It's All Greek

Celebrating life is one of the many things the Greeks are famous for, and this month, everyone has the chance to join in. Bring your picnic blanket, shade umbrella, and a very big appetite to A Greek Affair 2020 the annual festival at Taigum's Greek Orthodox Church of St Paraskevi.

This year's event will be held over two days and will be outdoor picnic-style in the expansive land surrounding the church a slight difference to previous years to accommodate for the current social distancing rules.

According to festival organiser Costa Stratikopoulos, the event promises to be as exciting as ever.

An array of Greek cuisine ' arguably the biggest crowd-pleaser ' will again be on offer, although this year, it will be packaged in unique 'showbags', to reduce handling and contact. The famous Greek honey puffs and many other sweet treats will be in plentiful supply, as will quintessential Greek delicacies including lamb on the spit. There will also be stalls and music.

It's about the experience of being Greek, and enjoying the food and the environment and the culture,� he said.

The smells, the environment, the cooking of the lamb and the roasts, the charcoal, the lambs on the spit ' it's all about the food and just enjoying the outdoors, and some music. We're looking forward to it.�

One of the stalls will offer Greek religious icons and other religious artefacts such as rosary beads, and incense, all sourced from holy places in Greece. Guided tours of the church itself ' a stunning Byzantine-style building completed in 1995 to service the northside's growing Greek community ' will also be conducted throughout the day.

We looked at the wonderful space and the land we have there, and we thought what better way to take people's mind off the current situation than to celebrate our multiculturalism,� Costa said.

I think it's an opportunity for people to get together in an outdoor environment and enjoy each other's company, and just take our minds off the hardship of 2020.�


A Greek Affair Festival
Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September
St Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church
Church Road, Taigum.