For two days each year, most of Brisbane heads to Musgrave Park to pretend that they're in the Mediterranean. Well, before the pandemic hit and upended our regular routines, that's what usually occurred — and in 2022, it'll finally be happening again.

After two pandemic-interrupted years — with the 2020 event cancelled and the 2021 fest opting for a scaled-down and largely online format, plus a delay due to wet weather — Paniyiri is returning to its usual full range of celebrations in October 2022. Once again, the city's massive Greek festival will take over West End with quite the array of food, drink, partying and more. Yes, there's a reason that more than two million people have gone along over the years.

In 2022, more than four decades since the fest first began back in 1976, the fun will take place across Saturday, October 15–Sunday, October 16. Brisbanites can expect the usual array of Greek revelry — aka grapes to stomp, coffee to sip, olives to consume and plates to smash, plus TV stars to rub shoulders with and cooking demonstrations to watch.

Food-wise, more than 20 stalls will serve up bites from 11 Greek regions, including an abundance of loukoumades, souvlaki, haloumi and barbecued calamari. If devouring as much as you can is your idea of fun, the festival's regular food contests usually keep stomachs satisfied. Then, to wash all of that down, there'll be Greek wine, Greek beer and Greek-inspired cocktails as well.

Of course, it wouldn't be Paniyiri without entertainment. While the full event program hasn't yet been revealed, dancing is always a big feature thanks to Greek Dancing with the Stars and the Hellenic dancers — so fingers crossed they return this year.

In addition to celebrating all things Greek in Musgrave Park, Paniyiri also takes over The Greek Club — and given that it's marking its first regular fest in more than two years, expect both venues to host one massive shindig.