The Salt Lake City Greek Festival is a three-day September weekend at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, just west of downtown, and in 2026 it celebrated its 50th year. It is built around three things: food, with gyros, dolmathes and a daunting selection of pastries; music and folk dancing performed across generations of the community; and the cathedral itself, which opens for tours alongside its museum. Admission is $5, children 5 and under are free, and from Utah Valley it is a comfortable trip by car or by train.
The September plan
The festival runs Friday through Sunday, usually in the first half of September. The 2026 edition, on September 11 to 13, kept these hours:
- Friday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For a family from Utah Valley, the choice of day comes down to transport. FrontRunner runs on Friday and Saturday but not on Sunday, and the cathedral is a short walk from Salt Lake Central, so a Friday or Saturday visit can be done without a car. Sunday closes earlier, at 8 p.m., and means driving.
Buy the $5 admission online ahead of time if you can; Visit Salt Lake notes that it lets you skip the entry line.
What to eat
The food is the reason most people come. Expect gyros, dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), baklava and a large pastry selection, with the festival promising new offerings for its 50th anniversary. Come hungry and plan on paying for food separately from admission.
For Greek food the rest of the year closer to home, see Mediterranean and Greek Food in Utah Valley.
The dancing and the music
Live Greek music plays through the weekend, and folk dance groups from the community perform in rotation, from children to adults. The multigenerational dancing is what gives the festival its feel: it is a parish sharing its own traditions rather than a hired show.
The cathedral and Greek Town
Holy Trinity is worth the tour on its own. Salt Lake City's Greek Orthodox community organized in 1905, forming what became the 14th Greek Orthodox parish in the United States, and its first church was dedicated that October. The church stood at the center of the city's Greek Town. The present building dates from 1923, it was elevated to a cathedral in 1968, and a renovation between 1997 and 2005 restored it. During the festival, visitors can tour the cathedral and the Hellenic Cultural Museum, which tells the story of Greek immigration to Utah.
Getting there from Utah County
By train. On a Friday or Saturday, take FrontRunner to Salt Lake Central. The cathedral, at 279 South 300 West, is about half a mile away as the crow flies, an easy walk. For how the train works from Utah Valley, see FrontRunner From Provo.
By car. OpenStreetMap routing puts the cathedral about 45 miles and 53 minutes from downtown Provo without traffic. Parking is on the surrounding streets, and with thousands of people attending, it can fill.
Practical notes
- Buy admission online. It lets you skip the entry line.
- Friday or Saturday for the train. FrontRunner does not run on Sundays.
- Tour the cathedral. It and its museum are the heart of the festival.
- Check the year's dates. The festival falls on a September weekend.
Related Guides
- Mediterranean and Greek Food in Utah Valley
- The Living Traditions Festival
- The Days of '47
- The Utah State Fair
- The Utah Asian Festival
- Things to Do in Salt Lake City From Provo
Frequently Asked Questions
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