The 12th Annual San Luis Obispo (SLO) Greek Festival is a two-day event showcasing the vibrant Greek culture. Come and be Greek for a day (or weekend) and enjoy authentic Greek food, music, dancing, and souvenirs! Founded by the members of St. Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church, the SLO Greek Festival serves as a way for church members to share their culture with San Luis Obispo and beyond. This family-friendly event is a fundraiser for St. Andrew’s, which supports several charitable groups in San Luis Obispo County including the SLO Noor Foundation, SLO Food Bank and the Prado Day Center.
The festival is being held at its new location, the Madonna Expo Center, 100 Madonna Rd. on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2. The festival hours are 11 AM to 7 PM on Saturday, and 11 AM to 6 PM on Sunday. The festival will take place rain or shine, as it is now indoors!
Admission and parking are free!
Highlights of the 2-day festival include:
- Authentic Greek food and pastries
- Beer and local wines
- Greek music and dancing
- Performances by traditional Greek dance groups
- Hellenic cultural booth
- Community booth
- A marketplace with unique gifts and souvenirs
Live entertainment is the centerpiece of the SLO Greek Festival. From dance performances, dancing and live music to cultural exhibits and shopping, the festival has something for each member of the family.
Since the SLO Greek Festival’s inception, Dr. Paul Georghiou has been the voice of the festival. As Master of Ceremonies (MC), he sets a fun and energetic tone with his positive and energetic vibes. He generates enthusiasm by making the audience feel involved and expertly guides guests through the Greek culture, while keeping the event flowing seamlessly.
You can enjoy live music performed by The Spartan Band, whose members play both traditional and current Greek music with a creative style, rhythm and energy that is uniquely their own. Based in Santa Cruz and led by founder Yiannis Chronopoulos, who plays the bouzouki (a traditional Greek instrument), the band also consists of lead singer Dimitri Tzoumas, guitarist Paul Chronopoulos, (son of Yiannis), bassist Kevin Harvey, and drummer George Rangaves.
The Spartan Band has built a great reputation by providing not only spirited music, but also lots of energy and fun to audiences at many Greek Festivals, weddings and private events through the years.
Dancing is a vital element in the Greek culture and during the festival, you will have a chance to be both a spectator and a participant of traditional Greek dancing. Lively folk dance performances will be ongoing throughout the festival:
- on Saturday, a Santa Barbara youth dance group will perform in traditional costumes
- on both Saturday and Sunday, a group of primarily Cal Poly students will dance and be led by Tiberiu “Tibi” Stanculescu (son of St. Andrew’s presiding priest, Father Silviu Stanculescu)
- on both Saturday and Sunday, a Cretan dance suite performance (the most well-known Cretan dances are the Kritiko Syrto, Pentozali and Maleviziotis) will be done by experienced Cretan dancers Manolis Boutzoukas and Zoe Tsoutsounis. Cretan dances are known for being both energetic and very physically
The Greek dances will include the classical Kalamatianos, the lively Syrtos (circle dance), the Karsillamas (village couple dance), Traverna Hasapiko (Zorba’s dance), and the stately Tsamikos. There will be audience participation following each dance performance, with the dance troupe members, MC Paul Georghiou and St. Andrew’s own expert in Greek dances, Larraine “Eleni” McBride, providing free dance lessons.
You can learn more about Greek culture by visiting the Hellenic cultural booth, which has traditional Greek costumes on display and is hosted by Eleni McBride. And who doesn’t enjoy shopping for unique gifts and souvenirs? You will find all that and more at the “Agora”, the festival’s distinctive Greek marketplace.
The SLO Greek Festival is looking for energetic and reliable volunteers to help out with the festival. If you would like to get involved, please send an email to: [email protected]
OPA!
For more information, visit our website at www.greekfestivalslo.com and follow our festival preparations on Facebook