OK, we’ve all heard of a rain dance. Is there such a thing as a sunshine dance? Jeepers, the frequency of rain we’ve been bombarded with is unofficially out of control. Or as the kids they days say it’s “literally” out of control. The bad news is that we’ll have rain through all three days this weekend. Friday with a brief shower or two (or five), Saturday a shower is “possible,” which means it’ll definitely rain at the worst possible moment, and same for Sunday, with the difference being a thunderstorm instead. The good news is that we aren’t soft here in New England and it takes some seriously bad weather to stuff us from enjoying ourselves!

As always, click on the title for more or detailed information on the event. Most of the events were pulled from our event calendar where you can find hundreds of local area events each month. The event calendar is FREE, so if you are a local business, and not taking advantage of FREE publicity, shame on you! Are you a local business and want to sponsor this high traffic, weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details. Have an event to add? Check out our tutorial. For more info, you can click on each title. Know of another event this weekend? Post a reply!

---

Friday, May 23rd

Zoo Nights at Buttonwood Zoo (5:30pm-8:00pm)
Zoo Nights are designed to offer families an opportunity to enjoy the Zoo on cool summer nights, experience animal encounters and participate in children’s activities.

Lakeside Family Festival (East Freetown) (6:00-11:00pm)
“Lakeside Family Festival” celebrates their 30th anniversary. The festival is located on Rt. 18 (Middleboro Road) in East Freetown, Mass. on the grounds of Cathedral Camp.

Lakeside Family Festival has amusement rides, raffles, entertainment, home made baked goods and delicious foods. Phone: 508-763-2240. Email: contact@sjnfreetown.org.

Painting with a Splash: Van Gogh Starry Night w/ Fitz (7:00pm)
Welcome to Painting with a Splash Where you are the artist! Painting with a Splash is the newest addition to Historic Whaling City Downtown New Bedford. Bringing you an experience of art as entertainment. Add a little wine (BYOB) that will surely tap into your creative side. With step by step instruction and a little music, you and your friends will create the evenings featured painting with a splash of your own uniqueness. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Just a desire to have fun.

Your Theatre Inc.: “Squabbles” (8:00pm)
A Never-Too-Old-For-Love Comedy pitting father-in-law against mother-in-law. Tickets $15, $13 senior, students and military. For further information call (508) 993-0772.

---

Saturday, May 24th

White Cane Safety Day (Fairhaven) (9:00am-1:00pm)
At the Fairhaven Lions Club. This day honors the blind and their white cane as a symbol of independence. Guests can make a donation and take a picture with Dan D. Lion. Intersections around Benoit Sq.

Fairhaven Village Militia Spring Revolutionary War Encampment (9:00am-Sunset)
Period costumed men and women recreating life in the times of the Revolutionary War. Free. Cannon Firing Saturday at dusk, (approx. 8:00 p.m.) For information call (508) 979-4085. Fort Phoenix.

Westport River Gardeners Plant Sale (Westport) (9:00-1:00pm)
At the Macomber Meeting House. Selling many garden tools and plants including perennials, annuals, vegetables and more. Garden jewelry, aprons, pottery, rain barrels and more will also be sold. 930 Main Road.

Friends of Wareham Free Library Book Sale (Wareham) (9:00am-2:00pm)
Thousands of quality used books for sale. 59 Marion Road, Wareham, MA.

Hixville & Smill Mills Celebrates Dartmouth’s 350th Anniversary (Dartmouth) (10:00am-4:00pm)
Bring the whole family as Dartmouth celebrates their 350th anniversary one village at a time! This weekend Hixville and Smith Mills join in the family oriented activities!

Democrat Gubernatorial Candidates Forum (11:00am-1:00pm)
All 5 Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates will be at the Gubernatorial Candidates Forum on Saturday, May 24th starting at 11:00 a.m at the Zeiterion Theatre. Come ask questions, get answers and hear the issues defined

Lakeside Family Festival & Blessing of the Bikes (East Freetown) (12:00-11:00pm)
“Lakeside Family Festival” celebrates their 30th anniversary. The festival is located on Rt. 18 (Middleboro Road) in East Freetown, Mass. on the grounds of Cathedral Camp. Lakeside Family Festival has amusement rides, raffles, entertainment, home made baked goods and delicious foods. Saturday, May 24th “Blessing of the Bikes” sign up 11 a.m. Riders $15 and passengers $10. Kick stands up at 12:30. Phone: 508-763-2240. Email: contact@sjnfreetown.org.

Painting with a Splash: Four special paintings to choose from! (3:00pm & 7:00pm)
Welcome to Painting with a Splash Where you are the artist! Painting with a Splash is the newest addition to Historic Whaling City Downtown New Bedford. Bringing you an experience of art as entertainment. Add a little wine (BYOB) that will surely tap into your creative side. With step by step instruction and a little music, you and your friends will create the evenings featured painting with a splash of your own uniqueness. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Just a desire to have fun.

“Taste Wine…From the South of Italy” Wine Tasting Event (Fall River) (6:30pm-9:30 pm)
What? Never been to a first-class wine-tasting? Now is your time! On this fund-raising evening, come join wines of Italy enthusiast, and Italy writer and traveler, Alan A. Amaral as he introduces the best of Italian wines to the local audience. Alan Amaral a well-traveled Italian American who founded Italian Wine Services has led many tours to Italy and its vineyards. Join us on this occasion as he introduces the best of Italian white and red wines from the regions of Venice to Vesuvius. Phone: 508-674-3533. Email: info@marinemuseumfr.org. Marine Museum 70 Water Street Fall River, Mass. 02721.

