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 February 13, 2025. This is the first of two AHA! Nights highlighting the important, unknown, or under-told stories of the city’s past and present shared through spoken word, music, art, film, and more. February’s AHA! Night has a special emphasis on Black history in honor of Black History Month. The second part of the series, on March 13th, will have a special focus on Women’s History.
On February 13, Gallery X’s Social Justice art exhibit will be the backdrop for 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 Jeanne Costa, Jan Da Silva, Jose Dias, Maia Livramento, and more (5:30-6:30 pm), followed by an open mic hour. Spoken word poet Jamilyn Soares will host the evening. The Akoma Ensemble, directed by royal hartigan, will set the tone for the storytellers, playing jazz throughout the evening, including a special performance by Cape Verdean singer/songwriter Candida Rose.
AHA! partners across downtown will also host events exploring New Bedford stories, with some focusing on stories of love with Valentine’s Day right around the corner. Activities include:
- Celebrate and explore the stories of jazz music and musicians by painting your favorite jazz instrument with washable paints. New Bedford Main Library, 613 Pleasant St., 3-5 pm.
- Enjoy the Whaling Museum exhibit Lighting the Way: SouthCoast Women’s Lives, Labors, Loves, and hear inspiring poetry from poet, writer, author, and creative G.G. Cosmos (Gail A. Gonsalves). There will also be a Valentine’s station, a photobooth under the whale skeletons, chocolate tasting, and a beginner-friendly sketching workshop. New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, 4-8 pm.
- Local authors Margo Connolly-Masson and Gary “G Pa Rhymes” Wakstein share their books and help you tell your own story through creative rhyming, writing, and drawing. The Drawing Room, 22 William Street, 5-7 pm.
- Experience the Whaling National Historical Park Artist-in-Residence, Danny Lulu perform live music with original animations, as well as discuss the New Bedford influences behind his residency project in an informal artist talk and performance. National Park Visitor Center, 33 William Street, 5:30 – 7 pm.
- Hear directly from a number of New Bedford’s retired fish house workers in a facilitated conversation Scaling, Skinning, Cutting, and Packing:n Stories from Women in Fish Processing. This conversation is part of Casting A Wider Net: An Community Oral History Project, which shares stories of communities of color that have been and continue to be an integral part of New Bedford’s fishing industry. New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, 38 Bethel St., 6-7 pm.
- Enjoy Butler Flats Chantey and Chowdah Society, a quintet featuring both acapella and acoustic guitars, connecting the Art Museum’s Arctic Visions exhibition to the whaling industry that made the Arctic a permanent part of the City’s cultural heritage. Songs will be performed relating to the eastern and western Arctic that inspired William Bradford’s photographic expeditions and paintings and the work of Indigenous artists now on display. Stay for the ArtTALK: 1839 to Now, Photography, Technology, and the Fine Arts: The Ever-Shifting Landscape presented by Philadelphia artist RA Friedman. New Bedford Art Museum, 608 Pleasant St., Music starts at 5 pm and the talk at 6 pm.
- Explore the power of love at the RJD. Special guest Donna Cordeiro, resident teacher at Serlingpa Meditation Center, gives a brief talk on the nature of love and leads a guided meditation. Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum, 396 County St., 6-6:45 pm.
- Meet the cast of Wonder of the World, the upcoming show from Your Theatre. Stay for the open rehearsal (beginning at 7 pm) and get a sneak peek of the production. Steeple Playhouse, 159 William St., 6:30 pm
- The New Bedford Film Festival will unveil its official selections for the 2025 festival being held in April. During this highly anticipated event, attendees will experience the exclusive screening of the official video announcing all selected films across various categories, including Narrative Short, Narrative Feature, Documentary Short, TV Series, Animated Short, Music Video, Student Short, PSA, and South Coast Filmmakers. New Bedford Art Museum, 608 Pleasant St., 7 pm.
- Poet and fiction writer Kathleen Latham reads from her recently published collection, The Ones, during Anomaly Poetry’s open mic night. Listen along and bring your own work to share. Co-Creative Center, 7-9 pm.
- Shed all your cares, enjoy live music, improv, and jam with Manny Escobar and friends during the Zeiterion Jazz Jam. Co-Creative Center, 7-8 pm.
- With Valentine’s Day the following day, many 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 or Drag Karaoke at PLAY Arcade! Both begin at 8 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 have a yellow AHA! flag prominently displayed 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 get 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.
AHA! 2025 CALENDAR
- FEBRUARY 13th: I AM NB – Storytelling Series
- MARCH 13th: I AM NB – Storytelling Series
- APRIL 10th: Project Planet
- MAY 8th: Preservation. Celebration.
- JUNE 12th: AHA! Pride
- JULY 10th: Kid’s 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.
