Oakland Greek Festival 2024

Dear Friends & Patrons:

It is a joy to welcome you to the annual Oakland Greek Festival sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension! Every year, with great anticipation, we look forward to opening our church grounds, kitchen and hearts to our beloved community. Thank you for making this celebration of heritage and culture all the more bright. As you will taste, hear and see, our annual festival reflects the local foods, dances and customs of Greece. Our sincere hope is that your experience will be uplifting and memorable, and give you an appreciation and insights about our heritage.

The activity of the Festival revolves around the reason we are rooted in Oakland: Christ and His Church which was planted here over one hundred years ago. We invite you to “come and see” (John 1:39) and hear the living tradition of the Church in our architecture, ecclesiastical art and hymnody offered by our Liturgical Choir. Across the centuries our culture and Faith have become woven together, and we hope you find this reflected in our hospitality, joy and love.

If you have questions about our Faith and worship please join us for a Choir Concert or Church Tour and myself or Fr. Tom would be happy to speak with you.

Enjoy the weekend, rejoice in the fellowship, try something new, and get up and dance! We look forward to this as much as you!

With love in Christ, Fr. Nick Mueller

Welcome to Oakland’s Greek Festival 2024!

Iis that time of year when the wonderful aromas of Souvlakia and Loukoumades waft through the air and the sounds of traditional Greek music and shouts of “Opa!” resonate in the hills of Oakland. The Oakland Greek Festival 2024 is thrilled to welcome YOU, once again, and celebrate our 52nd year! What would Oakland’s Greek Festival be without the many people from our community who come to enjoy all the treats for the ears, and eyes and stomach? It is with great joy and excitement that we invite you to experience our Greek culture this weekend.

In 1972, the Festival’s founding committee put together an event in the hopes of keeping the Traditions and their Religion alive and strong in the hearts of their children. Little did they know that over 50 years later this festival would be a stage to share our vibrant culture, savory food, and trusted religion with our greater Bay Area community. With this Festival, we are bringing Greece to YOU!

Some say that the Greeks are more hospitable than can be imagined. We rarely let you leave our homes without third or even fourth helpings of food. It is this giving spirit that makes our Festival come alive!

You will enjoy the “True Greek Experience” through the sight of our young and old working side by side, our children filled with joy to dance for you, and our experienced yiayias (grandmothers) offering you a taste of traditional spanakopita (spinach pie) and their favorite pastry recipes from their homeland.

Food is an important part of the Greek Culture. We eat when we are happy, we eat when we are sad, and we eat just because… but the most important thing is that we eat

together. With all of the food we offer, you will simply have to eat your way from one end of our Festival to another. We have put our heart, soul, and favorite Greek seasonings into our many delicious foods for you. From gyros and lamb sandwiches to wine and Frappe beverages, we want you to taste Greece! Music drives the Greeks in every aspect of our lives. From the upbeat, toe-tapping sounds of the Bouzouki, to the soothing yet powerful Hymns of the Church, you will find each sound intoxicating. Greece will be evident throughout the Festival with our live music that will enchant you and bring out the inner Greek dancer, or you may choose to watch one of our many Greek dancing groups perform traditional village dances.

With everything that we do in our lives, the world of the Greeks revolve around our rock… The Greek Orthodox Religion. The heart and soul of our Festival is the Cathedral itself. Both literally and metaphorically, the Cathedral serves as the center foundation of our religious community. We invite you to tour our beautiful Cathedral and marvel at the wonders that it offers. With church tours regularly, feel free to inquire about Orthodoxy with our clergy.

What makes this Festival so special is that you will have an opportunity to experience the best of Greece with its natives, your friends and neighbors. We invite you to celebrate our own Greek culture with us while enjoying the breathtaking views of the bay! We hope that you leave feeling a little more “Greek” than when you arrived. Opa!!

Efharisto poli (Thank you very much),

Yanni Limnios Chairman • Oakland Greek Festival 2024

2633 Camino Ramon, Suite 525 San Ramon, CA 94583 925-866-4600 • demetrios@nyl.com

Festival Basics

The Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral invites you to share a multi-faceted experience that tantalizes the senses. Tens of thousands of visitors eagerly gather to sample what life is like in Greece today and to reflect on the impact that ancient Greek civilization has had on our American way of life.

When

4 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday

11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday

11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday

Where

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension 4700 Lincoln Ave., below Highway 13

Admission

Adults $5, Children 12 & under are free.

