Sacramento's Greek community has been working overtime in preparation for the staging of its Labor Day weekend Greek Festival. With a theme of "Experience the Greek Isles," organizers expect a crowd in excess of 10,000 for the three-day extravaganza.  The 46th annual event is sponsored by the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Sacramento. 

While Greek food remains the big attraction, the festival offers a virtual trip to Greece without the expense, and no passort is needed.  The Annunciation organizers have seen the event grow in size and impact since its humble beginning held on the premises of the church in 1964.  The Festival moved to its existing venue, the Sacramento Convention Center, in 1984.

Originally called the Greek Food Festival, the event has evolved, through the grassroots effort of church volunteers, to become much more than a dining experience.  They introduced live music, choral presentations and dancing performances, and an awe-inspiring cultural display known as Hellenica.  More Greek culture is evident in the Greek Market place and the Agora where one can browse the wares of a variety of vendors offering Greek products for sale.

The boundless menu is a tasting tour of authentic Greek cuisine and this year the Festival is introducing a few special treats found or originating on the Greek Isles (Shrimp Santorini, shrimp in a feta cheese tomato sauce;   Chicken Kapama, a chicken dish with hints of cinnamon). The a-la-carte menu offers some 15 delicious treats, including roasted lamb, dolmathes, stuffed grape leaves; mousaka, a Greek delicacy of eggplant and seasoned ground beef; and loukaniko an orange kissed sausage. 

Other a-la-carte choices have names that may confuse the average guest, but they will find out soon enoughyou(they? not sure ) dont have to be able to pronounce them to enjoy them.  Spanakopita, tiropita, fasolakia and horiatiki salata are offerings that are made from scratch by the church volunteers who love to share the cooking secrets of their homeland.
Diners can also choose a complete dinner of chicken for $9, or lamb, $11. The dinners are served with rice pilaf, fasolakia and bread. For the uninitiated, fasolakia is a braised mixture of green beans and onions.

The Greek Taverna offers a choice of libations including wines and beer from Greece, Ouzo, an anise-flavored liqueur similar to French pastis, or Metaxa, a special blend of Greek brandy that has brought happiness to Greeks since 1888.  Also available in the Taverna area are the popular Gyro sandwich and fried Calamari. Greek pizza, introduced last year, remains a popular choice at the Taverna.   

A sweet shop with the tongue-twisting name of Zaharoplastion, will offer baklava and a half dozen other pastries. One favorite is the honey-dripped Diple. They even offer a gift box to go with a generous sampling of Greek sweets.

Live music will be provided by Sacramentos own Omega band,  and there will be ample opportunities for open dancing as well as dance lessons provided daily for the guests.

The three-day festival opens at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 4, with free admission between the hours of 11 and 3 p.m. for that day only. With the challenging economic climate in mind, prices for admission and food items have been held. Admission for Saturday and Sunday is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors over 65 years of age. Children under 12 years of age are admitted free.  Opening time is noon on Saturday and Sunday, closing at 11 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 p.m. on Sunday. Closing in Greek Time usually means closing time will be extended to please visitors.

Information about renting vendor booths is available by calling (916) 443-2033.