L.A. Greek Fest 2008 September 5, 2008

Hollywood's favorite super-star couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson will once again serve as honorary chairs and celebrity guest hosts of the L.A. Greek Fest “10 th Anniversary Spectacular” - highlighted by the exciting “ Passport to a Grecian Holiday ” theme and presented Sept. 5-7 on the Grand Plaza grounds of Saint Sophia Cathedral. A stylish VIP Celebrity Preview Night will be hosted Sept. 4 on the Cathedral plaza as a special fundraiser this year for the C.E.S. Building Fund project.

LA Magazine has recognized the LA GREEK FEST as one of the “must-see, must-do” September events in Los Angeles. Because of its prominence in the community and singularly unique presentation format, Hollywood Celebrities and VIP dignitaries come from all over Los Angeles and the west coast to visit throughout the weekend. The Fest and Cathedral are located at 1324 S. Normandie Ave., (corner of Pico and Normandie). Free & secure parking will be available nearby and shuttle service will be offered continuously to satellite lots. The Fest runs 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm on Friday Sept. 5; Saturday Sept. 6, 1:00pm – 11:00 pm and Sunday Sept.7, 12 noon –10 p.m. Admission is free to everyone on Friday night; and $5 for adults on Saturday and Sunday. ( Kids under 12 will be admitted free of charge all weekend long ).

EXOTIC TRAVEL THEME ~ A “ Passport to a Grecian Holiday ” theme marks plans for this year's Fest. Food booths will spotlight Greek food specialties to stimulate a culinary fantasy with the dining pleasures of Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Saloniki and other exotic Hellenic destinations. It's a weekend of great food, music and dancing, the irresistible spirit of the Aegean – all within easy reach in the heart of Los Angeles. Travel-themed raffle prizes will be awarded, including a trip for two to the Greek Islands, weekend getaways, a digital camera, American Tourister luggage and more. Exquisite Greek cuisine at the various exotically themed booths will include spanakopita, calamari, pastitsio and the spectacular flaming cheese saganaki, plus first-ever presentations of lesser-known regional tantalizers. The always-popular dessert booth will serve up exotic pastry creations including baklava and galaktoboureko.

One of the hottest new FEST attractions is the always jumping “ TUNICS ” - a top-notch Sports Bar located on the north end of the plaza grounds. TUNICS offers continual broadcasts of all the top rated weekend football games and other sporting events. Also featured will be a line of select Greek beers, wine and Metaxa brandy cocktails…. complimented by food specialties like feta fries, Greek sausage sandwiches and mini-lamb chops. Sports Bar connoisseurs will be delighted to find the special line of premium cigars available with the distinctive L.A. GREEK FEST logo. Continuing partnerships with Ralph's, 20 th Century Fox, Paramount Studios, Caffe D'Amore, California Produce and Daphne's Greek Cafes is expected to help push this year's Fest attendance well above the 35,000 level over the three day weekend. Further fueling the visitor surge is the assistance provided by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority with its vehicle signage and website postings provided daily to thousands of transit riders.

Befitting the burgeoning breadth and scope of the Fest, the Los Angeles City Council will be declaring Sept. 5-7 as “ L.A. GREEK FEST Weekend ” in Los Angeles.

“In just a few short years, our FEST has become a blockbuster event for the city of L.A .” beams festival co-director Jan Pastras.“ It's such a fantastic way to enjoy a splash of the Aegean right here in Southern California !”

As usual, extensive tours of Saint Sophia Cathedral, a world-renown architectural and religious gem and national landmark structure, will be held throughout the L.A. Greek Fest weekend. “ We want to welcome one and all— not only to the Fest but into our beautiful Cathedral during their visit ,” encourages Father John Bakas, dean of the Cathedral. “Come experience the ‘ warm heart of Los Angeles' and Greek hospitality at its finest -- there's nothing else like it anywhere!”

Friday - September 5th
~Greek Music and Dancing throughout the Evening~
CATHEDRAL OPEN: 6pm - 9pm (Audio Presentations on the hour)
5:00 PM: Festival officially opens - "ZORBA NIGHT" Happy Hour
5:30 PM: Music by FOTIA - Party Time Festivities
8:30 PM: ZORBA Dance Contest
11:00 PM: Festival closes for the evening
Saturday - September 6th
~Greek Music and Dancing throughout the Evening~
CATHEDRAL OPEN: 2pm - 9pm (Audio Presentations on the hour)
1:00 PM: Greek Music for the Day - "FOTIA"
2:00 PM: Greek Cooking Demonstrations (St.Basil's Hall)
3:00 PM: Greek Dancing Workshop (Main Stage)
3:30 PM: Saint Sophia Greek Dancers (Children)
4:30 PM: Greek Cooking Demonstrations (St.Basil's Hall)
5:30 PM: Saint Sophia Greek Dancers (Juniors)
6:15 PM: "A Night with the Ancients" (Theatrical Show)
7:00 PM: Greek Dance Workshop (Main Stage)
7:30 PM: "Charanga Latina" Salsa Show (On Stage)
9:00 PM: Saint Sophia Greek Dancers (Seniors)
11:00 PM: Festival closes for the evening
Sunday - September 7th
~Greek Music and Dancing throughout the Evening~
CATHEDRAL OPEN: 2pm - 9pm (Audio Presentations on the hour)
12:30 PM: Greek Music for the Day - "FOTIA"
2:00 PM: Greek Cooking Demonstrations (St.Basil's Hall)
2:45 PM: Greek Dance Workshop (Main Stage)
3:15 PM: Saint Sophia Greek Dancers (Children)
4:00 PM: Greek Cooking Demonstrations (St.Basil's Hall)
5:00 PM: Saint Sophia Greek Dancers (Juniors)
5:30 PM: Greek Dance Workshop (Main Stage)
6:15 PM: "A Night with the Ancients" (Theatrical Show)
7:00 PM: "Charanga Latina" Salsa Show (On Stage)
8:00 PM: Saint Sophia Greek Dancers (Seniors)
8:45 PM: GRAND PRIZE DRAWING
10:00 PM: Fest 2008 Officially Closes

Official Website: http://www.lagreekfest.com/