As part of the Boston Portuguese Festival 2007, the Day of Portugal Parade took place on Sunday, June 17, starting at 2 P.M.
The Parade complete with floats, marching bands, folkloric groups, singers, organizational groups, associations, public officials and may other cultural attractions started at the Portuguese Square (Praça Portuguesa) on Concord Square, Somerville. The parade route went through Springfield and Cambridge Streets until Cardinal Medeiros ave at the St. Anthony’s Church, in Cambridge, where it ended. Participating bands and folk groups performed at St. Anthony's parish hall, at the end of the parade.
This parade will celebrate June as Portuguese Heritage Month in Massachusetts, marked also by June 10th that symbolizes the National day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities. Officially, this is the day where Portugal celebrates its heroes, and Camões, the great poet who wrote his epic “The Lusiadas”, an incredible literary piece of work that depicted the history of Portugal.
The Day of Portugal Parade is one of several events organized as part of the 2007 Boston Portuguese Festival. For more information please visithttp://www.bostonportuguesefestival.org Portuguese communities throughout the country and the world celebrate this month with many Portuguese cultural events and other activities.
The community-at-large was invited to come out and enjoy what organizers call a large parade dedicated to celebrating Portuguese-American Pride, composed of over 50 different groups representing the Portuguese American communities in Cambridge, Somerville, Lowell, Peabody, Hudson, Ludlow, Milford, Stoughton and other communities from across the state.