of the year’s most highly anticipated events, begins at 11 a.m. on July 5. Diane Gomes, parade chairperson, said the parade committee asked groups marching to include representations of Cape Verdean culture in their decorations like the flag or traditional colors.

“We’re trying to make [the parade] extra special and a little bit more celebratory of our Cape Verdean culture because this is the 50th anniversary of independence,” Gomes said. 

The parade, featuring marching bands, a world-class drum corps and local music and entertainment, originates at Union Street before turning right onto Acushnet Avenue, and then Grinnell Street. It culminates on Purchase Street at the Cape Verdean Veterans Memorial Hall. 

The Cape Verdean Kultura Festa, making its second appearance after debuting last year, takes place directly after the parade. This free community event, from 2-6 p.m., presents local arts, crafts, vendors and DJs. Plans for a live Cape Verdean band are in the works, Gomes said.

The parade’s committee chose community activist John “Buddy” Andrade as this year’s grand marshal due to his community involvement, Gomes said. Andrade participated in a small group of people in New Bedford who garnered support for the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, the political party responsible for liberating Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde from Portugal in the early 1970s. 

Andrade and this group organized the First Regional Conference of Cape Verdeans in Plymouth, Mass. and opened the first U.S. National Support Committee office of the P.A.I.G.C. in 1973.

The Cape Verde Recognition Committee recognized Andrade at its 14th Annual Gala. “This small group of people was responsible for bringing about awareness of and educating people of the Cape Verdean community of New Bedford and southeastern Mass. about the ongoing struggle to secure independence of Cabo Verde,” read the gala’s program.

Andrade presently serves as president of the Minority Action Committee and executive director of Old Bedford Village Development and Youth Conservation Corp.

Ivan Brito, president of the Cape Verdean Recognition Committee, the nonprofit organization behind Cape Verdean Recognition Week, said one of the most exciting parts of the Cape Verdean Recognition Week for him is meeting the people who travel to New Bedford for the celebrations. Brito said these visitors hail from New England states and as far as California. 

“It’s just a big gathering of family and friends,” Brito said. “The exciting part is to see all the people you haven’t seen in a while, and everybody enjoying the day and enjoying their Cape Verdean pride and displaying our pride and using it.” 

There will be several other events to celebrate. These include: 

• June 26: The Cape Verdean Recognition Scholarship Awards Ceremony at 6 p.m. at the New Bedford Whaling Museum
• June 29: Memorial Mass for Deceased Members of the CVRC at Our Lady of Assumption Church at 9 a.m. 
• June 30: Republic of Cape Verde flag-raising at the steps of New Bedford City Hall at 6 p.m.
• July 4: Underground Railroad Cafe bike ride to celebrate Cape Verdean independence — Attendees meet at Montes Park and have the option to participate in a 13-mile adult ride or a children’s ride to Hazelwood Beach. The beach will hold an “extended, multi-generation family picnic,” with vendors and games. 
• July 6: Starting on this day, there will be live Cape Verdean music at Cape Verdean Veterans’ Hall every Sunday from 7-11 p.m.

Sept. 5: Later in the summer months, the New Bedford Whaling Museum hosts Candida Rose Baptista for KabuJazz: Celebrating Cape Verdean Independence Through Music. This First Friday event honors Cape Verdean independence with a live performance by Baptista and the KabuJazz Ensemble, blending Cabo Verdean and American musical traditions. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the performance begins at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for museum members and $20 for the general public. 

The Buzzard’s Bay Musicfest

This five-day classical music concert series, taking place at Tabor Academy’s Fireman Performing Arts Center near Buzzards Bay in Marion, will be held July 9-13 starting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. 

Since 1997, when the Musicfest began, this concert series has been a staple for classical music lovers. Wednesday and Sunday will feature orchestra music from different local performers, while Thursday and Saturday will bring forward a series of chamber music performances. BBMF Swing Band takes the stage Friday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m.

NB Roots and Branches Festival

The NB Roots and Branches Festival, heralded to be “everything acoustic by and for the people,” returns to New Bedford from July 18-19 for the third time. This year’s 65+ performances and 12 locations have nearly doubled the festival’s starting numbers in 2023. 

“Our festival is designed to be a hyper-local festival,” said Jeff Angeley, one of the two directors. “We hire pretty much exclusively local bands. We do have some regional bands, but we don’t hire outside of [about] an hour drive. We’re really specifically representing bands and traditional musics of the cultures that are here in our city. It’s kind of like a big block party.”

The festival features several artistic expressions, from music to theater to visual arts, including a Friday night kickoff contra dance and a “moving panorama” culminating event. The music selection, although it mainly includes traditional music, encompasses a broad range from jazz to classical to rock.

The festival works in collaboration with “foundational businesses” in downtown New Bedford, so attendees can immerse themselves in the music in local spaces.

“We’re bringing people directly into businesses and turning those into stages,” Angeley said. “We have a working relationship with a stack of places, and that’s grown this year as well. We’ve had people since the very beginning who have been really generous and given us space. We’re really excited, because it becomes a ton of foot traffic and a real opportunity to get to know new people.”

