Thousands turn out as Cranston Greek Festival celebrates 29th year

Posted 9/10/14

“We didn’t break a record,” Theofanis Markos said Sunday night, “but we came close!”

That’s because a crowd estimated at 35,000-plus people took in the Church of the Annunciation’s …

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Thousands turn out as Cranston Greek Festival celebrates 29th year

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“We didn’t break a record,” Theofanis Markos said Sunday night, “but we came close!”

That’s because a crowd estimated at 35,000-plus people took in the Church of the Annunciation’s 29th annual Cranston Greek Festival, which began last Friday night and wound up Sunday evening at the Greek Orthodox parish’s spacious grounds at 175 Oaklawn Ave.

“We want to thank everybody who supported us and came to our feast,” said Markos, who owns and operates Markos Auto Body & Sales in Providence. “Hopefully, we’ll see everyone again in the spring when we have our mini fair.”

The three-day event, which also celebrates the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, was again an overwhelming success in the areas of fun, food and fellowship.

“We sold out of everything,” Markos said while noting that the only food left was unmixed salad, uncooked potatoes and bread that the chairman said “is going to be donated to the homeless.”

By early Sunday evening, the Greek gyro sandwich – a blend of beef and lamb topped with sliced onions, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce and served on grilled pita bread – had been so popular that organizers had to change course on the meat.

Instead of the beef and lamb mix that volunteer chefs sliced from a huge cone-like roll, Markos said “we had to only use sliced lamb in the end.”

As for the always-popular Greek pastry, the Koula Rougas and Roula Proyous-led “Baking Brigades,” in the preparation of 40,000 different pieces, were completely sold out.

“People were buying five and six boxes full of pastry,” Rougas said while chatting with Vasiliki “Ki Ki” Melanis Sunday afternoon. “We are thrilled that so many people love and enjoy our pastry. Our ladies work real hard to offer what we think is a special and great product.”

Yet another huge success during the three-day event came via the five fantastic performances of the award-winning Odyssey Dance Troupe directed by Dr. Steven Rougas. Also, a new addition this year was a special lighted stage that offered festivalgoers a more complete view of all entertainers.

Perhaps a testament to just how much people love the many different Greek foods is that no one seemed to mind waiting in long lines, including people who had driven to Cranston from places like Framingham, Mass., and Philadelphia, Pa.

“We all know what’s at the end of that line,” a husband and wife from Connecticut said. “There’s also another bonus – this is our third year here and we always manage to meet new folks while waiting in line.”

As it has in years past, the Cranston Greek Festival’s free shuttle service, which runs consistently from the Cranston High School West parking lot to the front of the Church of the Annunciation, also drew rave reviews.

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