The 36th annual Glendi at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church served up traditional food and dance.
By
Pam Eubanks
| 10:33 p.m. February 8, 2020
East County
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Lakewood Ranch resident Atheena van Dijk and her sister, Rosemary Pifferetti, did not get much time to relax Feb. 8, but they did not mind.
They were manning the popular loukoumathes trailer during St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church’s Greek Glendi festival.
Volunteers fried the loukoumathes, a small doughnut-like pastry, and van Dijk and Pifferetti sprinkled them with cinnamon and honey to finish them off.
“It took a few days to perfect,” van Dijk said of making the loukoumathes. “There’s a lot with the temperature of the oil to get them just right.”
Thousands of visitors attended the festival, which included live music, dance demonstrations, vendor booths, church tours and Greek food and drink.
Emilia Nicolaides is all smiles as she takes the lead for a group of Hellenic dancers.
Kosta Maravelas throws dollar bills at his grandsons, Georgios and John Cappllouti, as they demonstrate a Hellenic dance. Doing so symbolizes blessings of happiness.
Three-year-old Magdalena Nicolaides scoops up money tossed over Hellenic dancers. Her mother, Joanna Nicolaides, is a dance instructor and the money will go toward the children's dance program and costumes.
Rye Wilderness residents Pete and Sandy Pulos enjoyed their loukoumathes dessert. "We ate our way through here," Pete Pulos said of the festival.
Dozens of vendors were on site selling Greek-inspired items.
St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church member and Glendi volunteer Josephine Fayad tries on some blue-and-white earrings at a vendor booth.
Virginia's Robin Broyles checks out handmade lamps with friend Paulette Brockhoff of Sarasota.
Six-year-old Abigail Hartley tries on a head wreath.
The Ellada! band, comprised of Dino Theofilos, Elias Poulos and Leonidas Cafiris, keep the crowd entertained.
Palmetto's Patricia and Steve Cefalo were eager to eat their Greek feast, which included spanakopita and lamb shanks.
Jenna Choueiri, Vincent Alesi and Morgan Kirlangitis thrill the crowd with their Hellenic dance demonstration.
Alexander Dantoulis performs several dances with the senior Hellenic dance group.
Sisters Rosemary Pifferetti and Atheena van Dijk perfect loukoumathes, adding honey and cinnamon, before serving them to guests.
Bird Key's Fran Geary volunteered on the food line.
Braden Woods residents Addison, Leela and Arika Delazzer attend the festival for the first time.
Myakka City's Helen Birakis enjoys listening to the Hellenic music as she volunteers on the food line.
Barbara Briggs and Angelo Sifakes dish out lamb shanks.
Two-year volunteer Irene Nikitopoulos, of Mill Creek, and six-year volunteer Tristan Welch, of Bradenton, serve Greek salads.
"She roped me into it," Thea Thanas says of helping her mother, Kathy Coulis, volunteer. The Lakewood Ranch women dished out dolmathakias, spanakopitas and tyropitas.
Two-year-old Sofia Ameres, center, is one of the youngest dancers to perform.
