Greenville Greek Festival celebrates its 34th year with “Opa To Go!” August 28-30
One of the Upstate’s most popular annual festivals will celebrate its 34th year with a drive-thru affair on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 28-30.
Greenville’s annual Greek Festival presented by St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral will feature the same authentic Greek dishes as in years past, but attendees will get their food to-go as organizers transition to an event that meets social distancing protocols put in place amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Greek Festival is an Upstate tradition and we thought it was important to have some semblance of the event this year,” said Festival Chairman Harry Zolides. “Since food is the festival’s number one draw, we wanted to put together a safe and effective event that still allowed people to taste all the delicious food the festival is known for.”
Visitors can choose from three combination plates featuring traditional favorites Athenian Chicken, Pastichio or Moussaka as an entrée, as well as Gyros, a festival favorite. Homemade Greek pastries also will be available, including baklava, koulourakia, kourambiedes, or a combination assortment.
The drive-thru will be in the St. George church parking lot, 406 North Academy Street in downtown Greenville. Vehicles will enter from Academy Street into the lower parking lot, then exit onto Townes Street. Drive-thru festival hours are Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Visitors will order from their cars, and no pre-orders will be accepted.
St. George Greek Orthodox Church held its first Greek Festival in 1987 to share its culture and traditions with an Upstate community that had been so welcoming to its members over the years. Established in 1936, the church was home to many members of the Greek community who ran successful Upstate businesses.
“Our community is dedicated to continuing the tradition of coming together and sharing our culture with our visitors” Zolides said. “The annual Greek Festival has grown to be one of the largest outdoor events in the Upstate and we hope to be back bigger and better than ever in 2021.”
Want to attend?
What: Greenville Greek Festival “Opa To Go”
Where: St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 406 N. Academy Street, Greenville SC 29601
When: August 28 – 30, 2020
Drive-Thru Hours: Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Photos courtesy of Greenville Greek Festival.
