Armenian festival returning as drive-thru event

Members of St. Mark Armenian Church in Springfield will continue their more-than-25-year-old tradition of serving traditional Armenian dinners and baked goods, but this year the food will be served in drive-thru style rather than at an in-person festival.

The new Fest-To-Go Drive Thru will allow customers to bring home the same meals and baked goods always offered at the parish’s annual Armenian Festival, but they will procure them from the safety of their cars.

The COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for the change, but church members did not want to cancel their largest fundraiser so decided to shift to the drive-thru model.

Among the reasons for the change rather than cancellation were the financial component and tradition.

“Rather than cancel our festival, we decided that we can hold our fest in a way that is safe for everyone,” said David Jermakian, a St. Mark parishioner and Fest-To-Go organizer/volunteer. “We put on a great event and feel that the community looks forward to it each year, and during these difficult times we hope our food will bring some joy to the community.”

The drive thru will take place on Saturday, Sept. 5, 4 to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 6, noon to 5 p.m., at the church, 2427 Wilbraham Road, Springfield.

Dinners — served with rice pilaf, pita bread and tomato/cucumber salad — feature chicken kebabs and losh kebabs (Armenian beef/lamb burger).

Baked goods will include cheese boreg (ready-to-bake filo dough triangles with cheese filling), choreg (traditional, slightly sweet bread with sprinkled sesame seeds on top), paklava (sweetened layers of filo dough with walnut filling), khadayif (sweetened, shredded filo dough with custard filling — also available by the pound for pre-orders), nazook (rolled pastry with sweet buttery filling), khurabia (tender butter cookies rolled in powdered sugar), katah (slightly sweet bread with sweet buttery filling) and Armenian string cheese (mild, moist braided cheese, smooth with a nutty accent).

“We’re fortunate to have great chefs in our parish who have their specialties that they prepare for the Fest every year, either in their homes or through baking workshops,” Jermakian said. Though baking workshops are not as feasible this year, baked goods still will be prepared in parishioners’ homes. The dinners will be prepared by shifts of parishioners at the church while following social distancing and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

One dollar from each dinner purchased will be donated to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. “During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, we know that many people in our community are experiencing food insecurity, and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is helping people in need throughout our region and the need continues to rise,” Jermakian said. “We want to do our part to support an organization that is on the front lines helping individuals and families.”

In addition to the donation to the Food Bank, proceeds from the Fest-To-Go will benefit the ministries of St. Mark Armenian Church.

The church went months with no in-person services, from mid-March through July 26, which has been difficult both spiritually and financially for members. “Not being able to be together with our church family was very hard,” he said, but the church streamed Sunday services on Facebook Live each week, and the pastor provided weekly spiritual talks via Zoom, which kept church members connected.

Following CDC guidelines, St. Mark’s now offers in-person services.

An online ordering system for the Fest-To-Go can be found on the church’s website,

stmarkarmenianchurch.org/2020-aftg-order-form, which is an easy way to read descriptions of each food item, select a pick-up time and pre-pay. Quantities will be limited, and online pre-ordering and pre-pay is recommended by Sept. 3.

A printable order form can be downloaded from the St. Mark website, stmarkarmenianchurch.org, and mailed to the church (2427 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01129). To place a phone order, leave a message at 413-783-5793.

Though online ordering is encouraged, card, check (made payable to St. Mark Armenian Church) and cash will be accepted for drive-up orders.

The Fest-To-Go will be observing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines; those picking up order are asked to remain in their cars and wear a mask.

For more information, call 413-783-5793 or 413-727-2586.