If you’re looking at several affordable Kitsilano houses for sale with a serious intent of moving and settling in the area, not least perhaps is your love for things Greek, then you’re looking at the perfect place to settle down. Kitsilano is Vancouver’s designated Greek community, with an annual celebration of Greek Day on Broadway in June that locals look forward to. Speaking to The Province’s John Colebourn, resident George Tsoukas shares his thoughts on the holiday:
“People look forward all year to Greek Day,” he said of the hugely popular event that has West Broadway closed to cars for the day. Greek Day has been going strong for 40 years, and Tsoukas said it’s a chance for people to experience Greek culture – and food.”
About 100,000 locals gathered to celebrate the 40th installment of Greek Day on Broadway, immersing themselves in the music, food and drinks, and Greek-style merry-making. Residents cook traditional Souvlaki (a type of Greek fast food which includes different meats cooked on skewers and served with vegetables, rice, beans, and/or pita bread); roast lambs, salads, and other native favorites. Folk dancing groups, singers, and bands also perform traditional musical numbers.
Greek Day on Broadway has its origin in the history of Kitsilano itself. Also known as the Hellenic Community of Vancouver, Kitsilano was first established in 1927 to serve as a spiritual, cultural, and social gathering place for Greek immigrants. It was not until the ‘60s and the ‘70s that Kitsilano’s Greek population grew, leading to the first-ever celebration of Greek Day on Broadway on July 1, 1974.
Today, Kitsilano’s popular holiday is still as festive and alive as ever. Speaking to Robert Mangelsdorf of the Vancouver Courier, Mathew Bakatsis, this year’s festival organizer, attributed the community’s strong celebratory spirit to the immigrants’ nostalgic longing for home. His father immigrated to Canada from Greece in the ‘60s, and while Bakatsis himself was born in Canada, he knows just how important it is to share the considerable contributions of Greek culture to Vancouver’s society.
If you’re big on Greek art, food and culture, then moving into a genuine Greek community in Vancouver should serve just as well, next to living in Greece itself. Check with established real estate companies, such as Vancouver Canada Homes to show you a listing of Kitsilano homes for sale to start off living your dream of owning a home within a culturally vibrant community.
(Source: 100,000 Celebrate Greek Day in Kitsilano, Vancouver Courier, June 23, 2014)
