Taste of the Faiths Festival combines food and music

May 7, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

By LINDA M. LINONIS

boardman

Along with church food specialties to tempt the palate, there will be music to please the ears at the annual Taste of the Faiths Festival.

The appetizing event is planned at 5:30 p.m. Monday at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 7345 Westview Drive. Mahoning Valley Association of Churches is the sponsor.

Christine Dorbish Fader will perform old standards to go along with “comfort food,” “old standbys” and new selections prepared by area churches.

Fader grew up in Youngstown and graduated from Chaney High School. She attended Youngstown State University and Cleveland State University, where she majored in music.

Fader and her band, Mifune, performed in July 2010 at Morley Pavillion at Mill Creek MetroParks as part of the summer series.

The Taste of the Faiths Festival affords congregations of the Mahoning Valley the opportunity to showcase culinary skills of members and show off recipes featured at church dinners.

Elsie Dursi, director of MVAC, said about 20 churches and three other community organizations are contributing food to the event.

Among foods will be ham loaf, pirogi, kolachi, vegan and vegetarian items, pizza, cream chicken and Arabic and Israeli selections. “I think this year we have the biggest variety,” she said.

Tickets, which are $15, will be available at the door.

Proceeds from the event will support the work of Mahoning Valley Association of Churches. For more information on MVAC, visit www.mvaconline.org.