August 23, 2017 — The following was released by the New Bedford Working Waterfront Festival:
The nation’s #1 fishing port hosts the Working Waterfront Festival – a free, family friendly celebration of the commercial fishing industry – on the working piers of New Bedford. The Festival takes place on Saturday, September 23rd from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with whaleboat races kicking off the morning at 8:00 a.m.
More than simply a celebration, the Working Waterfront Festival is a unique opportunity for the public to get a first-hand look at the culture of fishing and for the commercial fishing industry to tell its own story. The event presents all that goes into bringing seafood from the ocean to the table in a way that is hands-on, educational, and fun.
This year, the Festival is partnering with the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center. Located in the heart of the City’s historic downtown, the Center’s mission is to tell the story of the commercial fishing industry past, present, and future through exhibits, programs, and archives. This partnership is a natural fit for two organizations dedicated to celebrating the commercial fishing industry.
The Festival will be presented in two locations: at Steamship Pier on New Bedford’s historic waterfront and at the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center at 38 Bethel Street. These two sites will be linked by a free shuttle bus, allowing visitors to enjoy all the Festival has to offer.
Steamship Pier will host fishermen’s contests, industry demos, vessel tours, on water activities, cooking demonstrations, a food court, and more! Contest highlights include scallop shucking and nautical tattoos. Safety demos as well as demonstrations of skills such as rigging and wire splicing will be presented. Whaleboat races and a tug boat muster will take place with viewing from the head of the pier. Visitors can learn more about fisheries science and other aspects of the industry from non-profit and corporate exhibitors and purchase handmade items from maritime artists. Cooking demonstrations, featuring New Bedford seafood, will take place at the Foodways Area. The Food Court will feature fresh, local seafood prepared by Seafood Hut, Oxford Creamery, and Destination Soups.
The Fishing Heritage Center will host performances of music and fisherpoetry on Main Stage; Mug Up sessions with author readings and signings; kids activities; and their current exhibit Nautical Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them: Portraits by Phil Mello. Visitors will also be able to visit the Center’s gift shop and see the main exhibit, From Boat to Table, featuring a full-sized wheelhouse and a variety of hands-on activity stations. Alice’s Food Truck will be on hand serving fresh seafood dishes and more.
As always, the Festival will bring together a unique array of music, storytelling, and fisherpoetry. Many of the performers have close ties to the industry and reflect its’ ethnic diversity. Performances of traditional sea chanteys by the New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus and the edgier punk rock sea chantey sounds of Sharks Come Cruisin’ will have the audience singing and dancing along. Portuguese fado singer Ana Vinagre and her ensemble will share the soulful songs of love, the ocean, and loss. NOIR brings the music of Norway and Ireland to the Festival stages. Singer/songwriter Jon Campbell will share his his humorous take about the lives of those living and working on the coast. Alaskan Fisherpoet Dave Densmore will share poetry he writes, often from the wheelhouse, to capture a way of life that is changing and give voice to those who work the sea.
Commercial fisherman and author Linda Greenlaw will return to the Festival for a Q & A session with Mindy Todd of WCAI – Cape & Islands NPR Station. She will talk about fishing, writing and her newest book, Shiver Hitch, which was released in June. A book signing will follow.
Finest Kind: The New Bedford Fishing Industry is the new, original documentary produced by the Center, will be shown throughout the day. The film interweaves interviews, historic and contemporary footage, and photographs to provide a sense of the rich history and culture of the New Bedford/Fairhaven fishing industry.
Parking is free at all meters and at the Elm Street Garage.The free shuttle departs from the Center and Steamship Pier. For more information, visit www.WorkingWaterfrontFestival.org.
The Festival is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as support from many local businesses, the City of New Bedford, and the Harbor Development Commission.