Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey August Sunset Sail — SOLD OUT
Friday, August 16 | 6:00-8:30pm | New Bedford State Pier | Sold Out
Set sail aboard the historic Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey this summer with FHC! These public sails are the perfect opportunity for anyone interested in learning about the history of the commercial fishing industry. We invite you to join us this summer for sunset sails departing from New Bedford’s State Pier at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, August 16. Tickets can be purchased online or in person at the Fishing Heritage Center. The Center is open Thursday – Sunday, 10am-4pm. A portion of the ticket sales support the Center. Remember: FHC members receive a 20% discount!
Tickets:
General Admission: $60 adults | $30 kids ages 4-12
FHC Members: $48 adults | $24 kids ages 4-12*
Free for children 3 and under
*Current FHC members for whom we have emails were sent a PROMO code through their email. If you didn’t receive a code it may be because your membership has lapsed. Not sure? Please contact the Center at (508) 993-8894 or renew your membership online at https://fishingheritagecenter.org/get-involved/membership/.
Please note: Coast Guard regulations require that each passenger, regardless of age, is listed on the ship’s manifest. If you are purchasing multiple tickets, be sure to list each passenger’s name, age, email, phone number, and address.
The schooner was built at the James & Tarr shipyard in Essex, MA as the EFFIE M. MORRISSEY. The 156-foot-long schooner carried Gloucester fishermen to the Grand Banks, Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland in search of cod, haddock, and other species. She later served as an arctic explorer and Cape Verdean packet ship before returning to Massachusetts in 1982 as a gift from the Republic of Cape Verde. After a nearly 20 year restoration, she is sailing once again with Captain Tiffany Krihwan at the helm.
Working Waterfront Walking Tour with Phil Mello
Thursday, August 22 | 9:00-10:00 AM | Pier 3 (51 Macarthur Drive) | $25/person
New Bedford is the nation’s most valuable fishing port and the world capital for sea scallops. On this 60-minute walking tour, you will learn about different types of fishing boats and gear, the history of the seafood auction and other essential shoreside businesses, the historic Seamen’s Bethel, and the unique experience of fishing families. The tour will begin in front of Mirasol’s Cafe on City Pier 3 (52 Fishermans Wharf) and end at the Fishing Heritage Center where you will have the opportunity to watch a short film, explore interactive exhibits, and browse the gift shop. Ticket includes price of Center admission. Photography is permitted. Please wear appropriate clothes for the weather and comfortable walking shoes. Spaces are limited, so don’t wait! Reserve your spot today!
Tickets: $25/general admission | $15/FHC Member
Meet your tour guide: Phil Mello has worked in the fishing community for nearly 50 years in a career that included commercial fishing, managing a seafood processing plant, work in marine electronics, and as crew on a tugboat. Phil has also chronicled the many changes that have taken place on the New Bedford waterfront with his camera. His photographs have been exhibited at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center, and at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
Click here to purchase tickets online
F/V Vigilance Presentation
Thursday, August 29 | 7:00-8:00 PM | FHC (38 Bethel Street) | $5 general admission
Join special guest speakers Gary Golas and Dan Eilertsen to learn about F/V Vigilance, one of the newest vessels in the New Bedford/Fairhaven fishing fleet and discover how fishing companies are harnessing new technology and marine design to build bigger and better fishing vessels. One hour presentation followed by Q&A with presenters. $5 general admission; FHC members free. Tickets available for purchase on Eventbrite or in person at Center (Thursday-Sunday, 10am-4pm).
September AHA! Night: Catch The Tradition
Thursday, September 12 | 6:00 PM | Fishing Heritage Center Parking Lot | Free!
2024 marks the 25th anniversary of AHA! Night, celebrating New Bedford’s stunning art, history, and architecture all night long! Visit FHC staff and volunteers in the Whaling Museum parking lot starting at 4pm to make your very own crab hat! These cute, easy to make crustacean creations are perfect for kids and adults alike!
Then at 6pm in the FHC parking lot, the public is invited to attend an official unveiling and dedication of FHC’s new art installation, Catch the Tradition, featuring the craftsmanship of members of New Bedford’s fishing community and photographs from local artists! Stop by FHC to meet the team behind the project. Light refreshments to be served.
Catch the Tradition is supported by New Bedford Creative, a Storefront Improvement Grant from the City of New Bedford, LaFrance Hospitality, and BayCoast Bank. Reidar’s Trawl Gear & Marine Supply donated the labor and materials to produce the net and frames. This project was made possible by their generous support.
