Events   Feast Away! By Melissa Minners               It’s that time again; that time of year when the weather is warm and all you can think of when you get home from work or school is what outdoor activities you will be engaging in on this night.  What a perfect time to attend one of the various festivals that take place just before the long lazy days of summer!             As a kid, I never had the opportunity to attend a festival as I was too busy playing baseball, basketball or some other sport until the wee hours of the night.  But once I hit my early twenties, I was invited to several, attending local fairs, festivals and feasts, including the Feast of San Genarro held in Little Italy in New York City.  As an adult, I never miss an opportunity to attend a local feast for a variety of reasons.             Local feasts/festivals provide a great way to socialize.  Folks from all over the neighborhood attend the street party and you will often run into people you haven’t seen in ages at one of these events.  Of course, if you don’t want to see these people, these events are usually fairly crowded, providing enough people to hide behind as you make your way past the offensive party.             Every feast/festival contains a variety of booths featuring games of chance.  Place a bet or two on the spinning wheel and win prizes - my very latest acquisition: a candy store size dispenser of Twizzlers…mmmm!  Toss a bean bag or a baseball at some bottles - knocking them down will win you a prize.  Toss the basketball at the hoop - land some baskets in a row and you could win a prize.  Aim a water gun at a bullseye and join the race to get the stuffed animal to the top of the pole and win a prize.             For those not willing to risk their money on games of chance, you can instead spend it on tickets for a variety of rides, including Ferris Wheels, giant slides, a bungee cord trampoline insanity and more.  Of course, I recommend taking part in the rides before sampling the food.             That’s right!  I said food!  What kind of feast would it be without a plethora of things to feast on?!  My new favorite is a pizza frite - fried dough in the shape of a pizza topped with marinara sauce and cheese.  Hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage and pepper sandwiches, pierogies, stuffed cabbage, pork on a stick, corn on the cob - a tremendous supply of food to gorge on.  Wash it all down with some fresh lemonade.             Despite how many foods you have sampled, there will always be room for dessert - cotton candy, popcorn, ice cream and more.  And of course, you can’t leave without purchasing a bag of zeppoles - fried dough coated with sugar.             Music, games, food and fun - what more could anyone ask for.  So check out your local festival, feast or carnival today and enjoy the festivities while stuffing yourself silly! For feedback, visit our message board or e-mail the author at talonkarrde@g-pop.net.