Arts and Culture
To submit an event for our Culture Calendar, please use our submission form. Please remember to heed the latest public health COVID-19 precautions.
HOLIDAYS
Saturday, Dec. 9, from 5–6 p.m.
NEW BEDFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY
City of New Bedford Downtown Tree Lighting
New Bedford Festival Theater executive producer Armand Marchand will emcee this year’s tree-lighting celebration.
A parade will march from William Street, near the Whaling Museum, to the library steps at 4:30 p.m. New Bedford High School’s marching band, color guard, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will participate in the procession.
Mayor Mitchell will deliver remarks at the library, followed by a sing-along with New Bedford Festival Theater. A mix of classic holiday hits and new selections will be sung. Songbooks will be provided.
New Life Church and Community Services will provide free hot chocolate.
Sunday, Dec. 10 from 1–7 p.m.
THE VAULT
Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl
All proceeds will benefit the Friends of Jack Foundation. Participants are encouraged to wear an ugly holiday sweater and make a $20 donation. Tickets are available in advance through Eventbrite or at the door on the event day.
Schedule of stops:
1 p.m.— Vault Music Hall & Pub
2 p.m. — Freestones City Grill
3 p.m. — Rose Alley Ale House
4 p.m. — Cork Wine & Tapas
5 p.m. — PLAY Arcade
Sunday, Dec. 10, from 1–5 p.m.
JAMES ARNOLD MANSION
29th annual Holiday House Tour
Discover what makes New Bedford architecture unique by participating in the annual Holiday House Tour. The tour begins with a brunch at the New Bedford Preservation Society headquarters at the James Arnold Mansion at 11 a.m. During tour hours, a holiday raffle and silent auction will be held. Brunch reservations are suggested but not required. Reservations for brunch can be made by calling 508-997-7431.
Tour tickets are $25 for members and $30 for non-members.
Sunday, Dec. 10, at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
NEW BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL
NBSO: Holiday Pops
This season’s spirit is alive and well with Yaniv, NBSO musicians, and special guests, including The Showstoppers and Southeastern Massachusetts Youth Orchestra. The 3:30 p.m. matinee is suitable for children and the young. The evening show has more music, but all ages will enjoy it. Both performances last about one hour without an intermission.
Tickets for both performances cost $20–43 and $10 for students.
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT
Marine Heatwaves Exhibit
New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United StatesMarine Heatwaves is on view from May 23–December 31 in the museum’s Jacobs Family Gallery. This installation combines art with oceanography. The exhibit finds a common language between art and […]
Sea Monsters: Real and Imagined
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center 38 Bethel St., New Bedford, MA, United States"Sea Monsters Real and Imagined" is a new exhibit that opens on July 13 (AHA! Night) and will remain on view until December 31. The exhibit showcases real-life deep sea […]
Common Ground: Community Story
New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United StatesSince 2018, the Museum has been engaged in an extensive oral history project called “Common Ground.” If you have not already, we need you to participate in this ground-breaking project. […]
Whaling Museum Call for Artists
New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United StatesApplications for the museum's Local Artist Showcase display case are now being accepted from local artists. NBWM will accept submissions until December 2023 to fill the display case in 2024. Visit […]
All Hands Exhibit at the Whaling Museum
New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States"All Hands" explores the fascinating link between American whaling and the U.S. Navy. Michael Dyer, Curator of Maritime History, looks at the intersection of whaling and the U.S. Navy from […]
Fuenzalida, Francis & Deininger Exhibit
New Bedford Creative 1213 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA, United StatesThis is an inaugural exhibit for a brand new art space in the heart of New Bedford. The opening is Thursday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. The exhibit will be […]
Gateways to Awareness Exhibit
New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St., New Bedford, MA, United StatesGateways to Awareness explores the role of memory, perception, and the five senses in our appreciation of art and the world around us. The artworks in the exhibition engage the […]
Art Celebrated Exhibition
