Like many Americans, the staff at New Bedford Guide loves food and we love eating local. The Greater New Bedford area has been recognized multiple times over the past five years, for various accolades, but one of the categories overlooked is dining. We boast some of the best and freshest seafood in the country, unmatched Portuguese offerings, authentic Italian, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Chinese and so many more options. I can confidently sit behind my laptop and say that we’re a hidden gem in the dining community. Our establishments have been featured all over Phantom Gourmet, making the less fortunate observers left to drool, while we gorge ourselves and expand our waistlines.

It’s because of our love for all things food that we are proud to announce the launch of our South Coast Dining Guide. The South Coast Dining Guide is unique in that our guide is not only for all the residents of our beautiful area, but also for the restaurants themselves.

Click here for the South Coast Dining Guide

Users are able to navigate our beautiful and easy-to-use layout to find the best dining options, both on their desktop and mobile phones. Our clients (restaurant owners, managers, marketing reps, etc.) are able to enjoy the many features our dining profiles offer, as well as other marketing opportunities with New Bedford Guide, and our incredible growth and traffic (view our analytics and company information here).

Here is a list of features that are offered in the South Coast Dining Guide (version 1.0):

Google Maps API – You are able to quickly locate restaurants addresses through the built in Google Maps API. In addition, users can pull up the location directly on their mobile phone for easy access to GPS directions.

Built-in Social Media – Once a restaurant claims their listing, all applicable social media profiles are linked and featured on their profile. This allows users quick and easy access to view specials, discounts, coupons, photos, news and more.

Mobile Friendly – How people access information is changing, the majority of us get all of our information via our smartphone. This is why it was important to make sure the dining guide had responsive design built-in. As of January 2014, 58% of Americans owned a smart-phone. Making your website mobile friendly is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Our beautiful and easy-to-use dining guide has been designed, developed and optimized for your smart phone.

Video Spotlight – One of the benefits of working at New Bedford Guide is the access businesses give us. We are able to show our users a glimpse into the every day operation of businesses that other media companies simply don’t have access to or aren’t interested in. It’s this personal look into businesses that truly connect the business with their customers. With our built in video feature, restaurants can receive a New Bedford Guide video spotlight, and integrate it right into their dining profile.

Here’s an example of one of our dining profiles with a video spotlight: All Friends Smokehouse & Catering

Dining Blog – We love to write, and we love to write about food. We’ve been fortunate enough to be invited into some of the best restaurants in the area to spotlight and/or write reviews. We’ve enjoyed some truly incredible meals that even the perfect adjective(s) can’t quite describe and need to be experienced personally. With our dining blog, users are able to read our first hand, unbiased accounts of dining in the south coast.

Dining Amenity Tags – One of my favorite features of the dining guide is our tagging/filter system. Once a restaurant claims their listing, we go through all the amenities they offer. This allows the user to engage our filter system to find the exact dining experience they are looking for. Users can look for locations that offer free Wi-Fi, accept the UMass Pass, have outdoor seating, as well as many other options.

With every new product we launch at New Bedford Guide, the strategy behind it always looks to the future. So what features can users and businesses expect in version 2.0?

Online Food & Drink Menus – From a pure consumer stand point, nothing annoys me more than not being able to window shop before I buy. When making the all important decision on where I’m going to eat breakfast, lunch and/or dinner, a glance at the menu before choosing is a must. I’ve spoken to friends, family and New Bedford Guide fans, and one thing they all agree on is that the dining guide has to have menus.

Over the next month, we will be working to develop and integrate food and drink menus into our listings. We’ve set a very ambitious goal of adding 300 menus by the end of 2015.

Events – Trivia question of the day: Does anyone know how New Bedford Guide got its start? The answer is, as an online event system called Local Oracle (some of you might recognize that name). Local Oracle featured the events of numerous New Bedford area businesses, and also the embarrassingly awkward The Dating Game (high five if you were ever on it). As Mike Silvia and I noticed a demand for a broader range of information, we closed the doors of Local Oracle and launched New Bedford Guide, the rest is history.