Eventbrite

Single Day $5, Two Day Pass $8, Weekend Pass $12.

Rideshare

Taking UBER or LYFT to-and-from the festival?

Our easy drop-off and pick-up location is on Lincoln Avenue by the outdoor elevator next to the garage.

Parking

• Free parking at the Mormon Temple, Ability Now Bay Area (formerly Cerebral Palsy Center) and Head Royce School. There is also free shuttle service available.

• Premium Parking $20- PARKING PAVILION. The three-floor Parking Pavilion provides over 290 parking spaces with convenient access to the Oakland Greek Festival. Disabled parking is also available.

Simply drive in the main entrance and self-park. The entrance is located on Lincoln Avenue across from the Cathedral between the Mormon Temple and Ability Now Bay Area formerly the Cerebral Palsy Center.

Once you have parked, you can walk up the stairs or take the elevator to the Platia (Plaza) Level. The sights and sounds of Greece will greet you. No more long walks up or down hills. Pay at the entrance – No in and out privileges.

We love Animals and Pets!

Father Nick and Father Tom even suggest we don’t need to do a blessing of the dogs because they are already blessed!

Unfortunately Alameda County will not allow us a food serving license if we allow pets, therapy animals or emotional support animals in food serving places. We can only allow service animals.

Service Dogs have been trained to provide a task and to behave in public places. They only meet the federal definition if they do a job the owner can’t perform themselves.

We welcome all Service Dogs to the 52nd year of the Oakland Greek Festival!

Oakland Greek Festival – Our 52nd Year!

From the Oakland Auditorium in 1972 to the hills of Oakland in 2024, the Greek community celebrates its treasured local history

While there had been “food festivals” in Ascension’s early history, there had never been anything that compared to the scale of “Greek Week” in May 1972.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Ascension church, scores of parishioners volunteered and came together to put on a month-long series of events leading up to the culminating weekend of our first official Greek festival.

At the time it was called “an ethnic celebration that made a resounding impact on the East Bay”. It was the first of its kind and was a citywide historic event. For one week, the city of Oakland embraced the Greeks Continued on page 8

Greek Week festivities kick off in downtown Oakland. AHS Photo: May 1972.

Ascension’s Panhellenic Dancers’ Chris Constantouros hangs the Constitution Square sign in Jack London Square. AHS Photo: May 1972.

as displays were created, Jack London Square was temporarily renamed Constitution Square, and events highlighting the coming festival were held, all of which culminated in two days of food, dance, and festivities!

As you join us for this year’s festival, our 52nd year, we encourage you to eat delicious food, dance with us, and take some time to find the historical reminders from years past.

Effie Moon and Dimi Victor sample Greek cuisine under the watchful eye of Chef Dino Polyzos who heads a team of 22 cooks as they prepare for thousands of guests who will attend the Greek Week Food Festival at the Oakland Auditorium. PHOTO COURTESY AHS, May 1972

Learn more about Ascension’s rich history by visiting ascensionhistoricalsociety.org or capture the QR code with your phone camera to take you there directly.

ALAMEDA FUNERAL

Greek Orthodox Memorial Park

WHY CHOOSE THIS CEMETERY WHEN THERE ARE MANY OTHER CEMETERIES?

Steve Doukas,Manager

Will you choose to have your deceased family member’s bodies spend their “intermediate state,” until the General Resurrection, among family and friends of the Orthodox Faith, or with strangers?

This Cemetery is YOUR Cemetery, as it is the only one in the United States designed ONLY for our Eastern Orthodox Faith. Since its inception in 1939, this Cemetery has remained exclusive to our Faith.

Other non-Orthodox, non-Christian cemeteries have created Orthodox “sections,” only to later open their sections to any religion, even to agnostics, atheists and Satanists, when their sales in that Orthodox “section” decline. Your Cemetery supports our Faith and our Church with annual donations. For more information and for the history of this Cemetery, please go to www.greekorthodoxmemorialpark.com

Mausoleum or ground burial services provided. Church services available on our grounds. Each burial space is protected by Trust Funds. The only consecrated Greek Orthodox Memorial Park in the United States.

Office: 650-755-6939

Fax: 650-755-6109

greekorthodoxmp@aol.com

Remarkable Architecture

What You Can Find at the Festival

Oakland is home to one of the most exquisite modern Byzantine Church structures in the world. Visitors come from all over to see the synthesis of Ancient Greek, Byzantine and Modern architecture forms. Tours are given daily (see page 13), plus each day the Ascension Liturgical Choir augments the tour with Church hymns.

