This is the weekend when the Greeks of Melbourne and Sydney will be showcasing their music, arts and culture to the rest of Australia with two monster festivals: the 33rd Antipodes/Lonsdale Street Greek Festival in Melbourne, and the 38th Greek Festival of Sydney.
In Melbourne, the Antipodes’ festival will take over the Greek precinct of Lonsdale Street for today and tomorrow with over 90 stalls, three free entertainment stages with roving street performers, rides and activities for the children. There will be over 40 hours of free live entertainment on offer this weekend.
Neos Kosmos will be there again to cover the two-day event with live links, reportage, videos and photos which will be posted online on our website (www.neoskosmos.com.au) and Facebook pages. That way those who cannot be on Lonsdale Street will be able to follow some of the events.
Headlining on Saturday evening at the Delphi Bank main stage in Melbourne, and on Sunday in Sydney, will be Greek superstar Giota Negka. She is Greece’s best exponent of traditional popular (laiki) music. Returning to perform to his home crowd on Saturday night will be Sifis Tsourdalakis, the Cretan Australian who lives in Greece. Tsourdalakis will close proceedings the main stage on Saturday night.
There will be an array of food outlets – 30 of them – highlighting the best that Greek cuisine can offer and over 90 stalls that will feature jewellery, health and beauty and other products and they also will highlight the work of community groups and sporting clubs in Melbourne.
A number of bars on Lonsdale Street will also contribute to the festival cheer.
The focal point of the Greek Festival of Sydney this weekend will be Darling Harbour’s Tumbalong Park where tens of thousands of people are expected to take in live music acts, dance performances, market stalls with a Greek flavour. Some of the live acts on Saturday include George Doukas and Nathan Pylarinos, DJ Krazy Kon and at 7.30pm is Kazantzidis and Marinella: The Golden Age – A Tribute Concert. Giota Negka will perform at 7.30pm on Sunday evening.
♦ For more on the Antipodes Lonsdale Street Greek Festival see the Neos Kosmos print edition.
