The Long Beach Greek Festival, a longstanding celebration of the country’s culture, cuisine, and music, will return for its 76th iteration from Saturday, Aug. 30 to Monday, Sept. 1.
The beloved local event will get underway at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 5761 E. Colorado Street, with the festival grounds opening at noon each day. It’ll cost $5 to get in.
A huge draw of the festival is, of course, the food — with dozens of traditional Greek cuisine offerings available for festival goers. Aside from the classic Greek dishes including gyros, chicken or pork souvlaki, pastitsio, and lamb dinner plates, festivalgoers can also delight in the country’s more veggie-forward options including spanakopita, dolmathes, feta and olives, and more.
After dinner, don’t forget to try the many delicious Greek desserts options.
Whether its the much-loved baklava (thin layers of filo dough with chopped nuts, butter, and honey syrup), traditional Greek twisted butter cookies called Koulourakia, or Loukoumades — dangerously addictive Greek donuts topped with honey, nuts, and cinnamon — your sweet tooth will certainly be satisfied at the Greek Festival.
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Visitors attend the first day of the 75th annual Greek Festival on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
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Visitors attend the first day of the 75th annual Greek Festival on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
But aside from the cuisine, the Greek festival will also offer plenty of entertainment. Peter Loukatos will serve as festival DJ all weekend, with performances by The Olympians, Angelina Alexon, and of course, a dance floor open to everyone in attendance. If dancing isn’t your thing, don’t fret — there will be Greek dancing lessons each day of the festival at 3 p.m.
The festival will also features tours of the church each day, cultural presentations, dance performances, various vendors selling authentic Greek products, jewelry, and other souvenirs.
So whether you’re a foodie, a lover of dance, or just interested in learning more about Greek culture — the Long Beach Greek Festival has something to offer everyone.
For more information about the event, visit lbgreekfest.org.
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