Indianapolis Greek Festival

We went for the first time this year and were so glad we did! I've heard that it's many people's favorites, and so we were eager to visit. Here's what we loved: + Free entry (and $5 parking to park close but totally worth it)+ Food area = they allow you to pick up all the food you want and then pay for it all together as you exit. Same with the dessert room. Super efficient!+ Huge Greek salads and Greek fries = favorite savory foods + Dessert room in the church = favorite thrill of the event (yummmm)+ Baklava cheesecake = favorite dessert we tried + Fun dancing = performances and they involve everyone later in the night+ Seating = many shaded tents with chairs and tables+ Kids area = puppet shows, coloring, and beading crafts+ Church = beautiful building and they let you peek in too+ Photo opps = fun and creative + Marketing = Lenie does the best job and is so on top of things! + Social media = so much great info posted clearly on their IGThings to note: + Dessert line = it's long but it moves quicker than you'd expect. I saw that they have a dessert pre-order option and a pick-up area that makes it much quicker but it was fun to see everything in person to choose! No regrets.+ Dessert menus in line = there was a dessert menu listed outside of the church but as we were waiting in the line, it would've been helpful to have some menus posted along the line so people could think up their order while waiting. (Or we should've taken a photo of the outdoor sign!)+ Entrance from parking lot = mostly everyone parks in the big field next to the church but then you walk up a little hill, between trees, through the parking lot, and past the emergency vehicles. It felt like maybe that wasn't the right entrance, so some signage or some type of entrance would be fun there.It's such a wonderful event and we'll definitely be back! Great work!

This is my first time attending the Greek Festival, I would say the food and the environment are amazing! The food is very delicious and tastes amazing! They have entertainment and dancing, and everyone is enjoying their time! I would recommend this place if you are looking for an amazing time to relax and enjoy your night. It only happens once every year! Would go back next year to enjoy the food and entertainment!

I went for the first time this year and plan to make this a must-attend event every year! it is hard not to have a smile on your face from the moment you hear the music playing on the stage. The people there are immediately welcoming. They have programs at the entrance that quickly orient you to where things are and the events happening. The food was absolutely fantastic! Our group got multiple items to try and we couldn't pick favorites! We ended up dancing our dinner off as we were pulled into the dancing in front of the stage. It was easy to catch on to the moves and we couldn't seem to wipe the smiles from our faces. Don't miss out on the baked goods in the church! The line looks long but it moves quick and is 100% worth it.

This was a good event. The food was amazing. The music was great. It was in a very pretty Orthodox Church. There was a lot of parking, which is necessary since it's in Carmel. The line was extremely long. However it was worth it. Once you get to the food there's tons of options and you get out quick.Very good event. Check this out next year.

This is one of the best organized events you will find. Each year they seem to learn from past issues and make changes to make it even more spectacular. The layout is wonderful. The food is all congregated in one area. Each vendor has a well marked sign and separate location. Once you go in the food area, you can get items from several different vendors and then pay at a centralized check out, cafeteria-style. This makes it so much easier than having to fumble multiple times with food and money.The food is amazing. I had a wonderful gyro and saganaki. Others in my party had the lamb bowl. In each case the food was plentiful and delicious. The star of the show for me is the Loukemades. These are honey puffs that are little balls of heavenly delight! I swear angels sing when you take your first bite.The entertainment is well done with different sets of student dancers performing with live musicians. They do a wonderful job and show that they have practiced profusely to share their heritage and talent.The cathedral (Holy Trinity) is a beautiful structure. They have this incredible building open for tours during the festival. It is a lovely, peaceful place.I would recommend to go one of the first days of the festival. They have a variety of baked foods that are sold on a first come first served basis. All kinds of Greek delicacies are homemade and available to take home. By the last day of the festival, their success is evident as there were no baked good to be had.

