NEW BEDFORD – The 108th Feast of the Blessed Sacrament promises to be a momentous occasion as women will serve as festeiras (committee members) for the first time in the Madeiran celebration’s history and organizers are invested in enhancing feast-goers’ cultural experience by introducing new ethnic foods and drinks and boosting Portuguese entertainment.
“We’re a younger committee, but we’re trying to keep it as traditional as you can when it comes to food, entertainment and decorations,” said feast president Tony Abreu, who is leading a team of 32 festeiros and 34 festeiras, including his sister Sonia Medeiros and his two nephews.
A mix of religious rituals, Portuguese cuisine, continuous free entertainment, carnival rides and games, kids activities and a parade, the feast will take place from Thursday, Aug. 1 to Sunday, Aug. 4 at Madeira Field in the North End of New Bedford.
'To serve with my granddaughters':34 women making history at the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament in New Bedford
“We bumped up our Portuguese entertainment every night,” Abreu said. “Before it was probably 30% Portuguese and 70% English-speaking bands. Right now, I would say we’re about 60% Portuguese. Instead of spending our budget on a large national group, like a one-hit wonder, we decided to bring over the folklore group of the Casa do Povo da Camacha. We’re really excited to have them perform and bring some of the Madeiran culture over.”
Here is what you need to know before you go:
What are the hours of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament?
The feast ends daily at 11:45 p.m. but starts at different times. On Thursday, Aug. 1, it begins at 6 p.m. and Friday, Aug. 2, at 5 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, it opens at noon.
What schedule for Thursday night's opening ceremony?
The celebration will kick off Thursday with the assembly of the festeiros at the intersection of Earle Street and Acushnet Avenue at 5 p.m. They will march in a special procession to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church for a special Benediction to the Blessed Sacrament.
This will be followed by the placement of a floral wreath at the memorial stone to the feast’s four founders on the corner of Madeira field, where the official opening ceremony will take place at 6 p.m.
Special guests will include the president of Casa do Povo da Camacha and various state and city officials. Due to the recent elections held in Madeira, it has not been confirmed yet who will be representing the Regional Government of Madeira at the feast.
When does Grupo Folclórico da Casa do Povo da Camacha play at the New Bedford feast?
The world-renowned Grupo Folclórico da Casa do Povo da Camacha from Madeira Island will perform daily at 8 p.m. on the feast’s main stage.
With a repertoire spanning centuries-old traditions, the 30-plus member group embodies the spirit of Madeiran folklore, showcasing the Portuguese island’s authentic music, dance, and heritage through their colorful costumes and lively performances.
In addition to the daily performance, the group will march with the festeiros during the opening ceremony on Thursday evening and in the parade on Sunday afternoon. Members of the group are also expected to conduct workshops throughout the feast to teach feast-goers some basic Madeiran folk dance steps and about traditional costumes and instruments.
Founded in 1948, the Grupo Folclórico da Camacha has represented Madeira all over Portugal, across Europe, in North and South America, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
“Because they’re celebrating their 75th anniversary, they did a big photo exhibition called Celebração (Celebration),” said Abreu. “They are going to be bringing it over with them and it’s going to be displayed at the Senhor da Pedra Club across the street. Anyone can view it free of charge during the feast.”
Live music at Feast of the Blessed Sacrament: What bands will play and where
Thursday, Aug. 1
The feast will feature free continuous live Portuguese and American entertainment at five performance locations.
Badfish, a Sublime tribute band, will headline the feast on Thursday, from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Other performers include: Freezepops, Something-Else, Nadia & Karma, Full Tilt, and Sharon & Kenny.
At the Museum Café, Fado singer Sonia Bettencourt will perform from 8 to 11:30 p.m. She will be accompanied by Viriato Ferreira on the classic guitar and Loic Da Silva on the Portuguese guitar.
Friday, Aug. 2
Headlining Friday, Foo Fighters tribute band Fooz Fighters will perform from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Other performers include: Get The Funk Out, Marvin & G, Candence & Company, Edge, and Little Lies.
At the Museum Café, Fado singer Sonia Bettencourt will perform from 8 to 11:30 p.m. She will be accompanied by Viriato Ferreira on the classic guitar and Loic Da Silva on the Portuguese guitar.
Saturday, Aug. 3
Portuguese-American singer Nelia and her band will headline on Saturday, from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Other performers include: Hallie Grace, Hardwire, Play by Play, Elvis, Morrissey Boulevard, Double Impact, and Jackson Neves (stage 4, 9-10 p.m.).
At the Museum Café, Fado singer Ana Vinagre will perform from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. She will be accompanied by Viriato Ferreira on the classic guitar and Loic Da Silva on the Portuguese guitar.
