Weekend Greek food fair, bazaar steeped in tradition

By Pete Fontaine
Posted 11/8/16

The Church of the Annunciation has a time-honored tradition that will be celebrated in several forms this weekend at 175 Oaklawn Avenue in Cranston. Officially, it's the Holiday Bazaar & Greek Food Fair that began many years ago when

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Weekend Greek food fair, bazaar steeped in tradition

Posted

The Church of the Annunciation has a time-honored tradition that will be celebrated in several forms this weekend at 175 Oaklawn Avenue in Cranston.

Officially, it’s the Holiday Bazaar & Greek Food Fair that began many years ago when Helen Pappas was a young woman and her father, Rev. Peter G. Mihailides, was pastor when the church was located off Pine Street in Providence.

Now, Pappas, 95, still enjoys the two-day unique holiday shopping spree and food fest chaired by her daughter, Georgia Pappas, and presented by the Greek Orthodox Parish’s Good Samaritan Ladies Philoptochos Society.

This weekend’s Holiday Bazaar & Greek Food Fair will begin Saturday, Nov. 12) at 10 a.m. and run through 9 p.m. inside the Rev. Peter G. Mihailides Center. Sunday’s (Nov. 13) hours are 11:30 a.m.

As history has it, the Philopotochos Society membership continues to produce and present the fun and food-filled event the same way their elders did many, many moons ago.

“We’ve been baking and planning for weeks,” Georgia Pappas said. “That’s has been a tradition at our parish for every food-oriented event we host. It’s much the way we prepare for our annual [Cranston] Greek Festival that’s held in September but on a smaller scale.”

However, this weekend’s event will have plenty of the always-popular Greek pastries – as well as delicious dinners – that have become a tasty tradition at any and all Church of the Annunciation food-related events.

Add to that a variety of knitted handcrafts like hats, sweaters and other items as well as a Christmas boutique featuring mega decorations to a silent auction that will feature sports memorabilia and tickets as well as paintings and many other interesting items.

Pappas said there will also be a jewelry booth offering fine and costume jewelry along with necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

One of the two-day event’s most popular items is the “Day Raffle” that people purchase tickets for then drop in a canister in hopes of winning such prizes that range from restaurant gift certificates to wine baskets and specialty gift baskets by way of a lottery drawing.

The 2016 Holiday Bazaar and Greek Food Fair will also have a Pastry Shoppe and Taverna were people can enjoy dinners like lamb, souvlaki, roasted chicken, pastitsio and the always-popular gyro sandwich.

“We want people to know we’ll have our famous rice pudding,” Pappas said of the item that’s always sold out at other parish-related events. “We’ll also have baklava, diples and other Greek specialty pastries.”

When the event’s over, the Ladies Philoptochos Society will again spread its wealth and make donations to such groups like Amos House, Bradley Hospital, Meeting Street School, Hasbro Children’s Hospital,. Elizabeth Buffum Chace House, RI Shriners, Ronald McDonald House and the St. Basils Academy, an orphanage/school for Greek children located in Garrison, NY.

“Philoptochos means ‘Friends of the Poor,’” Pappas explained. “We are proud of our Greek heritage and culture and want to share it with our neighbors. We also enjoy working hard to present this event in hopes of continuing our tradition of helping people in need no matter what the time of year.” Cutlines for pix on sheets slugged 11-16-15 806

BAZAAR 1 IMG 4932

PERFECT PRESENTS:

Shoppers who take in this weekend’s Holiday Bazaar & Greek Food Fair at the Church of the Annunciation will find plenty of smiling faces, Greek pastry and foods, and a variety of quality items for that special Christmas gift. Ladies like Josie Aliferakis, Karen Dragger and Mary Pereira of the Good Samaritan Philoptochos Society will also offer their help. (BAZAAR 2 IMG 4937

CLASSIC CHEF:

Harry Bablenis, the head chef for any and all Church of the Annunciation food related events, will be on hand this weekend lending his talents in the kitchen to prepare such popular dishes as Greek souvlaki and lamb dinners and the gyro sandwich.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here