Two heartthrob stars of Channel 7’s Home and Away in Tim Franklin who plays police officer Colby Thorne, and Lukas Radovich who plays Ryder Jackson, will attend Brisbane’s famous Paniyiri Greek Festival over the weekend of May 18 and 19!
Gold Coast born Tim Franklin earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Queensland’s University of Technology and made his Home and Away debut when his character was introduced to viewers in February 2018. Colby Thorne has been a love interest for Summer Bay nurse Jasmine Delaney (played by Sam Frost) and then fellow police officer Chelsea Campbell (played by Ashleigh Brewer) and was previously a member of the River Boys surf gang.
Lukas Radovich grew up in the Blue Mountains and moved to Perth a year after graduating high school where he studied acting at WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts). He hit the jackpot winning the part of Ryder Jackson, Alf Stewart’s long-lost grandson.
The two stars will appear at Paniyiri Greek Festival all weekend, based at the Channel Seven Arena in Musgrave Park, and taking part in the Cooking Program, Grape Stomping and in the fantastic Stars Go Greek on the Dancefloor on the Saturday evening, as well as a range of other activities.
Highlights of Paniyiri this year include the return of the traditional Greek village in the Plateia, a Dance Spectacular on Saturday evening opening with a stunning Bouzouki tribute, a standout cooking program headlined by international Greek superchef Dimitris Katrivesis who is flying in from Athens, joining our own superchefs David Tsirekas and George Diakomichalis, and, in a first for Brisbane, Nostimo Greek restaurant will feature Greek Yum Cha for the whole weekend!
2019 also marks the 90th anniversary of the Greek Orthodox Church of St George – Brisbane’s oldest Greek community established in the 1920s – with dancing tributes and a special lecture by author and broadcaster Richard Fidler, host of the national ABC program CONVERSATIONS as part of the Cultural Program. Bouzouki Kids, a highlight on the Main Stage over both days will feature five children playing the famous Greek instrument.
More than 30 authentic Greek food stalls will showcase the tastes, recipes and secrets from all regions of Greece, including the Aegean, Ionian, Mainland Greece, Cyprus, Chios, Crete, Rhodes and many more.
ABOUT PANIYIRI GREEK FESTIVAL
Over four decades Paniyiri has grown to become Queensland’s signature celebration of all things Greek and the state’s largest cultural festival as well as the country’s longest running Greek festival – an admirable success story for the celebration that started in 1976 when a group of passionate Greek Australians wanted to share their cultural traditions with Brisbane. Fast forward to 2018 and this kaleidoscopic cultural explosion is legendary. More than 60,000 are expected to celebrate over the weekend of May 18 & 19.
In the 43 years of Paniyiri, two million festival goers have devoured well over five million honey puffs, rivers of thick sweet coffees, over four million souvlaki, 25 tonnes of haloumi and countless calamari and dolmades. Only Zeus himself knows how many high kicks have been performed! Brisbane’s love of its famous Greek Festival knows few bounds! In 2019, festival goers are expected to down some 300,000 honey puffs, more than 100,000 souvlakia, almost 12,000 dolmades, 20,000 coffees, 1,600kg of grilled haloumi, 10,000 shiftalies (Greek sausage) and 1,000kg of calamari.
Paniyiri is a community initiative of the 25,000 strong Greek community of South East Queensland. Funds raised are channelled back into the community via the Greek Orthodox Community of St George, Brisbane. It is Brisbane’s oldest Greek community established in the 1920s.
Paniyiri Greek Festival 2019
Saturday 18 May from 12noon AND Sunday 19 May from 10am
Musgrave Park & The Greek Club, Edmondstone Street, South Brisbane
www.paniyiri.com
