ST. DEMETRIOS GREEK FESTIVAL Food, music and wine are festival's main draws

The festival runs Wednesday through Sunday.
By JENNINE ZELEZNIK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- For those wanting to feast on Greek food, then the 34th-annual St. Demetrios Greek Festival is the place to be -- and you'd better get there early.
"We don't seem to be able to keep up," said Christina Kapolis, who, along with co-chairwomen Maria Anagnostou and Maria Ashiolas, coordinates the food preparation for the festival. "Generally, not much is left on the last day.
"If anyone wants to make sure they have their share, they should probably try to be there by Sunday."
In the kitchen: They started cooking July 1 for the five-day festival, and have made 150 pounds of macaroni for pastitso (macaroni baked with meat sauce), mixed 90 pounds of meat for the yiaprakia (stuffed grape leaves), and baked 70 layered pans -- 1,500 pieces -- of spanakopita (spinach pie).
"Everything is done on premises," Kapolis said. "And everything is done in the traditional Greek cuisine."
A new addition to this year's menu are Greek wines, which will be sold by the bottle or by the glass, Kapolis said.
They've also expanded the dessert delicacies at the coffee house, she said.
Entertainment: In addition to the food, the festival will feature Greek music Thursday through Sunday, performed by the Grecian Flames and the Hellenic Stars, said Fedra Anastasiadis, festival secretary.
There also will be performances by Pittsburgh's internationally known Grecian Odyssey Dancers at 7:30 and 9 p.m. Saturday, and 7 and 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
St. Demetrios' own dancers will be on stage Thursday and Friday at 7, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., Anastasiadis added.
Rides will be on the midway, she said, and about 20,000 people are expected to attend the festival.
Parking and admission are free.
The event will run 4:30 until 11 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 4:30 till midnight Friday and Saturday at the St. Demetrios Hellenic Community Center, 3223 Atlantic St. N.E.
The dining room opens at 1 p.m. Sunday.
"The food seems to be the biggest draw every year," Anastasiadis said. "As in the past, everybody comes to eat the food, and I'm sure nobody will be disappointed."