Building on the success of the previous years, the annual Ouzo Festival at Melbourne’s eastern suburb of Bayswater proved once again that you don’t need a plane ticket to enjoy smells and tastes of one of Greece’s most authentic Greek islands.

Over 3,000 community members attended the celebration organised by the Lesvos Cultural Club – Palesviaki Enosis of Melbourne and Victoria on Sunday 16 February.

And as any ouzo lover knows, the traditional drink has its own etiquette for enjoying it to the fullest. You sip it slowly, you share it with friends and serve it with mezedes. You finish one round and then off you go for a refill. Again and again. This is why the event started from 11am with plans to wrap it up in the evening.

George Karantonis from the Palesviaki Enosis, was the MC for the festival, making sure that visitors were treated to authentic Mytilenean hospitality with a lively line-up.

A five-member band featuring George Malliaros and Doukissa – niece of Greece’s famed singer Doukissa – entertained the audiences, while adding to the glendi was Sotiris Soteriou Pegasos Dance Academy members, who performed traditional dances.

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