By Heather Madsen
Have you ever wanted to visit Greece, but haven’t been able to make that happen yet? Well you’re not alone. Plenty of people would love to spend time in Greece, but with the covid restrictions of the last few years, gas prices today, and just the general business of life, it can be very difficult to travel, especially internationally. Luckily though, Utah has a wonderful Orthodox and Hellenistic community right here in Salt Lake, and every year they do their best to bring their culture to us at the Greek Festival.
The Salt Lake City Greek Festival is the largest Greek Festival West of the Mississippi, and the second largest cultural festival in the state. It’s been a resounding success for nearly 50 years and people come from all over to experience it, and you should too! The festival will be held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral downtown, from September 9th-11th. Admission is only $3 per person (kids 5 years and younger get in free) and grants you access to a day of Greek revelry. Fill up on authentic Greek food and desserts like spit roasted lamb, savory dolmathes, classic gyros, syrupy baklava and more! Take a tour of the cathedral and Hellenic Cultural Museum to learn more about the religion and lifestyle of your hosts. Or sit and watch the amazing dancers who will be performing classic Greek dances all festival long. If you’re a fan of music, you can also visit the cathedral on any of the festival days at 4pm to hear a choir performance.
The Salt Lake Greek community puts in a ton of effort for this festival every year and they can’t wait to highlight their culture, religion, and hospitality, and to see you there! Opa!
More information can be found at saltlakegreekfestival.com