AHA! New Bedford

Jessica Bregoli, founder of the Seaport Art Walk over a decade ago, introduces her work in this year’s exhibit, Call of the Sea on Thursday, 11. 2024 during AHA! New Bedford. Photo by Josh Souza for New Bedford Creative.

Did you know that the very first AHA! Night took place 25 years ago at the Fiber Optic Building loading dock? A young, talented Grace Potter, a relatively unknown artist at the time, performed with her band. What do you remember about that night?

Photo credit: Robert N. Linde
Explore New Bedford New Bedford Creative Downtown New Bedford Inc. Whaling City Sound Fiber Optic Center

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!
Gallery X 35th Annual Public Xhibition

CALL FOR ART, Open to ALL ARTISTS
Submission Dates: July 17 through July 28, 2024

On View: July 31st through August 31, 2024
Opening Reception: Saturday, August 3 (5-8:00pm)
Aha! Night: Thursday, August 8 (5-8:00pm) Closing Reception Aug 31st (1-4:00 PM)

The Public Xhibition is our largest open call exhibition, with no theme or style requirement artists of all backgrounds and skill levels are welcome to express themselves however they choose.

There is a size restriction for this show, we ask that any artist submit no work larger than 36 inches in any dimension, limit 5 pieces.

Submission Fees (for non-members): $15 for the first piece, $10 for each additional piece, maximum 5 pieces per artist (2 for $25, 3 for $35, 4 for $45, 5 for $55). GX members submit work for free!

New Bedford Light Fine Arts Club - The New Bedford Light Presenting the Fine Arts Club, an opportunity for local New Bedford area artists to share and sell their work to an engaged group of collectors and art enthusiasts.

Music and classic cars downtown tonight!

Tonight for AHA! at the Jazz Wall on Centre Street, Jim Robitaille will lead an outstanding ensemble featuring John McKenna on saxophone, Erik van Dam on woodwinds, Marty Ballou on bass, and Chris Poudrier Sr. on drums. Their music seamlessly blends traditional and modern jazz, marked by expressive improvisation and a versatile range of influences. Each musician brings their unique talent, from Robitaille’s award-winning guitar work and compositions to McKenna’s and van Dam’s skilled woodwind performances, Ballou’s melodic bass, and Poudrier’s dynamic drumming. Together, they create a rich and captivating jazz experience. Performances are at 5:30 and 7:15 PM in front of the Jazz Mural at 23 Centre Street, New Bedford. Centre Street Sessions is presented by Whaling City Sound in collaboration with AHA! New Bedford.

Visit ahanewbedford.org/next-aha to learn more about this and other AHA! Night events. Free parking is located at the Elm Street Garage at 51 Elm Street, New Bedford. Follow the Flags: Many participating locations will have a yellow AHA! flag prominently displayed to help you find AHA! Night activities.

Explore New Bedford New Bedford Creative City Sound

Today at 5pm! Kids Rule at Cojo’s!

The Tour Lords Paint and Play Extravaganza is an engaging event designed to unite families in a celebration of creativity and nostalgia. The event will feature diverse toy exhibits showcasing beloved toys and games from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s, allowing attendees to reminisce and share their cherished childhood memories. The highlight will be a live fashion painting demonstration by The Legendary Broadway, founder and lead designer at Tour Lords. Participants are encouraged to interact with Broadway during the demonstration, creating a unique, hands-on artistic experience.

The event will also include music, snacks, prizes, and plenty of fun for everyone!

Join Vineyard Wind & DATMA for a hands-on, outdoor Wind Energy Workshop! Engage with industry experts, discover educational opportunities, and learn about the power of energy this summer. This event is free and open to all ages during July AHA! Kids Rule. Learn more here: https://datma.org/event/datma-design-day-windworks/

Can't wait to see our team members' work debut tonight! Go Mandy Fraser!

2024 Seaport Art Walk opens July 11 in New Bedford. Meet the seven artists. The 2024 Seaport Art Walk “Call of the Sea” will be a harmonized visual feast opening July 11.

We'll be at AHA tonight with a sneak peek!

Thursday, 7/11 at 6:30pm. Whaling History Alliance presents New Bedford's Summer Concert Series featuring Real Deal! Come and join the party outdoors. 🙂

Experience the New Bedford Art Museum POP-UP at Carter's Clothing & Footwear, on July 11th from 5:00 - 7:00 PM for a fun and interactive wheel throwing clay demonstration designed especially for kids! Watch as their skilled potter transforms a lump of clay into a beautiful, unique piece of pottery right before your eyes. During this hands-on event, children will learn the basics of wheel throwing, including centering the clay on the wheel, shaping it into various forms, and using tools to add finishing touches. The demonstration will be engaging and educational, allowing kids to ask questions and even try their hand at the wheel under expert guidance. Perfect for young artists eager to explore the world of ceramics, this event promises creativity, inspiration, and a lot of messy fun!

This all takes place during AHA! Night: KID'S RULE this Thursday, July 11th. Depending on weather, some activities may move indoors or be rescheduled. Visit ahanewbedford.org/next-aha to learn more about this and other AHA! Night events. AHA! Night: Kids Rule is sponsored by Vineyard Wind.

