Ladies and gentlemen, the Antipodes Festival Glendi we witnessed last weekend was a little bit of Greek magic in this fair city of ours-and I wanted to thank you for it.

Surveying the Greek Precinct from Saturday midday until Sunday midnight and seeing little kids enjoying the festivities as much as the grandparents that brought them along is something that will always make me smile.

I loved the images that the community stalls presented; I loved the foods that the stallholders gave me to taste.

I loved seeing people mesmerized by Glykeria.

I loved watching volunteers do their (very significant) bit and I loved sharing a celebratory drink with a couple of fellow board members afterwards.

And all this because of you.

Last weekend proved what we can achieve when we’re all of one mind: it was as though everybody that came to the Glendi had sworn an oath to make it as happy an event as possible!

The planning for next year’s Glendi has already started and I am  absolutely convinced that we can make it the event that we deserve.

An explosion of Hellenism that envelopes Melbourne for one magical weekend!

Thanks again to all of you for being a part of something special,

Leonidas D Vlahakis
Chairperson, Antipodes Festival