Greek food, music and dancing is coming to Cardiff for annual festival

The annual Cardiff Greek Festival is returning Sept. 10-11 for the 42nd year at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church.

The church campus will be re-created into a Greek village filled with food, music and dance from Greece. The Olympians, a Southern California Greek Band, will serenade attendees, and the parish’s youths, ages 5-18, will perform Greek folk dances in traditional dress. Dance instruction will be offered and attendees can join in the “Opa.”

Greek delicacies will be sold ranging from Greek-style roasted lamb shanks, lemon chicken, gyros and souvlaki (shish-kabobs) to pastitsio (baked layers of macaroni, seasoned meat, cheese and béchamel sauce) and loukaniko (sausage).

Vegetarian cuisine will include spanakopita (spinach pie), tiropitas (cheese triangles in filo), dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), feta fries and Greek salad. Frappes and baklava sundaes will also be offered. The Kafenio will sell desserts and Greek-specialty coffee. Michael Pavlidis from Boukali Wines will give classes and tastings of Greek imported wines.

The marketplace will feature a traditional bazaar with Greek imports, pottery, fine jewelry, artwork and a Greek deli. There will also be Kids Fun Zone with a variety of inflatables.

Tours of the church, which is known in the community for its gold dome that reflects a cross with the light of the sun or full moon, will be led by the Rev. Michael Sitaras, pastor of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Sitaras will discuss the church’s mosaics, iconography and Byzantine architecture.

“What many visitors don’t realize is that our gold dome is just as magnificent on the inside as it is on the outside,” Sitaras said.

“Our parish holds Greece’s rich history and traditions deeply in our hearts, and we are excited to once again share our Philotimo with the community-at-large through the festival,” Sitaras said. “Stemming from filos meaning friend and timi meaning honor, Philotimo is the love and good that motivates us to share ourselves with others.”

The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sept. 10 and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 11 at 3459 Manchester Ave. in Cardiff. Admission is $3; free for children younger than 12, active-duty military, police and firefighters with ID.

Opportunity drawing tickets will be sold for $100 each for a chance to win $20,000 cash and two Padres season tickets. Tickets can be purchased at cardiffgreekfestival@gmail.com and at the festival.

Free parking will be available at nearby MiraCosta College‘s San Elijo Campus.

For more information, visit cardiffgreekfest.com.