New Bedford Creative Downtown New Bedford Inc. Explore New Bedford

Kids Rule! tonight at AHA! New Bedford ! Come see us and take part in our fun scavenger hunt, learn about some cool historic buildings and win a prize! See you at the fountain at Custom House Square from 5 - 8 tonight!

Making an appearance tonight during AHA! will be Big Nazo Puppets, the celebrated group of visual artists, puppet performers, and masked musicians. They will roam downtown, stopping at several small businesses to greet attendees and create bizarre and hilarious AHA! moments. Their innovative mask and puppetry techniques combine stand-up comedy, Sci-Fi, Go-Go dancing, daredevil stunts, soap opera hysterics, professional wrestling, and audience-interactive improvisation.

Visit ahanewbedford.org/next-aha to learn more about this and other AHA! Night events. Free parking is located at the Elm Street Garage at 51 Elm Street, New Bedford. Follow the Flags: Many participating locations will have a yellow AHA! flag prominently displayed to help you find AHA! Night activities.

AHA! Moments is supported in part by the Art is Everywhere grant by federal award number SLFRP1067 awarded to The City of New Bedford by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and is facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the NBEDC.

New Bedford Creative Explore New Bedford

Tonight during AHA!, step into the rhythm of history and celebrate Cape Verdean diaspora culture in the heart of the South Coast! Join New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park's Artist-in-Residence, Manny Escobar, as he leads a multi-sensory experience with food, jazz, poetry, and conversation.

This is more than an event; it’s a celebration of heritage and creativity, a chance to connect with the soulful beats and stories that define community. Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, food, and culture!

AHA! Night: KID'S RULE is tonight, July 11th! Depending on the weather, some activities may move indoors or be rescheduled. Visit ahanewbedford.org/next-aha to learn more about this and other AHA! Night events. AHA! Night: Kids Rule is sponsored by Vineyard Wind. New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

ROBOTS! Explore the New Bedford Research & Robotics Lab on Purchase St, meet the team, and operate a mini robot to solve an obstacle course. Experience 3 industrial robots in action as they create, design, and innovate using a variety of technologies. Free and open to all ages; no registration is needed. Free parking.

AHA! Night: KID'S RULE is this Thursday, July 11th. Depending on the weather, some activities may move indoors or be rescheduled. Visit ahanewbedford.org/next-aha to learn more about this and other AHA! Night events. AHA! Night: Kids Rule is sponsored by Vineyard Wind.

Join the New Bedford Fire Department on AHA! Night to explore the ins and outs of a real live firetruck! Learn about fire safety and all of the different functions of the truck while you climb aboard. You'll find the truck at Custom House Square from 5:00 - 8:00 PM.

AHA! Night: KID'S RULE is this Thursday, July 11th. Depending on the weather, some activities may move indoors or be rescheduled. Visit ahanewbedford.org/next-aha to learn more about this and other AHA! Night events. AHA! Night: Kids Rule is sponsored by Vineyard Wind.

Strike a pose! The folks at Tufts Health Plan will be joining us tomorrow on AHA! Night to answer any questions about health insurance needs while you smile for the camera! Come check out their photo booth, play a game of corn hole, and join the fun!

AHA! Night: KID'S RULE is this Thursday, July 11th. Depending on the weather, some activities may move indoors or be rescheduled. Visit ahanewbedford.org/next-aha to learn more about this and other AHA! Night events. AHA! Night: Kids Rule is sponsored by Vineyard Wind.

We'll be playing puzzical chairs tomorrow outside The Drawing Room-Anthi Frangiadis Associates during AHA! New Bedford -- join us! More in our 8 Great Things list: https://southcoastalmanac.com/8-great-things-july-sca/

5 Pillars of Hip Hop – The MC
Thursday 7/11 5-7:30pm
at Abolition Row Park
Part of
• DJ & MC
• Spoken Word by White Lotus
• Youth MC Open Mic
• Face painting by Kayleah Matos
• Youth artist live paint
• Community dance floor
• Get to know
• Games, crafts and more

This program is supported in part by the Wicked Cool Places grant funded by the City of New Bedford, through American Rescue Plan awards, and its Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund, and is facilitated by at the .

Keep your eyes peeled on AHA! Night for a demonstration by the talented dancers from New Bedford Ballet! They will be doing pop-up performances in Custom House Square from 4:00 – 7:00 PM. Be sure to also stop by their table to learn all the latest from NBB!

This all takes place during AHA! Night: KID'S RULE this Thursday, July 11th. Depending on the weather, some activities may move indoors or be rescheduled. Visit ahanewbedford.org/next-aha to learn more about this and other AHA! Night events. AHA! Night: Kids Rule is sponsored by Vineyard Wind.

Explore New Bedford New Bedford Creative Downtown New Bedford Inc. New Bedford Ballet

Thanks for the shoutout SouthCoast Today! A glimpse of what is in store for July AHA! Night!

Kid's rule the night on Thursday. Here's what to expect during this youth-geared AHA! From scavenger hunts to live music, here’s everything you need to know before you go to AHA! Night's "Kids Rule" event on Thursday.