slo greek festival

2019 Greek Festival winners: (left to right) Janet Kourakis, $300; Michele Cantrell, $1,000; Jean Costopoulos Weeks, Festival Chair, presenting $5,000 check to Abe Lincoln, Executive Director of the Noor Foundation; Dustin Rodgers, St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church President; Jane & Stan Stitzel, DePaolo & Sons Door Prize Gift Basket. Not pictured: Bonnie Johnson, $100; Kriss McClure, Rabobank Door Prize Gift Basket.

The 12th Annual San Luis Obispo Greek Festival was held on Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2nd, 2019.  In previous years the event had been held at the Mission Plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo. This year, for the first time, it was held at the beautiful Madonna Expo Center.

“It was a huge success”, said Jean Costopoulos Weeks, Festival Chair.  “Those in attendance included not only people from San Luis Obispo County, but also from as far away as Canada, Florida, Greece and England!”  Approximately 2,000 people attended each day.  “Unfortunately, because we did not anticipate so many guests, we ran out of our homemade Greek dishes and pastries. Plans are already in the works to accommodate next year’s crowds”, Costopoulos Weeks said.

Another first for this event was the donation of a portion of the proceeds to a local charity.  The SLO Noor Foundation was selected as the 2019 recipient.  Noor Foundation free clinics welcome any uninsured adult between the ages of 18 and 65, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, immigration or socioeconomic status.  Thanks to the efforts of the 2019 Greek Festival sponsors, attendees and volunteers, the Noor Foundation will receive a check in the amount of $5,000.

Mark your calendars for next year’s Festival to be held on Saturday, May 30th and Sunday, May 31st 2020.