Editor’s note: The above video July 14, 2026, during Good Day on WTOL 11.
Get ready to celebrate Greek culture and its close ties with Toledo’s history. The 54th annual Greek-American Festival starts Sept. 11.
The festival has something for everyone, including for the kids, and features food and shopping and an authentic Greek experience.
Here is a quick look at everything you can expect at “Toledo’s Greek Fest“:
THE FESTIVAL
The 54th annual Greek-American Festival will be held on the grounds of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral and Community Center at 740 N. Superior St. in north Toledo, at the corner of Summit and Cherry streets.
Entrances for the festival are at Walnut and Superior streets, and at Summit and Walnut streets.
HOURS:
• Friday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Saturday: 1-10 p.m.
• Sunday: Noon-6 p.m.
ADMISSION
Adult admission is free from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Friday. Adult admission is $5 per day for the rest of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a guardian. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult 18 or older.
PARKING
Parking is available throughout the neighborhood and in the Vistula Garage at Superior and Orange streets.
FOOD AND DRINKS
The festival’s food tent will feature three dinner platters with souvlaki, chicken or lamb shank with a variety of sides available with the platters or as add-ons.
There will also be a fast food tent with new items including OPA fries with gyro meat, and hummus and spicy feta dip. The tent will also have the usual offerings of beef, lamb and chicken gyros, gyro salad, gyro and Greek pizzas, and Greek fries and hot dogs. Saganaki (flaming Greek cheese) is also an option.
COOKING
It wouldn’t be a true celebration of Greek culture without cooking demonstrations. Local cooks and chefs will host the daily demonstrations featuring a variety of Greek food.
George and Barb Sarantou will present Keftethes (Greek meatballs) Friday at 7 p.m. Phyllis Manton will prepare a “surprise Greek dish” on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Pete and Liz Theodorou will prepare Hilopites, a chicken dish, at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Finally, on Sunday, George Kamilaris of Georgio’s Café International will prepare Spanakorizo, a spinach and rice dish, at 2:30 p.m.
COFFEE AND DESSERT
Visit the community center to enjoy coffee and pastries. The Kafenion will have American and Greek coffee, which can be paired with one (or multiple) of the thousands of pastries. Options include baklava, galaktobouriko, kourambiethes, koulourakia, finikia, karithopita, paximathia and macaroons.
Loukoumathes and baklava ice cream will be available on the festival grounds.
BEVERAGES
Domestic and imported wines, craft beer and more. If you’re looking for a refreshment, the Taverna opens at 11 a.m. Friday. Grab a drink (maybe an Ouzo slushie?) and enjoy football games on two of the flat-screen televisions. New this year, the festival will offer the imported Greek beer Mythology.
FUN
The festival offers kid-friendly activities in addition to the famous Hellenic Dance Company. Performances feature imported Greek costumes and dancers of all ages: the Ellinopedia (ages 3 to 6), Asteria (ages 7 to 9), Olympians (ages 10 to 13) and the Hellenic Dancers (teens and adults.) Performances will take place Friday at 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
The STIGMA band from Cleveland will perform Greek and American music all three days of the festival.
New this year, Imagination Station will have a kids’ tent and will be doing demonstrations from noon-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. A children’s play area will be open all weekend.
FAITH
Father Jon McClish will do a blessing of the cathedral and festival grounds at 3:15 p.m. Friday. Tours of the historic Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral will also take place throughout the weekend. The Byzantine cathedral is over a century old, having served as a staple in Toledo’s Greek Orthodox community since its completion in 1920.
Live guided cathedral tours:
• Friday: 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Saturday: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Sunday: 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Self-guided tours will also be allowed.
On Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in the cathedral, ministry coordinator Zachary Heller will give a lecture on “Ancient Movement” and discuss the symbolic movements of the priest during the Divine Liturgy.
Inside the community center, booths will feature religious and cultural books and icons representing the Greek Orthodox faith.
SHOPPING
The outdoor “Buy Greek Art” boutique features costume jewelry, t-shirts, assorted custom Greek souvenirs, pottery and paintings. The award-winning “Olives, Feta, Phyllo & More” cookbook, containing recipes from parishioners, will be available for sale.
For more information on the festival, visit the Toledo Greek-American Festival website at www.toledogreekfest.com.
