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.
When the Booker administration took over in July of 2006, the council supported and signed an ordinance introduced by Councilman Amador establishing new financial terms including a requirement that all festival organizers pay an initial 20% of the total projected cost of the festival’s first year, then an additional 5 percent within 12 months to help cover police and sanitation costs. Additionally, the fee would increase 10% for 3 years until a maximum of 50% of the cost.
An estimated $400,000 would go directly to City Hall which would require an initial payment of $80,000 in the first year (2007) for the festivals organizers.
The festival’s associated costs in the last three years have threatened to cancel each of the year’s celebrations but negotiations have been made in organization’s favor.
The frustrations in the previous years has led the Coutinho Fundation to entertain the possibility of moving the Portuguese Day Parade & Festival to Harrison once the Red Bull Arena is built. The festival’s program also has a soccer component.
The stadium’s inauguration is later this week and everything else depends on many circumstances.
One of them relies on the creation of a commission to celebrate the festival undergoing the financial terms that were initially imposed on the Coutinho Foundation between 2007 and 2009.
If the financial terms are changed in favor of the Foundation, Coutinho seems to remain interested in holding the celebration along Ferry Street.
Now if the festivities do indeed move to Harrison, this would be a huge loss for the Ironbound and the City of Newark. Or would it?
What is your opinion? Would you support moving the Portugal Day Parade & Festival to Harrison? Please vote and leave a comment.
[polldaddy poll=2912093]
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
i say he could take it away newark won’t miss it at all it has been portugese festival in over 15 yrs i have lived in the ironbound all my life and i for one can tell you as a portugese that the portugal day festival has lost it’s charm it now is nothing more then a drunken street party with no ties to portugal what so ever you bearly see any portugese vendors or music from portugal besides a few restaurant parking lots other then that it’s a joke Bernadino Coutinho has let it become a free for all when i walk the festival all i see is ecuadorian and brazilian vendors and rave setups blasting music as the drunken underage drinking kids break into fist fights and piss on your house and steps what happen to it being a festival representing portugal and it’s people where are the products from portugal and the music and food along ferry nowhere and he as the organizer is responsible for that he should have rules set down as to who can and what is to be sold and show at the festival so for it being a portugese festival that’s a insult to the portugese community if someone that never been there see’s what goes on at this festival and how it’s ran.
Bernadino Coutinho Take this as a clue change the name of the festival because it hasn’t been portugese in years stop insulting us all or otherwise make changes to it to represent us as portugese and our proud country that we come from stop with allowing others to sell and blast and wave flags of their countries in our festival they need to have respect for our nation it’s history and it’s people.
Portugal Day Festival has been in Newark for ages! It has been a tradition and a part of everyone who grew up there. To take away this feast, to another location, would be like taking away the only rich tradition Newark has. It was started in Newark, so it should be left in Newark!
I agree with Joe….The Portuguese feast has lost its Portuguese feel. Every time I go I feel like it’s the Hispanic Festival. I have nothing against the other cultures, but they have their own festivals to celebrate and wave their flags. Its a disgrace what it has become. I remember being 10 years old when it started and actually felt like a Portuguese celebration.
that’s my 2 cents
Joe, Anthony
I agree whole-heartedly. To blame BC for this doing, might not be fair. I was raised in Ironbound and still live in Ironbound. What you can say that is fair, is the vast number of Portuguese people that have came then left! I recall days where you can walk down a street and talk with a Maria or a Tony about your day, family and the old country. Now, the whole landscape of Ferry has changed. Heck, there is even a Banco Poplar (hispanic bank) on Ferry street. Is that BC doing? Maybe not. But I tell you this, the only Portuguese celebrations that you can count on is when Portugal wins or advances in a World Cup or European Cup. That’s when Ferry Street glows with it’s billows of RED and GREEN. Yes those were the good ole days. Hopefully Mr. Coutinho is reading these posts.
