The Great Feast of the Holy Ghost of New England will celebrate its 40th anniversary when it returns to Fall River’s Kennedy Park from Aug. 26-30, bringing together thousands of Portuguese-Americans and visitors for five days of religious devotion, cultural traditions and community fellowship.

 

For Ma?rcia Sousa Da Ponte, president of the committee that oversees the event, the milestone is both a celebration of the volunteers who built the feast over four decades and an opportunity to reflect on its future.

 

"The 40th anniversary is a way of honoring everyone who worked to keep this tradition alive," da Ponte said. "It's also a moment to think about what we want these festivities to be in the years ahead."

 

Founded in 1986 by the late Heitor de Sousa, the feast has become one of the largest Azorean religious celebrations outside Portugal, centered on devotion to the Divine Holy Spirit and the gathering of Holy Ghost brotherhoods from across the region and beyond.

 

Da Ponte said the feast’s anniversary comes as organizers face challenges familiar to many community organizations, including rising costs and changing participation patterns. The annual celebration now carries an operating budget of about $200,000.

 

Still, she sees encouraging signs for the future.

 

"We are seeing more young people and middle-aged adults getting involved and supporting the festivities," she said.

 

See more at heraldnews.com.