Lake County Journal Person of the Week: The Rev. Cosmas Halekakis
 
Who he is: Pastor of St. Demetrios in Libertyville
 
Family: Wife, Michelle; and five children, Yanni, 13, Michael, 11, Maximus, 9, Gregory, 6, and Sophia 5 months
 
What he's excited about: Lake County Greek Fest, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, July 8, Saturday, July 9, and Sunday, July 10, at St. Demetrios, 1400 N. O'Plaine Road, in Libertyville
 
Describe what Greek Fest is like: "It is a celebration of Greek culture and heritage. It's a way for our church to show off and for us to welcome people from the community. People can experience a taste of Greek culture through food, music, live Greek entertainment and folk dancers, and tours of the church. Vendors offer Greek products, including art, books, jewelry, CDs, and clothing, for sale. Also, there might be an exhibit from the Hellenic Museum in Chicago."
 
How did the Greek Fest get started? "The Greek Fest at St. Demetrios resembles traditional festivals that are held in Greece. They have these types of festivals where a whole village will cook and will celebrate together. Churches are the cultural centers in Greece. On important holidays or feast days in the old villages, everyone from the community will come to the church to celebrate."
 
What makes the Greek Fest so appealing? "The food! The food is really good. Everyone is a volunteer from our parish. Many are professional cooks. We have probably 20 to 30 restaurant owners. They really know what they're doing. The hospitality and the beautiful setting – we have 15 acres with two ponds, trees, and a field – remind me of a village in Greece. There is no charge for parking and no charge for admission; it's a relaxing event for the day."

What makes St. Demetrios, the church that you will be giving tours of, so unique? "The architecture is very traditional. We tried to make everything as traditional as we could. You can see that from the outside with the golden dome, but you can even see that inside as well. A lot of what we believe about our faith is reflected in the structure. That's what I try to explain in the tours – why we have a dome, why the structure is the way it is. There's a reason for everything and we have tried to be as faithful to these reasons as we can."

What is your favorite Greek food? "We roast a whole lamb over an open fire, about four or five at a time. This is a very traditional food that is used in celebration at different festivals. That's probably my favorite. I think for most Greeks, it's their favorite."
 
What is your favorite part about the Greek Fest? "My favorite part is being able to interact with the people in the community. I love giving the church tours, floating through tents, talking with people, meeting people, sharing my faith and Greek culture, and interacting with people from the neighborhoods."

To learn more about Greek Fest? Visit www.saintdemetrioslibertyville.com or call 224-513-5530.