Atherton Street, typically a rush of city traffic, was transformed into a pedestrian-only spectacle for the annual Oakleigh Glendi on the first weekend of November. Thousands poured into the precinct, the air thick with the irresistible scent of charred lamb souvlakia and the rhythmic, sharp pluck of the bouzouki blending with a roar of laughter.
What began many decades ago as a humble church fete for Saints Anargyroi feast day has blossomed into one of Melbourne’s most beloved multicultural celebrations, now drawing crowds estimated at over 40,000 visitors across the weekend.
At its heart are the hundreds of stallholders whose stories weave together faith, creativity, and community spirit.
From faith to design
Among the bustling rows of tents, the light emanating from the Stacey K Studios stall captured attention. Here stood Stacey Kalamatis, a board member of the Greek Orthodox Community of Oakleigh and the creative mind behind the luminous, cave-inspired art pieces. Her journey from designing intricately hand-decorated lambades (Easter candles) was a deep one.
“It took me three years to bring my design to life,” she said, her voice warm. Her inspiration was born from a pivotal moment: a mystical, quiet Cretan cave where she once prayed, and the feeling of connection she found there.
“Each piece is handcrafted using onyx and marble sourced from around the world. It’s about finding calm and connection.”
Her work, now stocked in more than a dozen boutiques, recently won Best Stand at the Australian Gift Fair. “It’s not just Greeks. People connect with the energy behind it,” she smiled. “It’s doing really well.”
Caffeine, crafts and connection
At Melvourni Coffee, crowds queued for their caffeine fix.
“We only serve iconic coffees of Greece, and frappe is still the festival favourite, though that is no longer the case in Greece where freddo cappuccino has taken over,” said owner George Darmanis, who runs the business with his wife Thaleia.
“We launched in 2022, just presenting and then decided to also add a coffee stand. Every year, the festival gets bigger. This is our home, and we want to support the people who support us.”
Nearby, Samantha from Annie’s Gifts by Sam was enjoying her first Glendi as a stallholder.
“It’s busy and fun,” she said. “My dog mugs are definitely the bestsellers. People love them.”
For Helen Lucas, the Glendi was about more than sales. After discovering the healing benefits of mastiha (the natural resin from Chios) during her struggle with psoriasis, she began selling mastiha-based products.
“It’s a great festival,” she said. “People are buying. It’s worthwhile. We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t making money.”
At Ammos, Maria Tsimoutsis spoke proudly of the business she started with her sister-in-law, Katerina Mastrokoulis. The idea came as they would come back with bags, jewellery and other items from Greece and people would always ask where they got them from.
“We launched Ammos about eight or nine years ago,” she said. “Our products come directly from Greece: handbags, sandals, accessories. We’re passionate about bringing authentic Greek style to Australia. We’re lucky to travel to Greece every year or two to source everything ourselves.”
By early Saturday, Tonia Katakis of Alfabeta had run out of yiayia storytelling dolls. “I began importing Desylla products from Greece to help my daughter learn the Greek language and found there was a huge market for them,” she said. Her daughter is now 11 and speaks flawless Greek.
From Palestine to Perth
The multicultural flavour of the Glendi shone through in every direction. Eddie Raffoul, from Mum’s Baklava, proudly shared his Palestinian heritage.
“This is our second year here,” he said. “My mum, Helen, made baklava for 30 years, now we sell around 5,000 pieces a week. We even added chocolate, peanut butter, and Turkish delight versions.”
When asked whether baklava is Greek or Turkish, he laughed, while giving an unpopular opinion.
“Baklava originated in Turkey, but everyone makes it their own. Greeks use walnuts and honey; we use sugar syrup with cashews and pistachios.”
Nikita Kypriotis and Karina Tolios, both under 21, drew crowds with their vintage football jerseys at Fashion Football.
“We both love football,” said Nikita. “The retro kits are our bestsellers. We took a leap of faith to be here, and it’s paying off.”
Karina agreed, adding that they are both Oakleigh locals. Her advice to other young entrepreneurs: “Have faith in God and go for it!”
Nearby, Sugarlicious stall owners, Kelly Shin and her family, were selling toffee apples and sugar-dipped fruit.
“We go everywhere there’s a festival,” she said. “Good weather, good vibes. We’ll be back.”
Faces of a festival
At the Zaparas Lawyers photo booth, a lot of fun was had. Local mum Yu-Gin posed with her kids wearing funny hats and holding up fun signs.
“I come every year to have fun with the children,” she said. “I like the food and the people. I have Greek neighbours.”
Visitors came from all over Melbourne and beyond. Ping, originally from China and now living in Box Hill, came with a group of friends from across the city.
“I’m from Box Hill and my friend is from Clayton,” she said. “We’re celebrating a Greek festival and think it’s very good. We like Greek culture — my sister and I used to live in Oakleigh, so it feels like home.”
Bianca Clifford, from Perth, travelled across the country with her German boyfriend, Nicholas Haustorf, to reconnect with her roots.
“I’m a quarter Greek, but also Sicilian and British,” she said. “The Glendi makes me feel close to my yiayia’s culture.”
As night fell, the air filled with the powerful vocals of Christina Salti, performing her new anthem “Andras Einai Tha Perasei” (“He’s Just a Man, He’ll Pass”), an ode to women’s strength and independence.
The crowd danced, laughed, and sang until fireworks painted the Oakleigh sky, a fitting finale to a weekend where small business, heritage, and community spirit shone brightest.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.
