The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco Folk Dance and Choral Festival will be held February 12 – 15, 2015 in Anaheim, California at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel. Now in its 39th year, FDF will welcome over 95 dance and choral groups from throughout the Metropolis who will participate in three days of friendly competition, while enjoying fellowship and developing lifelong friendships. This year, FDF welcomes a group traveling from Charlotte, North Carolina who will also participate in the weekend festivities.
This year’s FDF theme, “Vision”, brings us together as Orthodox Christians through participation in religious services, prayer, dancing, singing and serving. FDF provides a multi-faceted way for thousands of Orthodox Christians to share Vision of faith, culture, and sharing God’s love through our actions and service to one another. The weekend will also commemorate the 10th anniversary since the passing of His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony, of blessed memory, whose vision for the future of the church – and especially our youth – was brought to reality with the establishment of this ministry, which is still going strong after 39 years.
“I always look forward to FDF as it truly represents the future of our church. I am inspired by the vibrancy of our youth and the promise of a bright tomorrow through their faith, leadership and commitment to the Lord,” stated His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco. “It is appropriate that Vision is this year’s theme, because Vision will help us achieve new heights in our personal and professional lives, and most especially, in our church as we set our sights on higher goals to achieve greater things for the Glory of God. We also pay tribute to Metropolitan Anthony, of blessed memory for his vision to create FDF, and for his broader vision for the growth of our church to enrich the spiritual loves of the faithful in our Metropolis.”
The weekend begins by bringing the participants together at Opening Ceremonies on Thursday, February 12 as a family in Christian celebration. It will feature the traditional parade of parishes, the Agiasmos service, and the presentation of scholarships.
Dance Competition will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the Choral Competition will be featured on Friday afternoon. Workshops will be offered on Friday and Saturday for all dancers and singers. These have become very popular in more recent years, with Metropolis Clergy and Youth Workers leading fun, interactive, and engaging discussions for all age groups. New this year are interactive symposia being offered to all attendees on topics such as, Leaning How to Chant, and How to Build a Youth Choir. Complete details on the workshops and symposia will be available when you arrive at FDF so be sure to attend as many as you can.
On Friday evening prior to the Glendi, FDF is honored to welcome a special guest speaker, S/SGT (Ret.) John Katsaros who served valiantly in the Air Force in World War II. He will share his inspirational story of survival which, up until recently, he was unable to tell as he was sworn to secrecy by the US government. A traditional Glendi will be held on Friday and Saturday evenings for everyone to dance the night away featuring some of the most talented musicians visiting FDF.
This year FDF is once again honored to welcome His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Archbishop Demetrios will lead the faithful in worship at the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy. He will also attend the Advanced Senior Competition on Sunday afternoon and the Awards Ceremony on Sunday evening. It is always a blessing to have Archbishop Demetrios visit the Metropolis of San Francisco and we know that all the participants at FDF will welcome the Archbishop with love and respect.
With over 3,000 people anticipated to attend throughout the weekend, and with so many spectacular events taking place, FDF is the place to be over President’s Day weekend. Come to Anaheim and be inspired by the amazing dancing and singing at FDF 2015. For more information, visit www.yourfdf.org. See you in