With the aroma of luscious barbecued lamb and the strains of upbeat bouzouki music, the 41st Annual Belmont Greek Festival swirls into the mid-Peninsula on Labor Day weekend, Saturday, September 3, through Monday, September 5, at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross, 900 Alameda de las Pulgas (corner of Ralston Avenue), in Belmont.

The three-day extravaganza is expected to draw nearly 20,000 visitors for the homemade Greek meals, specially-prepared desserts, nonstop entertainment and fun children’s amusement area, according to festival organizers.

“We want our guests to sample Greek hospitality at its best,” said Festival Co-chairman Gary Brenner.

“When Greeks entertain, they put out their finest of everything, and first and foremost, that means their best cooking,” Brenner said, “which means a lot of labor and a lot of love.”

“Our festival chefs make everything the old-fashioned way. They use family recipes handed down by their parents and grandparents, they use fresh ingredients, and they never, ever cut corners!” Brenner added.

Some of the favorite festival menu items will include barbecued lamb chops (with special Greek seasonings), souvlakia (Greek shish-kebab), spanakopita (spinach and cheese stuffed inside layers of filo pastry) and dolmades (grape leaves wrapped around ground beef and rice).

There will also be traditional homemade Greek pastries such as loukoumades (doughnut holes covered with honey), baklava (layers of nuts and filo pastry soaked in honey), kourambiedes (crescent-shaped butter cookies covered with powdered sugar) and galactobouriko (filo pastry filled with custard and covered with syrup).??

“And don’t forget our newest dessert – baklava ice cream sundaes!” Brenner enthused. “It may not come straight from the old country, but it’s sure delicious!”

On the plaka, or central plaza, visitors will enjoy continuous music from a Greek band so they can dance the traditional kalamatiano, tsamiko, zeimbekiko and other Greek dances. The amazing “Sons of Ulysses” will dazzle the audience by lifting tables and chairs with nothing but their teeth!

In addition, award-winning folk dance groups will perform throughout the weekend in their colorful, hand-made costumes.

In an outdoor amphitheater reminiscent of the ancient theaters of Greece, children and adults alike will enjoy a special theatrical production spotlighting the heroes and villains of Greek mythology. The popular Festival Singers and Folk Ensemble will also perform Greek folk songs in the amphitheater.

Also, children’s entertainer Andy Z will take the amphitheater stage to present his award-winning show featuring imaginative songs, stories, dances and colorful characters.

The Fun Zone children’s area will offer games, rides, bouncy castles, crafts and more.

Tours of the award-winning Byzantine-style church, including the recently-installed mosaic iconography, will be given throughout the weekend, and the Holy Cross Choir will sing during the first church tour on Sunday.

Other festival highlights will include the agora (flea market), art, clothing, jewelry and gift boutiques, cooking demonstrations, religious icons and a bookstore.

The Church of the Holy Cross supports many charitable groups throughout San Mateo County, and each year, the church donates a portion of the festival proceeds to several local charities. Previous recipients of festival donations have included Samaritan House, Interfaith Network for Community Help (INCH), Children’s Advocacy Council, local schools and churches and the Belmont mayor’s choice of charity.

The hours of the Belmont Greek Festival are Saturday, September 3, and Sunday, September 4, from Noon to 10 PM, and on Monday, September 5, from Noon to 8 PM. The Fun Zone for children is open Noon to 7 PM all three days. The agora (flea market) closes at 6 PM all three days.

Admission is $5 for adults and $2.50 for seniors and youth ages 13-17. Children 12 and under are admitted free, accompanied by a parent or guardian.

For more information, visit www.goholycross.org/festival or call (650) 591-4447. Yassou!

# # #