By Lauren Schiavone
Hometown Weekly Staff
Saturday, September 24, marked the return of the annual Greek Festival to St. Mark’s Orthodox Church in Westwood. A highlight of the autumn for many in the community, the festival provided a perfect venue for visitors to enjoy music, performances, church tours, food, and much more.
Everything from gyros to baklava ice cream were available as attendees grabbed their favorite snacks or tried new specialties before heading home for the evening. Meanwhile, a kids area was set up with a bounce house and volunteers helping out with small crafts, such as a bird house and layered jars of sand that served as a souvenir from the weekend.
“It’s an effort we began as a fundraiser for the church,” St. Mark’s Parish President Nick Apazidis remarked of the yearly event. “We’ve got a lot of support from the community every year. There’s a lot of Greeks coming, and friends and family from far away. People are looking forward to it every year. They love the food. They keep asking for live music. It’s well received and great to do every year. We have a lot of reciprocation.”
Church ceremonies went on throughout the day, while outside, food and music had crowds bustling.
The biggest draw, of course, was the cultural immersion in all forms. The food was not to be missed at the festival, but performances were equally as popular.
President of Boston Lykeion Ellinidon Dance Troupe Irene Savas has over thirty seven years of involvement in Greek cultural performance, and was in attendance to lend a special level of authenticity to the day. “We perform from all different areas and islands of Greece,” Savas mentioned as the dancers prepared to take the stage. “Every village has a variation of dance. Our cultural organization in Greece has over fifty branches. There’s only two in the US. We have to be careful about doing things authentically.
The performances with colorful clothes in varying styles added beautifully to the immersive experience.
“Everyone knows and feels that dance is a universal language,” Savas continued. “Performances of the dance group constitute a living museum.”
“It’s all a matter of preserving our heritage for future generations.”
