A Big Fat Greek Festival

Nisiotes dancers. Image from
http://www.greekfestivalhawaii.com

Event preview by Taressa Ishimi

My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Hercules (Disney version and Kevin Sorbo alike), Brad Pitt as Achilles, and of course hummus… I don’t know about you, but for me this is sadly the extent of my exposure to Greek culture. So I am definitely excited about the 30th Annual Greek Festival happening on August 28 and 29 at McCoy Pavillion in Ala Moana Park.

According to the festival Co-Chair Austin Vila, “The festival was started to share the Greek culture and Orthodox Religion with our neighbors in Hawaii. It is also a fundraiser for the church and the charitable works we do in the community.”

Back in February, the volunteers of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Pacific began production for the food and festival set before you. Sadly this could be the festival's final year as church members are finding it more difficult to keep up with the festival's high demands. Although nothing is set in stone, the group generally won’t decide on the continuation of the festival until after the event is over.

Filled with various Greek imports, jewelry, pastries, dancers, musicians, and eats from local Greek restaurants, this event seems to feature a decent amount of Greek culture into a two day period. According to their website, they will be producing three times as much food in order to accommodate the attendees, after the turn-out of 20,000 attendees last year. It is the labor of the friends and local members of the Greek community -over one hundred volunteers- that makes this festival possible.

“My favorite part of the festival is seeing people dancing Greek and having a great time. Talk about a melting pot - sharing our culture with so many people of other cultures,” said Vila.

In addition to the ten plus booths designated a variety of Greek dishes, for those interested in taking a bit of Greek culture home, there will also be booths selling apparel, pottery, cookbooks, and other pieces that one can take home. There will also be a cookbook for sale filled with recipes from the attendants of Saints Constantine and Helen’s Cathedral.

But with all of these options available to you what should you choose? Well Austin Vila has provided his top recommendations of things to see or eat while at the festival. “Three things include trying all the different types of food without worrying about the calories, Having a shot of Ouzo and shouting Yiassou, dancing Greek as if no one was watching, and getting lost in the music.”

So if you do decide to come out and giortazo (that’s Greek for celebrate), then please raise a glass of Ouzo to the workers who have put this festival together for the past thirty years and let’s hope for at least one more.

For more information and to order a copy of the Greek Festival recipe book, visit http://www.greekfestivalhawaii.com.