---

Sunday, May 25th

24th Annual Antique and Classic Car Show (East Freetown) (8:00am-2:30 pm)
Entrance fee $10.00. Registration begins at 8 a.m. Awards ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Rain date is Monday. Phone: 5087632240. Email: contact@sjnfreetown.org. Lakeside Family Festival 157 Middleboro Road East Freetown, Mass.

Fairhaven Village Militia Spring Revolutionary War Encampment (9:00am-3:00pm)
Period costumed men and women recreating life in the times of the Revolutionary War. Free. For information call (508) 979-4085. Fort Phoenix.

Hixville & Smill Mills Celebrates Dartmouth’s 350th Anniversary (Dartmouth) (10:00am-4:00pm)
Bring the whole family as Dartmouth celebrates their 350th anniversary one village at a time! This weekend Hixville and Smith Mills join in the family oriented activities!

Lakeside Family Festival (East Freetown) (12:00-11:00pm)
“Lakeside Family Festival” celebrates their 30th anniversary. The festival is located on Rt. 18 (Middleboro Road) in East Freetown, Mass. on the grounds of Cathedral Camp. Lakeside Family Festival has amusement rides, raffles, entertainment, home made baked goods and delicious foods. Phone: 508-763-2240. Email: contact@sjnfreetown.org.

Painting with a Splash: Butterfly Garden (N.B.) Dottie’s Angels American Cancer Relay For Life (Wareham) (2:00 & 5:00pm)
Welcome to Painting with a Splash Where you are the artist! Painting with a Splash is the newest addition to Historic Whaling City Downtown New Bedford. Bringing you an experience of art as entertainment. Add a little wine (BYOB) that will surely tap into your creative side. With step by step instruction and a little music, you and your friends will create the evenings featured painting with a splash of your own uniqueness. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Just a desire to have fun.

Want to sponsor this weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details.

---

Returning to the scene of the crime, NBAM/Artworks! students in the “Teens Reach Beyond” program were out there painting art on the electrical box at the corner of Purchase and Williams again.

Last year, the City of New Bedford Department of Public Infrastructure painted all of the electrical boxes black—including the one drawn by a previous Artworks! class.

NBAM/Artworks! education director Deb Smook and New Bedford artist Aaron Souza were on hand for the repainting of the box. Smook said that they had received permission from the mayor’s office—both times.

“The first box was painted with koi fish and had the theme “Perseverance through Adversity,” said Smook. So when it was removed, well, “That’s a life lesson, too—don’t give up. This is how you deal with it in an appropriate manner.”

Students meet after school once a week for a year in the “Teens Reach Beyond” program at NBAM/Artworks!. It culminates in a public art project.

“The teens from the last box painting will see this and go—‘Oh, good. They got something on it again.’ Things happen in life. You have to deal with it appropriately,” Smook said.

---

Do you suffer from pain or stiffness your knees? Have you been diagnosed with Osteoarthritis of the knee? Are you 35 years of age or older? You may be interested in a local research study to find relief. Qualified participants will be compensated up to $1,100 and help further research that will bring relief to thousands of other sufferers. No insurance is required.

Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease affects nearly one in five Americans. The pain, stiffness and loss of mobility that results in Osteoarthritis can be caused by mechanical stress, congenital causes that lead to misalignment of bones, excess body weight, and many others.

Regardless of the cause the ensuing pain, stiffness and mobility detract from a functionally active lifestyle and lead to a poorer quality of life. This new study which offers the physical exams, ECG and lab work at no cost, is to find relief for sufferers and help them lead a better quality lifestyle without the pain.

Novex Clinical Research, located on Field Street, is a leader in the field of clinical trials. They also conduct trials for a variety of conditions in additional to Constipation, such as, Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, High Cholesterol, Migraines, Multiple Sclerosis, and others.

If you are interested in learning more about clinical research, you can read Novex Clinical Research’s FAQ, visit their website, Facebook, or contact them through e-mail or phone. You can also get directions via their website.

Novex Clinical Research
Phone: 508-990-9555 ext. 1 or 855-7STUDY7
E-mail: info@novexclinical.com
Website: NovexClinical.com/Osteo

---

Last I checked the saying was “April showers bring May flowers.” Apparently, just for New England it’s been modified: “April showers bring May showers.” Harumph. After a shower or two on Friday we’ll have some morning rain followed by a cloudy day. We’ll take it! Sunday there will be a “stray” afternoon shower. Overall temperatures will be perfect in the upper 60s. These showers are nothing that will hold any of us who have fun stuff to do and exciting events to attend! Bring that umbrella and have at it!

As always, click on the title for more or detailed information on the event. Most of the events were pulled from our event calendar where you can find hundreds of local area events each month. The event calendar is FREE, so if you are a local business, and not taking advantage of FREE publicity, shame on you! Are you a local business and want to sponsor this high traffic, weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details. Have an event to add? Check out our tutorial. For more info, you can click on each title. Know of another event this weekend? Post a reply!

---

Friday, May 16th

Your Theatre Inc.: “Squabbles” (8:00pm)
A Never-Too-Old-For-Love Comedy pitting father-in-law against mother-in-law. Tickets $15, $13 senior, students and military. For further information call (508) 993-0772.

---

Saturday, May 17th

26th Annual Scrimshaw Weekend at the Whaling Museum (9:00am-9:00pm)
This year’s event will kick-off on Friday, May 16, with the 5th Annual Nautical Antiques Show. The Nautical Antiques Show features an exclusive, high quality sale of marine antiques including scrimshaw, nautical instruments and tools, whaling logbooks, ship models, photos, paintings, prints, New Bedford memorabilia and much more. The Antiques Show runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Jacobs Family Gallery. Admission to the show is $5 and is free of charge for Scrimshaw Weekend attendees, Museum members, and with daily admission to the Museum.

