SACO — If you didn’t get your baklava fix at the St. Demetrios Greek Festival in July, you have a second chance at the church’s annual Bazaar this weekend.

The Greek Bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 186 Bradley St., Saco. Frozen savory dishes and breads need to be ordered ahead of time online until Nov. 15.

Traditional Greek pastries will be available for purchase in-person the day of the event. Selections will include the always popular baklava – phyllo dough layered with walnuts, spices, and honey syrup; paximathia, a Greek version of biscotti with walnuts and cinnamon, kourambiethes, butter cookies rolled in powdered sugar, as well as other types of cookies, cakes and sweet bread.

Baklava is always a popular item at the Greek Bazaar in Saco. SBN STAFF/LIZ GOTTHELF

 

A team of dedicated bakers have been working countless hours to make the delicacies – including about 1,000 pieces of baklava, said parishioner Vanja Somerville.

“Everything is made here, at the church. We’re blessed with a commercial kitchen,” she said.

Many of the volunteers have been baking for the church sales for years, and some are following the footsteps of their mothers. On Monday, the women chatted amiably and worked together as a well-oiled machine, expertly cutting up baklava into triangles and arranging the individual pieces on trays.

“This is a family here,” said Paula Arabatzis, wife of parish priest Basil Arabatzis. The annual bazaar has been a church tradition for decades, she said.

The sale is run by The Ladies of St. Fotini, a church group that supports the needs of the church as well as many charitable efforts. The group partners with local schools to provide warm winter clothing to children in need, runs a scholarship fund, helps children of the parish go to summer camp, and donates to the Ronald McDonald House and local food pantries.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.