Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview will be serving up popular Greek food such as skewers of souvlaki at their annual Greek Fest on July 26-27.
Daily Herald file photo
The enticing smell of souvlaki on the grill and sounds of bouzouki music will fill the air when Greek Fest returns to Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview this summer. The event takes place Saturday and Sunday, July 26-27, from 1 to 10 p.m. each day, on the church grounds at 1401 Wagner Road (at Lake Avenue).
The celebration of faith, community, and culture is made more special this year as the church marks its 65th anniversary.
“The Saints Peter and Paul community has had a tradition of hosting an annual Greek festival since the mid-1960s,” said event co-chair Joanne Trahanas. “It’s a summer event that our parishioners, as well as our neighbors in Glenview and the surrounding area, truly look forward to each year. We’ve kept many favorite menu items — such as souvlaki, gyros, spanakopites, loukoumades and home-baked pastries — and we’ve added some new ones — including keftedes (meatballs) with a lemon butter sauce, loukaniko (grilled sausage) tacos and ouzo fudge.”
Festival guests can listen and dance to Greek music provided by a live DJ, as they enjoy some Greek wine or beer from the bar. Young people of the parish will also perform traditional dances.
A dedicated Kids Zone will keep children, age 12 and under, busy with a variety of games and activities. Guided tours of the beautiful church interior will take place several times each day. In connection with the 65th anniversary, there will be a photo exhibit highlighting the church’s history.
The Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, protopresbyter of Saints Peter and Paul, added, “Our parish has been an active member of the Glenview community since we were founded 65 years ago. The festival provides us with the perfect opportunity to come together to celebrate and share our faith and culture with our neighbors. We also wish to make an impact that goes beyond our parish and supports the community at large, so we are donating 20% of this year’s net proceeds to Family Service Center.”
The Family Service Center is a not-for-profit mental-health agency that supports area families by providing access to highly trained and experienced clinicians to people of all ages, while also removing financial and other barriers to receiving care. Based in Northfield, services and resources are available to residents of Glenview, Wilmette, Northfield and Northbrook, as well as the greater north suburban area.
The tradition of hosting a community-wide Greek fest by Saints Peter and Paul began decades ago. It is a huge undertaking that involves amassing hundreds of volunteers.
Over the two days, there will be over 2,000 man-hours of volunteer service clocked — and that does not account for the thousands of hours that go into planning the event.
What else does hosting Greek Fest involve? Skewering 875 pounds of chicken and pork shish-kabob, simmering 365 pounds of rice, cutting 220 pounds of feta, slicing 450 pounds of gyros, frying 12,000 loukoumades (Greek doughnuts), driving countless shuttles to/from the Loyola Academy parking lot, and dedicating immeasurable amounts service and commitment to the community.
Admission to Greek Fest is free, and there is free parking with shuttle service at Loyola Academy, 1100 Laramie St. (at Lake Ave.) Limited valet parking, for a small charge, is available in the lot north of the church on Wagner Road. This is a cash-free event. For more information, visit ssppglenview.org/greekfest-2/.
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