Opa, St. Barbara Greek Festival is back in Sarasota

By Lesley Dwyer
| 9:00 a.m. February 17, 2024

East County
Neighbors

There are three types of performance art at the annual St. Barbara Greek Festival – music, dancing and flaming cheese.

Church member Zack Kallis is the man behind the flames.

“Everybody else is afraid they’re going to get burned,” he said with a laugh.

Fellow parishioner and volunteer Renee Amoratis stood a couple feet back, but she shouted a big, Greek “Opa” everytime the pan went up in flames.

Kallis will be firing up saganaki all weekend for the 40th annual St. Barbara Greek Festival at the St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church. The dish is a decadent slab of salty, caramelized goat cheese.

Kallis said any brandy will get the flambé done, but of course, he uses Metaxa brandy because it's Greek.

The annual festival, also called a Glendi, takes place under giant tents that temporarily block out the rest of the world. The sights, sounds and smells are all Greek.

As a fourth form of entertainment, the festival recreates an agora, an ancient Greek marketplace. Jamie Davison and Salli McNeel arrived ready to shop.

“We’re just going to get a little bit of everything, except a golf cart,” Davison said. “We already decided we can’t fit a golf cart in the car.”

The duo had already bought clothes and jewelry, took a coffee break and were headed toward the plants and olive oils next.

Eating is the final form of entertainment. Trays were piled high with classic Greek dishes like gyros, spanakopita and moussaka.

Sarasota residents Jill and Mike Davenport feasted on lamb shank, a half a chicken and pastitsio, which is the Greek version of lasagna.

“We’ve been coming here for at least 20-something years,” Mike Davenport said.

The festival continues on through Feb. 18, rain or shine.

“Everything’s under cover,” volunteer Tiffany Stonis said. “It’s just getting from your car inside.”

Zack Kallis uses brandy to light up the saganaki as Renee Amoratis looks on.

The Saint Barbara Greek Festival runs from Feb. 16-18, rain or shine. Most of the event is under tents.

Church members Peter and Patty Taleff are in charge of making the coffee. They say Greek coffee is stronger and takes a lot of stirring.

Bradenton residents Jamie Davison and Salli McNeel are taking a break from shopping. The only thing they don't plan on buying is a golf cart because it won't fit in the car.

Both the American and Greek flags fly on Feb. 16 for the first day of the 40th annual St. Barbara Greek Festival.

Terri and Gary Graham are Bradenton snowbirds from Indiana. They saw the signs for a Greek festival and pulled over for saganaki.

Tiffany Stonis, Paree Gardener and Lin Runge volunteer at check-in.

Dino Gheofilos and Simos Nikolopoulos play Greek music for the crowd.

Abelina Skramedas loves to attend Greek festivals so she can buy cookies and baklava because she doesn't make them herself.

Abelena Andersone and Laura Avota are visiting from Latvia. They stopped by the Glendi to enjoy a taste of Europe.

Mike Panagiotou (seated), Lynn Clement, Carol Pandis and Lori Amrien have 2,000 raffle tickets to sell. The prize is a new car or $35,000.

Jill and Mike Davenport have been attending the St. Barbara Greek Festival for at least 20 years. They're stocked up with greek salads, lamb shank, pastitsio and a half a chicken.

Greek food is one of the main attractions at the annual Glendi at the St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church.

author

Lesley Dwyer

Lesley Dwyer is a staff writer for East County and a graduate of the University of South Florida. After earning a bachelor’s degree in professional and technical writing, she freelanced for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Lesley has lived in the Sarasota area for over 25 years.