The New Bedford Whaling Museum and the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office will open Bristol County: Incarcerated on Oct. 24. The exhibit traces the history of local incarceration from the 18th-century jail in Taunton to New Bedford’s Ash Street Jail. The Ash Street facility is the oldest continuously operating jail in the nation. Artifacts include the […]
Local food pantries need help building supplies as SNAP benefits change. Reggae on West Beach (ROWB) is organizing a food and baby item drive for area families in need. Businesses are asked to host donation boxes provided and maintained by ROWB. Boxes will be picked up monthly or sooner if full. The business with the […]
See the faces of 19th-century America in a new special exhibition opening Jan. 16, 2026. "Look Pleasant, Please: Early Portrait Photography in New Bedford," explores portrait photography in a growing and diverse coastal city. Images highlight the changing relationship between photographer and sitter in a complex urban economy. Featured works include one of the last […]
PACE Head Start is accepting applications for the September 2026 school year. The free program serves about 200 children ages 3 to 5 from income-eligible families in New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and Acushnet. Children receive early education programs intended to prepare them for kindergarten. Programming includes classroom learning, health services, parent education, family support, and […]
Proteanna: Susan Heideman is on view at the New Bedford Whaling Museum from May 29 through Nov. 1. The exhibition features large-scale mixed-media works by Heideman inspired by ocean life and imagined underwater forms. Combining watercolor, collage, and hand embroidery, the pieces create richly layered, textured compositions that blur the line between real and imagined […]
Synergies: Hybrid Art runs June 4 through Aug. 30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for seniors and students. The juried exhibition features 19 artists working across multiple media. The work explores intersections of artistic disciplines, materials, and technologies. It highlights experimental approaches to form and expression. Jurors […]
Horizons for Homeless Children is seeking volunteers for its Playspace Program across Massachusetts. Horizons supports young children experiencing homelessness through early education, play, and family services. The organization operates trauma-informed Playspaces inside family shelters. Spaces include books, toys, crafts, and activities designed to help children feel safe and supported. Volunteers, known as Playspace Activity Leaders […]
“Vanishing Ecologies: Speculative Futures” opens June 25 at the New Bedford Art Museum with a free reception from 5 to 8 p.m. The exhibit remains on view through Oct. 11. Through painting, sculpture, installation, and time-based media, artists explore climate change, extinction, technology, and imagined futures shaped by the Anthropocene. Several works examine the tension […]
Summer activities run daily at the New Bedford Whaling Museum from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Activities are free with museum admission. Mondays: Revolutionary Moments Commemorate America's 250th anniversary on alternating Mondays: June 29, July 13 and 27, and Aug. 10 and 24. Tuesdays: Lagoda Days Explore above and below deck aboard the Lagoda whaling […]
The community is invited to a free outdoor yoga series on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. from June 4 through Oct. 1 at Haskell Gardens on 777 Shawmut Ave. A certified instructor leads the class, which is suitable for all experience levels. Participants should bring a yoga mat, water, a towel, and optional yoga blocks. On-street […]
“Sailors' Valentines: Maritime Art From the Heart” is on view through Nov. 8 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Shell-covered keepsakes, known as sailors' valentines, have long been tied to maritime history. The exhibition traces the art form from its 19th-century origins to modern interpretations through historic pieces and contemporary works. Displays highlight the craftsmanship, […]
The Mattapoisett Free Public Library is collecting donations for a local food pantry through Aug. 30. For each nonperishable, unexpired food or household item donated, the library will waive $1 in overdue fines, up to the total amount owed. Donations may be dropped off at either circulation desk. Requested items include canned vegetables, fruit, soup, […]
Pet food donations continue through August at SurfSide New Bedford. Donations will support local pet food pantries, including P.A.C.E. Community Food Pantry.
Mail-in and absentee ballots are now available for New Bedford's state primary election. Any registered voter can request a ballot online, by mail, in person at City Hall, or by calling the Elections Office at 508-979-1420. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot for the state primary is Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. . […]
Adriance Furnituremakers highlights work by local artisans in the Showroom Gallery. Each piece shows the maker’s style. Each one brings character to the space. John Magnan shifted to art after an early retirement from a technical career. The change led to studies at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Magnan later earned an MFA in […]
Mass 2-1-1 and Lyft have teamed up to offer Relief Rides, a limited free transportation program for eligible individuals without access to other local options. Rides are available for critical non-emergency needs such as food access, short-term work transportation, and medical or mental health appointments. The service is open to qualified residents in Fall River […]
A reminder that flu and COVID cases rise during this season. Vaccines help protect families and reduce severe illness. Residents can schedule appointments through state vaccination sites or local providers. Information is available at mass.gov/seasonal-vaccines.
Melville in Our Seaport is a four-day literary and cultural festival showcasing Herman Melville and New Bedford’s connection to Moby-Dick. The event unites writers, historians, artists, and scholars. Together, they will explore Melville’s life, the city’s whaling history, and the novel's lasting impact. Attendees can join guided walking tours, author talks, and panel discussions. The […]
Gardeners in Dartmouth have a new reason to visit the stacks. Dartmouth Public Library will launch a free Seed Library on March 2 at both branches. Limited seed packets will be available to help residents get the growing season started. The program encourages gardening, sustainability, and local food production. Participants can take seeds, grow plants, […]
Team Trivia begins at 6 p.m. each Thursday at Buzzards Bay Brewing. Tacos are available starting at 4 p.m. from BBQ y MAS TACOS+. Crowds test their knowledge in groups and compete for prizes. Teams compete for prizes while participants settle in with tacos and drinks before questions begin. Buzzards Bay Brewing opens at 3 […]
The Siren Scene will bring artists together for a Super Troopers-inspired figure drawing session Thursday, Aug. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Play Arcade in New Bedford. Fee is $15. A male model will pose in a state trooper-inspired costume with aviator sunglasses, an exaggerated mustache, traffic cones, a ticket book and other playful […]
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 […]
CUFFE: TAXED Film Premiere and Discussion begins on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 5:30 p.m. at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Doors open at 5 p.m. Set during the American Revolution, the 14-minute film follows 19-year-old Paul Cuffe and his brother-in-law Michael Wainer as they sail through a British blockade to deliver food to Nantucket. The […]
United Way of Greater New Bedford's Mobile Market is back, offering free fresh produce to working residents from July through October. Produce is provided by Sharing the Harvest Community Farm, a program of YMCA Southcoast Dartmouth. The market is held on Thursdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and alternates weekly between two New Bedford locations. […]
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