Start Your AHA! Adventure At The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Visitor Center
The AHA! website will be available for you to look at along with Park staff and volunteers ready to answer any questions you may have. The Visitor Center (33 William St) is open
10am-8pm on AHA!
AHA! Happens Rain Or Shine
Be sure to check the AHA! event page, Facebook page and Instagram Stories as well as website and social for participating event partners for info about location changes, program rescheduling and cancellations.
/ahanewbedford 
@ahanewbedford
www.ahanewbedford.org
Planning To AHA! IRL?
All of the AHA! partners have their own masking requirements. We recommend you carry a mask with you at all times so you don’t miss out on any of the AHA! festivities.
AHA! Schedule
SouthCoast Brass Band Street Stroll
Keep an eye out for the SouthCoast Brass Band strolling the streets of downtown.
Mini Pumpkin Decorating & Movie Night
3pm & 5pm at the New Bedford Main Library (613 Pleasant St)
Stop by the Library for Mini Pumpkin Decorating
Starting at 3pm
While supplies last.
Movies at the Library: Malcolm X
5-8pm in the 3rd Floor Meeting Room
Watch Malcolm X at the library! Featuring costume design by Ruth E. Carter, this biopic follows the life of Civil Rights leader Malcolm X. This event is put on in conjunction with Uncommon Threads: The Works of Ruth E. Carter at the New Bedford Art Museum.
Popcorn will be provided as supplies last.
2 Exhibits & the AHA! Mini Concert
4-8pm at the New Bedford Art Museum (608 Pleasant St)
AHA! Mini Concert at 6pm
In the spirit of October’s theme, Art in Tune, this very special concert features the dynamic and multifaceted Kim Trusty, a powerful and diverse vocalist, songwriter, guitarist, and actress.
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Apple Music
Spotify
The AHA! Mini Concert brings accomplished South Coast musicians into downtown New Bedford businesses and institutions for a short concert during AHA! Night. Previous performers have spanned folk, indie, jazz, hip-hop, and rock.
Uncommon Threads: The Works of Ruth E. CarterA solo exhibition celebrating Massachusetts-born Ruth E. Carter’s 30-year career as an Academy Award-winning costume designer. Featuring costumes from Dolemite Is My Name (2019), Roots (2016 reboot), Selma (2014), Do The Right Thing (1989), and Malcolm X (1992), the exhibit follows Carter’s creative process and include sketches, mood boards, iconic costumes, and other ephemera from her Los Angeles studio. Eadweard Muybridge: Animal Locomotion The latest exhibition at the Art Museum by New Bedford Library’s Art Curator, Allie Copeland. Eadweard Muybridge: Animal Locomotion is the Library’s latest exhibition featuring historic photographic studies of animals in motion and early motion-picture projection.
The Great Pumpkin Parade &
Cool Banana Wig at the RJD
4-8pm in the Rotch-Jones-Duff Garden
(396 County St)
Great Pumpkin Parade
Visit the grounds to see a display of Jack-O-Lanterns, carved with care by community members. Inside the mansion, children can participate in a scavenger hunt with prizes.
Cool Banana Wig Performs at 6pm
Bring the kids to play homemade or unusual instruments and JAM with the band!
Take a Seaport Artwalk
Anytime
Seaport Artwalk: Tides & Time
New Bedford’s annual Seaport Art Walk was founded in 2013 by artist Jessica Bregoli, and was the city’s first large format outdoor public art installation. Each summer, sculpture and murals are strategically placed along New Bedford’s working waterfront and Seaport Cultural District.
The 2021 exhibit, “Tides and Time,” features sculptures and murals created to reflect or comment on our ever-changing climate, whether that be the ocean, environment, economy, politics, or social justice. This juried outdoor exhibition will be on view July through October.
This years Art Walk features:
Alanna Boucher, with participating New Bedford High School students, created a sculpture called “Hashtag Change.”
Marcus Cusick of Open Eye Movement, working with Chief George Spring Buffalo of the Pocasset, presents a mural that brings to light the true histories that surround the Pokanoket nation.
