Southcoast Health is proud to present August’s DAISY Award Honoree, Jason Bergeron, RN!

In partnership with The DAISY Foundation, Southcoast Health recognizes and honors nurses who demonstrate nursing excellence in our three hospitals. Jason was chosen for his ability to provide extraordinary and compassionate nursing care. He was nominated by the spouse of a patient, who said in part:

“Jason is very professional and has a warm heart and a great personality. He was very reassuring to us which gave us great comfort. He greeted my husband cheerfully and listened to him, which was calming. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank him.”

If you’ve had a positive experience with a Southcoast Health nurse, nominate them for a Daisy Award by visiting https://www.daisyfoundation.org/daisy-award/thank-your-nurse-nomination

The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center is thrilled to offer the Zeiterion Drive-In featuring concerts and movies beginning Thursday, June 18. The drive-in, which will be located in the Seastreak Ferry “Whale’s Tooth” Parking Lot, will feature a line-up of live musical acts and newer theatrical releases, as programming inside the theater is paused due to the pandemic. Tickets will be sold per vehicle, $25 for movies and $50 for concerts, available in advance of the event at https://zeiterion.org/drivein/.

“At the Zeiterion, we know how important it is to gather together, so we were determined to find a way to safely come together to sing, laugh and smile,” said Rosemary Gill, Executive Director, Zeiterion. “We are so excited to bring a drive-in to New Bedford. I have to thank Mayor Mitchell and the City of New Bedford, Seastreak and the New Bedford Port Authority who were integral in making this happen.”

To ensure safety, the Zeiterion has implemented policies for all attendees, including the use of a face covering while outside the vehicle. Vehicles will be directed to every other space, so attendees may sit or stand in the empty space while maintaining social distancing. Restrooms will be available, and they will monitored for safety, but congregating anywhere on the premises is not permitted. The complete list of information and policies is available on https://zeiterion.org/drivein/.

The Zeiterion Drive-In currently includes three movies and five concerts, with the potential for more events to be added at a later date. The line-up is:

Morrissey Boulevard
Thursday, June 18, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $50 per car

Four New Bedford siblings have created one fun band! Morrissey Boulevard brings an infectious enthusiasm to a wide range of styles and periods from Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin and Jimmy Hendrix to Harry Styles and Lizzo and everything in between. They’ve played to rave reviews around the Southcoast and as far flung as New Orleans and Mexico! Join us at the Drive-In kick-off for a mix of pop, rock, and originals.

The Hipshot Band
Saturday, June 20, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $50 per car

Get ready for The Hipshot Band, one of THE premier bands in New England, delivering a diverse repertoire of classic R&B, Disco, Soul, Rock, Jazz, Country, Reggae, Swing, 80’s favorites, Motown and Top 40 hits. The group of well-seasoned and talented musicians provide high-energy and nonstop entertainment for every crowd. The Hipshot Band is real music, played and performed by some of the best musicians around!

Yesterday
Monday, June 22, 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 per car

A must-see for Beatles fans! Jack Malik was just another struggling songwriter… but that was yesterday. After a mysterious blackout, Jack (Himesh Patel) discovers he is the only person on earth who remembers The Beatles! As he rockets to fame by passing off the Fab Four’s songs as his own, Jack risks losing Ellie (Lily James) – the one person who has loved him and believed in him from the start. Before the door to his old life closes forever, Jack must decide if all he needs is love, after all. Kate McKinnon and Ed Sheeran also star in this romantic rock ‘n’ roll comedy from Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle and Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Richard Curtis.

Harriet
Tuesday, June 23, 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 per car

Presented in association with the New Bedford Historical Society

Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, Harriet tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes. Haunted by memories of those she left behind, Harriet (Cynthia Erivo) ventures back into dangerous territory on a mission to lead others to freedom. With allies like abolitionist William Still (Leslie Odom, Jr.) and the entrepreneurial Marie Buchanon (Janelle Monáe), Harriet risks capture and death to guide hundreds to safety as one of the most prominent conductors of the Underground Railroad. Witness the story of a woman who defied impossible odds to change the course of her life and the fate of the nation.

Sonic the Hedgehog
Wednesday, June 24, 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25 per car

The world needed a hero, we got a hedgehog. Powered with incredible speed, Sonic The Hedgehog (voiced by Ben Schwartz), aka The Blue Blur, embraces his new home on Earth. That is, until he accidentally knocks out the power grid and sparks the attention of super-uncool evil genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Now it’s super-villain vs. super-sonic to save the planet in this live-action adventure comedy that’s fun for the whole family.

Pearly Baker Acoustic
Thursday, June 25, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $50 per car

The Pearly Baker Band has been playing Grateful Dead music (as well as Beatles, Stones, Dylan, originals, etc.) for a solid 35 years. Their acoustic set at The Z’s Drive-In will be a sweet homecoming for the band who originated out of New Bedford. Pearly Baker includes Tim Richmond on bass, Mike Mahoney on guitar and vocals, Ken Richards on guitar and vocals, Eric Costa on keyboards, Geoff Fortin on drums, and Rob Coyne on Drums.

Ryan Montbleau
Friday, June 26, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $50 per car

Ryan Montbleau’s musical journey began as a solo artist in his native Massachusetts during the early 2000s, and since then he’s gone on to collaborate as a performer and songwriter with Martin Sexton, Trombone Shorty, and Galactic among others, and share bills and stages with artists as diverse as Tedeschi Trucks Band, Ani DiFranco, The Wood Brothers, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and Mavis Staples. NPR’s Mountain Stage compared his “eloquent, soulful songwriting” to Bill Withers and James Taylor, while Relix hailed his unique brand of “poetic Americana,” and The Boston Herald raved that “he’s made a career of confident, danceable positivity.”

