Public Opinion/Feedback Forum

What keeps you coming back to The Feast?

You know that feeling when August rolls around and something stirs in the air? It’s not just the summer heat – it’s the anticipation. The Little Italy Feast is calling, and Cleveland answers. Every year, without fail.

People from Westlake to Mentor, from downtown to the suburbs, mark their calendars. Out-of-towners plan weekend trips around it.

What is it about this festival that turns an entire city into regulars?

Sure, the food is incredible.

Fresh pasta, pizza, meatballs steaming in the August air, cannoli that disappear before you make it ten feet from the booth. But let’s be honest – you can find great Italian food all over Cleveland any day of the week.

Maybe it’s the energy?

The way Mayfield Road transforms into this buzzing corridor of life. Though we’ll miss those legendary Disco Inferno nights that used to light up Trattoria’s parking lot, the scene has evolved. New patios, different rhythms, but that same magnetic pull.

Maybe it’s the people watching?

Seriously, The Feast is like Noah’s Ark every single year. Two of every kind, all wandering the same stretch of road with the same look of contentment. You could spend an entire afternoon on the Holy Rosary steps, gelato in hand, just watching Cleveland’s most entertaining parade.

Maybe it’s your crew.

That late afternoon family vibe when kids are sticky with pizza sauce and grandparents are arguing about whose nonna made better sauce. Or that perfect limbo hour between 7-8pm when the energy shifts, kids start getting cranky, and the evening crowd starts filtering in. Or maybe you’re part of the after-dark contingent, when The Feast takes on a more adult personality.

Here’s what we really want to know:

What’s YOUR Feast story? What keeps pulling you back to Mayfield Road every August? Is it a tradition that started decades ago? A first date that turned into an anniversary ritual? The one booth you visit religiously? That perfect moment when everything just feels right?

Drop your Feast story in the comments below – we’ll feature the best ones in next week’s roundup and you might just see your story inspiring someone else’s first visit.

Plus, don’t miss our Best of The Feast Poll – vote for this year’s favorites or check out what your fellow Feast-goers are raving about.