(Festival Dancing)(Festival Dancing 2)
The annual Lebanese Food Festival of Richmond, Virginia has been hosted by St. Anthony’s Maronite Church for the past 25 years and is celebrating its 25th year in May, 2009. The festival is held from May 15 th to May 17 th at St. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church . The festival is open for the public to enjoy Lebanese culture and tradition throughout the weekend.
The festival features a variety of Lebanese food, drinks, deserts, folk music, and dancing. Some of the famous foods featured at the festival are Homus Bi Tahini ( A blend of chick peas, delicately flavored with sesame oil, lemon juice, and Middle East spices), Shish Kabob (Tender chunks of marinated beef, alternated with tomato, green pepper, onion and broiled on a skewer, served over a bed of rice), Stuffed Squash ( A squash stuffed with rice, diced beef, tomato, spices, and cooked in tomato sauce), Shawirma (A sliced tender strips of beef or chicken, marinated in a multitude of Middle East Spices, broiled on an open flame and served With Tahini sauce on pita bread), Fflafel ( Vegetable patties made of fava beans, chick peas, onions, parsley, and multitude of spices, served with lettuce, tomatoes, and Tahini sauce on pita bread), and Yogurt and Cucumber Cold Salad (Diced cucumbers, mashed with garlic, salt, and green mint mixed with yogurt served chilled). In addition to these delicious homemade dishes, the festival is also known for its l arge assortment of Lebanese pastries and sweets. Although this annual food festival brings thousands of people each year to enjoy delicious food and drinks, it also presents the Lebanese culture and traditions to others through their music and dancing.
Lebanese Food Festival
St. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church
4611 Sadler Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
(804)-270-7234
Source:
St. Anthony’s Maronite Catholic Church website
Profile prepared by Salem Mengistu
April, 2009