Annual Plant Sale (Acushnet) (9:00 & 12:00pm)
Rain or shine at the Acushnet Senior Center, 59 1/2 So. Main St. Perennial, herbs annuals, shrubs, vegetables and more. Proceeds benefit the Greater New Bedford Garden Club Scholarship Fund. Phone: 5089980280. Email: acushnetcoa@acushnet.ma.us.

Dollar-a-bag book sale (Fairhaven) (9:00-10:00am)
Oxford Book Haven and Cafe. Coffee and desserts also available, All proceeds go to the Church of the Good Shepherd. 357 Main St.

1st Annual Ricketson’s Day (10:30am-3:00pm)
Guided nature walks throughout the day will include the opening of a new trail system at the park. Participants will learn to identify native plants and learn how native ecosystems support the bird population including the migrating birds traveling through our area now. Families can also participate in Nature Scavenger Hunts, and “Rural Calendar” counts by recording bird counts and bloom times continuing a Ricketson tradition. The Marion Institute is sponsoring a talk on proper pruning of fruit trees at the site of the newly planted orchard. Read more…

Westport Historical Society presents “The Mills of Westport.” (Westport) (2:00-3:00pm)
Hosts Tony Connors who will present “The Mills of Westport.” Connors will provide an overview of the development of the Westport Manufacturing Company and Mill No. 2. A walk around Forge Pond Conservation area will follow program. Suggested donation $5. Space limited, pre-register at www.wphistory.org or at (508) 636-6011.

Painting with a Splash: Van Gogh Colorful Sky w/ Ann (3:00pm)
Welcome to Painting with a Splash Where you are the artist! Painting with a Splash is the newest addition to Historic Whaling City Downtown New Bedford. Bringing you an experience of art as entertainment. Add a little wine (BYOB) that will surely tap into your creative side. With step by step instruction and a little music, you and your friends will create the evenings featured painting with a splash of your own uniqueness. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Just a desire to have fun.

---

Sunday, May 18th

26th Annual Scrimshaw Weekend at the Whaling Museum (9:30am-12:30pm)
This year’s event will kick-off on Friday, May 16, with the 5th Annual Nautical Antiques Show. The Nautical Antiques Show features an exclusive, high quality sale of marine antiques including scrimshaw, nautical instruments and tools, whaling logbooks, ship models, photos, paintings, prints, New Bedford memorabilia and much more. The Antiques Show runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Jacobs Family Gallery. Admission to the show is $5 and is free of charge for Scrimshaw Weekend attendees, Museum members, and with daily admission to the Museum.

Painting with a Splash: Moonlit Tree & St. James St. John School Fundraiser (2:00 & 5:30pm)
Welcome to Painting with a Splash Where you are the artist! Painting with a Splash is the newest addition to Historic Whaling City Downtown New Bedford. Bringing you an experience of art as entertainment. Add a little wine (BYOB) that will surely tap into your creative side. With step by step instruction and a little music, you and your friends will create the evenings featured painting with a splash of your own uniqueness. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Just a desire to have fun.

The 55th annual Acushnet Art Show (Acushnet) (1:00pm)
Takes place at the Council On Aging located at 29 1/2 Main St. Acushnet. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

15th Annual Pet Fest (11:00am-3:00 pm)
The Coalition for Animals needs your help to raise money for the benefit of injured, sick, homeless, abandoned and neglected animals! Join them for the 15th Annual Pet Fest and Walf for animals with the Future of Health Expo at Buttonwood Park, 745 Rockdale Avenue. Rain or shine!

Crescent Moon Holistic Therapy Shoppe Tea Social (1:00-2:00 pm)
Head to Crescent Moon for an afternoon of tea, pastry, and spirit-fueled conversation. This is a great opportunity to look at the intersections of spirituality, religion, health, meditation, and healing modalities.

Want to sponsor this weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details.

---

For the community of New Bedford, there are a few reasons why 2014 is a special year.  For one, it will mark the homecoming of the whaling ship the Charles S. Morgan.  It will also mark the 100th New Bedford Feast of the Blessed Sacrament.

The New Bedford Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, a.k.a. the Portuguese Feast, a.k.a. Madeira Feast is the largest event the city has every year. More than that, it is the largest Portuguese feast in the world and the largest ethnic festival in New England. The feast was founded in 1915 by four Madeiran immigrants who wanted to recreate the festivities of their home island.

Between my own experience with the feast, some careful research and some very helpful guidance from Ed Camara, the Director of Media and Public Relations for Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento, I have come up with an overview of the feast which has become a major attraction for visitors from all over who come to celebrate the Portuguese culture through food, drink and entertainment.

Every year thousands of people attend the Feast, but the big 100th is anticipated to draw the largest turnout in the Feast’s long and storied history. If you are considering being one of this year’s attendees, here are some things you should know about the feast:

1. Time and Location

 

If you have never been to the feast it naturally makes sense to let you know where to go and when to be there. The feast is a four-day event, officially kicking off at 6:00 PM on Thursday, July 31st. The grounds close at midnight each night.

This year the gates will open early on Friday for the big 100.  The grounds will open at noon and close at 11:45 PM, serving food and supplying entertainment the whole night!  By opening earlier on Friday this will provide an opportunity to attend to those who are hoping to avoid the large crowds.

Saturday festivities begin at 10 AM for the 5k road race followed by Kid’s Day afternoon. The last day of the feast is Sunday, which starts off at noon and will feature a parade at 3:00 PM. For more information on when and where events will be taking place, go to the Portuguese Feast Entertainment Schedule.

