VIC

OPEN SEMINAR: GREEK FOLK SONGS: THE BRIDGE OF ARTA

This Thursday, 25 July head to the Greek Centre (168 Lonsdale St, Melbourne) to see Dr Stephie Nikoloudis give a free lecture on Greek folk songs. Stars at 7.00 pm.

ANNUAL GREEK FESTIVAL DANDENONG 1959-2019
The Greek Orthodox Community of Dandenong and Districts is celebrating 60 years this weekend since the community was established in the area, from 1959-2019. Taking place at St Panteleimon Greek Orthodox Church (19 Herbert St, Dandenong), it’s set to be a huge two-day festival from Saturday 27-Sunday 28 July. Go along and enjoy a traditional Greek panigiri with an abundance of food, music, dancing, and lots of children’s entertainment. Free to attend.

POMONA BY ALISTAIR MCDOWALL
Actress Artemis Ioannides stars in the Australian Premiere of Pomona by UK playwright Alistair McDowall and directed by Gary Abrahams. On now until 11 August at Red Stitch: The Actors’ Theatre (Rear 2 Chapel St, St Kilda East), Pomona is a dark and genre rich horror story, gripping from start to finish. A powerful modern thriller that asks what lies beneath the veneer of contemporary civilisation and what price must you pay to find it. For tickets, visit redstitch.net

‘THALASSA’ ART EXHIBITION

Stella Zicopoulos-Greig’s latest solo exhibition of oil paintings ‘Thalassa’ explores the artist’s cultural identity and lifelong relationship with the sea. As a child of Greek migrants, her own memories of the sea and the long voyage from Greece to Australia had a profound influence on her artistic practice, further reinforced by her family’s annual summer holidays spent at the beach. These personal and symbolic memories continue to inform the narratives and technical compositions of Stella’s highly abstracted and gestural oil paintings. More recently, she has been exploring the compositional motif of ‘two-thirds of sky’ within the surface of her paintings, presenting the horizon line as a force which connects, disrupts, and creates discord within the picture plane. See her work first-hand. ‘Thalassa’ is on show now until 10 August at G3 Artspace (64 Parkers Rd, Parkdale). Free admission.

GREEK DANCING WITH RUSH
RMIT United Society of Hellenes is hosting Greek dancing lessons for people of all ages and backgrounds, taking you from the bare basics to different styles around Greece. Schedule: Friday 26 July: Cretan Dances, 9 August: Lakonian Dances, 23 August: Island Dances. Taking place at RMIT (Building 8, Level 3, Room 10, Wales Cor, Melbourne). Free to attend.

MY BIG FAT GREEK FESTIVAL
Join St Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church (22 Marsden Crescent, St Albans) for their annual festival this weekend, Sunday 28 July at 11.00 am. There’ll be live Greek music and dancing, and delicious food. There will be lots for the kids to do, including an animal farm, photo booth, kids karaoke, the kids ‘zorba till you drop’ competition, games, a baloonologist, and face painting. Free to attend.

THE PHILHELLENES LIVE
Catch The Philhellenes performing at The Post Office Hotel (229-231 Sydney Rd, Coburg) on Saturday 3 August from 9.00-11.00 pm. They will play a mixture of traditional repertoire from Asia Minor and songs composed by Greek refugee musicians from the region, such as Dalgas (Antonis Diamantidis), Panos Tountas and Kostas Skarvelis. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2Y9az6O

THE MUSIC OF MANOLIS HIOTIS
Melbourne Rebetiko Ensemble returns to Kew Court House (188 High St, Kew) next month, Saturday 10 August for a musical tribute to Manolis Hiotis. Considered one of the greatest bouzouki soloists of all time, Hiotis was famous for popularising the string instrument’s modern sound. He was a rebetis and revolutionary who drove the music of the working class into the salons of the rich, embedding it into the wider popular culture of Greece. On from 8.00-9.40 pm. For tickets, visit https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/events/melbourne-rebetiko-ensemble-music-manolis-hiotis

LONSDALE STREET GREEK FOOD WALKING TOUR

Take part in a guided walking tour of Melbourne’s original Greek Precinct, Lonsdale Street on Saturday 17 August from 2.00-5.00 pm. Learn about the migration of Greeks to Melbourne, and the food and culture they brought with them. Savour the taste of Greece and sample Greek coffee and loukoumades, souvlaki from one of the most iconic Greek restaurants, browse and learn about the differences among Greek cakes and biscuits on display and sample a traditional Greek dessert and drink. To book, visit https://bit.ly/2Od0WU0

THE GREEK GRAMOPHONE EXPERIENCE
Join Wayne Simmons and Con Kalamaras on Sunday 18 August at the Merri Creek Tavern (111 High St, Northcote) at 4.00 pm for a unique live performance delving into the rich history of Greek music that was recorded in 1920’s and 40’s Greece. You could call it abrasive, coarse and unrefined, or you could call it an historical, artistic, and social commentary on a rapidly changing country. This performance is a collection of works that paved the way for generations to come, no glitz, no plate smashing … just a collection of brutally honest and achingly beautiful songs. Bring an open mind and heart … your world will change.