With that being said, our number one clients on Local Oracle were restaurants. From live music, to trivia, jam sessions and even arm wrestling matches, there is always something to do, on any given day in the South Coast.

With that in mind, we are developing an event system to integrate into each dining profile. This will allow our clients to market their events, and for users to plan out their week. Look for that in the second quarter of 2015.

Do you have an idea for a dining guide feature? Contact us

We are very excited for the launch of the South Coast Dining Guide, and we hope our fans and businesses are also excited. If you are a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, franchise, etc. and want to become a partner of the South Coast Dining Guide, please click here to submit a listing or locate your business and claim it.

Thanks for your continued support of New Bedford Guide and enjoy the brand new South Coast Dining Guide.

Click here for the South Coast Dining Guide

If you are a business owner or manager and would like to discuss a plan and/or claim your listing, please contact Charles Turay at charles@newbedfordguide.com 

Do you see a business missing from the dining guide? Contact us and let us know what restaurant(s) we missed.

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New Bedford residents have a love/hate relationship with South Coast Rail, the rail line that will restore train service to Boston from Taunton, Fall River, Freetown, and New Bedford. We love the idea of being able to take a train from New Bedford to Boston for work or recreation. We hate that South Coast Rail has been promised so much in the past, that most New Bedford residents either sigh or laugh when they hear that “South Coast Rail is coming soon” in the news or from a politician’s mouth. In 1991, Massachusetts Governor Weld made the infamous promise to a Chamber of Commerce audience at White’s of Westport, “If you don’t have commuter rail by 1997, you can sue me.” Who’s ready for a class-action lawsuit? Four governors later, and 16 years past the deadline, we are not much closer to having South Coast Rail service even though Governor Deval Patrick has recently promised $1.8 billion of funding. Even the most optimistic forecasts state that South Coast Rail service wouldn’t start until 2018, or more than two decades past Weld’s promise. Based on what I know today, 2020 would be a more realistic estimate.

South Coast Rail is an expensive, complex project. There’s a lot of information (and misinformation) out there. With this article, I hope to explain the basics of South Coast Rail, examining the past, present and future of the project. For those that want to delve into the 100+ page documents produced by the state, check out my document sources at the bottom of this article.

Origins of South Coast Rail

South Cost Rail was first proposed in the 1980s with the intent of bringing economic development to the Fall River and New Bedford areas. New Bedford and Fall River peaked economically in the 1940s and declined significantly in the 1970s. New Bedford, once the whaling capital of the world, glass capital of the world (known as the “City of Light” at one point) and textile producing powerhouse, became a shell of itself with the fishing industry (mostly scallops) saving it from becoming a Flint, Michigan. South Coast Rail was to become the economic stimulus needed to boost New Bedford and Fall River’s economy.

South Coast Rail service will allow people to commute to Boston for higher paying jobs and bring significant tourism in the southcoast, Massachusetts. For New Bedford, it would stop the one-way migration of our most talented workers. Rather than commute, many simply relocated to Boston. New Bedford and Fall River generally have twice the unemployment rate of the state average. South Coast Rail would help bring New Bedford’s unemployment rate closer to parity with the state average.

Proposed South Coast Stations

South Coast Rail is a network of 10 new train stations that will run southward from Stoughton to Taunton and then fork off to Fall River and New Bedford. New Bedford is proposed to get two train stations, a King’s Highway station and the Whale’s Tooth Station just off of Route 18 near downtown New Bedford.

• New Bedford Branch: King’s Highway and Whale’s Tooth Station (Route 18)
• Fall River Branch: Fall River Depot, Battleship Cove and Freetown
• Others: North Easton, Easton Village, Raynham Park, Taunton and East Taunton.

Heading North, these stations will connect to the Stoughton Station. Check out an interactive map here.

New Bedford Station Types

Not all train stations will be the same. For South Coast Rail there are four types;  Multimodal Hub, New Center, Village Station and Park-and-Ride stations.

