ALLENTOWN, PA — Saints Joachim and Anne Maronite Catholic Church hosted their fourth annual Lebanese festival, bringing food, culture, and traditions to the streets of Allentown.
The festival, which was held behind St. John the Baptist Slovak Church on Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21, enlivened the weekend with food, drinks, games, dance, and a live singer.
Event coordinator Lucie Ballan, who has lived in the United States for more than 50 years, said that her favorite aspect of the festival is that it brings people together.
“The beautiful thing about this festival is that it connects all Arabs in Allentown and beyond,” said Ballan. “I am Lebanese, and there are Palestinians, Iraqis, Syrians, Egyptians, and many more.”
Ballan said such events expose people to the growing Arab community in Allentown. “We see more people becoming aware of our food and culture as we welcome more diverse nationalities,” said Ballan.
Italian American AmyJo Mushrush, a resident of Allentown, was among the crowds enjoying her time with her family.
“This is my first time at the festival,” said Mushrush. “Everyone here is so welcoming and friendly that I felt we could just walk up to people and ask to sit with them.”
Mushrush said she loves how diverse Allentown is as she gets to meet people with different backgrounds and learn about various cultures.
“Lebanese culture reminds me of my Italian heritage because both cultures are very family-oriented,” said Mushrush. “For Italians, there is always a lot of food and big gatherings.”
Ballan and Lebanese Rony Khoury organized the festival, which was successful due to personal donations and collaboration among church members.
“It took time to plan this event, and we all worked together to make it happen as we divided the tasks amongst each other,” said Ballan. “Rony was responsible for setting up the tents and the stage while I brought the food.”
The menu included various Middle Eastern staples, including Shawarma, Manakish, Kebab, Hummus, and much more.
As people enjoyed their food, they watched the youngsters at the church perform a traditional Dabke dance and listened to the live band perform some of the most beloved Arabic songs.
The proceeds of the festival are donated to help evolve the church. “For this year, we will be using the money to pay off the church’s loan and to expand the meeting hall as our community continues to grow,” said Ballan.
With smiles, music, and the smell of barbecue filling the hot air of Allentown, the Lebanese festival was a success for the coordinators and the visitors. “We came for fellowship, food, and music,” said Mushrush. “We loved it!”
