Birmingham Greek Festival

Every year in September, Holy-Trinity Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral opened its doors to the public to host the Birmingham Greek Festival for three days. In the middle of downtown Birmingham, the Cathedral sits across the street from a newly built Publix grocery store and adjacent to a warehouse. The warehouse was gutted and doors opened to host the main site of the Festival. Even though the doors opened at 10:30 am, a crowd had gathered the entrance at 10 am, excited to start their Greek experience. Even from the street the smell of gyros and baked chicken wafted through the grey concrete walls. The inside of the warehouse had been transformed into a Greek epicenter. The complete left wall was lined with white tables and ovens, and a line of people snaked out waiting to pay for their food. To the right was a dance floor, yellow bulb lights strung from the rafters above. On the opposite side of the warehouse, up a small flight of stairs, a small shop had been set up. The tables were filled with everything from t-shirts with the festival’s logo, to shot glasses with the blue and white flag of Greece. The annual Birmingham Greek Festival is a fantastic way to learn about Greek culture, eat fine, unusual food, and perhaps even dance if you come at the right time.