Adam Ezra Group
Wednesday, July 1, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $50 per car

Talk to any Adam Ezra Group fan around the country and they’ll tell you that each of their performances is a one-of-a-kind, community-driven experience, propelled by the spirit of the people in front of the stage. For both fans and band members alike, an AEG concert is a rally to live life with intensity and soak in the moments we share with one another. Hailing from Boston, AEG’s unconventional approach to the music world has allowed them to surge beyond their beloved hometown and emerge as one of the most uniquely powerful, underground live music experiences in the country. While Ezra has played with an array of musicians over the years, his current line-up featuring Corinna Smith on fiddle, Alex Martin on drums, and Poche Ponce on bass.

The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to provide New Bedford and the region with performing arts programming of excellence that inspires, educates, engages and entertains. Tickets are available for purchase at www.zeiterion.org or by calling 508-994-2900. Temporary Zeiterion Box Office hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

A Creative Courts mural for Carlos Pacheco Elementary School in the West End; high-flying kites and more for Festival Tipico de Guatemala in the North End; and even more Reggae On West Beach in the South End are just three ways Wicked Cool Places are springing up in every neighborhood in New Bedford this year.

Wicked Cool Places is the City of New Bedford’s grant program for creative placemaking. It supports the goals of the city’s first ever Arts and Culture Plan, adopted in 2018. Those goals include enhancing community development, arts entrepreneurship, and ongoing investment in the rich arts and culture of the city.

On Friday, Mayor Jon Mitchell, City officials and members of New Bedford Creative celebrated #ArtsMatterDay in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by announcing Wicked Cool Places grants totaling $82,000 for local arts and culture projects. In all, 13 projects will receive funding to burnish the city’s appeal as an arts destination and help fulfill the dreams of individual artists. Within 12 months, New Bedford Creative has awarded $132,000 to 25 projects impacting communities and neighborhoods throughout the city. This investment has leveraged an additional $460,000 for the city.

“Not only can we beautify our city with public art, but we can celebrate the community of artists who live and work here. New Bedford has a special relationship with the arts,” said Mayor Mitchell. “Our willingness to embrace and appreciate public art is an important aspect of our city’s identity.”

The City of New Bedford is undergoing a creative placemaking renaissance, supported by Wicked Cool Places and the Arts and Culture Plan, New Bedford Creative: Our Art, Our Culture, Our Future. It is funded by the city of New Bedford’s Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund, with additional support from Bristol County Savings Bank, MassDevelopment, Mass Cultural Council, and the in-kind support of the New Bedford Economic Development Council.

With direction from the New Bedford Creative Consortium, an all-volunteer group of arts leaders and patrons, and operating under the banner of New Bedford Creative (#NBCreative), the 13 projects selected by a task force of the group represent a vibrant cross-section of the artistic energy flowing through the city.

Margo Saulnier, Creative Strategist for New Bedford, said, “The ability to uplift entire neighborhoods through arts and culture placemaking projects like these is a significant step toward fulfilling the goals of the Arts and Culture Plan. It’s thrilling to watch it happen, and satisfying for every resident of New Bedford.”

Beyond the economic impact of this investment, Wicked Cool Places and New Bedford Creative are positioning New Bedford’s rich culture for a sustainable future which will distinguish the city for decades to come. Already recognized as one the most creative small cities in the nation by The Atlantic magazine, its artists, artisans, designers, writers, musicians, and more are boldly charting a future course for this historic seaport community.

As defined by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2010, creative placemaking refers to the process in which “partners from public, private, non-profit, and community sectors strategically shape the physical and social character of a neighborhood, town, city, or region around arts and cultural activities.”

In New Bedford, the goal of Wicked Cool Places is to unite willing property and business owners, cultural and community groups, art and design specialists, and business and development experts to help transform New Bedford’s overlooked or undervalued places.

NewBedfordCreative.org, the organization’s website, states: We believe that there are a lot of Wicked Cool Places in New Bedford, and they are animated by elements that encourage human interaction, from temporary activities such as festivals or outdoor sculpture, to more permanent installations such as murals or lighting design.

“When the energy of arts and culture are a driving force, the possibilities are limitless.”

Pursuing unlimited possibility this coming year in New Bedford with Wicked Cool Places grant awards are the following outstanding projects:

• 3rd EyE Youth Empowerment for the “3rd EyE Open,” a youth-oriented and family-friendly annual cultural arts festival focusing on the positive energy of hip hop, and “3rd EyE On the Pride,” a monthly performance and mentoring opportunity for emerging young performers.

• In June of 2019, AHA! (Art, History, & Architecture) hosted its first-ever Pride-themed event in conjunction with LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and 2020 will continue this nationwide theme, a chance to recognize and celebrate the contributions of LGBTQ+ people in the city historically and today.

• Musician Jeff Angeley and Southcoast Lessons aims to expand its already successful New Bedford public programming from a 3 month “Open Season Series” to a 6-month program that includes monthly events for traditional string band instrumentalists and ukulelists.

• Coastal Foodshed is celebrating food and art on a monthly basis throughout the winter season at their Indoor New Bedford Farmers Markets. They will be hosting “Palate to Palette: Art at the Farmers Market,” a free event that will transform their market into an edible canvas. Using ingredients from the vendors as the medium, an artist will create an edible canvas, working with the public to build upon their own palates.

