First Fridays: A Fourth of July Celebration with The Jethros - New Bedford Whaling Museum
The Jethros

Friday, July 4, 2025

RESERVED SEATING:

$10 Members | $20 Non-Members

First Fridays: A Fourth of July Celebration with The Jethros
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the Stage Sponsor
Presented in collaboration with the City of New Bedford’s Summer Sound Series

Overview:
Kick off the Independence Day weekend with an evening of live music, community spirit, and summer vibes at Captain Paul Cuffe Park, in the heart of downtown New Bedford. As part of the City of New Bedford’s Summer Sound Series, the New Bedford Whaling Museum is proud to sponsor a performance by The Jethros, a dynamic local band blending folk, blues, funk, swing, bluegrass, and more into an unforgettable performance.

This special First Fridays event is free and open to the public, with reserved seating available for ticket holders at the Museum’s Captain Paul Cuffe Park. Enjoy great music outdoors (weather permitting) or indoors if the skies don’t cooperate.

In case of inclement weather, the concert will be moved inside the Museum and available for ticket holders only. However, Museum admission will remain free to the public from 5:00–8:00 PM regardless of the concert location.

Event Schedule – Friday, July 4:

  • 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Free Museum Admission
    Enjoy complimentary access to select Museum galleries, including Morabeza: Cape Verdean Community in the South Coast, and Overheard Underwater
  • 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM: Live Performance by The Jethros
    From the Captain Paul Cuffe Park ticket holders will enjoy a high-energy, genre-blending performance by The Jethros – playing on stage at the intersection of Union Street and Johnny Cake Hill. Ticket holders will enjoy reserved seating, while non-ticket holders are welcome to enjoy the concert for free from Union Street.

Additional family-friendly activities will be available along Union Street adjacent to the Museum. 

Please Note: The City’s Fourth of July fireworks will take place on Wednesday, July 3, not July 4.

About The Jethros:
A staple of New Bedford’s music scene, The Jethros combine original songwriting with an eclectic mix of styles and standout instrumentation. Band members include Boney Jethro (fiddle), Homer Jethro (guitar), Rufus Jethro (trumpet), Gaston Jethro (bass), LeRoy Jethro (trombone), and Cornelius Jethro (drums).

Admission for Reserved Seating:

  • Reserved Seating for Museum Members: $10
  • Reserved Seating for Non-Members: $20

Tickets are needed only for reserved seating outdoors or for the concert if moved indoors.  Access to the Museum galleries is free Museum from 5–8 PM.  Public viewing from Union Street is free and unticketed.

Reserve your tickets today—capacity for reserved seating is limited!
Join us for a joyful summer evening of music, culture, and community in the heart of New Bedford.

First Fridays is proudly sponsored by: 

First Fridays: A Fourth of July Celebration with The Jethros