Thirty-third annual Greek festival starts Thursday

The 33nd annual Greek Glendi Festival at St. Barbara Orthodox Church opens today and runs through Sunday. It’s a celebration of Greek culture, and every year Greeks and non-Greeks from around the Bradenton area make a point of attending.

Almost everyone loved Greek food, and the glendi features four full days of such familiar favorites as gyros and moussaka, along with more obscure but equally delicious dishes: taramosalata and saganaki are among the menu items at the Glendi.

Greek music and dancing are also a big part of the glendi. Dancers will offer more than 20 styles of traditional Greek dance, including syrtos, kalamatianos, hassapikos and syrtaki.

Vendors will offer Greek jewelry, clothing, cooking utensils, cheese and olive oil.

Admission is only $4 for the entire festival. If you want to on Thursday only, you can get in free, but you’re asked to make a donation to Mothers Helping Mothers, a Sarasota-based all volunteer not-for-profit organization that provides basic necessities such as clothing and baby items free of charge to families in need.

Among the new features this year are the Greek Tycoons band from Ohio and a wine tasting on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Details: Feb. 9-12, St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, 7671 N. Lockwood Ridge Road, East Manatee. Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: Free Thursday (donations for Mothers Helping Mothers accepted), $4 Friday-Sunday. Children under 12 free. Information: 941-355-2616, bradentonorthodox.com.

This story was originally published February 8, 2017 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Thirty-third annual Greek festival starts Thursday."