Confetti flies through the air after the arm of Our Lady of Angels is carefully maneuvered through the money ring hanging high above the parking lot at St. Mary’s Church in Fairhaven on Monday, 9/4. The OLOA men then walk the statue up Main Street to Benoit Square and back again. Photo by Beth David.
The Sunday rain kept people away during the day, but then the feast grounds filled right up after the rain stopped this weekend for the 87th annual feast of Our Lady of Angels in Fairhaven. Friday night and all day Sunday saw healthy crowds for the procession, food stands, games for kids, and the auctions.
The arm of the statue of Our Lady of Angels goes through the money ring at the start of the procession on Monday, 9/4/17, at the 87th annual OLOA feast in Fairhaven. Photo by Glenn C. Silva.
It’s a rite of passage for children to march in the procession, carrying different things at different stages in their lives. Photo by Beth David.
The band plays while the flags blow in the wind on Monday, 9/4/17, after the procession at the 87th annual feast of our Lady of Angels in Fairhaven. Photo by Beth David.
Known as the “Biggest-Little Feast,” the traditional Portuguese festa includes a religious procession along Main Street, traditional Portuguese foods such as linguica, cacoila and bifana, and both Portuguese and American music.
Images from OLOA’s past
Andy Jones sent in these old photographs from the procession of Our Lady of Angels Feast, probably in the early 1960s. The photos were taken by Andy’s grandfather, George L. Jones. Unfortunately, there was no writing on them to indicate when they were taken.
“I wish they were of better quality so that they could be reproduced,” wrote Mr. Jones in an email. “If nothing else, I’m happy that I have these photos to commemorate some of the history of our town.”
We are too, Andy, we are, too.
Two floats pass along the route of at the Our Lady of Angels procession on feast weekend in the 1960s in Fairhaven, Mass. Photo by George L. Jones, courtesy of Andy Jones.
The “62” may or may not signify the actual year of the feast when the photo of this float was taken at the Our Lady of Angels procession on feast weekend in the 1960s in Fairhaven, Mass. Photo by George L. Jones, courtesy of Andy Jones.
The men of the day carry the 800-pound statue in the Our Lady of Angels procession on feast weekend in the 1960s in Fairhaven, Mass. Photo by George L. Jones, courtesy of Andy Jones.
Click here to download the entire 9/7/17 issue: 09-07-17 OLOA Feast
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