Portarlington will burst with energy on November 2 when the Bellarine town hosts its inaugural Greek Festival, according to timesnewsgroup.com.au. The event promises a lively celebration of Greek and Australian culture, featuring food stalls, handmade goods, ouzo, belly dancing, and live music.
Festival organiser Alexandria Dascarellos said she hopes the day brings joy and unity: “As people say, there’s no better place for a Greek festival than in Portarlington. It’s about uniting us all, because at the moment the world is full of misery and everyone I’ve spoken to said they’re coming, and they want a bit of respite and enlightenment in their life. It’s also about uniting people of all cultures, all demographics, uniting the world and everyone is welcome.”
Dascarellos, who also runs the town’s makers’ markets, said those regular events partly inspired the festival. Unable to often attend cultural events in Melbourne, she decided to create one locally.
“Australia is a mix of cultures and I thought ‘Why can’t we bring it to the Bellarine?’” she said. “We desperately need more cultural events. We need to celebrate people’s culture, to break down ignorance… we need more acceptance and tolerance of everyone’s culture in this world.”
Entry will be free, though donations are encouraged to help cover costs. Dascarellos hopes some funds can also go toward relief efforts for victims of recent wildfires in Greece.
The festival will run from 10am to 5pm at 86 Newcomb Street and W.G. Little Reserve, offering a family-friendly day of food, entertainment, and cultural connection.
Source: timesnewsgroup.com.au
