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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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, […]
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 […]
Throughout September, Familius will donate a copy of Lisa Sugarman’s “Surviving: Finding Hope After Suicide Loss” to Samaritans Southcoast for each copy purchased online, through the publisher. Sugarman is a board member and Safe Place facilitator. Learn more or purchase the book
New Bedford has a new yard waste collection schedule in effect from September through December 2026. Yard waste will be collected the day after each household’s regular trash day. Friday routes will have yard waste picked up the following Monday. Residents should place materials at the curb by 7 a.m. using paper yard waste bags […]
New Bedford Creative is accepting applications for its 2027 grant cycle, with funding available for local artists, nonprofits, community groups, and small businesses. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. Funding is available through the Art is Everywhere! and Wicked Cool Places programs. General grants range from $3,000 to $10,000 and can support […]
The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) is seeking applicants for a new regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Interested individuals are invited to complete the BPAC membership application form by November 16, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Members will provide input on walking and biking needs across southeastern Massachusetts. The group is expected […]
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 mind for our next Arts Illuminated live talk show. Click here to submit entries by Friday, Sept. 25, for our Thursday, Oct. 8, show – the […]
The New Bedford Art Museum is seeking artists for Analog: An Antidote to AI Art, an exhibition exploring what makes art distinctly human in an era shaped by artificial intelligence. Entry deadline: Sept. 24 Entry fee: $40 for five images, plus $5 for each additional image, up to 10 images Prizes: $1,000 for first place; […]
The Westport Art Group’s fourth annual Invitational Photography Show features work by 30 photographers Sept. 17 through Oct. 4 at the WAG Gallery, 1740 Main Road, Westport Point. An opening reception is set for Friday, Sept. 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. Programs include a photography panel, a drone photography presentation on Saturday, Sept. 26, […]
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.
Weekly mosquito spraying in New Bedford begins June 11 and continues through September. Spraying will be done on Thursdays between 2 a.m. and sunrise, weather permitting. Crews will target parks and public event spaces, including Buttonwood Park, Brooklawn Park, Fort Taber, and several downtown locations. Residents near spray areas may want to close windows overnight […]
Mercy Meals & More is collecting gently used shoes for men and women. Sneakers and boots are preferred. All sizes are accepted. Shoes must not be worn out. Donations can be dropped off at Mercy Meals & More Soup Kitchen at Pilgrim United Church
Mercy Meals & More is a Massachusetts 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides a nutritious start to the day for neighbors in need. A hot breakfast is served Monday through Saturday from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. Guests are treated with dignity and respect. In addition to free meals, the organization offers clothing and foot care. Its mission […]
WAREHAM -- Damien's Food Pantry provides food to residents of Bristol, Plymouth and Barnstable counties on Thursdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Its mission is to help end hunger in the South Coast region of Massachusetts by providing food to individuals experiencing food insecurity, promoting education and awareness about hunger in our community, […]
Families can stop by the Mattapoisett Free Public Library on Thursdays from September 17 through October 29 at 10:30 a.m. Each session will include books, music, activities, and crafts, offering the library’s regular Saturday story time experience.
The Dartmouth Cultural Center will present “Pamela Hoss: A Lifetime of Looking” from Sept. 4–26 at 404 Elm St., Dartmouth. The exhibition will be open Thursdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. An opening reception will be held Friday, Sept. 4, from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by an artist talk on Saturday, […]
Historian Seth Rockman will discuss his book, “Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery,” on Thursday, Sept. 24, from noon to 1 p.m. The event is free. Rockman is a professor of American history at Brown University. His research focuses on slavery, labor, capitalism, and material culture. Published in 2024, " Plantation Goods” examines […]
A 45-minute guided tour of the Rotch-Jones-Duff House is included with museum admission. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and students, and free for visitors 16 and younger.
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