The Greeks call it Kefi – when the music is playing and the joys of life making you want to jump, dance and yell OPA! The Atlanta Greek Festival is all about Kefi!

How many Greeks are in Atlanta?

There are more than 1.1 million Greek-Americans in this country. Metro Atlanta, home to more than 12,000 Greeks and about half of Georgia’s total Greek population, is also an important business hub for the Southeast U.S. and a portal for Greek companies entering the American market here, according to Lambros Kakissis, consul general for Greece in Atlanta. "Atlanta has the busiest airport in the world, and you can say that the Port of Savannah is important in the Greek shipping industry," said Mr. Kakissis.

Mr. Mallias, introduced by Jeff Rosensweig, director of the Global Perspectives Program at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, spoke at a Greek business luncheon at Emory before going to the Southern Center for International Studies later that evening. During the luncheon, he addressed immigration issues, citing the likelihood that Greece will be accepted into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, a status that will keep Greek travelers from having to acquire visas before entering the U.S. Mr. Mallias also said that a thriving Greek community exists in Atlanta. After meeting with Jimmy Carter at the president’s home in Plains, he returned to Atlanta for a dinner hosted by the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta, which was attended by about 700 Greeks from all over the Southeast.

American Greek Culture Roots

Greek influences pervade modern American culture. Just look at a map—hundreds of places derive their names from Greek mythology: Athens, Atlanta, Phoenix, Troy, Sparta, Ithaca and Delphi, just to name a few. Or notice the dozens of Greek-inspired brand names, such as Nike, Ajax and Olympus. In some ways, we all have Greek roots.



Many Greek immigrants got into the restaurant business, opening greasy spoons, confectioneries and ice cream parlors. Organizations such as the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association helped them assimilate. (The Greek American Progressive Association, another major immigrant organization, discouraged assimilation and promoted the preservation of Greek culture.)

Greek Music at the Atlanta Festival

Troupe Hellas: Lykion Ton Ellinidon. The dance shows are performed by the Cathedral’s very own Troupe Hellas: Lykion ton Ellinindon, a National Award winning dance group, full of flips, thrills and surprises. Vibrant bouzouki music are all part of the continuous entertainment. Troupe Hellas, the adult dancing group of Lykion Ton Ellinidon, has provided entertainment for guests of the Atlanta Greek Festival for many years. They have performed at conventions, festivals and fundraisers. In 1996, they performed for the Atlanta Olympics.

Alpha-Omega Sound. The groups have headlined at the Atlanta Greek Festival for the last 15 years and have become a highlight of the celebration. Alpha-Omega Sound brings their listeners the best in traditional and contemporary Greek music. The band, made of local Atlanta Greeks, specializes in authentic Greek music.

Nick Trivelas & The Aegeans. The latest collaboration between Nick Travelas and George Antonopoulos, a bouzouki virtuoso & entertainer extraordinaire. George is from Pireas Greece and has performed through-out Europe, Canada, the USA & parts of Central America. Coming from a family of talented musicians, George performed as a bouzouksis with Holiday In Greece, Makis Christodoulopoulos, and in many of the clubs in Montreal, Chicago, Detroit, New York & Los Angeles. Joanna adds her voice to George's and Nick's rounding out the trio, as they perform the current Tsiftetelia, Zebekika, and Syrta, the well-known Dimotika, (Kalamatiana, Tsamika, Nisiotika) and Rebetica.

Controversy with Greek Orthodox

There aren't many Greek Orthodox in the United States, they are thinly scattered, and the dispute seemed to hinge to an extraordinary degree on Spyridon's controversial personality issues and appeals to norms of "Orthodoxy" that are way too complex for an ordinary American to grasp and convey. Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Denver are the seats of Greek Orthodox dioceses. Reporters in those cities got used to the sight of bearded Greeks bearing press releases to their offices. Interestingly enough, Detroit and Atlanta are also the sites of Greek episcopal thrones, mostly vacant through Spyridon's brief tenure and with strikingly less coverage of the story in Detroit and even Atlanta, where the Cox monopolistic newspapers typically give religion news lots of free ink.

This is where all these events take place, year after year! The main Greek Orthodox Church at Clairmont Rd. in Atlanta. Very beautiful building with lots of craft, mosaic, icons, small shops inside ... And also the most beautiful day, clear skies - perfect times to have an outdoor party. Welcome to the Annual Greek Festival! Atlanta 2007 says: Opa!

