25th Annual Greek Fest: June 10-13, 2010

Opa! It's the weekend of June 10-14, 2010, and the festival season has officially begun in Halifax now that Greek Fest is here. Celebrating Greek culture, dance, food and drink, and music, Greek Fest offers a chance for people to be "Greek for a day", as well acting as a fund-raiser for the local Greek churches.

(Being Greek for a day is what this weekend was all about. Although, with the recent economic crisis in that country, I think a day is all anyone could handle right now.)

($2 gave you the chance to hammer a soccer ball as hard as you could three times at a young punk teenager. Isn't Greek Fest great?)

The first Greek Fest was held back in 1986, and with an average of 30 000 people attending each year, the organizers decided that three days just wasn't enough Opa! Subsequently, this year's 25th Anniversary Edition offers an extra day of festivities, and it is expected that the number of visitors will increase to 40 000. With 500 volunteers signed up this year, it is one of the largest festivals in Atlantic Canada.

(Everyone was at Greek Fest this year, even the rare and elusive Pink Tiger, seen here eating its favourite treat, ice cream.)

The main attraction at Greek Fest is obviously the amazing food, served up by the authentic Greek Mammas. To add to the experience though, performances by the Ottawa band, Poseidon, as well as Halifax's best Greek dancers (see videos below) could be seen at various times throughout the festival.

(Is that Doug Edey? Sorry, Grande Prairie joke.)

This year, the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Michael Ignatieff decided he needed to hit the "barbecue circuit" early, and I was able to catch a few pictures of him as his aides made him rush through his meal, and then kiss as many babies as possible, before whisking him off to his next appointment.

(The poor guy couldn't even eat in peace without the papparazzos sticking their camera in his face.)

(This may have wrecked Mr. Ignatieff's knees, but at least the kid's parents were able to put their son and the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada in an uncomfortable position for no good reason.)