I came for the baklava, and I didn't leave empty handed. Indy Greek Fest is an annual, three-day celebration of Greek culture at the gorgeous Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. I went Saturday mid-afternoon, which was good timing because by dinner time the crowd was picking up. Your first stop should be a church tour (no food/drink allowed inside). If you think this church is stunning from the outside, wait until you see the gorgeous iconography covering the interior walls. You have to see it for yourself. Luckily, they open their doors with welcoming arms and have informative 30 minute presentations on the building, the iconography, the church, etc. I had my neck craned back most of the time.Then, watch the dance troupes perform - most (if not all) are kids and they're adorable. They have dance demonstrations where the crowd can get into it, too.The food area has a good format - grab a tray and walk through the row of booths and load up, then pay at the end of the line vs. paying for each item individually at each tent. I got pita/hummus appetizer and spanikopita - $5 each. I should've just gotten the sampler plate ($15). We found seating under the tent but they definitely need more seating areas to accommodate the lunch/dinner crowds.The pastry area inside the church should adopt the same format as the food - the line was out and around the church. We waited 30 minutes to get our baklava. The problem is once you enter, everyone has to do down the row of desserts cafeteria style vs. picking and choosing tables to go up to. Load up on your sweets once inside.Save yourself $5 parking and ride the free shuttle from the former Marsh on 106/Michigan - air conditioned buses to and from. We never had to wait for a ride - very convenient. What's holding me back from the 5th star? The pastry line/organization and overall the prices. It's a free festival but I found the food to be a bit expensive for what I was getting. I just reminded myself this is a fundraiser for the church.

We've never been to this Greek festival before but I would go back. The food was amazing I got the sampler plate it had everything on it. Spanakopita-Hummus-Greek Meatballs-Grape leaves stuffed with meat and rice-olives and Feta cheese- and other great food. The honey puffs looked good but I was full I should have got them to go. Had a beer and wine tent also. Two large tents set up so you could eat in the shade. There was a band it was a little loud it was had to talk to people sitting across from you. There was dancing too. Also bounce house for the kids. We had to park at a church down the street but they had very friendly people on golf carts picking you up and taking you to the festival. Also you could park at Marsh and ride a trolley to the festival.

What a great time! The event was packed with different greek foods - gyros, olives, hummus... such authentic, greek food. Music and dancing are part of the festival, giving you entertainment while you enjoy your spoils.My favorite part was touring the Greek Orthodox Church. The beautiful murals tell a story you can't deny. I highly recommended this as a family outing, and something new to do together!

You definitely need to check out the Indianapolis Greek Festival! The food and atmosphere are top notch. We had a blast and will definitely be making a yearly appearance! Admission is free! They also have free offsite parking and shuttles, but we found free parking in the church across the street from the festival. The food is amazing! You can grab food from any of the booths, and they provide trays to help you hold all of your goodies! Once you've picked everything your heart desires, you pay for it all at once at the end! This helps the food lines move very quickly! We tried the feta fries, gyro, and loukoumades(honey puffs). All three were insanely delicious! My friend, who is a Greek Fest expert, also swears by the appetizer sampler platter and the the lamb dinner! They have musicians playing traditional Greek music, and dancers perform before they open up the dance floor to everybody! They also provide free tours of the gorgeous church! Very fun atmosphere and amazing food. What more could you ask for?

We haven't been to Greekfest for about 6 years so we were surprised by how the event has grown. Their website was excellent for finding the schedule of events and information on parking. We parked at Marsh and took the shuttle. We did not have to wait for the shuttle in either direction. The school bus seats were a little small for my husband but he made it work. No admission fee and a nice program greet you at the entrance. This year we really enjoyed the cooking demonstrations which are held about every other hour and feature classic Greek recipes with a little humor. The tour of the church was fantastic. Very interesting to learn about the lovely murals. The children's activities were too crowded for us to participate. That was a little frustrating for our granddaughter. The food court was set up interestingly with different food stations. The lines were long but moved quickly. The only downside was you had to stand in 3 or four lines to get all your food and then check out. There were a couple nice tents with tables for eating but they were packed so it was hard to find a place to eat. The food was good with some items made fresh (kabobs) and other items canned (dolmathes). Food prices were reasonable-the calamari was $8 and most appetizers were $5. The $8 Greek salad was ok but not as special as what we saw in the cooking demonstration. The beer ($6) and wine ($6) was very good. We really enjoyed the Greek dancing but it was hard to see with the crowd. It was fun to join the dancing. The people are very friendly. You need to get there early to enjoy everything before the crowds arrive. I would go back just to see the cooking demonstrations and tour the church.