The St. George Orthodox Christian Church Festival will return to the church, 10748 E. 116th St., Sept. 20-22 and will offer what Rev. Nabil Hanna calls “a heritage of faith, hospitality, good food, music and crafts from our roots in the Holy Land, the Middle East and the cultures that make up our congregation.”
Besides ethnic food booths, the festival also will feature a live Middle Eastern band, dance troupes, a children’s carnival, an indoor marketplace, pastry booth and the return of the popular silent auction.
“We are bringing it back, but it’s different than ever done before because it’s daily,” church member David Sumner said. “People can buy their items and pick them up at the end of the day. They don’t have to pick up on Sunday. There are different items each day. We’ve never done that before, and people seem to like silent auctions.”
The church’s bookstore will be open throughout festival. Indoor church tours also will be offered.
Fesitval admission is free. Offsite parking is $5 per vehicle at Journey Lutheran Ministries, 10401 E. 116th St. Shuttles will run continuously.
Food options include gyros, kafta, chicken sharwama and falafel sandwiches, lamb shanks, hummus, baked kibbee, stuffed grape leaves and spinach pies.
Sumner estimates the festival draws 5,000 to 7,000 annually. It is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 20, 1 to 10 p.m. Sept. 21 and 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 22. For more, visit stgfest.org.
