Oakleigh Glendi Festival 2026 Kicks Off in Melbourne
Melbourne's biggest Greek street party is back. The Oakleigh Glendi Festival 2026 kicked off on Saturday at Warrawee Park in Oakleigh, drawing thousands of people despite morning rain, and today, Sunday, November 1, is the second and final day. Gates open at 12 noon and the festival runs until 7pm, with Greek dancing, live music, a loukoumades eating competition and a closing set from Maria Maroulis. Entry is free. Get the event details here.
Now in its 11th year in its current form, the Oakleigh Glendi is one of the largest Greek community events in Australia. It is organized by the Greek Orthodox Community of Oakleigh and District and supported by the City of Monash and the Victorian Multicultural Commission. Here is how day 1 went, what is on today, and everything you need to know before you go.
How day 1 of Oakleigh Glendi 2026 kicked off
Saturday did not start with Melbourne sunshine. Morning rain fell over Oakleigh, but it did not keep people away. By early afternoon Neos Kosmos was reporting thousands of Greek Australians and other Melburnians filling Warrawee Park, walking between the food stalls, trying Greek sweets and watching the Main Stage, with the forecast promising a dry evening after 4pm.
The festival opened at noon with a Welcome to Country, followed by a run of multicultural acts that has become a Glendi signature: the Maya Dance Group and School of Dance, the Hansarang Korean Cultural Centre, the Serbian ensemble Folklorna Grupa Sumadija, and the Lider Russian School and Rusichi Russian Dance Ensemble. The first loukoumades eating competition of the weekend took place at 1:30pm.
Later in the afternoon the Cretan Brotherhood brought traditional dances from Crete to the stage, followed by an Opa-cize dance fitness session and a set from La Descarga. Greek band Demotika warmed up the evening crowd from 6:20pm before the headline act.
The night belonged to Kelly Kelekidou. The popular Greek singer was scheduled on the Main Stage from 7:30pm to 9:50pm, the biggest name on this year's bill, with a ten-minute fireworks display set to close day 1 at 10pm. For many Greek Australians, a Saturday night concert by a star from Greece, a short walk from Eaton Mall, is exactly what the Glendi is about.
Oakleigh Glendi Festival 2026 day 2: times and program
Sunday has a stronger Greek flavor than Saturday, with Greek schools and regional associations from across Melbourne taking the stage. The day also falls on the feast of Saints Anargyroi, Kosmas and Damianos, patron saints of the local Greek Orthodox parish, which gives the final day extra meaning for the community. The Main Stage program, as published by the organizers and reported by The Greek Herald and Neos Kosmos, is below.
12:00pm to 12:45pm: Formal welcome
12:45pm to 2:00pm: Oakleigh Grammar and Sts Anargiri Greek Language Centre
2:10pm to 2:30pm: Lemnian Community of Victoria
2:40pm to 3:00pm: Loukoumades eating competition
3:10pm to 3:35pm: K Studios School of Greek Singing and Performance
3:45pm to 4:10pm: Pancretan Association of Melbourne
4:20pm to 4:40pm: Pontiaki Estia
4:50pm to 5:20pm: Dio Patrides
5:30pm to 7:00pm: Maria Maroulis, closing the festival
6:00pm to 6:10pm: Raffle results announced by MCA Insurance Brokers
The organizers note that the program can change on the day, so check the festival's own channels if you are heading out for a particular act. If you only have a couple of hours, the mid afternoon block of Cretan and Pontic dancing followed by Dio Patrides and Maria Maroulis is the strongest run of Greek music and dance of the weekend.
Where is the Oakleigh Glendi?
The festival is held at Warrawee Park, on the corner of Drummond Street and Atherton Road, Oakleigh VIC 3166. Oakleigh is about 14 km south east of the Melbourne CBD in the City of Monash. The park sits a few minutes on foot from Eaton Mall, the pedestrian strip of Greek cafes, bakeries and delis that links Atherton Road to Oakleigh station and the Centro shopping center.
Food stalls are mainly set up along Atherton Road, the carnival rides along Drummond Street and near the playground, and the first aid tent at the Drummond Street entrance, according to festival guides that checked the organizer's details. Accessible restrooms are near the stage.
Getting there: trains, buses and parking
Public transport is the easiest option. Oakleigh station is on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines and is a short walk from Warrawee Park. Oakleigh is also a major bus hub for Melbourne's south east, with many routes stopping at the interchange next to the station.
Before you leave, check the Metro Trains Oakleigh station page or the PTV app for any planned works or replacement buses on the day. Parking in central Oakleigh is limited on a festival weekend and local streets fill quickly, so if you drive, allow extra time and be ready to walk.
