It’s an afternoon and evening of free arts and cultural experiences, including crafts, art exhibits, free museum entry, live music, and so much more.
Kids and kids at heart take center stage during AHA! Night: Kids Rule! (adults too!) on Thursday, July 9th. In and around Custom House Square, you’re invited to dance in the streets with the Big Nazo Puppets, see the acrobatics of Aerialicious Entertainment, interact with the Smile Factory Clowns, and get your face painted.
You can also touch a firetruck with the New Bedford Fire Department, enjoy live music from Stone Gon! courtesy of Whaling History Alliance, join the WHALE scavenger hunt and win a coloring book, learn how to camp with Trustees’ Mobile Adventures, play cornhole with Clear the Lens, and celebrate America 250 at the Military Museum and Veterans Memorial pop-up (stop by for small American flags and rubber ducks in uniform!).
We’ll also be celebrating five years of the New Bedford Light with a craft for kids, free Sorbae Frozen Treats for the first 250 people, and a 21+ wine tasting poured by Coastal Bubbles (first 50 pours).
Try out rowing on land with New Bedford Rowing Center, get a tasty snack or beverage from Tamani’s Lemonade Stand, play with bubbles courtesy of Little People’s College, meet a robot in Wing’s Court with New Bedford Research and Robotics, celebrate the love of all things baseball at the Library, and so much more.
July’s AHA! Night is sponsored by the United Way of Greater New Bedford, who will be popping up in Custom House Square with free crafts and hands-on activities for kids of all ages.
AHA! NIGHT TOURS
Not sure where to start your AHA! Night? Take a tour with an AHA! docent who will guide participants through the evening’s highlights and hidden gems. The tours begin at 5:30 and 6:30 pm by the AHA! welcome table at Custom House Square. Tours last approximately 45-60 minutes. Attendees can “hop off” at any time to further enjoy various AHA! Night experiences. No registration required. This month’s docents are from the team at NB Food Tours!
ADDITIONAL AHA! NIGHT ACTIVITIES
Here are some of the activities also happening this AHA! Night:
- Shimmer hosts an AHA! Moment Beads as Cultural Currency, a hands-on beading workshop that explores the historical and cultural significance of beads as objects of exchange, identity, and connection across diverse societies around the world. (4-6:00 pm)
- Visit the Star Store for two art exhibitions, artist talks, and more: see Ilha Di Li: Picturing the 11th Island, a Cabo Verdean Heritage Month Coalition exhibition in the Star Store windows; step inside to view Justine Giordano’s solo exhibit of abstract, ocean loving paintings and upcycled surfboards in the main gallery; stay for art talks with Giordano at 5:30 pm and Carl Lopes (whose work is featured in Ilha Di Li) at 6:00 pm; then create your own New Bedford-themed postcards and join the collaborative community mural painting with the Fall River / New Bedford Artist Collaborative. (5-8:00 pm)
- Join Pilgrim United Church of Christ and Mercy Meals & More for root beer floats and face painting. (5-7:00 pm)
- Visit the New Bedford Art Museum for a free evening of art, pizza, and creativity designed for middle school students. Explore the museum through a guided tour of the newest exhibitions, enjoy interactive scavenger hunts designed for kids and families, and connect with other young creatives in a fun and welcoming environment. New exhibits include Vanishing Ecologies: Speculative Futures and Synergies: Hybrid Art.(5-8:00 pm)
- Grab some chalk and decorate the sidewalk outside Serlingpa Meditation Center, where popsicles will also be available. (5-7:00 pm)
- Enjoy scallop shell decorating, survival suit races, face painting, and more at the Fishing Heritage Center, in celebration of America’s most valuable commercial fishing port! (5-7:00 pm)
- It’s a kids’ watercolor-and-ink paint night at PLAY Arcade with artist Elyse Laurelle. Kids ages 5-13 are invited to make some art, eat, play games, and have fun! Participants will receive a gift bag with art supplies and PLAY Arcade tokens. Register by July 7th by emailing elartworksnbma@gmail.com. (5-7:00 pm)
- Join the Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum, in partnership with Reverie Theatre Group for Shakespeare’s Word. Ages 10+ are invited to learn about Hamlet from 5-6:00 pm, with teens and adults exploring the text at a deeper level from 6-7:00 pm.
- Stop by 3rd EyE Youth Empowerment’s radically inclusive community incubator for their monthly open house. (5-8:00 pm)
Adults are invited to enjoy a free Kundalini yoga class courtesy of Sangha Yoga NB. (5:30-6:45 pm) - The Verdean Veterans Memorial Hall, in partnership with Mari (“Mariangeliz Estrella”) and the Battle Ready Crew, invites you to an AHA! Moment paint night. Enjoy a relaxing, creative evening with step-by-step guidance, nature & spirit themes, and inspirational music. RSVP to reserve your space at artsandthevets@gmail.com. (6-8:00 pm)
- Join Falling Off Trees x Occulta Ossa for their artisanal, sustainably crafted handbag pop up at Bushwood Tailors Opportunity Shop. (6-8:00 pm)
- Join New Bedford Creative for a walking tour of the 2026 Seaport Art Walk. Hear from this year’s featured artists as they talk about the work they’ve created inspired by this year’s theme: “Good Trouble,” leaving from 61 Merrills Wharf, by Ground Floor Coffee, at 6:30 pm.
- Celebrate Cabo Verdean Heritage Month with New Bedford’s own Candida Rose Baptista—artist, historian, vocalist, educator, author, entrepreneur, and community leader, who will be performing live for an AHA! Moment at Celia’s Boutique. (6:30-7:30 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 6-8:00 pm during their AHA! Night residency at the Harbor Hotel.
- Cork Wine and Tapas features live music by multi-instrumentalist Dave Alves from 6-9:00 pm.
- Enjoy the Neal McCarthy Trio at Pour Farm Tavern from 8-11:30 pm.
Find the most up-to-date schedule on the AHA! website.
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.
- 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 in Custom House Square, the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Visitors Center, the New Bedford Art Museum, the New Bedford Free Public Library, and The Zeiterion.
ABOUT AHA NEW BEDFORD
AHA! New Bedford provides and promotes free arts and cultural experiences for all across downtown New Bedford. For over 25 years, AHA! has helped build and promote a creative economy that, alongside other arts organizations and supporters, transformed downtown New Bedford into a cultural epicenter of Massachusetts’ South Coast. Programming has expanded to include music, film, storytelling, block parties, art markets, and more. Learn more at ahanewbedford.org.
AHA! Moments is supported in part by the Art is Everywhere grant funded by the City of New Bedford, through its Arts, Culture & Tourism Fund, and facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the NBEDC.
