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Campbell Greek fest brightens weekend
By kristine gill
campbell
Summers in Greece are warm and mild.
“It’s beautiful,” Ethel Katsourakis said of Symi Island, her homeland. “It’s Mediterranean weather. Like Florida.”
Not even the Mahoning Valley’s dreary skies and threat of flood could keep fans away from Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church’s 36th annual Greek Festival on Saturday.
“With the weather as miserable as it was, I think they want an out,” said Christine Gaetano, co-chairwoman for the festival. “They’ll come in the snow and the rain.”
About 150 people gathered in the church hall Saturday afternoon, eager for an authentic gyro and Greek pastries.
Katsourakis helped cater the event and said her volunteer bakers have been preparing for it all week.
“We made 100 dozen of the koulourakia cookies, the shortbread dunking cookies, and 150 loaves of the sweetbread,” she said. “I don’t think we’re going to have any extras.”
Dozens crowded in line for the baked goods, which also included baklava and kourambiethes, Greek butter cookies topped with powdered sugar.
Katsourakis said the recipes have been shared among relatives and are authentic but also have been experimented with over the years.
“Nobody knows where they originated,” she said.
Traditional Greek music played as people perused religious items for sale, and children dressed in authenic garb danced for the crowd.
“Our traditions are being carried down the line,” Gaetano said.
Irene Passas Roberts and her husband, Bob Roberts, of Austintown come to the festival each year.
“We love the music, the food and seeing people,” Irene said. “It’s very authentic music, food and entertainment.”
Irene came to the United States by herself in 1977, but her parents stayed on the island of Kalymnos. They were visiting their daughter this weekend and stopped by the festival with her.
The church also sponsors a Greek Festival in late summer like many neighboring churches.
Ernest Tykie Mastorides, a Campbell native, has been living in Florida the last 14 years but made it a point to come to the festival during his visit to Ohio.
“I enjoying seeing everybody, and the food is great,” he said.
That made Gaetano proud.
“They keep saying ‘Your food is the best, your food is the best!’” she said. “Of course, every church says that.”
The festival continues today.