Event Details

Date/Time: 

Sep 10 2010 5:00pm - Sep 11 2010 10:00pm

Price: 

$5, $3

Where: 

St. Sophia Cathedral
1324 S. Normandie Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90006
Info 323.737.2424

LA Greek Fest



LCC Joins 12th Annual LA Greek Festival with Guest Hosts Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Sept 10, 11 & 12


The Levantine Cultural Center has always included the cultural arts of Greece as part of the Levantine-Middle Eastern region, and this year for the first time will have a presence at the annual LA Greek Festival. Hollywood's favorites Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson will once again serve as honorary chairs and celebrity guest hosts. The festival runs Sept. 10-12 on the Grand Plaza grounds of Saint Sophia Cathedral. This year's featured promotional theme is "Celebrating a Taste of Greece."

"This is our twelfth annual festival and we're going to celebrate the event in spectacular style," enthuses Fest director Ted Pastras. "In addition to Tom & Rita, we'll have a lot of show biz celebrities from Hollywood and people from all over Southern California coming to the Byzantine Latino Quarter to enjoy all the atmosphere & fun. Tom and Rita are great friends, and part of the Cathedral family, and they're lending their star power to our festival so that the people of the Southland can appreciate all the fun & excitement of the Greek Islands—right here in the City of the Angels."

Los Angeles Magazine has recognized the L.A. Greek Fest as one of the "must-see, must-do" September events in Los Angeles. Because of its prominence in the community and singularly unique presentation format, Hollywood celebrities and VIP dignitaries come from all over Southern California and the west coast to visit the festival throughout the weekend.

"We want to welcome one and all—not only to the Fest but into our beautiful Cathedral during their visit," encourages Father John Bakas, dean of the Cathedral. "Come experience the ‘warm heart of Los Angeles' and Greek hospitality at its finest..."

The Fest and Cathedral are located at 1324 S. Normandie Ave., (corner of Pico and Normandie). Free and secure parking will be available nearby and shuttle service will be offered continuously to satellite lots. The Fest runs 5:00 pm-11:00 pm on Friday Sept. 10; Saturday Sept. 11, 1:00pm-11:00 pm & Sunday Sept.12, 12 noon-10 p.m. Admission for adults on Friday night is $3; Saturday and Sunday admission is $5. (Kids under 12 are admitted free of charge all weekend long). $1-discount coupons available on-line at www.LAGreekFest.com.

Exotic Travel Theme
A "Passport to a Grecian Holiday" theme marks plans again for this year's Fest. Food booths will spotlight Greek food specialties to stimulate a culinary fantasy of dining pleasures from Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Saloniki and other exotic Hellenic destinations. It's a weekend of great food, music and dancing, the irresistible spirit of the Aegean—all within easy reach in the heart of Los Angeles.

Travel-themed raffle prizes will be awarded, including a "Designer Dream Vacation trip for two," weekend getaways, a flat-screen TV & digital camera, designer travel luggage and more. Exquisite Greek cuisine at the various exotically themed booths will include spanakopita, calamari, pastitsio and the spectacular flaming cheese saganaki, plus first-ever presentations of lesser-known regional tantalizers. The always-popular dessert booth will serve up exotic pastry creations including baklava - and the king of custards, galaktoboureko.

One of the hottest new FEST attractions is the always jumping "TUNICS"—a top-notch Sports Bar located on the north end of the plaza grounds. TUNICS offers continual broadcasts of all the top rated weekend football games and other sporting events. Also featured will be a line of select Greek beers, wine and Metaxa brandy cocktails.... complimented by food specialties like feta fries, Greek sausage sandwiches and mini-lamb chops.

Continuing partnerships with 20th Century Fox, SIGNQUEST, Paramount Studios, California Produce, Caffe D'Amore, TIME WARNER Cable, METAXA / Remy Martin and Daphne's Greek Cafes are expected to help push this year's Fest attendance toward the 50,000 level over the three day weekend. Further fueling the strong visitor surge will be the assistance of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority with its vehicle signage and website postings provided daily to thousands of transit riders.

"In just a few short years, our FEST has become a blockbuster event for the city of L.A." beams festival co-director Jan Pastras. "It's such a fantastic way to enjoy a splash of the Aegean right here in Southern California!"

As usual, extensive tours of Saint Sophia Cathedral, a world-renown architectural & religious gem and national landmark structure, will be held throughout the L.A. Greek Fest weekend.