Despite a rain-soaked start to the morning, the 44th Greek Festival of Sydney unfolded in full colour, rhythm and joy on Sunday, March 1 at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, reaffirming its place as one of Sydney’s most cherished cultural celebrations.

From early morning until late into the night, Greek Fest @ Darling Harbour drew thousands of visitors from across Sydney and beyond, transforming the heart of the harbour precinct into a vibrant meeting place of food, music, dance and intergenerational community pride.

This year’s event carried special significance. It marked the first Darling Harbour Greek Fest delivered by the new organising committee, led by Greek Festival of Sydney President Persefoni Mousmoutis-Thliveris, Chair Pamela Proestos and Director Tilda Sikes.

The festival was held with the support of the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales (GOCNSW) and the presenting sponsor, Bank of Sydney.

A full day of culture, from morning rain to evening celebration

By 10am, emcees Artemis Theodoris and Dimitri Kallos officially welcomed crowds to Tumbalong Park, with music, DJ sets, dance performances and children’s activities setting the tone for a packed program that ran seamlessly throughout the day.

Families braved the damp conditions early on, rewarded as the skies cleared and the festival gained momentum. Food stalls serving souvlakia, halloumi, loukoumades and barbecued octopus were busy from mid-morning, while Greek Australian small businesses showcased jewellery, clothing and handmade goods.

A strong youth presence was felt throughout the day, particularly during the Western Sydney Wanderers FC free soccer clinics, which drew enthusiastic children eager to test their skills, juggle the ball and dream big — “first stop Greek Fest; next stop A-League,” as organisers quipped.

Dance, music and a true glendi atmosphere

On the main stage, dance groups from across Sydney and beyond celebrated the diversity of Greek regional traditions. Performers representing Crete, Cyprus, Kalymnos, Pontos, Macedonia and northern Greece captivated the crowd, while local schools and academies showcased the next generation carrying these traditions forward.

Live music from the Yianni Trio and Iho Nyx created a rolling glendi atmosphere throughout the afternoon, with spontaneous dancing breaking out near the stage as the day wore on.

As evening fell, anticipation built for the headline act. Just after 7.40pm, the crowd welcomed Greek singer Ioulia Karapataki, who took to the stage for a free concert direct from Greece. Her performance – filled with emotional intensity, modern flair and familiar Greek sounds – brought the festival to a powerful close, with Darling Harbour lit up by music, applause and collective joy.

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Official proceedings celebrate heritage, multiculturalism and renewal

The evening’s official program – emceed by Kosta Papanikita – began with dignitaries arriving at the VIP area, including NSW Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis MP.

This was followed by an Acknowledgement and Welcome to Country by Uncle Mike, as well as the singing of the National Anthems of Greece and Australia by Anja Ribbeck.

Addressing the crowd, Con Apoifis, President of the GOCNSW, described the festival as “a living expression of who we are,” noting that 2026 marked “a period of transition and renewal” for the community.

“The Greek Festival of Sydney stands as a meeting place of cultures, generations and ideas,” he said. “We place great importance on encouraging our young people – emerging artists, writers and performers – to embrace their Greek heritage proudly while thriving within multicultural Australia.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns praised the community’s contribution to Australia, telling attendees: “After well over 100 years of Greek migration to Australia, we know what a great Australia looks like – and it’s right here tonight in this park.”

Federal Member for Barton Ash Ambihaipahar also spoke warmly of the Greek community’s role in shaping modern Australia, while Consul General of Greece in Sydney George Skemperis described the festival as “a success story” of Greek culture flourishing in Australia.

“You have maintained your culture while respecting the values of the society that received you,” he said. “That has been a huge benefit for all of Australian society.”

Bank of Sydney: A partnership grounded in shared values

As presenting partner for the fourth consecutive year, Bank of Sydney reaffirmed its commitment to the festival and the wider community.

Acting CEO Kieran McKenna told the crowd: “It’s a pleasure and a privilege to be the presenting partner of the Greek Festival of Sydney for the fourth consecutive year. This festival is more than an event; it is a celebration of culture, connection and community – values that align strongly with who we are as a bank.”

He added: “At Bank of Sydney, we are proud of our Hellenic heritage and multicultural foundations. These values have shaped who we are — a relationship bank that puts people and communities at the heart of everything we do.”

