It was a night filled with warmth, music, and old-world charm as Evangelismos Greek Orthodox Church on Bustleton Avenue hosted its annual Fall Greek Festival. The event marked the final big stop on the fall festival circuit for Cosmos Philly—and it couldn’t have ended on a better note.
Father Alexandros Kanaktrakis opened Saturday night’s festivities with heartfelt greetings and well wishes for the new year. Recently transferred from St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Atlantic City, he now fills the role once held by the late Father Prokopios, whose passing last spring was deeply felt by the community.
Tucked beside the church in Northeast Philadelphia, the festival offered a cozy neighborhood atmosphere. Just one tent, one parking lot, and one community, but the feeling was unmistakably Greek. Conversations echoed in authentic Greek, kids ran between tables, and the scent of fresh gyros drifted through the crisp fall air.
Evangelismos is perhaps best known for its hand-rolled spanakopita, made each year in the church hall by dedicated parishioners who also prepare their own filo dough from scratch. That kind of detail, care, and culinary skill gives this festival its unmistakable authenticity—and keeps people coming back.
For those seeking the feel of a small village celebration—the kind you’d find tucked into a Greek hillside—this event delivered. Evangelismos isn’t just a festival. It’s a little piece of Greece, brought to life in Northeast Philly.
