This year's International Festival will be held on Saturday, December 8th, from 9 AM - 4 PM at St. George Orthodox Church, 704 W. Sam Houston Ave., Pharr, TX.

A Winter Texan and Family-Friendly Event. Festival Admission, Parking and Entertainment are Free of Charge. This Fundraising Event Features the SALE of International foods, soups and ethnic baked goods, including the church’s famous homemade baklava, baked goods, piroghies, spanikopita, cabbage rolls, stuffed grape leaves and much more. 

* The Russian Tea and Coffee Shoppe features gourmet teas, coffees & cold drinks plus homemade baked goods, candy and confections.

* The Greek Grill serves skewers of beef & vegetable plus lamb souvlaki.

* International Specialty Food Booths include favorites from Greece, Lebanon and Eastern Europe.

* Hot Soups & Ready-to-eat Refrigerated items plus Frozen Take-home foods from around the world 

* Quality Arts and Crafts, Icons and Books,  plus gift items will be available for purchase, as well as handmade St. George Soaps, toiletries, Monastery Made Beeswax Candles and gourmet St. George Magnificent Mustards, Homestyle Preserves, Herb & Fruited Vinegars & other culinary herbal products.

* Children’s Christmas activities run throughout the day, as well as scheduled Church Tours.

* Entertainment Includes: Celtic Harp, Eastern European Christmas Carols and International Folk Dancing scheduled throughout the day.

 The event also features a raffle, with tickets costing only $2.00 each. Raffle prizes include a 42” flat-screen TV, a homemade quilt and many other items.

 The festival is also the annual “Give a Can; Get a Cookie” food drive for St. George Food Pantry. The food pantry has served over 60,000 hungry people since it began in 2004. Please bring donations of cash, canned goods, coats, blankets or toys and receive a free cookie as a thank you.

 Call to Pre-Order Baklava & Other Ethnic Specialty Foods Anytime After November 17th.

See photos and learn more about our past International Festivals in sections below.

 Click here to download the Festival Flyer

 

The Annual International Festival will take place on Saturday, December 10th, 2011 from 9 AM - 4:00 PM. The event will include Free Entry, Free Entertainment, Free Church Tours with Food and Gift Items FOR SALE - This is a Church Fundraiser. God willing, we will have our NEW CHURCH HALL so we will be able to better serve our guests and participants.

IF leftover food is available, these food leftovers only will be sold on Sunday, December 11th after Church Services are over, only from 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM. 

On Festival Day Saturday, our Raffle Ticket Drawing will be held at 3:35 PM. Winners do not have to be present. We look forward to another festival year with even more of the foods of the world, as well as fine music, dancing, gift and craft items, children's activities and much more. Many thanks to those who have attended, participated and supported our International Festival in past years. Check back for additional details just as soon as they become available.

More Details:

On Saturday, December 10, 2011 from 9 AM until 4 PM, St. George Orthodox Church located at 704 W. Sam Houston in Pharr, Texas will once again be hosting its annual family-friendly and Winter Texan Welcoming International Festival. Come and see our New Church Hall which will better accommodate our guests!

This holiday event and Parish Fundraiser includes Free Admission, Free Entertainment & Free Church Tours. Our International Booth Food Items for Sale include: Baklava & International Baked Goods and International (Frozen) Foods To Take Home, including Piroghies, Cabbage Rolls, Pastitsio, Spanikopita, Tiropita, Dolmadas (Stuffed Grape Leaves) and more.

Ethnic Food Booths and beverages to enjoy on-site include: The Russian Tea & Coffee Shoppe, The Greek Grill & Souvlaki, Ukrainian & Russian Cuisine, Greek Cuisine, Ethiopian Cuisine & Coffee plus Mexican Food & Beverages & International Soups.

Besides food items, the event includes various quality international Arts, Crafts, Icons and Gift Booths. St. George Homemade Soap, St. George Herbal Products, including homemade Magnificent Mustards, Herbal Honeys and Pepper Jellies, plus Handmade Beeswax Candles will all be available.

In addition, Children’s Holiday Activities and Storytelling will be available, as well as various Musical and International Dance Performances. Once again, the “real” St. Nicholas will also appear! Have your or your children’s photo taken with our own St. Nick.

The day also serves to support our very busy St. George Food Pantry’s Annual Fundraiser. St. George Food Pantry has served well over 50,000 hungry people in this area over the last few years. So, “Give a Can; Get a Cookie” – bring cash, canned goods, new or lightly used coats and jackets, children's clothing or toys and blankets – and receive a complementary cookie thank you.

A Raffle Drawing will conclude the day’s events. Tickets are only $2.00 and one does not have to be present to win. Prized include a 42” Plasma Flat Screen TV, Kindle Reader, DVD, 35 MM Digital Camera, Museum of South Texas History Tickets, Valley Symphony Orchestra Tickets and much more!

Baklava & Specialty Food Item Pre-Orders are Welcomed. See the link to our price list on the top of this page. For More Information, Call: Fr. Antonio Perdomo at 956-781-6114.  

