Bay Ridge is putting a retro spin on international favorites! This weekend a festival of traditional Greek music, old-school British rock, and ’80s European pop hits await you in the Ridge.
On Friday, get to Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church (8401 Ridge Blvd. at 84th Street) for the Greek Cultural Festival, where the horos will be hopping from 2 pm to 11 pm. The church is putting together an outdoor taverna for you to sip ouzito — the Greek answer to a mojito — and chow down on some moussaka as you listen to the rhythms of the bouzouki and the aoidos of Yianni Papastefanou and Orchestra on Friday night. And even if you miss the band, you will have more chances to yell “Opa!” on Saturday from noon to 11 pm, and on Sunday from noon to 7 pm.
Walk off the spinach pies on Saturday with a stroll over the Greenhouse Cafe (7717 Third Ave between 77th and 78th streets), where the seven-piece Brit-rock band London Fogg will play old-school hits starting around 9:30 pm. Slip on a proper mod suit and sip on a gin and tonic in classic Brit fashion as you groove to hits from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Animals, among others.
Then it’s time to get your just desserts at the Wicked Monk (9510 Third Ave. between 95th and 96th streets), where the latest draft beer is the “Sweet baby Jesus!” a chocolate peanut butter porter. While you sip the black brew, the ’80s pop tribute band Radio Daze will be jamming out with covers of European syth-hits. The set list features songs from the Norwegian pop trio A-ha, the Austrian singer Falco, and English pop-punk rocker Billy Idol. The electric keyboard gets plugged into the amp at 10:45 pm.
