2024 marks the 25th Anniversary of AHA! Night, a beloved part of contemporary New Bedford’s social fabric. When we spoke, AHA director Kim Goddard was in the midst of organizing the special celebratory extravaganza of AHA! for Thursday, September 12 that has the theme “Party Like its 1999” — honoring the year AHA! was started.
To flesh out background on AHA! I also had a conversation with Candace Lee Heald, AHA!’s retired director, to hear from her the “origin story,” because she was there. AHA! (Arts, History, Architecture) came about at a low point of urban decay in the city 24 years ago. Heald, with a team of New Bedford cultural partners from the faith, business, art, education and government communities, looked at the city’s obvious assets: cobblestone streets where Melville once walked, historical and contemporary art, outstanding historic architecture and from there developed AHA! — a grass roots initiative focused on the human component of community building.
Heald said that across 25 years AHA has never missed presenting monthly as a second Thursday event. Consistency has built a following allowing people to connect easily and now AHA! Night is enmeshed in New Bedford as a healthy city. A measure of success: New Bedford has been voted among top 10 best art cities in the country — alongside Santa-Fe, New Mexico, Hudson Valley, New York and New Orleans, Louisiana, to name a few.