April 11, 2018 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Spring has sprung, bringing with it new life, warmer weather and longer days. This month AHA! Night— just in time for Earth Day— pays homage to the “Sustainable SouthCoast.”

Join in celebrating the earth and explore how the community can create a sustainable environment for ourselves and others. Plus new art, live music, kids activities, film screenings and more.

AHA! (Arts, History and Architecture!) is a free family-friendly event held rain or shine on the second Thursday of each month from 5 to 9 p.m. in historic downtown New Bedford.

Here’s just a sample of the night’s events. For a full list, visit ahanewbedford.org.

• Celebrate Earth Eve with the largest people-powered parade in New England. Marchers, including eco-floats — anything a person or group can wear, roll or carry — convene at 5 p.m. in front of the New Bedford Public Library. Parade begins at 5:30 p.m. Part of the Earth Eve festivities will be the crowing of mother earth and father ocean. Selected by the Greater New Bedford Earth Eve Committee for their exceptional stewardship towards our natural environment, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell and Lorraine Perry of New Bedford are mother earth and father ocean 2018. Perry and Mitchell will be bestowed with unique crowns created by former Mother Earth Diana Painter at 5:20 p.m.
• There’s loads of fun at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park (33 William St.), including:

– Upcycle many small plastic bags into one larger, stronger tote to keep plastic bags out of the ocean.
– Watch and discuss “A Plastic Ocean” in the park theater.
– As artist Andy Tedesco demonstrates printmaking, try cutting your own linoleum prints. The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center (38 Bethel St.) presents “Sustaining New England’s Wild Seafood,” a conversation with Eating with the Ecosystem.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times