Yiasou Greek Festival

After hearing about the Yiasou Greek Fedtival for years, my husband and I finally decided to venture to South End to see what it was all about.I can tell you that parking was one of my biggest deterrents in going. But I found three parking garages just a little over a half mile from the festival, making parking a non-issue with just a short walk -* Design Center garage - 240 Doggett St, $8 all day Sat & Sun* 100 West Worthington garage - $10 all day Sat & Sun* 110 East Blvd garage - $5 all day Sat & SunWe went early on Saturday, just after they opened. There are festival rides for the little ones, vendors/crafts, dancers and musical performers, tours, and of course, food. I was a little disappointed with the crafts. Other than the couple of vendors selling sterling silver items, most of the jewelry seemed of the quick-to-tarnish variety. I wasn't interested in purchasing any clothing, but they also had olive oil, Greek knick-knacks and home goods, and honey vendors. We decided against getting lunch there and headed straight for dessert, with the baklava sundae. This desert is HUGE, and my husband and I easily shared one. The topping was plentiful, and the ice cream was of high quality. Most of the "staff" working there are volunteers. I know this event takes a village to pull off, and we were impressed overall with the efficiency of the entire operation.While we didn't stay long, the baklava sundae alone will probably bring us back every year!

The chicken pita was bland and the fries were old. The pastry dough balls were the tasty and hot!

Always a great time at the Greek Festival! Lines are minimal for the amount of people. Yes you can get the same food at a Greek restaurant but you don't get the spirit and ambiance that you do at the Greek Festival! Dancers, exhibits, merchants, beverages, food, baked goodies, and baklava sundaes need I say more! $5 cover is well worth it every year! Help support our communities!

A few friends and I decided to go to the Greek Festival the weekend before it arrived. Even though I couldn't eat anything (I decided to detox that weekend) I still enjoyed myself. Besides the heat, the dancing, music, and atmosphere were truly entertaining! I've only been to the Greek Festival in Columbia, SC, but this one was on a much larger scale!Pros: My friends raved that the food was delicious! From the gyros to the dessert they enjoyed everything. Also from my perspective, the food was very affordable, and it seemed that most people left with to-go containers meaning the food was abundant or they bought enough to take home! Yum!Cons: My friends and I felt that the clothing items were not affordable at all. We wanted to buy some things to leave with, but everything was more expensive than me anticipated.This is definitely an event you'll want to attend to experience Greek culture. I would recommend to anyone who is looking for something different to do in the city.

Fall means festivals and this one ranks among the best! Gyros and baklava??? What more could you ask for?This festival is truly a celebration of all that is Greek. The warm, friendly greeting as you entire the festival make you feel so welcome. I've watched the festival being set up for nearly a month. So much planning must go into this event. Well-organized, the process seems seamless to an outsider. You enter the festival on East Blvd. Bring cash! Tickets are $3 and they only accept cash for them. Once you enter, you can enjoy festival-like activities for families. You can choose to dine inside the church or under the huge tent set up with tables and chairs outside. To the left, you'll find pastries. From baklava to diples, you can find it here. It's like Christmas. Turn the corner to the right and you'll find the food. I love the Greeks because you get to desserts first. Brilliant. Good choices range from gyros to Greek pizza and definitely Greek fries. You can pay for your food and pastries with a card but not your drinks. That messed me up because I wasn't informed of that when I called ahead. The festival happens at just the right time of year when outdoor eating is perfect. Definitely a must-do if you live here or happen to be in the Charlotte area this weekend.

Yeah I'm a fan. Been too long since I have gone to the Greek Festival in Dilworth but that is my loss.Was originally going to go on Thursday night but we had torrential downpours in the area. Went this afternoon (Sunday) and the weather could not have been nicer. Clear skies, light breeze and temperatures in the 70's.It was crowded as ususal so we ended up parking four blocks away and walking. It was a pleasant walk and gave us a chance to see they old houses of Dilworth that were being renovated.The festival was fantastic. Several stages with dance exhibitions, great Greek Food and you could eat in or they had outside tables where you could also eat.One high point was the fact that the priests gave lectures on the Cathedral, it's art and the significance of that art and differences between Eastern Orthodox vs Western or Roman Catholic practices.The Cathedral is one of the most beautiful houses of worship in the Charlotte area and well worth taking the weekly tour at 3 pm on Saturday the rest of the year.As I said, been a number of years since I have been but will be back next year.

Imagine a big event where you could go to and you don't have to worry about people misbehaving fights breaking out and delinquent. Teenagers messing everything up. Well, this is your place. Visiting this festival every year makes me want to go to Greece because it was so fun, people are so friendly, and the food is so amazing. Parking is all along the side street and there is some on East Boulevard. This festival is such a wonderful event that the neighbors who live on this side streets don't mind when their street becomes one of the busier streets in town. If you can't enjoy this festival, You can't enjoy anything.

Disappointing. Three entrees, two sandwiches. Used the drive through to order food using a form provided by them. We completed the form and checked it. When we got home (30 minutes later) we learned that pastichio turned out to be lamb. There was also no spinach in the spanakopita.If you are going to support the church and enjoy the festivities - do it. Just don't waste your time and money on the food.

Tried to support this festival even thru the pandemic when they opened back up in 2021 drive thru only. Already knew from website what I would order. Numerous large signs all along drive thru route. Omg... The Greek potato wedges were a joke,!!! Dried out ghosts of the worst potatoes of my life!!! The gyros were mass manufactured pieces of crap!!! The pastry box was only barely edible. The salads were the only digestible things in the whole $50 plus $ orders!!! That Greek priest in his garb walking the drive thru line was creepy to me!!! I'm not Greek and African American but I've been frequenting this festival, drive thru, for 15+years!!! I don't think I'll be

Disappointing food. Ordered Chicken plate and took home Pastichio plate. Oversalted, greek flavor missing altogether. Best part was the salad, which says a lot. Ever the Baklava was so so. Not worth $18 per plate. What happened? Suggestion: Please bring back the Greek style meatball and Pastichio on the plate like you used to have. Not the same great food experience now.