There are more than 100 Ripon residents who are helping stage the 52nd Annual Greek Food Festival in Modesto today and Sunday at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.
Ella Mangelos Velthoen, her daughter Katherine and granddaughter Kristina have been busy preparing their homemade Baclava and Loukamavia desserts for the expected dinner crowd of some 7,000 people. The cost of the festival dinner is $18 at the door. Children under 12 are $9 each.
The location of the authentic Greek dinner, with take-out available, is at 313 Tokay Avenue with shuttles available from the Panera Bread parking lot with church tours to be conducted every two hours during the dinners. Tokay Avenue is a right turn off McHenry Avenue three blocks north of Briggsmore Avenue.
The festival that also includes live Greek entertainment and music, a marketplace homemade pastries, and a marketplace today from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Ripon Chef John Mangelos is serving as co-chairman for the event – noting there are 300 church parishioners included in the work force supporting the popular event.
“The church women are the thread that binds,” Mangelos said.
Three of the women in the Mangelos family from his sister Ella to their mother Katherine and granddaughter Kristina along with others made 14,000 pieces of baclava for the dinner and to be sold in the coffee shop. They were also made Loukamavia that are rolled in honey and sprinkled with ground walnuts. The Greek term for their coffee shop is “Kafenia” patronized regularly by members of the community.
He noted diners will be served by either grandmothers, mothers or daughters from the church family that extends into Ripon and Manteca.
Mangelos added that diners would be enjoying the entertainment provided by folk dancers representing the many regions throughout Greece with more than 50 dancers all under 20 years old. There will also be three to six-year-olds, known as “birds” dancing the Polakia.
The special Greek meal will include a ¼ chicken with Greek Rice Pealoff covered with buttered rice and lemon juice along with chicken broth. Vegetable choice includes peas covered with slivered onions and a bit of garlic along with fresh Greek Oregano.
