The Portugal Day Festival in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Portuguese people The Portuguese people () are a Romance nation and ethnic group indigenous to Portugal who share a common culture, ancestry and language. The Portuguese people's heritage largely derives from the pre-Celts, Proto-Celts (Lusitanians, Conii) a ...

language Language is a structured system of communication. The structure of a language is its grammar and the free components are its vocabulary. Languages are the primary means by which humans communicate, and may be conveyed through a variety of ...

, and their

culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups ...

. First organized in 1979 by the Bernardino Coutinho Foundation, since 2010 the Festival has been organized by the Union of Portuguese American Clubs of New Jersey (''União de Clubes Luso-Americanos de New Jersey''), or UCLANJ. Although various events occur the week prior, the actual street festival typically takes place on the weekend closest to June 10, the official

Portugal Day ) , type = National holiday , longtype = National Day , image = EstatuaCamoesLisboa.JPG , caption = Monument to Luís de Camões in Lisbon, Portugal (May 2005) , official_name = ''Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comu ...

. As of 2015 the festival has been run by its official Portugal Day Newark a 501c (3) non-profit organization. The festival is known to attract over 750,000 event goers to Ferry Street in the

Ironbound The Ironbound is a neighborhood in the city of Newark in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a large working-class multi-ethnic community, covering approximately of well maintained streets and homes. Historically, the area was cal ...

. The festival went on hiatus in 2020. Facts About Portugal: The cultural festival takes months of planning. Plans include inviting guests to be

Grand Marshal Grand marshal is a ceremonial, military, or political office of very high rank. The term has its origins with the word "marshal" with the first usage of the term "grand marshal" as a ceremonial title for certain religious orders. The following ...

, Honorary Grand Marshal, or any of the prized people in attendance over the Portugal Day weekend. There are also many events prior to the big weekend, such as the Friendship Night Gala, that bring out the Portuguese community.

Television broadcast

The festivities are often telecast, live or recorded, to stations not only in New Jersey, but also in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

and Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and South America.

Portugal Day Races

The Portugal Day Races take place every year on the Sunday morning of Portugal Day weekend prior to the parade. Every year runners and walkers, Portuguese or not, gather and race in the historic Ironbound section, celebrating Portuguese-American culture. The race was founded in 1979 by the late Manuel Parente and was directed for many years by the late Domingos Cravo. The races have always been organized by Lar Dos Leos (Den of Lions). In honor of Parente's and Cravo's contributions to the Portuguese community, the "Cravo Kid Dash" and the "Parente Mile" have been named in their honor. The 5k race has also been renamed as the "Jack Casimiro 5k" in honor of a longtime sponsor of the Portugal Day Races, the late Jack Casimiro. Today, the race is still organized by Lar Dos Leos (Den of Lions) and by longtime race director Carlos Martins.

Parade

On the Sunday of that weekend, there is a parade with many floats representing various organizations from throughout the state, both Portuguese and non-Portuguese. Every year there is a Honorary Grand Marshal, a Grand Marshal, as well as many other prized personalities.

References

External links

Welcome to the Portugal Day Festival
(2009)
Union of Portuguese-American Clubs of New Jersey
(UCLANJ: ''União de Clubes Luso-Americanos de New Jersey'')
Portugal Day Races
(Portugal Day Races in Newark NJ: 5km, 1 Mile Run, Kiddy Dash) {{coord, 40.72955, -74.15943, type:event_globe:earth_region:US-NJ, display=title Festivals in New Jersey Culture of Newark, New Jersey Tourist attractions in Newark, New Jersey Cultural festivals in the United States Portuguese-American culture in New Jersey Festivals established in 1979 1979 establishments in New Jersey