Greek Festival

Greece is a popular summer destination, but with recent concerns about the nation's economy and threats of a strike by air traffic controllers there, some travelers may have crossed it off the list this year. No worries. It turns out you can experience a little piece of Greece just by crossing the Bay Bridge this weekend for the 21st annual Greek Festival in Ocean City. Yes, I know it will be hard to make it all the way to Friday without calling in sick, but this fun festival is worth the wait.

Since the early 1970s, folks have flocked every fall to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation for the church's annual fall festival. They come for the music and dancing, to buy art and handicrafts and to tour the handsome 1889 church building designed by Charles E. Cassell. Yeah, right. They come for the food, and, on its 40th anniversary, the organizers have come to terms with this and have renamed the event: Formerly known as the Athenian Agora and more recently the Greek Heritage Festival, this year's edition is called the Greek Food Festival . Some visitors stay above ground on Preston Street for the gyros, souvlaki, fried calamari and slow-roasted legs of lamb.

Where are you dining this weekend? Keep your eye on the Twitter box on the right of Baltimore Diner. I'll be retweeting specials throughout the weekend. Here's what caught my eye. Chazz opens, softly, tonight. Ocean City Restaurant Week continues through next Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday atOregon Ridge, it's Great Grapes, a family-friendly wine, arts and food festival, featuring 20 Maryland Wineries. Sounds like fun. The Greek Folk Festival is runing all weekend at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.

Atlantic City Food Network's Food and Wine Festival Food Network personality Guy Fieri is coming to Atlantic City. And he's hosting the "Cheese Steak Battle. " It's all part of the Food Network's Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival, which runs Friday through Sunday. Fieri isn't the only one coming to town, however. It's the whole Food Network bunch: Pat and Gina Neely will be there. So will Sunny Anderson of "Cooking for Real" and Robert Irvine of "Kitchen Impossible.

The law that governs the kitchen of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation is direct: No culinary prima donnas allowed. It's a place were flying fingers and fast feet win out. How else could all those aluminum trays of cookies and delicacies be mass-produced for this weekend's Greek festival and bazaar, the annual event where the insiders know that the signature dishes vanish early? It begins at 11 a.m. today. "I want everything here to taste like you're in Greece, facing the Aegean with mountains at your back," said head confectioner Alice Ioannou, who then issued a three-word imperative to her pastry-makers: "Butter.

You can't cook up a Greek festival and bazaar overnight. So the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society spent days, even weeks, making thousands of pastries by hand for this weekend's Annapolis Greek Festival - the annual three-day June event held at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. "Greeks embrace you through food, through music and through life, and this is almost like coming into a family," said Frances Chumley, 44, who coordinates the festival's media and serves as the church school PTA president.

It's summertime in Baltimore, at least judging by the temperature, and that means it's festival time. The city's series of ethnic festivals kicks off tomorrow and continues into early fall.The festivals are a chance for the area's ethnic communities to celebrate their heritage and for others to join in. It's a tradition that's been going on for decades in Baltimore.This year will mark the 45th anniversary of the Greek Folk Festival, one of three fests going on this weekend. The others are the Polish Festival, which takes place in Patterson Park, and the Italian Festival, in Little Italy near the Church of St. Leo the Great.

CLARIFICATION A photo caption in Monday's Maryland section referred to the Athenian Agora Greek Festival at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation as "the biggest Greek festival in the city." It turns out that that superlative is contested, and adjudicating the matter is beyond our scope.

Classic Filmfest 2000 Meet the people who made suspense, sci-fi and horror all too real this weekend at Classic Filmfest 2000 in Arlington, Va. Actors such as Janet Leigh ("Psycho") and Kevin McCarthy ("Invasion of the Body Snatchers") will discuss the films that made them stars. The cult-film convention includes an awards ceremony for classic films and screenings of new flicks such as "Attack of the Bat Monster." Vendors will sell posters, magazines, films and memorabilia. The film festival runs tomorrow through Sunday at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway in Arlington, Va. Daily passes $20 at door.

In Baltimore City Two people injured in fire at Federal Street rowhouse Two people were hospitalized after their East Baltimore rowhouse caught fire early yesterday, city fire officials said. Firefighters were called to the 2900 of E. Federal St. about 12:50 a.m., responded in five minutes and had the blaze under control eight minutes after arriving, said spokesman Kevin Cartwright of the Fire Department. A 67-year-old man who lived in the home was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center with first- and second-degree burns to more than 30 percent of his body, Cartwright said.

