The Feast returns this year Credit: Emanuel Wallace

Add the Feast of the Assumption, a summertime favorite on the Cleveland festival circuit that draws thousands to Little Italy, to the list of events that won’t happen this year because of the pandemic.

In a joint statement with Fr. Joseph Previte of the Holy Rosary Parish, Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson said:


For 121 years, Holy Rosary Parish has celebrated the Feast of the Assumption in Little Italy. This annual tradition brings together many in Northeast Ohio as well as visitors from around the country who return each year to celebrate our Lady’s Assumption. Like many, we have monitored the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, discussed the viability of holding the Feast with city of Cleveland officials, and considered actions taken by other special events in the area.

Having reviewed all available data at this time, we have decided to cancel the Feast of the Assumption street festival for 2020. This has been a difficult but necessary decision. The health and safety of our volunteers, vendors, and participants is our highest priority. The safety recommendations from the state of Ohio for safe distancing do not allow us to hold large gatherings in the confined space in which we typically hold the Feast and ensure public health and safety.

Holy Rosary will still celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption on August 15 and, if possible given all safety and health considerations, hold a procession on that day. A final determination regarding the procession will be at later time.

We appreciate and thank all those who have celebrated with us over these 121 years and look forward to continuing this celebration and tradition in 2021.

This article appears in Jun 17-23, 2020.

Vince Grzegorek has been with Scene since 2007 and editor-in-chief since 2012. He previously worked at Discount Drug Mart and Texas Roadhouse.

10 replies on “This Year’s Feast of the Assumption Canceled Because of Coronavirus”

  1. Goddam, how I wish the PD still had its comment boards, so that all the assholes still had somewhere else to dump their rascist, fascist, hater horseshit. If you children think you’re being clever and funny, you are not. If you’re being serious, there are no words that can express how seriously fucked-up you are.

    And do you really think the Murray Hill folks fear people of color? Get real. Do a little historical research. Back in the day, black folks who traveled along Mayfield Road had the crap knocked out of them, and some were even killed. Get a clue. ALL the fests have been wiped out this summer, so you can shut the fuck up now, okay?

  2. The hypocrisy of all this madness is amazing,,,,Trump haters, Democrat haters, if you look at their comments the commenters are more alike than not, just opposing views. No one seems to be allowed their own political feelings.

  3. Thank you, SCENE janitors. When did you start working weekends?
    Probably after the riots, right? Keep those mops and brooms handy.
    Gonna be a long, hot summer. Bring plenty of Pine-Sol to mask the stench.

  5. I guess you didn’t like the joke about how the people in the picture look like they could be at blm rally since most of the people at blm rallies are white.

    They probably could have the feast and pack them in like sardines without any safety measures if they just call it a black lives matter rally.

  6. It’s a stupid joke because somebody would have to pretty fucking dumb not to realize that the people in the image are not all marching in one direction…they’re moving in BOTH directions.

    Yeah, it’s a stupid joke. And you’re a stupid gavone for repeating it.

  7. The joke is more that these black lives matter rallies are filled with white leftists using black peoples plight to advance their ideological agenda. The last blm rally that came through my neighborhood had no joke 5 black people out of 100.
    Do these blm supporters even realize their logo is a communist fist?

  8. Wingnut, EVERYBODY you don’t like is always a “Communist.”
    You need a new mantra, sonny. You’ve worn the C-word out.
    And you see everything through pink glasses. You’re FUBAR.

  9. There’s a lot of communists out there now ssossodd, there’s also a lot of regular people who leaned left that are now lumped in with them that don’t even realize their support for these radical leftwing movements is tightening the control by the one world government advocates. Msm and regular dems now use the same language and promote the same skewed issues as the communist militants destroying American culture and setting up autonomous zones.

  10. You were too cheap to hire mods, so the Lone Wingnut finally won. Sad.

Comments are closed.