<strong>UPDATE//</strong>Boys and girls, we have a winner!

Out of the 72 comments that slid in under the 3pm deadline...

<a rel="attachment wp-att-2053" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/09/greek-holiday/picture-8-2/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2053" title="Greek Holiday Winner 2010" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Picture-8.png" alt="Greek Holiday Winner 2010" width="166" height="189" /></a>

And the holder of the 40th entry is...

<a rel="attachment wp-att-2054" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/09/greek-holiday/picture-9/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2054" title="Greek Holiday Winner 2010" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Picture-9.png" alt="Greek Holiday Winner 2010" width="421" height="99" /></a>

Congrats, Evan! I like the way you think. You have 24 hours to <a href="mailto:tasha@tashadoestulsa.com">e-mail me</a> to claim your prize.

Thanks to everyone for playing - see you at <a href="http://www.tulsagreekfestival.com/">Greek Holiday</a> this weekend!

<a rel="attachment wp-att-2022" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/09/greek-holiday/dsc07146/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2022" title="Greek Holiday 2009" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/DSC07146-500x375.jpg" alt="Greek Holiday 2009" width="500" height="375" /></a>

<a href="http://tulsagreekfestival.com/">Greek Holiday</a>, the festival that has brought dancing, homemade Greek food, shopping and tours of the beautiful <a href="http://holytrinity.ok.goarch.org/">Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church</a> to Tulsa since 1961, kicks off in Tulsa this Thursday night, Sept. 16.

<!--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 12th and Guthrie, just outside of the IDL in downtown Tulsa.

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 theas (Greek for grandmothers and aunts, famous for their skills in the kitchen).

<a rel="attachment wp-att-2023" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/09/greek-holiday/dsc07147/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2023" title="Greek Holiday 2009" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/DSC07147.jpg" alt="Greek Holiday 2009" width="480" height="640" /></a>

Kiddo might have had a few Kourambiethes (almond-flavored butter cookies sprinkled with powdered sugar), too.

But he had nothing on what was piled on the adults' plates: Gyros. Greek souvlaki (shish kabob). An appetizer plate heavy with spanakopita. Calamari.

That's four out of the nine items available on the a la carte menu at Greek Holiday, and where I come from, that's no average to sneeze at.

<a href="http://www.tulsagreekfestival.com/menu.html">Click here for the a la carte menu at Greek Holiday 2010 and info about Taverna</a>.

We also had 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 wise, knowing, feisty Greek woman.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-2024" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/09/greek-holiday/dsc07151/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2024" title="Greek Holiday 2009" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/DSC07151-500x375.jpg" alt="Greek Holiday 2009" width="500" height="375" /></a>

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

<a href="http://www.tulsagreekfestival.com/bakery.html">Click here for more info on what's available in the bakery at Greek Holiday</a>.

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 exciting dance performances you'll see in Tulsa all year, thanks to its several 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.

<a href="http://www.tulsagreekfestival.com/dance_schedule.html">Click here for the schedule of dance groups performing at Greek Holiday</a> or <a href="http://www.tulsagreekfestival.com/dance.html">here for more about the stories behind the songs and costumes</a>.

There's also a Greek market, Marketa. For sale is anything your little heart could desire from the birthplace of Western civilization, from olive oil and Kalamata olives to stunning, hand-crafted jewelry to the 50th anniversary cookbook of the Holy Trinity parish, <em>Cooking Greek in Tulsa</em>.

<a href="http://www.tulsagreekfestival.com/marketa.html">Click here for more about Marketa and the imported merchandise that'll be available at Greek Holiday</a>.

Greek Holiday is also a chance to learn about the Greek Orthodox religion and to find out more about the culture and traditions of the people in the church. Anyone who wanders through Holy Trinity during the festival is welcome to free tours.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-2025" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/09/greek-holiday/dsc07152/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2025" title="Greek Holiday 2009" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/DSC07152.jpg" alt="Greek Holiday 2009" width="480" height="640" /></a>

As I mentioned before, yes, I look forward all year to the food on offer at Greek Holiday. But my real favorite part of this festival? That's it's about family.

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 gyros and Greek-style potatoes by a grandmother and your Greek salad by her granddaughter. Entire families are involved in the ethnic dances, too, from moms and dads and kids and uncles to grandparents and great-grandparents.

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

It's easy to be part of this historic edition among historic editions of Tulsa's premier ethnic festival. Admission is just $3, and that's only during the evenings and on Saturday. Before 4pm Thursday and Friday, there's no admission fee at all. And did I mention that all kids accompanied by an adult get in free?

It's true. They do.

Plus, you have three whole days to make room in your schedule to spend a few hours exploring this event.

Life can be even easier, though. <strong>You could win a gift basket full of Greek Holiday goodies right here at TDT.</strong>

The basket contains:
<ul>
	<li>Dinner tickets for 4 (which includes beverage and free admission to the festival)</li>
	<li>Two 2010 festival t-shirts</li>
	<li>50th anniversary edition of the parish cookbook, <em>Cooking Greek for Tulsa</em></li>
	<li>A box of assorted pastries, including baklava, finikia and kourambiethes</li>
</ul>
All you have to do for your chance to win this basket-o-heaven is <strong>head to the comments section on this post and tell me your favorite Greek food</strong>.

Pretty easy, right? I thought so, too.

<strong>You have until tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 14) at 3pm to enter</strong>. I'll let <a href="http://www.Random.org">Random.org</a> pick a winner later that afternoon, and I'll tack it all on right here as an update to this post.

Good luck, everybody! And you know that I can't help but end this post with a big, hearty...

Opa!

<strong>Greek Holiday</strong>
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: <a href="http://www.tulsagreekfestival.com/">TulsaGreekFestival.com</a>