Chicago and Detroit Hold Annual Parades to Celebrate Greek Independence

This past Sunday the cities of Chicago and Detroit were dressed in blue and white to celebrate Greek Independence Day. Chicago has one of the largest Greek communities in the U.S.  and the annual Greek parade is a major event that brings pride and joy to the participants and the thousands that attend every year. On Sunday April 14th, over one-hundred officials and constituents of the Federation of Hellenic-American Organizations of Illinois “Enosis” – the parade organizing body – attended the event.

The Greek parade took place in Greektown, on Halsted between Randolph and Van Buren Streets. Prominent members of the local Greek community and city officials cheered with the crowd.

Thousands of Greek Americans turned out Sunday afternoon to celebrate their heritage during the 12th Annual Detroit Greek Independence Day Parade.

Thousands lined Monroe Street in Detroit’s Greektown area for the Greek parade, waving Greek flags and watching Orthodox church groups march and dance to traditional music. Other parade marchers wore traditional Greek military garb and several Cadillac cars drove down city streets around 3 p.m.

Greek Independence Day is March 25. It marks the day in 1821 when the battle for freedom from Ottoman rule began and in recognition of when the Greek Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Annunciation, when the Virgin Mary was told she would bear Christ.