Free arts and cultural event to highlight the power of local stories through words, art, music, and more.
Hear the lesser-known stories of New Bedford during AHA! Night, I AM NB on March 13, 2025. This is the second of a two-part storytelling series highlighting the important, unknown, or under-told stories of the city’s past and present shared through spoken word, music, art, film, and more, with a special focus on Women’s History Month. This month’s AHA! Night is sponsored by Hawthorn Medical.
After an engaging storytelling experience in February, Gallery X will once again host a Moth-style storytelling night organized by AHA! and the New Bedford Historical Society. It will feature youth storytellers (5-5:30 pm), curated tales from Lee Blake, Jan Da Silva, Liz DiCarlo, Hendrick Hernandez-Resto, Juli Parker, and a duo from Your Theatre (5:30-6:30 pm), followed by an open mic hour. You’ll hear stories about college desegregation, finding birth parents, the largest attempted rescue of enslaved people, and many more. Spoken word poet Jamilyn Soares will host the evening. Singer/songwriter Sarah Donner will be the “house band,” providing music for the program. Come early and stay late to enjoy the new Gallery X exhibition Polar Opposites.
AHA! partners across downtown will also host events exploring the stories of New Bedford and beyond, including:
● Step back in time – and into the present as the Whaling Museum brings The New Whaler Bookshop to life. It is a reimagined homage to Helen Elizabeth Ellis’s historic bookstore, created by Beatrice Alder and Kate Frazer Rego with books and zines curated by The Marie Equi Zine Library. Inspired by Ellis’s innovative brick-and-mortar shop and her trailblazing traveling bookstore of the 1920s, this pop-up installation weaves together history, literature, and the diverse stories of 21st-century New Bedford. New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, 4-7 pm.
● Celebrate Women’s History Month by bringing home free youth books that share the stories of women. Choose from memoirs, fantasy and more, while supplies last. Learn more about DATMA’s new community art project and create a drawing to be added to a panel. New Bedford Main Library, 613 Pleasant St., 3-6 pm.
● Learn about Herstory, the intergenerational oral history project pairing high school and college students with older women with ties to New Bedford’s fishing community. Meet project participants, hear stories from the working waterfront – past and present – and learn how you can get involved in this exciting project. New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, 38 Bethel St., 6-7:30 pm.
● Meet the ‘Women Storytellers of New Bedford Light,’ including the new executive editor, its CEO, and reporters. Enjoy a glass of First Amendment Punch as they share their stories and listen to yours! Then stick around for a performance by the Buttonwood Brass band immediately following. Harbor Hotel, 222 Union Street, beginning at 5 pm, with music from 6-8 pm.
● Join The Artists Index for the taping of their next “Live from AHA!” podcast. Share stories with host Ron Fortier as he documents the contributions of contemporary artists and the forgotten and unheralded voices of artists who lived, worked, or were educated here. PLAY Arcade, 34 Union Street, New Bedford, 6-7:30 pm.
● The Kettle Black Gallery premieres the Collective: an exhibit featuring the work of six South Coast artists: Kim Barry, Joan DeCollibus, Christy Gunnels, Butch McCarthy, Robin Nunes, and David Walega. The exhibit will run from March 13 through May 31. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday 3-7 pm, Saturday 12-6 pm, and by appointment. Kettle Black Gallery, 1 Johnny Cake Hill, 5-9 pm on AHA! Night.
● Enjoy the opening of Radical Reinvention: Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture, which presents the work of artists who have redefined the possibilities of ceramics as a medium for sculpture. Do not miss the Provincetown Prints featuring white-line woodcuts from Edward Yasuna’s collection. Children are also invited to make and wear their own paper crown with the Women’s Fund SouthCoast. New Bedford Art Museum, 608 Pleasant St., open until 8 pm, crafts from 5-7 pm.
● Explore The Curious Figure 2, a showcase of figurative artists from around the New Bedford region. Nelson Marlowe, a SWAIN School graduate, will give a talk on “Designing with the Figure Form in Space,” offering insights into the dynamic relationship between the human form and its environment in visual art. The event is organized by Kat Knutsen and will take place at the Co-Creative Center, 137 Union Street, from 5 to 7 p.m.
