Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Orlando to host Orlando Greek Fest 2018

If you’re looking to sample Greek fare and soak up Greek culture, you’re in luck: The 41st annual Greek Fest is coming to Maitland this weekend. 

“We’ve got everything from authentic Greek food, actually created by … the parishioners at the church,” said Simone Behar, publicity chair for the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Great Orlando. “It’s about as authentic as you can get. We serve all the quintessential Greek meals and desserts.”  

The food offered at the Maitland-based festival includes the baklava, a variety of gyros, lamb, Greek fries and potatoes, and more. One particular showstopper for guests is the saganaki — a flaming Greek cheese cooked up on the spot, Behar said.

“We always try to play around and bring new items,” Behar said. “We always have our staples, but we like to play around. … We’ve done baklava ice cream and cheesecake before to see how that’ll do.”

Behar, part of the church for 11 years, said the annual event attracts visitors from across all of Central Florida. To match the growing numbers, the church has started offering shuttle parking in addition to parking on-site.

Among the festival’s biggest attractions are the Greek dancers. Children starting at age 3, middle-schoolers and adults all will show off their dance moves as part of the church’s Hellenic dance program. What’s more, dancers will wear Greek island-specific costumes to showcase their culture. 

More than 10 vendors offering a mix of items from paintings to jewelry will be present inside the church’s reception center. Nick Trizelas and A Night In Athens will perform the music for the three-day event. Behar said there will be a number of bounce houses and face-painters inside for the children, as well. The Rev. Protopresbyter Constantine Simeonidis, the church’s priest, will give tours of the church’s interior for visitors interested in the Greek Orthodox religion and its iconography. 

“Something that places us apart from the other churches is our iconography,” Behar said. “We have (icons) all over the walls. All the way from the ground to all the way up to the ceiling. Every piece of the entire church on the inside are icons … every icon represents a different part of the Bible. It’s a big storytelling when you walk in.”

Some of the money raised at the festival will benefit the church’s programs and expenses but also the Ephraim Project — a faith-based nonprofit that delivers food, blankets and other services to Orlando’s homeless and working poor. 

IF YOU GO

Greek Fest 2018

WHEN: 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4 

WHERE: 1217 Trinity Woods Lane, Maitland

COST: $3 for adults and children over 12. Active military free with ID

WEBSITE: orlandogreekfest.com