The Whale’s Tooth Station on Route 18 in New Bedford will be a larger, Multimodal Hub Station. It will combined bus and rail with structured parking. Other Multimodal Hub stations will include Fall River Depot and Downtown Taunton. Here’s a conceptual look at The Whale’s Tooth Station.

The King’s Highway Station will be a New Center station proving rail only with surface parking. Other New Center stations will include Freetown and Raynham Place. Here’s a conceptual look at King’s Highway Station:

The other types of stations:

• Villiage Station – Rail only with limited parking. Village Stations include Taunton, Barrowsville, Easton Village and Stoughton.
• Park-and-Ride Station – Built to include sizeable surface lots to serve transit riders driving to the station from around the region. Park-and-ride stations include Taunton Depot and North Easton.

South Coast Rail Timeline

• 1980s – First Proposed
• June 2010, the state of Massachusetts finished purchasing track from freight company CSX.
• 17 February 2010, MBTA received $20 million in TIGER grants from the federal government to rebuild bridges in New Bedford for the future rail line, the first construction on the line.
• 22 March 2011, an environmental report on the South Coast Rail project by the US Army Corps of Engineers was released.
• 14 January, 2013, Gov. Deval Patrick proposes $1.8 billion in spending for South Coast Rail.

Documentation

• South Coast Rail Plan for Action – April 4th, 2007
• South Coast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan – June, 2009
• South Coast Rail Fact Sheet – October, 2010
• South Coast Rail Official Website
• Facebook Page Dedicated to South Coast Rail

This weekend is the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, and what better way to explore Chinese culture than a visit to Chinatown in Boston?

First, some history: The Mid-Autumn Festival has been celebrated since 3,000 years ago during the Western Zhou Dynasty. This year’s festival falls on Sunday, September 30th, but because ancient China used the lunar calendar, the exact date changes from year to year on our solar calendar. Celebrations include gathering with family for a meal, carrying colorful lanterns, and eating moon cakes.

Legend also has it that moon cakes were used in overthrowing Mongolian rule in China during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). Rebels distributed moon cakes that secretly contained slips of paper spreading the word to “revolt on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month.” The successful rebellion resulted in the dawn of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Moon cakes are pastries made with a sweet lotus seed paste and can be found all over Chinatown this time of year. You can spot them in every pastry shop window in a variety of sizes. They are commonly filled with sweet red bean paste or large salted egg yolks representative of the moon. Moon cakes are pretty dense and are usually cut into small slices and shared with friends, so bring a couple of your buddies for a fun day in Boston’s Chinatown!

Recommended restaurants:

Gourmet Dumpling House (52 Beach Street)

It is rare to see Gourmet Dumpling House without a line out the door because it is so delicious! The restaurant specializes in Northern Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine, which emphasize noodles and dumplings. Their best dishes include (of course) dumplings of any kind, home style braised eggplant, kung pao chicken, and beef noodle soup.

Peach Farm Seafood (4 Tyler Street)

You’ve had fish and chips, and lobster rolls. Now get ready for seafood Chinese style!  Peach Farm serves some great clams in black bean sauce, salt and pepper shrimp, lobster with ginger and scallion, and any kind of fish (which they will bring live in a bucket to the table for you to inspect before throwing it in the pan).

Hong Kong Eatery (79 Harrison Avenue)

You can’t miss Hong Kong Eatery, because they’ve got whole roasted ducks hanging out in the window! If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a whole roast pig there as well. Hong Kong Eatery’s menu is typical of Cantonese casual dining, which is usually a hit with young, old, rich, and poor alike. The roast duck is great, and you can order it paired with Chinese BBQ pork (a must) and/or crispy roast pork (if available). Their fried rice and wonton noodle soups are also always great.

China Pearl (9 Tyler Street)

For a real dining adventure, head to China Pearl where you can have a traditional dim-sum brunch. At a dim-sum restaurant, servers push around carts of food to each table, where you can pick and choose dishes to be shared with the rest of the table. Typically, each dish is small so that you can sample a large variety of foods. Favorite dim-sum foods include pork buns, shrimp dumplings, turnip cakes, sticky rice, and egg tarts (a close cousin of the Portuguese custard pastry).