What to eat and drink at the Glendi
Food is a big part of any glendi. Expect souvlaki and other grilled meats, traditional Greek dishes, plenty of sweets and, of course, loukoumades, the hot honey doughnuts that even have their own eating competition on both days. Stalls also serve dishes from other cuisines, in keeping with the festival's multicultural spirit.
The Cooking Stage brings Greek chefs and cooks from different communities together for demonstrations. The licensed Glendi Bar near the Main Stage is the only place to drink alcohol, and it is for over 18s only. There is no ATM on site, although banks and ATMs are close by in the Oakleigh shops, so bring a card or some cash.
Kids, rides and the artisan market
Families can head to the Kids Kingdom, which offers free games, craft workshops and roving entertainment, with free face painting also listed by the organizers. Carnival rides cost extra. Ride bands for unlimited rides were sold online only and closed on Friday night, so on the day the rides run on tokens: $5 for one, $66 for a bundle of 15 or $110 for 25, according to the official ticketing page. Rides operate from 12pm to 6pm.
The Artisan Market sells jewelry, crafts, sauces and spices, toys, textiles and keepsakes, much of it with a Mediterranean touch. Free water and sunscreen are available at the Information Tent. Dogs are allowed on a leash.
From church fete to one of Australia's biggest Greek festivals
The Glendi's roots go back more than 60 years, to when the late Father Nicholas Moutafis founded the Saints Anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church in Oakleigh and the parish began holding an annual fete. It started small, in the church and school grounds, and over the years grew into a celebration linking two key dates in the Greek calendar: Ohi Day on October 28 and the feast of Saints Anargyroi on November 1.
Neos Kosmos reported in 2014 that the event had already drawn more than 20,000 people in 2013, leading organizers to spread it over two days through Eaton Mall and Warrawee Park. The festival later settled at the Warrawee Park precinct, and the current Oakleigh Glendi format is counted from that move, which is why 2026 is billed as the 11th edition.
Organizers estimate last year's crowd at more than 20,000 people. Community leaders and local politicians describe the Glendi as a celebration of Oakleigh's multicultural character, and as a place where people of every background can feel they belong.
Why Oakleigh is Melbourne's Greek heart
Melbourne has one of the largest Greek communities outside Greece, and Oakleigh is its best known neighborhood. Greek migrants settled here in large numbers from the mid 20th century, and Greek is still widely spoken at home in the suburb. You see it in the frappe culture of Eaton Mall, the bakeries and butchers on Atherton Road, the Greek Orthodox church of Saints Anargyroi and the Oakleigh Cannons football club, founded by Greek migrants in 1972.
For Greek Australians, the Glendi is a reunion as much as a festival. For Greeks in Greece, it is a vivid picture of how traditions from Crete, Pontus, Lemnos and the mainland live on across the world. And for anyone who loves Greece, it is the easiest way to spend a day surrounded by Greek music, dancing and food without boarding a plane. If you want to know more about where Greeks live across the country, read our guide to the biggest Greek communities in Australia.
Oakleigh Glendi FAQ
When is the Oakleigh Glendi 2026?
It runs on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 12pm to 10pm and Sunday, November 1, 2026, from 12pm to 7pm. Sunday is the final day.
Is the Oakleigh Glendi free?
Yes, entry is free. Food, drinks and carnival rides cost extra.
Where is the Oakleigh Greek festival held?
At Warrawee Park, on the corner of Drummond Street and Atherton Road, Oakleigh VIC 3166, a short walk from Oakleigh station and Eaton Mall.
Who is performing on Sunday?
Sunday features Oakleigh Grammar and Sts Anargiri Greek Language Centre, the Lemnian Community of Victoria, K Studios, the Pancretan Association of Melbourne, Pontiaki Estia, Dio Patrides and Maria Maroulis, who closes the festival from 5:30pm.
Who headlined Oakleigh Glendi 2026?
Greek singer Kelly Kelekidou headlined on Saturday night, followed by fireworks.
How do I get to the Oakleigh Glendi by train?
Take a Pakenham or Cranbourne line train to Oakleigh station, then walk a few minutes to Warrawee Park. Check for planned works before you travel.
Are there fireworks on Sunday?
The published program lists fireworks only on Saturday night, at the end of Kelly Kelekidou's set.
When is the next Oakleigh Glendi?
Dates for 2027 have not been announced. The festival is traditionally held around the start of November, close to Ohi Day and the feast of Saints Anargyroi on November 1.
Check the festival's official website and Facebook page for any changes during the day.
Photo: Eaton Mall, Oakleigh, by Dreamofthedolphin via Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). The photo shows Oakleigh's Eaton Mall on a regular day, not the festival.
