Each May marks National Preservation Month, highlighting the art, history, architecture, and stories that shape New Bedford. AHA! Night on Thursday, May 14, focuses on Preservation Celebration as part of ArtWeek SouthCoast. The Nathan and Mary Polly Johnson House will open from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for docent-led tours focused on the home’s connection to […]
New Bedford Whaling Museum will take part in AHA! Night on Thursday, May 14, with an evening of history, music, and community activities. Free museum admission will be offered from 4 to 5 p.m. Limited museum access continues from 5 to 8 p.m. A performance by Old Time Fiddle Session begins at 6 p.m.
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center will open “In History’s Wake” on May 14, a new installation tracing the lasting effect of the 1976 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act on the commercial fishing industry. The exhibit will remain on display through spring 2027. The landmark law established a 200-mile fishing limit and prohibited foreign factory […]
Curious Figure 3 will be on view during AHA! Night on Thursday, May 14. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is free. The reception is part of the citywide arts celebration. Galleries, studios, and cultural groups will present programs across downtown New Bedford. Visitors can stop in throughout the evening. The exhibition features contemporary […]
Living the Old House Dream is part of the AHA! Preservation Celebration on May 14 from 6 to 7 p.m. The program is presented by Waterfront Historic Area League and Rotch-Jones-Duff House Museum & Gardens. Homeowner and preservation enthusiast Laura Parrish shares how she approached restoring historic homes without formal training. Her work is guided […]
The AHA! Night Pride Block Party on June 11 is seeking volunteers and people interested in joining future Pride Block Party planning committees. Anyone who has wanted to be part of the annual celebration now has a chance to get involved. Volunteer signups are available at bit.ly/AHAPrideVolunteers.
AHA! Pride is Thursday, June 11, with music, art, dance, and community events across downtown New Bedford. YMCA Southcoast sponsors the event. The annual Pride Block Party features live performances, […]
Free live music is back in downtown New Bedford with the 2026 Summer Sound Series. The outdoor concerts feature nine Friday night performances on select dates from June through September. Music runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. The July 3 concert begins at 6 p.m. and will be followed by fireworks over […]
Free live music is back in downtown New Bedford with the 2026 Summer Sound Series. The outdoor concerts feature nine Friday night performances on select dates from June through September. Music runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. The July 3 concert begins at 6 p.m. and will be followed by fireworks over […]
AHA! Night on Thursday, July 9, from 3 to 10 p.m. brings live entertainment, art, and family fun to Custom House Square and nearby venues. Visitors can watch Big Nazo Puppets, Aerialicious Entertainment, and Smile Factory clowns. They can get their faces painted, hear live music by Stone Gon, stroll the Seaport Art Walk, climb […]
Discover the history and culture of New Bedford's fishing industry during AHA! Night at the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center on Thursday, July 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. Free activities include scallop-shell decorating, survival-suit races, face painting, and more.
Night at the Museum Art Night and Pizza Party is Thursday, July 9, from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is free. Middle school students can explore art during AHA! Night through guided tours of two exhibitions and hands-on mixed media projects. Pizza will be provided.
Free live music is back in downtown New Bedford with the 2026 Summer Sound Series. The outdoor concerts feature nine Friday night performances on select dates from June through September. […]
Free live music is back in downtown New Bedford with the 2026 Summer Sound Series. The outdoor concerts feature nine Friday night performances on select dates from June through September. Music […]
AHA! Night: Summer in the Seaport turns downtown New Bedford into a playground of live music, art, workshops and free family fun Thursday, Aug. 13 beginning at 4 p.m. . […]
Scallopalooza returns to the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center on Thursday, Aug. 13, from 5 to 8 p.m. The free AHA! Night celebration showcases New Bedford's scallop industry with a scallop shucking competition, live music, food vendors, family activities, and fishing industry demonstrations. Jason Roze will perform at 5 p.m. The scallop shucking competition begins […]
"New Bedford Rocks the Park" is a series of five free outdoor concerts on Thursdays from July 9 through Aug. 13, 6 to 8 p.m., at Custom House Square. The Whaling History Alliance presents the family-friendly program to promote the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. Here’s this year’s lineup: July 9: Stone Gon — […]
SOUTH COAST ARTISTS! You’re being hunted. Maybe haunted. Definitely not ghosted. The New Bedford Light is on the trail for art works of all kinds in a Halloween frame of […]
Downtown New Bedford will showcase local cultures at AHA! Night on Thursday, Sept. 10. At Custom House Square, First People Encounter will host “Somos las Raíces/We Are the Roots” from […]
Saxophonist and music educator Emmanuel “Manny” Escobar and musician and educator Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor will lead a free jazz jam during AHA! Night. Musicians, vocalists, visual artists, and audience members are welcome. Participants can bring instruments, writing materials, or listen. No prior jam experience is required. The first 30 minutes will spotlight young musicians and […]
With dreary weather in the forecast, AHA! Night: Tunes, Treats & Creative Streets offers something to look forward to and a chance to lift your spirits on Thursday, Oct. 8. […]
Visit the grounds for an autumn evening of family-friendly activities on Thursday, Oct. 8, 4 to 8 p.m. See jack-o’-lanterns carved by local community members and play lawn games in […]
Jazz Jam Featuring Manny Escobar and Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor will be held Thursday, Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. on AHA! Night. Doors open at 5 p.m. Admission is free. Saxophonist […]
Area artists let the dark side of their imaginations take flight 🦇 at the next Arts Illuminated live talk show and sale, on Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Steeple Playhouse in New Bedford. Hosted by The New Bedford Light, this unique event features short sessions with selected creators, framed by samples of their work. In […]
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