Day of Portugal

The Day of Portugal Festival is a memorial street festival held in the North End of New Bedford, Massachusetts on the Acushnet Avenue. It is held every year usually in the beginning of the Summer Time to cool out and celebrate the migration of Portuguese people to the United States, specifically Massachusetts, if you want to be even more specific Bristol County Massachusetts that is set in New Bedford.

Some great festivities in this Festival has to be all the great food you can have. All of the restaurants on the avenue come outside and serve all of their food and promote their restaurant. If you love great portuguese food than i would suggest coming by here every week. If you’re over 21, a lot of the restaurants open up their clubs and have all night parties. On the outside you have actual portuguese bands and singers come out and sing all of the traditional portuguese songs!

Every year the Day of Portugal host a bunch of tournaments for trophies and medallions and all of the money goes toward the year after the current year’s feast; they usually host up soccer tournament, golf tournaments, 5k races and many more tournaments that depend on the year.

Going to the Day of Portugal Feast every year is a blast, i may be forced to go as my dad is the Vice-President of the Day of the Portugal Feast but it’s fun regardless and i would go on my own will any way.

October 8, 2015October 23, 2015 by natecouto Categories: Fun, Heritage, MA, PartyingTags: Festival, Local, New Bedford, Portuguese Leave a comment

Buttonwood Park Zoo

Buttonwood Park Zoo is a great family fun place to attend too, it has been running for nearly 121 years, starting up in 1894; it was recently renovated 15 years ago for a grand new Re-Opening in 2000. Buttonwood Park zoo is the home for some awesome animals such as the River Otters, Asian Elephants, Bison, the grand ol’ american Bald Eagle, Canadian Lynx, Bobcat’s, Wild Turkey’s, Piping Plover; and many more to name but just a quick little example.

Since it is October Buttonwood Park Zoo is actually hosting their own Halloween festival called “Boo at the Zoo” , it’s a fine time for people all the ages ranging young little kids to the young little kids Parents. This is a spectacular event and only happens throughout the month of October, the entry fee is $7/Child and $10/Adults for zoo members and for non-zoo members are $12/Child and $15/Adult. For more information about Boo at the Zoo you can visit the website at:

https://www.bpzoo.org/whats-new/event/boo-at-the-zoo/?instance_id=39440

Buttonwood Park Zoo was quoted as the “Smallest Finest Zoo in the United States” by American Zoo and Aquarium Association; while being the oldest continually operating zoo in Massachusetts.

From personal experiences the Buttonwood Park Zoo was a blast to experience once again as a teenager this time instead of a little child who was in  elementary school going; that awesome feeling of the wild life starring at me and dancing around. Personally me I love wild life, especially Otter’s, they’re my favorite; they are just so cute!

If you want any additional information about Buttonwood zoo you can actually visit the website at:

https://www.bpzoo.org/

October 8, 2015October 23, 2015 by natecouto Categories: Fun, MATags: Halloween, Local, Massachusetts, New Bedford, Zoo Leave a comment

Whaling

Whaling in Massachusetts; especially in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Whaling began in the the early 1600’s and continued on into exactly 1927; New Bedford sent the last whaling boat, it was named the John R. Mantra. 

People all over the world would come to Massachusetts/ New England for whaling; it was a major hub for fishing we were right next to the Atlantic Ocean, we had three main ports in Massachusetts; one in New Bedford, Boston and Nantucket. Nantucket was a huge port back in the 1700’s. In 1659 Nantucket was sold to nine different buyers for just two beaver hats and 30 pounds of sterling. The nine buyers were Tristram Coffin, Thomas Macy, Christopher Hussey, Richard Swayne, Thomas Barnard, Peter Coffin, John Swayne, and William Pike.

The prominent whaling merchant Joesph Rotch actually moved to New Bedford because he saw all the potential in New Bedford for the Whaling Industry.

One great source for all whaling information is actually the Whaling Museum in Downtown New Bedford, MA; if you ever have free time and you live in the Bay Area of Massachusetts i would highly suggest you come by and take a tour, I’ve personally gone a lot of times throughout my childhood and my young adult years!

October 8, 2015October 23, 2015 by natecouto Categories: History, Interesting, NewsTags: Local, Massachusetts, New Bedford, Whaling Leave a comment