ENCINITAS — People of all ages flocked to Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church over the Sept. 6-7 weekend for the 45th annual Cardiff Greek Festival, where attendees got a taste for traditional Greek food, dance, live music, and culture.
The sounds of music and dance filled the festival throughout the weekend, with live music by The Olympians, traditional Greek youth dancers, and dance lessons for attendees.
Cuisine is a central draw of the festival, with savory delicacies including the gyro, spanikopita (spinach and cheese pie), roasted lamb shanks, souvlaki (shish-kabobs), pastitsio (baked layers of macaroni, seasoned meat, cheese and béchamel sauce), loukaniko (sausage), dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), feta fries and Greek salad.
Leading up to the weekend, the yiayias (grandmothers) of the church, along with other members, baked thousands of pastries, including koulourakia, baklava, kataifi, amygdalota, and more, to be sold over the two-day festival, along with traditional Greek coffee.
Visitors to Cardiff Greek Festival enjoy loukoumades (honey donuts) and other Greek delicacies on Sept. 7 at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Photo by Leo PlaceAttendees dance together on Sunday at the Cardiff Greek Festival at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Photo by Leo PlaceJeanette Rigopoulos serves Greek pastries on Sunday at the Cardiff Greek Festival at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Photo by Leo PlaceIsaac, age 7, serves pastries on Sunday at Cardiff Greek Festival at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Photo by Leo PlaceMatt Schulte and daughter Nora, 6, dance together on Sunday at Cardiff Greek Festival at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Photo by Leo PlaceAttendees dance together on Sunday at the Cardiff Greek Festival at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Photo by Leo PlaceMembers of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church baked and sold thousands of pastries, including baklava, kataifi, amygdalota and more during the Cardiff Greek Festival over the weekend. Photo by Leo PlaceThe Cardiff Greek Festival drew crowds over the weekend to Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Photo by Leo Place
