CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF THE MOBY-DICK MARATHON

Weekend Events Feature Wine and Beer Tastings, Artist Talk, Literary Salon, and Community Art Project

The Drawing Room, an art, wine & design shop at 22 William Street announces a weekend-long celebration honoring the 30th anniversary of the New Bedford Whaling Museum's Moby-Dick Marathon, January 2-4, 2026. Located immediately adjacent to the Whaling Museum on historic Johnny Cake Hill, The Drawing Room will offer complementary programming that connects literature, art, and community during this milestone event.

"We're thrilled to keep our storefront on the corner of William Street and Johnny Cake Hill open for 30 hours to accompany Marathon participants in the neighborhood," said Anthi Frangiadis, owner of The Drawing Room. "This is a chance to create a welcoming space where the literary journey happening at the Museum extends into our community through art, conversation, and shared experience."

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2 5:00 PM – Welcome Reception

Join us as we launch a weekend-long celebration honoring the 30th anniversary of the New Bedford Whaling Museum's legendary Moby-Dick Marathon. Begin your literary journey with us at The Drawing Room, located immediately adjacent to the Whaling Museum on historic Johnny Cake Hill.

Complimentary Wine Tasting: Scar of the Sea Pinot Noir, (among other Pinot Noirs) 5pm – 8pm

We'll open with a special tasting of Scar of the Sea Pinot Noir, a California wine whose very essence embodies the spirit of Melville's masterwork. The label prominently features a quote from Moby Dick: "As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch to sail forbidden seas and land on barbarous coasts.”--words that speak to resilience, endurance, and the indelible marks left by experience. Just as these coastal vineyards, located merely a mile from the Pacific Ocean, are shaped by persistent fog, ocean winds, and maritime weather, Melville's novel explores humanity's relationship with the sea's transformative power. This sophisticated literary reference signals the winemakers' reverence for how the ocean shapes both wine and narrative, making it the perfect toast to begin our marathon weekend.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 – SUNDAY, JANUARY 4 10:00 AM Saturday through 4:00 PM Sunday (30 Hours)

The Community Canvas Project

As readers at the Whaling Museum journey through all 135 chapters of Moby Dick over 25 hours, we invite you to participate in your own creative odyssey. Throughout our 30-hour opening, visitors are invited to make their mark on a large communal canvas—a visual representation of our shared experience with Melville's epic tale. Each mark, each gesture, each contribution becomes part of a collective artwork that mirrors the collaborative spirit of the Marathon itself.

Whether you're a Marathon reader taking a break between chapters, a visiting enthusiast exploring New Bedford for this special anniversary, or a local celebrating this beloved tradition, The Drawing Room offers a welcoming space to rest, reflect, and create.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM Complimentary Beer Tasting: Rising Tide Ishmael Copper Ale

On Saturday evening, we'll feature tastings of Rising Tide Brewing's Ishmael Copper Ale, named for the narrator and protagonist of Moby Dick. This richly-flavored American copper ale was the very first beer Rising Tide released, inspired by founder Nathan Sanborn's favorite novel. As Melville's Ishmael beckons us with "Call me Ishmael," this clean, malty copper ale invites us to share in the story—a fitting companion for those embarking on or celebrating the Marathon journey. The beer's name pays homage to the voice that guides us through Ahab's obsessive quest, reminding us that every great story begins with an invitation.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 5:30 PM – Artist Conversation with Heidi Whitman

Join Boston-area artist Heidi Whitman for a conversation about her powerful installation, Ahab's Head: American Vengeance, currently on view at the New Bedford Whaling Museum through May 2026. Whitman's installation suspends sculptural forms made from rope and fabric above wall-drawn whaling charts, combined with weaponry from the museum's collection and an original soundscape. The work explores the dread and obsession underlying Melville's novel while addressing contemporary American conversations about violence, obsession, and greed.

During the pandemic lockdown of March 2020, Whitman reread Moby Dick one chapter per day, finding profound resonances between the novel's themes and our current moment. Her work transforms Melville's 19th-century maritime epic into a meditation on present-day America. The Drawing Room is honored to represent Heidi Whitman's work, and we'll have pieces from her collection available for viewing and acquisition.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 11:00 PM Late Night Literary Salon with Corey Nuffer 

Join us for a “Marathon”-adjacent discussion series, fueled by hot cocoa, tea, and literary adrenaline. Corey Nuffer, of the South Coast Almanac’s Walking Book Tours, is on hand to extend the conversation about this amazing book. Corey will also have on hand After Moby-Dick: An Anthology of New Poetry, by Elizabeth Schultz, a world-renowned Moby-Dick expert, and Kylan Rice, co-author on the anthology. Corey was able to discuss this book with them back in 2019, when the book was released.  “I duly arrived in New Bedford. It was a Saturday night in December,” (33) will be our starting point, as we’ll also discuss Melville’s visits to the Arnold Mansion and other experiences he had when strolling the streets of our beloved city.

REFRESHMENTS FOR MARATHON PARTICIPANTS

Hot chocolate and snacks will be available for purchase at our window on Johnny Cake Hill throughout the weekend, providing warmth and sustenance for dedicated readers and visitors exploring New Bedford's historic waterfront during this remarkable literary celebration.

FOR VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR

If you're traveling to New Bedford for this milestone 30th anniversary Marathon—joining readers and Melville enthusiasts from around the globe—The Drawing Room offers an essential complement to your experience. Located at 22 William Street, directly adjacent to the Whaling Museum, we provide a welcoming harbor where you can immerse yourself in the artistic and cultural dimensions of Melville's world. Our weekend celebration creates space for the conversations, connections, and creative expressions that emerge when a community gathers around great literature.

This is more than an art event—it's an invitation to participate in a living tradition, to add your voice to a 30-year conversation, and to experience how wine, music, art, and literature can illuminate one another. As Ishmael invites us to join his voyage, we invite you to join our voyage.

The Drawing Room 22 William Street, New Bedford Immediately adjacent to the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

All Marathon activities at the Whaling Museum are free through Sunday, January 4 at 1:00 PM.