Cabo Verdean Heritage Month in New Bedford
Celebrate the food, music, history, and cultural pride of New Bedford’s Cabo Verdean community.
A Community Celebration, Rooted in Tradition
The Cabo Verdean Heritage Month initiative began in 2022, by asking what it would mean to build upon New Bedford’s longstanding annual Cape Verdean Recognition Week, a series of early July festivities around Cabo Verdean culture that culminate in the Cape Verdean Recognition Parade. The initiative’s core idea was to use the entire month as an opportunity to continue to explore the richness of the Cabo Verdean heritage and to illuminate the contributions that Cape Verdeans in America, particularly in New Bedford, have made to the cultural landscape of this country.
Photo Credit: Andrew Kepinski
Built by Community, Recognized by the City
A group of community partners formed the Cabo Verdean Heritage Month Coalition and were set to the task of planning what this month-long celebration of Cabo Verdean heritage and independence would entail. In March of 2025, after presenting to the New Bedford City Council, a unanimous vote approved the declaration of July as Cabo Verdean Heritage Month, aligning the declaration with the 50th anniversary of Cabo Verde’s Independence.
Experience the Culture
Food, Festivals, and Cabo Verdean Pride
Whether you come for the food, the music, or the history, the Cape Verdean community in New Bedford welcomes you with open arms. Watch our short video to learn more about Cabo Verdean Heritage in New Bedford and ways you can experience the culture through food, festivals, exhibits, and landmarks in the city.
