With a 3,000-year history, Armenia is one of the world’s longest surviving cultures and its traditions are kept alive by Armenian communities around the world. In Milwaukee, Armenian Fest has long been the local community’s gateway event. The annual festival returns this Sunday, July 17.

Food is one of the festival’s attractions. Although similar in some respects to the cooking of Greece and other Eastern Mediterranean nations, Armenian cuisine includes many unique dishes and often draws from a different array of spices and ingredients than its neighbors. At Armenian Fest, the menu items are homemade from old family recipes and includes chicken and beef kabobs, bureks, lahmajoon (a pizza-like dish served on thin tortilla dough), sarma and an array of baklava and other desserts. And in this inflationary time, prices remain reasonable.

Along with food, there will be dance performances, cultural displays, church tours and live traditional music by Racine’s Mid-East Beat.

 Armenian Fest takes place 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, July 17 at St. John the Baptist Armenian Orthodox Church, 7825 W. Layton Ave. Parking and admission are free.

https://shepherdexpress.com/culture/happening-now/shish-kabob-music-and-more-at-armenian-fest/