Holy Trinity Church in New Rochelle Holds Festival
There was no need to travel all the way to the Aegean this past weekend to experience Greek hospitality, culture, and food. Locals only had to attend the long-awaited return of the annual Greek Festival hosted by the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of New Rochelle. An annual September tradition since 1973, the festival was almost cancelled in 2001 in the aftermath of September 11th, but ultimately the parishioners chose to proceed, donating all of the profits to the victims of September 11th. Last year's festival was significantly scaled down by COVID, with drive-thru and curbside pick-up of Greek delicacies. But 2021 saw a return to the full festivals of prior years.
Participants had a selection of many diverse things to do. Whether enjoying live Greek music and dancing, shopping at the flea markets, taking the kids on the rides and carnival games, guided tours of the Church itself, or just sitting back to relax while feasting on Greek souvlaki, gyros, or home-made baklava for dessert, a good time was had by all.
Volunteer parishioners worked weeks in advance to collect donations for the flea market and organize food preparations, and countless individuals worked the kitchen, food stands, ticket booths, flea markets, and security to ensure all went smoothly. Additional parking was added this year to handle the increased attendance over prior festivals. Credit goes to all the parish members who pulled together to raise money for their church while creating a memorable event for the entire community.
The Holy Trinity church was established in 1922 in Mount Vernon and later moved to its current site in New Rochelle. Under the spiritual guidance of Fr. Nick Anctil the church has prospered to a parish of 550 families worshipping the Greek Orthodox faith and traditions. In addition to being a house of worship which also offers Sunday School classes for the children, the church has an after-school Greek Language program for children and adults and is also the site of Child's Dream Nursery School. The facility includes a Cultural Center and Gymnasium which is constantly in use for private functions and sports events.