The fifth AHA! Fall River was designed to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the arrival of the Battleship USS Massachusetts in Fall River in August, 1965. The occasion brought performances of musicians, dancers, magicians, and comic book heroes along with the chance to dance to tunes from the 1940s at Government Center and on the deck of the Battleship. The Wednesday evening event drew hundreds to venues on North and South Main Street as well as to Battleship Cove itself. Groups were encouraged to carry out the 1940s theme and included a Mass in Motion bicycle repair station, a visit with the original “Kissing Sailor”, George Mendonsa, and a boxing demonstration. "It was a great chance for people to get out walking around the City to enjoy a variety of groups and activities that usually get little exposure," commented Mass In Motion Fall River Coordinator Julianne Kelly. "It was especially great seeing all of those senior dancing to live music, something that we don't have enough of these days," she added. AHA! Fall River was formed in June 2013 in collaboration with the New Bedford AHA! and the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts. AHA! stands for arts, history and architecture. The purpose of the organization is to develop collaborative relationships in order to expand and sustain arts and cultural programming in the two cities. Click here for a thirteen-minute video of the event. Click here for photos of another recent AHA! event. For more information, contact Sandy Dennis at 508-646-3621.

(Top row) Dancers, including Laura and Richard Lopes, swing to the tunes of The Jambalaya Band in the lobby of Government Center outside of the Staircase Gallery exhibit. (Row two) Janice Velozo administers a bicycle safety test to visitors at the Mass In Motion table while Mass In Motion Fall River Coordinator Julianne Kelly talks with a passing cyclist. (Row three) Marlene McCarthy, Emily Bird and Michelle Alves of the Fall River YMCA pose for a group photo while members of the Fall River Dance Academy perform outside Government Center directed by Christine Rizza. (Row four, left) Superman and Wonder Woman characters from A Piece of Cake Parties in Swansea pose for a photo outside Government Center. (Row four, center) State Senator Michael Rodrigues and Representative Alan Silvia with eleven-year-old Lily Gentile who is posing as a newspaper delivery person from the 40s. (Row four, right) Balloon artist Chip Rascal poses with eleven-year-old Larry Merrill as six-year-old Joell Nina watches from behind. (Row five) Hannah Peterson, Aditya Kalasubramanan, Emily Aaron, and Jacob Ricci pose for photos in their 1940s costumes at the Battleship while Bob Gaskell and Marie Rese look over one of the display tables. (Row six) Vincent D'Adaine and Gerry Kashmanian of Johnston, Steve and Jane Stabile and Tony and Irene Carlone dance to the music of Mike Moran and his band at the Bandstand Canteen aboard the Battleship. (Bottom row) Antique cars and Fall River Magician George Cleaves attract an audience in the Heritage Park parking lot before Vanessa Mendoza returns to downtown with her group.