Gorgeous Greek festival proves to be one for the ages as Patron Saint is honoured

OCTOPUS was the flavour of the day at the Kalymnian Brotherhood of Darwin yesterday as the community rallied around the Greek Festival in Honour of Agios Panteleimon

Israel Gurruwiwi, Karlisha Walker, Geroge Cotis, Tiarna Cotis, Kayla Cotis and Tonisha Walker prepare to dance at the Festival of Agios Panteleimon. Picture: Glenn Campbell

• Festival of Agios Panteleimon to bring flavour, culture of Kalymnos to Darwin

OCTOPUS was the flavour of the day at the Kalymnian Brotherhood of Darwin yesterday as the community rallied around the Greek Festival in Honour of Agios Panteleimon.

Four different styles of octopus among other savoury and sweet flavours took visitors away to a Greek fantasy, matching it with other Greek festivals across the country.

Dancing at Festival of Agios Panteleimon. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Event MC John Lazarou attends each Greek community festival across Australia and said the one thing which set Darwin aside was its tropical weather.

“The one thing that really excites me about Darwin is I feel like I’m on a Greek Island,” he said.

“The amount of people I’ve spoken to, they’ve missed GleNTi and the fact this is on today has excited them.”

Mr Lazarou said the Greek community had proven its strength and unity in pulling off the stellar event.

“I love seeing the youth and the older generation who started the Kalymnian club together, they’re so unified and we’ve got little kids dancing at two years old,” he said.

Stratos Melas enjoys the octopus at Festival of Agios Panteleimon. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“I know the Greek culture is going to be safe in the hands, or should I say the feet, of the Darwin people.”

Attendee Denise Creed said having events like the Greek Festival in Darwin, during the year when so many other events had fallen over, was a fantastic way for the community to enjoy themselves.

“I think they’ve done a great job considering the Greek GleNTi didn’t go ahead this year and they’ve done this,” she said.

“I think we need this, everyone support the Greek culture at GleNTi and I think this will help the Kalymnians make more use of their land, it’s wonderful.”

Stefania Kampouris, 5, at the Festival of Agios Panteleimon. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Kalymnian Arthur Tiliakos said it was important to celebrate Kalymnian culture and the festival in honour of the Patron Saint, who’s name day fell this weekend, was the perfect opportunity.

“It brings us together, it’s been weeks, months since many of us have seen each other and now we have this,” he said.

“Greeks, wherever they go, they bring the culture and customs, they bring it here, wherever they go.

Kostas Nicolakis prepares the barbecued octopus at the Festival of Agios Panteleimon. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“Because we love this country here, we love to have our culture with us, we celebrate name days, birthdays, everything.

Kalymnian Brotherhood President Michael Melas will be taking over the event next year, when GleNTi and the Greek Festival will run in compliment to one another and has already started planning.

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“Now that we’re up and running and we’ve seen how it happens, I guarantee next year is going to be bigger and maybe two days instead of the one,” he said.

Originally published as Gorgeous Greek festival proves to be one for the ages as Patron Saint is honoured