Most of the events take place at Madeira Field, which is permanent location in New Bedford’s north end, which comes to life one weekend a year for the festivities.

The address of Madeira Field is 50 Madeira Avenue, New Bedford, MA (88 Tinkham Street on your GPS). Parking can be a bit tricky, you may have to plan to search a bit to find a spot and walk a few blocks, or pay to park in a nearby private lot.

2. Costs

 

There is no charge for addmission and the entertainment is free thanks to the hard work of the committee members who comprise the 2014 Feast of the Blessed Sacrament Committee.  Feast members come from all over the country to plan the feast each year, some as far away as California and Florida.  Due to the fact that this will be the 100th feast, the committee is much larger than it has been in years past, consisting of over 280 members from all over the world.  Some of the members will be traveling from across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and South Africa to attend the feast, but in the meantime they have had family members representing them at the committee meetings.

While admission is free to walk around and watch the entertainment, there are also many vendors at the grounds selling everything from handmade Madeiran souvenirs to cigars.  Of course, food, carnival rides and beverages are also an additional cost.

Tickets may also be purchased to buy authentic Portuguese cuisine or, if you’re over 21, an impressive selection of alcoholic beverages. Tickets cost a dollar each and can be purchased at ten machines located throughout the grounds by placing a five, ten or twenty dollar bill inside. Tickets are non-refundable. There are also stands with employees who sell the tickets.

Prices of food are kept reasonable, and there is a great deal of variety to choose from. To give you a general idea of the prices of items at the feast, a full meal is 12 tickets (which equates to 12 dollars), most sandwiches are around four tickets, and a soda or a water goes for one ticket.

3. Food

One of the greatest features of the feast is the delicious Portuguese fare. There are many food stands located throughout Madeira Field that serve your favorites from the simple delights of linguica and cacoila sandwiches to full on Portuguese cuisine plates of chicken, beef, goat or tuna with potatoes, rice and vegetables.

Another major culinary draw is the Carne de Espeto, a massive, 40-foot barbecue pit where beef sirloin cubes can be cooked over an open flame on massive skewers. This is hard to miss since the aroma is absolutely mouth watering. Visitors are able to buy the meat for eight tickets a pound and a delicious aromatic salt is provided to cook with.

Visitors are then able to roast their own dinner over the gas-fired lava rock grill. Mr. Camara, (who has been a part of the organization since 1982) advised me that if someone tells you to pour Madeira wine on the meat it is not advisable (it does not help the flavor and causes the meat to burn faster!)

New items that will be featured at the feast include Milho Frito, fried cornmeal, garlic and finely shredded kale make this the perfect treat to go with Carne de Espeto.  There will also be ice-cold fresh fruit cups, the perfect way to cool down for health conscious attendees.

In case you are not accustomed to the flavorful cooking style of Portuguese cuisine, go to the Food & Drink page of the Portuguese Feast website for definitions of some of the food you might expect to see.

4. Drink

 

One of the draws of the feast is the consumption of Madeira wine, which is a central part of the festivities as it is part of a long tradition. Madeira wine is a sweet, fortified red wine. Genuine Madeira wine is made on the island of Madeira, and exportation of actual barrels are restricted due to regulations. However, thanks to a special agreement made between feast officials and the President of Madeira, casks are able to be delivered to New Bedford and served for the weekend, making this a very rare treat for those who attend.

For those who don’t find that the taste of Madeira wine suits their pallet, there are a great variety of additional options including a full liquor bar for mix drinks and frozen drinks. Alcohol stands also serve sangria and white wine and Budweiser beer is on tap.

If you wish to partake in the consumption of alcoholic beverages, you will need to have your ID scanned when you enter the feast grounds in order to receive a wristband that proves you are legally old enough to be served.  There will be additional ID stations at this year’s feast due to the anticipated increase in numbers of attendees.

5. Entertainment

There is a great deal of quality free entertainment at the feast each year from Portuguese and American cultures. There are three stages throughout Madeira field, and each host a variety of performance types throughout the weekend. In addition, the Museum of Madeiran Heritage will be featuring musical performances each night of the feast. These performances will be featuring fado music, a Portuguese genre of music that can be traced back to the 1820s but is believed to be even older than that.

One of the cultural acts that you may see take the stage at Madeira field is Groupo Folclorico Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento. This group of dancers presents traditional dancing performances to authentic Madeiran music and in traditional clothing. These performances are always very spirited and interesting to see.

There will be many bands on the smaller stages during the feast, but the largest stage is reserved for a special performance at 10:00 each night. Thursday night the band Gin Blossoms will take the stage. Gin Blossoms was a popular rock band in the ‘90s with hits like “Hey Jealousy”, “Found Out About You”, “Follow You Down” and “Till I Hear It From You”.

Friday night will feature Blood, Sweat and Tears with lead singer Bo Bice.  Formed in the late 1960s, Blood, Sweat and Tears has continued to perform their contemporary jazz/rock music with numerous iterations of band personnel and musical styles.  The band’s owner selected Bo Bice, a runner up in American Idol Season 4, as the new front man after he heard Bice perform Blood, Sweat and Tears’ famous “Spinning Wheel” on the show.

Saturday will feature the Starlight Band, a Portuguese Musical group.

Sunday night will feature country music artist Phil Vassar.  Vassar emerged on the country scene in the late 90s, co-writing singles for famous country stars like Tim McGraw. Shortly after he released his own debut album, “Phil Vassar”, which featured five songs that placed on Billboard’s Country Singles Chart.  His most popular tunes include, “Just Another Day in Paradise”, “Love is a Beautiful Thing” and “I’ll Take that as a Yes.”

