TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo’s long history is inextricably linked to Greek culture. In an effort to celebrate the impact that Greek immigrants have had on the City of Glass, the annual event Greek-American Festival will return to Toledo for its 51st year on September 8. Here’s your guide to the event and festivities, including when you can catch traditional dance performances and where you can find a coveted plate of spanakopita.
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Location
The festival is located on the corner of Summit Street and Cherry Street, the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral and the surrounding neighborhood.
Dates and times
- September 8: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- September 9: 1 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- September 10: noon – 6 p.m.
Cost
- Free Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; then, $5 per person
- Children aged 12 and under are free when accompanied by a parent or guardian
Car park
Visitors can park throughout the festival area. Paid parking is available at the Vistula garage.
Food and drinks
The Food Tent will offer the following five meal trays:
- Sample tray: Pastichio, moussaka, spanakopita, tiropitas and dolmathes
- Chicken plate: Chicken with oregano on a bed of rice pilaf, moussaka, pastichio, spanakopita and bread
- Lamb shank plate: Rice, green beans and bread
- Vegetarian plate: Tiropita, spanakopita, rice, green beans and bread
- Available a la carte: Souvlaki, rice pilaf, pastichio, moussaka, green beans, dolmathes, oregano chicken, rice pilaf and Greek salad
The fast food tents will offer the following dishes:
- Beef and lamb gyros with onions and tzatziki sauce
- Chicken gyros
- Greek fries
- Hot dogs
- Daddy’s beard
- Greek pizza
- Saganaki, flambéed Greek cheese
Other tents will offer ice cream, beer, gyros and pastries.
In the community center, festival-goers will be able to enjoy American and Greek coffee, as well as desserts, including:
- baklava
- Galaktobouriko
- Kourambiethès
- macarons
- Milk rice
- Ouzo Slush Cake
The “Taverna” will offer wine and beer and will be equipped with two large flat-screen televisions. Organizers announced that the televisions would be drawn Sunday at 6 p.m.
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Demonstrations and music
The Hellenic Dance Company will present a dance program over the three days and will feature imported Greek costumes. The dance program is as follows:
Friday
- Ellinopedia (3-6 years): 5:30 p.m.
- Asteria (7-9 years): 5:30 p.m.
- Koukles (10-13 years old): 6:30 p.m.
- Hellenic dancers (adolescents and adults): 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
- Ellenopedia: 4:30 p.m.
- Asteria: 4:30 p.m.
- Koukles: 6:30 p.m.
- Hellenic dancers: 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
- Ellinopedia: 2:00 p.m.
- Asteria: 2:00 p.m.
- Koukles: 3 p.m.
- Hellenic dancers: 4 p.m.
During the three-day festival, Cleveland’s Olympus Band will perform Greek and American music. Costume jewelry, t-shirts, souvenirs, pottery and paintings will be on sale in an outdoor boutique.
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The community center will also feature religious and cultural booths with icons and books representing the Greek Orthodox faith, organizers said. A cookbook, “Olives, Feta, Phyllo & More,” featuring more than 500 recipes from parishioners will also be available for purchase, in addition to a festival t-shirt.
Cathedral tours will also be available at the following times:
Free visits:
- Friday: Noon – 8 p.m.
- SATURDAY: 3:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Sunday: Noon – 6 p.m.
Guided tours with Father Larry Legakis
- Friday: 3:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
- SATURDAY: 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 3:30 p.m.
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