Upper Darby, PA – It started on Friday night with a warm-up jam session at the local clubhouse for all the die heart music lovers and then sprung into action on Saturday night after Thanksgiving. Four hundred locals and guests from all over the country poured into the church hall at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church to hear an all-star group of musicians from the states that accompanied famed Lyra player and singer Giorgos Sofianidis from Greece.
After two years of cancelation due to covid, the community eagerly celebrated Pontian culture. Dinner was accompanied by music before the musicians transferred from Laika to Pontian. Circles of Pontians from all ages began to form as the crowd increased. The Akritai Dance Troupe strutted onto the floor to cheers and claps.
Generations of families looked on as the youthful performers displayed their dancing skills dressed in traditional attire. Then at 10:45 pm, the headline act, Giorgos Sofianidis, entered the stage and immediately jumped into the crowd on the dance floor. His energy and performance were noticed by many as he sang. “I’ve been to Philadelphia more than ten times over 30 years”, said Sofianidis, “It’s a second home for me, and I love the people here,” added Sofianidis.