6. Families

Since Madeira feast involves alcohol consumption, some readers may be wondering if it is a family appropriate event. You will be glad to know that family values are integral to the foundation of the feast. While it is probably not advisable to bring young children later in the night due to large crowds and loud music, it should be mentioned that there are many features of the feast that children will love. Also, the feast takes great measures to prohibit underage drinking. All who wish to consume alcoholic beverages are required to undergo a license verification process in order to receive a specially printed wristband.

Additional security precautions are being taken for this year’s Feast due to its size and significance. Mr. Camera mentioned to me that few people realize this, but the Feast grounds are wired with such advanced cameras that all feast goers are on at least two cameras at any given time.

A cool part of the feast is that it features carnival rides and games all weekend. Saturday is probably the best day for families with young children thanks to Kids Day Afternoon, which follows the 13th annual 5k road race. Kids day kicks off at noon and ends at four, featuring special live entertainment for children.  Kids under twelve can also receive a free hot dog or hamburger, fried and a soda at Kids Day Afternoon.

For senior citizens in the community, there is “Senior Citizen Afternoon” which also takes place on Saturday from noon to 4 pm. During this time a shuttle is being offered (courtesy of the City of New Bedford) from the parking lot of Lincoln Elementary on Saturday so that seniors can attend the event without having to worry about parking. On this day they are also offered a special deal of half price meals for only 6 dollars instead of 12 (eat in only). Special entertainment is featured as well.

7. History

The Feast of the Blessed Sacrament gains its roots from the island of Madeira which is located 390 miles off the coast of Morocco. Traditionally, each Roman Catholic parish in Madeira would observe a festival to celebrate their patron saint. A committee of four men called festeiros would be responsible for preparing the village for the celebration by decorating the streets, contracting entertainment (often in the form of a brass band and fireworks) and holding a ceremonial meal after mass on Sunday.

There are many versions of the tale of why the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament was first begun in New Bedford 97 years ago. What is certain however, is that the feast was initiated as a means of preserving basic values of the Madeiran culture. Of course, since it was first begun the feast has changed in many ways to accommodate thousands of eager participants and modern elements of celebration.

While there have been many changes in the feast, many aspects still remain central to the celebration. The tradition of Madeira wine is a very old one, dating back to the 15th Century when the Malvasia vine was planted on the island of Madeira to see it would yield an alternative supply of wine for England. When growth was successful Madeira wine quickly took to the market, but did not become a major export until many years later. It wasn’t until the 16th Century that the flavor we know of today was created when they discovered that the flavor of the wine was actually improved by being repeatedly heated up. Follow the link for more information on the history of Madeira wine.

The religious aspect of the feast also remains a part of proceedings. As it did in 1915, the feast still takes place near Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, which is located on the corner of Earle and Madeira Street in New Bedford. The Portuguese feast pays homage to its religious traditions by beginning the weekend festivities with a procession to the church where Father Daniel O. Reis gives a Benediction to the Blessed Sacrament. The last day of the feast starts with Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and “the Festeiros, Club Madeirense S. S. Sacramento, Inc. members, and all of the many volunteers receive the blessings of the church for their many hours of work devoted to achieving a successful Feast and for being respectful of its religious origins”. Throughout the weekend the church also hosts a wonderful musical series of organ music and vocalists. The details of this schedule are still being finalized.

8. Madeira Field

The grounds on which the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament takes place are quite expansive and easy to lose people in. Be sure you have a plan for finding lost party members whether it be by cell phone or a designated area to meet up at.

When entering the feast you will need to get in line for a wristband if you wish to purchase alcoholic beverages. One of the most prominent features you will notice upon entering the festival grounds is the Santana House. The house is designed after the colorful architectural styles of the homes in the village Santana, Madeira and is where the Madeira wine is served from.

Across from the Santana House is Stage One, which is massive and where the main attractions will be hosted throughout the weekend. There are also two other smaller stages, one that is inside the gates and the other which is outside and amongst the souvenir vendors. You will also see many food and drink stands throughout the grounds, and towards the back you will find the barbecue pits for Carne de Espeto (or just follow your nose).

---

Are you a business that would like to reach a potential 150,000+ customers over the course of a weekend? The 46th Whaling City Festival is coming and the iconic city even is currently accepting applications for vendor tables. The event which takes place at the Veteran’s Memorial Buttonwood Park July 11-13, is a city-wide favorite that features dozens of musical acts, fun events, mouth watering food, amusement rides and more.

Last year’s event brought in 150,000 people to watch the piglet races, martial arts demonstrations, Zumba, wrestling, Mad Science, and many musical acts like Likk, Voices In Time, Buzzard’s Blues Band. Fanelli’s Traveling Amusements provided the exciting rides and games to put smiles on faces. The many food vendors keep bellies full and people happy, happy, happy.

With the extended hours this year, the festival is expected to draw and even greater crowd and and this will ultimately provide a greater opportunity for vendors to generate further revenue. Prices for the ENTIRE weekend are as follows:

• Prime: $300
• Food: $1,000
• General: $250
• Arts & Crafts: $200

If you are a non-profit, food, arts & crafts or general vendor and you would like to participate in this year’s Whaling City Festival download and print the application directly here.

45th Annual Whaling City Festival

Website: WhalingCityFestival.com
Facebook: facebook.com/WhalingCityFestival

---

Cyclists on today’s Bay State Bike Week Ride ignored the clouds and showed up in droves at Fort Phoenix this morning to ride. It was chilly and there was a stiff breeze off the water, but headwinds are tailwinds on the way back, said Jackie Schmidt, Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District bikeway coordinator.

Bob Espindola, Fairhaven Bikeway Committee chair and South Coast Bikeway Alliance member, was busy getting riders lined up for their rides. Helmets checked and bikes ready, about 50 cyclists of all ages pedaled off into the wind.

