5 tips for the Greek Festival

Attending the Greek Festival can make anyone, Richmond neophyte or lifer alike, feel overwhelmed. Here are five quick tips to help streamline your trip to the fest and optimize the amount of your time spent eating baklava and drinking wine.

May 31, 2013; 11:37 AM • by Ross Catrow

1. Set your expectations

Honestly, “set your expectations” is a pretty great tip for life in general, but it certainly applies to the Greek Festival. There will be a trillion people in attendance. You will wait in line. It will be hot as a snake. If you know and acknowledge these things going in, you’ll have a much more pleasant experience!

2. Don’t go hungry

Tip number two is a corollary of tip number one. Since you’ll be waiting in line for food and drink for a quick second, don’t show up hungry! No one wants to see an adult melting down like a toddler and throwing a tantrum because they’re starving. Grab a snack before you head out the door–your friends and family will thank you.

3. Divide and conquer

Once you arrive at the Fest de Greek, split your party up!¹ Send half the group to grab a table and half the group to get some food & booze. If you ask me, aim for the former group–less standing required.

4. Start with the wine

If you’ve been relegated to the food & booze team, hit the wine line first. While your lazy friends luxuriate in the shade, you can show them what for by drinking wine while you…stand in line. Yeah, it’s still standing around with a bunch of people, but at least you’re drinking! Also, just buy the whole bottle.

5. Recommendations!

The menu is extensive and filled with consonant laden items that you may or may not be familiar with. Allow us to recommend a few:

• Retsina ($18) — Humans have been making this white wine for the past 2,000 years! It tastes like a pine tree. #ymmv depending on your love of pine-flavored things.
• Greek fries ($2) — Oh just delicious fries that are fried multiple times and covered in magical greek spices. Make sure you get some tzatziki for dipping.
• Dolmades ($1) — Grape leaves stuffed with vegetables, rice, and sunshine.
• Spanakopita ($2.50) — It’s the savory dinner-time version of baklava! Phyllo dough for life.
• Baklava ($2.50) — The sole reason for my existence.

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Photo by: sofiagk

May 31, 2013 11:37 AM 6