When the first Greek immigrants came the Northwest in the late 1800s to work in fishing, lumber, railroad and other jobs, they established the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in southeast Portland. After they moved to a larger church on 32nd and NE Glisan in 1952, they needed to find a way to pay off the mortgage. The ladies decided to help by holding a bazaar featuring their handwork, food, pastries, music and dances from their homeland. This was the beginning of what is now known as the Portland Greek Festival.

After six decades, The Greek Festival has become one of the largest festivals of its kind, sharing our Greek Orthodox faith and rich culture with over 15,000 guests annually. The festival is an iconic event in the Portland Metropolitan area and has been designated as an Oregon Heritage Tradition by the Oregon Heritage Commission. Each year a portion of proceeds from the festival go toward worthy philanthropic endeavors in the greater Portland community.