• The Community Economic Development Center (CEDC) for the “Festival Tipico de Guatemala,” a day-long celebration of Maya-K’iche Guatemalan arts and culture, featuring free performances of traditional Mayan marimba music, contemporary Guatemalan music and folkloric dance, plus craft demonstrations such as petate weaving, morral making, tortilla making, traditional kite making and flying, and activities for children.

• Fiber Optic Center will create a Jazz Wall mural, and highlight live music and outdoor concerts during street events. The mural will be created in a partnership with Superflat NB and the New Bedford Historical Society using local artists, placed on the five-story east-facing wall at 23 Centre Street, where live music is currently performed on Summer AHA! nights. The mural will depict several New Bedford musicians who achieved local and national prominence as musicians, composers, mentors, and teachers, including Paul Gonsalves, Rick Britto, Herbie King, Armstead Christian, Bobby Greene, Joli Gonsalves and Frank “Chico” Monteiro.

• Beatriz Oliveira for Hatch Street Studios Fall & Spring Open Studios & Arts Blog. Located in the city’s north end, Hatch Street Studios is the vibrant creative hub of more than 65 visual and performing artists. Today, dozens of artists create an array of diverse works in various mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpture, fine furniture making and restoration, jewelry, fiber art, photography, and various types of performance arts from music to aerial arts.

• Artist Alexander Jardin for the Haskell Jardin Garden and Sculpture, a green-space making project at Allan C. Haskell Public Gardens, owned and maintained by The Trustees of Reservations. The project explores the merging of landscape design as contemporary fine art, and the installation acts as a metaphor for the jewel of a green-space within a dynamic, maritime rich, coastal-urban, environment.

• New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks! for Creative Courts, revitalizing a public basketball court at the Carlos Pacheco Elementary School. This transformative art mural-style court project is led by artist Maria Molteni, who engages with the community, covering a wide range of artistic genres as a point of inspiration and feedback for an impactful design that conveys basketball’s broad appeal and the democratic nature of a public court. The location of the basketball court coincides with programs and efforts offered by the Pacheco School and the City of New Bedford in surrounding neighborhoods, like Presidential Heights and Brickenwood Housing.

• New Bedford Folk Festival celebrates their 25th anniversary year in 2020. Currently presented and produced by the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center (The Z), the two day festival features 7 stages of nearly 100 folk artists, and over 70 craft vendors juried by festival staff. Thousands of people attend each year, and while some stages are ticketed, most of the festival is free and open to the public.

• Brooke Baptiste for Reggae On West Beach, a free community event that is inclusive, multigenerational, welcoming and family-friendly for all who attend, celebrating the many different styles of reggae, world music, modern, and more. The event takes place on West Beach in the South End of New Bedford on several Sundays throughout the summer from 3pm-7pm and features food trucks, local vendors, and free kids’ activities.

• South Coast LGBTQ Network is encouraging everyone to “Show Your Pride” during June, National Pride Month with the Pride Art Expo at Gallery X and “Art in the Park,” their 4th annual South Coast Pride all-inclusive community event in Buttonwood Park.

• Superflat NB is a creative placemaking, mural art project dedicated to beautifying New Bedford while flattening barriers to the arts. This project will create a gallery of murals along Purchase Street across from the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center. It will consist of an eclectic mix of imagery from talented local artists while preserving the art that exists. Showcasing a “postcard” style mural with the words “New Bedford” depicted in graphic lettering with each letter containing imagery painted by separate local artists. The existing TomBob “robot” will remain and be incorporated into the new mural.

List of Grant Recipients:

3rd EyE Youth Empowerment for 3rd EyE Open & 3rd EyE on the Pride: $11,300

AHA! (Art, History and Architecture) for June Pride: $2,700

Alexander Jardin for Haskell Jardin Garden & Sculpture: $5,000

Beatriz Oliveira for Hatch Street Studios Open Studios & Arts Blog: $5,000

Brooke Baptiste for Reggae on West Beach: $8,000

Community Economic Development Center for Festival Tipico de Guatemala: $3,000

Coastal Foodshed for Palate to Palette: Art at the Farmers Market: $8,500

Neal Weiss for Fiber Optic Center Jazz Wall Mural: $7,000

Jeff Angeley for Southcoast Lessons Open Season Series: $4,500

Zeiterion Performing Arts Center for New Bedford Folk Festival: $5,000

New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks! for Creative Courts” $15,000

SouthCoast LGBTQ Network for Pride Art Expo & Art in the Park: $2,000

Superflat New Bedford for postcard-style New Bedford mural: $5,000

“Meet Raymond. Raymond is a homeless Veteran (US Army) living in the City [Fall River], off the beaten path in a tent. I was told of Raymond’s story and I had to meet him to hear it for myself, from the source.

I met Raymond early this morning with a friend, and instantly Raymond thanked us for wanting to hear his story.

Raymond told us about his past, one of anxiety and bipolar disorder, a criminal history, and substance abuse to self medicate that ultimately got out of control until a few years back when he decided enough was enough. Unfortunately during recovery, and while living on the streets Raymond was diagnosed with stage 3 neck and brain cancer. Raymond walks 5 days a week halfway across the City to his chemo/radiation appointments and then back to his tent.

Hearing Raymond’s story shocked me and upset me at the same time. An Army Veteran, homeless, walking miles upon miles 5 days a week to receive treatment for cancer. This definitely puts life into perspective. It made all of my problems minuscule, almost non-existent.

My friend and I took Ray to breakfast and were able to supply Raymond with a few pairs of shoes/sneakers, along with some warm clothes and cash to be able to take a bus to visit his daughter in the Cape. We then parted ways when we dropped him off at his radiation/cancer treatment at Hudner Oncology.

