The experience begins at the festival entry where you’re greeted by the sweet aroma of homemade pastries and the excited sounds of new and old friends shopping for unique gifts. With wide smiles, happy hearts, and an empty stomach, you begin to notice the tantalizing smells of traditional Greek Street Food, including Souvlaki (shish kabob) and Gyro (beef and lamb served in pita) prepared over coals and served ala carte with fresh pita bread under the shade of the tent out back. A quick stop at the beverage booth offers a choice of Greek Wines, Greek beer, soft drinks and water to finish off your sensory delight. A complete Greek Dinner - with Pastitsio (baked pasta with beef), Tiropites (cheese puff triangles), Spanakopita (spinach triangles), Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), Keftedes (meatballs), Greek Salad with Olives and Feta - is available for $24 a plate. Á la carte food items (Souvlaki or Gyro) and pastries (Loukomades and Baklava) range from $2 - $16. Tickets redeemed for food and drink are sold in $2 increments. There is no admission fee, however, a donation is greatly appreciated. The Greek Festival serves as our annual fundraiser to support our operating budget. Thank you for your consideration and generosity in advance!
After enjoying the dancing, and great meal,visit the Loukoumades Booth outside where bakers prepare your dessert to order while you watch. The Greek version of Beignets, this sin-on-a-dish is very popular with kids of all ages. Served with either powdered sugar or honey – or both – Loukoumades is not to be missed. On your way out, don’t forget to visit the Pastry Booth back inside the Community Center for an array of sweets that will delight your taste buds for days after the event!
Baklava (phyllo dough with honey nut filling), Melomakarona (spiced honey cookies with walnuts), Kourambiedes (shortbread cookies), Kouroulakia (twisted butter cookies), Paximadia (spiced biscotti) and Karidopita (walnut cake) are available by the piece or in assorted boxes.
Trust us. No one ever leaves the Galveston Greek Festival hungry!
Complete Meal
Pastitso
baked pasta dish including ground beef and béchamel sauce in its best-known form
Tiropites
Greek layered pastry food in the burek family, made with layers of buttered phyllo and filled with a cheese-egg mixture
Spanakopita
a delicious pastry with a filling of chopped spinach, feta cheese, onions or scallions, egg, and seasoning.The filling is wrapped or layered in phyllo (filo) pastry with butter
Dolmades
grape leaves filled with rice or meat
Keftedes
traditional Greek meatballs
GREEK SALAD
lettuce, tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, onion, feta cheese and olives
Á la carte
Souvlaki
a popular Greek fast food consisting of small pieces of meat grilled on a skewer
Gyro
a Greek dish made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, beef and lamb, and usually served in a pita or sandwich, with tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce (a Greek sauce made of yogurt, cucumber, and mint)
LoukoumadeS
light, airy, puffs of fried dough drizzled in sweet syrup and sprinkled with chopped walnuts
Baklava
a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey