It’s My People’s Festival (Greek, Not Lesbian) in Portland

Get your Greek on! Starting today, Thursday 6/21 thru Saturday 6/23/18, it's time to eat, dance and be Mary...or Pete, or Nick, or Athena with Portland's Greek Festival.

First things first. You have to play the music and then continue to read.

Now that the mood has been set, here's some advice from one Greek (okay, half Greek). Get there early for dinner. Lines can wrap around the block. It's on the corner of Pleasant and Park Street and if you aren't there before 5 pm for dinner, expect to wait. And expect that wait to be completely worth it.

I have only missed one Greek Festival in Portland in almost 30 years! Have the Gyros (pronounced year' rose)! The traditional spiced lamb meat in a pita with tzatziki, onion and tomato. One of my favorites.

The lamb souvlaki (shishkabob) is also wonderful (pictured above). Whatever you do, bring an appetite and soak up the Greekness!

And whatever you do - DO NOT FORGET THE DESSERTS! They will change your life. The only Greek dessert name I know is baklava.

The rest I call by what they look like...The donut things with honey and nuts (Loukoumades)