After Rain Delay, Cape Verde Fest Celebrates Island’s Culture

HARWICH – Despite a weather setback Saturday, the eighth annual Cape Verdean Festival drew a steady crowd throughout the afternoon on Sunday. 

A decision was made late Friday afternoon to postpone the event, scheduled for Saturday afternoon, because of rain forecast for the late afternoon. Sunday came bright and sunny with some heavy wind gusts. But that did not deter attendance. 

 While the afternoon was filled with music, dance and Cape Verdean cuisine, there was a strong sense of pride rippling through the festival, especially over Cabo Verde’s Blue Sharks, who played in their first World Cup this summer. The team exceeded expectations by reaching the knockout stage, the smallest nation by population ever to do so. The Cape Verde team put a scare into the two finalists in the World Cup, tying the tournament winner Spain 0-0 and losing to Argentina 3-2.

 “In particular, we celebrate the long and storied relationship between Harwich and Cabo Verde and, in particular, Brava,” said Select Board member Donald Howell, speaking on behalf of the board. “Commencing in the early 1800s, skilled sailors began to arrive along the south shore of Massachusetts from Brava and Fogo.

 “From that point, the history of local Cape Verdeans is the history of Harwich itself,” he said. “It is one marked by family, culture and a community of hard work, determination, commitment and great public service. So today as we mark the occasion with music, dance, food and celebration, we also do so as a community with a deep sense of renewed gratitude to those who have made Harwich what it is today and what it will become tomorrow and every day of our future.”

Each year the festival committee honors a Cape Verdean community member with a dedication award, which this year went to Mabel Mary Galvin, a longtime Harwich resident now living in Hyannis. Galvin will turn 106 years old on Aug. 15. She was unable to attend the festival, so the award was accepted by her son, Jeff Galvin.

 Each year, the festival committee provides two scholarships to Cape Verdean students. This year’s scholarships went to Madison Mahfouz, who graduated from Monomoy Regional High School this year and plans to major in psychology at UMass Boston in the fall, and Giovanna C. Tileston, who also graduated from Monomoy Regional High School this year. Tileston was not present at the festival. She is planning to attend Cape Cod Community College, according to the award announcement. 

The festival committee made it clear there will be a ninth anniversary festival in the park next July.