Feast

Feast is a large meal or ceremonial celebration held to mark a special occasion. The term refers to both the event and the food served, and it may emphasize abundance, hospitality, and communal participation. Feasts are common in many cultures and throughout history, and they can accompany religious observances, harvests, rites of passage, weddings, or public commemorations.

Feasts often include more elaborate dishes and longer meals than ordinary sustenance, with shared plates, toasts, songs, or prayers. They may feature symbolic foods, regional specialties, and generosity toward guests, including the poor or travelers in some traditions. The structure of a feast can reflect social hierarchies or community cohesion, with seating arrangements, roles for hosts and servers, and ritual timings.

Religious feasts mark holy days or honor deities, saints, or events in sacred narratives. Secular feasts celebrate secular or communal milestones, such as national holidays, family weddings, banquets, or harvest festivals. In addition to in-person gatherings, modern feasts can occur as festival seasons, fairs, or large community meals.

Related terms include banquet and festival, and in religious contexts the concept of a feast day.