Greek Festival Permit Denied

March 30, 2003

Source: Daily News

On March 30, 2003 Daily News reported that "a four-day Greek festival that has been held by a Whitestone church each June for the past 25 years is getting a thumbs-down this year from the local community board... Community Board 7, which covers Whitestone along with Flushing and neighboring communities, will recommend that the city deny Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church the permits it needs to hold the fair, said district manager Marilyn Bitterman... Then, complaints from neighbors and the Greater Whitestone Taxpayers Civic Association came in... According to Barbara Ellenberger, the president of the civic group, the complaints about the parade included alcohol use, illegal parking and noise... What particularly bothered the community board, said Bitterman, was that alcohol was openly sold at the event."