375. Portuguese Parade and Week May 25-July 20, 2013

 

 When Toronto's Portuguese celebrate Portuguese Week, they let loose  
for two months with 20 events. They've got something for everyone: 
sports tournaments, musicians from Portugal, and official proclamations
 at Toronto City Hall and Queen's Park. Look for picnics, folklore festivals, 
gala dinners, and the inauguration of Camões Square. There might even
 be Portuguese style fighting bulls in town.

Luís Vaz de Camões was Portugal's greatest poet and his birthday is 
Portugal's main holiday.

 The biggest downtown event is the Portuguese Day Parade on Sunday, June 9 from 11-1pm.
It starts from College and Lansdowne, goes along Dundas Street West, and then ends at 
Trinity-Bellwoods Park. This has been one of our most colourful parades with floats, bands, 
war veterans, schools, fish mongers, Canada's first post man, musicians, dancers, and costumes
 from Portugal's different provinces.  The variety of costumes is amazing. 

 Last year's parade took place in the rain but spirits were high. I took a lot of pictures.  

Our thanks to the Portuguese Consulate, Anabela de Castro, and 
Vasco M. C. Evaristo of Voice Portuguese Canadian Newspaper for sending us information. 

For details, click on:  http://www.portuguesealliance.com/portugal-week/ . We'll try to get
 some of the events into www.torontomulticulturalcalendar.com .