Under the patronage and with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Basilios of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines, the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox parish council along with the St Elias spiritual Groups (Ladies, Youths and Sunday School), and the community volunteers hosted its first community festival for 2021.

The festival is meant to be on 24th and 25th July 2021, for the weekend after the feast day of our Patron Saint, St. Elias, with the presence of his Eminence Metropolitan Basilios. But it has been postponed because of the lockdown, that week, and the border closures and restrictions in place.

The postponed festival took place over two fun-filled days at the St Elias Antiochian Orthodox church grounds, on Saturday 09th and Sunday 10th October 2021.

The festival was a great way to expand and share the cultural knowledge and faith of our Antiochian church with the rest of the parish community and outside community.

Stalls were incorporated to showcase some cultural foods, prayer books, icons, and accessories for everyone to purchase.

Over the two-day period, we had special guests Hon Angela Evans, Mayor of Charles Sturt Council, and Hon MP Steve Georganas who attend and experience the sense of community and culture as part of the St Elias church.

We hope to host more outstanding St Elias festivals in the coming years with a bigger and wider community.