Sunday, Aug. 4
Headlining Sunday will be New Bedford-based BandFaith, from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Other performers include: Koury Sister, Jake Jensen, Rebecca Correia, Perry Solo, Frank Medeiros, Lacey Cheryl 5, and DJ Gazelle.
At the Museum Café, Fado singer-guitarist and singer Jackson Neves will perform music ranging from the 50s to today, from 5 to 7 p.m.
When is the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament parade?
The parade steps off at 2 p.m. from Brooklawn Park and will proceed down Acushnet Avenue before turning left onto Earle Street and turning left again into the feast grounds.
Expect marching bands, fife & drum bands, bagpipers, militias, beauty queens, floats, classic cars, and much more.
Highlights this year will include the Grupo Folclórico da Camacha; New Bedford’s Recordações de Portugal Folklore Group; Pawtucket’s Social Portuguese Club Folklore Group; Cranston Portuguese Club Folklore Group; Discovery Language Academy’s Folklore Group; Banda Nossa Senhora Conceição Mosteirense, a Portuguese marching band of Fall River; and a Brazilian drumline.
Feast of the Blessed Sacrament food choices
Whether one prefers a carne-de-espeto, linguiça, caçoila or bifana sandwich from a barraca (food stand) or a complete meal of Portuguese-style chicken, beef, goat or tuna with potatoes, rice and vegetables under the pavilion, there is surely something to please every palate at the feast.
Visitors can buy sirloin steak cubes, add their own favorite spices, and cook them on a steel skewer over glowing coals in a 40-foot-long pit. They can also enjoy some freshly made milho frito or bolo do caco at a barraca or sip a glass of the world-renowned Madeira wine at the small-scale replica of the traditional Madeiran Santana House.
This year, they will have new foods and drinks to choose from.
“For a drink, we’ve added poncha. We’ll be selling it under the grapevine,” said Abreu with excitement.
Poncha is an emblematic drink of Madeira, made with Madeira rum, honey and lemon.
“We’re working with Beirão and they’ve created a list of cocktails made with beirão (liqueur). We’re going to be serving them at the museum and under the grapevine,” added Abreu.
Sweet rice and bolo de mel – a honey cake considered to be Madeira’s oldest dessert – have also been added to the menu. Snacks like dried fava beans, pumpkin seeds and corn will be sold in small bags with the feast’s logo.
For the first time, visitors will have the choice of having their linguiça, caçoila, hamburger or hot dog served on bolo do caco - a circular Madeiran flatbread, shaped like a cake.
“Out of stand 14, you’ll have the option of having your sandwich in a papo-seco (Portuguese roll) or in bolo do caco just like they do in Madeira… for no charge,” Abreu said.
On Saturday, children under 12 will eat free from noon to 4 p.m. and senior citizens will enjoy a choice-of-menu dinner at a 50% discount under the main pavilion.
Does the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament take cash for food?
The feast operates on a cashless system; therefore, visitors must buy tickets ($1 each) to be able to purchase food or drinks at the feast. There are about a dozen ticket machines scattered around the grounds and some of them take credit cards.
“Our goal this year is to get everybody in, screened, ticketed and with a wristband and drink in hand within an hour,” Abreu said. “We’re getting three collapsible bars next to the entrances to help facilitate that.”
Guests who plan to drink any alcoholic beverages must acquire a wristband from one of the designated booths around the grounds. They will need to have their valid driver's license scanned to get a wristband, whose color varies daily. Each wristband contains the name and the last four digits of the person’s license number.
What's a good activity for kids?
The Kid's Day program on Saturday afternoon will feature new activities, including a wrestling rink near stage 2. Other activities will include Disney characters, baby goats from Hidden Gems Farm, ax throwing by Boy Scouts of America and a Discovery Learning Laboratory.
Can I bring a cooler to the feast? Here's what security prohibits
Since the feast is expected to draw about 200,000 visitors, organizers have put into place several security measures, including the use of metal detectors, to assure that attending the feast is as safe and enjoyable as possible.
As in years past, no coolers, backpacks, oversized purses, drones, selfie sticks, tripods, GoPro or video cameras will be allowed on the feast grounds.
Where can you park?
Finding a parking space on the street will surely be no easy task.
However, feast organizers have worked out a deal with Joe Adão, the owner of a car dealership on the old Cliftex Mill property on Belleville Avenue. Adão has agreed to move out his cars to provide parking space for a fee.
Half of the money collected will be donated to the Club Madeirense S.S. Sacramento for scholarships, Abreu said.
For more information about the feast, visit http://feastoftheblessedsacramentcom.ning.com/
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