Summer is here, and if you’re looking for sweet and savory ways to spend your sunshine-filled days, Cleveland has an assortment of food-themed festivals that should serve up good memories.
From homemade soul food to garlic and tacos, each treat gets their special day and provides a chance for you to explore some great local neighborhoods.
Signal Cleveland compiled a list of food festivals you don’t want to miss this summer.
Tremont Food Truck Festival (June 28-29)
Where: Lincoln Park, 1200 Starkweather Ave. Cleveland
Tremont West Development Corporation will partner with Happy Times Events for the neighborhood’s first food truck festival. The two-day event will feature a variety of food trucks.
Residents can feast on the soul food from Momma’s Deli, smoked meat tacos from Smoke This and slurp on cold smoothies from Smoothie Riders. There will also be live music and vendors. For more information, visit the website.
10th Lebanese Food and Music festival (July 6-7)
Where: St. Sava Picnic Grove, 2300 W. Ridgewood Drive, Parma
The Northern Ohio Lebanese American Association (NOLAA) will celebrate its tenth year hosting the annual food festival. The two-day event allows residents to try traditional Lebanese dishes such as hummus, shawarma, kibbie, tabouli and homemade desserts including baklava. There will be belly dancing performances and children’s activities. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page or NOLAA’s website.
Taste of Tremont (July 21)
Where: 2406 Professor Ave.
The event is one of Cleveland’s neighborhood food festivals. This year’s block party will mark the 20th anniversary since the festival’s inception. This year’s event will be hosted by Buildings and Food, a local company that owns Prosperity Social Club, Good Company, Old 86, La Cave du Vin and Peristyle Coffee restaurants.
On the menu: grilled burgers, frozen treats, crafted cocktails and coffee (without alcohol). The money raised from this year’s event will benefit the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
Northeast Ohio bands such as Wesley Bright and the Honeytones, Nathan-Paul & The Admirables, TK’s Soul Collective, DJ NicNacc and Erie Street Vinyl will provide lots of entertainment. For tickets, parking and information, visit Buildings and Foods’ festival website.
125th Feast of the Assumption (Aug. 15-18)
Where: 12021 Mayfield Road
For the last 125 years, the Parish of Holy Rosary has hosted the celebration of the Feast of Assumption in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood. The festival commemorates the Catholic holy day, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The day begins with a Mass in Holy Rosary Church at 10 a.m., and the statue of Virgin Mary will be taken in procession throughout the neighborhood.
In this five-block festival, residents can also dine on the neighborhood’s spaghetti and meatballs, cavatelli, calzones and Italian desserts. There will also be art, live music, vendors and entertainment for kids. For more information, visit the festival’s website.
Cleveland Garlic Festival (Aug. 24 -25)
Where: 13111 Shaker Square
This event may be one of the smelliest food festivals in the city. It is also a fundraiser for North Union Farmers Market, a nonprofit that holds farmers markets and provides access to fresh, healthy foods to all shoppers, including to SNAP, WIC, and senior customers.
The festival fills Shaker Square with dozens of vendors offering garlic treats. Featured foods include garlic fries, garlic Bloody Marys, garlic ice cream and garlic beer. On Saturday, Aug. 24, there will be a grass-fed beef garlic grill-off competition at 1 p.m. On Sunday, Aug. 25, there will be a vegetarian garlic grill-off.
For more on cooking demos, competitions and event information, visit the festival’s website.
Cleveland Taco Fest (Aug. 30-Sept. 2)
Where: 2014 Sycamore Street
Clevelanders can kick off their Labor Day weekend with tacos, tequila and beer. The annual taco festival brings 30 different taquerias and eateries to downtown Cleveland. Festivalgoers will find more than food including local musicians, bounce houses and Lucha Libre wrestling. There will be hot sauce challenges and taco eating contests along with tequila sampling. For more information, visit the festival’s website.
Want to find more things to do around Greater Cleveland? We’ve got you covered from big events to neighborhood gatherings. Check it out.
This article was originally published by a signalcleveland.org . Read the Original article here. .