Everywhere a fest-fest. Oh, c’mon—you knew that was coming! Street festival season is in full swing and while we can’t hit them all, Gidget and I have been scouring the Upper Delaware River Region (and beyond) in search of all things Main Street, USA—including New York State’s ever-popular Riverfest in Narrowsburg; the second annual Borscht Belt Fest in Ellenville; Gidge’s favorite, the Peace, Love, Havanese Dog Fest (uh huh) in Woodstock; and most recently, last Sunday’s Bagel Festival in Monticello. 

Of course, I snapped photos at them all, but being me, I did a deep dive online into the rich history of street festivals, and purloined a few factoids from Wiki Freedom, including these tidbits. 

The earliest known street festival was the Feast of Fools, (no, it wasn’t named after me) which took place in medieval Europe during the 15th century. This festival celebrated the end of winter and the beginning of spring, and it involved people dressing up as fools and playing pranks on each other. 

In the early 20th century, street festivals became more popular in North America, particularly in cities such as New Orleans and Mardi Gras. These festivals often featured parades, music and food. You know, like bagels.

One of the most famous street festivals is the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which takes place every year before Lent. It features colorful floats, samba dancers, and revelers dressed in costumes.

Other notable street festivals include the Holi festival in India, the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico and the Yi Peng festival in Thailand. 

Each of these festivals has its own unique traditions and customs, but they all share a common goal: to bring people together through celebration and joy. And that’s exactly what we experience (IMHO) here at home. Friends and neighbors, collectively gather in search of a good time, tasty food and great entertainment.

There are several types of street festivals.

Cultural festivals: They often feature music, dance, food and crafts specific to that region or ethnic group. Like borscht.

Food festivals: As the name suggests, these events focus on food, showcasing local cuisine and sometimes featuring international dishes as well. Fortunately for us, there’s food at ‘em all. 

Art festivals: These events display and sell artwork created by artists from around the world, ranging from paintings and sculptures to jewelry and clothing. You know—like Riverfest. Who doesn’t love Riverfest?

Of course, there are others: music festivals, seasonal festivals and holiday festivals to name just to name a few, with several waiting in the wings for us to discover as the months unfold. Meanwhile, I’ll share some photos here and on our social media pages.

I’m looking forward to seeing you at the Honeybee Festival (Saturday, September 21) being held this year at Fort Delaware in Narrowsburg.  The whole town is buzzing about it already!