I’m not from Newark; I live in Denville 20 miles west of Newark. Me and 45 of my friends and family have been attending the Portuguese Festival for over 22 years now and are already making plans for June 12, 2010. Don’t move it, we won’t go to the Red Bull Stadium, as I’m sure we’re not alone in thinking this way. Don’t move it for personal reasons, don’t move it because of commercialism or politics, Screw the Red Bull Stadium, what about the people who spend money? Don’t we get a say in the matter? This is an example of the typical NJ political “Bull Shit” at its best. You people are making it impossible to live in this state. This is NJ a state where corruption & politics are out of control. Our motto “If there’s money to be had, “Tax it”, if its fun or entertaining, “take it away” or “Tax it”.
It is time for it to go . It WAS nce in the begaining but now it is time to GO. I live Off of Ferry, and STOPPED going because of all the FIGHTS and the BULLSHIT. The Portuguese feast has lost its Portuguese feeling it hasn’t been portugese in years . I for one can tell you as a portugese that the portugal day festival has lost it’s charm it now is nothing more then a drunken street party.
Bernadino Coutinho DID this to be a poplar and now he is gone and so should the FEAST.
Tradition is important.
Clean up that event but make it stay, the last thing we want it to turn it into a corporate organized event, that will be more about selling than celebrating.
Put more restrictions on who and how they can sell, and what and who you sell it to, but do keep it here, moving it will loose the tradition, besides the parade is something important that shows ethnicity.
Bernadino Coutinho can go to Harrison with the portugal day festival. I am tryed of the dirty street and all the fighting. I live 1/2 a block away from Ferry St. It is hard to get out of here and to get in here. PLEASE LET IT GO TO HARRISON
It’s pretty annoying hearing all of this negativity surrounding the Portuguese festival every year. And saying “I as a Portuguese person” doesn’t mean that your opinion is all encompassing of the entire Portuguese community in Newark. The suggestions of banning others from coming in are ludicrous and seem incredibly counter-intuitive if you are trying to share your culture with others. From my own experiences, people who are so negative about this feast are the ones who haven’t gone in years so thank you for the narrative, but it does not describe the entire experience very accurately. Speaking as someone who has been to the festival every year since I was about 5 years old walking in my traditional Portuguese garb until now as a young professional, I can tell those who haven’t experienced it that it is not just a drunken block party. If you want to see traditional Portuguese culture then go to the right spots and you will. If you want to indulge in a drunken block party then go to the right spots and you will. The fact is there is something for everyone and anyone who has ever been to an ethnic festival of any kind knows that other cultures will showcase themselves as well. They sell Chinese food on the street in Hoboken during some Italian festivals along with products from Ecuador. Has anyone here ever been to a St. Patrick’s Day parade? lol Yea, everyone there is Irish celebrating Irish culture. Give me a break and get off your high horse!
As far as where this should take place, let’s be real. There IS nowhere that Portuguese people in this country call home more than Newark, NJ and anyone who says that all of the Portuguese have moved out, are crazy. We’re still here and we’re still proud. If that wasn’t the case Portuguese professionals wouldn’t be moving their offices here, advertising it in the Luso, and putting up a big sign on their window saying “Fala-se Portugues” still. Keep it in Newark, because that’s where the festival belongs. I love my people, but the truth is the Portuguese love to complain lol.
I believe the City of Newark should take into consideration that the “Portugal Day” Parade has been around for many years. Why make this 3-4 day cultural celebration such a big deal. Yes, there are costs involved that need to be paid for but I also believe that the Portuguese Comunity (all all other cultures) of Newark made so many good things for the City of Newark for the past 30 years. We all pay high taxes in Newark (specially in the Ironbound) for the NEW “Picaso’s Ferry Street sidewalks”. But if the parade moves to Harrison that would not make me a difference. I would still celebrate the same way; location does not matter, what matters is the celebration of the Portuguese Culture…
In all of the years I have been going to the Portuguese Feast, I have noticed a major change in its overall scenery. Though to me, it’s not so much a negative one, because reality is, things change, people change, and events will sure as hell change with them. It wont always be the same people going to the festival and with it’s grown popularity it brings in all types of people from all types of backgrounds. So it doesn’t matter who’s wearing what flag and who’s selling what food because it’s still the Portuguese Feast and Ferry is still considered little Portugal. So ultimately there is no competition nor should there be one. Anywho, I agree with everything Joe Ramos said. There is a section for everyone at the feast. However, if it does just so happen to move to the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, which by the way is a few blocks from Ferry St. I wont be too disappointed. I will still expect the same great festivities no matter where it’s held, we’ll just have to bring down the arena Newark style!
