‘Bigger, better and juicier’: St. Sophia Greek Fest back for 45th year of culture, food and fun

An estimated 10,000 visitors will celebrate Greek culture and food this weekend at the 45th Greek Fest at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Elgin.

Festival chair Nick Smith said the Friday through Sunday, June 7-9, event, which is the church’s biggest annual fundraiser, is growing.

“Bigger, better and juicier with the food, that’s our modus operandi every year,” Smith said.

The fest will be open from noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday at the church at 525 Church Road, just north of Interstate 90 off Route 31 in Elgin.

If it seems like it’s happening a little earlier than usual, it is. The event was moved up a month from its traditional July dates.

“We wanted to position the festival to be a really good kickoff for summer for the community and the church,” Smith said. “School’s out. Let’s start the summer the right way with a big festival celebrating our Greek heritage and our church. We’re excited about it.”

More than 200 volunteers from the church will help put on the event.

“It’s the single-largest thing we do as a church community,” Smith said. “It starts with our priest, Father Andrew (Karamitos), and it works its way down to five-year-old kids helping their parents with cooking, baking or carrying something.”

The food menu, which is cooked by the parishioners, includes fest favorites like Grecian chicken, souvlaki, gyros, pastichio, Greek salad and saganaki. To-go lunches will be available for people working in the area on Friday.

“One of the things that’s really cool about our festival is that people come all three days just to try all the food and drinks available,” Smith said. “We’ll see the same person three times, and that’s a really great feeling.”

The bar will feature Greek beer, wine and brandy, as well as ouzo lemonade and shots and The Village Squire’s take on the mai tai. Other beer and seltzers will also be available.

Sweets, including baklava and loukoumades, can be enjoyed with traditional Greek coffee.

While the entertainment still highlights Greek culture with music and dancers, Smith said they’ve added a pair of American-focused music acts for the stage in the evenings. Starlight City takes the stage at 8 p.m. on Friday and The Chain, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, performs Saturday night.

Kids’ activities have been expanded this year and include face painting, a balloon artist and bubble shows. An indoor plaka, or market, will feature crafts and vendors.

Raffle tickets will be available all weekend. The winner of the $10,000 grand prize will be picked at 8 p.m. Sunday.