ASTORIA – Every Tuesday, Athens Square Park hosts Greek Night, where visitors of the area can enjoy authentic, live Greek music, dancing, and plenty of entertainment at 7 PM to 9 PM.

The Greek Nights are organized by the Committee of the Square, led by its president, George Delis. Those in attendance, both Greek and non-Greek, join in the dancing and singing along with the talented musicians.

Restored in 1990 as a locus for neighborhood gatherings and to bring a little bit of Athens to Astoria, Athens Square Park contains an amphitheater adorned with Greek statues.

George Delis told TNH, “today we have this beautiful park, and there’s nothing like it. If you look around at the monuments, it was quite an effort. We have Socrates – he was the first one we installed in 1993. David Dinkins was the mayor, who was very supportive of Athens Square.”

He added, “Athena is a gift from Athens. Dimitris Avramopoulos, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece brought the statue over and we had a big ceremony in 1998 when it was installed.”

Besides Greek nights, the committee invests in other events which will bring the community together, with inspiration from a wide range of cultures.

“25 years ago, we started Italian night, every Wednesday, and we still continue it today. Once it ends every August, Latin night kicks off beginning September. We have a Cuban band that rocks the place; everybody dances when these guys are out playing, and they’re locals,” Delis said.

“I’m very grateful to our entertainers and to our sponsors. We are non-profit, therefore anyone who would like to contribute to these events can do so by donating, as all the money goes to the performers,” he added.

Upcoming Greek nights at Athens Square include a performance by Elena Basis, a tribute to Smyrna by Gregory Maninakis, and Rebetiko, all through September.

Performer Eirini Tsiari told TNH, “George Delis is someone who loves culture and puts massive efforts into making these performances happen. We will be here to support him and Athens Square Park with our presence.”