BOSTON – The good weather, the well-organized preparation, the traditional Greek hospitality, and the tasty Greek food and pastries were the ingredients for another successful Greek Festival at the historic St. George parish in Lynn, MA.

The Festival is considered one of the most important cultural events of the city of Lynn. Thousands of Greek-Americans and fellow American citizens from Lynn, Salem, Revere, Peabody, Lowell, Boston, and other New England cities visited the Festival and showed their support for the parish of St. George. When the visitors arrived they marveled at the magnificent nave of St. George and the entrance to the Festival site was full of Greek flags reminding the visitors the rich culture and traditions of Greece.

Consul General of Greece Stratos Ethumiou visited the parish and the Festival for the first time, with his wife Ioulia and their children Thanos and Ariadni.

Fr. George Tsoukalas, presiding priest at St. George for the last 23 years, welcomed the Consul General warmly and along with businessman and great benefactor of St. George Tom Demakis and businessman Costas Siderides, provided Efthumiou with a tour of the church and its Festival. Speaking to The National Herald, Efthumiou expressed his admiration for the parish, its great Festival, and its educational, athletic, and philanthropic activities.

Fr. George Tsoukalas, holding his two months old granddaughter Thea, who is the child of his son Daniel and his wife Alyssa, told TNH that the Festival was “excellent” and he added that “we work hard to maintain everything that you see here. Our congregants are dedicated to our Greek traditions and customs” and he added that “we have given a sacred promise to sustain the Orthodox Faith and the Hellenic tradition.”

Fr. George Tsoukalas holding his granddaughter Thea with his presbytera Francine son Daniel and his wife Alyssa.
Photo: TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos

Costas Siderides, a member of the parish council told TNH that “the festival is going very well; we have a lot visitors, good weather. We all wait for the festival every year.”

Murial Demakis, a long time TNH reader, said “we had a very successful Festival with good weather; it was all good.” Her husband Tom Demakis donates most of the meat products for the Festival from his company, The Old Neighborhood, which is one of the most well-known and successful companies in New England.

Prominent businessman Tom Demakis with his wife Murial helped a lot and also enjoyed the festival.
Photo: TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos