On Saturday night, Victoria Arvanitakis set the tone for the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia’s (GOCSA) launch of the 17th Odyssey Greek Festival with her 2024 Odyssey Art Prize entry, ‘I’ll Meet You at Mum’s’ .
In her quilted Cyanotype five places are set at ‘Yiayia’s table for Greek coffee, food and unconditional love’. Like Yiayia’s table, this year’s Festival presents a jam-packed program of culture, food, storytelling, music and more – for all ages and interests with free and ticketed events.
The festival is one of South Australia’s biggest annual events hosted by GOCSA and supported by the Bank of Sydney and runs until November 2, closing with the inaugural Grattan Street Paniyiri with music, food and market stalls.
Speaking to the 150-strong audience on Saturday at the festival’s launch in Olympic Hall, Adelaide, federal Labor politician, Steve Georganas said, “Our parents and grandparents came here as migrants with limited language skills and achieved what we are enjoying today, ensuring that Greek culture, language and religion continue”.
He added that “united with one voice, this legacy can continue for our great great grandchildren … 100 years from now”.
GOCSA President Peter Gardiakos said, “Our Odyssey Festival uses the power of food, music, song and the arts to unite people and to promote understanding, respect and acceptance within the wider community.”
Mira El Dannawi, representing the premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas and the minister for multicultural affairs, Zoe Bettison, said, “The Odyssey Greek Festival is one of the highlights of our state’s multicultural calendar.”
Representing the Leader of the opposition, Vincent Tarzia, Jing Lee MLC, said, “It’s not how you look or what you wear. It’s what you like to eat that makes your nationality” – making it fit that the Festival is celebrating food with events including learning to cook ‘Loukoumades and Diples with yiayiades’ on 15 and 16 October.
Special guests at the launch also included the newly appointed consul general of Greece in Adelaide, Dr Alexandra Theodoropoulou; SA chief justice Chris Kourakis; Connie Bonaros MLC; Cr Mary Couros, representing the lord mayor of Adelaide; Dr Mehmet Aslan, from the South Australian Multicultural Commission; Lenard Sciancalepore, and many others.
No doubt the Odyssey Greek Festival has something for everyone across the generations who are all invited to experience a true taste of Greece in South Australia.
Some other program highlights:
– Wednesday, 9 to October 13 Greek Schools’ Cooking Class and Games and the Virginia Greek Spring Festival on Sunday, live band, food, dance, and kids’ activities from 11 am- all proceeds going to GOCSA’s Greek language schools.
– “Ikarians in South Australia, 1900-1945” a talk by Dr Yianni Cartledge on Monday, October 14
– The 29th Greek Film Festival, which opens on October 22 at Palace Nova, Prospect and an intimate screening of director and producer Kay Pavlou’s documentary ‘Two Homelands’, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, on Wednesday, October 30.
For more information go to gocsa.org.au/odyssey-program
