Northern Portugal Cultural Centre

Founding Date:February 28, 1983
Address:40 Albany Street
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 2Z1
Telephone:905-576-2474
Website:http://northernportugal.org/

A THRIVING ORGANIZATION

Audio Version:

It all started in 1980 with the formation of the Rancho Folclórico do Minho de Oshawa. The creation of the group led to many organized religious, cultural and social events, giving eventual rise to the Northern Portugal Cultural Centre.

Mr. Barros would come from Bradford to play the accordion. He taught Avelino de Sousa, who eventually took over the rancho, and who, in turn, continued the tradition of passing the baton down to the next generation of accordion players. The group had live music since its inception but at the beginning it did not have singers. Rancho Folclórico do Minho de Oshawa represents the Portuguese town of Arcos de Valdevez. 

In 1983, the Northern Portuguese Cultural Centre was formed and joined the folklore dance group under the same roof. The rancho continued to be, however, the strength of the organization. It eventually sponsored the newly formed Rancho Provincias e Ilhas de Portugal, from Hamilton.

The formation of Northern Portugal CC helped create a space for other social and cultural components that the rancho couldn’t offer. The organization worked diligently for close to 20 years in order to serve its members while, at the same time, saving for the purchase of a property it could call its own. In 2001, the dream came true when NPCC purchased a building with the capacity for 300 people, plus an adjacent bar for a few dozen more. The current building also has ample parking space. 

The organization’s headquarters

However, the association had previously purchased a larger property, near the lake, but it could not raise enough funds to move construction forward. The current property, a billiard hall at time of purchase, became available and the Board pounced on it. 

From that moment forward, NCCP Oshawa continued to grow in numbers and in quality. Beyond hosting regular events for its members and supporters, it has also organized unforgettable shows with renowned artists from Portugal such as Augusto Canário and Fernando Rocha.

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