The best part of eating in Chinatown is that meals come relatively cheap. Just remember to bring cash, because a lot of places don’t take plastic. Chinatown is conveniently located next to several T stops and is also right next to the Boston Common, where you can enjoy a nice stroll in the park after stuffing yourself with Chinese treats and wandering through Chinatown’s many novelty shops.

One of New Bedford’s historical treasures and largest parks is Fort Taber-Fort Rodman on Clark’s Point. It’s an amazing location and that shapes the tip of the south end of New Bedford. To me, it’s important and fun to learn about your local history. Do you know why the fort has two names; Fort Taber and Fort Rodman? Most of the historical information used in this article was taken from the official Fort Taber- Fort Rodman Historical Association’s website and the City of New Bedford’s Fort Taber Park page.

1. There was never a military battle at Fort Taber-Fort Rodman, but the fort deterred enemy navies from attacking our shipping and city during the civil war, World War I and World War II.

2. The United States first saw Clark’s Point as a strategic location during the American Revolution. A British raid in 1778 destroyed seventy vessels and twenty-six storehouses.

3. The first government structure built on Clark’s Point was a 42-foot stone tower lighthouse erected in 1804 to help guide whalers and other vessels entering the harbor.

4. On September 24, 1857, the federal government purchased the Edward Wing Howland farm on Clark’s Point for $7,000 to establish a defensive military fort. The initial funding was $50,000 for a 70 gun defensive fort.

5. On May 11, 1861, a temporary defensive position was completed and unofficially named Fort Taber after current New Bedford Mayor Issac C. Taber (1860-1862). It was built to help defend the area during the Confederate navy during the Civil War. The federal government called  it “the fort at Clark’s Point.”

6. In 1898, the entire military property was officially named Fort Rodman in honor of Lt. Col. William Logan Rodman of New Bedford, killed in the Civil War battle at Port Hudson, Louisiana.

7. After World War II, Fort Rodman was declared surplus and in the 1970s part of the facility was sold to the City of New Bedford.

8. There is a military museum on the fort for visitors enjoy. It is open daily from 1-4 p.m. Call 508-994-3938 for more details.

9. There is an interactive timeline detailing the evolution of Fort Rodman-Fort Taber and an interactive map to learn specifics on each building.

10. Sometimes in the summer, the fine folks at the Military Museum will open the doors and give visitors a look inside. Here’s a rare look inside Fort Taber: https://www.newbedfordguide.com/video-a-look-inside-fort-taber-in-new-bedford/2016/05/07 

Know of an unique fact about Fort Taber-Fort Rodman? Post a comment!

The Southcoast of Massachusetts may be ‘home’ for two local students, but Jeremy Dias and Ashley Bendiksen say that life in Argentina gave them both a ‘second home’ away from home since their return on June 18th. Dias and Bendiksen, both students at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, spent an entire month studying abroad in Mendoza, Argentina to fulfill Spanish language credits. The total immersion program offered the students daily Spanish classes, residency with a host-family, and multiple excursions to explore and experience Argentina’s culture.

Dias, a 20-year-old native of Dartmouth, graduated from Bishop Stang High School in 2010. He is currently a Junior at the university studying Nursing and belongs to the Student Nursing Organization (SNO). He currently lives in Newport. Bendiksen, a 25-year-old native of Fairhaven and 2004 graduate of Fairhaven High School, is a Senior majoring in Administration of Justice with plans to attend Law School. She currently retains a 4.0 GPA, has made the Dean’s List each semester, and has been inducted into the National Criminal Justice Honor Society. She currently resides in New Bedford, MA.