When Jacob Ginga was 19 he got a job working for a small oyster farm run by a family who had been shellfishermen for over 5 generations. His very first artwork displayed in New Bedford galleries were portraits of these father figures. In an attempt to process his grief of their loss this year, he is creating portraits of them again.
Eric Lintala’s fiberglass and metal sculpture titled “Enough is Enough” represents the defeat and hopelessness of the many injustices that still plague our country and the world.
Erin Meade, an art teacher at Keith Middle School in New Bedford, has always loved the simplicity of window installations. Her design of a 30-foot installation incorporates all different types and sizes of plastic bottle caps to create movement and playfulness through a wave and whale form.
Celebrate 7 Years of Alison Wells
with Art & Live Music
5-8pm at the Alison Wells Gallery
(106 Purchase St)
Celebrate the 7 Year Anniversary of the Alison Wells Gallery!
Catch island vibes with live steel pan music by El Caribe.
Shop Local Art!
New giclee prints and note cards from Alison’s “In the Neighborhood” series about New Bedford (currently on view at the New Bedford Whaling Museum). Plus original artwork by select guest artists in stained glass, woodwork, ceramics & macrame.
**Specials continue through Fri Oct. 15 & Sat Oct. 16, noon-5pm**
Azorean Night
on the Whaling Museum Plaza
5-7pm at the New Bedford Whaling Museum
(18 Johnny Cake Hill)
Celebrate the rich Azorean American culture on AHA!
New Bedford is home to a vibrant Azorean community. The enduring ties between the maritime cultures of the Azores and New Bedford link people, ideas, traditions, and communities – across the Atlantic and across generations. Sample some of its music, folklore, and maritime traditions during Azorean Night.
Shop Small on AHA!
5-8pm at the Subtext Bookshop
(209 Union St)
Shop Small on AHA!
50% off Halloween mysteries & 25% off all wall hanging prints.
Find more dining and shopping options at downtownnb.org/community
A Closer Look:
Farrow & Ball Curated by Liberty
5-7pm at the Drawing Room
(36 North Water St)
A Presentation & Conversation by 2 Industry Experts
Join industry experts Tina LaLima, Farrow & Ball + Kim Sulkis, Fabricut, for a presentation and conversation about the exciting pairing of two iconic British brands: Farrow & Ball and Liberty.
Tina + Kim will share this new collection of archive paint colors which are artfully paired with legendary Liberty fabrics.
Tina + Kim will present throughout the evening, leaving plenty of time for your questions and ideas.
2 New Shows & Live DJ
5-8pm at Gallery X (169 William St)
DJ Aries on the ones and twos.
Urban X-Ploration in the Main Gallery
An exhibition of works inspired by or depicting the urban landscape. Guest curated by photographer Frank Grace.
The Art of Pat Kellogg and Michael Hecht in the Douglass Gallery
Swing By The South End
5-8pm at the Kilburn Mill
New Works at the Judith Klein Art Gallery
Preview of new work by Judith including acrylic and mixed media paintings and printmaking. Plus handprinted textiles for the October Open Studios event and new jewelry by Katy Jeffrey.
127 W. Rodney French Blvd
Use main entrance
2nd floor Suite 2-87
Killburn Open House Stop by from 5-8pm for art receptions, art demos
and tours of the mill.
127 W. Rodney French Blvd
Enter at Door #4
The Artisan Center is on the 2nd floor
Pumpkin Decorating & More
5-8pm at Pilgrim UCC (635 Purchase St)
Crafts, Resources & a History Lesson with Mercy Meals & More
Mercy Meals & More will be opening the Pilgrimm UCC Hall for AHA! night. The hall is a historic building and part of the history includes a visit by Booker T Washington.
Stop by for
– pumpkin decorating while supplies last
– a ‘museum-style’ history lesson
– refreshments
– on-site resources from MM&M
Opening Reception, Artist Talks
& Poster PopUp
5-9pm at the CVPA Star Store
(715 Purchase St)
Opening Reception for Amanda Means: Light Years
6-8pm, Artist Talk at 6pm
Means will be in attendance to discuss her body of work that has pushed the boundaries of the photographic medium with her celebrated Leaf, Flower, Water Glass, and Light Bulb series of images.
