* AV Pick *
Friday, June 6 thru Sunday, June 8
Hellenic Festival 2008

Thousands of Western New Yorkers have experienced the joy of coming to the Annual Hellenic Heritage Festival and indulging in all of the delicious food its vendors have to offer. The volunteers are hard at work every year providing exceptional service as well as quality in their food. Some of the dishes showcased nclude souvlaki, gyros, soutzoukakia, pastitso, moussaka, spanakopita, tiropita, and the famous flaming cheese saganaki. Did you know that every single pastry at this year’s festival is made from scratch? The volunteers at the Greek Church of the Annunciation have been diligently working for months to provide authentic Greek pastries for everyone to enjoy. I’ve witnessed first hand all of the time and energy that goes into the baking. Some of these delectable desserts include baklava, kataifi ek mek, koulourakia, kourambiedes, loukomades, melomakarona, tsourekia, and rizogalo. There will be a live band playing continuous Greek music all three days, and the professional dance groups are talented and remarkable to watch. Along with Buffalo’s very own dance group, with dancers ranging in age from 8-16, this year’s festival welcomes a group from Toronto called Leventia X. The festival is also offering church tours, there are jewelry shops and clothing boutiques showcasing one-of-a-kind items from Greece, a wine room with imported wines from both Greece and Cyprus, and numerous cultural exhibits. The festival is filled with so much to do and see, take the time and experience the joy of the Greek culture for the day. If you really love it, come all three days. The Greek community would be glad to have you.

—agathi giorgiou

Friday & Saturday 11am-midnight; Sunday noon-9pm. Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation,

146 West Utica Street (882-7121 / hellenicfestival.com). $2 (ages 12 and under admitted free)..