A huge Greek festival is taking over a coastal town just 90 minutes from Melbourne, with over 100 stalls, ouzo and more

aerial view of the pier and nearby park at Portarlington — Image: Visit Geelong & The Bellarine

An exciting Greek festival is coming back to the Bellarine Peninsula. Whisk yourself away, by car or by ferry, to Portarlington and dive into the celebrations, with over 100 stalls, live music, belly dancing and more! Back for its second year, the Portarlington Greek Festival will take place on Sunday, November 1, conveniently over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. It’s all happening from 10am to 5pm.

Portarlington Greek Festival

Back by popular demand, up to 20,000 people are expected to flock to the coastline to take part in this celebration of Greek and Australian culture. This time around, the festival will take over W.G. Little Reserve, across from the Portarlington Grand Hotel, and inside the Senior Citizens Club and Parks Hall.

Sip on ouzo, wine or beer, and browse through over 100 stalls. Some stallholders will have a Greek theme to go with their products, and you can also expect over 30 food trucks, cooking up some mouth-watering Greek food. See belly dancing, dance to live music and find plenty of fun for the kids with a range of family-friendly activities, including emergency services education vehicles.

Entry to the festival is by donation.

Greek meat with chips and salad on the left, and souvlaki on the right — Source: Supplied

What else can you do?

Portarlington was recently named as the best small town for tourism in Victoria, so you’ll have lots to see and do while you’re in the area. Stick around for the day, or treat yourself to a weekend getaway. When you’re not at the festival, enjoy sights of the bay, and find out why it’s the ‘mussel capital of Australia’ by going on a mussel boat tour. Or, stay on dry land and ride on the Portarlington Bayside Miniature Railway. Venture out a little further to try some nearby wineries, and explore other towns nearby, such as Point Lonsdale.

Getting there

Port Phillip Ferries vessel on the pier in Portarlington — Image: Visit Geelong & The Bellarine

Portarlington is roughly a 90 minute drive away from Melbourne. But, if you feel like something a little different, you could also hop on a boat with Port Phillip Ferries. The ride takes 1 hour and 10 minutes, and you can grab a service during the morning, and make the return journey in the evening. Bikes are welcome, just book in a rack to reserve a spot. The festival itself is just a short walk away from the pier.