Cardiff Greek Festival re-creates Greek isle with food, music, dancing and village market

The annual Cardiff Greek Festival put on by Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church returns Sept. 9-10.

The festival is from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sept. 9 and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept 10 at 3459 Manchester Ave. Free parking will be available at adjacent MiraCosta College.

Admission is $3; free for children under 12, active military, police, and firefighters with ID.

The church’s campus will be transformed into a Greek island village for the two-day event.
The festival, which has been drawing crowds for more than four decades, will feature Greek cuisine, music, folk dancing and entertainment.

The parish’s youths will perform folk dances in traditional costumes. Attendees can learn dances and follow along to the music of the bouzouki. The Olympians, a Southern California Greek band, will perform traditional and popular songs during the festival.

Traditional food will be sold ranging from gyros, feta fries and stuffed grape leaves to Greek-style roasted lamb shanks, lemon chicken, Greek salad and souvlaki (shish-kabobs) along with spinach pie, cheese triangles and sausages. For dessert, there will be Greek pastries, baklava sundaes and coffee, including frappes.

An Agora, a traditional marketplace, will sell Greek imports, jewelry and artwork along with deli items. Highlights include classes and tastings of Greek imported wines led by Michael Pavlidis from Boukali Wines, and a kids fun zone.

Tours of the inside of the church, known for its golden dome, will be led by Rev. Father Michael Sitaras, pastor of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church.

A limited number of opportunity drawing tickets for large prizes are $100 at cardiffgreekfestival@gmail.com and at the festival.

For more information, go to Visit cardiffgreekfest.com.