● Stop by the reception for the new exhibit Drawings Telling Stories and enjoy the performance by folk band Justin Arena and Molly O’Leary. Judith Klein Art Gallery, 127 W. Rodney French Blvd, second floor S287, reception from 3-6 pm, music from 5-6 pm.
● Feeling crafty? Bring your friends and knitting needles to craft together in the cozy parlors of the RJD. Pack your favorite craft (crochet, felting, etc., dry, dust-free art materials only) and your favorite drink (no red wine, please) and they’ll provide the ambiance. Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum, 396 County Street, 5:30-6:30 pm.
● Whaling National Historical Park Artist-in-Residence Danny Lulu performs and discusses his ongoing research in New Bedford, focusing on the intertwining legacies of two historic New England figures, Manjiro Nakanohama and Commodore Matthew Perry. Experience a unique fusion of live music and animation (6-7 pm). Plus, learn about paleontology with Mobile Adventures, exploring prehistoric times through the fascinating world of fossils (5-8 pm). National Park Visitor Center, 33 William Street
● Additional youth activities include the 3rd EyE Youth Empowerment Open House (5-9 p.m.), shamrock decorating with the Beyond House Young Adult Access Center (3-8 p.m.), and kids’ karaoke at PLAY Arcade (6-8 p.m.).
● Join the New Bedford Film Festival (NBFF) in celebrating Adam Marashio and his National Student Production Award Winning film “What Next?.” The National Student Production Awards is an extension of the Emmy Awards, which recognize outstanding achievement in video production. After a screening of the film, there will be a Q&A with Marashio, followed by the announcement of this year’s NBFF nominations. New Bedford Art Museum, 608 Pleasant St., screening at 6 pm, nomination announcement at 7 pm.
● See the unique perspective of local photographer Michael Morris, whose picturesque coastal landscapes, flowers, beaches, oceans, and aerial photography are brought to life with neutral colors and harmonious compositions. Drop in between 5-6 pm and chat with Michael, or reserve your seat for an artist presentation from 6-7 pm. The Drawing Room, 22 William Street, open until 8 pm.
● Shed all your cares, enjoy live music, improv, and jam with Manny Escobar and friends during the Zeiterion Jazz Jam at the Co-Creative Center from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m
● Grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants and bars in downtown New Bedford.
● Downtown boutiques and galleries will be open late so you can shop for the perfect gift.
● Later in the evening, enjoy the Neal McCarthy Trio at Pour Farm Tavern from 8-11:30 pm.
Not sure where to start your AHA! Night? The AHA! team will be handing out schedules and answering questions at the AHA! welcome desk stationed inside Gallery X.
AHA! NIGHT FAST FACTS
- AHA! Nights are always free and open to the public.
- Look for the yellow flags! Most participating locations will prominently display a yellow AHA! flag to help you find AHA! Night activities.
- Park for free on AHA! Nights at the Elm Street and Zeiterion Garages.
- Museums, galleries, and shops will be open late.
- In case of rain, some events may move indoors or be rescheduled.
- The most up-to-date schedule is always available on the AHA! website. (Events are added every day!)
- On AHA! Night, a printed program can be found at Gallery X, the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Visitors Center, and the New Bedford Free Public Library.
UPCOMING AHA! CALENDAR
MARCH 13th: I AM NB – Storytelling Series
APRIL 10th: Project Planet
MAY 8th: Preservation. Celebration.
JUNE 12th: AHA! Pride
JULY 10th: Kids Rule (Adults Too!)
AUGUST 14th: Summer in the Seaport
SEPTEMBER 11th: NB Cultures
OCTOBER 9th: Tunes, Treats & Creative Streets
NOVEMBER 13th: Made in NB
DECEMBER 11th: NB Festive
ABOUT AHA NEW BEDFORD
AHA! New Bedford offers and showcases free arts and cultural programming in downtown New Bedford on the second Thursday of each month, February through December. Since 1999, AHA! Nights have helped build and promote a creative economy that, alongside other arts organizations and supporters, transformed downtown New Bedford into the vital cultural hub it is today. Learn more at ahanewbedford.org.