Dias and Bendiksen traveled with six other students and Dr. Linda Crawford, the Chairwoman of Salve Regina’s Modern and Classical Languages Department. While in Mendoza, classes were attended at the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, through C.E.L.E. (Centro de Español como Lengua Extranjera), an institute dedicated to teaching Spanish as a foreign language. In addition to their studies, students participated in numerous program-sponsored activities. These included visiting a traditional gaucho ranch, hiking, horseback riding, and touring art and history museums, a wine vineyard, and an olive oil production site. In addition, the students visited natural landmarks and hiked the Andes Mountains, including a hike through Cerro Aconcagua, America’s tallest peak. When schedules were open, as new friends, students explored the city of Mendoza and put their Spanish-speaking skills to work, making friends with ‘the locals,’ taking tango lessons, joining a local running group, and sipping yerba mate together. Since their return, both plan to continue their Spanish-language studies and hope to someday return.

In addition to their studies and academic excellence, both Dias and Bendiksen are actively engaged in civic and philanthropic efforts throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. Dias is currently the founder of Beth’s Walk ‘2 Make Oral Cancer History’ an annual event engaged in partnership with the Oral Cancer Foundation. Bendiksen takes on numerous active leadership roles across the SouthCoast as a SMILES Mentor and Big Sister, a board member with the Miss New Bedford Scholarship Program, and currently holds a position on the Board of Directors of the YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts as well as being Chairwoman of the YWCA’s Leading Ladies.

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Whether you’re on a first date or are in a seasoned relationship, finding a romantic setting can pose a challenge. Too often you may find every date night ends in front of the TV with take-out or at the same old bar down the street. Whether you’re looking to impress someone with a memorable first date or in need of someplace spectacular to celebrate your anniversary, there are a number of places in Greater New Bedford that are sure to do the trick.

Each of the restaurants you’ll read about in this article feature a sort of atmosphere that make them stand out from your average eatery.  Keep in mind that ambiance often comes with a price tag, and these restaurants can be categorized in the high priced to fine dining category.  It also never hurts to make a reservation beforehand, as some of these spots get quite packed.  Therefore, plan accordingly but know that both the food and atmosphere you pay for won’t soon be forgotten!

1. Cork Wine and Tapas

90 Front Street, New Bedford, MA

Cork’s innovative menu features both tapas (a variety of appetizers) and full entrees that are unlike any other food selection around.  The menu is often changed to reflect exciting new options and always focused on fine cuisine. While Cork may be quite artistic with its culinary splendors, their menu has plenty of suitable options for a variety of pallets.  For example, they offer a dressed up bacon cheddar burger and other traditional favorites like fried calamari or Caesar salad.  If it’s exotic you’re looking for however, they also cater to that with items like their coconut curry lobster.

Aside from a menu selection that will appease both you and your date, Cork has a great atmosphere.  Along with an impressive selection of wine and aesthetic presentation of food, the restaurant is located in downtown NB in the Joseph Tabor building, a structure which has been a fixture of the area for over 175 years.  The heavy stonework and classic New England craftsmanship make for a spacy interior and a beautiful setting for your special night out.

2. Airport Grille

1569 Airport Road, New Bedford, MA

Located at the New Bedford Airport, the Airport Grille is quite secluded from the rest of the city and offers an upscale atmosphere that will make you feel like you’re in Boston or NYC for the night.  The interior of this restaurant combines sleek and sophisticated architecture with cool dim lighting in a cozy and intimate sized package to make for the ultimate romantic dinner spot.  This restaurant also has a variety of wine options to assure you can find a great pairing with whatever you order, and the bar is a focal point of the design.

The Airport Grille specializes in American and European fare and prides itself on having the best in fresh and local food.  As with Cork, there are both exquisite fine dining specialties and regular everyday fare to be found on the menu.  For example, there are salads, a burger option, several mouth-watering steaks and even a delicious take on the classic comfort food, Mac & Cheese.  For the gourmet adventurer, they have some very intriguing dishes such as duck carbonara.

3.  Waterfront Grille

36 Homers Wharf, New Bedford, MA

Waterfront Grille is the only waterside restaurant in the downtown area.  This alone gives it a one-of-a-kind feel, with a seasonal deck for dining and a charming atmosphere that would fit right in as an upscale Cape Cod eatery.  This restaurant offers great views of the wharf and many of the boats that dock in the New Bedford Harbor.

