Whaling Museum's 'Moby-Dick' Marathon brings Melville classic to life: Things To Do

“What do you want to do?”

If you need an answer to this age-old question for making plans, we’ve got you covered.

In Things To Do, we take a look at, well, things to do, happening every week in the Greater Fall River area and around the SouthCoast.

From weekdays to weekends, there’s always plenty going on.

And we’re not only taking a look at what’s happening this week, we’re also giving you a heads up for events that are coming soon.

This week, we’ve got a look ahead at the annual "Moby-Dick" Marathon at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, plus movie nights, art events, a poetry battle, live music, and one more chance to enjoy a little Christmas before the holiday season comes to an end.

So when someone asks you what you want to do, you’ve got your plans ready to go.

Here are Things To Do around Fall River and New Bedford this week:

New Bedford Whaling Museum: ‘Moby-Dick’ Marathon returns

Call them Ishmael. From Jan. 5 to 7, the annual “Moby-Dick” Marathon returns to the New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill. The 25-hour read-a-thon of Herman Melville’s famous novel will kick off with a dinner and lecture featuring master printer Jos Sances and Dr. Jeffrey Peterson on Friday, Jan. 5. There will be a cocktail reception and buffet dinner at 5 p.m., and the lecture will be at 6:30 p.m. That will be followed by a Q&A session as well as coffee and dessert. Tickets to the dinner/lecture can be found at https://www.whalingmuseum.org/program/an-ark-that-includes-us-all.

The read-a-thon begins on Saturday, Jan. 6, with live readings continuing into Sunday, Jan. 7. The museum will be free on Saturday and Sunday.

Opening reader Michael J. Bobbitt, the Executive Director of Mass Cultural Council, will conduct the signature high noon opening chapter read with the three famous words “Call Me Ishmael,” according to a press release from the Whaling Museum.

Readings will be conducted by scholars, students, and community members.

There will also be other activities, like “Stump the Scholars,” a game show where readers will try to outwit Melville scholars. Or check out the sing-along to the poem “The Ribs and Terrors in the Whale,” a live performance of Chapter 40 by Culture*Park.

Guests can also enjoy chowder employed by Blount Seafood, just like Ishmael and Queequeg enjoy some chowder before sailing off on the Pequod.

This year, the Portuguese Mini-Marathon also returns, taking place in the Cook Memorial Theater, starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6. There will be 48 readers, reading passages from an abridged version in Portuguese, using the adaptation created by Tiago Patrício. State Representative António F.D. Cabral will kick off the Portuguese mini-marathon and get to read the opening line: “Podem chamar-me Ismael.”

Both of the “Moby-Dick” marathons will be live-streamed.

For more information, as well as a timetable and full schedule of events, visit https://www.whalingmuseum.org/program/moby-dick-marathon-2024.

Poetry battle final round at New Bedford Art Museum

The final round of “Echoes of Expression” will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the New Bedford Art Museum, 608 Pleasant St. The poetry battle is free for all to attend, as the finalists wield their poetic prowess in the hopes of being crowned champion. For more information, visit https://newbedfordart.org/peoples-poetry.

See “A Man Called Otto” at Tiverton Public Library

There will be a free movie night on Wednesday, Dec. 27, at 6 p.m., at the Tiverton Public Library, 34 Roosevelt Ave. See “A Man Called Otto,” starring Tom Hanks. There will also be popcorn and drinks.

Winter Art Together at Somerset library

The Somerset Public Library, 1464 County St., is hosting a Winter Art Together on Tuesday, Dec. 26 at 6 p.m. This gathering is for tweens and teens age 10 and older, who are working on an ongoing art project. They can bring in their project and work on it in a social environment, with snacks and a movie. No registration is required. Guests must bring their own art supplies. The library appreciates donations of pre-packaged, nut-free snacks.

Live performances at The Narrows Center for the Arts

The Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St., Fall River, has a couple of shows coming up this week. On Thursday, Dec. 28, see the Adam Ezra Group. The show is from 8 to 11 p.m., and doors open at 7 p.m. The opening act is Sirsy. Tickets are $33 in advance and $35 the day of the show. Purchase tickets online at https://tinyurl.com/d9xmd2mj. GA-20 will be at the Narrows on Friday, Dec. 29, from 8 to 10 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $28 in advance and $30 the day of the show, and can be purchased online at https://tinyurl.com/mt6w5mvu. For more information, visit https://www.narrowscenter.org.

Fall River Arts & Culture Coalition: Current exhibits at The Ignition Space

The Fall River Arts & Culture Coalition presents “Nurture” and “Lithobates” at The Ignition Space, 341 S. Main St. There’s still time to catch both of them, before Jan. 6. Featuring the works of local artists Megan O. Kenealy and Arianne Barrett, both Master of Arts in Teaching in Visual Arts candidates at Bridgewater State University, these exhibits fulfill their thesis requirement for graduation. Gallery hours are: Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Still time to see Christmas at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum

The Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum, 396 County St., New Bedford, has a special installation on the second floor this holiday season, and there’s still time to see it. A nativity scene, created by Fairhaven resident and artist Luis Duffy-Baraybar, will be on view through Jan. 6. Visitors to the mansion will also see the halls all decked out. For more information, visit rjdmuseum.org.

Gilded Age glam: Sparkling Lights at The Breakers

Through Dec. 30, you can still bask in the warmth of a little Gilded Age glamor with Sparkling Lights at The Breakers. The mansion at 44 Ochre Point Ave., Newport, features dazzling light displays for the fourth year in a row. There are also fire pits, s’mores kits for sale, holiday treats, and adult beverages for purchase on the back terrace at The Breakers Welcome Center. Admission requires a ticket for a specific date and time, and includes admission to the house. For tickets, dates, and times, visit https://tinyurl.com/ynje4huj.

Coin show in Westport

The Coin Club of Greater New Bedford will be hosting a coin show on Sunday, Dec. 31, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be held at the Westport Town Hall Annex, 856 Main Rd. Admission is free.

Have a community event or activity you’d like to see featured? Send us an email at  kfontes@heraldnews.com or news@heraldnews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Things To Do: Moby-Dick Marathon at New Bedford Whaling Museum