My Big Fat Greek... Festival

A massive ‘No Smoking’ sign in bold red letters sits just off to the left of six industrial-sized smoking pits.

Volunteers of a local Greek festival are sitting with each other, laughing with drinks in hand, while tending to the roasting lambs. They have spent the majority of the year preparing for this festival and for the thousands of people that come to celebrate every year.

Little stands dressed in blue cloth and white letters are scattered all over the venue calling out to the attendees. Hoards of people stand in line at just one station, with smiles and laughter on their faces, waiting patiently to order boxes of Baklava and enjoy the bright day. It’s no wonder everyone crowds to sink their teeth through each crispy layer of phyllo, smothered in honey.

An attendant at the front table, who is selling pastries as fast as she can, shares that she, among many others within this community, is not actually Greek. Even though she doesn’t hold ties to the heritage, she feels that she is still a part of one big family.

Under one of the many large, white tents, a booth selling Greek coffee with ice cream hosts three Greek women with colorful personalities to match that of the decorations. One of the three sixty-year-old ladies is shouting over the noise of the visiting crowd to share that her life is just like the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding, minus the Windex part.” Stacey Gianopoulos, one of the women working alongside Callie, bursts out with laughter at Callie’s declaration. They went on to emphasize that at this festival of Greek culture, family is everything. Everyone here is a part of one big family. They just want to share their love for the culture. Well that, “and having an excuse to party,” says Lynn, “which is very Greek.”

For just three talents, the ancient form of currency in Greece, one can buy some Greek specialties such as spanakopita (spinach hand pie) or tyropita (cheese hand pie) to enjoy while listening to traditional music in the center of the festival grounds. To make running the event smoother this year, each attendee wears a bracelet loaded with talents, rather than carrying wooden talents, which can buy them food and drink, traditional ingredients, and even spiritual Greek charms preventing against the evil eye. Some have brought wooden talent coins, saved from years prior, to supplement their shopping endeavors.

Some who might seem to have no connection with the culture come to reconnect with their histories. Friends of Miles Taylor share they’re here to support him as he comes to learn more about his heritage. This lanky person with neon yellow hair and his friends have traveled all the way from Florida just to visit for this celebration.

Some people come not to reconnect with the culture, but with their friends. Ladies of the Red Hat Society catch events like this all the time. A group of nine ladies all clad in bright red hats, among the several hundred in the society, convened on the steps of the grounds just glad to be with one another. Paulette Kuiper, the ‘queen’ of the Classy Lassies Red Hat Society chapter described the day as a happy and lively one.

“It’s for the family, you do it for the family, everything’s for the family,” Michelle Garifalakis shared when recounting the culture shock that came with marrying into a Greek family. While she hasn’t been able to attend in a few years, she is very excited to return sometime in the future, commenting on how everyone takes care of each other and there’s never a dull moment. Love for food, culture, and their community rings clear through Garifalakis’ words.

“We’re gonna drink, and we’re gonna dance,” Stacey calls out from the Greek coffee and ice cream stand as she gives a farewell.