True to the waterfront theme, this grille specializes in seafood ranging from a lobster dinner to sushi and even featuring a raw bar.  If you and your date are seafood lovers Waterfront Grille is a great place to get exceedingly fresh fish of all sorts.

4. The Candleworks Reastaurant

72 North Water Street, New Bedford, MA

Located in historic downtown NB, Candleworks is one of the most intimate restaurants in the area.  As with Cork, Candleworks is located in a historical building that still possesses all the charm of old New England architecture. The interior is cozy and quaint with stonewalls, fine dining place settings and a full bar.  There is also outdoor dining available seasonally and several tables with fire grates that provide a romantic ambiance you won’t find anywhere else.

Candleworks has a large menu that is best described by their Facebook “a casual affair with upscale flair”.  The menu is host to many of classic favorites such as filet mignon and baked scrod.  Along with great surf and turf options there are delicious options for pasta lovers, and even some basic sandwich options.  One thing is for sure; neither you nor your date will go hungry at Candleworks!

5. The Back Eddy

1 Bridge Road, Westport, MA

This is the only restaurant that I deemed simply had to make the list even though it is not located in New Bedford. The Back Eddy has become famous for its delicious seafood, beautiful waterfront views, and funky interior design.  The Back Eddy is very close to Horseneck Beach, which makes it a short drive from anywhere in Greater NB.  Since it is open seasonally anyways, the location of this restaurant makes it ideal for a taking a romantic stroll on the beach before or after dinner.

The Back Eddy defines itself as “a seafood restaurant that does things a little bit differently” and I couldn’t possibly put it better.  With an indoor and outdoor bar and seating, the place can get jam packed but you won’t mind sacrificing a little elbow room when you see the beautiful views of the Westport river.

The food at Back Eddy will also make it worth the short drive.  The Back Eddy is dedicated to using fresh and local ingredients, which makes it a truly unique to the region dining experience.  The produce is supplied from South Coast and Coastal Rhode Island farms, the seafood is caught by New England fisherman, and even wine, beer and cheese options are artisan made.  The menu is a mixture of both surf and turf, with recipes ranging from the standard lobster and butter to a few very unique options such as their lobster casserole.

New Bedford has become a tourist destination for people all around the world. With some of the best history, architecture and art that New England has to offer, thousands of people visit our city each year by land, air and sea. New Bedford has the top fishing port in the world that provides an infrastructure for cruise ships to dock and pour a hundred tourists into our city on a single visit. For 2012, there are 17 cruise ships scheduled to dock.

Businesses should consider accommodating these tourists and residents should welcome them with open arms. These visitors inject much needed cash into our economy. Businesses should consider adding extra staff, provide water and dog food outside their establishment, and ensure their staff are friendly and accommodating. New Bedford residents should be helpful and friendly. How we act as a city will have a lasting impact on future cruise ship schedules. Let’s ensure that visitors leave New Bedford with a positive experience and want to visit our city again.

New Bedford Harbor Cruise Ship Schedule (Source: American Cruise Line)

The warmer than usual snowless winter makes many New Bedford area residents smile. No shoveling, no cancelled school and work days, no traffic concerns and no snow covered streets. Kids may not be as happy as their sleds sit idle and their dreams of making a snowman or even a snowball melt.

Local skiers, snowboarders and snowsports enthusiasts are dealing with the frustration locally but know there is snow in the mountains as long as they travel about three hours or more, to the north.

In spite of the lack of natural snowfall this winter, the larger resorts throughout New England have been able to use their snowmaking capabilities to cover most of their trails. The base depths aren’t as deep as desired, to extend skiing well into spring, but for now, the trails are snow covered and skiers and riders are enjoying their sport.

Alice Pearce, president of SKI NH representing alpine and Nordic areas throughout the Granite State, says that business in New Hampshire ski areas is off 18 -35% from last year’s snowy ski season.

“We have had three months of snowmaking and since most resorts have 96-100% snowmaking ability, there is snow,” Pearce said.

