Tag: Greek Fair

SubscribeStar Saturday: Columbia Greek Festival

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Festival season is back in full swing, and yours portly couldn’t be happier.  Festivals—like everything good, fun, and wholesome—took a hit in The Age of The Virus, but I’m pleased to report they are back with a vengeance.

Yours portly had the opportunity to enjoy the Columbia Greek Festival last Saturday, 16 September 2023 (with some agreeable female company), and it was packed.  As I noted to my companion, “I love it and I hate it.”  I love seeing the throngs of unwashed (sometimes literally) humanity sauntering around aimlessly in amorphous blobs of sweat and excitement.  I also hate waiting in lines and being around amorphous blobs of sweat and excitement.

But it’s encouraging to see people eating gyros and baklava.  It’s heartening to see little kids scampering about recklessly.  It’s cool hearing upbeat Greek dance music.  There was even the Orthodox priest running around, looking like a harried Rasputin, complete with a massive Apple Watch on his bony wrist.

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Open Mic Adventures XLIII: “Greek Fair”

The Portly Politico18 Comments

Back on Thursday, 20 July 2023 I made a pilgrimage back to Lula’s Coffee Company, which for several years before The Age of The Virus was the epicenter of a flourishing of musical and cultural activity in Florence, South Carolina.  Then the management dragged its feet on resuming open mic post-pandemic, and I largely wrote it off as a venue.

Fortunately, I am overcame my stubborn resistance and occasionally make it out there for open mic night.  It is a long way from my home now, so I don’t get out there much, but I found my most recent visit to be quite rewarding.

My buddy John Pickett and I played “Greek Fair“; I regard this song as the best I have ever written.  Others have proven more popular, but I’m really proud of this one.

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