A long-running celebration of Greek food, music and cultural traditions is returning to Fayetteville next month.
The 36th annual Fayetteville Greek Festival is Sept. 12 and 13 at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Haymount. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, according to an Aug. 17 news release.
A new addition to this year’s festivities is a partnership with the Cumberland County Animal Shelter aimed at promoting pet adoption, according to the release. The shelter will accept donations of needed pet supplies and educate attendees about its various programs.
While the shelter initiative is a new element, attendees can still experience many of the traditions they’ve come to expect over the years.
Festivalgoers can expect to try Greek favorites such as gyros, the kebab-style street food souvlaki, the sweet pastry baklava and Greek coffee. There will also be church tours meant to teach people about the Greek Orthodox faith, live music and shopping from local Greek vendors.
Lia Hasapis, a co-chair of the festival, told The Fayetteville Observer on Aug. 21 that 12 vendors outside the church will offer homemade crafts and artwork. Inside, vendors and activities include an olive oil maker, an oil painter known for his scenes of Greece, a Greek grocery store and a cooking class.
Hasapis said she co-chairs the festival alongside Spyro Anagnostopoulos, a co-manager of Captain Jerry’s Seafood Family Restaurant in Fayetteville.
The festival’s longevity is a mark of how welcoming Fayetteville’s prominent Greek community is, Hasapis said, recalling her time dancing in the festival as a child and running a Greek fish market with her family that had locations in Spring Lake and on Fort Bragg. Many restaurants in the city are Greek-owned, and the festival is the one time of year they can all come together to enjoy each other’s company and food, she said.
“Fayetteville is a melting pot, so everybody comes together,” Hasapis said. “Whether you’re Greek or not, everybody looks forward to the Greek festival all year.”
The details
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When: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13
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Where: Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 614 Oakridge Ave., Fayetteville
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Cost: Free entry and parking, food and other goods available for purchase
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What to expect: Authentic Greek food and pastries, church tours, live music, raffles, folk dancing and shopping from local vendors
Alex Goldstein is the dining, retail and culture reporter at The Fayetteville Observer. Reach him at agoldstein@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville Greek Festival brings back a beloved tradition