Strong political and community support

The festival was also attended by NSW Liberal Leader Kellie Sloane, along with Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure and Sutherland Shire Councillor Haris Strangas, all of whom engaged with the crowd during the day.

Ms Sloane later reflected on the atmosphere, saying: “It was great to join alongside so many families and celebrate the vibrancy of Greek culture here in Sydney.”

She added: “For generations, Greek Australians have helped shape our city, and the Greek Festival is always a chance to come together, recognise and celebrate those contributions and traditions – not to mention the food; I had one of the best souvlakis I’ve had in years!”

A confident step forward

As music echoed across Darling Harbour and families lingered late into the night, Greek Fest @ Darling Harbour 2026 stood as a confident statement of continuity and renewal.

Led by a new committee, supported by long-standing institutions and embraced by younger generations, the festival once again proved that Greek culture in Sydney is not only preserved – it is lived, shared and joyfully renewed, year after year, rain or shine.

*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos

Umbrellas were up on Lonsdale Street on Sunday as showers swept through the Antipodes Festival, but the rain didn’t deter Liberal politicians.

After Labor figures appeared the day before, the Opposition took the stage mid-afternoon, just after the community awards and before singer Konstantina Touni fired up the crowd for a late-night fiesta. They arrived during a lull, addressing a rain-speckled, half-full audience and were warmly greeted by Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) President Bill Papastergiadis and members of the GCM board.

Leading the delegation was Jess Wilson, Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party, joined by David Davis, Bev McArthur, Nicole Werner, Rachel Westaway, Wendy Lovell and Evan Mulholland. They were joined by Manningham Mayor Jim Grivas.

Melbourne at its best

Wilson praised what she called “Melbourne at its best”.

“This quarter of the CBD is always a hive of activity, but even more so when this festival is on,” she said.

“From family businesses to the arts to education, Greek Victorians make their mark every single day. Our city and our state are more vibrant and dynamic because of what you bring.

“Your famous Greek hospitality has helped make Melbourne a global city when it comes to food and culture.”

With Victoria heading towards an election year, she added: “We stand with you. Whether it’s small business, the arts, sport or the economy, we will continue to back you.”

Wilson noted the strong Greek presence in her electorate and said she looked forward to celebrating Greek Easter with the community.

Mulholland opened with a warm “Kalispera Ellines,” reflecting on his own migrant roots.

“I’m half Italian on my mum’s side, from Calabria, and my family came out in the 1950s, just like many of the yiayias and pappous here today,” he said.

“They worked six, seven days a week in markets and small businesses. This festival is an ode to those generations who sacrificed so much so we could be here today.”

The Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs said events like Antipodes ensure culture “never whittles away from generation to generation”.

He also struck a political note: “We support small business. We want Victoria to thrive. And we don’t like increases to taxes.”

Davis, a veteran of about 20 Antipodes festivals, said the Greek community had “firm friends in the Liberal Party”.

“People who respect family, respect business and like low taxes,” he said.

Asked what he liked most about the festival, Davis said: “It’s about building friendships and making sure that’s reflected in policy.”

Walkabout and warm welcomes

During the walkabout, Wilson was warmly received. Festivalgoers pressed forward with selfies and gifts. Mati charms were handed over “for protection during the election”, along with mugs and football jerseys from clubs along the strip.

Asked which team she backed, Wilson smiled but wouldn’t say.

“I’m holding out for the souvlaki,” she laughed. Though she has never visited Greece, she said she’s attended the festival before. “If I could eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be Greek food, especially a good Greek salad.”

GCM Vice President Leonidas Vlahakis volunteered his time at the festival, as he does every year, and said visits to Antipodes are more substantial than a “photo op”.

“I flatly reject this,” he said, pointing to their participation as “a sign of respect for, and acknowledgment of, the tremendous contribution that the Greek community has made to this wonderful town and country” for well over a century.

“They say openly, and with much justification, that we are a beacon; a shining example of how one can wholeheartedly embrace the ethos of a new land while still celebrating one’s progenitors’ enormous accomplishments,” he said.