Tasty Treats

Strolling along the festival grounds, you can enjoy the tantalizing aromas of Souvlakia (chicken or pork shish kebobs cooked to order), Barbecued Leg of Lamb Sandwiches (they are delicious) and Loukaniko (Greek sausage with just a hint of orange).

Calamari is another tasty and tender treat that is prepared to order and served hot.

Also try the always-popular Tiganites Patates (fries) located in the Calamari booth.

The Spanakopita and Tiropita booth remain the perfect Orektika or appetizers. They are filo pastry filled with feta and spinach or feta and cottage cheese. Served piping hot out of the oven, they are delectable. This year, this popular booth will also offer a sweet custard-filled favorite, Bougatsa.

The most popular and largest booth remains the Gyro booth, which serves roughly 6,000 pita-filled delights. Tender, perfectly grilled spicy beef is piled on pita bread and topped with tomatoes, onions and delicious homemade Tsatsiki, a yogurt and cucumber sauce with dashes of special seasonings. Prepared to order, the gyros have been called the finest in the Bay Area.

Halloumi is a Greek-Cypriot cheese that is delicate in flavor and texture, but perfect for grilling and topped with a caper sauce served on pita bread – a real delicacy for the discriminating palate.

Another festival favorite is Saganaki, a special Kefalograviera cheese imported from Greece. The cheese is grilled and flambéed with brandy as the spectators shout “Opa!”

Complete your feast with our delicious Loukoumades and homemade Greek pastries in the Kefenion or take them to go!

Live Music to Entertain You

Throughout the festival, attendees can hear the pulsating sounds of Greek folk music that make the feet fly and heart light. Meet our musicians! Please turn to page 16.

Friday

Platia Stage | 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

KYMATA with GEORGE MYLORDOS on Bouzouki and Maria Arizu, Kostas Papamichael, Stamatis Houliaras

Taverna Stage | 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

H PAREA GREEK BAND

Saturday

Platia Stage | 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

MYTHOS BAND featuring Sylvia Kalivitis, Bobby Kalivitis,, Will Kouvaris, Evan Veloudis

Taverna Stage | 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

KYMATA with GEORGE MYLORDOS on Bouzouki and Maria Arizu, Kostas Papamichael, Stamatis Houliaras

Sunday

Platia Stage | 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

MYTHOS BAND featuring Sylvia Kalivitis, Bobby Kalivitis, Will Kouvaris, Evan Veloudis

Taverna Stage | 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

HELIOS GREEK BAND

Do You Have A Festival Gift Coupon?

To redeem your $15, please take your coupon to the CASHIER BOOTH to exchange for a gift card which is accepted throughout the festival. Please note that the coupons can only be exchanged at this booth.

MAY 17, 18,&19, 2024

Accepting Credit/Debit Cards At All Our Booths

In order to make your experience at the Oakland Greek Festival as easy as possible we accept credit and debit cards at all booths, entrances, and in the dining room. Festival Gift Cards will be available for purchase with cash or check for those who prefer. This card can be used at any of our festival booths.

Entertainment Schedule

Friday

4:30 p.m. CATHEDRAL Church Tour / Orthodoxy Q&A

6:00 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Koinonia Dancers

7:00 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Aionia Dancers

7:30 p.m. KAFENION Cooking Demonstration

8:00 p.m. CATHEDRAL Liturgical Choir Concert

8:30 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Anagenisis Dancers

9:00 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Titanes Dancers

Saturday

12:30 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Koinonia Dancers

1:00 p.m. KAFENION Cooking Demonstration

1:30 p.m. CATHEDRAL Church Tour / Orthodoxy Q&A

2:30 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Aionia Dancers

2:45 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Greek Dance Instruction

3:00 p.m. CATHEDRAL Liturgical Choir Concert

3:30 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Anagenisis Dancers

4:00 p.m. KAFENION Cooking Demonstration

5:00 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Titanes Dancers

5:30 p.m. CATHEDRAL Church Tour / Orthodoxy Q&A

6:00 p.m. CATHEDRAL Liturgical Choir Concert

7:00 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Ascension Dancers

7:30 p.m. CATHEDRAL Church Tour / Orthodoxy Q&A

9:00 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Thiasos Dancers

Sunday

1:00 p.m. KAFENION Cooking Demonstration

1:30 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Koinonia Dancers

1:45 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Greek Dance Instruction

2:00 p.m. CATHEDRAL Liturgical Choir Concert

2:30 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Aionia Dancers

3:30 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Anagenisis Dancers

4:00 p.m. KAFENION Cooking Demonstration

4:15 p.m. CATHEDRAL Church Tour / Orthodoxy Q&A

4:30 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Ascension Dancers

6:00 p.m. CATHEDRAL Church Tour / Orthodoxy Q&A

6:30 p.m. WINDMILL PLAZA Titanes Dancers

Agora

Greek Festival Map

Agora/Shops

Estiatorion

Kafenion

Reserve By July15th & Receive $50off perplayer!

