I would like to start by saying that I, K, may have lost our chance at $100… but I was way closer than V.
Houston Greek Fest…. this is our families favorite Houston tradition. We have gone every year since we moved to Houston about 7 years ago. I am obsessed with Greek culture (as you know from the Honeymoon blogs) and the food is like no other. If you are in Houston the second weekend of May – this is a MUST! The food, the dancing, the wine, the trivia, the games, the shopping, the Greek history, and of course the beautiful Greek Orthodox Church are all incredible. V & I love going to festivals, as you know, but this is our ALL TIME favorite. Remember to click on our VIDEOS tab up top to see our VLOG and experience it for your self. 🙂
So let’s talk about the food… Greek Fest has the best Domaldes… like I’m not even kidding, they are the most authentic I have ever had, and so delicious. These are my number one recommendation if you get the chance to go. For those of you who don’t know, domaldes are grape leaves stuffed with meat and rice, and they are so delicious. They are so good in fact, that we actually went Sunday for more and they were sold out. V would recommend the Souvlaki, which is a traditional Greek street food. You can get these almost anywhere in Greece, and at street side restaurants. They are seasoned and grilled meat served on a skewer with Tzatziki sauce, and they are SO good. I love Tzatziki sauce though, so I would eat it on anything! Which bring me to the Gyros, yes they are REALLY good there too. You are probably noticing a pattern, and maybe like me you are getting hungry, but they truly bring the Greek cuisine to life at this festival. They also have loukoumades if you have a sweet tooth. These are fried dough with honey, walnuts and powdered sugar on top, YUM!
Next the ambiance… As you enjoy your food, there are plenty of games for the kiddos (you will see my niece and nephews had a blast), there are little shops inside of the church selling Greek items, as well as local business owners selling cute jewelry and wine and more. There are also face painters, dancers from the church performing traditional Greek dances (see the video to watch V lose a bet and have to go perform in front of the crowd) and much, much more. All of this takes place in front of the gorgeous Greek Orthodox Church here in Houston, creating a beautiful background as you enjoy the day.
There is TRIVIA!!!! Now this may not seem that exciting to everyone, but V and I LOVE trivia and Greece and so why would we not be pumped for this?! Plus it is fun to just get out there and try something new. So me, V, and our brother in law Nick, sign up for the Trivia – and the winner is going to receive $100. (To see the trivia – click on the videos tab for Houston Greek Fest) So we go up there right, and of course V and Nick think they’ve got this in the bag… they are even saying I will get out first and they’re so confident, that in fact we make a bet on it… that’s kind of our thing. Well, boy were they wrong! I went all the way to the FINAL ROUND! When did V get out you ask?! First round…. wah, wah. So there I am, on the stage and so close to the $100 grand prize, watching people get out left and right… kicking the Greek Trivia’s behind, when I over thought the last question (please don’t judge me on the video) and got out. It was about Greek Philosophy and I know I knew the answer… but I stumbled and thought it was too easy, and I LOST US $100… but Congrats to Jason… I guess 🙂 This was such a fun activity, among the many that they do to get everyone involved and to help create that community feel. Houston Greek Fest is very good at making everyone want to participate and be involved, which makes each experience that much more enjoyable.
All in all, if you are ever in Houston, Texas the second weekend of May, this is a MUST. You will feel welcomed from the moment you walk in, and it is fairly inexpensive. It only cost $3 to enter, and kids are free. Or if you bring 3 canned food items, it is free for you as well, as they give these back to the local food bank. Houston Greek Fest is the closest thing you can get to Greece on this side of the Atlantic.
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