St. Anthony of the Desert 2022 Lebanese food festival offers feast - Fall River Herald News

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FALL RIVER — Make sure to bring your appetite to St. Anthony of the Desert Church's Lebanese mahrajan.

After being scaled back last year, the food festival is back up to full force and will be happening over three days starting Friday, Aug. 26, at the church at 300 N. Eastern Ave.

There menu will feature beef and chicken shish kabob, baked and raw kibbeh, grape leaves, falafel sandwiches, tabbouleh, hummus, baba ghanoush, and shawarma, among many other offerings, said the church's pastor, Monsignor James Root.

For anyone, including kids, who might have something of a shy palate, Root noted that they would also be selling hot dogs.

"And then we have all kinds of sweets this year," Root said.

Among the dessert offerings are: baklava with walnuts, pistachio bird's nests, ghraybeh (butter cookies) and nammoura (wheat cakes).

"And then we have ashtaa, which is cream-filled phyllo drizzled with simple syrup, and we garnish it with strawberries. It's a nice, refreshing dessert," said Root.

Food orders can be eat-in or takeout.

They'll also have a full bar, serving Lebanese wine and beers.

There will also be raffles at this year's festival, according to a Facebook event post.

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For entertainment, there will be Arabic and American music, with a DJ, and on Friday and Saturday, Mitchell Kaltsunas will be performing.

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The Khoury Girls will also be performing at this year's festival. Daughters of former Fall River School Committee member and longtime Durfee educator Thomas Khoury, their family are St. Anthony parishioners.

"They're very, very talented young ladies," Root said. "They're professionals and they always help at the parish. They're a wonderful family."

This year's festival will also include activities for kids.

"Everyone always has a good time at the festival," Root said.

Rain or shine, the festival will be taking place under tents:

• Friday, Aug. 26, from 5 to 11 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 27, from noon to 11 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Admission and parking are free, and the menu will be extensive.

For more information about the Mahrajan, visit St. Anthony of the Desert Church's Facebook page, their website at https://sao.church, or call the rectory at 508-672-7653.

Herald News/Taunton Daily Gazette copy editor and digital producer Kristina Fontes can be reached at kfontes@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette today.