TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — The 117th annual Epiphany celebration is today in Tarpon Springs.
Each year, residents spend time preparing, and excitement stirs as the Epiphany Celebration nears.
People travel from all over to watch the annual event, bringing a boost to local businesses.
Mama’s Greek Cuisine is one restaurant ready for visitors.
"In Greece, they celebrate it," Valadou Mastro Vasilis said. "The kids, even adults, dive for the cross. But here in Tarpon, people come from the East Coast, the West Coast, south, north, everyone comes for the celebration."
The day of events culminates with the dive for the cross. Teenage boys from the community dive into the bayou to retrieve it. The diver who finds it is blessed for the entire year.
ABC Action News spoke with two people participating in the diving event. They told us it would be the greatest honor to be the one who finds the cross.
The events begin at 8 a.m.