“I respectfully refer to the political class as ‘they’ because the Greek Community is proudly apolitical, and Antipodes 2026 is a tremendous case in point. To have leaders of all major parties, state and federal, as well as local representatives of all political persuasions, speaks to the appreciation they have for the tremendous work that has been done, and that will continue to be done.”

At the GCM stall, some tired and weary board members joked about planting the idea in visiting politicians’ minds for a public holiday the day after the festival.

Awards before the politics

Earlier, community awards recognised Jenny Iliou for her long service teaching at the Greek Community of Melbourne’s language schools and dance classes. Stylianos Koukouvitakis was honoured for decades of service as a board member and treasurer following the acquisition of Alphington Grammar. Leon Argyropoulos was also recognised for his contribution.

By 6pm, just after the politicians departed, the streets were heaving again. The rain didn’t matter. Dancing resumed, and Touni’s music carried the festival late into the night.

One of the oldest Greek voices in Australia, The Greek Herald was always going to be part of this year’s Antipodes Festival on Lonsdale Street, but 2026 carries extra weight. The paper is marking 100 years.

A century in print is rare for any masthead in Australia – rarer still for an independent, multicultural newspaper sustained across generations of publishers, journalists and community supporters.

As crowds streamed through the 38th annual festival, publisher Dimitra Skalkos joined Bill Papastergiadis, President of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM), on stage to celebrate the centenary.

Founded in 1926 as Panellenios Keryx, the broadsheet set out “to enlighten and educate” Greek migrants in their new homeland. A century on, that commitment to “truth, right and justice to all” still resonates with journalists around Australia, but is especially solid in Melbourne, home to one of the largest Greek communities in the diaspora and a city that has been central to the paper’s print and reporting presence.

It was born in an era when Greek migrants faced isolation, language barriers and economic hardship, becoming both a lifeline and a ledger of the diaspora’s early struggles and aspirations.

“We’ve documented the Greek Australian story of migration right through to today,” Ms Skalkos told the crowd. “We’re very proud of that milestone.”

Over 550,000 pages published since 1926 have chronicled that journey – from early migrant notices and wartime correspondence to political debates, cultural milestones and modern diaspora life.

Few diaspora publications anywhere in the world can claim an uninterrupted 100-year publishing history – fewer still while transitioning from hot-metal print to a modern digital newsroom serving readers across Australia, Greece and beyond.

With International Women’s Day approaching, Ms Skalkos’ appearance carried symbolism. In the early decades of the GCM, women did not have voting rights until the Seventies, 50 years after The Greek Herald was created. Today, half the GCM board are women. A female publisher would once have been unthinkable; now Ms Skalkos leads the country’s largest Greek newspaper and the only diaspora masthead with daily Greek print editions into its second century.

The centenary therefore marks not only institutional endurance, but the evolution of the community itself – from migrant survival to multigenerational leadership.

Her father, Theodore Skalkos, took over the paper in 1971, as Greek Culture Week, the precursor to Antipodes, was gathering pace. Mike Zafiropoulos, one of the instigators of the culture event, worked closely with Mr Skalkos at the time.

The parallels between the rise of Antipodes and the stewardship of the paper reflect how closely the masthead has been woven into the cultural fabric of Melbourne’s Hellenic community.

Over five decades, as the festival evolved into a two-day cultural institution, the paper expanded alongside it, chronicling migration, community milestones, politics and pride.

“A hundred years is an extraordinary achievement,” Papastergiadis said on stage. “Institutions like this don’t just report history, they help create it.”

From a broadsheet with a single English page to a major digital platform launched in 2019, The Greek Herald has bridged languages and generations. At Antipodes, it continued its long-standing role within the festival, reporting from backstage and covering the arrival of political leaders while working with the GCM to highlight the Greek community and Australia’s multicultural story across print and digital platforms.

The official centenary year will culminate in a national commemoration, accompanied by archival projects and a landmark edition honouring the generations who sustained the publication.

More celebrations are planned for May. “We’re preparing something special,” Ms Skalkos said. “Stay tuned.”

One hundred years on, the masthead that once connected new arrivals now connects generations.

A century after its first edition, The Greek Herald remains both witness and participant, chronicling the Greek Australian story while standing firmly within it. On Lonsdale Street, amid the music and moussaka, that legacy felt very much alive.