Over 20,000 people attended the Glendi Greek Festival in Adelaide last weekend to immerse themselves in Greek culture, food and entertainment.
Held at the Wayville Showgrounds for a third time, the Glendi festival delivered a fine entertainment program this year with Greek singers Maria Stavropoulou and Nikita Ellenis delighting the crowds with all their favourite songs along with George Vavasis and the Glendi band.
Amongst Adelaide’s many dancing groups, interstate dance group OPA from Darwin attended the festival for the first time and wowed the crowd with their OXI Day themed dance on the Sunday. Comedian George Kapiniaris got involved in the smashing plates competition and had the crowd laughing all weekend with his routines.
“All the dance groups and entertainers did a fantastic job over the weekend and Glendi wouldn’t be the same without their support,” Chrisovalandis Angelopoulos, one of the event coordinators, told Neos Kosmos.
As always, a wide rage of cultural and school exhibitions were on display, and many local businesses had stalls within the pavilion including for the first time a cafe where festival goers could sit undercover and watch the events on the main stage from large screens. Food, drinks and sweets were in no shortage, many of the sporting groups and individual businesses were there to feed the thousands.
Mr Angelopoulos said, “Glendi had that panigiri feel with the smell of souvles burning, it was just like the old days”.
John Chefalakis Chairman of the Glendi Board told Neos Kosmos, “Glendi is on track again and for the festival to continue to be successful and grow the support from sponsors, stall holders, schools and entertainers needs to be united.
“I would like to thank all those involved in making the Glendi festival a success and thank you to all the sponsors and the Government for the $60,000 Multicultural SA grant.”
The committee has already begun planning a bigger festival for the 2013 Glendi Greek Festival.