Clearwater GreekFest returns Friday, Oct. 23 through Sunday, Oct. 25 with three days of Greek food, live dancing and free tours of a cathedral rebuilt after a 2015 fire.

The festival runs at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 409 S. Old Coachman Road. Gates open at 11 a.m. and close at 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday hours are noon to 6 p.m. There is no admission charge, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reported.

The festival, a fundraiser for Holy Trinity, has operated since 1969. At nearly 60 years old, it is one of the oldest cultural celebrations in the Tampa Bay area, according to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reporter Ray Roa.

Expect gyros, souvlaki, pastitsio, lamb shank, spanakopita, loukoumades and baklava. Beyond the food, the weekend includes Greek cooking demonstrations, performances by the Jr. and Sr. Hellas Dancers, live music and an Opa! Party Tent with drinks and shopping.

Guided tours of the church's Byzantine-style sanctuary are a centerpiece of the weekend. The church that stands on Old Coachman Road was not always there. Holy Trinity's original sanctuary was heavily damaged by a fire in February 2015 that FOX 13 Tampa Bay reported investigators traced to a candle, according to a Hoodline report. The congregation held services in the church gym while the sanctuary was rebuilt. The parish received more than $6 million in donations and pledges to fund the reconstruction, according to FOX 13 reporting cited by Hoodline. The rebuilt cathedral reopened in 2019.

Holy Trinity, the third oldest Greek Orthodox community in Tampa Bay, serves more than 550 Clearwater families, according to the festival's website. The church emphasizes the festival is open to everyone. About 80% of marriages in the parish are between Greeks and non-Greeks, the church says.

Church tours, cooking demonstrations and Hellas Dancers performances run throughout each day, according to the festival's posted schedule. Check clearwatergreekfest.com for specific times.

Coming up in Clearwater:

  • Clearwater GreekFest: Oct. 23-25, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 409 S. Old Coachman Road. Free admission.