Neighbourhoods across Ireland prepare to Street Feast on Sunday.

This 18th of July will see the streets of Ireland fill with neighbours sharing food, fun and laughter.

On Sunday, neighbourhoods across Ireland will gather on streets, in parks, and front gardens to share food together. The celebrations will take place as part of ‘Street Feast’, a new nationwide event to celebrate community.

It’s a simple, happy idea; people across Ireland will be sitting down to a local lunch with their neighbours, to celebrate their street, area or community. “It’s about having more life on the streets. It’s an all-for-fun,  not-for-profit, DIY celebration” Sam Bishop one of the co-founders explains.

A visual feast of bunting, tables and chairs and people sitting down and sharing food, will replace the cars on our roads and streets. Roads will be closed and instead of driving people will be playing street games, like skipping, hopscotch and boules.

Each feast is self-organised and will be as different as the neighbourhood that hosts it.  Anyone can become an organiser. To get involved or to host a Street Feast, people are encouraged to go to www.streetfeast.ie and download a how-to guide, print off invitations and posters, and stick a pin in the online map to show where and when their feast is taking place. There is still time to invite neighbours around for lunch in your garden!

The initiative has been put together on a voluntary basis by people who felt the need for their local communities to become more connected and resilient in the face of economic changes. Its a self organised event with people getting information and resources from www.streatfeast.ie and setting up their own events. Street Feasts are planned for Cork, Galway, Dublin,  Wicklow, Wexford, Offaly, Meath, Mayo and Kerry, with more popping up every day.

Valerie Morrissey who brought the idea to her neighbours in Lucan explains “Our cul de sac is a great place to live and we are celebrating being part of this community.   Trestle tables and barbeques will be set up for all to come and enjoy –  if the sun shines we could be there all evening”.

Barbara Brennan in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, said “The response has been overwhelming - everyone can’t wait for the 18th, and can’t offer enough support!  We’re having a BBQ & running a few games (wheelbarrow race, 3 legged race, potato & spoon race) &  having face-painting too.  Who knows what next year’s Street Feast will bring?”

www.streetfeast.ie