All things Greek in Elgin this weekend

When you're Greek, you don't ask your guests if they are hungry. You just load up a plate and put it in their hands.

That's among the Greek cultural tidbits that the suburban duo "Niko and Manoli" will share during their live cooking demo at the annual St. Sophia Greek Fest in Elgin. The festival, organized by St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, runs Friday through Sunday and will feature Greek food and Greek live music, along with an indoor market and games for children.

"Niko and Manoli" are Manoli Mathioudis of West Dundee and Nick Grivas of Crystal Lake, whose demo at 3 p.m. Sunday will include lamb, baked cod and more. Mathioudis was born in Greece, while Grivas' parents are from Greece.

"For us as Greeks, food is not like, 'OK, well, now I'm hungry, so I will cook something and I will eat,'" Mathioudis said. "It's more of a social event. Families gather in the kitchen when they are home, and there's always something (going on) around food."

This will be the 38th annual edition of the fest, which attracts more than 12,000 every year, said Seiglinde Savas, who co-chairs the event with her husband, Dan. Last year's festival was advertised as the 38th, but that was a miscalculation, she said.

"A lot of the Greek churches tend to be out in Skokie, in the older neighborhoods," Savas said. "I think it's kind of cool that we are out here bringing the Greek culture to an area that is not predominantly Greek."

Fest hours are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 14; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 15; and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 16, at the church at 525 Church Road, just north of Route 31 and Interstate 90. Admission is $2; children 12 and younger can attend for free with a paying adult.

There will be gyros, Grecian chicken, souvlakia (or shish-kabob), moussaka and pastitsio, along with Greek fries, Greek salad and Greek sweets such as baklava and loukoumathes. And of course, get ready to yell "opa!" when saganaki, or flaming cheese, is served.

People also can enjoy mainstays like hamburgers and hot dogs, and drive-through services to buy food will be available during festival hours.

Live entertainment will include The John Linardakis Band, Hellenic 5 and Riley Elmore of West Dundee, who appeared on NBC's "The Voice." DJ Bobby Styles will be playing his "Sounds of Greece" and St. Sophia's Agape Dance Troupe will perform throughout the weekend.

"We have cooler Greek live bands, not old-fashioned Greek man music," Savas said. "It's the music you find at Greek bars downtown (Chicago)."

For information call the church at (847) 888-2822 or visit stsophiagreekfest.weebly.com.

If you go

What: 38th annual St. Sophia's Greek Fest

When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch only, with drive-through, and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 14, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 15, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 16

Where: St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, 525 Church Road, Elgin

Admission: $2; 12 or younger free with paying adult

Details: (847) 888-2822, ext. 203, or <a href="http://stsophiagreekfest.weebly.com/">stsophiagreekfest.weebly.com</a>/