A slew of new entertainment will also be established this year, including theater events, a parade and a creative makerspace, typically a collaborative workspace with provided materials, led by Hooly J. Chan in Wings Court. 

“We are about building a community in New Bedford and supporting the one that’s here,” Angeley said. “[We are] taking the lead of the communities that are here and how they want to present themselves.”

The 109th Feast of the Blessed Sacrament

The Feast of the Blessed Sacrament celebrates Portuguese culture from July 31-Aug. 3. The celebration includes surprise entertainment, family-friendly events, a carnival, parade, museum and traditional food and wine. The Feast is New England’s largest annual free event and an “integral part of summer in New Bedford,” according to John Alves, vice president of the Blessed Sacrament Executive Board.

Saturday marks Walgreens Family Fun Day, where children under 12 can eat free from noon-4 p.m. and senior citizens receive a 50% discount on food. Although Portuguese entertainment is present all four days of the Feast, Saturday’s entertainment will solely be provided by Portuguese performers. 

The annual Feast parade begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3. The procession starts at Brooklawn Park before turning onto Acushnet Avenue and then Earle Street to the Immaculate Conception Church. It then heads north on Madeira Avenue towards Madeira Field before culminating on the Feast grounds. 

Keolis Mass Adventures is partnering with the Feast on Saturday and Sunday to make the event accessible to Boston residents. The special package deal includes transportation from Boston to New Bedford using commuter rail lines, a shuttle from the New Bedford stop to the Feast grounds, and a $20 food coupon.  

“The concept is going to Portugal by train for the first time ever, or at least Madeira,” Alves said. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to grab a glass of Madeira wine (which was famously used as a toast for signing the Declaration of Independence, according to Alves) and immerse yourself in traditional Madeiran culture.

The Underground Railroad Cafe

Although an official opening day has not yet been announced, the Underground Railroad and Cafe has several events planned for the community. The cafe will hold one-time and recurring events throughout the summer as a “multipurpose [center] serving the needs of the community in all aspects,” owner Carleen Cordwell said.

“We hope to have a community center for arts [and] music, so children can realize their artistic abilities that everyone has,” Cordwell said.

Scheduled events include: 

• July 4: Bike Ride to celebrate Cape Verdean independence — Starting at Montes Park, attendees have the option to participate in an adult ride for 13 miles or a children’s ride to Hazelwood Beach. The beach will hold an “extended, multi-generation family picnic,” with vendors and games. 
• June 21: The Oversoul Theatre Collective will host a residency at the Underground Railroad Cafe at  8 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month. Summer dates include June 21, July 19, Aug. 16, and Sept. 16. The initiative, spearheaded by Wampanoag, Cape Verdean and Latino artists, preserves culture and local traditions while providing space for creativity. Programs include The Thump & Soul Session, the Jazz Culture Workshop and Jam Session, and The Griot’s Corner. 
• June 21 and June 28: Bike Clinics — The cafe will also host a bike clinic for the community. Donations for gently used bikes and helmets are currently open.
• July 10: Live soul, blues and jazz music will be performed at the Underground Railroad Cafe, 213 Acushnet Ave. from 8-10:30 p.m. for 2nd Thursday Blues. 

Cordwell said there will also be events celebrating Cape Verdean Heritage Month in July that are being confirmed and will be announced soon.

Mark your calendar

Although festivals are clearly a classic way to pass time in New Bedford, keep an eye out for other events that you won’t want to miss. 

May 30: Prior to making its street debut in front of the Bristol Building this summer, EPIC Southcoast will host a free piano painting event. From 5:30-7:30 p.m., head to Wings Court to add some character to this new street piano. 

May 30: The Summer Sounds Series kicks off at the end of May and will be held every Friday night from 6:30-8:30 p.m. With an array of music featured from reggae to blues, these free concerts provide the opportunity for dancing, cultural immersion and entertainment.

June 5: Starting June 5 and continuing every Thursday from 2-6 p.m. until October, the Coastal Foodshed’s Learn to Love program showcases local musicians and chefs at the New Bedford Farmers Market in Buttonwood Park. Fresh produce, live music and interactive workshops create a hub for cultural diversity. The market is also a SNAP access site to make healthy food more accessible. 

June 7: The New Bedford Oysterfest is coming back to Cisco Brewers for its second year after its first fest sold out. Seafood lovers can feast on oysters from 12-4:30 p.m. while enjoying drinks with live music on the waterfront. Presale tickets cost $35, while tickets bought the day of the event will be $40. Proceeds support the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center. 

June 10: The Art Museum of New Bedford celebrates three decades as a hub for arts in the South Coast with its 30th anniversary gala from 6-8:30 p.m. The night is filled with an exhibition for guests to explore, aerial performances, a painting reveal and the awarding of the Patron of the Arts Awards. Both individual and couples tickets are available here. 

