Stacy Skartsiaris, owner of Theo & Stacy’s, is a Greek woman living in Kalamazoo, Michigan, who has organized, for the past 36 years, the Greek Festival of the city. She did so all these years along with her late husband Theo, but now other members of the family have followed in his steps.
The annual event started as a one-night celebration of Greeks and their American friends at the Dionysus restaurant. The next year, more people attended the event and soon, the restaurant was too small for this celebration. Only one day was also too little for such a big festival, so it has been turned into a three-day event.
For this year’s festival, having taken place from May 31 through June 2, Stacy baked thousands of Greek desserts and other sweet or salty recipes, to sell during the charity festival. Many families waited in front of the tent to enjoy some of these delicious foods, while others lay on the grass listening to traditional Greek music or famous American rock bands live.
The program included many Greek dance shows, but also popular rock group Hoobastank. 66-year-old Stacy admits, however, that she is not aware of what Hoobastank plays, but members of the family insisted on booking the band to perform on the Greek Festival’s stage.
But Stacy is like a “one-man machine.” She organized many children’s programs and a flea market, with everyone leaving the events satisfied.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