Hit a hole-in-one for a new Jaguar

Over $10,000 in auctions and raffle items

Famous lamb lunch & prime rib dinner

Monday, August 26th

Sequoyah Golf & Country Club Oakland, California

Live Greek Music

Featured on the Platia Stage and in the Taverna

The festival offers a variety of exciting Greek music all weekend long on the Platia and Taverna Stages.

Kicking off the weekend are KYMATA featuring the bouzouki artistry of George Mylordos on Friday on the Platia Stage and Saturday on the Taverna Stage. Joining Mylordes are vocalist Maria Arizou, Kostas Papamichael and Stamatis Houliaras.

Enjoy the traditional sounds of the H PAREA BAND on Friday and the HELIOS GREEK BAND on Sunday on the Taverna Stage. Helios features vocalist Irene Mavroudis with Michael Garibaldi, Greg Jenkins, George Mavroudis, Michael Mavroudis, and Lefteri Tsacle. Visit heliosgreekband.com.

Returning to the Festival on the Platia Stage Saturday and Sunday are the exciting sounds of the MYTHOS BAND. This south county-based band features vocalist Sylvia Kalivitis and Bobby Kalivitis on bouzouki with Will Kouvaris, and Evan Veloudis. Visit facebook.com/BandMythos.

Grab a Greek beer or a glass of Greek wine with some Halloumi cheese and then dance like Zorba! Yiamas!

Kymata

See page 12 for the live music schedules

Helios Greek Band

Mythos Band

H Parea Greek Band

IN THE BEST CIRCLES Greeks Dance

It has been said that, “Greeks dance in the best circles.” At the Oakland Greek Festival, everyone is Greek and the circles of dancers grow wider and wider as you join someone’s hand and follow along. After circling two or three times you will have mastered the steps and made some wonder.

Greek Folk Dance Performances on the Windmill Plaza

Six Ascension dance troupes present Greek folk dance performances throughout the threeday Festival at the Windmill Plaza. See page 13 for performance times.

Continued on page 20

The Ascension Cathedral dance troupes comprise over 100 dancers. The dancers range in age from three to 25 to 50+ years old.

The dances and costumes are representative of different regions of Greece.

The dance groups practice weekly throughout the year and have two main events to perform for. One is the annual Folk Dance and Choral Festival (FDF) where over 100 dance groups feature up to 3,000 dancers as they come together from throughout the U.S. to compete and share their Hellenic culture and Greek Orthodox faith.

At FDF the Ascension dance groups have consistently won medals and have proven to be a powerhouse dance community that all in attendance enjoy watching.

The second main event is our three-day festival where our following groups perform:

Greeks dance in the best circles…

Koinonia (Fellowship) – Our youngest dance group truly loves to dance and is so excited to be performing at the Festival. These Kindergarten through 2nd graders warm our hearts with their enthusiastic dancing. Come cheer them on this weekend. Opa!

Aionia (Eternity) – Our up-and-coming dance group, these 3rd through 5th graders love to dance and put on a good show. Their energy and kefi (spirit) will be sure to put a smile on your face. Come watch one of their powerful performances this weekend!

Anagenisis (New Beginning) – Our promising 6th through 8th grade dance group has been working on their amazing performance and is sure to warm our hearts with

Have some Kefi on me!

Mike Heath (925) 980-0039

their enthusiastic dancing. Come watch their crowd-pleasing performances this weekend!

Titanes (Titans) – Our 9th through 12th graders symbolizes incredible strength and stamina. They recently took home a second-place medal at our annual dance competition in their highly competive category. Come watch this group perform and entertain us with one of its awardwinning performances at the Windmill Plaza!

The Titanes Dancers won a second place title in their division at the 2024 FDF. Watch their award-winning performances all weekend long.

