SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake area boasts one of the nation's largest Greek communities west of the Mississippi, and that community's biggest public event — the 35th annual Greek Festival — continues to pack in visitors.
From young to old, from any racial heritage or religion, the festival — with food, dancing, singing and cooking demonstrations — was enjoyed by thousands Saturday.
In fact, by 10:45 a.m., a line of early-going festival enthusiasts stretched out in a line 200 feet up the sidewalk on 300 West.
The festival looks like it could total attract than the estimated 50,000 people it brought last year during the four-day affair. Even with the Utah State Fair under way, the Greek Festival was busy.
Peter Brown of Murray said he loves Greece and couldn't wait to sample its culture without having to travel overseas.
"This is the authentic Greek food," he said, noting he was also excited about taking a tour of the Greek Orthodox Church, since it has been closed in the past when he's come by.
A friend of Brown's, Katie Lund of North Ogden, said, "I'm here for the food."
Andy Wolf of Taylorsville said he came to the festival because it looked like something good to do.
"I really want to try out the food," his wife, Stacie Wolf, said.
The majority of the festival crowd jumped in the food line first and then enjoyed almost nonstop dancing and music while they ate under a huge tent with ample seating and volunteers keeping everything clean and spotless.
Festivalgoers were able to witness a variety of traditional Greek folk dances — Pan-Hellenic dances (danced throughout Greece with regional variances) and dances from the mainland and islands.
Every dance is a considered a celebration of Hellenic spirit, and the Athenian Dance Group was the first of the day to take the stage in lively, colorful dress. Some of the dances are even said to depict Greek dating customs.
There's even a Greek museum to visit.
Some 600 volunteers perform all the baking, cooking and planning for the festival — and work begins months in advance.
According to the festival's website, it has grown each year from its humble beginnings in 1935 in the basement of Salt Lake's Greek Orthodox Church.
That year, the Mothers Organization of the Church sponsored a one-day bazaar that continued until 1965.
That's when the group became the Holy Trinity Philoptochos Society. They continued this one-day Bazaar until 1975, when the Philoptochos and the Parish Council decided to combine forces and expand the event for two days.
In 1976, an additional day was added to the festival, expanding it to three days.
From 1977 to 1979, to accommodate the increasing number of visitors, expanded seating and food preparation facilities were added.
The festival added additional space in recent years and became a four-day event in 2007.
Beyond Opa!-ning day
The Greek Festival began Thursday and continues through today, when its hours will be 11 a.m.-8 p.m., at 279 S. 300 West. Entry fee is $3 per person.
For more information, go to www.saltlakegreekfestival.com.
e-mail: lynn@desnews.com