Mississauga’s downtown area has swiftly become a hub for arts and culture. The introduction of a new festival last year featuring Portuguese heritage captured lots of attention. I happily volunteered last year and was inclined to join the Board of Directors upon invitation. Portugalo Fest returned for its second edition at Mississauga Celebration Square on Saturday September 9th, 2023.
Portugalo Fest made a big impact after the tremendous success of that inaugural edition. So much so, that the Mississauga Arts Council listed it as a finalist for the Festival of the Year Award. To be nominated was acknowledgment of an outstanding event. It was an inclusive contribution to the community with exceptional coordination.
Being a part of the Board this year, I realized the planning that goes into such a festival. While some aspects and role assignments were fussy, with a demanding budget that could only take you so far, it all comes together on the day of.
The event boasted a full day program with food, folklore, and fun activities that celebrate the rich Portuguese heritage for everyone to enjoy.
This year had the introduction of a new beer garden (one of my favourite parts) that included wine and snacks. It was fun to experience authentic Portuguese beer while observing the live performers on stage including Eduardo Sant’Ana from Portugal and Chico Avila from California. The set list had plenty of local artists that celebrated the heritage with a wide variety of entertainment for most age groups.
Personally, I would have enjoyed something more conventional to attract a younger crowd which I found to be absent among the audience. But another thing I learned behind closed doors was that these planning groups don’t seem to be forward thinking and only consider what appeals to them—alas nostalgic music that connects with their generational comrades. The festival in itself feels like any other Portuguese gathering except for one component that not everybody gets to experience.
That unique aspect of the festival was the Lisbon Style Group Wedding, where a handful of couples were selected for a free ceremony through an application process. This is an authentic Portuguese tradition and the only one of its kind in Canada. It was held in the City Hall building but I hope that in the future they move the ceremony to the stage and thereafter it can feel like a wedding reception with more popular music for people to dance along to. A DJ rather than a soloist could probably engage a larger crowd and make it a better party.
All in all, everyone was welcome to attend this year’s free event and it was a great attraction for thousands of attendees. From my perspective, I’d say not more than ten thousand people showed up. These types of things take time to grow and are a lot of work behind the scenes but nevertheless, Portugalo Fest made history once again.
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