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Greek Holiday, Tulsa's premier ethnic festival that has brought dancing, homemade Greek food and tours of the beautiful Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church to Tulsa since 1960, kicks off in Tulsa this Thursday night. 

<!--more-->Yeah, the kids have gone back to school and football season has started. But fall never really seems at hand until I see the blue and white tent at 15th and Guthrie. 

More years that I've been alive than not, my family hasn't missed Greek Holiday. I even went the year I was three months pregnant and so nauseated by the faintest of smells that I could feel the top of my stomach in my knees. 

But I would have given my life for a gyro. Such is the paradox of pregnancy. 

Last year was our son's third trip, really, since he spent his first Greek Holiday in utero, and it was the first time he ever knew the distinct pleasure of a drippy, crispy, super-sweet slice of baklava made by Tulsa's own Greek yayas and thias. 

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He might have had a few cookies, too. 

But he had nothing on what was piled on our plates. Gyros. Greek souvlaki (shish kabob). Spanakopita. Kalamari. And a box full of treats from the festival bakery. 

Which included, of course, that dreamy baklava. The baklava that you just can't get at a grocery store. The kind of baklava that could come only straight from the kitchen of a Greek woman. 

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Some things are sacred. This baklava is one of them. 

While food is my favorite part of practically any festival, there's much more to Greek Holiday than just the eats. Greek Holiday is home to some of the most beautiful dancing you'll see in Tulsa all year, thanks to dozens of authentically costumed dance groups. All told, about 80 people are involved in this aspect of the festival, and they range in age from about 4 years old to 80. 

As I mentioned before, yes, I love the food on offer at Greek holiday. But the real best part about this festival to me? That's it's a family endeavor. Now that it's reached its 50th year, multiple generations of the families of this parish have been involved in this festival. As you make your way down the a la carte line, you might be served your rice pilaf by a yaya and your stuffed grape leaves by her granddaughter. Entire families are involved in the ethnic dances you'll see throughout the festival, comprised of moms and dads and kids and uncles and grandparents and great-grandparents. 

This festival has, to put it lightly, some serious roots. 

It's easy to be part of this historic edition among historic editions of Tulsa's premier ethnic festival. Admission is just $3, and you have three whole days to make room in your schedule to spend a few hours exploring this event. 

What'd make you Greek Holiday-going life even easier is this giveaway package, courtesy of the organizers of the festival: 

Dinner tickets for 4 (includes beverage and free admission)

Two festival t-shirts

50th Anniversary Edition of our parish cookbook, Cooking Greek for Tulsa

Box of assorted pastries to include baklava, finikia and kourambiethes

Greek Holiday
When: Thursday, 11am-9pm; Friday, 11am-10pm; Saturday, 11am-10pm
Where: 1206 S. Guthrie Ave. (two blocks west of 11th Street and Denver Ave.; if you're taking the Broken Arrow Expressway, take the Houston exit)
Web: 

