Friday, October 24 - Sunday, October 26, 2025
New Fall Weekend
Friday, October 24 - Sunday, October 26, 2025
The New Fall Weekend is collaboration to highlight the cultural depth of the Southcoast region as well as the newfound accessibility the New Southcoast Rail New Bedford/Fall River Line provides. Led by Explore New Bedford, Viva Fall River, the Southeastern Massachusetts Visitors Bureau, and the New Bedford Whaling Museum, this collaborative initiative highlights leading cultural attractions in Fall River and New Bedford to encourage visitors to discover and explore both cities’ rich qualities.
At the New Bedford Whaling Museum, guests can enjoy a full lineup of engaging programs, including the opening of the installation Bristol County: Incarcerated, which highlights artifacts from the region’s oldest jail system, and two separate programs which both feature acclaimed author and activist Bill McKibben: The Climate Future Film Festival and the New Bedford Lyceum. The Climate Film Festival, judged by McKibben, will screen ten short films from four continents, showcasing a variety of genres including drama, documentary, comedy, and award-winning animation that capture the spectrum of emotional and intellectual responses to climate change. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, October 24.
The following evening, McKibben will be the keynote speaker at the New Bedford Lyceum, hosted at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. In his keynote Solar, Society, and the Shifting Climate, McKibben illuminates the promise of renewable energy, the fight for climate justice, and the power of collective action, blending urgent science, inspiring stories, and practical solutions. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 25.
For more information:
Bristol County: Incarcerated features items related to life in the Ash Street Jail, both for its residents and its employees, and those related to Bristol County’s history of incarceration.
The Climate Future Film Festival, founded by Jim Stahl, delves into the artistic and human responses to the climate crisis and the paths that may lie ahead. The festival promises a thought-provoking program that highlights the power of storytelling in addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time.
An extraordinary evening with renowned climate author and activist Bill McKibben! In his keynote Solar, Society, and the Shifting Climate, McKibben illuminates the promise of renewable energy, the fight for climate justice, and the power of collective action—blending urgent science, inspiring stories, and practical solutions.
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