Ray’s story humbled me to say the least. I am happy to say that Ray found out this week he’s been accepted into a housing program in the City. I wish Ray all the best.

Ray gave me full permission to share his story so that it ‘may help someone else out in his position.'”-Christopher Peckham.

The New Bedford Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, a.k.a. the Portuguese Feast, a.k.a. Madeira Feast is the largest event New Bedford 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.

Here is an overview of the 105th Feast of the Blessed Sacrament which has become a major attraction for visitors from all over who come to celebrate the Portuguese culture through food, drink, and entertainment.

1. Location & Schedule of Events

The “feast” is a four-day event, officially kicking off at 6:00 PM on Thursday, August 1st with the assembly of the Festeiros (Feast Committee Members) at the intersection of Earle Street and Acushnet Avenue.

Led by the Feast President, the Festeiros march in a special procession down Earle Street to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church which is located at the corner of Earle Street and Madeira Avenue. At the church, Father Daniel O. Reis celebrates a special Benediction to the Blessed Sacrament.

Photo by Josh Souza.

Each evening the feast grounds will close at 11:45pm and open the next day at noon.

On Saturday, however the 5K road race in memory of Anibal Moniz will begin at 10:00am with a check-in time of 8:30am. The course goes through the historic north end and finishes through the famous arches at Madeira Field. The first 250 entrants get a free t-shirt, but all participants are treated to food and drink. The top three male and female winners will receive medals and cash prizes of $250.00 for 1st place, $150.00 for 2nd place and $75.00 for 3rd place. The age categories are 14 and under, 15-18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and over.

The road race is followed by Fun & Family Day from NOON-4:00pm. A ton of fun events and activities are planned including face painting, a traveling science museum, music by the Toe Jam Puppet Band, carnival rides, a free book, flash mob and routine by Dance Xtreme, and more. This year there are some new rides!

The last day of the feast is Sunday and will feature a parade at 2:00pm.

Want to win some prizes? Raffled off this year will be a trip to Madeira Island with hotel and airfare, tickets to a Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics or Revolution game, His and Hers Deluxe Bicycles, Lottery Ticket Books, a Peace Sport 49CC Scooter, and a $1,000 in gift certificates to your favorite local restaurants! Simply buy some raffle tickets for a donation of $2 or $5 will get you a book of 5.

2. Costs

There is no charge for admission and the entertainment is free thanks to the hard work of the committee members who comprise the 2019 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. 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 or visit the Museum of Madeiran Heritage there are also many vendors on the grounds selling everything from handmade Madeiran souvenirs to cigars. Of course, food, carnival rides, and beverages are also an additional cost.

Prices of food are kept reasonable, and there is a great deal of variety to choose from. Tickets cost a dollar each and can be purchased at many 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.

Photo by Miss Z Photography.

To give you a general idea of the prices of items at the feast, a full meal is 12 tickets, most sandwiches are around four tickets, and a soda or water goes for one ticket. If you’re over 21, an impressive selection of alcoholic beverages is available to choose from.

On Family Fun Day – which is Saturday – food is FREE food for kids under 12: burgers, hot dogs, French fries and a soda from noon-4:00 pm. Also on Saturday in the same time frame, seniors get a choice-of-menu dinner at a 50% discount and special for them will be music acts of The Essex County 4 and Taylor Cormier. Choices include roast beef, chicken, fish, cacoila, and the somewhat more exotic roast goat or rabbit, traditional Portuguese favorites.

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 mouthwatering. Visitors are able to buy the meat for eight tickets a pound and a delicious aromatic salt is provided to cook with.

Carne de Espeto. Photo by Josh Souza.

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!)

Other 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, pasteis de Bacalau (codfish cakes), atum, cabra, favas, coelho, carne de vinho e alhos, malassadas, tremocos and other Portuguese classics. 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 four separate stages of entertainment on the main grounds and a “Fado” stage at the Museum of Madeiran Heritage Courtyard Venue – these performances will be featuring 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 by a headliner band. For those old school metalheads, you will be excited to know that Scott Stapp of Creed will be headlining this year! Scott Stapp is known as a Grammy-winning songwriter and frontman for Creed (over 50 million albums sold worldwide), and for his work as a solo artist who released the platinum-certified The Great Divide (2005) and Proof of Life (2013) which featured his first solo Billboard #1, “Slow Suicide.” His next solo venture reflects a new outlook after the biggest fight of his life – five years and counting. With new single “Purpose For Pain,” one of rock’s biggest names roars back to the scene with a driving, introspective new single.

For more information on when and where events will be taking place, go to the Portuguese Feast Entertainment Schedule.

____________________________________________________

Time, Act and Stage

6:45pm-8:00pm: Tony Borges (2)
6:45pm-8:00pm: Freeze Pops (3)
7:00pm-10:00pm: Cadence and Co. (4)
8:00pm-9:00pm: Grupo Folclorico do Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento (1)
9:00pm-10:00pm: Tony Borges (2)
9:00pm-10:00pm: Freeze Pops (3)
10:00pm-11:30pm: Scott Stapp (1)

Time, Act and Stage

1:00pm-2:00pm: Country Monsta (2)
2:00pm-3:00pm: The Relics (1)
3:00pm-4:00pm: Country Monsta (2)
4:00-5:00pm: Morissey Blvd. (1)
5:00pm-6:00pm: Luz Eterna (2)
5:00pm-6:00pm: Radioactive (3)
6:00-7:00pm: Morissey Blvd. (1)
7:00pm-8:00pm: New Bedford Rude Boyz (2)
7:00pm-8:00pm: React (3)
8:00pm-9:00pm: Grupo Folclorico do Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento (1)
9:00pm-10:00pm: New Bedford Rude Boyz (2)
7:00pm-8:00pm: React (3)
7:00pm-10:00pm: Ponta D’Sol (4)
10:00pm-11:30: The Edge (1)

