“Kalos Orisate,” say the Greeks—Welcome!
Santa Barbara is well known as a beautiful, Mediterranean-style community located on the scenic California coast. It’s less well known, but still significant, as home to a diverse population—including a thriving Greek community. The heart of this Greek community—indeed its very soul—resides within the congregation of Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church.
Members of the congregation have long shared their beloved Greek culture with all of Santa Barbara at the annual Santa Barbara Greek Festival. This year, the festival marks its 37th year. The annual event is a warm and wonderful celebration of every facet of Greek life.
It’s about the food—the delectable flavors that season festival favorites like moussaka, tyropitas, dolmathes and gyros. It’s about the pastries—the delicacies like baklava, kataifi, kourabiedes and melamacarona. The names may be nearly unpronounceable, but the pleasure is undeniable…the delicious flavors that festival-goers anticipate all year long. You’re sure to find a meal to satisfy your tastes in the many booths serving tempting Greek treats.
The Greek Festival is all about the fun—the joy of taking to the stage to participate in the same dances you would perform in the ancient villages of Greece. Admire the beauty of the intricate costumes worn by performers who share their carefully practiced steps, and often intricate dances with the admiring crowd. Enjoy the thrill of listening to the distinctive sounds of authentic Greek musicians who perform traditional songs with exotic instruments like the bouzouki.
The Greek Festival is all about the spirit of community, the friends and family who flock to the festival and imbue it with a spirit the Greeks call “Keffee,” (which translates roughly to “possessed by the spirit of happiness”) You feel Keffee from the dozens of volunteers who enthusiastically staff their booths year after year, creating a convivial, welcoming atmosphere. And you feel it from the other festival-goers who experience that undefined, easy feeling of well-being as they stroll through beautiful Oak Park, enjoying the sights, aromas, the sounds and feeling of being transported to another time, another place.
The Greek Festival is all about the simple pleasures that make life worth living: take the day off and join your friends and family for a day in the park. Dance the afternoon away, eat a little (or a lot), shop in the Greek marketplace, relax and enjoy yourself under the oaks in the warm embrace of the best the Greek culture has to offer.
So maybe you can’t make it all the way to Athens this year; The Santa Barbara Greek Festival is the next best thing to being there—without the jet lag!
Written by Anna Kappa. Photo of Oia by Editor. The 37th Annual Santa Barbara Greek Festival at Oak Park: Saturday, July 31 and Sunday, August 1, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
