Thousands of people have packed the Darwin Esplanade over the weekend as the GleNTi returned in full force, delivering what organisers say was its biggest celebration yet of Greek culture in the Northern Territory.

Perfect dry-season conditions helped draw crowds across both Saturday and Sunday, with organisers estimating more than 40,000 people attended across the weekend.

The esplanade became a hub of Greek hospitality, with live music, traditional dancing and long tables filled with food stretching late into the night. Families filled the lawns as the sun set, with festivalgoers enjoying Greek beer and wine alongside local Australian brews while performances continued into the evening.

Children were also well catered for, with amusement rides and activities running throughout the day, adding to the festival’s family-friendly atmosphere.

President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia (GOCNA), Michael Koulianos, said this year’s event exceeded expectations on every level.

He said the festival was the largest and most successful GleNTi to date, with stallholders selling out of stock despite bringing in increased supplies.

“The GleNTi Cup last Tuesday had more than 29,000 people there. Saturday’s after-party went until 4am, and Sunday was just as packed as Saturday,” he told Neos Kosmos.

“All in all everything went absolutely fantastic. For a weekend, Greece was here in Darwin.”

Koulianos said more than 40,000 people had passed through the event overall, with volunteers and organisers left exhausted but proud.

“There’s been sleepless nights, and I’ve been averaging about 3.5 hours of sleep over the last 16 nights,” he said.

“We managed to actually collect $21,000 for NT Police Legacy. I’m extremely proud of our community, our volunteers and everyone who made this possible.”

He added that planning is already underway for next year, with volunteers and community members already contacting him about future events.

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