Items Banned from New Bedford’s Feast of the Blessed Sacrament

Nothing kills your pre-event buzz like waiting in the security line only to be told the stuff you brought can't come in with you.

That usually means a shameful schlep back to the car a mile or two away, which cuts into the fun you should be having. Nobody wants that.

The Feast of the Blessed Sacrament wants to tamp down on the disappointment. The organizers behind New Bedford's biggest celebration -- which kicks off its 108th year on Thursday, August 1 --  have assembled a list of items you can't bring to Madeira Field, no matter how politely you ask.

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Some are obvious: no outside food or drink, no alcohol, no animals. Others, you might not have thought about: fireworks, for example.

READ MORE: How to Survive the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament

Thousands of people are expected to flock to the feast grounds for the four-day party, which is keeping the security measures it put in place last year, including metal detectors and specific entry points. Gone are the days of waltzing in off the street with whatever you desire.

If you've been to The Feast before, you know it has everything you need anyway: hot bifana and cacoila sandwiches, perfectly sugar-coated malasadas, oh-so-sweet Madeira wine, live music, a parade and reunions with old friends around every corner.

The 108th Feast of the Blessed Sacrament runs August 1-4. Gates open at 6 p.m. on August 1; 5 p.m. on Friday, August 2; and noon on August 3 and 4. The parade starts at 2 p.m. on August 4 at Brooklawn Park and ends at the Madeira Field feast grounds.

Keep scrolling to see what items are banned from the feast.