PALCUS

For 35 years, PALCUS has united Portuguese-Americans across generations and geographies.

This year, the 35th Anniversary Gala takes place at Coliseu Micaelense in the heart of Ponta Delgada, Azores—bringing our community back to a symbolic place of heritage and identity.

A celebration of where we came from.
A recognition of what we’ve built.
A vision for what comes next.

✈️ Travel packages via Azur Travel
https://www.azurtravel.co/single_product.php?pkt_id=54

🎟️ Tickets:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/palcus-35th-anniversary-gala

Celebrate Portugal Day Through Wine 🍷

PALCUS is proud to welcome Yon Wine as a new member and partner in celebrating Portuguese culture, heritage, and tradition.

To mark Portugal Day, Yon Wine has created two exclusive Portuguese wine collections available to PALCUS members with special savings:

✅ Save 20%
✅ Shipping & Taxes Included
✅ Complimentary Wine & Food Pairing Guide
✅ Directly Sourced from Portuguese Producers

From the rolling vineyards of the Douro to the coastal wines of Vinho Verde, these curated collections showcase some of Portugal’s most iconic wine regions, indigenous grape varieties, and family-owned producers.

Whether you're reconnecting with your Portuguese roots or simply exploring one of the world's most exciting wine cultures, this is a delicious way to celebrate Portugal Day.

🍷 Portugal Grand Tour Pack (12 Bottles)
🍷 Portugal Discovery Pack (6 Bottles)

Limited Portugal Day Release.

Explore the collection and claim your PALCUS member savings today:
https://yonwine.com/palcus/

Day 13 of the Heritage Portugal Program didn't go as planned - We started our day by checking out of our hotel in Ponta Delgada. After that, we headed to the airport to catch our 8 a.m. flight. Unfortunately, flights continued to be delayed due to extreme weather conditions, specifically fog. A couple of hours later, our flights were cancelled.

Embracing the challenges we faced, we took this opportunity to explore more of São Miguel. We started the day by attending missa at Santuário do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres. Following that, we went to Quinta dos Açores to enjoy some ice cream that is arguably among the best in the Açores. Shortly thereafter, we continued exploring the island, seeing breathtaking landscapes, waterfalls, and so much more.

On day two, we started our day with a ride on the iconic Lagarta train, which took us around more of Ponta Delgada, highlighting its beautiful scenery and gardens. After lunch, we did a little more exploring before heading back to the airport. Time had flown by so quickly that before we knew it, it was time to leave. Even with the airport packed with people, we were still able to reflect on how amazing this trip had been. Through it all, we learned that sometimes setbacks are just simply amazing redirection.

Azur Travel
TAP Air Portugal

Introducing the Battle of the Bifanas Commemorative Tumbler — the perfect way to celebrate community, culture, and the legendary Battle of the Bifanas event.

Whether you’re at home, on the go, or at your next gathering, this tumbler keeps the spirit alive every sip of the way.

🛒 Secure yours now (limited pre-order):
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/battle-of-the-bifanas-commemorative-tumbler-pre-order

🎉 PALCUS celebrates 35 years of leadership, advocacy, and community impact.

To mark this milestone, the 35th Anniversary & Leadership Awards Gala will take place at the iconic Coliseu Micaelense in Ponta Delgada, Azores—a historic setting for a truly full-circle moment for the Portuguese-American community.

Join us for an unforgettable evening honoring excellence, heritage, and the future of our global community.

📅 October 17, 2026
📍 Ponta Delgada, Azores (Coliseu Micaelense)

✈️ Travel packages via / Pacotes de viagem via Azur Travel
https://www.azurtravel.co/single_product.php?pkt_id=54

🎟️ Purchase tickets / Comprar bilhetes:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/palcus-35th-anniversary-gala

🚨 PALCUS Webinar: Portugal’s New Nationality Law 🚨

Portugal’s nationality framework has changed, but what do the new rules actually mean for current and future applicants?

Join us for a timely webinar featuring Sandra Gomes Pinto from SGP Sandra Gomes Pinto & Associates, who will explain:

✅ What has changed in Portugal’s nationality law
✅ What has not changed
✅ How the new timeline affects citizenship applications
✅ What current and prospective residents should do now
✅ Live Q&A with attendees

Whether you are pursuing Portuguese citizenship, considering residency in Portugal, or helping family members navigate the process, this webinar will provide practical guidance and clarity.

