St. Nicholas Greek Festival returns in full this weekend

PORTSMOUTH — The 45th St. Nicholas Greek Festival will take place Friday and Saturday, June 24 and 25. The event will be held on church grounds, all under one roof and a big tent. This is a rain or shine party, from 12 to 9 p.m. each day, with no admission fee.

Over the years, the Greek Festival has grown and grown, showcasing ethnic pride, through the presentation of homemade foods and pastries, spirited music, Greek dancing and an imports market. In the 1970’s, the St. Nicholas Greek Festival tradition began and has proven to be fun for all ages.

This year’s festival will feature live music Friday and Saturday nights by OPA entertainment and DJ Music by the Salonica Boys. There will also be church tours for interested guests.

Menu items include: lamb shanks, chicken souvlaki, pastichio, moussaka, spanakopita, a gyro basket with Greek fries, Greek salad and more. Homemade pastries (while they last) include: baklava, kourambiethes, finikia, and chocolate saragli.

This year the St. Nicholas Christian Community of Portsmouth will mark its 91st anniversary. The founding fathers and mothers arrived in this country, with great dreams. They were not afraid to work hard and give generously of themselves. What started small, with 25 men and three women, gathering in borrowed space has flourished.

Today’s St. Nicholas, with over 250 families, is located on Andrew Jarvis Drive, down the street from Portsmouth High School. The St. Nicholas Greek Festival is the community's major fundraiser. Unfortunately, because of COVID, the Festival has not been held since 2019. Everyone is welcome to attend this year’s return event.

The Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is under the spiritual guidance of Father Dimitrios Moraitis. This year’s Festival is being chaired by Richard Rizza. For more info, visit stnicholasgreekfestival.com.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: St. Nicholas Greek Festival in Portsmouth NH returns June 24 and 26