35th Annual Santa Cruz Greek Festival

The Santa Cruz Greek Festival has been voted BEST STREET FESTIVAL in Santa Cruz County for many years and is one of the most eagerly anticipated community events. Come and enjoy this showcase of authentic Greek food, pastries, spirits, live Greek music, folk dancing and more! The festival is located between Cedar and Center Streets, downtown Santa Cruz.

Visitors will have a chance to taste many Greek dishes including traditional specialties like:

• Lamb Shanks with Orzo — marinated lamb shank, roasted and served with orzo pasta
• Calamari — golden fried strips of calamari, served with dipping sauce
• Greek Garlic Fries — NEW! Greek fries served with minced garlic, feta, dusted with Greek oregano
• Gyros — savory grilled meat wrapped in freshly baked pita bread, topped with a garlicky tzatziki sauce
• Tiropita — a savory pastry made with layers of buttered filo, filled with an egg and cheese mixture
• Moussaka — layers of eggplant, ground meat sauce, topped with béchamel sauce and cheese
• Vegetarian Moussaka — layers of eggplant, potatoes, zucchini, red peppers, béchamel sauce and cheese
• Pastitsio — Greek macaroni, ground meat sauce, topped with a layer of béchamel sauce and cheese
• Dolmades — ground beef, rice wrapped with grape leaves; also available vegetarian style with rice only
• Spanakopita — savory spinach and cheese filling wrapped with buttery filo pastry
• Baklava— a layered confection of nuts, honey and buttery filo
• Kourabiedes — butter cookies topped with powdered sugar
• Loukoumades — deep fried delicate puffs of pastry topped with honey syrup and nuts
• Koulourakia — small, twisted cookies excellent to dip in your coffee
• Greek Coffee — a slightly sweet, brewed on the spot, specialty Greek coffee

Enjoy live Greek music performed by The Spartan Band throughout the three-day event. Greek dancers from all over the Bay Area will be dressed in traditional costumes and performing a variety of folk dances that have been handed down for hundreds of years.

Bring the family and come live and eat like a Greek for a weekend! Please, no pets — service animals only.

For more information, visit our website, www.livelikeagreek.com.

All proceeds benefit Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church.