For the second year in a row, Halifax’s Greek Fest is take-out only. Instead of a lively celebration of Greek culture, community and cuisine, COVID-19 gathering limits mean the festival will be selling food for locals to enjoy on their own this weekend, Friday, June 25 through Sunday, June 27.
“Alas. No in-person events. With COVID restrictions, it's nearly impossible,” says a Greek Fest organizer. In the current Phase 2 of Nova Scotia’s reopening plan, a festival can host up to 75 people outdoors; that may be a lot compared to the lockdown, when events couldn’t happen at all, but it’s not enough to hold a proper Greek Fest. In pre-pandemic years, the fest has seen hundreds of cars parked along Purcells Cove Road near festival HQ, the Greek Community Centre.
Greek Fest 2021 will be taking orders both in person and in advance by heading to greekfesttogo.com. Just like past years, the meals include options like chicken or pork souvlaki and sides of spanakopita and lemon roasted potatoes, as well as a delicious range of Greek desserts like baklava and galaktoboureko.
There will be COVID measures on-site for pickup at 1146 Purcells Cove Road, and orders are available from 4-8pm Friday, and 12-8pm both Saturday and Sunday.
As for the next time you’ll be able to enjoy a more complete Greek Fest experience, with any luck you won’t have to wait until 2020. Festival organizers told The Coast they are hoping to plan “something special” for August. Opa!