Judith Klein Art Gallery 127 West Rodney French Blvd., Suite 287, New Bedford, MA, United StatesThe "Art Celebrated" exhibit showcases oil, acrylic, and mixed media paintings, printmaking and sculptures. Participating artist include: Alma Cummings, Mary Hurwitz, Judith Klein, Teresa Manning, Sheila Oliveira, Barbara Roessner and Suzanne […]
Poetic Variations: Anatomy of a Process Exhibit
UMass CVPA Main Campus 285 Old Westport Road, Dartmouth, MA, United States"Poetic Variations: Anatomy of a Process" is an exhibition of silver monoprints by Denny Moers in the CVPA Campus Gallery from November 21, 2023, through January 27, 2024. The opening […]
New Art Exhibits at The Ignition Space
Ignition Space 341 South Main St., Fall River, MA, United StatesFRACC presents two new exhibitions, "Nurture" and "Lithobates," featuring local artists Megan O. Kenealy and Arianne Barrett. These two women are both MAT candidates in Visual Arts at Bridgewater State […]
South Coast Artists Holiday Exhibit
Dartmouth Cultural Center 404 Elm Street, Dartmouth, MA, United StatesSouth Coast Artists celebrates the holiday season with the 6th annual Holiday Arts Exhibit. The opening reception is on Friday, Dec. 1 from 5-8 p.m., during the Padanaram Holiday Stroll […]
Meditations on Landscape III — Call for Submissions
VirtualMeditations on Landscape is a ten-day exhibit and festival celebrating the landscapes of the South Coast. Now in its third year, the exhibit displays the work of local photographers alongside […]
The Landscape About Us: A SouthCoast Anthology – Call for Submissions
VirtualThe Landscape About Us: A SouthCoast Anthology will be published in spring, 2024. A project of Midori Creativity along with the Westport Writers Group, the collection of essays, poetry, and […]
Maritime History Exhibition: All Hands! Yankee Whaling and the U.S. Navy
New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United StatesThe maritime history exhibition All Hands! Yankee Whaling and the U.S. Navy will open at the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s Braitmayer Gallery on Sept. 1, 2023, and remain on display […]
Holiday Scarf Making Class
New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St., New Bedford, MA, United StatesLearn how to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off and become a confident knitter. The fee is $100 for members and $110 for non-members. All materials are included. Ages […]
The Wandering Brush Holiday Watercolor Class: Ornament & Cards
Viva Fall River Maker Shop 333 South Main Street, Fall River, MA, United StatesDiscover the joy of watercolor with Lana of The Wandering Brush at Viva Maker Shop's festive event. This workshop is suitable for beginners, teens, and watercolor enthusiasts. Students will create […]
The Concept Duo at Rose Alley
Rose Alley Ale House 94 Front St., New Bedford, MA, United StatesThe Concept Duo performs at Rose Alley Ale House every Thursday. The popular party band plays Top 40, Rock, Alt Rock, dance, and sing-along style music from the ’80s until […]
Musical Bingo and Karaoke at the Vault
The Vault Music Hall and Pub 791 Purchase St., New Bedford, MA, United StatesThe Vaults hosts musical bingo and karaoke every Thursday night. Bingo starts at 6:30 p.m. and karaoke starts at 8:30 p.m.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year Murder Mystery
Pub 6T5 736 Ashley Blvd, New Bedford, MA, United StatesIn this seasonal standup show, the jolly jokester is upstaged by an event far worse than bad holiday humor: a murder. As humbug hovers over the holiday season, it's up […]
Neal McCarthy at Pour Farm
Pour Farm Tavern 780 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA, United StatesNeal McCarthy is one of the more recognizable acoustic guitarists in the New Bedford area. He plays everywhere and plays everything accompanied by a variety of musicians.
Maritime History Exhibition: All Hands! Yankee Whaling and the U.S. Navy
New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United StatesThe maritime history exhibition All Hands! Yankee Whaling and the U.S. Navy will open at the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s Braitmayer Gallery on Sept. 1, 2023, and remain on display […]
Elegant Earrings: Exquisite Figures
New Bedford Art Museum 608 Pleasant St., New Bedford, MA, United StatesThe class will shape earrings into exquisite shapes and figures. Each student can make a couple of pairs of French hook earrings with an assortment of beads in a variety […]
Jackson Neves at Rose Alley
Rose Alley Ale House 94 Front St., New Bedford, MA, United StatesJackson Neves is a music and business major at Wheaton College. He’s also a guitarist, singer, and pianist playing the best music of the ’50s through today.
Keith McCurdy at Cisco
Cisco Brewers Kitchen & Bar 1480 East Rodney French Blvd., New Bedford, MA, United StatesKeith McCurdy from the Providence-based gothic folk/grunge band Vudu Sister will perform solo.