In just over a week, on the weekend of 23 and 24 February, Melbourne will once a gain give into ‘Greekness’ with its most popular festival coming to life for the 32nd time; an event that attracts all nationalities and ages.

Lonsdale Street will be filled with delicious aromas from 20 stalls and two bars serving up iconic Hellenic flavours and three free stages offering entertainment that can satisfy every group and taste by popular chefs Helena and Vikki Moursellas and the team behind Taking You Home – Simple Greek Food, thanks to The Procal Greek Kitchen.

Famous Greek singer and songwriter Eleonora Zouganeli’s is the festival’s big name for this year, while some of the best local bands like The haBBiBis, Cats and the Canary, Agapi & Friends, The Phillhellenes and more will also be performing on the weekend.

On the competitions side, other than the Zorba ‘til you Drop rewarding the winner with a return flight to Greece there will be a Magic Mic comp for aspiring singers of all ages testing not only their vocal range but also their Greek language skills. Guests will have the pleasure to indulge in an endless Baklava and Pita tasting, all for the sake of finding Melbourne’s best.

Check out the full festival program below to make sure you don’t miss out!

Saturday 23 February

DELPHI BANK STAGE  (corner of Lonsdale and Russell Street)

12:30pm Welcome to the Lonsdale Street Festival followed by ZORBA ‘ TIL YOU DROP COMPETITION
2:15pm A Musical Odyssey – presenting a mix of opera and well know Greek music
3:05pm Alphington School Band
4:00pm O Periklis Dance Group – Intermediates
4:30pm Pan Macedonian Dance Group
5:00pm Panagia Soumela Pontian Association of Whittlesea Dance Group
5:30pm Cretan Brotherhood Dance Group – Seniors
6:00pm Manasis School of Dance Modern Bracket
6:30pm O Periklis – Dance Group – Seniors
6:50pm Alphington School Choir
7:00pm Official Opening
8:00pm Akrites Tou Pontou presenting Eastern Anatolian Dream, commemorating the experiences of the Assyrian, Armenian and Pontic Greek people
8:30pm Feature Act: Eleonora Zouganeli

AA Holding Stage  (Lonsdale Street – corner of Swanston Street)

12:30pm Welcome to the Lonsdale St Greek Festival
12:35pm OPACIZE GREEK DANCE FITNESS
1:15pm Zilhouette Belly Dance
1:55pm K Studio Singing School presenting emerging singing talent
2:45pm Santa Taranta
3:45pm Cretan Brotherhood Dance Group Juniors
4:15pm Manasis School of Dance – Performing: Oakleigh Senior (B) Class, Preston Senior Class, Doncaster Senior Class
5:00pm SBS LIVE BROADCAST
6:10pm Pan Macedonian Dance Group Juniors
6:35pm Maria Diakonidis performing songs from her new EP plus covers
7:35pm Gael’s Edge – Greek Rock Band
8:25pm Rythmos party

#lovelonsdale Stage  (Lonsdale Street – corner of Exhibition Street)

12:30pm Welcome to the Lonsdale St Greek Festival
12:35pm Musique d’Or
1:15pm Harmony band
2:15pm Manasis School of Dance – Performances by Doncaster & Preston Beginner Classes, Doncaster & Preston Junior Classes, Doncaster & Preston Intermediate Classes
2:55pm Vaios Malliaras Tribute Performance
3:45pm The Silk Road Collective
4:35pm The Paschalia Latra Ensemble
5:35pm To be confirmed
6:25pm The Philhellenes
7:25pm Cats and the Canary
8:25pm Agapi & Friend
9:35pm Beautiful People DJ Dimitris Zarogiannis & DJ Panos Pantotis

Sunday 24 February 

DELPHI BANK STAGE

11:35am Welcome to the Lonsdale St Greek Festival
11:45am Cretan Brotherhood Pre Senior Dance Group
12:15pm Kalymnian Dance Group – presenting the “Mihaniko” sponge diver’s dance
12:45pm The Cyprus Folk Dance Group – Seniors
1:15pm Lexi School of Modern Greek Dance
1:45pm Cretan Brotherhood Dance Group Theatrical Performance
2:15pm Kaliroy and her band
3:05pm Manasis School of Dance – Evolution Bracket
3:35pm Cypriot Community Dance Group
4:05pm Pegasus Dance Academy Seniors
4:35pm Greek Community of Melb & Greeks Orthodox Community of SA Dance Groups presenting Karagounika Dances of Thessaly
5:00pm Lonsdale St Sing-A-Long: get ready to raise your voice and sing along to a Greek classic
5:25pm Totally Kicking Brass – an exciting Greek brass-band fusion, popular in the Balkans, known as “Halkina”.
6:25pm Greek Community of Melb & Greeks Orthodox Community of SA Dance Groups presenting Thracian Dances
6:55pm Pontiaki Estia Dance Group – Seniors
7:25pm Pancretan Association Dance Group – Seniors
7:55pm Cretan Glendi with Ilias Horeftakis accompanied by Stelios Ilikakis and Adamantios Kosidekakis
9:05pm Anagennisi Band

AA Holding Stage

11:45am Welcome to the Lonsdale St Greek Festival
11:55am OPACIZE GREEK DANCE FITNESS
12:35pm To be confirmed
1:30pm Greek Community of Melbourne Greek School Dance Groups
2:10pm MAGIC MIC Competition
3:00pm O Periklis Dance Group Juniors
3:30pm Cretan Brotherhood Dance Group Intermediates
4:00pm Stavros & Despina
5:00pm Lonsdale St Sing-A-Long: get ready to raise your voice and sing along to a Greek classic
5:30pm Anthea and the Rubbies – Nostalgia
6:40pm Cats and the Canary
7:50pm Agapi & Friends
9:00pm The haBBiBis

#lovelonsdale Stage

12:00pm Welcome to the Lonsdale
12:10pm K Studio Singing School presenting emerging singing talent
1:05pm Manasis School of Dance – Performance by: Oakleigh Beginner (B) Class, Oakleigh Beginner (A) Class, Oakleigh Junior (B) & (A) Classes, Oakleigh Intermediate Class
2:00pm The Pontian Community of Melbourne and Victoria Dance Group – Juniors & Teens
2:30pm Pegasus Dance Group – Juniors
3:00pm The Hellenic Community of Geelong Dance Group
3:30pm Pan Cretan Dance – Group Juniors & Inters
3:55pm Next Gen Greek Voices
5:00pm Lonsdale St Sing-A-Long: get ready to raise your voice and sing along to a Greek classic
5:25pm Manasis School of Dance – Performance by: Oakleigh Senior (C) Class, Oakleigh Senior (A) Class
6:00pm Manasis School of Dance – Traditional Bracket
6:25pm The Philhellenes
7:35pm Melbourne Epirotic Ensemble
8:45pm Club Sigma