Thousands gathered at St George Greek Orthodox Church over the weekend for the 2026 Thebarton Hellenic Festival, a day that brought together faith, heritage, remembrance, music, dance, food and the unmistakable kefi of Adelaide’s Greek community.
The day was a commemoration of the parish’s patron saint, Saint George, whose feast day fell on 23 April 2026. It was also a celebration of Hellenism in Australia: of Orthodox faith, Greek language, food, music, dance, migration, memory and multicultural belonging.
The festival program began at 12.45pm with an ANZAC Day commemoration, officiated by His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide. Prayers were offered for the repose of the souls of those who gave their lives at Gallipoli in the First World War, for those who gave their lives in the Second World War for Australia, Greece, and all those in the armed forces who have fought for the freedoms held dear by both nations.
The solemnity of the commemoration gave the festival a deeper significance, linking the sacrifice of the ANZACs with the bonds of friendship and shared history between Australia and Greece.
Bishop Silouan, addressing the festival, recognised the significance of the event not only for the parish, but for the wider locality, city and state. He described the festival as a point of pride for the community and for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.
The Mayor of West Torrens, Michael Coxon, followed with remarks that situated the festival within the wider civic and historical life of the city.
Later in the day, the Hon. Tom Koutsantonis MP, Treasurer of South Australia, delivered remarks that linked ANZAC Day, Greek wartime memory, migration, government support and the future of the St George community.
“ANZAC Day is the most solemn of Australian memorials, and a lot of Greek Australians don’t realise this, [but] what was the aim of the Australian Imperial Army landing at Gallipoli? Well, their aim was to liberate Constantinople. Their aim was to fight their way from ANZAC Cove all the way to Istanbul,” Koutsantonis said.
“These young men gave up everything they had for their country, and it’s important to remember their sacrifice. Their sons turned up again in the 1940’s to fight for Greece. They were in the Peloponnese. They were in Crete, and they stood alongside our Diggers. They hid our Diggers, rather than give them up to the Germans. They remember us, and we remember them.”
Minister Koutsantonis then turned from wartime sacrifice to migration, faith, identity and the future of the St George community, linking the history of remembrance with practical support for education and cultural continuity.
“And then two decades later, they welcomed us with open arms in boats to come to this amazing new country where we brought our faith, our families and our traditions. And that’s why the State Government stands right behind the Greek Orthodox Community of St George here in Thebarton. That’s why…the State Government has made a contribution of $60,000 for today’s ceremony, and another $200,000 on top of that to create a scholarship program for the St George College in the name of Father Patsouris,” he announced.
“All these programs are in place to help our community maintain our identity, our language and our connection to our God, our church and our people and our fatherland and our new country.”
The final speaker, Spiro Perdikoyiannis, on behalf of community President, the Executive Committee, and Philoptochos, said the community had gathered under the blessing of Saint George as it marked his name day, describing it as “a moment of deep spiritual and cultural significance” for the parish.
“It reminds us of courage, faith and the enduring strength of our Orthodox traditions,” he said.
Mr Perdikoyiannis also described these festivals as “bridges”, strengthening the ties between Australia and Greece and highlighting the beauty of multiculturalism, respect and shared community.
After the speeches concluded, festivalgoers gathered at the front of the church for a light show. Projected onto the church itself, the facade of St George was transformed into a canvas of memory, identity and faith.
The presentation was designed as a visual journey through the history of Hellenism: from ancient Greece to the establishment of the modern Greek state, before shifting to the migration story of Greeks in Australia. It then moved into remembrance and honour of the ANZACs, before tying those historical and cultural threads together through the unifying symbol of the Orthodox Christian faith.
As evening fell, the festival continued with music, dance, food and celebration. The atmosphere was full of excitement, energy, and kefi, with families, parishioners, festivalgoers and dignitaries joining together in a celebration of Hellenic identity and Australia’s multicultural tapestry.
The 2026 Thebarton Hellenic Festival showed the best of the St George community: its faith, hospitality, volunteers, young people, respect for the past, and its vibrant and enduring future.
