DULUTH — Taste of Greece returns for its 29th year this Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26 at Marshall School, 1215 Rice Lake Road. Run by the Twelve Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church, this event showcases Greek food, homemade bread and pastries, Greek coffee, folk dancing and music.
"We started this event in our small meeting room at our church about 29 years ago and the response from the community has been so great over the years," said long-time volunteer Lee Regas. "We went from a 100-person room at the church to now this two-day event where we'll probably see 3,000 to 4,000 people come through. We appreciate the love and support."
Event co-chair George Patronas said crews of volunteers from the church have been busily preparing food the past few days to serve. On the menu is everything from gyros, shish kebabs, homemade Greek pastries, baklava, sundaes and iced coffee.
For visitors who don't have a lot of time, the festival has an express food and pastry tent outside to allow for quick pick-ups.
"Everyone's welcome to come and get a taste, whether you want to come inside and enjoy the dancing and atmosphere or if you just want to drop by and get something to go," Patronas said.
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Speaking of dancing, a crew of around 20 local dancers has been practicing traditional Greek dances since April to perform at the event on Sunday. The dancers practice nearly every Sunday after church services and had a final rehearsal Thursday to get in some last-minute practice.
"It's just so much fun," said Zhaina Gizas Smith, a dancer with the church.
Gizas Smith has been dancing with the church for six or seven years and said she got inspired to join after visiting Greece with her family and dancing in a festival.
"Some of them are really fast-paced and make you really work," she said. "Like the Pentozali, where you just have to keep moving and do the steps over and over again."
A different group of dancers from the Twin Cities will perform at the event on Saturday.
Guests are also welcome to visit the chapel and bookstore to find out more about the 2,000-year-old traditions and history of the Orthodox Church. The Twelve Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church was founded by Greek immigrants in 1918 in Duluth, but today its congregation is made up of people from more than 24 different ethnic backgrounds.
Admission to Taste of Greece is free, as is parking. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.