Time, Act and Stage

12:00-3:00: “Walgreens Kids Day” w/ Dartmouth Acapella, Dance Extreme, Benner Magic Show, and more.
3:00-4:00: On The Rocks (2)
4:00-5:00: Wild Nites (1)
4:00-7:00: Somethin’ Else (4)
5:00-6:00: On The Rocks (2)
6:00-7:00: Wild Nites (1)
7:00-8:00: 7 Day Weekend (2)
7:00-8:00: Below Zero (3)
7:00-10:00: The Concept (4)
8:00-9:00: Grupo Folcorico Madeirense (1)
9:00-10:00: 7 Day Weekend (2)
9:00-10:00: Below Zero (3)
10:00-11:30: Bryan Wilson & Johne D’Luka (1)

Time, Act and Stage

Parade Starts 2:00pm

1:00-4:00: Matt Silvia (4)
4:00-7:00: Tim & Annette (4)
5:00-6:00: Flamingo Pluto (3)
5:00-8:30: Discovery Language Academy Folkloric Performance Group, Grupo Folclorico de Imaculado Coracao de Maria, Rancho Folclorico do Clube Social Portuguese, and Grupo Folclorico Madeirense (1)
7:00-8:00: Responders (3)
7:00-10:00: Graig Demello (4)
8:30-10:00: Timmy Brown (2)
9:00-10:00: Responders (3)
10:00-11:30: Badfish (1)

_____________________________________________________________

Thursday, August 1, 2018 (8:00pm–11:30pm)
• Sonya Bettencourt, Fado Singer
• Jeremias Macedo, Fado Singer
• Viriato Ferreira, Viola Classica
• Loïc da Silva, Guitarra Portuguesa

Friday, August 2, 2018 (7:30pm–11:30pm)
• Sonya Bettencourt, Fado Singer
• Carlos Furtado, Fado Singer
• Viriato Ferreira, Viola Classica
• Loïc da Silva, Guitarra Portuguesa

Saturday, August 3, 2018 (2:00pm-5:00pm & 7:30pm–11:30pm)
• Edite Lawrence, Fado Singer (2:00pm-5:00pm)
• Sonya Bettencourt, Fado Singer
• Loïc da Silva, Guitarra Portuguesa
• Viriato Ferreira, Viola Classica

Sunday, August 4, 2018
4:00pm-7:00pm: Rebecca Correia (Singer-songwriter & guitarist)
7:30pm-10:30pm: Jordan Paiva (Josh Groban)

To see more and keep abreast of changes, check out the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament’s entertainment schedule page.

6. Families

Since the 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 always taken due to its size and significance. 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 Fun & Family Day which follows the annual 5k road race. Fun & Family Day kicks off at noon and ends at four, featuring special live entertainment for children, face painting, traveling science museum, Flash Mob, and routine by Dance Xtreme, Toe Jam Puppet Band, and more. Kids under twelve can also receive a free hot dog or hamburger, French fries, and a soda.

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 choice-of-menu dinner at a 50% discount! Menu choices include roast beef, chicken, fish, cacoila, and the somewhat more exotic roast goat or rabbit – traditional Portuguese favorites. 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 over 100 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 the 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

Most of the events take place at Madeira Field, which is a 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.

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).

_________________________________________________________

Feast of the Blessed Sacrament

50 Madeira Avenue
New Bedford, MA

Website: feastoftheblessedsacrament.com
Facebook: facebook.com/FeastOfTheBlessedSacrament/

__________________________________________________________________________

Here’s a look at the clowns at yesterday’s Cape Verdean Recognition parade in New Bedford.

Full highlight reel: https://www.facebook.com/NewBedfordGuide/posts/2302813369755229

Michael Silvia captured the fireworks over Fall River from the Iwo Jima monument at Bicentennial Park.

Series Introduction (Move down if you’re familiar with the thread or don’t care)

In this series, we hope to highlight and showcase in as interesting a way as possible, the stories behind our favorite, mouth-watering local dishes. While we’ll focus on greater New Bedford and the South Coast, we will occasionally “travel” to places like Plymouth, Providence or even Boston. I will attempt to keep it light-hearted, fun and easy to read. While I can’t promise to keep you compelled and pull you along with prose – that would take a professional writer – I will promise to be liberal with the drool-inducing images of these dishes.

I grew up in a Sicilian household where everyone – man, woman, child – was participating in preparing meals. It was a “trick” to get everyone together, talking, laughing and of course, the occasional heated debate. Food was a huge part of our identity, where we came from, who we were. There was something special about the atmosphere that revolved around a meal that we prepared.

This is certainly not unique to an Italian or Sicilian household. Every ethnic group in the country has a proud culinary tradition that they grew up around. You can easily replace “Sicilian” with Irish, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Ethiopian, Greek or anything else. This is why food as a topic is always so popular. We humans love our food and that passion goes beyond the gustatory or taste – we crave the aromas, delight in the presentation, are fueled by the atmosphere, and relish – pardon the pun – discussion about our favorite dishes, restaurants or cuisines.

One thing that is often not discussed – is glossed over, or barely touched upon – is the history or background of these dishes. Now, to some, this conjures up the voice of the guy from the “dry eyes” commercial. The terms, for many, are synonymous with “boring,” “dull,” or “It’s time to go.” However, the background can be interesting, fun, or funny and it can be so without being facetious, dumbed-down or popular. I will make every attempt to maintain a fresh balance with those elements in this series.

