Norfolk Greek Festival

New year, same cheer. Liked the QR codes and online info (norfolkgreekfestival.org). Still popular in community seen by longer lines around meal times. Loukoumades were terrific, just like I remembered them. Gyro, Chicken Souvlaki stick, calamari, fries, and baklava were all premade but very good. Pro tip: if that's what you want, take the leftmost line.

Not only packed like sardines, the parking situation is truly awful. I expect a festival like this to have a better grasp on logistics. Inside the dining tent is loud, really loud, with the music and people competing to see who can injure your eardrums the most. If there were vendors this year I did not see them, as after our experience parking and trying to get to the dining tent, we were ready to leave. The food was mostly eh, my favorite greek place has better gyros. The fries were hot and crispy, but they were touted as 'greek' and even though you could see other seasonings on them, you couldn't taste them. The spanakopita was the shining star and honestly I wish I'd just bought three of them and not bothered with anything else. I also had a piece of baklava that was, as they go, not great, but not bad. Overall I won't be back next year unless they're holding it somewhere else.

I visited this year on Friday-hoping to get a fresher perspective and food.I got the Pastitio, Chicken Souvlaki, Greek Salad and a baklava. Much more impressed this year-even though I discovered that all the pastries are imported from Hella's Bakery in Florida. I had a bite of a gyro and it was the normal food service strips of lamb. If you go, the Souvlaki and salad is amazing. The Pastitio has the cinnamon flavor burst I grew accustomed to from the Midwest's Macedonian presence in food.

Always a great event with everyone working hard from beginning to end !!! Wether it's the lines on the drive through or the lines inside, prepare yourself to wait, but be patient for it won't be long and it's worth the wait. They will greet you with smiles and keep you posted on the progress of delays. Also take into consideration ALL the people that come to this event!!! Lots !!!! Oh and parking is free !!!The Loukoumades is always the first delicious temptation you smell and see when your in line to get your Gyros, Kabobs, Salads, Calamari, Pastitsio, Spanakopita and other delicious items !!! So guess what ??? Once you get your Loukoumades you start snacking on them while in line (yum)As you find you a seat you will enjoy the many traditional Greek dance shows and music playing while you enjoy your food. Also available is Greek beer (Mythos), and wine, besides your usual beers, water, and sodas. Now you gotta make time to go the indoor market for they have wines, pastries, jewelry, coffee, wooden sculptures, olive oil, granite creations, clothing, hand painted art work, hand painted jewelry boxes, Big & Small nesting dolls, kitchen ware, shot glasses (Onyx), Greek Import Store and Greek groceries store. Looking forward to next years festival!!!!

Everyone can be Greek for a few days at the largest cultural event on the East Coast of the U.S. The Norfolk Greek Festival is held right here in our own backyard of Norfolk. They just just concluded another fabulous year of their three day run late this afternoon. The festival supports the Greek Orthodox community and their outreach mission. They open their doors to the public to share their faith, culture and traditions with neighbors. The event has been running 50+ years and has ballooned to an event that is a must attend.The festival proceeds support the operation of the church and the many charities that they sponsor. It truly is wonderful event for the Tidewater community.The location on Granby is easy to find and although scary when you see a million people parking is every where by street. Just be prepared to walk. With the closing of the event today I snuck in late afternoon to enjoy the food, music and for the first time tour the church. The interior of the church is more basic than I expected inside, but ornate where clergy preach. What to expect if you go. Well there will be lines, then more lines, then another line. The weather was ideal this week to not sweat it. This is part of the atmosphere and your sure to strike up a conversation. Be ready however for the lines to move fast. They have this well oiled machine on cruise control from the kitchen, to the staff that transport, to the servers and to the cashiers. Even the drive-thru line, yes I said drive thru service is organized up front with staff taking orders on iPads. They do take all forms of credit except AMEX. Let's talk food, the primary reason many are drawn to this event. The dishes are authentic and made on sight. Favorites such as Greek salad, Moussaka, Pastitsio, Spanakopita and more. The highlight for me is the Lokoumades aka Greek Honey Dumplings. This is a traditional Greek delicacy made from fried dough and it's a piece of heaven. The dough just out of the fryer melts in your mouth.There are drink stations to purchase wine and beer and believe me the wine flows with the great bottle prices. It's party on with most coming in groups and really enjoying themselves. Seating is communal with long tables under the tent and a ton of it. But don't expect it to be easy to locate a prime seat in front of the stage where the entertainment runs non stop. Be courteous and bus your own table. Trash cans are every where. This was something that was unpleasant is trash left and on the ground. Finally the people running the event. Everyone I had interaction with was helpful, smiled and in the case of the church tour informative. I can honestly say that I've never met a Greek that hasn't been nice and welcoming. They are a passionate loving cultural. I would recommend if you have never been. They run it the same time every year in May, so make plans as the time rolls around to bring family and friends and celebrate Greek style...OPA!

I love the Greek Fest so much. It's so nice to see families, friends, and people of all different backgrounds enjoying a culture foreign to most of us. The staff is so helpful and friendly, and great at teaching you about their cuisine. The food is a la carte so you can get everything you want. My favorites are the chicken souvlaki and the spanakopita. Great seasonings, great portions. Everything was so filling.The festival was very well setup and organized. Aside from parking and walking up, they also had individual lines for drive-thru and Door Dash pickups. There wasn't too long of a wait for anyone.There is a marketplace in the back that sells a lot of handmade and authentic items. Towards the back is also the pastries and desserts. As someone that already loves baklava, I tried it in sundae form and basically died and went to heaven.If you've never been to the Greek Fest, please make your way there this weekend and bring everyone with you!

As is a yearly tradition since I have lived in hampton roads went to the 2019 Norfolk Greek Festival for lunch on Thursday and then dinner Saturday night. As always never disappoints, yes its crowded, its popular event, but never had an issue finding a place to sit and eat and enjoy the festivities. You have to try the Pastisio, Moussaka and the Loukoumades. It's the one time of year I get to have all three and their pastries are awesome. Have to get those early as they sell out quickly!

Growing up, I spent a lot of time at the Greek Festival in Houston, TX. I helped my mother skewer hundreds of souvlaki and roll thousands of keftedes. I have great Greek memories of food, song, dance, and decoration. I know that there is nothing like a good Greek Festival... and today's event was NOTHING like a good Greek Festival! Overcrowded. Disorganized. Impossible to get food without waiting in line for over an hour. All of these describe the Norfolk Greek Festival. It is not worth your time. Avoid at all costs.

I went Thursday Oct 17, 2024. The pastitsio had nice bechamel top but bland flavor-could not taste any spices. The spanicopita reminded me of store bought with a lot of filo with s small layer of mostly spinach filling. I could not taste any feta. The tyropita also a lot filo layers with small amount filling I remember the festival five or more years ago. wonderfully spiced pastitsio. Pans of spanocopita and tyropita with filo top and bottem with generous filling. I hope it will improve in the spring I will give it one more try in the spring. Very disappointed, especially for $38.

This is a big, fun festival in some very crowded tents. Good entertainment and food. We enjoyed some gyros! Was sad to see so much plasticware being used. Wish they would use paper. Each single use plate, take away container, cup and cookie holder was plastic. We all know where these containers are going.