Feast of the Blessed Sacrament 2015

CONTACT INFO :

Second Phone : (001) (508) 994-2573.
Fax : (001) (508) 992-5382.
E-mail : clubesss@comcast.net .

ABOUT THE EVENT :

101st FEAST OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.

Founded in 1915 by four Madeiran immigrant men who wanted to recreate the religious festivals that were so common in the villages of their home island and to commemorate their safe passage to these American shores, this traditional mid-summer gathering for family and friends has become the Largest Portuguese Feast in the World and the largest ethnic festival in New England. The Feast attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe.

Throughout its history, men of Madeiran heritage and their families have made the Feast possible by their generous contributions of time and labor. Each year at the conclusion of the Feast, the Club Madeirense S.S. Sacramento selects a committee of feast members to organize the next year's event. One must first serve on a Feast Committee to be eligible for full membership in the Club Madeirense S.S. Sacramento, Inc. A club member may serve on a Feast Committee only once every five years with the exception of special anniversary years. All members of the Feast Committee can trace their Madeiran Portuguese heritage through at least one of their parents.

The Feast has something to please everyone. Presenting a delightful menu of Portuguese cuisine and continuous entertainment at four performance locations including cabaret performances in the Museum of Madeiran Heritage courtyard. Plus, a full carnival midway of rides and games is presented. Each year on Sunday, the committee brings the city of New Bedford's largest parade to the streets of the North End.

At this year's Feast, more than 100,000 visitors are expected to enter the grounds of the feast, with all at no charge. The Feast with all of its entertainment remains an admission free event.

The Feast is an opportunity for all to share in the rich Madeiran heritage and family values. Since 1998, the Feast has presented a special Saturday afternoon of children's entertainment. The Kid's Day program has grown over the years, and this year is chock full of wonderful entertainment.

Stop by the colorful Santana House. Recreated in the architectural style of the village houses of Santana, Madeira, this building is the location where the world-reknowned Madeira Wine is served.

The Museum of Madeiran Heritage will be open to visitors at no charge throughout the Feast. The Museum is the only one of its kind in America and houses a comprehensive collection of photographs and artifacts that tell the story of Madeiran immigration to the United States.

Take some time to enjoy cooking a skewer full of the best barbecue beef available. The 40 foot barbecue pit is one of a kind, all built and maintained by club members. The surrounding "barracas" (food stands) and "latada" (grape arbor) create an old world ambience that is true to the local Madeiran heritage.

The Feast of the Blessed Sacrament commences Thursday with the assembly of the "festeiros" (Feast Committee members) at the intersection of Earle Street and Acushnet Avenue. Led by the Feast President, Feast members 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.

The sincere best wishes of the church are then bestowed upon the Feast members and the Club Madeirense S. S. Sacramento, Inc. for hosting the Feast and for contributing to the well being of the entire community. The Feast members also receive the church’s blessing and are reminded to pay homage to the Feast’s religious origins honoring the Blessed Sacrament. Following the Benediction, they march to the memorial area at Madeira Field where they honor the original founders of the Feast and initiate the opening ceremonies. Since its beginning in 1915, this Feast has celebrated the rich culture of the Portuguese people, and in particular the heritage of the people of Madeira, a Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean.

Start Time : 11:00 AM.
This is an all day FREE EVENT !

Outdoor Concert and Festival - All Ages - Raffle Available.

Continuous live entertainment on 4 stages from July 30th to August 2nd, featuring top name entertainment plus cabaret style music and fado singers in the quiet atmosphere of the Courtyard Café at the Museum of Madeiran Heritage.

Traditional Madeiran-Portuguese dinner with numerous menu choices for full dinners in the main pavilion. Cook-you-own barbecue beef (carne de espeto or espetadas de carne), sweet malassadas (fried dough) plus "linguiça" (sausage) and "bacalhau" (codfish) sandwiches. Hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries. Madeira wine imported in giant casks by special agreement with the Madeiran Government.

Kids day and half-price senior specials on Saturday afternoon. On this day : free admission to the Museum of Madeiran Heritage, 5K road race (cash prizes), largest and longest parade in New Bedford starting at Brooklawn Park, traditional folk dances, family oriented carnival midway, street vendors and much more !

The Feast does not have its own parking facility and it is located in the middle of a dense residential neighborhood. The best bet is to scour the streets around the Feast, or find some enterprising home owner who has turned his yard into a parking lot. Depending on how close, expect to pay $5 to $10. Otherwise, it’s likely to do some serious walking. The Madeirans have secured a paid parking lot on Belleville Avenue about a block from Madeira Field.

Press :

Press Release - Feast of the Blessed Sacrament 2015.

Feast will be at AHA New Bedford, MA - July 9, 2015.

Organized by :

FEAST OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT COMMITTEE (at Club Madeirense S.S. Sacramento, Inc.)
50 Madeira Avenue.
New Bedford, MA 02746.
UNITED STATES.
Phone : (001) (508) 992-6911.
Fax : (001) (508) 992-5382.
E-mail : feastoftheblessedsacrament@gmail.com .
Website : http://portuguesefeast.com .

