Summer is almost upon us. Guess what that means? That means it is time to party Greek style!For the past thirty-five years, the Panegyri Festival has been a highlight of summer life here in the Cincinnati Metro Area. With a blend of food, music, and historical culture, a visit to the Panegyri Festival will have you coming back for more. While you are there, get a gyros, try some tyropitakia, or spanakopita.
Held at the Saint Nicholas-Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church at 7000 Winton Road in Finneytown, this festival showcases the cultural heritage and hospitality of the Greek people.
Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is the oldest Greek Orthodox parish on record in Ohio. Many of the original families of this parish are said to have arrived between 1880 and 1900, during the initial wave of Greek immigration to the United States. Cincinnati, during this period of time, was identified as the nation’s sixth largest city and growing industrial center because of its ideal location on the Ohio River.
Despite the devastation of the Great Depression and political turmoil affecting a lot of Greek Orthodox Parishes in the United States, the parishioners persevered. In 1945 the union of the two parishes, Holy Trinity and Saint Nicholas, took place. The new church took on the name Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and was located near Cincinnati’s inner city.
In 1965 the community purchased a 10-acre lot in order to build a larger church, which would accommodate the growing membership.
On December 16, 1972, the new church located in Finneytown, a suburb of Cincinnati, celebrated its opening and first Divine Liturgy. The congregation has grown to about 2000 faithful Orthodox Christians. The parish membership is no longer exclusively Greek.
According to the Parish website at http://holytrinity.oh.goarch.org, the majority of the parishioners are second and third generation American born, several families of Arabic, Ethiopian, Eritrian and Slavic backgrounds, and a growing number of converts. The festival will be held on the last weekend of June. The dates and times of the festival are as follows:
Friday June 26: 5-11 p.m.
Saturday June 27: 3-11 p.m.
Sunday June 28: 1-8 p.m.
The price of admission is $2. Children five and under get in for free. Half the proceeds of this year’s festival will be donated to the Free Store Food Bank in Cincinnati.
Free patron parking and free shuttle bus service is available at St. Xavier High School. Shuttle service will be available beginning 5:30 p.m. Friday with continuous service throughout festival hours. The address for the high school is 600 W. North Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45224. For directions, visit the festival website at www.panegyri.com.
The festival is also looking for volunteers. If you are in need of service hours or would like to come out and help and have some fun, have any questions pertaining to the festival, or would like some more information about Saint Nicholas-Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, either visit www.panegyri.com or call (513) 591-0030.