Get Your Greek on: The Portland Greek Festival is Back After a 3-Year Covid Hiatus

It's time for good food, music, dancing, and all things Greek!

Starting Thursday 6/22 thru Saturday 6/24/23, it's time to eat, dance and be Mary...or Pete, or Nick, or Athena with Portland's Greek Festival.

First things first. You have to play the music and then continue to read. Trust me, it's mood-setting.

Now that the mood has been set, here's some advice from one Greek (okay, half-Greek). Get there early for dinner. Lines can wrap around the block. It's on the corner of Pleasant and Park Street in Portland and if you aren't there before 5 pm for dinner, expect to wait. And expect that wait to be completely worth it. This is the 39th Annual Greek Festival with the Holy Trinity Church. They are back in person for the first time in three years because of Covid. That tent is a welcome sight!

I have only missed one Greek Festival in Portland (pre-Covid) in over 30 years! Have the Gyros (pronounced year' rose)! The traditional spiced lamb meat in a pita with tzatziki, onion, and tomato. One of my favorites.

The lamb souvlaki (shishkabob) is also wonderful (pictured below). Lamb is to Greeks what pizza is to Americans. Whatever you do, bring an appetite and soak up the Greekness!

If that's a little too Greek for you, I always suggest to my not-as-adventurous friends the chicken. It's still Greek, but a lot more American-ish.

And whatever you do - DO NOT FORGET THE DESSERTS! They will change your life. The most popular Greek dessert is probably baklava. You've probably had this at least once in your life.

But if you like fried dough, I've got a word that will make you forget about fried dough and make you an instant Greek fan! It's Loukoumades. Easier to say than it looks. Luke-oh-mahd-aze.

Think individual balls of fried dough, then dipped in a honey syrup sauce and slathered with chopped walnuts. Served warm, you'll stand in any line they got for these round balls of heaven.

Carve some time out for the return of Portland's Greek Festival!

Welcome back Greek Festival! You were missed!