99th Annual Greek Festival Returns in Pawtucket August 21–23

The sights, sounds and flavors of Greece return to Pawtucket this weekend as the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church presents its 99th Annual Greek Festival.

The three-day celebration will take place at the church, located at 97 Walcott Street, with traditional Greek food, homemade pastries, live music, dancing, church tours, baking demonstrations and a Greek marketplace.

Festival hours are:

• Friday, August 21, from 5 to 10 p.m.
• Saturday, August 22, from noon to 10 p.m.
• Sunday, August 23, from noon to 9 p.m.

Food service will close 30 minutes before the festival closes each evening.

Greek Food and Desserts

Festival favorites will include roasted lamb, chicken and pork souvlaki, gyros, pastitsio, moussaka, stuffed grape leaves and other traditional Greek dishes.

Friday’s menu will also feature Greek fish plaki, stuffed peppers and gigantes—giant lima beans prepared Greek-style—compliments of Division Street House of Pizza and the Stratis and Nikou families.

Homemade desserts will include baklava, loukoumades, almond rolls, kourambiedes—powdered-sugar butter cookies—rice pudding, baklava cheesecake and more.

The festival café and bar will serve Greek beer and wine, along with traditional spirits including ouzo, mastiha and Metaxa. Greek frappé iced coffee and hot coffee will also be available.

Music, Dancing and More

Georgios Karatzas and Athenian Entertainment will provide live Greek music throughout the weekend.

Elliniki Yperiphania—Greek Pride of Rhode Island—will present traditional and contemporary Greek dances in authentic costumes.

The performance schedule includes:

Friday, August 21

• 7 p.m. — “Taverna” dance performance

Saturday, August 22

• 2 and 5 p.m. — Church tours with Father Philip Zymaris, featuring the church’s updated iconography
• 3 and 6 p.m. — Greek baking demonstrations with Patty Panichas
• 4 p.m. — Junior dance troupe performance
• 7 p.m. — Island dances performed by the main dance troupe
• Noon to 7 p.m. — Face painting by I Want That Face!
• Noon to 8 p.m. — Rhode Island Army National Guard climbing wall

Sunday, August 23

• 2 and 5 p.m. — Church tours with Father Philip Zymaris
• 3 and 6 p.m. — Greek baking demonstrations with Patty Panichas
• 4 p.m. — Junior dance troupe performance
• 7 p.m. — Mainland Greek dances performed by the main dance troupe
• Noon to 7 p.m. — Face painting by I Want That Face!
• 8:30 p.m. — Food service closes and cash raffle winners are drawn

Visitors can also shop at the indoor and outdoor Agora marketplace, featuring Greek imports, religious and gift items and work by local artisans. Participating vendors include Aroma of Hellas, Orthodox Gifts, Cameron Crafts, Gabriella’s Gifts and Aegean by Design.

Admission is free, and the festival will be held rain or shine.

Free parking and shuttle service will be available across from Pawtucket City Hall, with shuttles running approximately every 15 minutes during festival hours. On-street parking is also available, along with limited accessible parking at the church.

Service animals are welcome; other pets are not permitted.

For updates and additional information, visit GreekFestivalRI.com.

OPA!