The sights, flavors and traditions of Greece will return to Clarksburg this September as St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church prepares to host its 2026 Greek Street Food Festival.

The festival is scheduled for Friday, September 11th, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, located at 1010 Factory St. in Clarksburg’s Summit Park Addition.

The annual event gives residents and visitors an opportunity to enjoy authentic Greek food while supporting the local church and celebrating the Greek culture and traditions that have long been part of the Clarksburg community.

This year’s menu will feature gyro dinners and chicken souvlaki dinners. Each dinner includes a Greek salad, bag of chips, baklava and a drink.

Those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth will have additional options available for purchase, including baklava and koulourakia, traditional Greek cookies. Frappes will also be available for those looking to enjoy a popular Greek-style coffee beverage.

The festival has become a local favorite for those looking to experience traditional Greek cuisine without having to travel far from home. Whether stopping by for lunch, picking up dinner for the family or simply grabbing a Greek dessert, the event will offer several ways to enjoy a taste of Greece right here in Clarksburg.

Kostaki Alex, festival chairman, said the Greek Street Food Festival is about much more than serving food. It provides an opportunity for St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church to welcome the community while sharing its culture, traditions and faith.

“The Greek Street Food Festival is really about hospitality, fellowship and community. In the Greek tradition, gathering around a table and sharing food is one of the most natural ways we welcome people into our lives, and the festival gives St. Spyridon an opportunity to extend that hospitality to the entire community. Of course, we want people to enjoy some great Greek food, but our hope is that they experience something more. St. Spyridon has been part of the Clarksburg community for generations, and this is an opportunity to open our doors, meet our neighbors and share a little of our Greek heritage and Orthodox Christian faith with them,” Alex said.

Alex said organizers hope visitors leave with more than just an appreciation for the food.

“Our hope is that people leave with full stomachs, but also with a sense that they were genuinely welcomed. We hope visitors leave feeling not simply like guests, but like part of our extended parish family.”

Now entering its 24th year, the Greek Street Food Festival continues a much longer tradition of St. Spyridon sharing Greek food, culture and hospitality with the Clarksburg community.

“St. Spyridon has a long history of bringing Greek food, culture and hospitality to the Clarksburg community. Over the years, our food events have evolved, and the Greek Street Food Festival is a fun and approachable way to continue that tradition. The concept is simple: serve some of the Greek street foods people know and love, prepare them well, and create an atmosphere where families and friends can come together and enjoy themselves. For someone who has never attended, you don’t need to know anything about Greek food, Greek culture or our church to come. That’s part of what makes the festival special — everyone is welcome,” Alex said.

Alex said the concept behind the festival remains simple: prepare traditional Greek favorites and provide a place where people can gather and enjoy themselves.

“If you’ve never been to St. Spyridon’s Greek Street Food Festival, this is a great year to give it a try. You can expect freshly prepared gyros and chicken souvlaki, a welcoming atmosphere, and plenty of Greek hospitality,” Alex said.

“But we’d also encourage people to look around, meet some of our parishioners and learn a little about St. Spyridon and our Orthodox Christian faith while they’re here.

Visitors are also encouraged to take some time during the festival to meet parishioners and learn more about the church.

“You don’t have to be Greek, and you certainly don’t have to be Orthodox. Our doors are open to everyone. At the end of the day, that’s what we want this festival to be: good food, good fellowship and an opportunity for our neighbors throughout North Central West Virginia to come together.

Alex said organizers hope those experiencing the festival for the first time will ultimately become regular visitors.

“We hope someone who visits for the first time this year becomes someone we see again next year — or even sooner.”

Putting together the festival requires significant work behind the scenes, with parishioners volunteering their time to prepare, cook and serve the food.

“There is a tremendous amount of work that happens behind the scenes. Our parishioners volunteer their time to prepare, cook and serve the food, and there is a real sense of fellowship that develops in the kitchen and throughout the church as everyone works together.”

This year, the festival will highlight two Greek classics — gyros and chicken souvlaki, or kabobs along with another longtime favorite.

“They are simple foods in many ways, but Greek cooking is about getting those simple things right — simple ingredients, traditional flavors, and serving everything fresh,” Alex said. “And, of course, we can’t have a Greek food festival without our homemade baklava! It’s something people look forward to every year, and we know many people come specifically for our baklava. It’s become a tradition of its own and is always one of the favorites.

Alex said the work that goes into preparing the festival also reflects traditions that have been passed down through generations.

“There is also something very traditional about the way the work itself is done. Greek food has always been tied to family, faith and community. Recipes and techniques are shared from one generation to another, people work side by side, and everyone has an opinion about the “right” way to make something! That spirit is very much alive at St. Spyridon.”

Additional information about the 2026 Greek Street Food Festival is available at WVGreekFestival.com. For those wishing to pre-order online, ordering opens today! Please visit WVGreekFestival.com to place your order. Phone pre-orders will be accepted starting Friday, Aug. 28.