As the saying goes …”That’s Greek to me”. Well, it can be Greek to all of us who go to this year’s Greek Food Festival sponsored by St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, located at 1010 Factory St. in Summit Park in Clarksburg.
In its 15th year, the event will run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 10 and June 11 in the church’s Community Center.
A new feature this year is the Gyro Dinner Sale on Saturday only. While the festival usually is focused only on food that one would experience in a family’s home, and gyros are considered a “street food,” organizers say due to the popularity of the lamb and beef hand-held delight, they decided to include it on the menu for Saturday.
“Gyros have always been a big request,” explained Steve Sellas, Festival Chairman. “But this is the first year we’ve ever had gyros. We added them because we wanted to add more variety to our menu.”
Yes. It’s all about the food…’bout the food…but it is some trouble. About 30 volunteers prepare more than 1,200 meals for their festival guests!
The beloved menu fare will be about the same this year for the main meal, Sellas reports.
For only $14 per person, the “plate” will include: rice pilaf, a Greek salad, Greek-style green beans, a drink, a roll and a dessert. The entrees include lemon chicken, roasted lamb, pastichio (like a Greek-style lasagna with meat sauce and a Bechamel sauce) and moussaka.
Sellassays this really is a great deal. “We’ve tried to keep our prices affordable, and the portions are very good– a hearty size. The chicken entree is a half of a chicken!”
Another major attraction at the festival is their Market Place, where visitors can choose from food items imported from Greece or that are Greek-inspired. The market will offer items such as olive oils, vinegars and spices.
“We want them to feel they are walking into our home,” Sellas said.
Delectable famous Greek desserts will also be on sale. Baklava–a dessert of crispy, buttered layered phyllo dough, ground walnuts and a honey-based syrup–is a top favorite, Sellas said. Other pastries include kataifi–shredded wheat rolls laced with a walnut, sugar and cinnamon mixture, topped with syrup–and three types of butter cookies.
Throughout the delightful dining experience, guests will enjoy an atmosphere of melodious Greek music playing in the background.
While the festival is on the surface mostly about the food, the deeper meaning to the event is to share faith, fellowship and culture. Throughout the event tours of the church will take place.
“We do this for the fellowship of our community and to provide education for our community about the ethnic heritage of the Greek Orthodox Church,” Sellas explained.
Sellas said that while most of the net proceeds go back into the church, they will donate 10 percent of the proceeds to local charitable organizations. “We used the tithe model to determine that,” he explained. “We feel that we’re making this money and we want to give back to the community.”
Sellas said the festival is a reunion of sorts and hopes others will come out to enjoy the wonderful food and fellowship.
“We have friends and family who no longer live in the area but who love to come back to St. Spyridon Parrish and help us out.”
For more information about the event, call (304) 624-5331, email stspyridonwv@gmail.com or visitwww.stspyridon.wv.goarch.org.
