New Bedford to Celebrate First Cabo Verdean Heritage Month in July
For the first time, the city of New Bedford will honor the community’s rich Cabo Verdean culture by naming July Cabo Verdean Heritage Month. To commemorate the occasion, Explore New Bedford, in…
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For the first time, the city of New Bedford will honor the community's rich Cabo Verdean culture by naming July Cabo Verdean Heritage Month.
To commemorate the occasion, Explore New Bedford, in collaboration with the Cabo Verdean Heritage Month Coalition, has launched an online calendar unitiing all Heritage Month activities in one place. Programming for Cabo Verdean Heritage Month ranges from concerts and parades to workshops, exhibitions, outdoor bike rides, and poetry festivals.
The celebration will kick off on Wednesday, July 2, with the opening of the “Casting a Wider Net” exhibition at the Cape Verdean Veterans Memorial Hall, commemorating heritage and history. On Friday, July 3, the Cape Verdean Veterans Memorial Hall will be the setting for the third annual Cape Verdean Poetry Festival, “La Soul Renaissance,” from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
On Friday, July 4, the community celebration will continue with a special Cape Verdean Independence Day bike ride, followed by community gatherings at the Veterans Hall.
On Saturday, July 5, New Bedford's Cape Verdean Recognition Parade and Kultura Fest will descend on Brooklawn Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with cultural exhibits, food, and music. The activities continue to Sunday, July 6, and will feature the 41st annual jazz concert at the First Unitarian Church from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
On Sunday, July 13, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., “Kabumerikanus: The Sum of Us” at the Veterans Hall will showcase the musical heritage between Cabo Verde and the United States.
On Saturday, July 26, “Kriolás di Muzika: A Sonic Book” will offer a presentation and concert at the New Bedford Public Library from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“For over 50 years, we have celebrated our heritage through our cherished parade, scholarships, flag-raising, and Kultura Festa,” said Ivan Brito, president of the Cape Verdean Recognition Committee, Inc., in a statement shared with The Standard-Times. “We are thrilled that July will now always be our Heritage Month.”
