Downtown Toledo ready to get its Greek on

The Ellinopeda dancers perform at the 41st Annual Greek American Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Friday, Sept. 9, 2011, in Toledo, Ohio.

The Blade/Jeremy Wadsworth
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The Ellinopeda dancers perform at the 41st Annual Greek American Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Friday, Sept. 9, 2011, in Toledo, Ohio.

The 43rd annual Greek-American festival kicks off Friday on the very northern edge of downtown Toledo and runs until Sunday. As always, the event will feature a wide array of Greek food, music, dancers, cultural educational events, and fun activities.

The festival starts unofficially at 11 a.m. Friday as downtown denizens traipse north to the Food Tent, which will have a complete a la carte menu from 11 to 2 p.m., along with beer, gyros, and pastries. Platters will be available starting at 4 p.m.

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The Boutique, Cultural, Jewelry, Religious, and Coffee areas also will open at 11 and all other booths outside will open at 3 p.m.

This year’s Food Tent will feature three dinner platters for $11 each throughout the festival and among the offerings will be moussaka, spanakopita, tiropitas, pastichio, pork souvlaki, lamb shanks, saganaki, and dolmathes.

Members of the Hellenic Dance Company will perform each day at the following times: Friday, 5:30, 7:30, and 9; Saturday, 4, 7, and 8:30; and Sunday, 2, 3, and 5.

Becky Skiadas makes flaming cheese at the 41st Annual Greek American Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Friday, Sept. 9, 2011, in Toledo, Ohio.

The Community Center will be host to three lectures on Greek language and Culture: Friday at 8 p.m. “Mythbusters: Greek Myths Explored” with Phyllis Manton; Saturday at 4:30 p.m. “Modern Greek Made Easy” with Dawn Anagnos and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Vasiliki Leontis will present “The Greek Origins of Medical Ethics.”

The Taverna beer tent will have large-screen televisions with football games playing throughout the festival.

Adult admission is free on Friday from 11 to 3 and $5 after 3 Friday and $5 all day Saturday. Children 12 and younger are free when accompanied by an adult. Sunday is Family Day with adult admission $2.

The entrances for the festival are at Walnut and Superior streets and at Summit and Walnut. Parking is available throughout the neighborhood and at the Vistula Garage (Superior and Orange streets).

Information: toledogreekfest.com.