June 12: AHA! Nights will be returning to downtown New Bedford with live music performances from local musicians. The nights are the second Thursday of each month, and this year’s summer themes are: PRIDE, Kids Rule, Summer in the Seaport and NB Cultures.

June 12-15: The 2025 Day of Portugal celebration will take place over four days at Madeira Field, 50 Madeira Ave. This year’s performers include Michelle Pereira, the Discovery Language Academy Folkloric Group, the Grupo Folclórico Sociedade Cultural Açoriana and Rancho Folclórico Clube Recordações de Portugal. Friday, June 12, kicks off the celebration with a flag-raising ceremony at 6:30 p.m. at New Bedford City Hall with a performance by the Discovery Language Academy Folkloric Group.

June 13: The Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum hosts its 40th anniversary celebration from 6-9 p.m. DJ Jordan Paiva will be spinning musical beats for the events among the rubies and roses themed decor. The $150 tickets provide guests access to the garden, food, an open bar and a donation. Proceeds go towards the Museum’s “education, community outreach and preservation efforts.”

June 14: “Lift Us Up” will be a Juneteenth celebration from 1-2:30 p.m. at Abolition Row Park, 22 7th St., that celebrates people of color and uses art to denounce injustice. Performances illuminate Black artists Iva Brito, Hendrick Hernandez-Resto, Gabriel Johnson, Maia Livramento in musical collaboration with Malian drummer Sidy Maiga and members of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra. The community and culture event recalls New Bedford’s past and brings attention to current struggles for equality.

June 14: For its 12th year, the Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Festival gives participants the opportunity to indulge in over 50 wines hailing from 14 different vineyards in Southeastern New England. Participants can choose from three different sessions from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 2-4:30 p.m. and 5-7:30 p.m. For $55, participants receive a wine-tasting glass, 50+ wine samples, cheese, chocolate and local artisan products. 

June 21: The 3rd annual Cisco Brewers New Bedford Irish Music Festival will be held at Cisco from 1-9 p.m. The Kelly School of Irish Dance will perform, and performers from across New England will present traditional Irish music. Step dancers and bagpipe players cultivate even more Irish culture to round out this celebration.

June 28: The 1.2-mile Buzzards Bay Swim takes place from 7-11 a.m. for those who wish to brave the open waters of outer New Bedford Harbor. The route passes the Butler Flats Lighthouse and the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier. Swimmers pay a $30 registration fee with a $300 minimum to raise money for the Buzzards Bay Coalition, a nonprofit working to preserve clean water in the South Coast region. The race concludes with a beach party decked out with a live steel drum band, pancakes, coffee and local beer. 

June 29: On June 29, July 13 and July 24, artist, author and educator Candida Rose Baptista will visit different areas in New Bedford for Exploring New Bedford’s Cabo Verdean-American musical legacy: a KabuMerikanus Sonic Book presentation and concert. Baptista’s book, “Kabumerikanus: The Sum of US,” is used as a way to explore musical connection between Cabo Verde and the U.S. The venues are Cabo-Verdean owned clubs and spaces. Specific dates and locations are:

• June 29 at Ultra Marine Band Club, 181-185 Acushnet Ave. 
• July 13 at Cape Verdean Vets Memorial Hall, 561 Purchase St. 
• July 24 at the Underground Railroad Cafe, 213 Acushnet Ave. 

July 4: The Jethros, a “fixture in New Bedford’s music scene,” will vamp up the Fourth of July from 6:30-8:25 p.m. at the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s First Friday celebration. The band combines a mix of musical genres ranging from folk to mariachi to swing jazz. The city’s firework display can be viewed from the Museum’s Harbor View Terrace following the performance at 8:30 p.m. Museum doors open at 5 p.m. for an opportunity to explore its galleries after hours. Tickets are $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Available to purchase here. 

July 10: From July 10-13, the Whaling City Festival commemorates one of the most influential aspects of New Bedford culture. The carnival with food vendors opens at Buttonwood Park on Thursday, July 10, from 4-8:30 p.m. and 12-8:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, July 11-13. 

Aug. 7: Shakespeare in New Bedford with Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Reverie Theatre Group offers a free outdoor theater performance of “Romeo and Juliet” at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum, 396 County St. Performances are sensory friendly in this open-air venue, and this year is the first time the actors will perform a drama instead of a comedy, said Margo Saulnier, creative strategist of the New Bedford Economic Development Council. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 7-9 and 14-16, and at 2 p.m. on Aug. 10 and 17.

Aug. 31: Reggae on West Beach brings together reggae music, dance and local performances at West Beach and Hazelwood Park. The initiative aims to revamp underutilized spaces through a “multigeneration event that brings the community together.” From 12-6 p.m. on Aug. 31, enjoy beats by DJ Sleepy, DJ Nomad and DJ Frankie Rhymin’ while supporting local businesses nearby.

In addition to these special summer events, The New Bedford Light updates its Arts and Culture Calendar on a daily basis for additional events and information. Events can be submitted here. 

Crystal Yormick, a journalism student at Boston University, is a summer intern at The New Bedford Light. She can be reached at cyormick@newbedfordlight.org.