The smell of roasted chicken and lamb will fill the air as Tosa Greek Fest gets started this weekend. From June 7-9 at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church (Near 76th & North Avenue), the festival will celebrate Greek culture with live performances from local Greek musicians and dance groups, Greek food and more.
How it Started
Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church has hosted Tosa Greek Fest in Wauwatosa since 1969. Starting from a desire to celebrate the local Greek community, now celebrating its 55th anniversary, Tosa Greek Fest has become a major celebration of Greek culture in the Milwaukee area.
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This Year’s Event
Tosa Greek Fest expects 35,000 attendees at this year’s festival.
Around 250 volunteers, most of whom are members of the church, while others are fellow community members, help plan the event, roast gyros, make social media posts and more. “It’s pretty amazing, year after year they help, such generous hearts,” says Diane Terry, member of the advisory board for Tosa Greek Fest and Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church
The Food
One of the festival’s most important aspects is the food, and there is lots of it. Thousands of chickens are roasted in a traditional rotisserie during the festival.
“The most challenging station is the rotisserie chickens,” says Terry. “It’s a very hot area and it’s an authentic process with handmade equipment to cook all of those savory rotisserie chickens. It’s fun to see all those chickens cooking all at once, plus the smell is divine!”
The most popular items tend to be the savory dishes: gyros, souvlaki/shish-kabobs and rotisserie chickens are sold in the thousands to festival attendees. “We serve thousands and thousands of each item, every year we break records. Guests even buy chickens to take home and freeze.” Terry says.
Plus, the festival has handmade Greek pastries baked by the Philoptichos, a ladies’ philanthropic group of service to humanity, a fellow Greek Orthodox group. They work tirelessly days before the event to create hundreds of pastries that are fresh for the festival. “[They] make each pastry in our commercial kitchen just a few days before the festival so it’s fresh and always made with love. It’s a mad dash to finish so many pastries!” Terry says.
Entertainment
Beyond food, Tosa Greek Fest will also have live music performed by the Greek Keyz, a local Greek American band. There will be many opportunities to watch and take part in traditional Greek dance. “Greek dancing is encouraged and we love teaching anyone that wants to learn. Just be ready to say ‘OPA!'” Terry says.
Tosa Greek Fest runs June 7-9, with festivities lasting from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
