'It's the countdown': Madeira Feast to return after two years off
NEW BEDFORD — As the longest-serving president of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament — colloquially known as the Madeira Feast — Richard Fernandes said that he will pass the next 20 days with anticipation for his moment.
"You can only be a feast president once in your lifetime," Fernandes, who was elected in 2020, said. "I feel a sigh of relief, I'm very excited and we only have 20 days to go."
Fernandes' extended tenure was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled the 2020 and 2021 iterations of the world's largest Portuguese feast outside Portugal.
"The committee is very excited," he said. "Now it's the countdown."
Expect lots of food
The 106th Feast of the Blessed Sacrament will take place at the Madeira Feast grounds on Madeira Avenue from Thursday, Aug. 4, through Sunday, Aug. 7.
The feast committee spared no expense either in preparation. Fernandes said that the quality of beef they ordered for the feast's famous BBQ Pit.
"We tried to get a better sirloin for the carne de espeto (kabobs) and it's going to be very tender," Fernandes said.
In preparation, the committee ordered enormous quantities of meat, including: 10,000 pounds of sirloin, 9,000 pounds of pork, 3,500 pounds of linguiça, and 500 pounds of bacalhau (salted cod). In addition, there will be goat and rabbit sale as well as hamburgers, hot dogs, bifana, caçoila, and other sandwiches.
A carnival with rides and games will also be present all four days of the feast.
Saturday will be the Madeira feasts Family Fun Day where children will receive free food and a magic show. Senior will also receive a food discount that afternoon.
At 10 a.m. on Saturday, the Madeira 5k Road Race will start at the feast grounds, run about three miles through the North End before ending underneath the arches at Madeira Field.
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Tribute bands to Portuguese rock music
Apart from the famous food and carnival, the feast committee invited a number of artists to perform.
"We got a good mixture, we got Portuguese and American music," Fernandes said. "We have all the entertainment already laid out."
Thursday's headliner will be Get the Led Out, a Led Zeppelin tribute band, who will take the main stage at Madeira Field from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Journey Tribute Band The Great Escape will be top billing Friday at Stage 1 from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Portuguese rock will be front and center Saturday night as local group Band Faith takes the stage from 10 p.m. to 11:30.
J. Geils Band tribute group Danny Klein's Full House will be the final headliner on Sunday night from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Other performers will include Nadia and Karma, Maurício Morais, the Tim Brown Band, Rancho Folclorico de Nossa Senhora de Fatima, and more.
Admission to the Museum of Madeiran Heritage will also be free throughout the feast and will include performances of Fado, a traditional Portuguese style of music with roots going back to the 19th century.
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How to watch the parade
The final day of festivities will start with a Mass at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, 146 Earle St., at 9:45 a.m.
The parade kicks off at 2 p.m. in Brooklawn Park and will march down Acushnet Avenue before turning left onto Earle Street. Once it reaches Immaculate Conception, it will turn left again before marching into the feast grounds.
"I'm looking forward to having this feast finally after waiting so long," Fernandes said, "to friends, family and the good times we're gonna have."
Contact Kevin G. Andrade at kandrade@s-t.com and follow him on Twitter: @KevinGAndrade. Support local journalism and subscribe to the Standard-Times today!
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Madeira Feast of Blessed Sacrament returns to New Bedford after COVID
