The free arts and cultural event kicks off with annual downtown procession and the crowning of Mother Earth and Father Ocean.
The intersection of creativity and sustainability will be on parade during AHA! Night: Project Planet as artists, residents, businesses, and cultural institutions shine a light on what we can do to protect the Earth. Festivities get into full swing at 5:15 pm at the corner of Market and Pleasant Streets. That’s where the Project Planet Procession, organized by UMASS Dartmouth and the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District, kicks off after the ceremonial crowning of this year’s Mother Earth and Father Ocean.
Chosen by the Greater New Bedford Project Planet Committee for their exceptional stewardship towards the natural environment, Ashley Brister, Farm Director of Sharing the Harvest Community Farm, will be named this year’s Mother Earth; Mark Lavallee, volunteer for Be the Solution to Pollution, Operation Clean Sweep, Buzzards Bay Coalition, and Sippican Land Trust, will be honored as the 2025 Father Ocean.
Hip hop artist T’em Blessed returns to host and will be joined by New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, who was crowned Father Ocean in 2018.
“The City of New Bedford is unwavering in its commitment to supporting a more sustainable future, and we couldn’t do it without the efforts of AHA! and numerous volunteers,” commented Mitchell. “Events like these promote our City’s core values, and I encourage everyone to participate.”
Musician Kim “Miss Myth” Smith will lead the downtown procession, which includes Miss New Bedford, the return of the Creature of the Plasticine Era (the sea monster created from over 30,000 discarded nip bottles), and additional eco-conscious “floats.”
PARADE ROUTE DETAILS
Enjoy the Project Planet Procession from anywhere along the route. The parade begins at the corner of Market and Pleasant Streets around 5:15 pm and makes a square, taking a right on William Street towards Acushnet Ave, moving along Acushnet, then taking a right on Union, then a right on Pleasant. It finishes where it began at the corner of Market and Pleasant for closing remarks.
After the procession, celebrate the opening night awards ceremony for the 2nd annual New Bedford Film Festival, located at Steeple Playhouse. Miss Myth will serenade film festival attendees as they enter, and AHA! Night: Project Planet sponsor, Domino’s Team New Bedford, will supply free pizza. You can also grab a bag of free popcorn at The Drawing Room on your way.
ADDITIONAL AHA! NIGHT ACTIVITIES
Here are some of the activities also happening this AHA! Night:
- Sea Change at the New Bedford Whaling Museum:
- See Community BLOOMS: Katy Rodden Walker, an interdisciplinary art and science exhibition that raises awareness about plastic pollution in our oceans and the natural phenomenon of jellyfish blooms. 4-7 pm
- Walk & Talk: Join Sara Quintal, Senior Restoration Ecologist at Buzzards Bay Coalition, and artist Elaine Alder for a guided conversation on Johnny Cake Hill, exploring the intersection of art, science, and environmental sustainability. 4 pm, meet at the front entrance of the museum, approximately 60 min duration
- Student Showcase: Senior Ecology students from UMass Dartmouth present their capstone projects, focusing on emerging challenges in marine and coastal biodiversity conservation. 4-6 pm
- Salt Marsh Panel, Art Supply Donations, and Community Crafting at The Drawing Room:
- Learn from scientists during a panel discussion Life and Death of the Salt Marsh. The Buzzards Bay Coalition recently reprinted this environmental classic. Coalition President Mark Rasmussen moderates a discussion with scientists Neil Ganju, Rachel Jakuba and Susan Peterson Teal about their work, and why these critical ecosystems are so important to our region. RSVP to save your seat. 6-7 pm
- Drop off unused art supplies to benefit families and schools in and around New Bedford. Spend some time contributing to a community garland project with the Spare Studio. 5-8 pm
- Coloring books, Wildflowers, and Crafts at the New Bedford Free Public Library:
- Join the Cape Verdean Association for the launch of their exciting new coloring book that highlights our vibrant Cape Verdean community. Pick up your free copy while hearing about the Island Park Bench Mural Project that inspired it. 4-6 pm
