The annual Mediterranean Festival at St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox Church in Shrewsbury is set to take place from 21–23 August, bringing Middle Eastern food, music and dance to the local community and raising funds for church programmes.
Community festival returns to church grounds
Organisers say the three-day event draws parishioners, families, neighbours and visitors from across the region. George Hanna, president of the parish council and a long‑time organiser, told reporters the festival is expected to attract about 4,000 people over the weekend.
"We are just improving on what we already did well in the past. We are making it even better," Hanna said, as volunteers worked on logistics and sales arrangements ahead of opening.
Food at the heart of the celebration
Food has long been a main attraction and this year the organisers have made a series of small operational changes intended to ease queuing and speed transactions. Tickets will carry the names of the food products to help cashiers process sales more quickly, and supply lines have been reviewed.
- Three shawarma stations will be in operation (up from two), offering chicken, beef and a spicy option.
- Menus will include kibbeh (ground meat with bulghur wheat), chicken and beef kebabs, falafel wraps, combo plates and staples such as hummus, rice and salad.
- Traditional small dishes such as grape leaves, za'atar and muhammara will also be available, alongside desserts including baklava and mushabak.
The festival’s food offering reflects the Levantine roots of many of the church community and provides a chance for residents to sample dishes less commonly available in the high street cafés of the region.
Music and entertainment
Entertainment will include Middle Eastern pop tracks spun by DJ George Yousseff across all three evenings. Saturday features singer Marwan Zgheib, while Sunday will also offer live vocal performances. The mix of DJs and singers is intended to provide a blend of contemporary and traditional sounds, supporting the festival’s aim to celebrate and preserve cultural heritage.
| Day | Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Friday | DJ George Yousseff (Middle Eastern pop) |
| Saturday | DJ George Yousseff; singer Marwan Zgheib |
| Sunday | DJ George Yousseff; live singer(s) |
The festival is not just about food and music. It is a means of social connection and fundraising for church activities. St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox Church has a long local history; the parish marked its centennial in 1923, a reminder of the deep roots immigrant communities have established in the area.
Local traders and volunteers typically provide much of the labour and expertise that keeps the weekend running, from kitchen teams to ticket booths and crowd management. Improvements this year to supply layout and ticket labelling aim to reduce wait times at peak periods, a practical response to the heavy footfall organisers expect.
"People, they look forward to it," George Hanna said, underscoring the festival’s place in the local calendar.
For residents and visitors, the Mediterranean Festival offers a weekend of food and performance that broadens the town’s cultural calendar while supporting community programmes. Whether sampling shawarma, trying a plate of kibbeh or listening to familiar pop hits with a Levantine twist, the festival is being presented as a convivial occasion for both long-standing members of the parish and those discovering the cuisine and music for the first time.
Visitors should expect busy periods and may wish to plan arrival times to avoid the peak mealtimes. Details about opening hours and any ticketing arrangements can be obtained from the church in the days before the event.
