If you have had a hankering for dolmades, calamari or arni psito (lamb roasted on a spit) lately, then it’s probably time for Greek Fest, an annual event for Victorians to indulge in Greek cuisine and culture over two weekends.
It takes place Friday to Sunday this week and Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 at the Victoria Hellenic Centre, beside Saanich Commonwealth Place.
This is the event’s 17th year. It is hosted by the Victoria and Vancouver Island Greek Community Society. “The festival just keeps growing and evolving every year,” said group spokesman Jim Koutougos.
More than 23,000 locals and visitors are expected to come over the two weekends to sample authentic food, such as Greek salad, spanakopita, pork souvlaki and desserts such as baklava and kourabiedes (almond shortbread cookies).
Those interested can also sign up for Greek cooking lessons.
Apart from the yummy food, the festival is renowned for its continuous live music and folk dancing from more than 25 groups and cultures.
“It’s a tradition in Greece to invite all the neighbours to join in the celebrations,” said Koutougos. “Likewise in Victoria, the diversity of the entertainment reflects the multicultural aspect of the community.”
Athens-based choreographer Konstantina Efentaki and her traditional Greek dance group, Elkelam, will again be in Victoria to perform at the festival.
They will be joined by dance groups from the Lower Mainland and Alberta: the Zephyros Greek Dancers, Enosis Greek Dancers, Diaspora Greek Dancers, Nisotes Greek Dancers and the Anemos Greek Dancers.
If all those acts inspire you, you can kick up your heels and join members of the dance groups on stage at the end of the day.
Multicultural acts from different countries and cultures include the O’Brien School of Dance, Salsa Caliente, Salsa Moderna, Bashirah Middle Eastern Dance Company, Sampaguita Dance Group (featuring Filipino dancers who step over and in between bamboo poles during a traditional folk dance), Zumbeando and Scottish Dancers.
If your legs get tired, you can take a break and enjoy a guided tour of the community’s Orthodox Christian church, with its distinctive iconography collection.
Learn more about the history of Greeks in British Columbia at a heritage exhibit, including information on a fishing village created 120 years ago and the Greek connection to Sir James Douglas, B.C.’s first governor.
Family friendly activities include arts and crafts, and face painting.
Proceeds from all those meals keeps on giving as well. This year, organizers plan to allocate some of the funds between the Tillicum hot lunch program and to support fire victims in Greece and British Columbia.
The festival is free. It runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. both weekends at the Victoria Hellenic Centre, 4648 Elk Lake Dr.
For more information, go to greekfest.ca.
Dress up for croquet on the Empress lawn
Join the well-heeled set as you dress to impress at Croquet at the Empress, an afternoon tête-à-tête, playing a summer game of a bygone era, Sunday at the Fairmont Empress.
The event is a social affair, set on the hotel’s green, well-manicured grass lawn with flowers in the background, with participants wearing whites or brights.
There are few other instances in sports where the dressing room rivals the playing field.
The only three fashion essentials for Sunday’s game are lawn-friendly shoes, a hat and snappy attire.
Competitors and spectators alike will be paying as much attention to your hemlines as they do to your technique.
Participants will be pampered with a media wall for selfies, lounge furniture, culinary delights and craft cocktails.
The cost is $89 for a single player, $178 for two. If you register as a single, you will be paired with a teammate. The ticket includes a minimum of two rounds of croquet.
If you don’t want to play, but want to enjoy the occasion, you can register as a spectator for $89. You will still get all the social perks of the day, but you don’t have to play croquet.
Croquet at the Empress is a 19+ licensed event.
The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Fairmont Empress, 721 Government St.
For more information, go to fairmont.com/empress-victoria.
Lantern festival lights up Sidney
Bring a lantern you have created or just come to watch in the spectacle at the Salish Sea Lantern Festival, Saturday at the Sidney Pier Bandshell.
This is the fourth year of the community event, hosted by the Art Sea Community Arts Council.
The festival is an evening of celebrating, creativity and the Salish Sea.
Participants are encouraged to bring along their creative spirit, so dress up in a costume, carry your own handmade lantern and be part of a magical celebration of light, community and artistic expression.
The festivities open with the Sencoten Singers, with a musical performance by the Wilds.
There will be face painting, balloon twisting, bubbles and a show of lantern installations.
The event is free to attend.
It runs from 7:30 to 10 p.m. The lantern procession starts at 8:30 p.m. at the Sidney Pier Bandshell in Beacon Park, 2540 to 2544 Beacon Ave., Sidney.
For more information, go to artsea.ca/event/salish-sea-lantern-festival-by-artsea.
11 wineries take part in Cowichan Valley tour
Sip your way through the best of Vancouver Island wineries during the Cowichan Valley Wine Festival, Friday to Sunday at various venues.
The self-touring festival showcases grapes grown in a valley generally shielded from winter storms by nearby mountains, benefiting from a long growing season — between 900 and 1,200 growing degree days — and a low frost risk.
The festival features the opportunity to spend the weekend visiting 11 local wineries, with tastings at each. The wineries on the tour include Vigneti Zanatta, Vancouver Island’s first estate winery, which opened in 1992.
Others participating at this weekend’s event include Averill Creek Vineyard, Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Vineyard, Cherry Point Estate Wines, Damali Lavender and Winery, Deol Estate Winery, Emandare Vineyard, Enrico Winery, Rocky Creek Winery, Unsworth Vineyards and Venturi-Schulze Vineyards.
For $15, you get a glass, which serves as your ticket at participating wineries.
You get three tastings at each winery. The wineries are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
A tasting event takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday in the Pavilion of Shawnigan Lake School.
The admission of $35 includes the night’s event and touring the wineries Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, go to tourismcowichan.com/wine-festival-2018.
Meet the people who love local food
Spend an afternoon reconnecting with farmers and chefs at Vancouver Island Feast of Fields, a wandering gourmet harvest festival that highlights the connections between farm and city folk, Sunday at Kildara Farms in North Saanich.
This is the 21st year for the event, which takes you across a farmer’s field, going from tent to tent where you can listen to live music, and taste creations from B.C. top chefs, farmers, fishers, ranchers, food artisans, vintners, brewers, distillers and other beverage producers.
It is a testament to local, sustainable food and the people who love and support the local food movement.
Feast of Fields is a fundraiser for FarmFolk CityFolk, whose mission is to cultivate a local, sustainable food system by building a market for local food through celebration.
Tickets are $99 for adults, $45 for youth 13 to 18, and $15 for children six to 12.
The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. at Kildara Farms, 11293 Chalet Rd., North Saanich.
For more information, go to feastoffields.com.
Great art and music in centre’s gardens
Experience music, art and food in an award-winning garden at the Arts and Music in the Gardens, Saturday and Sunday at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific.
This is the not-for-profit society’s largest annual fundraiser, and one of Victoria’s finest art events.
You can wander through the gardens and view the art, all the while enjoying music performed by some of Victoria’s finest musicians.
Floral art by members of the Victoria Floral Artists’ Guild will adorn the garden as well.
More than 50 vendors are expected to attend, including artists and musicians. A variety of artisanal food vendors can be found in the pavilion, with sandwiches, smokies and snacks.
Activities will be available for little ones in the children’s area.
Tickets are $12 adults, $10 students and seniors and free for members and children under 16.
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days. The centre is at 505 Quayle Rd.
For more information, go to hcp.ca.
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