Amanda Means: Light Years includes examples of work from all phases of Means’ career. Alongside key pieces from her color Polaroid Light Bulb and silver gelatin Water Glass works, will also be some of the artist’s early prints and works on paper, as well as important examples of her black and white Flower and Light Bulb works. This affords a unique opportunity to view Means’ most celebrated images in the broader context of her overall practice.
Means has been a darkroom innovator throughout her career: adapting a 19th-century camera for use as an enlarger, photographing objects without the use of negatives, working with a large-format Polaroid camera, and creating a series of remarkable abstracts working only with light and photographic materials. The artist’s darkroom alchemy was cited by the Guggenheim Foundation in awarding Means their prestigious Fellowship in 2017 for her contribution to contemporary photography.
We Are: Artist Talk & Community Engaged Pop-Up Poster Installation with designer, activists and visual artist Rick Griffith
7-9pm
“WE ARE” autoethnographic letterpress poster project and installation, is a collaboration between CVPA students, Rick Griffith and the community. Works will be viewable outside from street-level windows of the Swain Studio at the corner of Purchase and Union Streets. Additionally, there will be pre-printed poster templates for visitors to create and add personal messages in their own way.
Artist Talk – Click To Register
Masks required indoors. Limited seating for in-person UMassD registrants; virtual participation is available to the public. Select your preference when registering.
Rick Griffith is a designer, visual artist, printer, teacher, writer, and activist. His creative practice results in a collage of form, color and grammar, with an autoethnographic focus, detailing his philosophies, lived experience and the histories he uncovers. Griffith founded MATTER, which, over the last two decades, has grown into an ambidextrous design consultancy, print shop, and retail bookstore.
Opening Reception for Variations in Clay:
Exploring Clay as Medium in Contemporary Ceramics
5:30-6:30pm
Showcasing five UMass Dartmouth graduate students working toward their MFA degree in Ceramics, including Elizabeth K. Pena-Alvarez, Ellery Ekleberry, Jordan Blankenship, Kelly Devitt, and Katy Rodden Walker. From unfired multimedia work, through contemporary sculpture, to functional modernist design, these artists use clay as their primary medium, exploring it to express both concept and form, illuminating the multifaceted ways in which clay is used within a contemporary context.
IRL Exhibits & A Virtual Talk with the
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
5-8pm at the NB Fishing Heritage Center
(38 Bethel St)
More Than A Job:
Work and Community in New Bedford’s Fishing Industry
An introduction to the workings of the fishing industry as well as and exploration of themes including labor history, immigration, sustainability, and the changing nature of work and community. This exhibit features a replica working deck, scallop dredge, galley table, bunks, historic and contemporary images and footage, and more than sixty audio clips sharing the many voices of the fishing community.
Women’s Work: At Sea, On Shore, At Home, In the Community
Featuring more than sixty women from fishing communities in Massachusetts, Maine, and Rhode Island, the exhibit amplifies the voices and experience of women who work in what is often perceived to be a male-dominated world. The exhibit features the photography of Shareen Davis, Markham Starr, and Phil Mello, and draws on oral history interviews conducted over the past 15 years.
7pm on Zoom
Commercial Fishing Women in Monuments and Murals
This virtual talk will highlight several projects that pay tribute to the important work of women in fishing communities. Ginok Song is an artist who recently created a mural depicting women in the fishing community of Petty Harbor, Newfoundland. Angela Sanfilippo, is president of Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association. GFWA created a quilt that chronicles the history of activism of the wives. They were also instrumental in developing a monument dedicated to the role of women in Gloucester’s fishing community.
Click To Zoom
DATMA presents Water2021
Anytime
DATMA Presents 3 Outdoor Exhibitions
Harvesters of the Deep: Portraits of Fisherwomen from
South Korea, America, and the United Kingdom
Featuring insightful, life-sized portraits celebrating women working in the fishing industry. Photographers include: Phil Mello presenting photographs of New Bedford fisherwomen; Hyung S. Kim’s photographs of Korean shellfish divers (aka Haenyeo) and Craig Easton’s photographs of English smokehouse workers (aka “The Herring Lasses”). View this outdoor exhibition in-person on the custom designed kiosks next to the Seaport Art Walk positioned along New Bedford’s State Pier and the second half of the exhibition on the grass of the YMCA located on Union Street at the corner of Union & N. 2nd Street.
