CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — The Indianapolis GreekFest returns to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Friday.

The festival is a fundraiser for the Saint Basil Food Pantry, The Lord’s Pantry at Anna’s House and the cathedral.

People can expect traditional Greek food like gyros, spanakopita, and plenty of Greek pastries. Throughout the weekend, the cooks will host live demonstrations.

Spokesperson Lenie Tsakonas says it will be a busy weekend.

“We have just a jam-packed weekend of family, faith and tradition here at Holy Trinity,” Tsakonas said. “It benefits the cathedral as well as our Saint Basil’s food pantry which over its inception now, about three years or so has benefited 8000 people in our community.”

Indy GreekFest entertainment includes dancing, live music and a puppet show for kids.

Constantine Stefanidis is a dancer in the Holy Trinity Hellenic Dance Troupe. He says they start training toward the end of spring.

“I moved here with my family in middle school,” Stefanidis said. “Since then, I’ve been dancing with the middle school troupe and I’ve just worked my way up from there. It’s been a really great experience.”

Organizers will also be giving tours of the cathedral on both days of the festival.

Father Gregory Hohnholt says he could talk for hours about the building he worships in.

“It’s a very beautiful space,” Hohnholt said. “In Orthodox theology, it’s really kind of capturing the idea of heaven coming to earth and we enter into that space for our worship … Orthodox church worship engages all the senses and so you see it with the beautiful iconography — the sense of sight. We have the incense, the sense of smell.”

Admission to Indy Greek Fest is free. Parking on the church grounds is $5.

Indy GreekFest Schedule

• Friday, Aug. 23
  • 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 24
  • 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.