New Bedford’s 25th annual “Day Of Portugal” canceled due to COVID-19

The popular “Day Of Portugal” celebration has been delighting locals for well over two decades. Last year at this time organizers canceled the celebration and most of us at that time thought that COVID would pass in a few weeks or months.

Unfortunately, the Day Of Portugal, or as some colloquially call “The Mini-Feast,” has been canceled for a second year in the best interest of “..safety and well-being of the population as well as the restrictions imposed by the authorities,” according to Dulce Matos, president of the New Bedford Day of Portugal Committee.

“Given the continuing situation we are all experiencing due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I regret to have to inform you that the Day of Portugal celebrations in New Bedford, scheduled for June 11, 12, and 13, 2021, are canceled.”

Certainly not news anyone wanted to hear, especially considering that the larger Feast of the Blessed Sacrament has not made an official statement on whether there will be a “Feast” this year. A year after COVID first reared its head, most of us were looking for some normalcy after months of lockdowns, stay-at-home advisories, social distancing, and having healthy interactions with others rescheduled or canceled altogether.

Every June tens of thousands of people from the South Coast and beyond eagerly look forward to the “Day Of Portugal” celebration, a chance to soak in Portuguese history, music, culture, and of course, cuisine. Alas, we’ll all have to wait until next in when Matos hopes the event “…will return stronger than ever in 2022.”

Assuming we are not in a lockdown because of COVID-20.