LA TROBE LECTURE: GROWING UP ‘GREEK’ IN THE 50s AND 60s
La Trobe University’s Greek Studies (Department of Languages and Linguistics) and the Dardalis Archives of the Hellenic Diaspora in conjunction with the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria (168-170 Lonsdale St, Melbourne) present a lecture by Dr Konstandina Dounis on ‘A Parallel Universe: Growing up ‘Greek’ in the 50s and 60s’ on Wednesday 21 August at 7.00-8.00 pm. Free to attend.

COOKING CLASS: GREEK PROVINCIAL FARE
Expand your repertoire and knowledge of Greek cuisine with Niki Louca’s delicious selection of provincial dishes. On Saturday 31 August at The Neff Market Kitchen (Stall 90, Cecil St, South Melbourne) (11.00 am-1.30 pm), Niki will show you how to make prawn saganaki, kalamari krasato, spanakorizo, and to finish, traditional rizogalo. $120 p.p. includes lunch/dinner and a recipe pack. To book, visit https://bit.ly/2XJ9DZK

 

NSW

TOWARD AN ARCHAEOLOGY OF CULT IN A GREEK COLONY IN THE WEST: NEW EXCAVATION IN THE MAIN URBAN SANCTUARY OF SELINUNTE
On Wednesday 7 August see the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens’ (AAIA) sisiting Professor Clemente Marconi present research from new excavations he has directed at Selinunte, one of the most important archaeological sites of the Greek period in Italy. Of particular significance are the finds in the area around Temple R, built for a goddess c.580 BCE. This new research makes it possible to fully reconstruct, for the first time, the biography of a temple in Selinunte, and to reconstruct a significant part of the ritual activities in this area of the sanctuary. Taking place at the AAIA Boardroom, Centre for Classical and Near Eastern Studies of Australia (Room 480, Level 4, The Madsen Building, The University of Sydney).  To book, visit https://bit.ly/2LRcCsQ

GEORGE DOUKAS & THE D-STRINGS
George Doukas brings his nine-piece ensemble to Camelot Lounge (Marrickville Rd & Railway Parade, Marrickville) on Sunday 11 August. The D Strings is an ensemble that combines the velvet sound of the string quartet with the edgy tones of bouzouki and baglama. Mix that with two vocals, piano and a rhythm section and you have a sound which is truly unique. They will be performing a mix of original music, traditional Greek, Rembetika and a taste of Gypsy Jazz Greek-style. Doors open 7.00 pm for an 8.00 pm start.

MUGA PRESENTS: SPASTA 2019
Macquarie University Greek Association (MUGA) is hosting a Greek taverna night on Friday 16 August at Koutouki (138 Norton St, Leichhardt). Kicking off at 7.00 pm, there’ll be delicious food and drink served up, along with live music to add to the atmosphere. To book, visit https://bit.ly/2JUuwID

GREEK COOKING CLASS
Celebrate Mediterranean flavours with an authentic Greek cooking class. Hosted by Sophie Stokes from ‘In Sophia’s Kitchen’ you will be transported to Greece on a plate, preparing a range of dishes in the morning. Then you will get to sit down together to enjoy the fruits of your labour overlooking beautiful ocean views. It will be a delicious celebration of food and in turn, Greek culture. Taking place on Sunday 18 August at The Corner Pantry (Shop 5/11 Beach St, Harrington) from 10.00 am-1.00 pm. To book, visit https://bit.ly/2Llt7xI

CARLOS HOPONTOPOFUS BIG GREEK COMEDY NIGHT
Do you remember the Wog Rock Cafe in Hamilton in the ’90s? Carlos Hopontopofus became an icon in his outrageous one-man comedy floor show, and now he’s back! Performing at Dixon Park Surf Lifesaving Club (20 Ocean St, Merewether) on Friday 30 August, it’ll be a brilliant night of great comedy, authentic Greek cuisine and dancing to the grooves of DJ Honeypuff. To book, visit https://bit.ly/2XRtlPc

 

SA

TAVERNA NIGHT AT THE CRETAN ASSOCIATION OF SA
Get your parea together for a tavern night this Saturday 27 July at the Cretan Association of South Australia (220 Port Rd, Alberton) at 6.30 pm. Attendees will enjoy a three-course meal along with entertainment throughout the night, featuring Michael Papacharalambous on the klarino, Angeliki Papacharalambous on vocals, Stan Nalbandidis on the keyboard and Jim Kalatzi on bouzouki. Adults $35.00, Children (under 12) $15.00. To book a table, email cretanassociationsa@gmail.com

MODERN GREEK LECTURE SERIES
The LOGOS Australian Centre for Hellenic Language and Culture continues its lecture series on Tuesday 20 August at Flinders at Victoria Square (182 Victoria Sq, Adelaide) from 6.00-8.00 pm. Free to attend.

* If you know of any Greek events taking place across the country, including those organised by Greek community groups, please forward details to anastasia@neoskosmos.com.au