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Greek Festival attracts crowds with food and entertainment

“It's not uncommon to have line-ups from the door halfway through the parking lot,” said Steve Lolas, vice-president of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Community.
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Jenny Moutsatsos, Diana Millett, and her daughter Kallista Millett, 6, helped promote Greek culture at a gift shop at Sudbury's 22nd annual Greek Festival Saturday. The shop included a wide variety of items imported from Greece. Photo by Jonathan Migneault.
“It's not uncommon to have line-ups from the door halfway through the parking lot,” said Steve Lolas, vice-president of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Community.

Much like Sudbury's Greek community – which started in the late 1800s, but only began to really grow in the 1950s – the festival had small beginnings.

The Greek food and dances have attracted larger crowds each year, and Lolas said he expected between 3,000 to 4,000 people to visit the festival site by Sunday evening.

The Sudbury Greek Festival is Ontario's largest north of Toronto.
Lolas said about 50 Greek families still call Sudbury home.

For him, the festival is a chance to remember the great contributions Greece has made to the world – from the Socratic method to the invention of democracy.

It's also an opportunity for Sudburians to soak in the rich Greek culture that continues to exist in Northern Ontario.

There were five dance performances on the schedule for Saturday – including a children's dance, and a performance by the Sudbury Hellenic Dancers.

In addition to an abundance of traditional Greek meals, visitors could purchase a variety of souvenirs – imported from Greece – at a special gift shop that was set up just for the festival.

The items for sale included jewellery, Greek flags and cooking books with traditional Greek recipes.

Proceeds from the festival will go to support the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church – to pay the priest and regular bills.

“We're very appreciative of all the people that come out and support us,” Lolas said.

The Greek Festival continues Sunday.

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Jonathan Migneault

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