
It's a big tradition here in Little Rock... really, a BIG tradition that started out in a small way back in 1985 and has continued to grow and grow and grow. Now it's the grand-daddy of all Arkansas food festivals, and it has a lot that the other festivals lack.
For one thing, it's not just about the food. It's about celebrating culture -- not just of Greece but also of the Middle East. I can remember a time in my life where it was the only place -- the only place -- where I could obtain a gyro and baklava. Sure, today we have restaurants and grocery stores and the Internet and all sorts of other ways to get these sorts of items, but back then it was quite different.
The folks at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church didn't just throw a festival on their parking lot back then. They also set up at Riverfest (which is a week later now -- whew!) and at Fort Smith's Riverfest as well. But as the Greek Food Fest grew, it became harder and harder to manage all of that. Which is just as well, because this event is something else.
Dancers. Costumes. Coffee (oh, I could go ON about the coffee). An Old World market. The pastries. The lamb. The neat things for the kids. It's been a big thing to me since my early teenage years, and I was so glad to get the chance to go behind the scenes and sneak a peak at what was going on.

As I watched, they set up a rather well organized assembly line to place the pastries on plates and then wrapped and sealed them in plastic before adding that all important 25th anniversary sticker.
On one wall, there were rows and rows of plastic boxes filled to the brim with already packaged baklava, sourota, and other pastries. Easily more there than you could eat in a
That's right -- every bit of it. Looking down into the tubs and seeing the amazing amount of food that's been prepared by volunteers over a series of months, it's hard to imagine that come Sunday evening the festival will run out of almost everything.
No joke. That's not to say they're underprepared -- it's a testament to the hard work of those who attend this church and who want to give back to this community.

“People come three days in a row and keep coming back,. I think that really says a lot," says Martin. "It’s a family atmosphere, it’s safe, everything is kid-friendly, there’s no alcohol served…"
“Se are grateful the community lets us do this," Martin shares. "Everything we bring in goes back to local charities.”



And after this coming Sunday, it will all be a memory... until next year, of course.
Yes, there are new things this year -- like the new lamb sandwich on pita and the Middle Eastern pastries. The coffeeshop is being expanded this year and will take a good deal of indoor space (oh, but I am ALL about that!). On the non-food front, this year's special guest artist is Vivian Karayiannis, an expert in iconography. You know, like all those neat haloed depictions of the Madonna and Child that have been popular in churches since the Dark Ages? I am especially looking forward to meeting her.
And there will be dancing -- some by professional troupes, some by students, some even brought together at the spur of the moment -- average people like you and me swayed by the music and the food and the atmosphere.
Ah, yes.
Arkansas is fortunate to have a great deal of free festivals. This is one you don't want to miss. If you're daunted by the traffic, never fear -- trolleys run every 10 minutes from Ashbury Methodist Church and Pulaski Academy down the street. There's even a drive-through for those who don't have time to partake of the festivities but can't miss out on all that great food.
The 25th Annual Greek Food Festival runs May 15-17, 2009. Be sure to check out the interactive website before you go.
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