Baltimore transportation officials warned residents of road closures along West 36th Street in Hampden on Saturday and Sunday, as the neighborhood hosts the annual Honfest celebration. The Baltimore neighborhood's main drag, also known as The Avenue, will be closed to traffic between Falls Road and Chestnut Avenue all day Saturday through 10 p.m. Sunday, according to the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. Intersections along that stretch of 36th Street will be closed as well, and traffic will not be allowed to cross.

Where are you dining this weekend? Keep your eye on the Twitter box on the right of Baltimore Diner. I'll be retweeting specials throughout the weekend. Here's what caught my eye. Chazz opens, softly, tonight. Ocean City Restaurant Week continues through next Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday atOregon Ridge, it's Great Grapes, a family-friendly wine, arts and food festival, featuring 20 Maryland Wineries. Sounds like fun. The Greek Folk Festival is runing all weekend at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.

Roland Park Country School — Roland Avenue and Deepdene Road, hosts "A Day to Play," a neighborhood softball tournament, June 11, 3-7 p.m., sponsored by the Greater Homewood Community Corp. Enter your own team of up to 15 players for $250. Includes entry into round-robin games, team tee shirts, water bottles, food, activities for children, music and other entertainment. Call Katie McNeely at 410-261-3507 or email her at kmcneely@greaterhomewood.org . Centerstage — 700 N. Calvert St.,, presents "The Stoop Summer Live Radio Show," featuring "Stories of Holy and Unholy Matrimony," June 9-11, 7 p.m. Includes cocktails and live music by the Bellevederes at 8 p.m. Admission for the show is $20. Call 410-332-0033 or go to http://www.centerstage.org.

Greece is a popular summer destination, but with recent concerns about the nation's economy and threats of a strike by air traffic controllers there, some travelers may have crossed it off the list this year. No worries. It turns out you can experience a little piece of Greece just by crossing the Bay Bridge this weekend for the 21st annual Greek Festival in Ocean City. Yes, I know it will be hard to make it all the way to Friday without calling in sick, but this fun festival is worth the wait.

A 22-year-old woman was injured early Saturday after a vehicle fleeing police drove onto the sidewalk after the second night of the Greek folk festival, police said. Police were called to the 4800 block of Eastern Ave. about 2 a.m. after a woman said a man who made a lewd comment at her pulled out a handgun and pointed it at her and her boyfriend, according to an incident report. As witnesses notified security for the Greek Folk Festival, the man and three others fled in a 1999 BMW. With the 500 block of S. Ponca St. closed to traffic because of the festival, the car veered onto the sidewalk and up a ramp in front of St. Nicholas Church.

May Ocean City Restaurant Week. Various locations. 800-626-2326 or oceancityrestaurantweek.com. May 31-June 6. Weeklong culinary event lets guests enjoy fine Ocean City cuisine at fixed prices at various, participating restaurants. Reservations are recommended. $20 for two-course meals; $30 for three-course meals. June Council of Baltimore Ravens Roosts Annual Parade. 19th Street and Baltimore Avenue to 26th Street and Baltimore Avenue. 443-618-5130 or councilrr.

Greek Festival in O.C. Sample Greek delicacies such as moussaka, spinach pies, pastichio and baklava tomorrow through Sunday at the 12th annual Greek Festival at the Ocean City Convention Center. Then work off the calories by testing your skills in Greek dancing to music provided by the Zephyros Orchestra. If you prefer to stand on the sideline, you can cheer on Greek folk dancers in colorful costumes. And you can browse displays of Greek imports and gift items. There's also plenty of children's entertainment.

MAY CRUISIN' OCEAN CITY -- Convention Center, 40th Street and the bay, Inlet Parking Lot / 410-798-6304 or specialeventpro.com. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. today-Saturday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. A car show featuring hot rods, custom-built models, classics and muscle cars. There will be live entertainment, parades, vendors and more. $10 admission; free for children younger than 14 accompanied by an adult. JUNE OCEAN CITY RESTAURANT WEEK -- June 1-8. Participating restaurants will offer a fixed-price, three-course dinner for $30. (Alcohol, gratuity and tax are not included.

CLARIFICATION A photo caption in Monday's Maryland section referred to the Athenian Agora Greek Festival at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation as "the biggest Greek festival in the city." It turns out that that superlative is contested, and adjudicating the matter is beyond our scope.