New Bedford’s Portuguese Feast Postponed to 2022
For the second consecutive year, New Bedford’s annual Feast of the Blessed Sacrament has been postponed.
The Feast’s official Facebook page posted the announcement at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, stating that this year’s Feast has been postponed to 2022.
However, the post also noted that there are some special events coming up later this year.
“Michael Canasta, President of the Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento, Inc. will have an official announcement of special ticketed events scheduled for this summer and fall,” the post read.
The post notes that the organization, which sponsors the annual Feast, will “continue to provide academic scholarships and vocational awards as well as assisting SouthCoast organizations.”
The decision to postpone the Feast comes a little sooner than last year’s decision, when the official postponement was announced on May 7.
Earlier this year, there was some confusion when a post to the Feast’s official Facebook page pointed to its official website for an announcement, and the site’s top line read “106th ANNUAL CELEBRATION - JULY 29, 30, 31 AUGUST 1, 2021. It is finally here! Come join us…,” leading Fun 107 and other media outlets to report that the Feast was officially happening for 2021.
The post was later deleted from the Feast’s Facebook page and a statement was issued stating that, at that time, no official decision had been made and that “the 2021 dates on our website have been posted since the cancellation of last year’s Feast of the Blessed Sacrament in hopes of having a Feast in 2021.”
Massachusetts is still in Phase 4, Step 1 of Governor Charlie Baker’s re-opening plan, which limits outdoor events to a maximum capacity of 150 people. The Feast of the Blessed Sacrament annually draws upwards of 200,000 to the feast grounds in New Bedford.