There are a bunch of great reasons to go to the Long Beach Greek Festival, which takes place from Noon until 9 PM every Labor Day weekend at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church. There’s great music, and adorable costumed children performing traditional dances. There are artisans selling clothing, jewelery, and art. There’s the thrill of discovering a timeless connection to a rich Hellenistic tradition. You can even take a very thorough and extremely informative (read ‘long’) tour of the Church, and learn about each detail of the beautiful interior.
For me, though, there’s really only one reason to go: The food. Now, you may find better fare at fine Mediterranean restaurants, and perhaps better service as well, but there’s something special about the community coming together to prepare meals for so many. There’s a kind of flavor that comes from sharing one’s culture proudly. And, of course, there are the delectable desserts, and the coffee.
If you’ve never had Greek coffee (sometimes called Turkish coffee (I think they’re exactly the same)), it is a real treat. The beans are ground into a powder so fine that a light wind can blow them away. They’re mixed in equal measure with sugar, them a small amount of cold water is added. The mixture is held in a small metal pot over a very hot flame then foams up, almost to the point of overflowing. The entire thing is then dumped into a cup for you to savor. Now, the beverage is HOT. Be careful. As it cools, though, you’ll taste a flavor that goes back centuries.
Hot coffee aside, this is also a very ‘kid-friendly’ event. They usually have jumpers, inflatable slides, and other fun stuff for the wee ones. There’s very little parking at the church itself, so free parking is available at CSULB, in Lot 7, just off of 7th Street. There are shuttles that run very frequently, so you’ll have a very short wait by the beautiful fountain.
Click here for more information on the upcoming Long Beach Greek Festival.
See you there!