@Joe Ramos. Who are you lying to? I have lived here (Newark) all my life. The Portuguese have left big time it’s now majority Hispanic and Brazilian. The Portugal Day Festival isn’t even safe anymore like it used to be. There are stabbings and have been shooting for the past 7 years. It’s not even majority Portuguese people who go here. Not even Portuguese people want to come here anymore even after the fact they all moved. I don’t know many people at all who live in Newark who want it that’s a fact.
You want to be “Real” you need to brush up on Portuguese Communities. Newark isn’t even top of the list in this country. You want to know what a real Portuguese community is?! Go to New Bedford and Fall River Mass or San Jose California. Those places have real Portugal Festivals with tons of real Portuguese from the local Communities.
You need to stop lying to yourself and others and get the real information.
can you tell me if the day of portugal going to be in newark or harrison .
I have been coming to the Portuguese Festival, for the past 26 years. I love the parade and the heritage that is evident everywhere. The Booker Administration doesn’t give a hoot-to-toot about too many Newarkers. I live in the Ivy Hill section, and I can tell you that most of our complaints, particularly mine, have never been addressed from day one! It’s as if nothing that matters to us, matters to them! You can write, twitter, email, or call, until you are blue in the face…nothing. So I can understand Coutinho’s complaint about his dealings with an inept administration, it is very frustrating; but I cannot understand how he could, possibly, equate a stadium with Ferry Street. The stadium will confine you! Yes there are people who drink, fight, urinate, and curse. But I get out early in the day, and out by sundown; and I, and my kids, love it! It is the one festival that all Newarkers are proud of. I know I am! And if someone urinates on your steps, get a loud bullhorn or whistle, and scare the crap out of their drunken butts!
It’s nice to say let’s have it in the Ironbound if you don’t live here, only the residents of the Ironbound knows what we go thru Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Feast, stay inside I take two Tylenols, the noise, the driking, the fights and how your front porch is left with garbage only we know, it should be done in a park, not inside the town, it’s only about making money.
Maria, it seems like Portugal Day will be cancelled this year (2010). Below is the link in which B. Countinho announced the cancellation. He has some interesting points. Seems like NJ Devels haven’t payed their rent for 2 1/2 years but it seems that’s okay with city hall but to have a 3 day festival they make a big deal out of it… Augusto Amador was questioned about the cancellation but he did not have any comments; I wonder why??? I think he should get re-elected next time once again because he’s done a fastastic job…
http://www.localtalknews.com/newark/community/324-portugal-day-festival-newark-bernardo-coutinho
Relax people, it was thanks to a corrupt city hall with S. James and his buddy’s Coutinho and Co. that the city has lost all the money with this and other feasts, I agree the organizers should pay for at least a good chunk of expenses (police, sanitation, etc.) Coutinho’s was pocketing all of the money from vendors and the city had to clean and patrol for free?????
No wonder taxes went up!!! ENOUGH!!! don’t worry the parade is still on for this Sunday, along with other events in Iberia, and other restaurants, so enjoy!!!!
So what’s the final word?? Still cancelled?? Will they be moving it to harrison (red bull arena area)?? anyone knows.
The Portuguese Feast is nothing more than a FEAST! We LIVE IN AMERICA and have to deal with the melting pot society. Just because it’s a Portuguese feast does not mean it’s only to have a Portuguese theme. FOR YEARS now…It’s just been a melting pot FEAST with some Portuguese Flavor. It’s a time where people come together, party and YES….get drunk! If you want a real Porkchop Feast take your ass back to Portugal or deal with all the ethnicities that HAVE TAKEN OVER. Anyone up for the Puerto Rican Parade in NYC?? LMAO!
Iberia, Sol Mar and other Restaurants are keeping their thing going, other events will happen, the feast itself is canceled but there will be a parade on Sunday the 13th at 3PM for more info go to http://www.njportuguese.com