As always, feedback is encouraged. Anecdotes are wanted. Discussion is paramount. Please join in!

_______________________________________________________________________

Want to get into a fistfight? Tell someone that they are flat-out wrong about the best local spot to get caçoila and that your spot is the best. We here on the SouthCoast are rabid about our caçoila and where to go to get it and here in New Bedford, we’ll punch a Nazi in the mouth, I mean, we’ll punch someone that tells us some really bad place is the best place to get it. It’ll be like the “Red Wedding” scene.

I don’t want to even ponder the sheer terror of the concept and reality that there are millions upon millions of people across the country or even the world, that simply never heard the word or…gasp…ever tried caçoila. Clearly, these poor souls were horrible people generating dark karma over thousands of lifetimes during countless kalpas to receive such punishment.

For the rest of us, we know caçoila. Oh, we know caçoila. Our caçoila.

In fact, we know it so well, many have no problem changing New Bedford nickname from the “Whaling City” to Caçoila City. Seriously, whaling is dead, harkens back to a time when we slaughtered the poor things almost to the point of extinction, and no one really cares to call it by that name. It’s a dead name like the industry.

Caçoila, on the other hand, is alive and well. Let’s have it, Mayor Mitchell, we were the Whaling City, then that died and we became the City Of Light. Who even calls New Bedford “The City Of Light”? Caçoila City has such a nice ring to it.

While you’ll find few people that will offer much disagreement and little to no fight when it comes to the fact that no one, and I mean no one, makes caçoila better than our avó or vovó or if you aren’t Portuguese, you’ve had it at someone’s house that is Portuguese. Where the disagreement comes from is where else to get it when you don’t have access to vovó’s cooking and when it comes to that there are eateries with decades of tradition and fans behind them.

Now, I’m not going to tell you where to get the best caçoila – I don’t want to have strangers randomly punching me in the mouth or suplexing me while I’m taking out the garbage or getting a coffee – this is about caçoila, its culinary history and culture.

To begin with – for those ghastly souls who aren’t sure what caçoila is – generally, caçoila is marinated cuts of pork butt stewed for hours with spices like paprika, garlic, allspice, coriander, cinnamon, bay leaves and wine and/or vinegar. Stewed until tender, tender, tender, “fall-off-the-bone” tender. I say “generally” since some folks like to substitute pork for lamb or beef, and every region and family has their own variety steeped in tradition when it comes to the ratios or even specific spices.

It is this variety which is cause for all the hoopla and disagreement on who makes the best, but truth be told you would really be hard-pressed to find genuinely bad caçoila. You are likely just to find caçoila the way you prefer it and dislike or even bad-mouth the other ways. If you still can’t picture it, think “BBQ Pork pulled sandwich Portuguese-style without all the BBQ sauce.”

While you can, of course, find caçoila as a dish with let’s say potatoes and onions, some classic Portuguese red peppers, and sides of rice, olives and perhaps a basic salad it is probably the caçoila that reigns supreme in popularity. Using a “pop” or pãom of course. Want one of those aforementioned punches in the mouth? Go ahead and make that sandwich with an English muffin, some rye bread, gluten-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, pro-PaleoKetogenicAtkinsSouthBeachDukan5:2, you Nazi.

The sheer practicality and handiness – pardon the pun – that comes with a sandwich when it comes to the very industrial, busy and blue-collar SouthCoast make it a favorite. You may not have time to seat and eat, you may want to continue to work, perhaps drive (you didn’t hear that from me!), keep watching the game on TV or something else. One hand on the sandwich, the other free to do other things.

Also, there is the frugality and affordability: for about $5 you can get a sandwich with some fries on the side, at the vast majority of local restaurants.

So where does caçoila come from? How many calories does it have? Who invented it or came up with it? What was vovó’s that name so we can send her flowers, love letters, and put her in our last will and testament? Well, that’s like asking “Who invented fire?” or the wheel, or breathing. It hardly matters. Especially when we can’t taste her caçoila anyway. We can, however, taste the caçoila from all the living, breathing, vovó’s in the area and that’s what matters.

If you could find out who made the first and/or had access to that original recipe as if there was some “Ur-Caçoila” it might even turn out to be so unlike your favorite way of making it that you wouldn’t like it. And no one is going to tolerate you punching a vovó in the face, pal.

There are significant differences in other Portuguese enclaves around the world anyway. So, if you are prone to being triggered you better not go to Hawaii where the Portuguese there added pineapple and a little ketchup to their caçoila sandwich. There are even sick, sadistic and twisted rumors that you can optionally add avacado. Definitely fascists.

Now, one thing that always puzzled me, and being a Grammar and Spelling Nazi (in spite of making a ton of mistakes in those departments myself) and even irked me being a First Worlder, when people would insert an “r” in the word. They would say “caçerla” and I would think “Listen, buddy: we are in the land hating on the letter ‘r.’ We lop it off of the ends of words, we skip its existence in the middle of words, we just don’t like that letter – it’s ‘pahk’ not ‘park’, it’s ‘tahtah’ sauce not “tartar” sauce. So what possessed you to add one where there isn’t one?” Why are you coming at me, bro?

I get the same feeling when I pour my bowl of cereal and find out there is no milk. It’s pure rage. I take it out on people by replying to “Have a good day!” with a “No thanks.” or “No one tells me what to do.”

Anyhow, it turns out I am a miser, curmudgeon, a cranky old man because that mysterious ‘r” that seems redundant turns up in certain regional Portuguese dialects where you will see the word as caçoila, caçoula or caçarola.

