OC Greek Festival returns after three years

By Jack Chavez Staff Writer

(July 28, 2023) After a few years off because of the pandemic, Ocean City’s Greek community is returning to the convention center with the annual Greek Festival this weekend.

The three-day festival kicks off today at noon and runs to 10 p.m. It will start at 11 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday and wrap up at 10 p.m. and 9 p.m., respectively.

“It’s an opportunity for us Greeks to show our heritage, including much of our food, music and culture,” said Demotrios Kaouris, parish council president at Saint George Orthodox Christian Church. “It is also the main fundraiser for our church on 88th Street.”

The festival mainly highlights food and music, with plenty of Greek delicacies, Kaouris said, including a “garden variety” of pastries, including crowd-pleaser baklava.

A live band will play during the majority of the festival, save for daily two-hour intermissions.

“People are free to dance,” Kaouris said. “There’ll be traditional Greek people doing traditional dances.”

Vendors will peddle various goods such as olive oil, artwork and jewelry.

Kaouris has been involved in the festival since 2002, but the roots of the annual celebration go back to the early 1980s, he said.

“My understanding is there were several parish members of St. George who wanted to promote the culture and have a reasonably good-sized fundraiser for the church,” Kaouris said.

The festival has grown since those early days and in recent years has attracted as many as 5,000 attendees.

The popularity makes the festival a vital component of St. George’s funding.

Kaouris said they’re hoping to bring in at least $40,000 this year.

It’s the first year for the festival since 2019, so the return of festival funds will be heartily welcomed by the church. Kaouris said if they can attract 2,000 to 3,000 people, it should be a success.

“It’s a great time for families and everyone in the area and it’s an opportunity for people to experience to share in the Greek culture and we just look forward to having everybody after a three-year hiatus,” Kaouris said.

Admission to the Greek Festival is free. For more information, visit https://www.stgeorgebythesea.org.