- Check out the North American Wild Flower exhibit to identify local blooms before your next nature hike. 3-8 pm
- Stop by Youth Services for a spring craft and learn about recycling. 3-6 pm
- Join a hands-on workshop with DATMA & Arghavan Booyeh, the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park’s 2025 Artist-in-Residence and UMass Dartmouth Fibers MFA. Explore textile techniques—weaving, painting, and more—as you contribute to Being Seen: Celebrating SouthCoast Pride, a monumental community-made public art project destined for New Bedford City Hall in June. New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, 33 William Street (2nd floor makerspace), 4-7 pm
- Jimi Blacksheep, blends R&B, funk, alt-rock, neo-soul, and heavy metal for an AHA! Seaport Session, while performing outside the Alison Wells Gallery from 5-7 pm. Inside the gallery, view the work of guest artist Marie Antoinette, a New Bedford native living in Maryland, bringing her vibrant mixed media collage artwork back to her roots. Alison Wells Fine Art Gallery, 106 William St., 4-8 pm
- Hear from Cory Arruda, owner of Southcoast Native Landscapes and local native plants expert, for an ‘AHA! Moment’ at Aviary Books to learn how your yard, big or small, can play a crucial role in supporting our local ecosystems in desperate need of help. Paired with insights from “Nature’s Best Hope” by Doug Tallamy (available for 10% off during the event), this engaging talk will change how you view your property and empower you to make a real difference. Aviary Books, 10 N 6th St., 7-8 pm
- Join Natural Dyer Korie Ellis of Falling Off Trees for another ‘AHA! Moment’ in-person demo and learn how to reimagine waste as a source of beauty. Using onion skins, botanicals, and other everyday materials, Korie will showcase the intentional practice of natural dyeing and lasting color on cloth. The Cumming’s Building, 96 William St., Studio 5, 7-8 pm
- Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum Lead Gardener, Rick Finneran, gives an illustrated talk addressing rose propagation, rose care, and the evolution of the RJD garden as it was transformed from a private residence into a space for the public. Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum 396 County Street, 6:30 pm
- Stop by the New Bedford Art Museum for an ArtTALK featuring Nancy Train-Smith. She will discuss her artistic journey and share insights into her recent work showcased in Radical Reinvention: Contemporary Ceramic Sculpture. The exhibit features the work of artists who have redefined the possibilities of ceramics as a medium for sculpture. New Bedford Art Museum, 608 Pleasant St., 6 pm
- 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.
- Listen to the Buttonwood Brass Band from 6-8 pm during their AHA! Night residency at the Harbor Hotel.
- Later in the evening, enjoy the Neal McCarthy Trio at Pour Farm Tavern from 8-11:30 pm.
KICK OFF YOUR AHA! NIGHT
Not sure where to go on AHA! Night? The AHA! team will be handing out schedules and answering questions at the AHA! welcome desk stationed at the corner of Market and Pleasant Streets. In case of inclement weather, the team will move to the New Bedford Art Museum Lobby.
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 the AHA! Welcome Table at Market and Pleasant Streets (rain location: NB Art Museum lobby), the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Visitors Center, the New Bedford Art Museum, and the New Bedford Free Public Library.
UPCOMING AHA! CALENDAR
- 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 THE SEA MONSTER
The “Sea Monster: Creature of the Plasticine Era” was created from more than 30,000 collected nip bottles by Rebecca McGee Tuck, the 2024 visiting CVPA artist for sculpture and sustainability, in collaboration with UMass Dartmouth sculpture professor Stacy Savage and multiple volunteers and students.
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.
AHA! Seaport Sessions is supported in part by the Wicked Cool Places grant. AHA! Moments is supported in part by the Art is Everywhere grant. Both are funded by the City of New Bedford, through its Arts, Culture & Tourism Fund and are facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the NBEDC. The New Bedford Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, also supports both AHA programs.
