Tradition and Connection :
Gilroy ' s Portuguese Community Thrives
by Kelly Barbazette , photos by gmhTODAY
" The heritage of the past is the seed that brings forth the harvest of the future " - Wendell Philips
The I . F . D . E . S . Gilroy has been a welcoming presence in town for more than a century , preserving Portuguese traditions and building connections within the local Portuguese community .
As one of 75 active Portuguese halls in California , the I . F . D . E . S . in Gilroy has about 100 members , hailing from Gilroy , Morgan Hill , San Martin , Hollister , Aromas , and San Jose . Stefanie Pinheiro , this year ’ s I . F . D . E . S . President and secretary for six years , grew up participating in the celebration of the Holy Ghost Festa and is happy her children have been raised in their cultural traditions .
“ I want them to grow up and continue with their families ,” said Pinheiro . “ I love the culture .”
She and her husband David have three children , now 23 , 19 , and 14 , who have all taken part in the Festa over the years . Their oldest daughter was a Big Queen and a side maid , their son walked in the procession , and their youngest daughter was also a side maid . Their granddaughter will be Little Queen during this year ’ s celebration , which marks the event ’ s 122nd anniversary in Gilroy .
60 SUMMER 2023 gmhTODAY Magazine : Go . Make history ... gmhtoday . com