Bomb Threat Delays but Doesn’t Stop Ohio Greek Festival
Police sweep clears Ss. Constantine and Helen church; festival opens two hours late.
MANSFIELD — A Saturday morning bomb threat temporarily delayed the start of Mansfield, Ohio's annual Greek Festival, but the celebration went forward after police deemed the scene safe.
According to reporting from the Richland Source, Mansfield police said Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church received a threatening text around 10:30 a.m. claiming a bomb was hidden in the ceiling. The building was evacuated as officers and the Ashland County Bomb Squad conducted multiple sweeps, finding nothing suspicious.
The festival, scheduled to open at 11 a.m., welcomed attendees around 1 p.m. instead. Guests quickly filled the line to enjoy Greek food, music, and dancing.
“This is probably the safest place in Mansfield right now,” joked Fr. Michael Ellis, praising law enforcement for their thorough response.
The two-day festival, a community tradition since 1981, provides opportunities to learn about Orthodox Christianity and Greek culture while raising funds for church operations.
“I love when people outside (of the church) come in and see,” Fr. Michael said. “We love sharing our culture. Half of us aren’t even Greek, but we love our community and we’re here to support it and create community.
"This is how you hold towns together. There’s no expectation here. Just come. Eat with us, drink with us, dance with us, listen to our music and be with us and just spend time with us.”
