The 2014 Lonsdale Street Festival, Melbourne's largest Greek themed street party, takes over the street during the weekend of February 8 & 9. Headlining this year's event is Kostas Makedonas, performing in Australia for the first time with Orchestra Emmetron, accompanied by Eirini Toumpaki.
The Lonsdale Street Festival, which is staged in the heart of the City of Melbourne's Greek Precinct, attracts over 100,000 people across the weekend, who head to the street to enjoy two stages of free entertainment, an assortment of food stalls, children's activities, cooking demonstrations and trader displays. Fully licensed and catered, the
Barbaresso Oyzo Ouzeri will be set up on street, offering a little Greek island bar experience in the centre of Lonsdale Street. Open all weekend it will be a cool little spot to relax from the bustle, and soak in some music from local DJs.
Lonsdale Street is home to multiple office buildings, courts, restaurants, stores, apartments, two churches and other buildings. It was named after William Lonsdale, the first administrator and magistrate in Melbourne.
Between Swanston Street and Russel Street, along Lonsdale Street, in the heart of the city of Melbourne, there is a large concentration of Greek restaurants and shops known as the Greek Precinct of Melbourne.
Every year the Greek Community organizes a weekend festival at the Greek Precinct celebrating Greek food and culture.