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It goes without saying that Greek society has drastically influenced many countries over the centuries. Due to this, more and more Greek festivals are popping up all over the world, celebrating Greek food, history, and culture. Here are just a few of the Greek festivals you can see around the world.
Greek Festival Milton Keynes, UK
In the UK, Greek history and culture serves as inspiration for a wide range of media – from films to TV shows, and even online casino games. Of course, Brits are known for their love of bingo, and those looking for some Greek flair can play bingo for real money at Paddy Power, featuring games like Age Of The Gods Bingo and Monsters Unchained, which explore the narratives of Ancient Greek mythology. That said, Greek festivals are a relatively new addition to the UK – though, admittedly, Greek street food is a staple of many international food festivals throughout the country.
One of the growing Greek-centric festivals in the UK is the Greek Festival Milton Keynes, which is hosted in Stony Stratford by the Greek Orthodox Community of Milton Keynes. After its debut in 2017, the intimate festival has continued to go from strength to strength, hosted every July for five straight hours of freshly cooked Greek food, spotlights on Greek products, live Greek music, and traditional Greek dancing. Particular delights to enjoy at this festival include souvlaki, horiatiko loukaniko, fresh Greek salad, spanakopita, and baklava.
Vancouver Greek Summer Fest, BC, Canada
Interestingly, Vancouver boasts a wide range of Greek festivals – from the Surrey Greek Food Festival to Greek Day on Broadway, and, of course, Vancouver Greek Summer Fest. Vancouver Greek Fest is hosted every July by St. Nicholas and Dimitrios Greek Orthodox Church. This year, the festival ran across two weekends due to overwhelming popularity, from 11 am to 10 pm every day for 11 hours of fun. The festival boasts a plethora of performances from local dancers and musicians, as well as traditional Greek performances to celebrate Vancouver’s vibrant mix of cultures.
No Greek festival would be complete without delicious food stalls – and Vancouver Greek Summerfest is no different. Perhaps the most popular is the classic BBQ lamb dinner with Greek salad, rice, tzatziki, and pitta. Those looking for something smaller can opt for appetizers like Greek fries, homous and pita, or the delicious tyropita. For dessert, the bougatsa is a must-try. There are also typically vegan keftethes dinner, wrap, and dolmathes options available, too.
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Charleston Greek Festival, SC
Of course, we couldn’t talk about Greek festivals without highlighting the annual Charleston Greek Festival in South Carolina. Debuting in 1970, this festival is the oldest festival in the area. It also rakes in the third largest footfall in the Lowcountry – it’s estimated over 35,000 people attend the festival every year over the course of the weekend. The Charleston Greek Festival is organized by the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, and is hosted every May from a Friday to Sunday evening.
Over the course of the weekend, attendees can enjoy Greek food, wine, beer, cultural experiences, live music, and traditional dancing, with a church service on a Sunday morning at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity. Some highlights of the Taverna dining and outdoor grills include traditional gyro, dolmades, and pastichio. For those with a sweet tooth, check out the kataifi, koulourakia, loukoumades, and kourabiedes.
