New Bedford Whaling Museum Launches 23rd Annual Moby Dick Marathon

Unlike Herman Melville, who shipped out of New Bedford on a whaling ship in 1841, you may not have time to embark on a voyage across the world.

However, you can head to the New Bedford Whaling Museum this weekend for the 23rd Annual Moby Dick Marathon. The festival features an epic reading of Melville's most famous novel and other related events.

The museum launches its marathon weekend Friday evening with a lecture by noted Melville scholar Mary K. Bercaw Edwards, and wraps things up on Sunday.

The museum is located at 18 First Street in New Bedford. Here is the schedule of events:

Friday, January 4

5:30 – 8:00 pm Pre-marathon Dinner and Presentation
Attendees enjoyed a meal well-suited for hungry sailors. After dinner was an illustrated presentation by Jennifer Baker, Melville Scholar, titled “Gender and the Man’s World of Moby-Dick,” followed by a discussion.
Ticketed Event: Sold Out

Saturday, January 5

THE MARATHON EXPERIENCE
From 10 am Saturday to 1 pm Sunday*
All Saturday and Sunday events are free and open to the public. Guests may come and go as needed through the Museum’s main entrance.

10 am Stump the Scholars
Bring your most challenging Melville-related questions and try to stump Melville scholars. Cook Memorial Theater (Lower Level)

10 am Children’s Mini-Marathon
Harbor View Gallery (Upper Level)

11:30 am Extracts
Read by members of the Melville Society Cultural Project. Bourne Building (Main Level)

12 noon The Main Attraction
Bourne Building (Main Level)

1:30 pm Father Mapple’s Sermon
Seamen’s Bethel (Reserved seating at Bethel and livestream in Cook Memorial Theater)

2 pm – 10 pm The Great American Novel, Part 2
Take the opportunity to partner with artificial intelligence to contribute to a new version of Moby-Dick by virtual Herman Melville and friends.  Media Lab (Main Level)

2:15 pm Main Marathon Continues
Harbor View Gallery (Upper Level)

2:30 pm Chat with Melville Scholars
Wattles Family Gallery (Lower Level)

3 pm Portuguese Marathon
Bourne Building (Main Level)

4 pm – 5 pm Artist Signing
Get your Moby-Dick Marathon prints signed by the artist Jacob Mark. Jacobs Family Gallery (Lower Level)

5 pm – 9 pm Cousin Hosea’s Chowder Hall and the Decanter Taproom
Recharge and warm up with New Bedford’s best soups and brews. Jacobs Family Gallery (Lower Level)

7 pm Midnight on the Forecastle (chapter 40)
Performed by  Culture*Park. Cook Memorial Theater (Lower Level)

Sunday, January 6

8 am The 20th-Hour Treat
Get fueled up for the home stretch. Classroom (Main Level)

9:30 am Chat with Melville scholars
Wattles Family Gallery (Lower Level)

1 pm Epilogue
Prizes for the hearty souls that make it through the entire night. Harbor View Gallery (Upper Level)

*Times are approximate and are dependent on the reading pace of the Marathon.