Remember, admission to the Center is FREE on AHA! Nights!
2024 Online Auction
Friday, September 13, at noon until Friday, September 20, at noon
In addition to our Seafood Soirée, we are also hosting an online auction to benefit the Fishing Heritage Center. The 2024 auction features dozens of unique items and experiences, including…
- A private charter fishing trip for three courtesy of Seven Stripes Fishing
- VIP access for two during the 2024 WaterFire season
- Signed game stick by Boston Bruins Captain Brad Marchand
Bidding begins at noon on Friday, September 13, and ends at noon on Friday, September 20.
Click here to view the 2024 auction!
2024 Seafood Soirée
Tuesday, September 17 | 5:30-7:30 PM | Cisco Brewers New Bedford (1482 E Rodney French Blvd) | $150 general admission
You’re invited to the 2024 Seafood Soirée – a gala to benefit New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center. This annual event celebrates the bounty of the sea. The 2024 event will take place at Cisco Brewers New Bedford overlooking the waterfront. Guests will enjoy local seafood in the nation’s most valuable fishing port, while watching the boats as they head out to sea and return with their catch. Taste more than a dozen dishes featuring local seafood and seasonal ingredients, prepared by the area’s finest chefs. Tickets include two beverages (choose from a selection of wine, beer, and signature cocktails). The event also features a Fluke and Flounder chance auction, live music, and more! Visit our Soirée page to learn more and stay up-to-date on the featured chefs and restaurants.
Click Here to Purchase Tickets
Tickets:
General admission: $150
FHC Member admission: $125*
*Current FHC members received a special promo code by mail and email. Members are entitled to two (2) tickets at the member price. Having trouble finding your member code? Contact Fishing Heritage Center staff to receive your member code.
Not an FHC Member? Visit our website to join or renew today!
October AHA! Night: Maritime Music with Debra Cowan
Thursday, October 10 | 7:00-8:00 PM | Fishing Heritage Center | Free!
Join FHC at 7:00pm for a free maritime concert with singer Debra Cowan! Debra’s wide range of materials stems from serious traditional to contemporary bawdy. Usually presented along with informed and informative introduction, song after song flows in a rich quilt of melody. FHC admission is FREE for AHA! Night.
Click here to register for free
October Dock-u-mentary: Saving the Ocean – Swordfish
Friday, October 18 | 7:00 PM | New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park (33 William Street) | Free
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to announce the return of its Dock-u-mentary series, hosted in partnership with New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. Dock-u-mentaries is a free film series hosted at the National Park auditorium at 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford on every third Friday at 7:00pm from October through March. These films have explored a variety of themes and topics related to the commercial fishing industry and the working waterfront.
On Friday, October 18, we will be screening the documentary film Saving the Ocean with Carl Safina: Swordfish. For a few weeks of the year, fishermen from the remote villages of southern Nova Scotia take their small boats a hundred miles offshore to the fishing grounds of Georges Bank. Join host Carl Safina on the swordfish grounds with Larry, skipper of the Four Ladies, and his crew Hoss and Shawn. From Saving the Ocean with Carl Safina. Courtesy of The Chedd-Angier Production Company. Total runtime: 53 min
Click Here to Register for Free
FallFest at FHC
Saturday, October 19 | 12:00-3:00 PM | Fishing Heritage Center | Free!
dNB FallFest is a free, family-friendly event held annually in downtown New Bedford! FallFest includes live music, Halloween performers, fall-themed activities for ages, and of course trick or treating for the kiddos! Stop by the Fishing Heritage Center in your Halloween costume for some trick-or-treating! While you’re here, you can also make your own spooky sea monster using a recycled plastic bottle.
November AHA! Night: Casting A Wider Net
Thursday, November 14 | 5:00 PM | Fishing Heritage Center | Free
Our next Gallery Exhibit explores the rich immigrant voices of New Bedford’s working waterfront. This exhibit is the culmination of Casting A Wider Net, a community oral history project developed by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center to collect and share stories of Cape Verdean, Vietnamese, Mexican, Central American, and Puerto Rican members of the fishing community. The resulting photographs, recordings, and transcripts will also become part of FHC’s archive and uploaded to the NOAA Voices web-based archive. Stop by FHC to explore our new exhibit and meet some of the program participants.
Casting A Wider Net is funded in part by a Wicked Cool Places grant from New Bedford Creative and an Expanding Massachusetts Stories grant from Mass Humanities, which received support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