DESCRIPTION :

Madeira Field becomes a pilgrimage site where Portuguese families celebrate their language, heritage and culture every August. The Feast of the Blessed Sacrament was established at the Church of the Immaculate Conception during the first weekend of August in 1915. This event commemorated the traditional feast observed in the village of Estreito da Calheta, on the southwest coast of Madeira Island.

Four Madeiran immigrants organized and celebrated the first feast in New Bedford. The first committee included Manuel Agrela, Manuel Agrela Coutinho, Manuel Santana Duarte and Manuel Sebastião (a.k.a. Santinho). This traditional gathering of family and friends evolved into "the Largest Portuguese Feast in the World”. The Feast of the Blessed Sacrament is a premiere tourist attraction that draws several hundred thousand visitors to New Bedford every summer.

From 1915 to 1945, the Feast committees were dominated by Madeiran immigrants who arrived at the turn of the 20th Century. Their American born descendants modernized the Feast during the decades following World War II. Feast members established the Club Madeirense S.S. Sacramento, Inc. in 1953 to secure the deed to the dusty lot dubbed, Madeira Field. The chief purpose of the corporation was “to advise and to assist the committees in the promotion and celebration of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament.”

The first fourteen Presidents of the Association were sons of Madeiran men. Madeiran committee membership was originally traced along paternal lines of succession. The sons of Madeiran daughters, who married outside the island group, were excluded from membership until 1998. The current standard requires that Feast members trace their Madeiran lineage through their paternal or maternal grandparents. The overall club membership nearly doubled as a result.

In 2015, the Club Madeirense S.S. Sacramento made history when they inducted a new order of leadership that included several “Sons of Mothers.” The new President, David Lucio, along with his Vice-President, Paul Leconte and Treasurer, Richard Wilkinson, all trace their descent to their maternal grandparents. The Recording and Corresponding Secretaries, John Nunes and David Macedo represent the paternal tradition.

Mr. Lucio takes his new role seriously and with humility. He noted : “The club membership gave me this opportunity to make club history and work on behalf of our Madeiran community. I am proud to have a remarkable team of dedicated and talented guys backing me up on a daily basis”.

Mr. Lucio was the third son of a Madeiran mother to serve as a Feast President in 2005. He also served as Feast Vice-President in 2011 under David Macedo. His sons Matthew and Tim also became Feast members that summer. David was elected Vice-President of the club and mentored with Larry Jacques in 2014.

David Lucio relies on his Vice-President, Paul Leconte, to cover his back. David can always be found at ground level working on multiple projects. He refers to himself as “a hands-on guy”. Paul covers the office details, reviews calls, checks the correspondence and advises David on pressing matters.

“The Feast has a way of turning us into family. We have our moments of joy and conflict, but never at the expense of the Feast”, Mr. Leconte concluded.

2015 Feast President : Mr. Nelson de Gouveia.

LINEUP :

The Feast kicks off at 11:00 AM and closes at 12:00 AM. Discounted hot dogs and soda for all children will be served starting at 12:45 PM. Live Music Entertainment kicks off at 12:00 PM until the closing by Headliner Portuguese pop superstar Jorge Ferreira.

At 11:00 AM : The First Part.
- 5K road race will stretch from Belleville to Madeira Avenue, followed immediately by a presentation of awards.

At 11:30 AM :
- Family Day begins.

At 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM :
- American infantile choral group "Showstoppers" - Live Performance on Stage 1.

At 2:00 PM until 3:00 PM :
- Puerto Rican-American singer David Perry Mojica (New Bedford Idol winner) - Live Performance on Stage 1.

At 3:00 PM until 4:00 PM :
- American band "Radiant Shades" - Live Performance on Stage 3.

At 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM :
- Portuguese-American fado singer Manny Brandão - Live Performance on Stage 4.

At 4:00 PM until 5:00 PM :
- American band "Wild Nites" - Live Performance on Stage 1.

At 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM :
- American band "Coda Sky" - Live Performance on Stage 2.

At 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM :
- American young band "South Shore Rave" - Live Performance on Stage 3.

At 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM :
- Portuguese-American folklore group "Grupo Folclórico do Cranston Portuguese Club" - Live Performance on Stage 1.

At 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM :
- American band "Danny Klein's Full House" - Live Performance on Stage 2.

At 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM :
- American band "Old Skool" - Live Performance on Stage 3.

At 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM :
- American duo band "Sue & Art" - Live Performance on Stage 4.

At 8:00 PM until 9:00 PM :
- Portuguese-American folklore group "Grupo Folclórico Madeirense do Clube S.S. Sacramento" - Live Performance on Stage 1.

At 9:00 PM until 10:00 PM :
- American band "Danny Klein's Full House" (2nd part of their show) - Live Performance on Stage 2.

At 9:00 PM until 10:00 PM :
- Portuguese-American rock band "React" - Live Performance on Stage 3.

At 9:00 PM until 10:00 PM :
- American female singer Grace Morrison - Live Performance on Stage 4.

At 10:00 PM until 11:30 PM : The Second Part.
- JORGE FERREIRA's CONCERT !!! - Live Performance on Stage 1.