Karyai Park is 50 acres of land located in the Township of Clearview in rural Ontario. Access to the park is from Concession Road 2 Sunnidale; the entrance is a blue gate with the words “Karyae Village” written above. Karyai Park was bought in 1978, by Adelphotis Arahoviton, “Ai Karyai”, and since then has become a big part of the community’s identity.
Every year, there are three major events that are held at Karyai Park: The Official Opening of the Park, held on the last Sunday of May; The Panigyri, a two-day festival held on the last weekend of July; and The Corn Roast, held on the second Sunday of September.
The members of Adelphotis Arahoviton continue to put their heart and soul into the maintenance and spirit of the park and the people it brings together. Since the initial purchase in 1978, the community has built a beautiful authentic Greek Orthodox chapel on the grounds used for mass on the Sunday of the Panigyri, as well as for private ceremonies such as weddings and baptisms. Other buildings include a dance pavilion, washrooms, an outdoor kitchen facility & storage area and an indoor kitchen/café; for recreational purposes there is a soccer field, a children’s park, and camping area used mainly during the two-day annual panigyri.