47th annual Greek Fest in Fort Myers shares Greek traditions with the community

It is a busy weekend of festivals this weekend in Fort Meyers. One such festival is the 47^th annual Greek Fest at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. While the festival is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the church, it is much more than that.

Organizers say it is about keeping their Greek heritage alive and sharing it with the community. Jon Ruppe, who helps lead the planning for the festival, says sometimes traditions and cultures get lost with future generations, Greeks focus on passing them onto the future generations. He added that the bonus is then sharing that culture with the community around them.

Festivalgoers will not only be able to enjoy authentic Greek food, but also the church’s children dancing cultural dances that represent all the regions of Greece. These children study these dances and their meanings for months before they are performed. The festival opens at 11 am Saturday until 11 pm and 11 am Sunday until 7 pm.