DETROIT (WWJ) – On the heels of a big Opening Day celebration in downtown Detroit on Friday, the Greektown area is throwing another big party on Sunday – the 20th annual Detroit Greek Independence Day Parade.
As many as 5,000 people are expected to line the streets to celebrate Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire. Greece declared independence from the empire in 1821, after four centuries of slavery, event organizers say.
Sunday’s parade is a way for the city’s passionate Greek population to celebrate, and parade organizer Lou Pavledes tells WWJ everybody is “really hyped” for the festivities – and the good weather.
He says it’s a big deal for not just Greektown, but the entire downtown area.
“It’s not a real long parade, but it’s just something that we want to do to not only keep within the Greektown borders, essentially, but also because people then will file into the different restaurants and so forth,” he said live on WWJ Sunday afternoon.
The parade is set to step off from Monroe and Broadway at 3 p.m.
A street festival in Greektown will ensue.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and his family will be among the VIPs to attend the parade.
More information on the parade and festivities can be found at detroitgreekparade.com.
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