Tens of thousands of people gathered this year to enjoy Greek music, flavours, art and the overall feeling of community at Carss Bush Park in Sydney on Sunday for the Greek Summer Festival by St Basil’s NSW/ ACT.

The joy of Greek summer, made over 40,000 people have fun in cold temperatures while indulging themselves in traditional delicacies like souvlaki, gyro, hot cakes and loukoumades as well as stalls featuring 55 different products available from 10am to 7pm.

Officials, dignitaries, celebrities and members of the local Greek community were amongst the many that did not miss out the festival’s return after two years of restrictions.

Dignitaries at the opening ceremony. Photo: Greek Summer Festival /Facebook

NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure MP; NSW Minister for Small Business and Fair Trading, Eleni Petinos MP; Archbishop Makarios of Australia; Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Christos Karras as well as the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, Martha Mavrommatis were there. Member for Rockdale, Steve Kamper MP; Peter Poulos MLC; Courtney Houssos MLC; the Mayor of Georges River City Council, Nick Katris were in attendance, including longstanding benefactors of the festival and the Greek Community and of course esteemed members of the St Basil’s NSW/ ACT Board.

The Hellenic Lyceum Dancers performing at St Basil’s Greek Festival 2022. Photo: Greek Summer Festival /Facebook

The opening of the festival saw the officials sit in front of a huge Greek flag while Archbishop Makarios, Ms Mavrommatis, Mr Karras, Mr Coure, Ms Petinos and Georges River Council Mayor Katris addressed the crowd.

Following the speeches, the crowd enjoyed performances by teh Hellenic Lyceum Dancers, the Cypriot Community Dancing Group and Paroula Dancing Group, the Aristoteleion Dance Group Academy, the Sophia Dance Group, the Kalymnian Dance Group and the Sydney Sizmos Dance Group.

Deli stalls by the Greek Orthodox Church of Kogarah. Photo: Greek Summer Festival /Facebook

IHO Nyx took to the music decks selecting popular music for everyone attending and keeping the spirits high while famous Greek singer Stelios Dionysiou, sang some of his biggest hits.

Aside from Dionysiou’s much anticipated performance, another highlight of this year’s festival was the cinema-calibre outdoor screen set up to watch the live broadcast of George Kambosos Jr’s title match against Devin Haney. The Greek Australian champion may have lost the fight but thousands of people at the festival enjoyed the spectacle among friends and Greek flags.

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