- November 12, 2024
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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.”