Every year in mid August a shadow crosses my bottomless well of happiness. It’s the announcement heralding the annual 11-day Ottawa GreeFest on Prince Wales Drive, just south of the city’s famed and beautiful Experimental Farm.
It’s not the festival itself that saddens me. The Ottawa GreekFest is a joyful, heartwarming display of traditional Greek culture in music, dance, song, and works of fine art, not to forget culinary magic to suit the tastes of young and old. It’s just that even though it’s still only the middle of August, the timing of the GreekFest reminds me that autumn and winter are lurking just up the street and around the corner.
And so each year I attend the GreekFest with great expectations. And each year the colorful festivities chase the shadow away.
This year marked the 34th annual of a festival that has evolved from a small community affair into one that draws about 80,000 per year making it the 12th largest event of its kind in the capital city.
This year the GreekFest more than lived up to its reputation for the joy of young and old. Following are photos that illustrate the cheerful event.
Insert two photos of old lady side by side.
Mara Mirtschewa, (age remains unrevealed), who hails from Bulgaria, joins the lively music and dances with the help of her walker. After sunset she’s found a male escort. She’s been a regular for years.
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In the spirit of Zorba the Greek, Stavros Kamoulakos dances in a ring of fire. (Photographer: Angela Kokkinos)
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The following photographs were taken by Kosta Kokkinos.
Fancy footwear and fancy footwork by these veterans of dance.
These dancers in full dress and good humour pause for the camera before they take to the stage.
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