Join Us for a Family Friendly Evening in Downtown New Bedford!
City Celebrates New Year’s Eve 2010 organized & presented by AHA! and the City of New Bedford.
Arrive early and stay late!

Ring in 2011 with fireworks in Custom House Square—and be home in time to watch the ball drop in NYC Times Square.

AHA! and the City of New Bedford present City Celebrates! New Year's Eve 2010 in the heart of the downtown historic district.

Join the AHA! partners for a family-friendly evening in Downtown New Bedford. The FREE New Year’s Celebration goes from 4 to 9pm - but feel free to arrive early and stay late! All activities are FREE and held rain or shine. In the event of snow check the AHA! website (www.ahanewbedford.org) or call (508) 996-8253 x 205.

“Every SouthCoast resident is invited to join us in downtown New Bedford for what promises to be an evening of fun and family-friendly entertainment,” said Lee Heald, program director for AHA!

“We’re ringing in 2011 with a warm sense of community. The downtown partners have come together to pull this off, and it looks to be a fabulous night for all of SouthCoast to share together,” Heald said.


The night kicks off at 4:30pm with an opening ceremony at City Hall led by Mayor Scott Lang & featuring music with Miss New Bedford & Showstoppers. Following the opening ceremony join the Hat Procession down to the National Park. Hats in the processin will be created during workshops to be held at ArtWorks! on Thursday 12/30 & Friday 12/31 from noon-4pm. These workshops are being presented for free by Artworks!

FREE Events from 4-8pm:

• Fire & Ice! Fire Eaters on the Whaling Museum Plaza (18 Johnny Cake Hill) at 6pm & on Purchase Street near Umass Dartmouth CVPA (715 Purchase Street) at 7pm. Live Ice Sculpting @ Custom House Square starting at 5pm.
• Kids!
  - Toe Jam Puppet Band performs @ the New Bedford Public Library (613 Pleasant St.) at 5:30 & 7pm.
  Plus face-painting with Lulu the Clown before each show!
  - Crafts & Games with the 19th Century Ladies @ the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Visitor Center (33 William Street), 5-7pm.
  - Crafts & Storytelling with Artworks!
  - Family Magic Workshop & Show with Jedlie’s Magic Circus in the B.C.C. Academic Support Center (800 Purchase Street). 6pm & 7:15pm
  
• Live @ the Z: Shelley Chandelier & Her One Night Band,Boo City, Santa Mamba, Buzzard Blue Band & Pumkin Head Ted. 4:30-8pm
• Tours of historic City Hall with New Bedford High School JROTC, 5-8pm.
• Folk Music with Charlie Cover, Joanne Doherty, & Art Tebbetts @ Cafe Arpeggio (800 Purchase Street) all evening.
• Live Jazz with Mike Rollins & Co. @ the New Bedford Art Museum (608 Pleasant St.). 5-5:45 & 6-7pm
• Fado with Ana Vinagre @ the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Visitor Center (33 William Street). 7-8pm
• Swing Dancing with the Fairhaven Hepcats in Bristol Hall. 5-7pm
• All Faith Service for the Celebration of the New Year from 5-6pm @ the Seamen's Bethel (15 Johnny Cake Hill).
• Celtic music with Eddie Dillon @ Celtic Coffee House. 5:30 & 6:30pm
• The HQK Jazz Ensemble @ Umass Dartmouth CVPA (715 Purchase Street), 5-6pm & the New Bedford Art Museum, 7-8pm
• Showstoppers @ the NB Whaling Museum. 5:30-6:30pm
• Acoustic music with Jeff Muzlio @ Celia's Boutique (111 William Street). 4-6:30pm
• Local teen band, The Anchors, @ Pilgrim UCC (634 Purchase Street). 6-7pm
  
• Acoustic Soul/Funk/R&B with Adam Payne @ the Ginger Grill. 5-7pm
• Extraordinary Rendition Band will be roaming Downtown (6:30-7:30pm) & kicking off the fireworks at Custom House Square at 8:30pm!

And of course FIREWORKS in Custom House Square at 8:30pm.

Besides all these great FREE events, downtown’s museums, art galleries and unique boutique shops will be open all day and will stay open late for the New Year’s celebration.
Including:
• Stop by Crowell's Fine Art (382 Acushnet Avenue) & purchase hand-crafted party hats--perfect for New Year's Eve revelry.
• Last chance to see the Gallery Xmas Show (169 William Street).
•  Judith Klein Art Gallery (768 Purchase Street) has their 2nd Anniversary Show featuring 19 artists.
• Still in the shopping spirit? Elaine's T-shirts @ the Black Whale (767 Purchase Street) & TL6 the Gallery (100 William Street) are ready to help!

AHA! (Art, History, Architecture!) partner restaurants will be open all night long for dinner, live music and spirits perfect for counting down to 2011.
“Every SouthCoast resident is invited to join us in downtown New Bedford for what promises to be an evening of fun and family-friendly entertainment,” said Lee Heald, program director for AHA!

“We’re ringing in 2011 with a warm sense of community. The downtown partners have come together to pull this off, and it looks to be a fabulous night for all of SouthCoast to share together,” Heald said.

“And I’m inviting all of SouthCoast over for dinner in New Bedford on New
Years—we’ve got anything you can think of,” Heald added.

The Waterfront Grille (36 Homer’s Wharf) offers seafood specialties & a sushi
bar. Head to Purchase Street for one of No Problemo’s (813 Purchase St.)
classic overstuffed burritos or an out-of-this-world Cubano at Pour Farm (780 Purchase Street). The Catwalk Bar & Grille (34 Union St.) has mouth watering ribs & right across the street at Pizan's Pizzeria you can grab gourmet slices. Check out the tradtional Irish grub at Hibernia (109 William St., Freestone’s City Grille (41 William St.) for award-winning chowder or the Ginger Grill (778 Purchase St.) for some amazing Korean.
Rose Alley Ale House, home of the best wings in town, (94 Front Street) is offering a complimentary Chinese Buffet (cooked in-house) & a champagne toast. Looking for a hot beverage to warm up your bones? Look no further than the Celtic Coffee House (42 N. Water St.), Café Arpeggio (800 Purchase St.) or the Green Bean (740 Purchase Street).

Other eateries open for your dining pleasure include: the Spicy Lime (522 Pleasant Street), Cork wine&tapas (90 Front Street), Candleworks (72 North Water Street, seatings at 5, 7 & 9:30) & Cafe Balena (24 North Water Street, reservations requested).

After Nine ticketed events include:
• AHA! ReNew Year’s Eve Party: Out with the old, in with ReNew!

Pick up Night-of schedules at the participating sites the week of the event. Enjoy free on-street & garage parking after 4pm!

AHA! is funded in part by The City of New Bedford, The Mass Cultural Council, The Island Foundation, local business community sponsorships, and partner venue dues. AHA! is a collaborative project of The Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts www.cfsema.org.

Directions: From I-195 E or W. Take Exit 15 (Rte. 18). Follow Rte 18 to 2nd
traffic signal; take a right onto Union St. At the first traffic signal take a right onto Second Street and take your first left for parking in Custom House Square.

Visitors can park at Elm Street garage; the City of New Bedford trolley bus will pick up visitors at the garage and shuttle them between venues from 4 to 8pm. On street parking is available for free after 6pm.