New Bedford’s Portuguese Feast Will Accept Cards for First Time

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — Even after more than a century of putting on the largest Portuguese celebration in America, the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament can still find a way to make some history.

The 109th Feast kicks off on Thursday, July 31 and runs through August 3, and for the first time ever, feast goers will be able to use credit or debit cards at the barracas when purchasing food, beverages or souvenirs.

Why the Feast Is Going Cashless

According to its website, the Feast went cashless more than a decade ago, and the ticket-purchasing system has become an accepted part of the experience. You feed your cash bills into a machine, and it spits out tickets ($1 per ticket) for you to then use to make your purchases.

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However, the lines at those machines can get quite long.

“We’re trying to eliminate those long lines at the ticket machines, which can get very frustrating,” Feast Vice President John Alves said in an appearance on WBSM Thursday morning. “Just bring your card, and every window and every stand will be able to take your card.”

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Tickets Will Still Be Available, Too

Alves said there will still be ticket machines for those who want to bring cash and go the traditional route. You can also use cash to buy a prepaid debit card that can then be tapped at all the windows and stands.

Training and Tech Behind the Change

The Feast volunteers have been trained in how to assist people in using the cards.

“It’s a big transition,” Alves said. “It’s a lot of new equipment and training, but we think people are really going to appreciate it.”

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However, he also pointed out that the use of debit or credit cards or your phone to pay for items at the Feast will be no different than how you already use them to pay in other places, and that means no change-making or ticket-counting to slow down the lines at the barracas.

“It’ll be much faster, and we’re looking forward to that,” he said.