But the reality is the number of skier visits is down and this has a huge economic impact on our northern neighboring states that rely of this winter revenue. It seems that when people don’t have snow in their own back yard, they assume there is also no snow elsewhere and they are less likely to go skiing.

Although winter snowsports have been affected by the lack of natural snowfall, there is still plenty of snow fun to be enjoyed throughout northern New England. The next two weeks of school vacation (Massachusetts followed by New Hampshire) will be critical to the resorts’ bottom line.

So why not consider heading northward to enjoy some winter recreation? There is cross country skiing at well-known resorts such as Bretton Woods and Jackson Ski Touring Center where they are able to groom and maintain their trails. Many resorts have added zip lining activities to their recreational offerings and these are open year round. Snowtubing continues to be very popular and with the help of snowmaking, is still available.

If you want to ski or snowboard, don’t worry…there really is snow and conditions are generally good. The key is to get out early and enjoy your runs while the conditions are maximized by the overnight grooming. If the weather is warm, the snow will get wet and heavy as the day progresses. If it is cold, the surface may be firm. Keep your equipment well-tuned and pay attention to weather and snow reports.

As New Englanders, we are used to variable and changing weather. The true skiers are praying for a good snowstorm to dump a foot of snow in the mountains soon. We all know March can be a very snowy month and although the current weather pattern seems, stubborn, hope has not vanished for a snowy March to set up spring skiing into April.

Local skiers and riders know the benefit of their winter passion. We feel better getting outside and being active. Don’t let the lack of snow in your back yard keep you from enjoying winter. You just have to travel a little and you will find the winter you have been missing.

See you on the slopes.

Vicki Bancroft is a longtime skier who enjoys the slopes throughout New England whether there is snow in New Bedford or not.

New Bedford’s weather forecast for the weekend is predicting hot temperatures, and mostly sunny skies.  There will be clouds and isolated thunderstorms on Friday, with temperature highs up to 79°F. Skies will clear up on Saturday with a forecast of partly cloudy and temperature highs up to 90°F.  Sunday should be a beautiful beach day, with clear skies and temperature highs up to 86°F.

This weekend, definitely check out one or some of the many opportunities in the area to listen to local music, celebrate nightlife, enjoy the arts, benefit a good cause, or attend a show at the local theatre.  As always, most events discussed here are from LocalOracle.  To have your events promoted for FREE, submit them HERE. If you need directions, simply click on the event name for contact info and directions.

FRIDAY, JULY 29

Spend the evening at the theatre!  Friday is the opening night for “A Chorus Line,” a musical presented by the New Bedford Festival Theatre at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center (684 Purchase St.). “A Chorus Line” will be at the Z for a short time – only a two weekend run, so don’t miss out on this performance! Tickets are $30-$45; for showtimes and to purchase tickets, check HERE.

From The Z: “Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and 9 Tony Awards, A CHORUS LINE is a stunning musical about a chorus audition for a Broadway musical. It relates the poignant ambitions of those unsung heroes of the American Musical Theatre, the chorus dancers, and in doing so becomes a celebration of the American Musical itself and a powerful metaphor for all human aspiration. Memorable musical numbers include: I Can Do That, At the Ballet, Dance: Ten; Looks: Three, The Music and the Mirror, One (Singular Sensation) and the perennial What I Did for Love. BROADWAY’S BEST MUSICAL….EVER!!”

For nightlife, check out Mister Zero band at Rose Alley Ale House (94 Front St.), or enjoy listening to Vintage Soul at Candleworks Restaurant (72 N. Water St.), both performing at 9:30pm.

For more events, check HERE.

SATURDAY, JULY 30

Start the morning with some exercise.  Try out a yoga class at Yoga On Union (corner of Johnny Cake Hill and Union St.).  Saturday morning offers two classes; 8am-9:15am or 9:30am-11am.  Cost is 5 classes for $60, 10 classes for $110, and $13 for drop-ins.  For more information on yoga in the area, check HERE.

