Things To Do in Baltimore

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 20, 2010

“PARTY LIKE A GREEK” DURING THE ST. NICHOLAS GREEK FOLK FESTIVAL

OPENING CEREMONY ON THURSDAY, JUNE 10 AT 7PM

Celebrate Baltimore’s rich Hellenic heritage at the St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival, the region’s largest and longest running annual Greek festival.  Visitors can “party like a Greek,” this year’s festival theme, with live music, dances, free concerts from national recording artists, authentic foods, arts and crafts, demonstrations and more.  The four day festival takes place Thursday, June 10 from 3-11pm, Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12 from 11am-11pm and Sunday, June 13 from 12-10pm at the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, located at 520 Ponca Street, Baltimore, MD 21224.  On Thursday, June 10 at 8pm, the festival presents the Tony Award nominated star of the Broadway hit “Rock of Ages,” and “American Idol” season four finalist Constantine Maroulis.  Admission to the festival and concerts are free.  The St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival is a part of the 2010 Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals.  The Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals is presented by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts.

The weekend celebration of ancient and modern Greek history features folk dancers, local bands, an array of appetizing cuisine, herbs, plants, religious texts, crafts and other collectibles.  During the festival, there will be traditional folk dance performances by children from St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and other area churches and live music by Apollonia Band with singer Maria Pearce, and the Neo Kyma band.  Festival-goers can purchase customary crafts including Byzantine icons, art, jewelry and handmade Middle Eastern art.

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, visitors can “bring a taste of Greece home” with cooking demonstrations by Stella Koukides. In addition, local vendors sell delectable foods such as baklava (layers of butter drenched phyllo pastry, spices and chopped almonds and walnuts drizzled with honey syrup), dolmathes (tender grapevine leaves stuffed with seasoned ground beef and rice), loukoumathes (fried dough puffs with honey syrup), pastitsio (baked layers of ziti pasta and ground beef topped with a béchamel sauce), souvlaki (marinated meat on grilled pita bread with tomatoes, fresh parsley, onions and tzatziki sauce) and tyropita (feta cheese filling wrapped inside crispy filo dough).

Festival-goers can also take self-guided tours of the historic St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church sanctuary.

For more than 30 years, the St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival has played an essential role in showcasing the strong literary, artistic, culinary and musical traditions of Greek culture.  The celebration features the finest Greek talent with performances by local and nationally-acclaimed musicians.  The annual event draws hundreds to the area and brings the many flavors of Greece to Maryland.

For more information on the St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival, visit www.greekfolkfestival.org.  For updates on the 2010 Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals, call 1-877-BALTIMORE or visit www.promotionandarts.com.

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