Greek Fest returns to Victoria for first full event since pandemic
Opa! The annual Greek Fest is returning to Victoria for its first full event since 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Admission to the festival is free, and there will be live dancing, music, cultural tours, and of course food.
The festival is located at the Greek Community Centre at 4648 Elk Lake Dr., beside Commonwealth Place, and will run over two weekends – from Aug. 26 to Aug. 28, and from Sept. 2 to Sept. 5.
One of the returning highlights for Greek Fest is its food, which can be ordered on the grounds or online for pickup.
"Just like previous years, Greek Fest is proud to feature authentically roasted lamb, prepared according to Greek tradition… as well as souvlaki, spanakopita, baklava, loukoumades and much more," said the festival in a release last week.
The Greek Community Centre in Victoria is shown. (CTV News)
Historians will also be hosting tours of the Greek Heritage Museum, which delve into some of the impacts that Greek people have had on Vancouver Island.
Exhibits include the stories of Ioannis Focas, who organizers say was the first Greek person to arrive in B.C. in 1592, and a Greek sailor named Kapiotis who came to Fort Victoria in the 19th Century and married a member of the Songhees First Nation.
The museum also covers more recent accounts of what the Greek immigrant experience was like in B.C.
Organizers say Greek Fest is taking place rain or shine, with tents being set up in case of wet weather.
More than 18,000 people came to last year's Greek Fest, organizers say, and the group hopes to beat that total this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Security guard shot, critically injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.