Taste Gyros, Baklava, and Ouzo at The Phoenix Greek Festival

Over the last six decades, the Phoenix Greek Festival has grown into one of the Valley’s longest-running and most popular cultural festivals. With home-cooked favorites like gyros and baklava, people can get a taste of Greece without leaving metro Phoenix.

Parishioners of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church started the festival in 1960. At that time it was called a bazaar and it was a way for the parishioners to share their culture with the people of Phoenix while raising money for the then-small church. They cooked Greek cuisine and pastries from scratch, made homemade costumes for youth Greek dancers, and opened the church doors to the public.

This fall, the festival is back and ready to carry on its longstanding tradition.

“As Greeks, we are naturally hospitable and love to share our food and culture with people, so we want to make sure our food is amazing, the atmosphere is fun and welcoming, and that everyone who attends has a wonderful time and an awesome experience,” says Sandy Meris, the Phoenix Greek Festival's marketing coordinator. 

Attendees are invited to stroll through the festival while listening to live Greek music and eating traditional Greek food. At the festival, everything is handmade, including the delicious pastries made by the Yia-Yias or Greek grandmothers, like the most popular Loukoumades, bite-sized fluffy Greek doughnuts served soaked in hot honey syrup.

“Our parishioners make our food with our authentic recipes,” Meris says.

One of the areas they have expanded and improved on this year, Meris says, is the Cathedral tours. The doors of the Holy Trinity Cathedral will be open for self-guided tours. Strategically placed signage will provide explanations on Sunday services, baptisms, and weddings. 

Another attraction that audiences will be able to see is a display of vintage photographs of Greek families from the early 1900s from the Hellenic Museum of Phoenix. 

A bar will offer flights of Ouzo, Greek anise-flavored liquor, Metaxa, Greek brandy, and imported Greek beers and wines.

The award-winning Cathedral folk dance groups will perform multiple times each day, and are made up of children from kindergarten to college. Seven different high-energy groups will perform wearing traditional costumes imported from Greece.

There will also be dozens of booths selling everything from jewelry, clothing, and artwork, to foods at the Agora Market. It will sell feta cheese, Kalamata olives, phyllo dough, fresh oregano, and other imported grocery items so people can try their hand at Greek cooking at home.

“If you have never come to the Phoenix Greek Festival you are missing out. We have people who call our church six months in advance to make sure the festival dates are on their calendars," Meris says. "It’s a wonderful weekend experience to stroll through the festival, eat some amazing food, enjoy the live music, and dance performances, peruse the vendor booths, and get in some Greek culture and cuisine."

Make sure to get there early because parking gets full, or plan to take the free shuttle bus. Busses will run every 15 minutes from the Charles Schwab office at 2423 East Lincoln Drive. Three buses will start running 30 minutes before the festival opens. Tickets for the festival cost $5 and can be purchased a the entrance. Children under 12 get in for free. 

Phoenix Greek Festival

5 - 10 p.m. Friday, October 7
11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday, October 8
11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday, October 9
1973 East Maryland Avenue
602-943-5080
phoenixgreekfestival.org