Tacoma’s longest-running cultural celebration is back this fall. The Tacoma Greek Festival will take place October 3–5, 2025, at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 1523 South Yakima Avenue. Now in its 62nd year, the festival offers three days of authentic food, lively entertainment, church tours, and a celebration of Greek heritage. Admission is free, and thousands of visitors are expected to attend.
A Tradition Rooted in Community
The Tacoma Greek Festival began in 1962, when parishioners at St. Nicholas hosted a small bazaar to raise money by selling traditional sweets. Over the decades, it has grown into a major community event that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Greece while serving as a gathering place for the wider Tacoma community.
This year’s festival is especially meaningful, as St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church marks its 100th anniversary. Since 1925, the church has been a center of faith, hope, and community for generations of families in Tacoma and the greater Pacific Northwest. Festival organizers emphasize that the celebration reflects both tradition and renewal, honoring the past while looking ahead to the future.
Food Highlights
One of the festival’s biggest draws is the wide selection of homemade Greek food and pastries. Visitors can enjoy dishes such as gyros, calamari, Greek fries, and house-made loukaniko (sausage), as well as specialties prepared by parish volunteers. Popular sweet options include:
- Baklava, available by the piece, dozen, or variety box.
- Kourabiedes, traditional Greek wedding cookies dusted in powdered sugar.
- Loukoumades, bite-sized doughnuts topped with honey syrup and cinnamon.
- Paximadia, double-baked anise-flavored cookies perfect for dipping in coffee.
- Tyropitakia, cheese-filled phyllo pockets.
- Dolmathes, grape leaves stuffed with meat and topped with lemon-egg sauce.
- Tsoureki, a sweet braided bread flavored with mastic resin.
Additional booths will feature homemade goods from St. John the Forerunner Monastery in Goldendale, WA, along with a Greek gift shop and deli. Purchases can be made with credit, debit, or phone pay. Cash is not accepted directly, but visitors may obtain a free spending card at the cashier booth.
Entertainment and Dance
Festival entertainment centers on traditional Greek dance. Performances take place every hour on the hour:
- Friday: 5–8 p.m.
- Saturday: 1–8 p.m.
- Sunday: 1–5 p.m.
The St. Nicholas Dancers will take the stage throughout the weekend, showcasing lively steps and costumes that bring Greek tradition to life.
Church Tours and Services
Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore the church itself. Father Anthony will lead tours of the nave and narthex, introducing guests to the Orthodox faith. Tours are offered at 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. each day of the festival.
Evening church services will be held on Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. Organizers ask that no food or drink be brought into the nave.
An iconography update will be highlighted this year: the narthex walls, nearly complete in 2024, now feature new icon additions to the ceiling and dome.
The St. Nicholas Book Store will be open during the festival, offering religious literature, icons, crosses, and other items.
Getting There
Festivalgoers can take advantage of free street parking around the church or ride the Tacoma Link light rail. From the Tacoma Dome Station parking garage, exit at the St. Joseph’s stop. Light rail fare is $2. Entrances to the festival grounds are located on both 15th Street and 16th Street.
Event Details
- What: Tacoma Greek Festival (62nd Annual)
- When: Friday & Saturday, October 3–4, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sunday, October 5, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Where: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 1523 S. Yakima Ave., Tacoma, WA 98405
- Cost: Free admission
A Celebration of Faith and Culture
For more than six decades, the Tacoma Greek Festival has offered food, fellowship, and tradition to the city. This year’s event not only continues that tradition but also marks a century of St. Nicholas Church serving as a beacon of faith and community. Organizers invite the public to join in a weekend of food, music, dance, and cultural discovery.
