BROOKLYN – The annual Greek Festival at Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Brooklyn runs from June 1-7 and is already drawing a great crowd.
Dean of the Cathedral, Fr. Evagoras Constantinides spoke with The National Herald and congratulated the dozens of volunteers, the sponsors and donors, the members of all the community organizations who work tirelessly for the organization of the festival and thanked the visitors for their presence.
“We are very happy to welcome visitors to Brooklyn’s largest annual festival and perhaps the largest Greek festival in America, at least in terms of duration. For the last 50 years, it has been held seven days a week, while previously it was shorter.”
“Many people of all nationalities are always eager for it to begin,” he noted. “Their response has been enormous and this honors and makes us particularly happy. It is a beautiful opportunity to see each other, to celebrate together.”
Left to right: Head chanter and volunteer griller John Strzelecki, Dean of Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Brooklyn Fr. Evagoras Constantinides, Philoptochos Society President Michelle Tampakis, and Parish Council President Stavros Plangetis. Photo: TNH/Michael Kakias
“Have a great summer and we hope to see everyone here again next year,” he added.
Parish Council President Stavros Plangetis invited everyone to attend and enjoy delicious traditional foods, and congratulated the volunteers for the excellent cooperation they had for weeks to make everything perfect, with the proceeds, as he noted, being allocated to the church’s operating expenses and all its programs.
“We are a parish with many young people who love the church and help willingly whenever they are asked,” Plangetis said. “Our Cathedral is over a century old and we are optimistic that the future will be even brighter.”
The festival organizers, Christos Argyriou, Gregory Poulon and Maria Tampakis, reported that everyone participated in the preparations with great enthusiasm and joy.
“Graduates of the A. Fantis School, current students, teachers, school board of trustees, parents’ association, everyone contributes as best they can. All the food we offer is made from fresh ingredients and cooked to order.”
Philoptochos Society President Michelle Tampakis emphasized that 30 members made the pastries, baklava, galaktoboureko, kourambiedes, melomakarona, koulourakia, karidopita, ravani, diples, pastitsio, moussaka, and many more foods, helping with cooking, serving, and whatever else is needed.
“These are family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, they are part of our heritage, our hospitality and the spirit of giving that characterizes the Philoptochos,” she said.
A. Fantis School Assistant Principal Panagiota Lilikaki said that students, teachers, the board, and parents help with the festival, while during school they order food, thus helping as much as possible.
