Street Feast, a growing international movement of street parties and community celebrations originated in Ireland 11 years ago with the aim of fostering community spirit and tackling loneliness and isolation. Now, facing the harsh reality of coronavirus-related restrictions, the movement has announced a focus shift.
As social distancing rules make group activities impossible, Street Feast is putting efforts into supporting communities in isolation, and in particular, those people that are most vulnerable and at risk. For this purpose, it has activated its Neighbourhood Network of Street Feasters, which brings together grassroots community support groups across Ireland.
Using the Street Feast page, participants will work together and waste no time in recruiting neighbours, managing tasks and coordinating a local response to the contagion and its economic repercussions.
Exciting stories of community support
Every Monday, Street Feast will publish a newsletter, highlighting inspirational stories of community support submitted by members and locals over the preceding week. One of the first posts portrays Cork resident and freelance production manager Scott Duggan, who came up with the idea of projecting classic movies on a building’s blind façade with voluntary donations going to a charity. “Listening to the movie on an FM signal sitting in our own separate front gardens made us all feel a little less alone,” writes Duggan’s neighbour Clare Keogh on Twitter.
Castlebar, County Mayo enthusiasts have dropped a newsletter aptly named “Strange Times” in people’s letterboxes, inviting them to pop out into their front garden for a shared but safely distanced cup of tea at 3 o’clock. A third story tells how residents of hip Dublin neighbourhood Stoneybatter are displaying teddy bears in their front windows for children to spot and enjoy while out walking with their parents.
Can we really connect while staying apart? Trailblazers like Street Feast show us that we can, helping others along the way.