The 8.9-mile beginner’s ride on the Fairhaven Bike Path included five kids and three adults from the Fall River Trips 4 Kids group.

Julie Kelly, Healthy City Fall River coordinator and one of the chaperones said that the national Trips 4 Kids organization offers five free bikes and helmets to new chapters.

“New Bedford has had a Trips 4 Kids for awhile. I’m really excited to see a chapter in Fall River as well,” Kelly said. The Fall River Boys and Girls Club sponsored Trips 4 Kids ride today.

Jack Dean of Mattapoisett bought his hybrid Trek about ten years ago, hoping to get back to riding. Now that he’s retired, he decided to take it out for a spin on the bike path, too.

“It’s good exercise,” said Dean, who also kayaks.

“I was on the Swansea path yesterday and saw the South Coast Bikeway Alliance sign for the ride,” Liz Young said. She and her husband Wayne Young of Dighton traveled to do the 20.4 mile intermediate ride down Sconticut Neck.

The 33.8-mile advanced ride took cyclists to the Mattapoisett Bike Path, up and around Sniptuit Pond and back. John Sullivan of Fairhaven planned to do a 50-mile Westport ride tomorrow with the Narragansett Wheelmen, a Rhode Island-based cycling group.

“Next year I’m riding cross-country,” Sullivan said. He plans to cycle 1,200 miles from Jacksonville, Florida to Austin Texas in 30 days without a support team. A little rain won’t slow him down there, either.

---

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder

---

So this season we’ve learned that the maxim “April Showers, bring May flowers.” Well, at least the first half has turned out to be accurate! The only “bad” thing that can be said about this weekend’s weather is that there is a 55% chance that we may have a brief shower or two on Friday. Temperature-wise this weekend couldn’t be more perfect. We’ll experience a low of 50 degrees and a high of 77 degrees. Yes, you read that right – almost 80 degrees! Schnikeys indeed! This means the nights will be perfect for sleeping and the days perfect for heading outdoors and partaking in the hustle and bustle and many events planned in the greater New Bedford and South Coast areas! Besides mom would accept nothing less!

As always, click on the title for more or detailed information on the event. Most of the events were pulled from our event calendar where you can find hundreds of local area events each month. The event calendar is FREE, so if you are a local business, and not taking advantage of FREE publicity, shame on you! Are you a local business and want to sponsor this high traffic, weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details. Have an event to add? Check out our tutorial. For more info, you can click on each title. Know of another event this weekend? Post a reply!

---

Friday, May 9th

South Coast Children’s Theatre, Inc.: “Shrek The Musical” (7:00pm)
SouthCoast Children’s Theatre’s goal is to strive to give the children of SouthCoast the opportunity to be involved in a professional learning atmosphere as it relates to the performing arts. Teaching children respect for others while at the same time building self-esteem and reinforcing team work to achieve a common goal. That goal being to allow children in grades one through eight to participate in a production of children’s age appropriate theatre.

Painting with a Splash: Garden Flowers, Tuscany, Eiffel Tower (3:00 & 7:00pm)
Welcome to Painting with a Splash Where you are the artist! Painting with a Splash is the newest addition to Historic Whaling City Downtown New Bedford. Bringing you an experience of art as entertainment. Add a little wine (BYOB) that will surely tap into your creative side. With step by step instruction and a little music, you and your friends will create the evenings featured painting with a splash of your own uniqueness. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Just a desire to have fun.

The Jammin’ Divas (7:30pm)
The Jammin Divas are Aoife Clancy (IRE) (Grammy nominee with Cherish the Ladies), Nicole Zuraitis (USA), Kath Buckell (AUS), Hadar Noiberg flutist (ISR) and Craig Akin (USA) on bass. They blend stunning renditions of traditional and contemporary original folk music and elements of improvisation from each of their cultures.

Rodriguez at Orpheum Theatre (Boston) (8:00 pm)
Special event brought to you by the Fairhaven Historical Society and presented by James Russell, President and CEO of the New Bedford Whaling Museum, 7 p.m. May 2. Light refreshments, donations accepted. Fairhaven Town Hall.

---

Saturday, May 10th

“Moms and Mamms”: A special edition of Saint Anne’s Hospital’s “Treat Yourself Well” (Fall River) (7:30am-11:30am)
If you, your mom, sister, cousin, neighbor, or best friend are due for a screening mammogram and enjoy being treated well … celebrate Mother’s Day with the Robert F. Stoico/FIRSTFED Center for Breast Care at Saint Anne’s Hospital. During this special edition of the hospital’s popular “Treat Yourself Well” mammography event, the center’s staff will pamper you with coffee and breakfast treats, chair massage, and relaxing live acoustic guitar music while providing state-of-the art digital mammography screening. A physician’s referral for a screening mammogram is not required; however, appointments are required for this special event. Advance appointments are required by calling 508-235-5353. Email: SAHMail@steward.org.

Golden to Gilded walking tour (Newport, RI) (10:30am)
From Newport’s colonial Golden Age to Gilded Age summer colony, discover the transformation of the city and its people. Space is limited, call for reservations. Phone: 401-841-8770. Email: newporthistorytours@gmail.com.

CVPA Campus Gallery: Senior Design Exhibition (Dartmouth) (12:00-4:00pm)
The UMass Dartmouth College of Visual and Performing Arts is pleased to present the “Senior Design Exhibition”. The print and digital work of senior Visual Design students will be displayed throughout the CVPA campus building, including classrooms, media labs, hallway display cases, and the CVPA Campus Gallery.

