A taste of culture, faith at Coptic Festival
Oct. 18—Along with Halloween fun, October is proving to be a good month for Bakersfield to learn more about different churches and cultures.
After last week's Bakersfield Greek Food Festival, residents can head to St. Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church for its Coptic Festival.
In addition to a dash of culture and church history, the annual event taking place Saturday and Sunday will also offer attendees plenty to sample.
"It will be a taste of the Middle East and especially Egypt," said Isis Sterling, one of the festival's organizers.
The Coptic Orthodox Church, of which St. Demiana is a local parish, is one of the oldest Christian churches. It dates back to ancient Egypt in A.D. 42 and is based on the teachings of St. Mark, who brought Christianity to the country.
The Bakersfield church, established in 1998, has held the festival since 2008.
Like the Greek festival, food sold at the Coptic Festival is made fresh for the event.
"Everything is done by members of the church," Sterling said of the baked goods and entrees that will be for sale.
Options include shish kebabs, shawarma, stuffed grape leaves, falafel, potato "tornadoes" (twisted fried potatoes on a stick).
"I know it's very popular with the youngsters," Sterling said of the potato dish.
Diners can also order salads and rice to enjoy with their main dishes.
Those with a sweet tooth can enjoy baklava, Egyptian cookies and other baked items.
Menu pricing ranges from $3 to $15.
As it has done in the past, the church will offer a free meal for those in law enforcement, firefighters and first responders. To redeem the offer, attendees can come in uniform or show their work identification, Sterling said.
The gathering will also feature bounce houses and a variety of different games, including basketball, fishing and a toss challenge.
Tickets ($1 each) are required to play and can be purchased on site with each game costing a different amount.
Attendees can pose for a souvenir photo with pharaohs and queens of Egypt with a backdrop of the pyramids.
Another souvenir option is a custom T-shirt with your choice of pharaonic image, which will be screen-printed on site.
Church members will also run a large gift shop with a selection of Egyptian wares including jewelry, coptic icons, cultural and spiritual books as well as handmade items.
Sterling said, "A lot of our members are talented and they make stuff and it's just gorgeous."
Church tours will be offered every hour, sharing details about the local parish as well as the faith.
Learn even more at the booth charting the Holy Family's trip through Egypt. A docent will offer a brief presentation including a map showing where Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus traveled to escape the wrath of King Herod.
Sterling said they expect attendance to match last year, which was about 500 visitors each day.
"I actually sent an email to all the previous attendees from last year," Sterling said. "Many said they're definitely coming because it's awesome."
Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.