Damnit. I wanted to hear myself complain.

On Saturday September 29th, 8 young women from across Greater New Bedford will compete to become the next Miss New New Bedford. This year’s winner will receive a $3,500 college scholarship plus thousands of dollars in additional sponsored gifts and services to use throughout her year. Runners-up and special prize winners will also receive scholarship prizes.

The young woman who becomes Miss New Bedford will then devote her year of service to the local community, and to her chosen personal cause. She will embark on a year’s journey, joining a long sisterhood of women whose lives have been changed by winning the crown.

A local preliminary to the Miss Massachusetts and Miss America scholarship programs, the Miss New Bedford pageant emphasizes scholarship and service within the community. Since 1954, the pageant has awarded more than $150,000 to winners and contestants. Contestants compete in five stages of scored competition: Interview, Talent, Lifestyle and Physical Fitness in Swimsuit, Evening Wear, and an On-Stage Question. The phases aim to test contestants on a variety of qualities that Miss New Bedford is expected to have, including confidence, intelligence, and a commitment to service.

The reigning Miss New Bedford 2018 is Sara Elizabeth Achorn. She is a sophomore at Bridgewater State University majoring in Special Education and Music. During her year of service, Sara made 90 appearances throughout the community and promoted her personal platform, “Progress Not Perfection,” which emphasized the importance making healthy lifestyle changes and choices. At the Miss Massachusetts pageant, Sara won the Miracle Maker Award for raising nearly $4,000 for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. A talented vocalist, she also received the Most Talented Non-Finalist Award.

The pageant will be held Saturday September 29th, 2018 at 6:00PM at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, located at 1121 Ashley Blvd., in New Bedford. Tickets are $20 if reserved in advance or $25 when purchased at the door. To reserve tickets, email tickets@missnewbedford.org.

This year’s Miss New Bedford contestants are:

Sara Alfaro
Student at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Age: 20
Platform: Stomping Out the Stigma Around Mental Illness
College Major: Psychology
Talent: Vocal/Piano

Meighread Dandeneau
Student at Fitchburg State University
Age: 19
Platform: Strength Over Silence
College Major: Communications Media
Talent: Vocal

Kenzie Farland
Student at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Age: 20
Platform: You Are Limitless: Building A Positive Self-Image
College Major: Political Science / Pre-Law
Talent: Vocal

Alexis Ferreira
Graduate of Bridgewater State University
Age: 21
Platform: Unplug and be Present: Encouraging the Increase of Face-to-face Interactions
College Major: Received a BS in Psychology
Talent: Irish Step Dance

Mary O’Connor
Student at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Age: 22
Platform: Creating Pathways: Promoting Epilepsy and Seizure Disorder Education and Awareness
College Major: Bioengineering
Talent: Belly Dance

Beatriz Ribeiro
Student at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Age: 22
Platform: The Meaning of Health and Wellness
College Major: Photography
Talent: Vocal

Kimberly Souza
Student at Southern New Hampshire University
Age: 22
Platform: Healthy Smile, Healthy You
College Major: Healthcare Business Administration
Talent: Vocal

Megan Sylvia
Student at Bridgewater State University
Age: 20
Platform: Learning Begins with Literacy
College Major: Criminal Justice
Talent: Vocal

The New Bedford Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, a.k.a. the Portuguese Feast, a.k.a. Madeira Feast is the largest event New Bedford 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.

Here is 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.

1. Location & Schedule of Events

The “feast” is a four-day event, officially kicking off at 5:30 PM on Thursday, August 2nd with the assembly of the Festeiros (Feast Committee Members) at the intersection of Earle Street and Acushnet Avenue.

Led by the Feast President, the Festeiros march in a special procession down Earle Street to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church which is located at the corner of Earle Street and Madeira Avenue. At the church, Father Daniel O. Reis celebrates a special Benediction to the Blessed Sacrament.

Each evening the feast grounds will close at 11:45pm and open the next day at noon.

On Saturday, however the 5K road race will begin at 10:00am with a check-in time of 8:30am. The course goes through the historic north end and finishes through the famous arches at Madeira Field. The first 250 entrants get a free t-shirt, but all participants are treated to food and drink. The top three male and female winners will receive medals and cash prizes of $250.00 for 1st place, $150.00 for 2nd place and $75.00 for 3rd place. The age categories are 14 and under, 15-18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and over.

The road race is followed by Fun & Family Day from NOON-4:00pm. A ton of fun events and activities are planned including face painting, a traveling science museum, music by the Toe Jam Puppet Band, carnival rides, a free book, flash mob and routine by Dance Xtreme, and more.

The last day of the feast is Sunday and will feature a parade at 2:00pm.

Want to win some prizes like a trip to the Azores and Madeira with hotel and airfare, tickets to a Patriots, Red Sox or Celtics game, bicycles, a scooter, a golf package or up to $1,000 in gift certificates to your favorite local restaurants? Simply buy some raffle tickets for a donation of $2 or $5 will get you a book of 5.

2. Costs

There is no charge for admission and the entertainment is free thanks to the hard work of the committee members who comprise the 2018 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.  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 or visit the Museum of Madeiran Heritage there are also many vendors on the grounds selling everything from handmade Madeiran souvenirs to cigars.  Of course, food, carnival rides, and beverages are also an additional cost.

Prices of food are kept reasonable, and there is a great deal of variety to choose from. Tickets cost a dollar each and can be purchased at many 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.

To give you a general idea of the prices of items at the feast, a full meal is 12 tickets, most sandwiches are around four tickets, and a soda or a water goes for one ticket. If you’re over 21, an impressive selection of alcoholic beverages is available to choose from.

