As the sun set over a lively crowd, singer Said Abi Akl and his band serenaded dancers and festival-goers with songs by Fares Karam and Marwan Khoury on Saturday, Sept. 13. Dabke groups moved to the upbeat, celebratory music while others nearby feasted on shawarma, falafel and baklava or browsed Lebanese souvenirs such as cedar tree necklaces, decorative hookah magnets and hip scarves.
This year marks the 58th anniversary of the Lebanese Festival, hosted by St. Raymond Maronite Cathedral from Sept. 12-14. The event raises funds for the cathedral, commemorates Lebanese culture and acknowledges the Exaltation of the Cross, a liturgical feast celebrated Sept. 14 to honor the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.
“Jesus just reminds us to carry our cross and to follow him, and so we come, we serve, we do it with joy and with love,” long-time volunteer Daisy Kevorkian said.
Kevorkian said she volunteers at the festival because she’s passionate about “our Maronite faith, our community.”
Kevorkian admires Lebanese people’s faith despite the economic crisis, war and injustices happening in their country.
“What’s there not to like about [Lebanese culture]? The food, the hospitality, the perseverance and persistence [of the Lebanese people],” the volunteer said.
“They’re still holding on. You know, four years ago, they bombed Beirut again, everything destroyed. They are always picking up the pieces and starting over,” the volunteer said, referring to the 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate that exploded at Beirut’s port on Aug. 4, 2020, killing more than 218 people. The disaster was among the largest non-nuclear explosions in modern history.
Many attended the festival for a variety of reasons. Joana Dominguez and Philip Trad attended to “just kind of see what’s going on [and] see who’s here. When you’re around the same culture as you, the same ethnicity, there’s kind of like … a familial sense there. We wanted to be a part of that a little bit,” said Trad, who heard about the festival on the radio and is half Lebanese with English, Irish and German heritage.
Trad has been to Lebanese conventions before and said having one in St. Louis was a good opportunity for him to enjoy his culture. “Why the hell not,” he says as Fares Karam’s song “El Tannoura,” or “the skirt” in English, blasted in the background. The song describes a beautiful, self-confident woman who wears a short skirt and effortlessly attracts men’s attention.
Dominguez, whose grandmother is Lebanese and lived most of her life in Mexico City, said, “We always try to keep the culture around. My house is full of cedar [tree icons] and we go to the Maronite church [in Mexico City] and we… often go to Lebanese restaurants.”
When she moved to St. Louis, Dominguez asked Philip where they could get Lebanese food. That’s when they discovered the cathedral and its Wednesday Luncheons, where volunteers and workers cook and serve Lebanese dishes. She and Philip first connected through conversations about their Lebanese heritage.
Jenna Andrawos and Sarah Elking, two young festival volunteers, said they show up “to give back to the community and step up for the next generation.” Their favorite Lebanese foods include stuffed grape leaves, or warak enab in Arabic. The dish can be made with ground beef or lamb and rice seasoned with spices such as salt, pepper and cinnamon, marinated in lemon juice and olive oil. Many variations use different blends of spices.
The young women also enjoy maqluba, a layered rice dish flipped upside down when served. It consists of layers of rice, vegetables, meat and sometimes nuts and raisins cooked in a flavorful broth. Additionally, they tabouleh, a traditional salad made with finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, bulgur wheat and mint, seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice.
Tony Hamad, the head chef who prepares dishes for the cathedral’s Wednesday luncheons, said he takes special pride in his chicken shawarma sandwich.
His wife, Mary, who also volunteers in the kitchen, said the couple first introduced the shawarma to the festival’s menu seven years ago.
“The main purpose of this festival is to bring people to our culture and our community … and of course to [have people] come visit … and support our church,” she said.
Mary added that she hopes people will stop by to taste the shawarma. “Everyone should come down and experience the Lebanese Festival. Come try the best chicken and beef shawarma that me and my husband make from scratch, and you guys won’t regret it. You can only get it once a year because it’s only offered here at the Lebanese Festival.”
