Greek Goods

If you missed last weekend's Serbian Festival, don't panic; a Balkan good time can still be had at the Greek Festival this Labor Day weekend. St. Louis' largest ethnic shindig (30,000-40,000 revelers are expected) will feature music, folk dancing, gifts, beer, wine and — most essential for the bon vivant — mountains of homemade victualage. There will, for example, be 15,000 shish kebabs alone.

The good women of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church have been slaving over hot pans of galatoboureko (custard baked in phyllo) and pastitsio (a sort of Greek lasagne) since May. Other Greek specialties include souvlakia (grilled lamb kebabs), moussaka (a layered eggplant-and-ground-beef dish), spanakopita (spinach in phyllo), lemon chicken and lamb shanks. If that doesn't fill you up, hit the deli line for gyros and Greek salad, or visit the Olympic-size pastry table, where hundreds of trays of baklava, korambietages (butter cookies) and other Aegean bonbons await your tender embrace.

Admission is free, and a full-course dinner won't set you back more than 8 bucks.

The Greek Festival runs this weekend at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 4967 Forest Park Blvd., from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4-Monday, Sept. 6. Free parking is available at the BJC garage across the street on Forest Park Boulevard.