What once began as a wine festival has slowly turned into a cultural feast for the senses. The Cypriot Wine Festival, which started 18 years in Melbourne, has incorporated a plethora of cultural activities to ensure a weekend of dance, song, food, and most importantly wine.
Jim Wood, president of the Cyprus Community of Melbourne and Victoria, told Neos Kosmos that this is the “biggest event of the year” for the community.
“It’s a chance to meet each other and see people you haven’t seen for years,” he said, and encourages everyone to come along and join in the festival.
The festival itself is modelled on wine festivals that occur in Cyprus. The community in Victoria has decided to follow the custom. “It’s almost an excuse to have a festival, for people to get together and I think it’s fantastic,” says the president.
Wines are imported from Cyprus and people are given the opportunity to sample the different wines and select ones that tickle their palate.
But Mr Wood says it’s more than just wine, this festival incorporates every aspect of the Cypriot community.
“We have Cypriot delicacies like the famous souvlaki, sheftelies, koupes and loukoumathes. So it’s called a wine festival, but it’s turning into a cultural festival where you have the dance groups from different parts of Greece and Cypriot dance groups as well. We have music, difference artists perform so it’s an enriching festival that promotes Cypriot culture.” There will be cooking demonstrations also, to learn the secrets of Cypriot cuisine.
After official opening of the festival on Saturday night, a huge container is brought out filled with grapes and the community encourages children to take their shoes and socks off and get in there and stomp on the grapes to release all the juice.
The Cypriot Wine Festival will take place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 March at Coburg Town Hall, 90 Bell Street, Coburg from midday till late. Entry is $5.