The weather was clear, the food cooked to perfection and the music lively at the second annual Portugal Day observance at Churrasqueira Bairrada last Saturday and Sunday.
“It was beautiful. The weather was beautiful and I think everybody enjoyed it. That’s my goal,” Bairrada owner Manny Carvalho said.
Event organizers said the two-day event drew more than 3,000 people – triple the 1,000 people who attended last year’s one-day event.
Carvalho said he decided to go to a two-day event after losing money last year while fulfilling his dream to put on a Portugal Day celebration in the parking lot behind what now has become a local dining institution at 144 Jericho Turnpike in Mineola.
Portuguese National Day is celebrated annually in Portugal and among Portuguese people worldwide on June 10. The day commemorates the death of Portugal’s revered poet Luís Vaz de Camões, an literary icon of Portuguese nationalism, who died on that date in 1580. Camões wrote an epic poem retelling the exploits of Portuguese explorers. The day also observes Portugal’s independence from Spain, which occurred in 1640.
“It’s the national Portugal Day of independence. For us, it’s a proud day,” said Tony Rosado, vice president of the Mineola Portuguese Center.
The Youth of Portugal performers from the Mineola Portuguese Center were among the featured performers at the celebration on Saturday, following local Portuguese music band Sugartown. Youth of Portugal accordion players accompanied the group’s dancers dressed in traditional Portuguese garb as they delivered an enthusiastic hour-long performance that was well received.
Mineola High School graduate Tania Monteiro, now completing her college studies, said she’s been dancing in the group for the past nine years. She started learning traditional Portuguese dance at age five. Joining the group was part of a family tradition for her.
“I saw my cousins and aunts doing it and I wanted to do it,” Monteiro said. “I have pride doing it, and I have fun too. It’s something to tell people where we’re from, our tradition.”
Her dance partner, Daniel Gomes, said he has been in the group for 14 years, following his brother, an accordionist, and his sister, who also was a Youth of Portugal dancer.
“It’s fun representing our tradition. It’s how we feel, as though we’re born there,” Gomes said.
Tony DeSilva, a 26-year veteran dancer of the group who lives in Williston Park, said, “I love the dancing and the culture, looking back at what they used to do.”
This year’s featured performers represented three generations of a renowned family of Portuguese musical entertainers: Jose Malhoa and his daughter Ana Malhoa, performing Portuguese pop tunes, and the elder Malhoa’s granddaughter, India Malhoa.
The youngest Malhoa, singing with a keyboard player and recorded electronic accompaniment, followed the Youth of Portugal performers early on Saturday night, followed by her grandfather later in the evening, when attendance for the day peaked.
Attendance was higher at the festival on Sunday, according to Carvalho’s son, Hector Fonseca, who handled the planning and the promotion of the celebration.
Ana Malhoa performed for two hours to a large crowd early Sunday night. India Malhoa delivered a brief performance on Sunday night as well.
Before the two-day festival, Fonseca said consideration was being given to a three-day Portugal Day celebration in Mineola’s Wilson Park next year.