Save Livesey Event (Fairhaven) (12:00-5:00pm)
Food, music, contest and raffles in an effort to beautify Livesey Park!

South Coast Children’s Theatre, Inc.: “Shrek The Musical” (1:00 & 7:00pm)
SouthCoast Children’s Theatre’s goal is to strive to give the children of SouthCoast the opportunity to be involved in a professional learning atmosphere as it relates to the performing arts. Teaching children respect for others while at the same time building self-esteem and reinforcing team work to achieve a common goal. That goal being to allow children in grades one through eight to participate in a production of children’s age appropriate theatre. Keith Middle School. Tickets: $15.00/Adults $12.00/ Seniors and Children (12 and under). For Tickets please call: 774-202-5269.

Robert Hunt Gallery: “Liquid Light” (6:00-9:00pm)
Captured Abstractions: Ron Ranere, guest artist, presents Liquid Light. There will be several new pieces never before displayed. Ranere collaborated with professional ballerina Sam Govoni to create the newest set of images.

The Dixie Diehards (7:30pm)
The Marion Art Center presents The Dixie Diehards “The Evolution of Jazz.” Hold onto your hats, The Dixie Diehards are back in town and the joint will be jumpin’ with a concert entitled “The Evolution of Jazz!” This concert will trace the evolution of jazz from Ragtime at the turn of the century, through the Blues, Street Marches, Dixieland, Charleston, to the sophisticated swing of the early 1940′s. The Die Hards will conclude with some Tin Pan Alley notables.Tickets $12.50 for members, $15 for non-members. (508) 748-1266 or email marionartcenter@verizon.net.

---

Sunday, May 11th

Discover Colonial Newport walking tour (Newport) (10:30am)
Space is limited, call for reservations. Phone: 401-841-8770. Email: newporthistorytours@gmail.com. Brick Market Museum and Shop 127 Thames Street Newport, R.I. 02840.

uPaint! Events: Mother’s Day “Spectacular Sunflowers” – Starry Night (5 p.m.)
uPaint! Events is an entertaining and artistic experience in a social environment. Join the group at Joe’s Cafe & Lounge in Westport, MA for a fantastic night of fun, painting, drinks, and food. Mom will love it! Tickets include admission to uPaint Events painting class, instruction for 2 – 2.5 hours, free digital photography, and all supplies to create your painting! For more about the Mother’s Day event, click on the title. For more about uPaint business, check out our spotlight: newbedfordguide.com/upaint/2014/05/01.

Community Drum Circle (Fairhaven) (7:00 pm)
Rhythm celebration – not a performance. Newcomers welcome. Doors open at 7 p.m. Cost: $4. Phone: (508) 636-3871. Email: trdrelm@rcn.com. Unitarian Memorial Church, 102 Green St. Fairhaven, MA.

Want to sponsor this weekend guide? Contact info@newbedfordguide.com for more details.

---

Do you commute to Boston? Do you wish you could relax on the commute? Save some money and wear and tear on your vehicle? There is a new business in the south coast that can help: Yes! We Van, LLC.

Yes! We Van’s “pool of vans” is an absolutely brilliant and award winning idea begun on November of 2008 when 28 commuters led by Noel Ciminello started a grass roots movement to lower commuting costs to Boston. It was such a darned good idea that it spread like proverbial wildfire and caught the attention of other commuters with the same concerns and issues. In 2010, Noel Ciminello, Suzana Alves and one other member took the van pool idea and turned it into a business venture to offer an effective way to lease vans to the van pool with less complication and less liability to the commuters – Yes We Van, LLC.

Yes! We Van was the winner of the 2010 transportation Demand Management Award for Renovation for a reason. They have provided a much needed service that has a smaller carbon footprint, de-stresses your daily commute, and transfers savings to your wallet.

In the Yes! We Van sponsored van pool commuters lease semi-private vans, split the gas costs amongst themselves, and spread out the driving duties. If you have a daily Boston to commute, Yes! We Van offers a cost efficient, less stressful alternative. In a van pool everyone works together to make the commute a success.

The inspiration for a “pool of vans” was a practical one: with rising transportation rates and gas prices, a way was needed to reduce costs from the daily commute. It seemed a no brainer to extend this idea to fellow commuters.

Not only was this a fantastic idea with massive benefits for local commuters, when the idea was brought to the city, they were very receptive. This meant another commuting channel to Boston and perhaps other lanes. This could mean higher paying jobs to the greater New Bedford area. For those in the New Bedford area who were qualified for jobs in Boston, but did not have a reliable car or could not afford the fuel costs – they now had the opportunity placed back in their laps. This meant the greater New Bedford area had wider access to more jobs. The economic benefits are obvious ones for the citizens and of course, tax for the city.

So what are the cost savings for you the potential commuter who is taking the bus, commuting with a friend or taking the rail? After all, this is the bottom line isn’t it? Think about the impact a gallon of gas has on your paycheck. The price of gas has recently begun moving northward (January prices we were paying 3.31/gallon and recently I paid 3.64/gallon). As a commuter driving alone – or perhaps driving to the Commuter Rail you bear 100% of that increase. Being part of a van pool, the increase is shared across all other participants.

Even if the cost was the same there are other aspects that make it far superior: riding a semi-private van means you are in essence riding with the same “faces”. Of course, people may come and go, but the pool of people is smaller. That means if you aren’t the type to read the paper, bury yourself in your phone or take a nap, you can enjoy some friendly banter. Then there is the green aspect of placing a larger group over one exhaust. It’s a far smaller cost to the environment. These are great reasons to van pool as opposed to taking the rail or a bus and the fact that it is cheaper to do make it far superior in every way.