📅 June 15, 2026
🕗 8:00 AM PT / 11:00 AM ET
💻 Live Online Webinar

👉 Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Omkty8wiRrWOvSvyRcADoA #/registration
📩 Submit questions in advance: [email protected]

On our last day we started off with an informational meeting with the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, Dr. Paulo Estêvão, at the offices of the Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades (SRACP). He highlighted the importance of connecting the Azorean community from all around the world. Afterwards, we witnessed plumes of steam leaking from São Miguel’s numerous volcanic hot springs as we made our way to have Cozido das Furnas for a traditional lunch. We blared Portuguese pop music in the car until we arrived at the Terra Nostra botanical garden, where we relaxed in the orange, iron rich, thermal pools. If that wasn’t soothing enough, we then made a quick pit stop at Europe’s only tea plantation, Gorreana and sampled their local product. PALCUS Chair, Katherine Soares joined us for our final meal of the trip at Palm Terrace. As our lovely staff handed us our desserts, folklore dancing erupted across the restaurant floor, and we even got to join in! In the end, it was a magical conclusion to an unforgettable 2-week experience.

Azur Travel
TAP Air Portugal

Celebrate PALCUS in the Azores! 🇵🇹✨

We are proud to invite you to the PALCUS 35th Anniversary Gala on October 17th at the iconic Coliseu Micaelense in Ponta Delgada.

Celebre a PALCUS nos Açores! 🇵🇹✨

Temos o orgulho de convidá-lo(a) para a Gala do 35.º Aniversário da PALCUS, no dia 17 de outubro, no icónico Coliseu Micaelense, em Ponta Delgada.

Join us for an elegant evening filled with culture, community, and celebration.
Junte-se a nós para uma elegante noite repleta de cultura, comunidade e celebração.

✈️ Travel packages via / Pacotes de viagem via Azur Travel https://www.azurtravel.co/single_product.php?pkt_id=54
🎟️ Purchase tickets / Comprar bilhetes: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/palcus-35th-anniversary-gala

On Thursday, we explored the inextricable connectivity between the Azores and the United States where approximate 1 million Azoreans (and their descendants) reside. We began our day with a visit to the University of the Azores where we met Professor of Economics Mario Fortuna, Ph.D., as well as Christopher Gosselin, the U.S. Deputy Principal Officer in Ponta Delgada at the oldest, continuously operating U.S. Consulate in the world. Our conversation focused on the evolution of the Azorean economy from a monoculture of agriculture to a highly-subsidized agriculture sector with sophisticated machinery and a booming tourism market critical for Azorean income and employment. Officer Gosselin spoke about the geo-strategic location of the Azores, specifically highlighting the Terceira military base and how the Azores is uniquely positioned in American diplomacy. Dr. Fortuna asserted that America is the greatest source of tourism in the Azores, particularly the nostalgia market. He spoke about an increasingly massive number of Americans visiting the Azores in the past couple years. This connectivity is further demonstrated by our personal links to the Azores. Our lunch at Monte Verde consisted of chicharros, filetes and lapas . We then visited the Emigrant Museum where we were able to take in the socio-cultural history of Portuguese (including Azorean and Madeiran) immigration stories and patterns of movements. For many of us, it was a specific historical perspective that gave greater context to the personal immigration stories of our parents and grandparents. The artifacts at the museum felt incredibly familiar as some of us were able to see newspaper articles featuring the very same Portuguese-American organizations that several of us are still involved in today and other items that featured our hometowns, in some instances U.S. sister cities. This special connection to a history we often were unable to find in our history books was followed with a plaque ceremony at Praca do Emigrante where the Azorean contingent of our group placed the stone for our 2026 Heritage Portugal cohort into the ground among other stones commemorating the lives of Azorean immigrants and showcasing the many Portuguese groups like Casa dos Acores, the Portuguese Kids, and the inaugural Heritage Portugal cohort.

Azur Travel
TAP Air Portugal
Associação Emigrantes Azores