I've been going to the Greek Festival on Newfield Road in Stamford since I was a kid. I remember getting dropped off in 5th or 6th grade for a day of sno cones, cotton candy and rides, rides, rides. I can't remember exactly when I had my first souvlaki, but my order hasn't changed much over the years. In the beginning I got chicken souvlaki, just tomatoes. Now that I have my lovely allergy to conventional chicken I go with the pork, but still, just tomatoes.
This years pork nostalgia wrapped in foil was missing a bit of the seasoning that I've come to expect over the last couple DECADES! OMG - how did I get this old? But it was still DDelicious. I got some real burnt up crunchy bits in mine that were yummy surprises, and the bread is still out of this world. I wish I knew where they got it, even without that extra dash of seasoned salt they brought me back to the years my friend Cathy and I would be sitting on the steps munching on souvlaki, pining over Joey Belladonna and Alex Skolnick (from Anthrax and Testament, if for some reason you don't know).
If you have never been to the festival you have two more days, today and tomorrow (Saturday June, 11 and Sunday June, 12). They have dogs and burgers for the unadventurous, souvlaki and gyros outside in a tent and then even more Greek food inside in the AC. Plus Greek baked goods! I've been known to bring home a baklava or two. This year I stuck to the fair faves of kettle corn and a caramel apple. Both were decent, nothing spectacular, but I finished them both so they couldn't have been too bad. Mister Softee was also there with a huge line! I wanted me some vanilla with chocolate sprinkles, but it seems I'll have to get that another day.
The layout of the fair isn't so great this year - not a lot of room. And who knew there were so many teens and tweens in Stamford? And why are they all so tan? Aren't they in school all day? But there are some great rides and such that you'll love to watch. We watched one kid on the Euro-Bungee...OMG, I wish I had my video camera. Plump little Latino boy, cute as all fuck, all strapped into the bungee. Every time the ride operator started to raise him up his face would get all screwy with fear. We watched for a few minutes, sharing this awesome comedic moment with the ride operator who kept smiling at us as we smiled back - the kid and his mom oblivious to our enjoyment. We should have paid the 7 bucks, it was worth it. Of course the mom was of no help to the kid, just standing there with the camera - I wanted to encourage him, but who knew if he spoke English, or if that's even considered proper anymore...can you talk to kids without going to jail?
All in all it was a great evening. We ate, played some games, won a wolf for our rabbit and escaped before every teenager in lower Fairfield County was dropped off for an evening of fun. There really were a ton of people there. Parking was tricky - you can park at Davenport, St. Cecilia's or that other church on the corner of Newfield and Weed Ave.
The people running the fair were all super nice - a rarity in Stamford. If it wasn't for the Greek thing and the Orthodox thing I might want to join that group of people.
Definitely check it out! Enjoy!
-HH
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