Feast of the Blessed Sacrament: Thursday's full schedule; food, music, parking and more

NEW BEDFORD — The 108th Feast of the Blessed Sacrament takes place this weekend beginning Thursday, a festival of Madeiran culture that is expected to draw as many as 200,000 people to the city.

A mix of religious rituals, Portuguese cuisine, free entertainment, carnival rides and games, kids’ activities and a parade, the feast will take place from Thursday, Aug. 1, to Sunday, Aug. 4, at Madeira Field in the North End of New Bedford.

Here’s what to expect on opening day:

When does the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament open Thursday?

On Thursday the feast will last from 6 to 11:45 p.m.

What’s on the opening ceremony schedule?

The celebration will kick off with the assembly of the festeiros at the intersection of Earle Street and Acushnet Avenue at 5 p.m. They will march in a special procession to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church for a special Benediction to the Blessed Sacrament.

This will be followed by the placement of a floral wreath at the memorial stone to the feast’s four founders on the corner of Madeira field, where the official opening ceremony will take place at 6 p.m.

What musical groups will perform at the feast?

The world-renowned Grupo Folclórico da Casa do Povo da Camacha from Madeira Island will perform at 8 p.m. on the feast’s main stage.

Badfish, a Sublime tribute band, performs at 10 to 11:30 p.m. Other performers include Freezepops, Something-Else, Nadia & Karma, Full Tilt, and Sharon & Kenny.

At the Museum Café, fado singer Sonia Bettencourt will perform from 8 to 11:30 p.m., accompanied by guitarists Viriato Ferreira and Loic Da Silva.

What food is available at the Blessed Sacrament feast?

There’s carne-de-espeto, lingui?a, ca?oila or bifana sandwiches, or Portuguese-style chicken, beef, goat or tuna with potatoes, rice and vegetables.

Visitors can buy sirloin steak cubes, add their own favorite spices, and cook them on a steel skewer over glowing coals in a 40-foot-long pit. They can also enjoy some freshly made milho frito or bolo do caco or sip a glass of Madeira wine.

Does the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament cost money to get in?

Getting into the feast is free. To buy food or drinks, you need tickets. Ticket machines will be scattered around the grounds and some of them take credit cards. To buy alcoholic drinks, guests must acquire a wristband from one of the designated booths on the grounds using a valid driver’s license.

Can I bring a cooler to the feast? Are any items prohibited?

No coolers, backpacks, oversized purses, drones, selfie sticks, tripods, GoPro or video cameras will be allowed on the feast grounds.

Where can you park your car?

Street parking may be scarce. Joe Ad?o, the owner of a car dealership on the old Cliftex Mill property on Belleville Avenue, will offer parking on his lot for a fee.

For more information about the feast, visit https://feastoftheblessedsacramentcom.ning.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: New Bedford's Blessed Sacrament feast: Thursday night schedule