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St. Sophia's 40th annual Greek Fest returns to Elgin

St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Elgin will host its annual summer outdoor festival this week.

Greek Fest, now in its 40th year, will be open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and for dinner from 5 to 11 p.m. fon Friday, July 12. On Saturday, July 13, the fest will open at noon and close at 11 p.m. The hours on Sunday, July 14, will be noon to 10 p.m. Traditionally, the fest attracts thousands of people every year. Admission is free; the church is at 525 Church Road, Elgin, near I-90 and Route 31.

Due to construction, there will not be a drive-through this year; it will return next year, bigger and better.

In addition to authentic Greek cuisine dinner dishes such as gyros, Grecian chicken, souvlakia (shish-ka-bob), moussaka, pastitsio, there will also be saganaki (flaming cheese), and Greek fries, fried calamari, and Greek salad.

For a sample of a few traditional dishes, one should try the appetizer plate as well. For those who prefer American fare, hamburgers and hot dogs will also be available.

After dinner, unwind at the Greek Kafenio where many traditional Greek sweets such as baklava and loukoumathes can be found.

Enjoy a cup of Greek or American coffee, or turn that baklava into an ice cream sundae.

Kids can enjoy games and inflatable rides, including the popular Euro-Bungee. Rides are not open during the Friday lunch hours. Unlimited rides can be purchased from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday for $20 each or two for $30.

Live music will entertain visitors. "Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos" will perform on Friday night. DJ Bobby Styles will play throughout the weekend as well. "Personalities" will return on Saturday night. Greek DJ "Alpha Tunes" returns for a traditional Greek Sunday. St. Sophia's Agape Dance Troupe will perform traditional Greek dances in full costume all weekend as well.

Special features include the indoor marketplace where shoppers can browse crafts, jewelry, books, icons, purses, and other treasures. Don't forget to buy your raffle ticket for the Grand Raffle, where you can win up to $10,000.

For details, call the church at (847) 888-2822 or visit https://stsophiagreekfest.com/.

  Koula Magdalin of Lake in the Hills, dishes up some souvlakia at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church Greek Fest in Elgin. Food is available to dine-in or carry out. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com, 2018
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