RI Day of Portugal – events starting June 6th

The 44th Celebration of the Rhode Island Day of Portugal will be held this year, having been postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The “Day of Portugal” is a holiday celebrated every year in June on every corner of the Portuguese-speaking world. Officially known as “Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas” (Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities), June 10th commemorates the death of the revered Portuguese poet, Luís Vaz de Camões in 1580. Camões is best known for his epic poem, Os Lusíadas, which is a tribute to the golden age of Portugal’s maritime exploration and discoveries.

The Portuguese in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, 13 cities/towns are in the top 100 for percentage of Portuguese population in the US. The top 5 cities are East Providence (40.86% – 2nd in US) – Bristol (31.4% – 9th) – Tiverton (26.97% – 16th) – Warren (24.74% – 20) – Riverside (16.50% – 33) – Rumford – 15.55% – 36th) – Little Compton (12.38% – 45th) (http://zipatlas.com/us/city-comparison/percentage-portuguese-population.htm).

Portuguese maintains status on the state’s MBE – Minority Business Enterprise – list.

Portuguese immigrants make up only four-tenths of one percent (0.4 percent) of the entire U.S. population. But in Rhode Island, Portuguese immigrants make up 9.7 percent of the population. As a result, that’s the densest concentration of Portuguese in the country. Massachusetts is the second densest in the US.

RI Day of Portugal events in RI:

Events are being held in Rhode Island on several June dates.

Beginning on June 6th in Newport, several events will be held, with another major event on June 13th in Providence.

The RI Day of Portugal – Opening Ceremony – June 6th at 1pm at the Portuguese Discovery Monument in Newport

June 13th in Providence.  

For those who would like to go to Newport together, free Buses are available; but seats must be reserved. Buses leave from East Providence, at 11am.

In addition to the flag raisings, the RI Day of Portugal Heritage Festival will be held at Waterplace Park in downtown Providence from 1 to 9pm on Sunday, June 13th.

Traditional food, music, dance, a Waterfire Torch Procession, and a laser show will be held.

Sunday, June 13th – RI Day of Portugal Heritage Festival

June 29th – The RI Day of Portugal Wine Dinner

The Passion is back in 2021. RI Day of Portugal wine dinner is June 29, 2021. Special surprise… more details to come.Limited seating, Make your reservations today! The Capital Grille, 401-521-5600

For more information on RI Day of Portugal:

Ana Isabel dos Reis-Couto
President
Dia de Portugal em RI  |  RI Day of Portugal
401.225.2591

https://www.ridayofportugal.org/

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