280 prepared dc-motors, cotton balls, cardboard boxes
13″ x 13″ x 13″, 2011/2021 by Zimoun
Internationally renowned Swiss sound-installation artist Zimoun exhibits his intricate sculpture, using motion and sound, to evoke creative interpretations, at the College of the Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) at the University of Massachusetts’ (UMD), Star Store location. It will be presented in the corner gallery on the main intersection of Union Street and Purchase Street; the heart of downtown New Bedford.
Sea Scallops: Sentinels of the Deep
This exhibit presents scientific archival photography using advanced underwater video technology developed by School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at UMass Dartmouth Professor Dr. Kevin Stokesbury and his research team. The photos capture the diverse ecosystems of our region’s seafloor and the women in fisheries science conducting this important research. Sea Scallops: Sentinels of the Deep is displayed on storefront windows on a series of historic buildings in downtown New Bedford along Union Street between Acushnet Avenue and North 2nd Street.
Jazz Music under the Jazz Wall
Postponed until Summer 2022
Enjoy jazz music under the Jazz Wall!
Centre Street Sessions
Presented by Fiber Optic Center & Whaling City Sound
A Note From The Presentors
Tonight’s Centre Street Session as part of October AHA (rain date for Sept. concert) has been postponed until next Summer. Bandleader, Joaquin Santos, is playing with New Bedford’s superband Tavares this weekend, and had to head out a day early as part of that. We apologize for any inconvenience, and are greatly appreciative of those who continue to attend our Summer monthly concerts. We are looking forward to bringing Joaquin to our stage next Summer.
Live!
NB Symphony & Stage Artistry Studios
6-8:30pm
in the First Unitarian Church NB Garden
(71 Eighth St)
Stage Artistry Studios presents
The Best of Broadway – Halloween Edition!
Performances at 6:15pm and 6:45pm
Enjoy a live musical tour of Broadway songs with a Halloween
theme from the Stage Artistry Youth Touring Company.
Stage Artistry Studios is located at 471 Union Street and offers a unique quality arts education to young aspiring artists. This group of young talented theatre students will dazzle you with their voices and knowledge of Broadway shows. Stage Artistry Studios and their non-profit Sharing the Art are committed to bringing theatre arts to all children and theatre lovers in our community. For more information visit www.stageartistry.com
New Bedford Symphony Orchestra Performs Live
Performance from 7:15-8:15pm
NBSO Principal Flutist Timothy Macri and guitarist Luis Avila will perform a program of classical and “World” music including Mozart, Handel, Vivaldi, and Morricone, with Brazilian, Italian, Puerto Rican, and Colombian selections as well!.
AHA! In The Afternoon
Our downtown New Bedford museums, galleries and institutions are open for visitors.
Visit their websites for more info about current hours, programs, exhibits and COVID19 safety protocols.
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Open on AHA! 10am – 4pm
Plus IRL AHA! programming from 5-8pm &
virtual programming at 7pm (see listing above)
Click For More Info
New Bedford Port Society
including Seamen’s Bethel & Mariner’s Home
Open on AHA! 10am – 4pm
Click For More Info
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Open on AHA! 9am – 5pm with reserved timed admission
Plus IRL AHA! programming from 5-7pm (see listing above)
Click For More Info
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
Open on AHA! 10am – 5pm
Click For More Info
Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum
Open on AHA! 10am – 4pm
Plus IRL AHA! programming from 4-8pm (see listing above)
Click For More Info
New Bedford Art Museum / Artworks!
Open on AHA! 10am-3pm with reserved timed admission
Plus IRL AHA! programming from 4-8pm (see listing above)
Click For More Info
Please consider shopping or dining in DNB to help support our small biz community.
Follow DNB, Inc. on Facebook /dnbinc or Instagram @dnbinc for updates about downtown dining and retail shopping.
