GreekFest returns to St. Nectarios in Palatine

St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine will hold its annual GreekFest this weekend. Hours are 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, June 21-23, at the church, 133 S. Roselle Road in Palatine. Admission is a freewill donation to the church.

This year, the church will celebrate its 45th anniversary, and 10 percent of the net picnic proceeds will be donated to the Palatine Food Pantry.

The festival is all about food, and Greek entrees and pastries will be on the menu, as well as Greek wines and beer. Available items will include pork shish-kebabs, barbecued Greek chicken, gyros, Greek sausage, pastitsio, Greek salad, saganaki, spinach and cheese puffs and more.

For meals to go, a convenient drive-through will be accessible off Roselle Road, open from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The St. Nectarios Philoptochos (Women's Club) booth will offer sweet treats such as loukoumades, baklava and iced coffee.

Entertainment will include bands such as Déjà Vu on Friday playing contemporary American music, and Greek band Rythmos playing Greek dance music on Saturday and Sunday.

The St. Nectarios Levedia Dance Troupe will perform at 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. In addition, the Orpheus Dance Troupe of Chicago will perform with their authentic Greek dancing and colorful costumes at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. There will be games for the kids and shopping at the Greek Marketplace.

GreekFest has been a celebration of Greek hospitality and culture for more than 40 years in Palatine. Every summer, GreekFest attracts more than 15,000 guests. It is the largest single fundraising event for St. Nectarios.

Credit and debit cards will be accepted, and an ATM will be available on-site. Free bus shuttle service is available from Holy Family Catholic Church, 2515 Palatine Road in Inverness, 1.5 miles west of the church.

For details, visit www.stnectariosgoc.org or call (847) 358-5170.