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Y! MyWebFestival all Greek to Middletown
The three-day event features cuisine, coffee, church tours and, of course, dancing.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Blending in at the Greek Fest is as simple as one-two-three-kick-step.
The annual event kicks off today, July 25, and runs through Sunday, July 27 at the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church on Grand Avenue in Middletown.
"It's a great opportunity to share our culture," said Niki Nestor McNeely, who co-chairs this year's celebration with her husband, Ed McNeely.
Preparation began in early June with about two dozen volunteers baking pastries two days per week. As the event neared, Ed McNeely has spent day and night at the church, maintaining the grounds.
Regular partakers of the event can expect the usual mix of Greek cuisine, coffee, church tours and spirited dancing. But Dolores Revelos, a spokeswoman for the festival, has some advice for newcomers.
"Take some steps and kick and kick," Revelos said about the sometimes-intricate dance steps. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn how to perform some dances.
And everyone will have the chance to learn some new words — or at least how to pronounce them.
"We'll allow them to buy gyros even if they say, 'ji-ros,' " Revelos said.
Organizers said they expect between 7,000 and 10,000 attendees over the weekend, the McNeelys said.
Contact this reporter at
(513) 705-2579 or
jthompson@coxohio.com.