As an added incentive, each new rider whose company is a TMA member company who leaves their car at home to join the van pool will receive $220 toward their commuting costs. That is 220 more reasons to join the Yes! We Van van pool. With a proposed MBTA fare increase already planned for July 1st, this gives those thinking of switching their commuting methods another reason to join the Yes! We Van van pool.

And, with a proposed MBTA fare increase already planned for July 1st, this gives those thinking of switching their commuting methods another reason to join the Yes! We Van vanpool.

Here is an example of the savings of switching to a van pool. Each of these methods will get you from the south coast to South Station in Boston. South coast commuters can see an immediate increase in their discretionary income simply by switching which seat they sit in.

Now for those of you like me who have …um … taken their lives into their own hands by taking a local cab, you may be wondering about the condition of these vans. We’ve included photographs in an album below so you can see that these vans are kept in immaculate condition inside and out. In addition they are maintained, washed & cleaned on a regular basis. Yes! We Van is 100% committed to providing safe, clean vans for their south coast riders.

Yes! We Van has such faith and confidence in what they do and that you will be hooked, they are letting you try out the van pool before you join! You can ride for FREE for 3 days and see what others are raving about!

Yes We Van is growing very rapidly and they plan to expand and offer more routes in the coming months and years. It’s a dynamic business model that is great for commuters, the economy and the environment alike. Check out Yes! We Van and join their growing family of happy, de-stressed commuters. Enjoy a safe, reliable, and comfortable ride to work. Produce a smaller carbon fingerprint, put a few extra bucks in your pocket and perhaps get that new job in Boston!

As well as their Boston “van pool run”, Yes! We van supports the SeaStreak Fast Ferry customers heading to Martha’s Vineyard through the New Bedford Terminal.

So for you vacation goers who regularly visit the Vineyard or perhaps finally want to head there you just got another opportunity and excuse to do it! At a cost of $65 – $100 (including round trip ferry ticket) you can go from your home/hotel to the island for an action packed day full of adventure and still be back by dinner!

They have packages available from Boston, Providence, Newport and even New Bedford itself. Traveling through the waters of New Bedford to Martha’s Vineyard is not only a smoother ride but think of the time savings. You could already be enjoying the island instead of sitting in the Cape traffic!

For those of you who aren’t interested in Boston or the Vineyard, you can use Yes! We Van’s service for a day trip, weekend adventure, or business trip to just about anywhere! You can even schedule it online.

Yes! We Van has such faith and confidence in what they do and that you will be hooked, they will let you try it before you join.You can ride for FREE for three days and see what others are raving about.

Yes! We Van is growing very rapidly and they plan to expand and offer more routes with their livery service in the coming months and years. It’s a dynamic business model that is great for commuters, the economy and the environment alike. Check out Yes! We Van and join their growing family of happy, destressed commuters. Enjoy a safe, reliable, and comfortable ride to work. Produce a smaller carbon fingerprint, put a dew extra bucks in your pocket and perhaps get that new job in Boston!

Yes! We Van

Phone: (304) 462-9826
E-Mail: info@yeswevan.org
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Yes-We-Van/364981313580507
Website: yeswevan.org/websites/yeswevan/

---

ngg_shortcode_1_placeholder

---

My name is Tyler Bentley and in August I will be leaving for a semester in Japan through the AFS semester program. I am asking for your assistance in a big way. I am trying to raise money to help support my dream of studying abroad in Japan with AFS. It is a chance of a lifetime. Please help make my dream a reality.

I’m really excited about having the opportunity to live with a Japanese family, go to a Japanese school, and see the Japanese culture from its own point of view which is something few Americans get to experience. I am also very excited to bring some American culture to the people I will be meeting while in Japan.

I have always wanted to travel, since I was very young. I have many different nationalities which has made me appreciate different cultures around the world. When I was around 8, my parents took me to Disney World in Florida. At one of the parks, there were exhibits of many different countries and although I was fascinated by all of them, the Asian exhibits sparked the most interest within me. They seemed so different and I began to have a growing passion for Asian society’s.

Hopefully my experience in Japan will lead to many things, becoming more proficient in Japanese, knowing enough about Japanese culture so I can spread my knowledge, and finally experiencing something I have been in love with for so long. When I return, I want to be a large part of the local AFS program and help other people live their dream.

The cost of the program is something I must work hard to cover and I hope that the sponsor an AFSer program can help me reach my goal. I also plan on doing both a breakfast with the Easter Bunny and a Japanese style tea ceremony. I am extremely close with many members of my community and they are excited to help support me and then learn about my experiences. The program allows potential sponsors to make a non tax-deductible contribution to my AFS program fee. Any amount helps, it all keeps me working toward my goal.

Thank you very much for reading this and if you could think of anyone who might be willing to contribute toward my goal I would greatly appreciate it if you forwarded this to them. Be sure to keep checking this page to read more about me and my experience when I get to Japan.

To sponsor my AFS program, please click the Donate Now button to make a non tax-deductible contribution directly to my AFS program account.

Please feel free to visit tylerandafs.blogspot.com to donate directly to my educational experience. I am doing a fundraiser with the 3 local New Bedford Dominos Pizza Shops on Wed May 7 just place an order with Dominos (( online only)) at “Dominos.com. anytime all day on May 7 and Dominos will donate a portion of that order to my cause.

Also doing a Spaghetti Supper on Sunday June 22 from 4pm-8pm at Knights of Columbus on Route 6 in Mattapoisett, Ma. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling Robert Oliveira at 508 802 0935 and or Missy at 508 802 0936

I am also doing a Yankee candle fundraiser. So please order a candle or two. Who does not like the sweet smell of Yankee candles! They make for great gifts. Use Group # 990063673 when ordering.

---