Want to do a good deed and support a wonderful cause?  Animal Advocates is having a yard sale from 9am to 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday of this weekend.  The event is being held at 153 Rockland Ave., in South Dartmouth.  Proceeds from the yard sale will benefit homeless dogs and cats, as well as helping pet owners who are unable to financially support their animals.

Do something different this afternoon, and spend time aboard the U.S. Coast Guard’s ship, the Eagle, which will moor at State Pier in New Bedford for the weekend.  This is a truly exceptional and unique experience!  Bring the kids or your friends and explore this 295-foot square-rigger.  The tall ship will be open for public tours starting Friday, as well as Saturday and Sunday.  Tours are free and will be held on Friday from 1-5 PM, Saturday from 1-7 PM, and Sunday from 10 AM-7 PM.  Parking will also available for free at Elm Street Garage.

If you’re looking for another good cause to support while having a great time outdoors, head over to UMass Dartmouth (285 Old Westport Rd.) for the Dartmouth Police’s ninth annual Concert on the Green fundraising event.  Gates to the the UMass Dartmouth Vietnam Veterans Peace Memorial Ampitheatre open at 4 PM and will feature a family-friendly, picnic style event.  If you never stopped believing, make sure you’re at UMass Dartmouth Saturday night at 8 PM for the highlight of the night – a concert by SCARAB, the Journey Tribute Band! For more information on the Concert on the Green event, please call (508) 910-1735. All proceeds benefit the Dartmouth Police Relief Association and Athletic League.

For nightlife, listen to the musical stylings of local, alternative, rock band, the J. Kelley Band, at Ice Chest Bar and Grille (136 Huttleston Ave., Fairhaven) at 9 PM.  Craig De Melo will be at Rose Alley Ale House (94 Front St.) after 9:30 PM, or check out Lesser Knowns at No Problemo (813 Purchase St.) at 10 PM. Vintage Soul will be playing again at Candleworks Restaurant (72 N. Water St.), Saturday night at 9:30 PM.

For more events, check HERE.

SUNDAY, JULY 31

Start Sunday-Funday with a walk around Buttonwood Park.  Or take your family to explore the Buttonwood Park Zoo (425 Hawthorn St.); the zoo is open from 10 AM-5 PM and ticket prices are $6 for adults, $4.50 for seniors and teens, and $3.00 for children ages 3-12.  Support the Buttonwood Park Zoo with your attendance and enjoy a beautiful morning or afternoon with nature and animals.

Or, sleep in and enjoy a late brunch or lunch date at Cork Wine and Tapas (90 Front St.) or Dog Day Sundays with your BFF (best furry friend) at Hibernia Irish Pub (109 William St.).

Spend Sunday night Downtown at the Sunday Night Jam Session at Pour Farm (780 Purchase St); starting at 7 PM and hosted by local musician Matt Antunes.  Support independent, local musicians who are looking to get their music out to you!  Want to jam?  Give Matt a shout at straightlacedproductions@comcast.net.

Beginning today, July 28th New Bedford will again welcome the annual farmers market to the downtown business district.  This year, due to the city’s plans to revitalize the Wing’s Court public space over the next several months, the downtown farmers market will be held in front of the Main Library on Pleasant Street.  The downtown farmers market will be held every Thursday from 2:00-6:00 PM now through October.  Vendors at the downtown market include Brix Bounty Farm of Dartmouth; Pocasset Orchards of Dartmouth; and Winterbottom Farm of Fairhaven.

New Bedford hosts several farmers markets in other neighborhoods including:

Brooklawn Park Market

Mondays 2 p.m.-7 p.m., Brooklawn Park entrance, Ashley Boulevard and Carlisle Street. Vendors: Pocasset Orchards, Dartmouth; Sampson Farm, Westport; Winterbottom Farms of Fairhaven.

Clasky Common Market

Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Clasky Common, Pleasant and Pearl streets

Vendors: Paradise Hill Farm, Westport; Sampson Farm, Westport.

There are also farmers’ markets in Fairhaven, Westport, Middleboro, Dartmouth, Taunton and Rochester. Full details here.