Portugal Day

On 8 November 2017, the House of Commons unanimously passed Davenport M.P. Julie Dzerowicz’s Private Member’s Bill M-126, declaring June as Portuguese Heritage Month and 10 June as Portugal Day in Canada. M-126 recognizes the contributions that Portuguese-Canadians have made to Canada and the importance of educating and reflecting upon Portuguese heritage and culture for future generations. This now opens these occasions to being recognized and celebrated at a national level instead of only by municipalities or provinces.[3]

In Toronto, Ontario, over 200,000 Portuguese-Canadians celebrate by holding a multitude of events surrounding the 10 June date. The week-long festival culminates with the Portugal Day Parade on Dundas Street, in the area known as Little Portugal. The parade ends near Trinity Bellwoods Park, where concerts, cultural events and various other activities take place. The Portugal Day Parade is Toronto's third-largest street festival and first celebrated in 1966.[4]

In 2010 and 2011, festivities were celebrated on 13 June and 12 June, respectively, in Kennington Park, southeast London, in the area known as Little Portugal.

The 2012 observance was held on 10 June in Kennington Park. The officials and athletes representing Portugal at the 2012 Summer Olympics were based in Little Portugal near Kennington Park, and attended Portugal Day 2012 in Kennington Park. [5] In 2013, the event was held on Sunday, 9 June 2013 in Kennington Park as in previous years.[6]

In 2014 the event was not held, but was held in 2015 on Sunday 14 June in Streatham Common Park and this was the first time that a fee was charged to enter.[7] The event in 2016 was also planned to be a paid event on Sunday 12 June in Streatham Common Park, but was cancelled due to heavy rain.[8]

Portuguese Americans celebrate the holiday throughout the country, especially in Portuguese American neighborhoods, including in:

• In Newark, New Jersey, the Portugal Day Festival in Newark is held on the weekend closest to 10 June.[9] Organized by the Bernardino Coutinho Foundation from 1979 to 2010, since 2011 the festival has been organized by the Union of Portuguese-American Clubs of New Jersey (UCLANJ: União de Clubes Luso-Americanos de New Jersey).[10]
• In Mineola, New York, the Nassau County Portugal Day Celebration is held annually at the Theodore Roosevelt Legislative & Executive Building by the Offices of the County Executive Ed Mangano, Comptroller George Maragos and a dozen Portuguese-American clubs and organizations. In 2013, the event was held on Monday 10 June 2013 and featured the Ambassador of Portugal to the United States, Nuno Brito, as the Keynote Speaker. The event was first organized by Gabriel Silva Marques, who still serves as the Event Chairman.[11][12][13] In 2012, the first Portuguese-American New York State Senator Jack M. Martins was named "Nassau County Portuguese-American of the Year" and made any honorary chairman of the event.[14]
• In Providence, Rhode Island, there is an annual Day of Portugal and Portuguese Heritage event.
• In San Jose, California, the Portuguese Heritage Society of California organizes Dia de Portugal California in the city's History Park, the location of the Portuguese Historical Museum.
• In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Portuguese Heritage Commission organizes Portugal Day at Penn's Landing,[15] where the Portuguese ship Gazela is docked.[16]