Middle Eastern Food Festival returns Sept. 19-21

The members of St. George Melkite Greek Catholic Church work hard to prepare traditional cuisine for their annual Middle Eastern Food Festival, which returns for the 38th year Sept. 19-21.

Preparation begins with the rolling of grape leaves in June, continues in July and August with sweets, meat pies and kibbee, and concludes with the making of spinach pies in September.

“Rolling 17,000 grape leaves isn’t an easy job,” said Suzan Megerdigian, one of the event organizers, in a church news release. “Thank God we have a parish who always helps.” 

And the effort is worth it, according to the Rev. Justin Rose, who told Iron City Ink in 2018 the event is “a fun three days of coming together for the common good.”

Other dishes at the festival will include falafel, hummus and pastries. Dine-in and take-out food service is available each day from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Other activities include church tours and Middle Eastern music and dance. There will be vendors selling books, icons, stained glass, olive wood, jewelry, cookbooks and Middle Eastern groceries.

Ten percent of proceeds raised will benefit diocesan and local charities.

For details, including food delivery and drive-through service, call 492-9621 or go to saintgeorgeonline.org.