In Farmingville, New York, the 2nd Annual Portugal Day Festival kicks off today, offering music and dance performances, including traditional Portuguese folk groups, as well as Portuguese food and wine until Sunday.
In Mineola, New York, which is led by Portuguese-American Mayor Paulo Pereira, the highlight will be the traditional parade scheduled for June 8, first held in 2014.
This village, home to about 20,000 residents of which approximately 15% are Portuguese, Portuguese descendants, or Portuguese-Americans, will not only feature a parade but also a series of celebrations including a flag-raising ceremony next Friday and live music.
In Mount Vernon, New York, the Portuguese community will jointly celebrate the Feast of Saint Anthony and Portugal Day on June 8, with a picnic featuring sardines, pork ribs, bifanas, and live music.
Also in New York, the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, the longest in the state, will once again be illuminated with the colors of the national flag on June 10 to commemorate Portugal Day, Camões, and the Portuguese Communities.
This initiative, led by the New York Portuguese American Leadership Conference (NYPALC), has been held for the past two years on the bridge that spans the Hudson River, connecting Rockland and Westchester counties.
“Join NYPALC and the Portuguese community for our 3rd Annual Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge Lighting in the vibrant colors of the Portuguese flag to honor Portugal Day at sunset! (…) Don’t miss this breathtaking tribute,” the association urged on social media.
In Newark, New Jersey, Portugal Day celebrations will be diverse, featuring a flag-raising ceremony on Saturday at City Hall and a commemorative mass on June 4 at the city’s Cathedral.
The “Portugal Day Festival” in Newark will span the weekend from June 6 to 8, including concerts, events, and performances such as those by traditional drum groups, Pauliteiros de Miranda do Douro, and the Coimbra Academic Tuna.
The festival will culminate in a grand parade on Ferry Street, known as the heart of ‘Little Portugal’ due to its significant Portuguese community.
Customarily, Newark’s streets are filled with people, mainly Portuguese, dressed in the national flag’s colors for the Portugal Day parade.
Alongside the main celebration, the century-old Portuguese Sport Club of Newark will offer “three days of joy, culture, and tradition,” with mouth-watering typical food in a “family-friendly and welcoming environment,” featuring art exhibitions and “top-notch folklore,” as mentioned on social media.
In New Jersey, the Consulate General of Portugal in Newark will host an event next Friday “aimed at celebrating the identity, culture, and history of Portugal while honoring the poet Luís de Camões and Portuguese communities worldwide.”
“The ceremony will feature various authorities and serve as an opportunity to strengthen ties between Portugal and the local Portuguese community,” stated the Consulate in a statement sent to Lusa.
In Massachusetts, the Consulate General of Portugal in Boston is organizing a free concert on Sunday to celebrate Portuguese culture and music.
The concert, held at the Cambridge Public Library, will feature a jazz quartet performing works by Carlos Paredes and other Portuguese composers.
