Taste Of Greece Festival: Three Days Of Food, Wine, Music & Dance.
Take me away — If no one does, the above photo will. Since we all can’t travel to Greece on a whim, we’re going to Orange County’s 34th Annual Taste of Greece Festival for the 1st time.
We’re set to discover all that’s described below — Wrap us up in a Pita, we’ll take it. Opa!
Orange County’s 34th annual “A Taste of Greece” festival will be held on June 22-24 at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church (4949 Alton Parkway, between Culver Drive and Jeffrey Road, Irvine, CA 92604). More than 11,000 guests are expected to attend the three-day festival, which will feature traditional Greek cuisine, wine tasting, live music, authentic Greek dancing with lessons and boutique booths reminiscent of the Plaka, a well-known picturesque historical neighborhood of Athens.
Festival hours are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, June 22; noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 23; and noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday, June 24. Festival admission is just $3 per person with free admission on Saturday, June 23 from noon – 5 p.m. for seniors older than 65 years. Children under the age of 10 are admitted free throughout the three-day festival. Free festival parking will also be available, with complimentary shuttle buses transporting guests from public parking sites in Irvine.
Greek cuisine and hospitality will be the focal points as the festival will feature authentic recipes for traditional Greek dishes, delicious pastries and a variety of beverages, highlighted with a wine “Taverna,” offering Greek wine and beer. The traditional Greek menu will include Chicken, Lamb Chops, Greek French Fries, Gyros, Pastichio (Greek lasagna), Loucanico (Greek sausage), Spanakopita (spinach and feta pie), Dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), Saganaki (Greek brandy-flamed cheese), Loukoumathes (Greek doughnut holes), Greek Salad, Calamari and more. There will also be a Greek coffeehouse set up to serve Greek and American coffee drinks in a traditional Plaka setting with Greek dance lessons offered free to all. The Philoptochos, the church’s philanthropic group, will bake around the clock during the weeks leading up to the festival to prepare traditional Baklava and other exquisite pastries.
“As Orange County’s largest Greek Orthodox congregation, we are delighted to host a festival that offers an opportunity for the community to experience authentic Greek dining, wine, music, dancing and entertainment,” said Father Steven Tsichlis, St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Priest. “This year’s festival, our 34th annual, will offer something for everyone with a variety of Greek-themed activities.”
A family-friendly affair, the festival will be lined with boutique shops, a variety of games and a full-scale carnival. Event attendees can also enter an opportunity drawing for the chance to win cash prizes.
For more information on the “A Taste of Greece” festival, please visit www.IrvineGreekFest.com
I cant say enough good things about your blog, I love the realness of you trying places I drive past nearly every day but dont stop into try and you give me great ideas. I also went to the dollar theater last weekend and saw the sign for the Greek food festival though I made a mental note I wouldn’t be attending had I not read your posting with all the details. Thank you for being so detail oriented and for sharing some realness of orange county lifestyle, I alos adore when you post about fabulous finds such as your montage posting a few down. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thx for connecting with me on foodbuzz. I just subscribed to your blog feed and can’t wait to see what your next post will be!