Peter Mikedis grills during the Grecian Festival at the St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Lynn on Sunday. Photo by Paula Muller.
By Gayla Cawley
LYNN — Lynn becomes a little Greek during the Labor Day weekend.
Thousands of people flocked to the St. George Greek Orthodox Church Grecian Festival from Friday to Sunday, an event that runs during Labor Day weekend each year. Those in attendance cited the traditional Greek food and music and a chance to gather with family and friends as the main reasons for making their way through the church grounds.
“It’s a family affair, and friends,” said Karen Chapman. “You get to see everybody this way.”
Chapman, 65, said she has lived in Lynn her entire life. She’s been to other Greek festivals, but said the one at St. George has the best Greek food of all of them. George Mitsiaris, 19, her cousin’s son, said he came because of the food.
Rev. George Tsoukalas said the festival is like a reunion, bringing family together, strengthening their friendships and bonds. He said it’s a chance for people to partake in Greek hospitality.
“It’s a wonderful homecoming,” he said. “It’s a great way to start the year off. Come back to school. Come back to church. Smile and embrace one another.”
The festival is the church’s largest fundraiser. Although Costa Speliakos, president of the church’s parish council, declined to say exactly what their financial goal was, he said it was whatever it takes to sustain the church.
“We appreciate everybody coming by and keeping this church alive,” he said.
Greek pastries and cookies are always a popular item. The kourambiethes, butter shortbread cookies topped with sugar, sell out every year. Despite 3,500 being made for the festival, the treats were gone on Saturday, said Sophia Pentikis, president of the St. George Ladies Philoptochos Society, the group in charge of preparing the cookies and pastries.
The baklava, a sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with crushed walnuts and spices, and drenched in syrup, was sold out by late Sunday afternoon. More than 1,100 servings had been prepared.
Pentikis said 15 to 30 women do the baking, which starts in July and continues up until the festival. She said there are certain things that can’t be made ahead of time.
Live music from Greek bands began at 7 p.m. each night, preceded by continuous music during the day from Ultimate Entertainment with DJ Gumpa.
Carol Desanto, a Medford resident, said he decided to come for the music, dancing and food. St. George used to be her mother’s church, but she had stopped coming to the festival for awhile. She saw an opportunity this year, and talked a friend into going with her.
Jenny Kopoulos, of Lynn, said she’s been coming to the event since she was a little girl. She was sitting with her family and eating loukoumades, or fried dough.
“It brings us back to our childhood memories,” she said.
Speliakos said the Greek influence has been in the city for years, adding that it helped build Lynn and will always support it.
“Greeks will always be involved in making Lynn the great city that it is,” he said.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.
