Three-day traditional Greek festival with food, wine, music & dance begins June 25

Orange County’s 32nd annual “A Taste of Greece” festival will be held on June 25, 26, and 27 at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church (4949 Alton Parkway, between Culver Drive and Jeffrey Road, Irvine, CA 92604). More than 11,000 guests are expected to attend the three-day festival, which will feature traditional Greek cuisine, wine tasting, live music, authentic Greek dancing with lessons and boutique booths reminiscent of the Plaka, a well-known picturesque historical neighborhood of Athens.

Festival hours are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, June 25; noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 26; and noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday, June 27. Festival admission is just $3 per person with free admission on Saturday, June 26 from noon – 5 p.m. and free admission for children under the age of 10 and seniors older than 65 years old. Free festival parking will also be available, with complimentary shuttle buses transporting guests from public parking sites in Irvine.

Greek cuisine and hospitality will be the focal points as the festival will feature authentic recipes for traditional Greek dishes, delicious pastries and a variety of beverages, highlighted with a wine “Taverna,” offering Greek wine and beer. The traditional Greek menu will include chicken, lamb chops, Greek French fries, Gyros, Pastichio (Greek lasagna), Loucanico (Greek sausage), Spanakopita (spinach and feta pie), Dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), Saganaki (Greek brandy-flamed cheese); Greek salad, calamari and more. There will also be a Greek coffeehouse set up to serve Greek and American coffee drinks in a traditional Plaka setting with Greek dance lessons offered free to all. The Philoptochos, the church’s philanthropic group will bake around the clock during the weeks leading up to the festival to prepare Baklava, Loukoumathes (Greek doughnut holes), and other exquisite pastries. The intricate preparation of the pastries can be seen at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 24 during a free demonstration open to the public at Bloomingdale’s Home Store at Fashion Island.

“As Orange County’s largest Greek Orthodox congregation, we are delighted to host a festival that offers an opportunity for the community to experience authentic Greek dining, wine, music, dancing and entertainment,” said Father Steven Tsichlis, St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Priest. “This year’s festival, our 32nd annual, will offer something for everyone with a variety of Greek-themed activities.”



A family-friendly affair, the festival will be lined with boutique shops, a variety of games and a full-scale carnival. Event attendees can also enter an opportunity drawing for the chance to win a 1st prize of seven days in Athens, Greece (hotel and airfare included for two); 2nd place prize of a 47-inch hi-definition television; 3rd place prize of a Dell laptop computer; or 4th place prize of $500.



For more information on the “A Taste of Greece” festival, please visit www.IrvineGreekFest.com.