Feast-land: paradise in a Styrofoam bowl

GO TO A FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND: Don’t worry if you missed the Memorial Day kickoff to Cleveland’s 4-month stretch of festivals: there’s still time to partake. Festival season is one of my favorite things about living here, and one of the best parts about summer in Cleveland. One of my favorites (because it’s on my block) is Taste of Tremont, a maelstrom of some of the midwest’s best restaurants in a crowded, hot, fabulous street fair that takes place next Sunday. Also, Lilly has a chocolate eating contest. Why do we love festivals? Because streets are closed to cars and open to hundreds of wandering people. Because old people will teach you how to polka. Because gluttony is required. Because it involves the lost pastime of curb sitting. Because people wear costumes and play accordians. You can’t really go wrong. (Photos: Ryan, Jen, and Mark participating in some recent festivalry). Here are some of our favorites:

• Memorial Weekend: The Greek Festival at Annunciation Church in Tremont
• July 17: Taste of Tremont
• August 12 – 15: The Feast of the Assumption in Little Italy
• Sept. 2 – 4: St. John Cantius Polish Festival
• TBA Early September: St. Rocco’s Italian Feast