festival entrance
Saturday, October 11, 2008 was a day to celebrate the Portuguese culture as I attended the 26th Annual California Portuguese Folklore Festival in Artesia, CA. The event was held at the Artesia D.E.S. Portuguese Hall. The festival featured music, dancing, food, performers, and a few booths that sold some merchandise. It was a day to celebrate the Portuguese culture, and it was nice to be a part of it and learn some new things.
For this particular event I brought along two friends, and all three of us are of Latina descent. The three of us felt a bit awkward at first because we were surrounded by Caucasian people, and honestly thought we might have accidentally crashed someone’s private party. Fortunately we didn’t, but I was very surprised to see that there was not a larger ethnically mixed group of attendees for this being a festival that has been going on for so many years. The festivities were actually held outside the hall, based mainly around the stage for the performers. There was loud, up-tempo music and a young group of dancers that were from a local dance group.
portuguese dancers
It’s always nice to see people having a good time and enjoying each other’s company. Everyone was talking and laughing and hugging and introducing people and it was a really friendly and cheerful atmosphere.
Inside of the hall was a really pretty restaurant setting. Many families were sitting down and being waited on, and enjoying a nice hot meal together. It cost a bit more for the family dining experience, so my friends and I opted for the other food booth. Yes, there was only one other place to get food, and the prices went all the way up to $15 a plate. Also, the menu was written in Portuguese so we asked a nice man named Jonathan about it. He explained that “sopas” was soup, and the kind being served was made with potatoes. “Carne com arroz” was a dish featuring steak and rice and potatoes. Jonathan explained that many Portuguese dishes featured eggs and potatoes and said it was very delicious. It was really interesting because traditional American dishes don’t feature eggs and potatoes, especially for dinner, but it was different and a cool experience. Also, there was “bacalhau a bras,” which is cod fish with eggs and potatoes. For dessert, there was a traditional Portuguese almond cake and ice cream.
yummy bifana
My friends and I chose to eat “bifana,” a traditional barbecued pork sandwich. It was smothered in barbecue sauce and had a sweet taste to it. The outdoor setting included a seating area and a large bar. Many alcoholic beverages were being served such as different beers and margaritas, and the bar area was probably the busiest and most active of the festival.
Had it not been for this project, I would have never attended this Portuguese festival. It was nice to expand my horizons and attend something new that I probably would not have done on my own. Although I had a nice time, I feel that some things could be improved, such as the booths that were selling merchandise. One booth was selling Portuguese flags, but another sold knock-off sunglasses and the other paintings. They were irrelevant to the event except for the flags. The merchandise could have been more cultural and then it would be more appropriate.
Also, it would have been nice if there were more activities besides eating and watching the dances. Something more kid-friendly and even educational would have been interesting to see. All in all, it was a pleasant experience but probably not something I would plan on attending next year.
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