By Darlene Brace
When it’s Father’s Day Weekend, Jamestown area residents look forward to attending the annual Yassou Festival that takes place at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Francis Street. It’s a great community event for anyone that wants to celebrate Greek heritage. By attending this festival, you will be immersed in the history and culture of the Greek community. This year’s annual festival will be held Friday June 14th from 11am-10pm and Saturday June 15th from 11 am-9pm.
As you approach the festival, you will see an enormous tent set up in front of the church. When you enter the tent, you will see rows of tables and chairs that can accommodate hundreds of people. You will also see food stations that house the delicious Greek cuisine that is the highlight of the festival. All the food is authentic homemade Greek food made by the local Greek community members. There is a variety of food to choose such as lamb shank dinners, souvlaki on a stick, gyro sandwiches, spanakopita, Greek hotdogs, Greek salad and much more. Make sure you leave room for some baklava, Rizogalo, cookies, and sweet breads for dessert.
At the far end of the big tent, there’s a large space left open for the music and dancing performances. The Greek dances have history and meaning behind them and are entertaining as well. This year the dancers will be dancing to live Bouzouki music by The Aegeans at 5pm and 8pm on Friday evening and Saturday at 1pm, 5pm, and 8pm.
Under the big tent there is also a Greek boutique that has a variety of Greek and religious items. There will be t-shirts and other clothing, jewelry, Greek flags, scarves, and souvenirs. Be sure to stop and check out the unique items this boutique has to offer.
Outside the large tent there is a smaller tent. This is a beer tent where adults can socialize and enjoy adult beverages. Available this year will be a selection of wine, beer, and seltzers.
The whole event takes place on the church grounds. This year the church will be open for church tours on Friday and Saturday at 2pm and 4 pm. Feel free to go inside at the designated times to see this amazing church.
This festival first started in 1982 under the leadership of Father Nicholas Rafael. He was instrumental in organizing the first Yassou festival along with other community members that helped organize it. It has been an ongoing annual festival since then, (except for 2 years during the Covid pandemic).
Currently, Alexis (Theofilactidis) Singleton is now the chairperson of the event. As a young girl, Alexis participated in helping her parents, family members, and church members organize and operate this event. She worked hand in hand with them, and through the years she learned how to plan, organize, operate this event. In 2022, Alexis took over as chairperson and now works side by side with her husband Todd who is a chef and certified safe food manager.
Alexis said, “We look forward to welcoming the entire community to a big, fat Greek party in our front yard! This event gives our parish the opportunity to share our cultural heritage and our faith while supporting the work of St. Nicholas. We aim to capture the Greek Spirit of joy and hospitality under the tent, and we hope that people leave feeling eager for next year’s event. Our children are involved in many different ways, and we look to them to carry on the tradition of Yassou in the future.” She also said that she wants to thank the volunteers who help with the festival each year, and that it’s a team effort in bringing the festival all together.
Admission to the festival is $3 per person, and children under 12 get in free. Wait times to get in and to get food are shorter and more efficient than in the past. All food is available to-go. For a complete menu and for more information, you can go to Yassou Festival on Facebook or go to
www.yassoufestival.com.
This year’s festival promises to be a great community event and enjoyable for everyone. You will want to partake in some of the authentic Greek food, enjoy listening to the music, and watching the Greek dancers. You don’t have to be Greek to participate in the festival and are encouraged to come and be Greek for the day!