Thiasos (The Squad) – Our adult group truly loves to dance. These dancers never miss a beat and their kefi is contagious! Don’t miss their crowd-pleasing performances on Friday and Saturday night!

Ascension Dancers – Come and enjoy this performance with all of our dancers, ages kindergarten to young adults. They will join together and showcase dances from all over Greece! This is a show you won’t want to miss!

Cathedral Tours and Concerts Throughout The Weekend

Tours of the awardwinning Ascension Cathedral are offered throughout the weekend offering an opportunity for conversation and education about the cathedral and Orthodoxy. Ascension’s Father Nicholas Mueller and Father Thomas Zaferes will present tours each day.

Ascension's principal cantor, Nektarios Andoniou, will also participate during festival weekend.

The Ascension Liturgical Choir will also share hymns of the Orthodox Church at its mini concerts Friday through Sunday. In addition to singing the Divine Liturgy each Sunday, the choir presents its annual free Christmas concert

the first Saturday of December. The public is welcomed to join this special tradition which celebrates its 55th concert this year. Visit ascensioncathedral.com for details.

DISCOVER

RELEASES RECORDED LIVE AT THE ASCENSION CATHEDRAL

The Divine Liturgy with Rev. Fr. Thomas J. Paris of Ascension Cathedral from 1984 Release Date: 8/15/21

Perecles Music was created to preserve the original vinyl recordings as well as new works in the spirit of impresario and devoted Greek Orthodox musician, choral director, and producer Perecles "Perry" P. Phillips.

Launched in 2013 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the monumental 1979 recording project HOLY WEEK & EASTER EXCERPTS, the new CD version was distributed digitally and continues to reach the global market. Conceived, produced and directed by Phillips, you will find the extensive history of that effort included throughout our website.

Eternal Memory Greek Orthodox Hymns & Sacred Music Offered in Memoriam Release Date: 6/5/21

Holy Week & Easter Excerpts

ETERNAL MEMORY Greek Orthodox Hymns & Sacred Music Offered in Memoriam was recently released and produced by Phillips’ daughter Frosene. The recording is offered to provide such hymns and music for memorial and funeral services, and other spiritual occasions. Since Covid, the additional need for such music in cathedrals, churches, funeral homes, and more has arisen.

Finally, additional recordings of the DIVINE LITURGY with Rev. Fr. Thomas J. Paris and the Ascension Cathedral Liturgical Choir from 1984 is now available as well as other recordings from the award winning Ascension Cathedral in Oakland.

Greek Orthodox Church Music & Sacred Works CD and digital downloads

Providing Greek Language, History and Cultural Programs

Founded in 2006, Fanari Academy is an independent educational institute providing Greek language, history and culture programs to children and adults with both beginner and advanced tracks tailored to level of knowledge.

Available Programs

• Modern Greek for Children – Pre-K through 10th Grade

• Two Programs – Based on Level of Fluency

• Modern Greek for Adults

• Conversational Greek and Drama Programs

• Preparation for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek Language

What's the secret to Greek cooking?

Ask Ascension's Cooking Enthusiasts

Ascension parishioners, Sophia and Chris Constantouros, Dr. Chris Vitakes, Alexandra Manolis, Patty Glafkides, Paul Pappas, Julia Pappas, and Demitra Victor will offer live Greek Cooking Demonstrations in the Kafenion Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 p.m and 4:00 p.m sharing their family recipe secrets and tips. Learn how to prepare such festival favorites as Baklava, Moussaka, Tiropites, Kolokitokeftedes , topped off with a Frappe (iced coffee) … and perhaps a song or two!

Learn Greek cooking tips and purchase delicious sweets in the Kafenion. Kali Orexi!

2024 OAKLAND GREEK FESTIVAL COMMITTEE

Chairman Yanni Limnios

Executive Committee

Sofo Kyriakopedi I Alexis Lagios I Sia Yfantis Committee

Tula Asselanis I Michael Delvizis

Mailana Broumand I George Banis

George Landis I Stephen Miller

Christos Nikoloutsopoulos

Julia Pappas I Frosene Phillips

Karen Kolokithas I Brian Samoulides

Basilios Sotiropulos I John Tzagarakis

Alexia Victor I Anna Victor

John Victor I Johnny Yiannakopoulos

Welcome to Kokkari. Immerse yourself in another world. Watch today’s roast slowly turning in our fireplace. Have a seat and enjoy Greek cuisine as it was meant to be: made from the freshest local ingredients, accompanied by excellent, carefully selected wines, and served with traditional Greek hospitality.