Jersey comes alive with Portuguese culture as Portugal Day draws crowds

Crowds gathered in Jersey to mark Portugal Day, with a vibrant celebration featuring traditional food, music and dancing.

The event was organised by Project Luso, a research and community group dedicated to promoting Portuguese culture and sharing it more widely across the island.

According to the 2021 census, around one in ten people in Jersey have Portuguese or Madeiran heritage, highlighting the strong cultural ties reflected in the celebration.

Held on Wednesday at Cyril Le Marquand Court between 3pm and 7pm, the free public event was designed to be as accessible as possible, encouraging wide participation from across the community.

Organisers said they were delighted with the turnout and the atmosphere on the day.

Vivianne Rapizzi, from Project Luso, said the response exceeded expectations.

“We’re really, really happy with the turnout. It’s just been really gorgeous,” she said. “It’s a way of connecting with my roots, and it’s so lovely to be able to celebrate that together with people from all cultures.”

Project Luso has hosted a number of cultural events throughout the year, including exhibitions and film-related activities aimed at showcasing Portuguese heritage.

Arts lead Hayley Gibbo, whose family background spans Madeira and Jersey, said the event reflected the diversity of the island’s Portuguese community.

“It’s so beautiful to see first, second and third generation Portuguese people on the island celebrating something that’s so important,” she said.

She added that she hopes events like Portugal Day will become more regular in Jersey, pointing to other cultural dates that could be marked in similar ways.

Gibbo has also launched an art initiative using traditional Portuguese tiles, designed to connect Portuguese and British cultural influences through creative collaboration.