Parramatta turned blue and white on Sunday, September 13, as Greek music, traditional dancing and the aroma of souvlakia and loukoumades filled the grounds of St Ioannis Greek Orthodox Church for the 12th Let’s Go Greek Festival.

From late morning until the fireworks finale, the George Street grounds became a lively meeting place for families, friends and visitors from across Western Sydney.

Some made a beeline for the food stalls, others gathered around the dance floor, while children moved between carnival rides, face painting and activities as music carried across the festival site.

The day brought together the elements that have made the festival a fixture on Western Sydney’s cultural calendar: Greek Orthodox faith, language, dance, food and hospitality, shared openly with the wider Australian community.

Official proceedings began with a prayer by His Grace Bishop Christophoros of Kerasounta, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, representing His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.

Students from St Ioannis Greek School of Parramatta and the St Ioannis Choir sang the Greek and Australian national anthems, before young dancers from the Parramatta and Sylvania classes took to the floor.

Welcoming festival-goers on behalf of Archbishop Makarios, His Grace said the gathering reflected a desire to share the faith and traditions passed down through generations.

“We do not preserve our heritage by keeping it closed within ourselves; we preserve it by living it and sharing it with others,” he said.

“Our parents and grandparents came to Australia, carrying with them their faith, traditions, memories, and hopes. Through their hard work and sacrifice, they established families, churches, schools, and communities. They did not simply preserve their heritage here. They helped build the Australia we know today.”

His Grace also looked beyond the day’s celebrations to the parish’s continuing plans for a permanent church, reminding those gathered that its spiritual home was still being established.

“God willing, the next gathering will be when we lay the foundation stone of our new church…” he said, referring to the planned new St Ioannis church building in Parramatta.

Consul General of Greece in Sydney Georgios Skemperis delivered his address in Greek, congratulating the Archdiocese, parish and organisers on the festival. He also encouraged eligible Greek citizens in Australia to register online so they could vote in Greece’s upcoming elections.

Nikolaos Varellas, Deputy Head of Mission at the High Commission of Cyprus, described the festival as a gathering that brought Greeks, Cypriots and people from other communities together through language, music and dance. He also urged younger generations to remain proud of their Greek identity.

NSW Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis thanked the parish, committee, volunteers, sponsors and donors, and acknowledged the generations of families helping children learn the Greek language and traditional dances.

NSW Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the festival had continued to grow during the years he had attended.

“I really think this is going from strength to strength. It’s much bigger than previous years,” he said.

Parish and community president Kos Dimitriou traced the festival’s story to 2014, when the parish relocated to the George Street grounds and set out to share its heritage, community and Greek Orthodox Christian faith with those around it.

“Twelve years on, what started as a celebration has become something far greater than any of us imagined. A long journey that is bigger than any one of us, and a privilege to be part of,” he said.

This year’s festival placed particular emphasis on the Greek language, including a video from the parish’s Greek language school and performances by younger members of the community.

“Language is not just words. Language is memory. Language is prayer. Language is a thread that connects us to our parents, to their parents,” Dimitriou said.

The formal opening also recognised the work of organiser John Bris, the organising committee, volunteers, sponsors and supporters whose work brought the day together.

Premier of NSW Chris Minns, NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper, State Member for Parramatta Donna Davis, and City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter addressed festival-goers later in the day.

Premier Minns received a round of applause from the audience when he recognised the contribution of Greek Australians to the state.

“For decades now, Greek Australians have come to our country and asked themselves just one question, ‘how do we make Australia better?’ and Greek Australians have contributed so much to our wonderful country – hard working people who love their family, who care about their culture and have put Australia first. So, today, we pay tribute to you – the Greek Australians of Sydney and NSW,” he said.

Once the formalities ended, the dance floor belonged to community groups from across NSW and the ACT. Performers included the Cretan Association of Sydney and NSW, St Paraskevi Blacktown Greek Dance School, Aristotelion Academy of Greek Traditional Dance, the Pontian Association of NSW Pontoxeniteas, the Cyprus Community of NSW Dance Group and the Kalymnian Association of NSW.

They were joined by the Pan Macedonian Association of NSW, Canberra Hellenic Dancers, Sydney Sizmos Greek Dance Company, Kogarah School of Greek Dancing, Sophia Ventouris School of Greek Dance and the Paroula Dance Group, with costumes, music and steps reflecting traditions from across the Greek world.

The afternoon shifted into party mode with DJs Georgie D and Jimmy V, the Iho Nyx band, clarinet and bouzouki performances, while the agora-style marketplace offered products, gifts and cultural items throughout the day.

As evening arrived, Giorgos Tsalikis and his band from Greece transformed the festival into an open-air Greek concert. The singer, known for hits including To Ravasaki, Eimai Mia Hara and Apagorevmeno, drew the crowd towards the stage for a performance that brought the energy of Greece’s live music scene to Western Sydney.

A major raffle added to the excitement, with prizes including two tickets to Greece and $10,000 cash, before fireworks brought the long day of celebration to a close.

Dimitriou’s invitation captured the open spirit that ran through the festival.

“You do not need to be Greek to belong here today or any other day,” he said. “Enjoy being Greek for the day.”

For one Sunday in Parramatta, shared meals, dance steps, songs and conversations made that invitation easy to accept.

Source: Greekherald.com.au