Neil and I have fond memories of Norfolk's annual Greek Fest. It happens to occur every year at the same time as the SOL testing in schools. When we were in high school, they didn't do a great job of checking to see who went back to class after a test, so essentially everyone left school and walked across the street to the festival. It remains with a Granby High school reunion-like atmosphere. For me, even before I was in high school, my family would attend Greek Fest after picking me up from Sunday School which was at the synagogue across the street. These Greek Fest roots are deep.
The festival takes place in the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Granby Street. The lines are usually long but they move pretty quickly, and if that isn't your thing, they do offer a drive through option. You can check out the menu
here. If you want Loukoumades, they are at a separate booth outside. Don't skip them. We got ours to snack on while we stood in the line.
Throughout the night there are Greek dancers, entertainment, and live music. There are lots of people dancing in traditional Greek wear. They were dancing while we were in line, but we didn't snap a good picture. There is live music all day and space for kids to dance. Ten percent of all sales are given back into the community through different charities including For Kids, the Salvation Army, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, the Union Mission, Habitat for Humanity, and more.
If you check it out, be sure to peek into the cathedral and chapel, which are open for viewing. Also check inside the social hall for the bazar. I may or may not have bought several bottles of olive oil before Neil looked at me like I was insane.
The nice thing about Greek fest is that it is all under a tent, so you can go rain or shine. There is parking on the street, behind the church, and at Norfolk Collegiate. It's loud, so if kids fuss, people can't hear it. (But if your kid doesn't like loud, check out the tables closest to the church.) It's a Norfolk staple and we will be back next year for more!
