It's OPA Time!
St Anna's Junior Dancers at last year's Greek Festival
It's A Pleasure To Serve You
The Bazaar offers Greek Boutiques
The Youth of Saint Anna
2011 Opa! Big Fat Greek Festival
St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church, a non‐profit organization, is hosting its Seventh Annual Food and Cultural Festival, “OPA! BIG, “FAT” GREEK FESTIVAL, A Taste of Greece in Hunterdon County,” at Razberry's Banquet and Conference Center, Route 12, Flemington, Friday, May 27th (5‐10 pm), Saturday, May 28th (12‐ 10 pm) and Sunday, May 29th (12 ‐ 9 pm).
This three‐day event attracts over 5,000 people each year and promises food and fun for the entire family over the entire Memorial Day holiday weekend. The event is open to the public; admission and parking are FREE.
Area resident Deno Orginos, owner of Razberry’s Banquet and Conference Center, has once again, generously offered his site as the location for the seventh year of the festival since the parish is in the process of a capital campaign to build a church and community center.
Razberry’s is conveniently located just minutes from the Flemington Circle (between Flemington and Frenchtown) and features Mediterranean style grounds. Also, this community‐wide effort includes the support of several other local businesses who have offered to assist the parish. (For business sponsorship information, please see links to the right).
Once again, the parish will offer an assortment of delectable, ethnic cuisine and patrons can choose to stay and dine on‐site to enjoy the Greek taverna atmosphere, or take advantage of convenient take‐out options. John Kaldes, Parish Council President and author of Made in Greece: A Guided Tour of Greek Cooking (Publishing Works, 2004) has developed a festival menu which features delicious, traditional Greek fare including pasticcio (pasta and meat casserole), moussaka (eggplant casserole), spanakopita (spinach and cheese pie), and souvlaki (pork or chicken kebobs), gyros, and roasted lamb.
See Our Community Support Page
This year a highlight from the menu this year will be the return of the OPA! Lamb Sliders , Mr. Kaldes’ Greek twist on the American hamburger, in honor of the holiday. Mr. Kaldes has a passion for preparing and sharing his authentic Greek cuisine with others and his cook book will be available for sale at the festival with proceeds benefiting the parish (sample recipes available at www.madeingreececookbook.com).
For those with a sweet tooth, the festival’s “Kafenio OPA” (coffee and dessert center) will offer a tempting variety of Greek pastries and Greek coffees. Top off a great lunch or dinner with one of their famous desserts including baklava (honey nut strudel), koulourakia (butter cookies), kourabiedes (almond shortbread cookies) and loukoumades (honey covered doughnuts).
For those who would like to learn a bit about Greek cooking, a cooking demonstration will be offered by Esther Psarakis of Taste of Crete (in Hillsborough). (Our 2011 festival menu is featured in the links to the right.)
George Staikos, noted sommelier and wine educator will select a variety of Greek wines representing the different regions of Greece which will be paired to especially enhance the dishes served at the festival (including Boutari and Achaia Clauss among others). Plans are underway to offer a Greek wine tasting during the weekend, making this event a destination for both food and wine enthusiasts alike. Refreshing Mythos Greek beer and domestic beer will also be served.
Along with the culinary attractions, plans are underway to offer a full schedule of cultural entertainment throughout the weekend. Continuous Greek music and scheduled folk dancing performances by the parish youth dance troupes (ages 5‐17), led by former members of the Hellenic Dancers of New Jersey (a semi‐professional dance troupe affiliated with the NJ State Council on the Arts). These groups will wear authentic costumes and perform traditional dances representing various regions of Greece. Visiting dance troupes have also been invited to perform and dance lessons and contests will be held.
The entertainment line-up will also include local community performers including members of the AP Motion Dance Company of Flemington and the Fiddle Club of Hunterdon Central Regional High School. Comedian Aaron Kominos Smith and the Greek Warriors (living history group) will also be part of the festivities.
The “AGORA” Marketplace, will feature a shopper’s paradise of vendors offering a selection of fine and costume jewelry, hand‐crafted items, clothing, and imported Greek specialties. Gourmet specialties include Greek extra virgin olive oils, coffee, honey, fruit preserves and spices. Religious displays and exhibits will also feature Byzantine style icons. . Original oil paintings by local artist, Stefanos Sideris will also be available.
For more information and directions to the OPA! Big “Fat” Greek Festival, please email flemingtongreekfestival@comcast.net, or call the Parish Office at 908‐ 782‐9741.
Proceeds go toward support of Saint Anna Greek Orthodox Church, which recently purchased 12 acres of land on Voorhees Corner Road (off the Flemington Circle in Raritan Township) on which to build their church and community center. A ground-breaking ceremony is scheduled for this fall.