New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Free Summertime Events At New Bedford Whaling NHP
Summertime is the best time to enjoy free entertainment in your national park! On Thursday, July 11, the Youth Ambassador Program (YAP!) performs an opening set for Toe Jam Puppet Band at 5:30pm as part of Kids Rule AHA! night. YAP is a collaborative program where teens communicate national park themes through hip-hop culture, live events, and social media outreach. This includes creating music and videos about local, regional, and national themes and sharing them through sites such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. YAP! has tackled a diverse range of topics including the 54th Regiment, sustainability, slavery, immigration, and more. Toe Jam Puppet Band will follow at 6 and 7pm. Then, on Friday, July 12, from 10 AM-12 noon, enjoy music and movement with members of the Sea Chantey Chorus, and hands-on crafts with the New Bedford Art Museum’s Artmobile. All events take place in the park’s garden at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford.
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park was established by Congress in 1996 to help preserve and interpret America’s nineteenth century whaling industry. The park, which encompasses a 13-block National Historic Landmark District, is the only National Park Service area addressing the history of the whaling industry and its influence on the economic, social, and environmental history of the United States. The National Park visitor center is located at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford. It is open seven days a week, from 9 AM-5 PM, and offers information, exhibits, and a free orientation movie every hour on the hour from 10 AM-3 PM. For more information about the park and about YAP!, call the visitor center at 508-996-4095, go to www.nps.gov/nebe, or visit the park’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NBWNHP
Check out YAP’s “Walk with Me” music video. They give a great tour of New Bedford!
