How has the festival changed over the years? Historically the event tended to be a celebration by Greeks, for Greeks, whereas the festival now aims to share Greek culture with all Melburnians in a mass multicultural celebration.
What can we expect this year? For two days the heart of Melbourne will go Greek with an abundance of music, dance and food. At Midday on Saturday, the Zorba ‘Til You Drop competition will take place, and the dancing will continue all the way through to nightfall.
We all love Greek food, can you share what food the festival will bring this year? The street will be full of delicious Greek goodies, so you can get your fix of street food all weekend. QV Night Market favourite The Cypriot Kitchen will be dishing up haloumi chips while sweet tooths must try St. Gerry’s for Greek donuts pimped up with Nutella and salted caramel.
How does Greek Music foster a sense of community? Music is an essential part of Greek culture, bringing people together to celebrate a shared sense of identity. Many Greek-Australians are now third or fourth generation, and traditional Greek music and dance provide them with important ties to their cultural heritage.
What is a great Greek song we should all listen to? At the moment we’re gearing up for the festival by listening to The Stratakis Brothers ahead of their performance on Sunday evening. Check out their track Argiles for a taste of what you can expect.
