Thousands Attend 50th Anniversary Of Ottawa GreekFest

OTTAWA – Last weekend, the Hellenic Community of Ottawa opened the 50th annual Ottawa GreekFest celebration at the Hellenic Event Centre.

The Ottawa Greek Festival commemorates the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, the namesake of their church, which is celebrated on August 15th. What began in 1975 as a local, one-day event has grown into a multi-week celebration of Greek music, food, and culture that draws more than 50,000 from around the world. The event continues this weekend, with art vendors, live dance and music demonstrations, and a performance by internationally-renowned comedian Angelo Tsarouchas.

“This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our volunteers, the unwavering support of the people of Ottawa, and the generosity of our sponsors,” said Alexandros Reklitis, 1st Vice President of the Hellenic Community of Ottawa and co-chair of the 50th annual Ottawa GreekFest. “We are humbled and grateful to see how far our festival has come, and we look forward to continuing this tradition for generations to come.”

Press here for video : https://youtu.be/IETdWhX78H0

Among the attendees at this year’s festival was the Honourable Jim Karygiannis, former Member of Parliament and current principal of GTA Strategies, a business and government relations firm that assisted in securing over $80,000 in government funds for the event. “Cultural events like this one are vital to maintaining our shared history, by showing people from all walks of life that there are common elements – food, music, family – that all cultures depend on,” commented Karygiannis. “Seeing tens of thousands of people of every background taking part in this festival makes me proud of our diversity.”