Fest celebrates flavour of Greece
If you had looked up at the Saanich sky while savouring the intoxicating aroma of lamb being roasted on a spit late Friday morning, you might have felt as if you were just an olive’s throw from the Aegean Sea.
The blue skies, brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures that greeted visitors to Greek Fest 2017 on Elk Lake Drive have boosted attendance this year, said event chair Jim Koutougos.
“I don’t think we’ve had a weekend where every single day it’s been like Greece in Victoria,” said Koutogos as he geared up for the local Greek community festival’s second and final weekend that ends Monday.
Koutougos, marking the 12th time he has volunteered during its 16-year history, said that aside from expanding its entertainment repertoire and museum, the Greek Heritage Project, there have been few changes.
“Why change a good thing, right?” he said, adding most feedback is in the form of compliments about the food. “We also love to hear how much people just enjoy being here for the atmosphere and the sense of community that we create.”
Sandra Abatis, one of the army of volunteers festival organizers rely upon year after year, said there’s a good reason she came back to assist visitors and sell raffle tickets for a Greek vacation.
“I’m married to a Greek, so I have no choice,” joked Abatis, wearing a red, wide-brimmed hat to shield herself from the sun and a white T-shirt that reads: “I’m not yelling. I’m Greek.”
She said it wasn’t until she visited Greece that she learned that the locals are not arguing but “are actually just having a discussion” when they appear to be yelling at each other.
“They’re very animated. I asked my husband: ‘So what do they do when they really get angry?’”
Alex Anderson, a security officer who has worked this event for four years, said his team has always felt the strong sense of hospitality that such community festivals are known for.
“After working plenty of festivals, I’ve noticed that this one is by far the most relaxed,” he said. “It’s a definite plus.”
Athens-based choreographer Konstantina Efentaki and her traditional Greek dance group Elkelam love travelling overseas for the Saanich-based festival, she said.
“We love to be able to present our culture to others, not just people from Greece who live here, but we also get lots of comments from people who are not Greek,” she said.
With a laugh, Efentaki and her troupe also claimed responsibility for the glorious weather. “We bring the sun,” she said. “And the temperature!” added one of her dancers with a smile.
While five-year volunteer Danny Kaye loves the Greek music and dance that visitors can enjoy while dining on Greek salad, spanakopita, pork souvlaki, roasted lamb and sweet treats such as baklava and kourambiedes (almond shortbread cookies), he said he has come to appreciate the addition of multicultural performers over the years.
“It gives everybody a different perspective from the different countries and cultures,” said Kaye, who served for 23 years in the British army and lived between Leeds and York.
“They’ve had Polynesians, Spanish flamenco dancers, belly dancers, Scottish and Irish dancers. There’s loads of them now.”
He said he was looking forward to today’s scheduled 6:25 p.m. appearance by the Sampaguita dance troupe, with Filipino dancers stepping over and in between bamboo poles during a traditional folk dance.
“They dance on bamboo sticks they bang together,” he said. “You think to yourself, you wouldn’t want to get your ankle stuck in one of them because you’d have a right clatter and could break your ankle.”
The affable middle-aged volunteer said it’s entertainment like this that has accounted in part for the festival’s growing popularity.
“It’s just a really good event for people to be able to let their hair down.”