On Family Fun Day – which is Saturday – food is FREE food for kids under 12: burgers, hot doga, French fries and a soda from noon-4:00pm. Also on Saturday in the same time frame, seniors get a choice-of-menu dinner at a 50% discount. Choices include roast beef, chicken, fish, cacoila, and the somewhat more exotic roast goat or rabbit, traditional Portuguese favorites.

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 mouthwatering. 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!)

Other 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, pasteis de Bacalau (codfish cakes), atum, cabra, favas, coelho, carne de vinho e alhos, malassadas, tremocos and other Portuguese classics. 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 four separate stages of entertainment on the main grounds and a “Fado” stage at the Museum of Madeiran Heritage Courtyard Venue – these performances will be featuring 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 by a headliner band. For those old school metal heads, you will be excited to know that Queensryche will be headlining this year!

For more information on when and where events will be taking place, go to the Portuguese Feast Entertainment Schedule.

____________________________________________________

Time, Act and Stage

6:30pm-7:30pm: D’Alma (2)
7:00pm-10:00pm: Freeze Pops (3)
7:00pm-10:00pm: Somethin’ Else (4)
7:45pm-8:45pm: Grupo Folclorico do Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento (1)
8:45pm-9:45pm: D’Alma (2)
10:00pm-11:30pm: Queensryche (1)

Time, Act and Stage

1:00pm-3:00pm: Radio Honey (1)
1:00pm-3:00pm: Business Time (4)
3:00pm-5:00pm: No Way Out (2)
4:00pm-7:00pm: Shattered (3)
4:00pm-6:30pm: Ralph Kingsley (4)
5:00pm-7:00pm: Back In The Day (1)
7:00pm-8:00pm: Edge (2)
7:00pm-10:00pm: LIKK (3)
7:00pm-10:00pm: Craig Demello (4)
8:00pm-9:00pm: Grupo Folclorico do Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento (1)
9:00pm-10:00pm: Edge (2)
10:00pm-11:30pm: Wild Nites (1)

Time, Act and Stage

12:00pm-4:00pm: Family Fun Day (Kid’s Day)
12:00pm-1:00pm: Toe Jam Puppet Band (1)
1:00pm-2:00pm: Cool Banana Wig (1)
1:00pm-4:00pm: Breanna Pacheco (4)
3:00pm-5:00pm: Morissey Blvd (2)
4:00pm-7:00pm: Real Deal (3)
4:30pm-6:30pm: Giulianna Amaral (4)
5:00-7:00pm: Jammin’ (Bob Marley Tribute Band) (1)
7:00pm-8:00pm: Dead Til Friday (2)
7:00pm-10:00pm: Judas Rising (3)
7:00pm-10:00pm: Grace Morrison (4)
8:00pm-9:00pm: Grupo Folclorico do Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento (1)
9:00pm-9:30pm: Dead Til Friday (2)
9:30pm-11:30pm: Eratoxica (1)

Time, Act and Stage

12:30pm-2:30pm: Steddie (2)
1:00pm-4:00pm: Bettty (4)
2:00pm: Parade
3:00pm-6:00pm: Whiskey Affliction (3)
4:00pm-7:00pm: Matt Silva (4)
5:00pm-6:30pm: D’Alma (1)
6:30pm-7:30pm: Get Lucky (2)
7:00pm-10:00pm: Ageless (3)
7:00pm-9:30pm: Carson (4)
7:30pm-8:30pm: Grupo Folclorico do Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento (1)
8:30pm-9:30pm: Get Lucky (2)
9:30pm-11:30pm: Ultimate Queen Celebration (1)

_____________________________________________________________

Thursday, August 2, 2018 (8:00pm–11:30pm)
• Sonya Bettencourt, Fado Singer
• Jeremias Macedo, Fado Singer
• Viriato Ferreira, Viola Classica
• Manuel Leite, Guitarra Portuguesa

Friday, August 3, 2018 (7:30pm–11:30pm)
• Ana Vinagre, Fado Singer
• Viriato Ferreira, Viola Classica
• Manuel Leite, Guitarra Portuguesa

Saturday, August 4, 2018 (7:30pm–11:30pm)
• Sonya Bettencourt, Fado Singer
• Carlos Furtado, Fado Singer
• Viriato Ferreira, Viola Classica
• Manuel Leite, Guitarra Portuguesa

Sunday, August 5, 2018
4:00pm-7:00pm: Rebecca Correia (Singer-songwriter & guitarist)
7:30pm-10:30pm: Jordan Paiva (Josh Groban)

To see more and keep abreast of changes, check out the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament’s entertainment schedule page.

6. Families

Since the 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 always taken due to its size and significance. 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 Fun & Family Day which follows the annual 5k road race. Fun & Family Day kicks off at noon and ends at four, featuring special live entertainment for children, face painting, traveling science museum, Flash Mob, and routine by Dance Xtreme, Toe Jam Puppet Band, and more. Kids under twelve can also receive a free hot dog or hamburger, French fries, and a soda.

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 choice-of-menu dinner at a 50% discount! Menu choices include roast beef, chicken, fish, cacoila, and the somewhat more exotic roast goat or rabbit – traditional Portuguese favorites. 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 over 100 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

Most of the events take place at Madeira Field, which is a 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.

,center>

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).

_________________________________________________________

Feast of the Blessed Sacrament

50 Madeira Avenue
New Bedford, MA

Website: feastoftheblessedsacrament.com
Facebook: facebook.com/FeastOfTheBlessedSacrament/

__________________________________________________________________________