This post is based on a Luso-Americano Newspaper article printed on February 5, 2010

The City of Newark’s website lists the Portuguese Day Parade & Festival under Festivals & Parades in the month of June. However, at this time, no one knows for certain.
The Ironbound Business Improvement District (IBID) must first hold a hearing on the Portuguese Festival, as it would occupy the commercial area in it’s jurisdiction. A few weeks ago, a spokesperson for IBID told the Luso-Americano they had neither been contacted nor had any discussion about the festival with anyone.
Bernadino Coutinho, whose foundation has organized the event for the last 30 years, said that he has been in talks with Red Bull New York whom are interested in bringing ethnic festivals like the Portugal Day Festival to the new stadium. This news comes after Coutinho announced he would discontinue organizing the festival due to the lack of support and even obstruction from City Hall.
Coutinho is convinced that Harrison’s Mayor Raymond McDonough, will give him the utmost support for the Portugal Day celebrations in the shadows of Red Bull Stadium.
The stadium is set to open this Saturday, March 20, with a friendly match-up between the Red Bulls vs Santos FC (a popular Brazilian soccer team). The first official Major League Soccer game will take place on March 27 against Chicago Fire SC.
With the support of former Mayor Sharpe James’ administration, Coutinho was able to pull off the event since 1980. He is hurt due to what he considers persistent alienation from the Booker administration as it relates to the bureaucratic steps now required to operate the event. And also what he considered obstruction, in part, by East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador. [click to continue…]
Hat tip to Ken Walker of the Daily Newarker
Newark’s Ironbound
An American Experience
A Panel Discussion Sponsored by:
THE NEWARK HISTORY SOCIETY
MODERATOR: Walter D. Chambers, Former Resident of Pennington Court
PANELISTS: Alice Schreiner, Ironbound Senior Citizen Center;
Michael Underwood, Conrail; Maria C. Pereira, Luso Americano
MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2010 AT 6:00 PM
The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place, Newark, NJ
Get Directions
Open to the public. Light refreshments.
Please RSVP by March 18 to:
NewarkHistorySociety@verizon.net
or by calling 973.376.8273
In a press release today, Red Bull New York announced the expansion of the Newark Trolley’s service into Harrison for Red Bull events:
Red Bull New York announced today the creation of free special “Newark Trolley” service to all New York Red Bulls matches beginning on March 20, 2010, with the Grand Opening event against Santos FC of Brazil. The Newark Trolley service is a joint effort between the municipalities of Newark and Harrison, as well as the Greater Newark Visitors & Convention Bureau and Grey Line/Coach USA. There will be three (3) different trolley routes that will operate each match and service will run two (2) hours before each scheduled match and for one (1) hour after each match. [click to continue…]
WHO: You, Mayor Booker, Councilman Amador & members of the Booker Team
WHAT: Meet and Greet
WHEN: Saturday, March 13, 2010 – 4-6pm
WHERE:
St. Stephan’s Grace Community
7 Wilson Ave
Newark, NJ 07105
Get Directions
Ironbound Newark readers have been asking so we’ll post it here:
Ironbound parking. Those two words are almost impossible to use in one sentence – unless it includes the words no, none or any other negative term. You may have better luck with a parking permit from the City of Newark. The details are below and the application is available here. [click to continue…]