Street Feast returns this May to help neighbours across Mayo connect

Street Feast returns this May to help neighbours across Mayo connect.

With more people looking for real moments of community, President Catherine Connolly, Patron of Street Feast, is encouraging households everywhere to get involved.

Neighbourhoods across the country are being invited to pull up a chair, share some food and say hello as Street Feast, Ireland’s national weekend of community lunches and gatherings, returns on Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24 2026.

Now in its 16th year, the national weekend has grown into something simple but powerful; a chance for neighbours to come together in a way that makes everyday life feel a little warmer and more connected.

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Anyone who registers at StreetFeast.ie will get a free party pack delivered to their door, stocked with bunting, posters, invitations and a DIY guide. There’s also the option to collect a pack from one of 20 participating Tesco stores.

Last year, an estimated 88,000 people took part, a 24% rise in hosts*, providing a clear sign of how strongly people value real-world connection.

New research from the Street Feast team shows:

• Participants are twice as likely to know their neighbours well after taking part in a Street Feast
• 75% of hosts say their area feels friendlier afterwards
• 43% met neighbours from different cultures or backgrounds for the first time

These are the kinds of small, everyday interactions that make a difference. A simple shared table, a chat at the end of the street – these are the moments that help turn a place where you live into a place where you feel you belong.

A host from Wicklow, Jeanette D, put it best: “Street Feast is a fab idea, and it's been such a positive thing for our neighbourhood for the last 3 years. Street Feast really has helped our estate. While those of us who have young children know each other, and older ones know each other, it's the one event everyone can go to.”

Hosting a Street Feast doesn’t require much more than a spot to gather and a willingness to bring people together.

Anyone who registers at StreetFeast.ie will get a free party pack delivered to their door, stocked with bunting, posters, invitations and a DIY guide. There’s also the option to collect a pack from one of 20 participating Tesco stores. These Tesco packs come with all the standard goodies, along with Tesco sample favourites for the table, street chalk and simple games to help break the ice.

In line with Tesco’s commitment to helpfulness, the packs – along with recipes, ideas and tips – are designed to take the stress out of organising and make hosting feel achievable for everyone.

Sam Bishop, CoFounder and CEO of Street Feast, said:

“At its heart, Street Feast starts with a simple hello. Even as we stay connected online, many of us still don’t know who lives next door. Street Feast creates moments that spark real conversations and genuine connections that last long after the day itself.”

Katie Cunningham, Head of Brand Marketing at Tesco Ireland, said:

“At Tesco Ireland, we are all about helping people to come together over good food. With daily human interactions decreasing and loneliness increasing in recent times, this is more important than ever. That’s why we are so excited to strengthen our partnership with Street Feast – a wonderful initiative that turns neighbours into friends and encourages connection between people of different generations, nationalities and communities, right on their own doorsteps. We look forward to helping as many neighbourhoods as possible come together across the country this May and in the years to come.”

Street Feast is a project of Neighbourhood Network, an all-island social enterprise and charity which seeks to promote social inclusion, tackle loneliness and build supportive and resilient neighbourhoods. With growing participation nationwide, Street Feast is an invaluable opportunity to strengthen communities in both urban and rural Ireland. It aligns with national and local government policy on social cohesion, community development, and promoting well-being. By creating more connected, engaged neighbourhoods, they reduce loneliness, support integration and help every community feel like home.

Street Feast is made possible thanks to the generous support of the following campaign partners; the Department of Rural and Community Development; the Local Authorities; Tesco Ireland.