Onondaga Hill, NY -- Sure there’s music at the St. Elias Middle Eastern Cultural Festival, and there’s a also a marktplace, called a souk, selling items like jewelry, CDs, books and religious tokens.
But it’s the food that’s the major attraction. Savories like shish kebabs, kibbee, hashwi, hummus, grape leaves and tabouli set the stage for sweets like baklawa, zalaby and mamoul cookies.
The lines can be long, but they move quickly. And parking is free, too.
WHAT: St. Elias Middle Eastern Cultural Festival.
WHEN: 4 to 10 p.m. Friday; noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.
WHERE: St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, 4988 Onondaga Road, Onondaga Hill (at Howlett Hill Road).
ADMISSION: Admission is free. Food is available for purchases, as are items in the souk, or marketplace.