Opa! Boys learn Greek dancing to perform at 53rd annual Greater Phoenix Greek Festival, Oct. 11–13, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

Tasso Annos, aka Anastasios Anagnopoulos, is an all-American teen. He plays baseball, volunteers for the Boys & Girls Clubs and goes to Greek-dance practice.
A high-school freshman, Annos said when his peers first hear about his Greek dancing, they laugh.
“At first, they think it’s kind of goofy,” he said. “But then, they know it’s what I do.”
More than 50 boys, ages 5 to 25, are learning the dances of their ancestors to perform at the upcoming Greater Phoenix Greek Festival.
This year marks the 53rd annual festival.
Annos’ great-great-grandfather was summoned to Phoenix in the 1920s to serve as a priest. Through the decades, all four of the teen’s grandparents and both his parents have volunteered at the festival, the primary fundraiser for ministries of the Greek Orthodox Church.
The festival has grown to one of the largest ethnic events in the Valley.
Youth maintain the Greek language and customs through programs at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in north-central Phoenix, home of the festival.
Festivalgoers can watch the dancers, join in on Greek line dancing and try authentic Greek food.
The festival also will have a village marketplace — featuring jewelry, garments and art — and a kids’ area with games and rides.
The Greater Phoenix Greek Festival will be held run Friday-Sunday, Oct. 11-13, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 1973 E. Maryland. General admission is $3, children under 12 are free.