Wilmington has a lot of festivals, but one of the Port City’s most popular and longest-running will soon return for its 34th year.
The Wilmington Greek Festival, which is set for May 15-17 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on South College Road, has its roots in Wilmington’s Greek immigrant community. Some Greek families in Wilmington go back more than 100 years to the early 20th century.
Many Greek families started restaurants and other businesses here, and Wilmington’s longtime mayor, Bill Saffo, is a product of that Greek community as well.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 Wilmington Greek Festival.
Greek history: Wilmington’s Greek Fest has roots to immigrants who helped shape the city
Grilled and roasted lamb is sliced for gyros at the Wilmington Greek Festival on May 16, 2025, at the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. The festival continues May 17 and 18.
About the festival
Held at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at 608 S. College Road in Wilmington, the festival’s main attraction is, and has always been, its wide variety of homemade Greek food.
From leg of lamb and Greek-style chicken to Greek green beans and moussaka — and much, much more — there will also be a “gyro tent” with lamb and beef gyros, chicken gyros, veggie gyros and more.
Greek wine and beer will be for sale as well, along with soft drinks, coffee, water and other beverages. As in the past, a Greek Festival “drive-through” will available for those who want to pick up food to go.
The main food attraction might be the desserts: from Greek specialties like baklava and loukoumades (Greek doughnuts) to ice cream, frappes and more.
In addition to the food there’s entertainment with Greek dancers and live Greek music. Plus, the festival offers tours of the historic and beautiful St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox sanctuary.
Festival-goers are asked to leave pets at home. For more details, see the festival website at StNicholasWilmington.org.
Greek dancers entertain the crowd during the Wilmington Greek Festival at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Saturday, May 20, 2023.
Times and tickets
The Wilmington Greek Festival runs 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, May 15, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, May 16, and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, May 17.
Admission is $5 per person, good for all three days of the festival. Admission is free for ages 12 and under. Advance tickets are not available.
Parking
Free off-site festival parking is available via shuttle from the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s auxiliary parking lot behind Taco Bell at 630 S. College Road.
Limited on-site handicap parking is available. Use the drive-thru line to access handicap parking in the lot behind the church.
Off-site parking is also available at Evangelical Lutheran Church, 612 S. College Road, next to St. Nicholas. If you choose to park there, a donation to St. Matthew’s is requested.
John Staton is the arts and culture reporter at the StarNews. You can reach him at john.staton@starnewsonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington, NC, Greek Festival, 2026, times, tickets, parking info
