Last week was fried dough at the Tisbury Street Fair. This week it’s malasada, sopa and cacoila.
Welcome to the Portuguese Holy Ghost Feast and Festival, a two-day extravaganza of eating, festivities and a parade through the streets of Oak Bluffs.
The festival takes place at the Portuguese-American Club located on Vineyard avenue in Oak Bluffs. It begins Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. with food, music and face paint. The band Serendipity will perform at 7 p.m. Later on in the evening there will be an auction of local Vineyard goods such as lobster and sweet bread. As always, the party will go late into the night, but that doesn’t mean it ends on Saturday.
On Sunday morning the parade begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Oak Bluffs Steamship Wharf and winds it way up Circuit avenue and then over to the P.A. Club. The parade will feature performances by Portuguese folklore dancers, fire trucks from Oak Bluffs, and, of course, more delicious food along the route. The festival continues at the club throughout the day.
“It’s really just a great party,” said the Madron of the feast and former president of the Portuguese-American Club Tricia Bergeron. “And there’s something there for all ages.”
This includes the face painting and small games for younger children so that everyone across the Island can take part in the celebration.
The Portuguese-American club is expecting around 500 to 600 people to show up for the parade. The food will be served on a first come, first served basis, so those who don’t want to miss out are encouraged to come early and stay for the whole time.
“There’s a lot going on,” said Ms. Bergeron. “So there’s not really a dull moment.”
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