Vineland, NJ – Echos of a country fair were celebrated this past weekend in the heart of South Jersey. St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox community united and celebrate Hellenism at their annual Greek Festival.
Long lines of cars circled the rural church that sat across the street from a farmer’s field in this remote part of South Jersey. The traditional Greek festival that has gone on for more than 30 years now, blended together a carnival atmosphere and all things Greek. If you looked up the Greek term Panigiri, this place would arguable come up under the definition.
The landscape stretched out with games and rides, while adjacent tents featured the homemade food that Greeks are famous for. Spanakopita, moussaka and souvlaki all freshly made and served up fresh as quick as you could order it. Parishioners worked the lines, while the youth danced for the neighbors in the community. Inside the church a traditional agora (street market) featured Greek island paintings and souvenirs.
It was a perfect evening reminiscent of a Greek village. As the sun set, the strollers began their promenade from rides to tent stopping along the way to sample the goods. Others sat on benches that lined the festival paths to people watch, with a traditional Greek coffee in hand. On this night, it was evident that a little slice of Greece was home in Vineland South Jersey.