Atlanta Greeks like to celebrate their great history and achievements in culture, food, and crafts. Every year they throw the greatest party in Atlanta - This was the year 2007 Annual Greek Festival. Opa!

English-Greek Simple Dictionary

1. absolutely! - akrivos!


2. admission is free! - isodos eleythera!


3. adulteress - michalida


4. after the event - katopin eortis


5. afterlife - meta thanaton zoh


6. alfresco - sto ýpaithro


7. all day long - olimeris


8. all together - katholoklerian


9. and for good reason - kai dikaios


10. angry young man - orgismenos neos


11. anyhow - opos-opos


12. anything but - kathe allo para


13. appropriate - ikios


14. are you being served? - exypiretiste


15. are you with me? - me parakoloythis | (stin koyventa)


16. as is - os echi


17. at work - epi to ergon


18. be so kind as to - echo tin kalosýni na


19. bearded - "moysatos, genioforos "


20. besides - "pros toýtis, epi pleon "


21. bespectacled - dioptroforos


22. bullshit! - malakies!


23. burn - engayma


24. buy somebody a beer - prosfero se kapion mia mpýra


25. by accident - tychaia


26. by law - ek toy nomoy


27. cafeteria - selfservis


28. cater for - lamvano merimna gia


29. chances are that - yparchi pithanotita na


30. come rain or shine - vrexi-chionisi


31. congregation - pimnio


32. consumed by flames - paranaloma toy pyros


33. cornucopia - keras tis Amalthias


34. cross hair - stayronima


35. crumb - psicha


36. culinary - magirikos


37. cum grano salis - me epifýlaxi


38. custom - ethimo


39. cut-throat - exontotikos (pch.antagonismos)


40. demand deposits - katathesis opseos


41. disposable - mias chriseos


42. divorce suit - agogi diazygioy


43. don't do this to me - mi moy kanis tetia


44. don't go away! - mi fýgis! (min apomakrynthis)


45. donation - ovolos (dorea)


46. done deal - teliomeni ypothesi


47. doomed attempt - katadikasmeni prospathia


48. double standard - dýo metra kai dýo stathma


49. dressmaker - modistra


50. earned - met'apodochon


51. eavesdrop - otakoysteo


52. end of story! - kai terma!


53. endangered species - apiloýmeno idos


54. endless - atermon


55. enforcing the law - epivallontas ton nomo


56. enjoy! - kale orexi!


57. even - kan


58. even before - prin akoma ...


59. even if - akomi kai an


60. face-saver - proschima


61. fair sex - oraio fýlo


62. family man - ikogeniarchis


63. fat - lipos


64. father of two - pateras dýo paidion


65. fierce competition - agrios antagonismos


66. fine! - mia chara!


67. fine - "kale, chrysi kai agia "


68. fine - oraia kai kala


69. fires - pyrodoti


70. foodstuffs - idi diatrofis


71. for your benefit - gia to kalo soy


72. fragrance - eyodia


73. general public - eyrý kino


74. goodness knows - enas theos xeri


75. goose step - vima chinas


76. great! - para polý oraia!


77. gunpowder - pyritida


78. hangout - steki


79. hardships - vasana


80. harsh reality - omi pragmatikotita


81. heavy-duty - vareos týpoy


82. here we go again! - pali ta idia!


83. hindrance - kolyma


84. his days are limited - i meres toy inai metrimenes


85. housemaid - ikiaki voithos


86. I am indebted - imai ypochreos


87. I pack my bags - "ta "mazeýo"


88. I regret that - lypamai poy


89. in return for the - me antallagma tin


90. in due time - en kairo to deonti


91. in no time - "akariaios, se chrono miden "


92. in no time - se chrono miden


93. in person - aytoprosopos


94. in return for - me antallagma


95. inappropriate - anikios


96. initials - monografi


97. injuries - kakosis


98. it's a piece of cake! - paneýkolo!


99. it's about time! - kairos inai!


100. it is no accident that - den inai tychaio to oti


101. it is a bargain - inai kale eykairia


102. it is advised - sas pleroforoýme


103. it is customary - ithistai


104. it is worth noting - axizi na simiothi


105. it matters! - echi simasia!


