The 33rd annual St. Paul Grecian Festival in North Royalton kicks off at 11am today and will continue everyday from 11am to 11pm until July 17.
The four day festival serves as the church’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and food is the largest component of the event. Kitchen crew volunteers will easily go through more than 400 pounds of shish kebab meat, 45 cases of lamb shank and 2,000 Greek salads throughout the course of the event.
Food is served both outside under tents and inside the main dining area. The menu features traditional homemade Greek favorites such as lamb and beef gyros, baked chicken, a Grecian type of lasagna called pastitso, moussaka, calamari and shish kebabs.
Lots of desserts will also be available, including baklava, Greek bread, light fluffy honey puffs served with syrup, cinnamon and nuts called loukoumathes, honey walnut cakes, butter cookies with nuts and honey syrup, and cherry and apple pastries.
A full service taverna will sell a selection of Greek wines and beers, including the crowd favorite, Mythos Beer.
Vendors will also be selling jewelry, clothing and Greek collectibles and trinkets, while live entertainment will also be provided by Dimitri, Al Dadas and Stigma.
John James, a member of the St. Paul Greek Orthodox Church who has been overseeing the festival for 16 years says, “My favorite part is the people. We have a great love for one another. For this festival, we just try to exceed everyone’s expectations.”
