Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
Sponsored by the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Sacramento
Sacramento’s Greek community expects 45th Annual Greek Festival to be biggest ever
Three-day pageant to be staged at Sacramento Convention Center over Labor Day weekend
Sacramento’s Greek community is looking forward to its best ever Greek Festival on the Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29-31. It’s the 45th annual event, sponsored by the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Sacramento.
"Our 45th is a milestone of sorts," says Jim Salidas, chairperson, "and we are focused on providing our guests with another enjoyable experience". Salidas and his fellow organizers have seen the event grow in size and impact since its humble beginning held on the premises of the church in 1964. Since moving the event to the Sacramento Convention Center in 1984, the Festival has drawn crowds in excess of 14,000.
Originally called the Greek Food Festival, the event has evolved, through the grassroots effort of church volunteers, to become much more than a Greek dining experience. They introduced live music, singing and dancing performances, and a wonderful Cultural display known as Hellenica. More Greek culture is evident in the Greek Market place, and the Agora, where one can browse the wares of a variety of vendors offering Greek products for sale.
The extensive menu offerings take visitors on a tasting tour of Greece without leaving Sacramento. The a-la-carte menu offers some 15 delicious treats, including roasted lamb, dolmathes, stuffed grape leaves; mousaka, a Greek delicacy of eggplant and seasoned ground beef; souvlaki, tender marinated pork cubes, and Shrimp Santorini, succulent shrimp in a feta cheese tomato sauce.
Other a-la-carte choices have names that may befuddle the average guest, but they will find out soon enough if they choose that you don’t have to be able to pronounce them to enjoy them, spanakopita, tiropita, fasolakia or horiatiki salata. All offerings are made from scratch by the church volunteers who are delighted to share the cooking secrets of their homeland.
Diners can also choose a complete dinner of chicken for $9, or lamb, $11. The dinners are served with rice pilaf, fasolakia and bread. For the uninitiated, fasolakia is a braised mixture of green beans and onions.
The Greek taverna offers a choice of libations including wines and beer from Greece; Ouzo, an anise-flavored liqueur similar to French pastis; or Metaxa, a special blend of Greek brandy that has brought happiness to Greeks since 1888. Also available in the Taverna area are the popular Gyro sandwich and fried Calamari, and new this year, Greek pizza.
There is also a coffee shop, called Kafenion. A sweet shop with the tongue-twisting name of Zaharoplastion, will offer baklava and a half dozen other pastries. They even offer a gift box to go with a generous sampling of Greek sweets.
At Friday’s opening ceremonies, a special "Greek Dancing with the Stars" presentation will feature local media personalities sharing the dance floor with talented dancers of Greek heritage. Live music will once again be provided by Sacramento’s own "Neo Kyma" band, and there will be ample opportunities for open dancing as well as dance lessons provided daily for the guests.
The three-day event opens at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, with free admission until 3 p.m. for that day only.
Admission for Saturday and Sunday is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors over 65 years of age. Children under 12 years of age are admitted free. Opening time is noon on Saturday and Sunday. Closing is set for 10 p.m, but "Greek Time" usually prevails, extending that closing time generously!
Information about renting vendor booths is available by calling (916) 443-2033.