106. it pays off - apoferi


107. it suffices - inai arketo


108. leave nothing to chance - den afino tipota stin týchi


109. leaves much to be desired - inai elliphs


110. lie in wait - ellocheýo


111. likeness - omioma (pch. mias prosopikotitas)


112. lost cause - chameni ypothesi


113. lucrative - kerdoskopikos


114. ludicrous - gelios


115. lump sum - efapax pleromi


116. maiden name - patriko (onoma)


117. make it on my own - zo monos moy


118. manna from heaven - manna ex oyranoý


119. marching orders - diatagi porias


120. mentally unstable - anisorropos


121. miracle worker - thaymatopios


122. missed opportunity - chameni eykairia


123. more important - oper kai spoydaiotero


124. my apologies - zitao syngnomin


125. no sooner said than done - am'epos am'ergon


126. no stone unturned - lithon epi lithoy


127. no way! - apoklietai!


128. not appropriate - mi prosidiazon


129. not surprising - katholoy periergo


130. nothing whatsoever - tipota apolýtos


131. numbered - metrimenes (pch. i meres toy)


132. obesity - pachysarkia


133. on a loan basis - epi danismo


134. on the cheap - sti ftinia


135. open secret - kino mystiko


136. ordinary people - apli anthropi


137. other than that - kata ta alla


138. out of wedlock - exogamos


139. paid in full - exoflithen


140. patron - thamon


141. penetration rate - thlefoniki pyknotita (choras)


142. perjury - pseydorkia


143. phony - pseydepigrafos


144. plaintiff - enagon


145. play possum - kano ton psofio korio


146. plunder - lehlato


147. preposterous - prothýsteros


148. president-elect - neoeklegis proedros


149. privately, in secret, in camera" - "kat'idian, mystika


150. probably, presumably, apparently" - mallon


151. profiteer - mayragoritis


152. protocol visit - ethimotypiki episkepsi


153. publicly - dimosia


154. quite simply! - aploýstata!


155. real estate, immovable property" - akinith perioysia


156. receipts - ispraxis (i)


157. reluctant - aprothymos


158. remorse - týpsis


159. ringed election - nothes ekloges


160. rotisserie - psistaria


161. rush hour - ora aichmis


162. safe house - krysfýgeto


163. scapegoat - apodiopompaios tragos


164. scapegoat, whipping boy" - exilasthrio thýma


165. scorched-earth policy - politiki tis kammenis gis


166. second coming - Deytera Paroysia


167. she is away - "inai "feygath"


168. single - mia kai i ayth


169. skeptical - provlematismenos


170. skyrocket - tinazontai sta ýpsi (pch. times)


171. sober - nifalios


172. sometime else - kapote allote


173. sooner rather than later - mia ora orchitera


174. sophisticated - peritechnos


175. stealthy - ypovolimaios


176. stinks - ozi


177. stunned - emvrontitos


178. sturgeon - oxýrrynchos


179. surprisingly - olos paradoxos


180. take it easy! - hremise!


181. take legal action - pao dikastikos


182. take my chances - riskaro


183. taxpayer - forologoýmenos


184. the exact opposite - to akrivos antitheto


185. the issue is closed - to thema theoritai lexan


186. the shroud of secrecy - o peplos tis mystikotitas


187. there are plenty of - yparchi plithora + Gen.


188. this is not the case! - den inai etsi!


189. this is why - na giati


190. time and again - polles fores


191. time and again - xana kai xana


192. tip of the iceberg - koryfi toy pagovoynoy


193. to our deligit - pros megalin mas charan


194. token of friendship - endixi filias


195. trade-off - mesi lysi


196. trade fair - emporiki ekthesi (emporopanigyri)


197. trading post - emporio


198. travesty of trial - parodia dikis


199. troubled waters - thola nera


200. tug of war - dielkystinda


201. under no circumstances - ep'oydeni


202. under no circumstances - epoydeni


203. under the agreement - sta plaisia tis symfonias


204. under the circumstances - ypo tis paroýses synthikes


205. underprivileged - mi pronomioýchos


206. unemployment benefits - epidomata anergias


207. unexpected development - aprosdokith exelixi


208. unnecessarily - askopos


209. unshakable belief - akradanth pepithish


210. upon request - th aitisi


211. verbatim - epi lexi


212. voluntary departure - etheloysia exodos


213. wage earner - misthotos


214. waste of effort - chamenos kopos


215. waste of time - chasomeri


216. what for? - pros ti


217. what is more - kai epi pleon


218. whatever it takes - pasi thysia


219. whatever - opia kai nanai ta


220. whenever the need arose - opote paristato anangi


221. wishful thinking - eysevis pothi


222. witch-hunt - kynigi magisson


223. with an artistic bent - me kallitechniki klish


224. with impunity - atimoriti


225. without delay - anyperthetos


226. yet another - enas akomi