See A Photo Set of Pre-Festival Cooking & Preparations at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/sets/72157625233387559/

2011 International Festival: Tentative Venues & Booths
        
1. Ticket & Information Booth – Pay Here for Specialty Booths Requiring Tickets; Get Maps & Information (Tickets Required in Booths Noted Below)
2. St. George Food Pantry – “Give a Can; Get a Cookie”-Make Generous Cash & Canned Goods Donations Here (Plus New & Lightly Used Blankets, Toys, Jackets & Coats
3. St. George Church – Church & History Tours; See Schedule (Free of Charge)
4. St. Nicholas Children’s Corner; Christmas Crafts & Storytelling for Children (Tickets)
5. Alisha Shipley's International Arts & Crafts (Cash, Checks, Credit Cards)*
6. St. George Bookstore: Religious, Bookstore, Icons, Handmade Jewelry & Many International Gift Items (Cash, Checks, Credit Cards)*
7. New Hall/Church Kitchen:  International Soups & Hot Specialty Foods to Eat Here or To Go! (Tickets)
8. New Hall/Main Section – International Baked Goods, Baklava & Specialty Foods; Some Frozen (Cash, Checks, Credit Cards or Tickets)*
9. Russian Tea & Coffee Shoppe – Specialty Gourmet Hot & Cold Beverages; International Baked Goods & Confections & More; Enjoy Here or To Go! (Cash, Checks or Tickets)
10.  Raffle Tickets & Items – Buy $2.00/Tickets. Drawing at 3:45 PM. You are not required to be present;  we will call winners! (Cash or Checks for Purchase of Special Raffle Tickets) Raffle Prizes Include: 42” Flatscreen Plasma TV, Kodak Digital Camera, Kindle Reader, DVD Player, Museum of South Texas History & Valley Symphony Orchestra Entry Passes, Gift Baskets & More!
11. Ukrainian & Russian Specialty Food Booth, including Ukrainian/Russian Blini Pancakes (Tickets Required)
12. Ethiopian Specialty Food Booth & Ethiopian Coffee (Tickets Required)
13. Greek Specialty Food Booth & Greek Coffee (Tickets Required)
14. St. George Soap – Handmade Olive Oil & Herbal Soaps & Handcrafted Toiletries (Cash, Checks, Credit Cards or Tickets) *
15. Monastery Made Candles – Beeswax Tapers, Votives, Tea Lights & Decorative Candles
       (Cash, Checks, Credit Cards or Tickets)*
16. St. George Culinary Herbs – Homestyle Jelly & Jam, Magnificent Mustards, Herb & Spice Honeys, Sugar & Spice Culinary Sugars, Raspberry & Herbal Vinegars, Herbal Cooking Salts, Herbal Bath Salts & Toiletries (Cash, Checks, Credit Cards or Tickets)*
17. Greek Grill – Lamb & Beef Souvlaki Skewers, Greek Chicken, Grilled Sausages (Tickets Required)
18. Pan de Campo – Homemade Special State Bread of Texas (Tickets Required)
19. Tex-Mex Specialties – Empanadas, Enchiladas & Much More (Tickets Required)
20. Mexican Specialties – Mexican & Tex/Mex Foods & Beverages (Tickets Required)
21. Covered Tables & Chairs – Relax & Enjoy Our Food, Drinks & Entertainment!
22. St. George’s Stage – International Folk Dancing, Folkloric Dancing, Celtic Harp, Musical Performances, International Carols & More! (Free of Charge)
23. Portable Restroom Facilities  (Unisex) 
24. Indoor Restroom Facilities (Mens & Womens)
25. Children’s Playground
26. Chuck’s Wood Shack – Hand Carved Mesquite Crosses & More (Cash & Checks)
27. Divina Natural Skin Products & LIMU Nutritional Seaweed by Sheila Jacaman (Cash & Checks)
28. Crosscrafter Handmade Crosses - Daniel Rudder

  *Cash, Checks or Credit Card Purchases All Welcomed at Major Venues Noted Above
 

La Iglesia Ortodoxa San Jorge, el Gran Mártir, anuncia el Festival Internacional anual, que se llevará a cabo el sabado 10 de diciembre de 2011, de las 9 de la mañana a 4 de la tarde en nuestras instalaciones en 704 W. Sam Houston, Pharr, Texas.

 Es un evento para toda la familia. Tanto la admisión como la diversión son gratis. Nuestro festival tambien ofrece comida internacional, sopas, pastelería y repostería de diferentes partes del mundo, incluyendo nuestro famoso baklava hecho en casa

 

· El Café Ruso ofrece café y té gourmet, pastelería, dulces, y repostería hechos en casa.

· La Parrilla Griega estará sirviendo souvlaki y fajitas, así como Pan de Campo

· Especialidades favoritas que incluyen comida de Ucrania y Rusia, Etiopía, Grecia, y México.

· Artes y artesanías de calidad, así como jabones hechos a mano, artículos de tocador, velas de cera de abeja, y hierbas finas para cocina.

· Actividades de Navidad para niños durante todo el día, así como visitas guiadas a la Iglesia.

· Parte del entretenimiento incluye Arpa Celta, Villancicos de Europa del Este, y Danzas internacionales.

 El evento también incluye una rifa.  El costo de los boletos es de $2.  Los premios incluyen, entre otros, una television plana de 42”, reproductor de DVD, una Kindle Reader, una cámara digital, y mas.  

 

“Dona una lata, recibe una galleta”: El festival también sirve para recaudar alimentos para nuestra “Despensa de San Jorge”. La despensa de alimentos ha servido a más de 50,000 personas desde que se inició en 2004. Ayúdenos donando alimentos, abrigos, cobijas, juguetes, o dinero en efectivo, y reciba una galleta en agradecimiento.

 

Contacto: Padre Antonio Perdomo

Teléfono/Fax: 956-781-6114

Email: padreantoniop@aol.com