Original Greek Festival celebrates its 43rd year in Houston October 1-4, 2009 - Ελληνικό Φεστιβάλ στο Houston
“It’s Super Greeky, Yow!”
Original Greek Festival celebrates its 43rd year in Houston October 1-4, 2009
The arrival of autumn signals the advent of the “festival season” in Houston, and no celebration in the city is more eagerly anticipated than the Original Greek Festival, now in its 43rd year. This year the festival will be held Thursday through Sunday, October 1-4, 2009, featuring everything that Houstonians have come to expect from this premiere annual event: delicious Greek food, festive displays of traditional Greek dancing, and abundant shopping opportunities, plus a full slate of special events and presentations.
Over 40,000 Houstonians are expected to attend the Original Greek Festival, which will take place at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral Complex, 3511 Yoakum, near the Museum District. Street parking is available, but organizers recommend that attendees utilize a free shuttle service which will operate from the Lamar High School parking lot at 3325 Westheimer, between Buffalo Speedway and Kirby. The shuttles will run approximately every 15 minutes.
Festival chairman Rocky Stevens points out that, in these frugal times, the Original Greek Festival gives Houstonians an opportunity to take a vacation in their own city. “This year, people aren’t spending money, they’re not getting on planes, they’re not going anywhere. But going to the Greek Festival is like going to Greece without leaving the city,” Stevens said.
“It’s totally authentic,” Stevens added. “This festival is a very successful representation of everything that the Greek culture has to offer.”
A major appeal of the Original Greek Festival is the opportunity for attendees to be “Greek for a Day” regardless of their background. No one exemplifies this notion better than festival chairman Stevens, who is not of Greek ancestry, but who married into a Greek family and embraced the culture.
“Greeks tell me I’m more Greek than Greeks,” Stevens joked. “I’m honored to be a part of the tradition and the family values that the Greek culture represents. I value the customs and stability of this lifestyle. It’s a close-knit family and a close-knit community. I didn’t have brothers growing up, but now I do.”
One of the chief lures of the Greek Festival is delicious food, which is all cooked by the parishioners of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, strictly adhering to traditional recipes handed down from generation to generation. Popular items include Souvlaki (seasoned and marinated tenderloin cubes with onions, prepared over burning coals), Gyros (strips of seasoned meat in rolled up pita bread, with special Greek sauce),
Tiropita (cheese-filled puff pastry), Spanakopita (spinach and cheese-filled puff pastry), and Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). Pastries available include Baklava (nuts, butter, and spices in layers of filo pastry, topped with honey syrup), Kourambiedes (all-butter cookies with toasted almonds, topped with powered sugar), Finikia (sweet honey cookies with various spices, topped with nuts), Koulourakia (twisted butter cookies), and Loukoumades (hot honey puffs). New this year, the Festival is excited to present Tsoureki, the traditional good-luck sweetbread served on special occasions. And, as always, a variety of delicious well-known Greek wines will be poured by the glass, or purchased by the bottle with prices ranging from $25 to $30.
Dancing is a key component of Greek festivities such as religious celebrations, national holidays, weddings, and baptisms. Accordingly, a variety of Greek dances will be performed by groups of adult and children dancers throughout the festival schedule. These costumed dancers will present programs encompassing all three forms of Greek dance, each one reflecting the culture and customs of a particular region. Nessiotika are dances from the Greek islands, Demotika are from the mainland, and Laika are danced throughout Greece. Live Greek music will be provided by “The Golden Greek,” Alex Kalos, a longtime festival favorite.
Festival goers will be presented with numerous shopping opportunities. The festival Gift Shop will feature unique gold jewelry, costume jewelry, cookbooks, pottery, imported clothing, buttons, t-shirts, hats, aprons, tote bags, religious items, novelties, and Greek Festival souvenirs. At the Import Shop, food, books, cassettes and CD’s from Greece will be available.
The festival also features a special children’s area, where youngsters can enjoy the Athenian Playground, an inflatable play center, along with temporary tattoos, popcorn, cotton candy, and soft drinks.
Those wishing to learn more about the spiritual side of Greek culture will have the opportunity to take cathedral tours, consisting of a video presentation of the history of Orthodox Christianity and the Annunciation Parish, followed by a question and answer period with Cathedral clergy, who will explain the symbolism represented in the Byzantine-style cathedral. Additionally, handcrafted Byzantine iconography and art will be on display at the festival.
Admission to the festival is $5.00 for adults, with children 12 and under admitted free. There is no charge for admission between 11:00am and 3:00pm on Friday. Presale ticket packages are available for $18.00, which includes admission and a dinner plate, plus choice of Souvlaki or a Pastry Box (Gyros not included). Presale tickets may be purchased at the church office, 3511 Yoakum Boulevard, 9:00am – 4:00pm weekdays through September 30. No presale tickets will be sold after that date. For more information on the Original Greek Festival, please visit the festival web site: www.greekfestival.org, call: 713-526-5377 or email: festival@agoc.org.
History:
In 1917, a small group of Greek immigrants in Houston formed what has become one of the largest Greek Orthodox communities in the United States. Originally located in downtown Houston on the site that is now Tranquility Park, The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral now occupies a sprawling campus on Yoakum Boulevard near the Museum District. The Cathedral remains a major force in the religious and social communities of Houston.
Proceeds from the Original Greek Festival go to a variety of charitable organization in Houston, including the Children’s Assessment Center, S.E.A.R.C.H., the Women’s Home, Covenant House, the Texas Emergency Aid Coalition (EAC), and the Star of Hope Mission.
THE FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
| Thursday, October 1 Dinner: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.Dance program begins at 6 p.m. | Saturday, October 3Continuous food service: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.Dance program begins at 11:30 a.m. | |
| Friday, October 2 Lunch: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. (free admission)Note: the Festival grounds are closed after lunch and reopen at 5:00 pm Dinner: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.Dance program begins at 6 p.m.
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Sunday, October 4 Continuous food service: 12 noon – 7 p.m. (some items may be sold out before closing)Dance program begins at 12:30 p.m. |
Media Contact:
Noisemaker Communications 713-522-4273
Doug Harris dough@noisemaker.com
Είναι σούπερ ελληνικό…
Το Αυθεντικό Ελληνικό Φεστιβάλ γιορτάζει το 43ο έτος του στο Houston, στις 1 -4 Οκτώβριου 2009. Η άφιξη του Φθινοπώρου σηματοδοτεί την έναρξη της εποχής του Ελληνικού Φεστιβάλ στο Houston και κανένας εορτασμός στην πόλη δεν είναι πιο δημοφιλής από αυτό το φεστιβάλ που τώρα διανύει το 43ο έτος του. Φέτος το φεστιβάλ θα διαρκέσει από την Πέμπτη 1 Οκτωβρίου έως και την Κυριακή 4 Οκτωβρίου, παρουσιάζοντας νοστιμότατες ελληνικές γεύσεις, παρουσιάσεις παραδοσιακής ελληνικής μουσικής και άφθονες ευκαιρίες για αγορές συν μια πλήρη γκάμα από ειδικά events και παρουσιάσεις.
Πάνω από 40.000 κάτοικοι του Houston αναμένεται να παρακολουθήσουν το αυθεντικό ελληνικό Φεστιβάλ, το οποίο θα λάβει χώρα στον Ελληνικό Ορθόδοξο Καθεδρικό Ναό του Ευαγγελισμού της Θεοτόκου, (3511 Yoakum), κοντά στην περιοχή του Μουσείου.
Media Contact:
Noisemaker Communications 713-522-4273
Doug Harris dough@noisemaker.com
