- Home
- Schedule
- Performers
- Authors
- Directions and Lodging
- Sponsors
- Exhibitors
- Food
- Awards
- Press
- Store
- Contact Us
- Volunteer
- For Teachers
By all accounts, the Working Waterfront Festival is a resounding success. The event has truly transformed the working waterfront and touched many of those whose lives are connected to it, raising awareness, increasing respect for and restoring a sense of pride in the commercial fishing industry and culture. What follows are a few of the comments collected from Working Waterfront Festival participants and visitors:
“The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) believes that the Working Waterfront Festival is one of the most significant new traditional arts/culture festivals in the nation.”
— Julia Olin, Executive Director, NCTA
“The Working Waterfront Festival is one of the rare instances in New England where the entire community can come together to simply learn about the fishing industry . . . this festival isn’t just important to the fishing community; it’s important to our American heritage.”
— Dan Orchard, fisherman
"Since coming to New Bedford six years ago, nothing has made me prouder than being a participant in this Festival."
— Jeff Pontiff, Whaling City Expeditions
"People up and down the coast are still talking about this festival. This is the most positive event that has happened for the fishing industry in years, even the non-believers now believe in the Working Waterfront Festival."
— Rodney Avila, boat owner and retired fisherman
"I loved the Working Waterfront Festival, I simply loved it. I felt it was an extraordinary tribute to a vital, living industry in a city which has been primarily recognized for the richness of its past. At the same time, the Festival managed to bring the past forward-the history of New Bedford and the history of commercial fishing-in creative and inspired ways that helped to illuminate the culture of the working waterfront and to underline the successes of the commercial fishing industry and the challenges it faces. In short, the weaving of narrative and work, art and folklore, history and song, created a powerful and fully integrated whole that celebrated commercial fishing and the older traditions that it is carrying forward, as well as the newer traditions it is creating for the future."
— Dawn Tripp, author
"It has been a long time since I have been this proud to be a fisherman from New Bedford."
— Rodney Avila, boat owner and retired fisherman
"We totally appreciate the education and support you have represented this weekend...allowing others to realize the value of this area's fishing industry."
— 2004 festival visitor
"The whole event increased my awareness of and respect for the fishing industry."
— 2004 festival visitor
If you are interested in helping to plan, participating in or contributing financial or in-kind resources to the Festival please contact the Festival Committee at info@workingwaterfrontfestival.org or call 508-993-8894.
