Rain or Shine, Greek Festival Goes On

After setting up the fairgrounds at Kimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox church in the misery of intense 90 degree heat this week, volunteers were sodden by rain showers on Saturday afternoon.

At around 3 p.m. clouds opened up and sent buckets of rain on the white canvas-tented fairgrounds. The sound of the water pelting the tent was thunderous. A few dozen people milled around the stands, waiting it out, some eating food.  The games were closed up, the rides were were stilled. The only people in the normally active square were running from tent to tent, with rain hoods up. 

"What a shame," said Syd Hutton, the games organizer, as he surveyed the downpour near the pastry stands. "So many people worked on this for months, so many people volunteer, so many hours have gone into this." 

The three-day festival lasts from June 9-12. Thankfully Friday night was a huge success, he said. "We were up over ten percent from last year." 

By 5 o'clock Saturday afternoon, the rain had subsided. 

Parish volunteers stood ready at the grills, the hot food stands, the pastry counter and the parking lot to serve the crowds who were hopefully, yet to come. The festival will remain open Saturday until 11 p.m., and Sunday noon to 8 p.m.  Take-out meals are available.

Your intrepid Holmdel Patch editor and children braved the conditions for a late lunch of souvlaki and gyro on warm pita, which taste just as amazing, rain or shine. 

Honey puffs were a hit; my little one ran from the eating tent through the rain to the food tent for seconds.