This weekend, Nashville's Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church will open its doors and invite Nashville to celebrate all things Greek during the 30th annual Greek Festival. Live music, dancing, church tours (see the recent renovations) and a Greek marketplace are highlights of the festival, but the real draw is the food. Come hungry and enjoy Greek specialties such as mousaka, pastichio, gyros, roasted lamb, spanakopita, dolmades and more. My favorite is the tiropita (fillo dough pie filled with cheese and herbs), which you can order to eat on site as well as in a pan to go and enjoy later (several other menu items are also available to take home).
The star of the show is the dessert menu. Don't miss the loukoumades, which are fried pastry balls covered in honey and sprinkled with powdered sugar, or the baklava sundae. Inside the church, breads, cookies and fillo dough delights such as baklava and flogeres, as well as my favorites, the amglydota (almond crescent cookie), are available for boxing up to go. Note that this year, the festival is not offering pre-ordered bakery goods. However, keep an eye out for the church's December bake sale, which will offer all your Greek favorites just in time for the holidays.
In addition to the entertainment, shopping and food, there are activities for the kids, including bounce houses, a petting zoo, and the church’s playground (which is included in admission). Bring cash and a couple of bottles of water, too, to get the most out of the festival.
10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9
11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
4905 Franklin Pike
Admission: $3 (includes readmission all weekend)
Free admission for children 12 and younger and all military, police and fire personnel (with ID)
Parking, onsite and via shuttle: free
